The best butter chicken in Piter

Last Saturday night Terry and I went to dinner alone for the first time since the summer, when our usual nighttime babysitter left for college. We decided to try the 3rd Indian restaurant in Piter - Tandoori. Don't confuse it with Tandoori Nights, just a few doors down on the same street.

I'll be honest, the samosas didn't impress, nor did the vegetable korma. The masala chai was promising except that they didn't boil the sugar with the tea, milk and spices (ah, they were SO CLOSE) but with a cube of sugar it was a pretty good rendition. BUT the butter chicken was fabulous. So good, in fact, that we smothered the korma in the sauce and scarfed it down. Jai Hind is still our go-to place, the food is good and best of all it's walkable ... but we will definitely make the schlep to Tandoori at least a couple of times to get that butter chicken.

Lomonosov Porcelain Factory Tour

The Lomonosov Imperial Porcelain Factory is only open Tuesdays through Fridays and not on Russian holidays, so our only opportunity to tour is a non-Monday American holiday. I think we all know how rare those are! So on veteran's day we honored our men and women in uniform .... by a tour of how artists made pretty things for the czars and how they currently can make pretty things for millionaires. I assure you, the things are VERY pretty.

I didn't take a single damn picture though. Ugh! I even had the camera with me. See, there was a miscommunication and I thought the tour would be an hour, as the tour I attended 2 years ago was about that long I think ... but we got a tour of the Porcelain Museum first, which was 1.5 hours long and I was pretty sure we weren't to take photos there. The molds for many - most - original pieces are destroyed, so they recreate pieces using 3D imaging and it still can take a year or more to replicate a piece. Also interesting - apparently, Europe first learned the secrets of making porcelain from a French abbot who stole the secrets from China. Those French! That clergy!

Then it was already 12:30 and folks started getting hungry and grumpy so the factory part of the tour got cut short. We did get to see a woman get the liquid whatever-its-called and pour it into the mold to make the shape, but she was trying to be nice and show us what it looks like and didn't wait long enough for it to dry properly and ruined the little piggy :( we also saw a few made-to-order items in their various stages of completion and learn about how many different pieces can come together to make one item.

Then of course, the shopping. I ended up not buying anything because I wanted to get concurrence before spending that much on anything, but it's actually easier to get to than I remember and I will definitely be back.

There's a Science Museum in the mall!

Seriously. We went today. At the Galleria Mall right by T.G.I.Fridays is a mini science museum. It kept the kids occupied for a solid 1.5h, which is the time allotted for the ticket price we chose, although I am curious how they monitor that. In any case, it was lunch time. We totally could have stayed longer.

The museum even employs a horde of assistants who explain the different exhibits. When we admitted to speaking no Russian they had the two women who spoke English hovering around us which was both comforting and disconcerting in turn.

Here's the web site: http://www.umnikum.com/

144

My FSO update - I am officially on the Register! #144 of 144 for the Consular cone. And now it's time to study Russian ....

Almost on the Register

On Friday I learned that my security and medical clearances were finally complete and my file sent to the final suitability review.

2 points about this:
1. I took the Oral Exam on June 13. That was more than 4 months ago, and State has allegedly sped up the process in the last few years.
2. Especially in light of #1 - I already have a Class 1 (anywhere in the world) medical clearance granted by State, and a Top Secret clearance also granted by State. And still it took 4 months to get here ... and technically I'm not even "here" yet.

Let's just say there's a bigger problem afoot than my personal problems if anything goes foul in this last step. Here's hoping for another FSO update in the next week. On the other hand, things finally starting to seem real and tangible might just be why I studied Russian over the weekend for the first time in about a month.

Happy birthday baby boy

I know, it's getting tiresome. But, that's what happens when you have your babies' birthdays 2 weeks apart. I can't believe Zoltan is already 2 years old, it feels like just yesterday he was a teensy bit of a thing who just screamed and screamed. We're so glad we didn't ask for a refund and decided to keep you!

An admission here: Terry had to work very late tonight so we're celebrating the birthday with fast food and cupcakes tomorrow. He'll never know the difference unless some day years from now he goes browsing through the old blog entries ....

Mobile no more

As in, automobile, not mobile phone. Our Russian drivers' licenses were only good until the end of our visas, and they expire today. They can't be good longer than our USA licenses, and of course both Terry's and my license expire this year so it isn't worth the hassle and expense to get a license for 2 months. Terry's renewed PA license arrived 2 weeks ago, so he's gotten his new Russian one and is good to go.

Where is mine????

Trunk or treat

All last week I kept forgetting that this week even exists, because the kids went Trick or Treating on Friday the 21st. In my mind it's the weekend before Halloween already. The personalized pumpkin bags have a motherlode of sugar, the costumes have already become filthy and been washed (just in case they want to be Pooh and a bunny again next year. A mother can dream, right?)



Anyway, the Anglo-American school held their annual Trick or Trunk event, wherein the parents decorate their cars and kids trick or treat as though the vehicles were houses. As we were the only sedan in a field of SUVs, I think the similarity was closer than one might otherwise think. Other than the 3 (or was it 4?) rain showers in the course of the 1.5 hours of setup and the actual event, it was a good time had by all.

The camera battery was dying so we don't have photos of the after-event, when Zoltan stuffed a piece of chocolate in his mouth so big he couldn't close his mouth, drooling chocolate over Pooh's belly, all the while screaming "More Chocolate" and having a complete meltdown.

Happy birthday babies

My poor deprived daughter finally got a birthday party at the ripe old age of 4. And she had to share it with Zoltan :) They are still young enough not to care, although I am sure the day is soon approaching that they demand separate celebrations. Given how attached Zoltan is to one of Alex's friends, I may be more than happy to keep him from associating with the "older girls".

We have totally rearranged our dining room to be more of a "bouncy castle room" where we can sometimes have meals with more then 1 other guest. As expected, the kids were in heaven between the bouncy castle, all our toys, the new toys from today, and the cake.

I am totally investing in a real set of icing tips - working with a Ziplock just doesn't work for me anymore. Here's an interesting tip about cake: when you make it a couple of days in advance and put it in the fridge, am overly light and fluffy cake denses right up. I was a bit shocked when I cut it and then ate it (I did cupcakes too so I had done a taste test the night I baked them.)

crazy week

We were on a nice roll there for a while, eh? It's been a crazy week ...

Last Saturday I organized an "orienting" walking tour with Peter's Walks. We hit the highlights, Kazan Cathedral, Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress, Strelka, Winter Palace. It was, as Peter's tours always are, really interesting, informative, and a great way to see the city. I even managed to order up the most strikingly beautiful fall day EVER. When Terry's done editing the photos we'll put up a link. For now, here's the cathedral at Peter & Paul Fortress.

Sunday and Monday were pretty normal, although Monday I had to take a bit over an hour out of my day to go to the rink and buy tickets to the hockey game (I organized an outing as CLO). Seriously, folks, it is a bit ridiculous that the only way to get tickets to the game is to go to the rink.

Tuesday Terry went to the SKA hockey game while I hosted book club. Wednesday I stayed at work late for our first Post Language Program Game Night - Russian Scrabble! If I can figure how to get the photo off my phone I'll post what our final board looked like. Our language teacher wasn't impressed, to say the least. On the other hand, even beginner Russian speakers could have participated as I think we only had 3 words of more than one syllable.

Thursday I organized a cooking demonstration with the CG's chef. Mmmmmmm. Quite frankly, in Malta the Ambassador's chef was, to my taste, a huge disappointment. Vladimir, though, can cook. I am still trying to figure a way to get over there today and grab a bowl of leftovers for my lunch.