skiing in moscow

There are 3 good options for skiing in Moscow:

First one is Sorochany ( http://www.sorochany.ru/ )

The slopes are mostly short but there are 10 lifts I think, so you won't get bored or very crowded. The longest slope is 850 m (lift no 8). The only problem would be, if it is extraordinarily cold that day, you would actually freeze on that lift since it is relatively slow.

Yesterday we went skiing in Shukolovo ( http://www.shukolovo.ru/?main=true )

I liked it better. It's hard to say that slopes are better but the place in general is nicer. They have about 11 slopes, the longest being 600 m. However there were less people, so somehow it was more satisfying skii&lift wait-loop-wise. Plus it is not far from Sorochany, they are practically the same distance from the center.

Café in the entrance was more civilized then Sorochany. We had soup and french fries before we head back.

Plus the lifts are much cheaper. There are different tariffes of course but in general the price for one lift in Sorochany is 100 rubles, in Shukolovo it's 50 rubles.

The third option is Volen ( http://www.volen.ru/ )

I haven't been there yet but Asko says it's more chic than the other two. However the slopes are shorter than the other two.

It's -12 now, with no snow :(

Let's just hope that skiing season lasts a little bit longer !

ice ice baby

Last week we went ice skating in Sokolniki Park. It was sunny and not that cold :)

Near the entrance there was this arena of some sort. On it, elderly russians were singing and dancing as usual. How can you not love this about Moscow.

As for us, we skated a little in the beautiful weather and also enjoyed the ringside view after we took off the skates. We also saw this young couple skating with the stroller.

Hey, check out the icicle outside our window.

But not everything is cold in here. The weekend before that we went to "We are Family" a new spot in town, after a birthday party (actually, as a part of the birthday party).

Breakfast at Ludi kak Ludi's

One of the things that I'm gonna miss when I leave Moscow would be our traditional brunch on sundays.
After a night of playing poker with friends or going out to a club or just watcing a movie on a saturday night, it is lovely to realize the next morning that it is indeed sunday. You yawn, strech and stay in bed for a couple of minutes, enjoying the idea of the day to come; to be spent with brunch, sports and grocery shopping.
We have this wonderful spot which I think is a gem in the whole restaurant scene in Moscow. The place is called Ludi Kak Ludi (people like people?) on Solyanskiy Proyezd in Kitai Gorod. It actually is a cafe, but we haven't been there except for a brunch, so we have no idea how would it feel like to be there on weekdays, sipping a cup of coffee.
It is one of those places where you find everything to be just how it should be and nothing more. There are waiters but they only help to clean. You have to go to the counter to place your order and simply go back to your table and chat with your friends until your order is ready and soldier-looking molodoi chelovek announces the ready order and asks you to collect it from the counter. It may sound quite direct and rugged those who has never been to Moscow but believe me this style of serving food fits Russian style right on the spot. The style which I love: nothing dazzling, nothing confusing: plain, simple and functioning. It's rather convenient when you consider american diner themed restaurants.
What do we eat in Ludi Kak Ludi:
Spinach and feta pie
Mozarella sandwich (this is amazing- it has a sauce with black olives and I get a hint of orange?)
A fresh baked croissant
Smoothy No.2

Pies are incredible, the spinach-feta pie is the best but you still can try meat, mushroom or onion pie. They are all very good. Even mozarella sandwich is my favorite by far, but my hubby prefers roastbeef sandwich. Well, have an open mind about it too.

Smoothies are the same as Propaganda and Krizis Janra (they are from the same family), our favorite is no.2 but it has been witnessed that some people actually had no.10 and no.5.

They are open at 11:00, so don't come knocking earlier, they don't think themselves as serving breakfast. Do I have to add that they are curiously inexpensive...

I will try to find a picture of the spot on my computer, I hope I will soon...