Winter Saturday

Thank you Megan for suggesting the bouncy castle!

My swag bag

We're Friends of the State Hermitage Museum. That means that in addition to getting in for "free"* and being able to go past the long lines, we also get invited to regular evening events. For many reasons we've never actually attended one of the evenings, but December is the 15th anniversary of the Friends Club so I booked the nanny and told Terry he had to wear a tie and planned to go.

Well, Terry's been sick with nobody-knows-what and it turned out I knew a whole group of ladies who were leaving their husbands home so he got a bye, we canceled the nanny, and I went alone. Due to my uncanny ability to get lost going a straight line, I got there later than planned. After checking my coat and the fancy shoes I planned to wear, then showing my invite to a dozen people, I was haphazardly included in a group of people following a Russian speaking tour guide through a new exhibit I'd never heard of and that I think Terry would really like. As I was completely ignoring the guide due to my complete inability to understand what she was saying, I did catch an earful of English coming from a different corner and glommed onto that tour group.

The tour went on for about 1/2 hour and then we were led into the Throne Room, where the director of the entire museum gave a speech. We thought we would then hear the concert and eventually get a canape or glass of water but instead we hung out in a large otherwise empty room while a trio or quartet played (I forget which) and nobody paid much attention, which is a shame as they played well. Our tour guide eventually rounded us up and another 30-40 minutes went by as we toured a different special exhibit that I also have to bring Terry back to see. At this point, however, we were thirsty, hungry, with aching feet and getting grumpy.

Just at that time we were led into the atrium where the food and drinks were. We all got enough to eat to assuage our hunger, and I even got scolded by a Russian because I put my empty plate on the bench on which I was sitting. Completely uncouth and I may never be allowed to enter the Hermitage again! I was pretty happy to be so Russian-ignorant as had I known what she was saying I probably would have gotten upset. In translation it wasn't so bad although I did keep insisting my friend point out to the scolder the stain that was on the bench from before we sat down.
Time to leave, we gather our coats and things and note a very large quantity of plastic shopping-type bags and a couple of people who looked like they worked there. We almost walked right by, but then we asked what was in the bags. Turns out, it's for us! In addition to the Annual Report, we go a DVD, magnet, moleskin datebook, and yummy Frazer chocolate. A perfect evening all around, even if I could barely feel my feet the next day.



* it's not exactly free when the membership costs about a hundred individual visits, but I don't have to have cash on the day I go so in that sense it's free.

Hermitage with Zoltan part II

Today was truly perfect. Alex went happily into her classroom at school. Zoltan even chose to wear his boots today rather than fight me for his sneakers. Traffic was normal, not awful. Garmin actually led me to my destinations.

First stop, the Grand Choral Synagogue to buy hanukkah candles. And, as I was there, a challah. Who thinks French toast will be on tomorrow's breakfast menu? Next stop, Hermitage.

Today the Hermitage must have staffed their dezhornaya nice-mean-nice alternating through each room. One lady smiled brightly when she saw Zoltan, chatted for a bit then gave what were clearly directions and a room number and said something like "On lubit" (he'll like it). Turns out that room held the suits of armor and replica horses, also armored. Another women gave me a nasty "neel zya" (not permitted) when I was showing Zoltan a painting, describing it by pointing to the different features, and I guess my hand went within a foot of the canvas. Horrors!

Completely by accident we got to an exhibit I've been wanting to see, Antony Gormley. His exhibit has 2 parts, one where he convinced the Hermitage to build up the floor in its ancient sculpture room so the sculptures are even with the visitors rather than being on pedestals, and the other part includes his own art. Zoltan had a blast with Gormley's figures, especially the one "laying down" (bottom right in the picture). He kept pointing to that and and yelling "lay down" and then to one of the other sculptures and yelling "stand up".

     The other interesting aside is that my 2 year old has a real preference in art forms. If there were no paintings or photographs in a room he'd sadly say "no pictures" and wander through to see if the next room would hold "pictures." My budding critic!

Goals, goals and more goals

On Sunday I went to see SKA host Spartak.  For those who don't know or forgotten from my previous post.  SKA is the local KHL hockey team in St Petersburg.  Spartak is one of the Moscow KHL teams.  This year SKA has been doing very well as of late.  The two previous games I have seen they won but they were close entertaining games.

This game started out similarly.   Spartak scored first in the first period then SKA answered with there own goal later in the period. The first period ended 1-1 so far continuing on the trend I seen up until this point.  The second period SKA came out flying early on and went up 3-1 and then started to play defense hockey for the last 5 minutes of the period.  Lots of short shifts and dumping the puck in the offense zone.  I figure they wold play a defense third period to try and hold on for the win.

Apparently the players in coach had another idea.  They came out aggressive and attacked the offensive zone.  In the end SKA added another 7 goals in the period.  They were 3 for 3 on the power play.  The only blemish in the period is they gave up one power play goal to Spartak.  The final score was 10-2 it was by far the most lopsided game I have ever seen.

And then there were 4

Back on July 9 I made 119 muffins to store for the winter. It seemed like a lot to me. I hinted that I'd keep track of how fast they would be eaten.

Between play dates, morning coffees, and occasional treats for the kids, we are down to the last 4 muffins. They didn't even last 1/2 year. I guess next year I'm aiming for 200+!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

So we've had 2 flurries of about 10 minutes each and at least one hail but as it's only dropped below freezing a couple of times ... well, let's just say Indiana has a whole bunch of snow according to my friend and yet Petersburg is just damp and chilly. And dark. The dark is more annoying when it isn't glinty with snow and ice.

Banana chips for you, banana chips for me

We tested out the dehydrator today with banana chips. The first bite was "hm, this is weird" and it definitely did not taste like banana chips we get in the store. BUT ... it got a bit addictive and the kids really liked it so we have a winner!

Terry will probably try apple tomorrow while I'm at the IWC Winter Bazaar (charity fundraiser)

Dehydrator

After looking longingly at dehydrators for months off and on, Terry finally bought one during his Metro run this morning (American holidays rock!) So now, in the winter we can have apples AND dried apples. Woo-hoo!

Tallinn Zoo

Yes, we're a bit jaded after the phenomenal Budapest Zoo, but the truth is Tallinn's isn't much to report on. It is a huge amount of space with not much in there, and unfortunately the cages are not exactly spacious or comfortable. There are some signs around the zoo to the effect that depending on government funding and sponsors, the animals will get new homes as soon as they can be built, but I wonder how long those signs have been up.

The day was damp, almost drizzly, and +4C. We counted 4 other families at the zoo during our hour or so there. I really thought we'd be the only ones.

Tallinn, take 2

Getting to Tallinn when you don't stop for 2h at the border doesn't seem to take any less time, of course that could be that we stopped 2x on the way to the border, then again for lunch after we crossed (there's a French Fry Store right over the border). And Zoltan still has a 6h tolerance, although this time it was slightly less than 7 hours. And he was more easily distracted.

After some fits and starts with the rental company, we got into our apartment, got the kids down (Z sleeping, A not so much) and proceeded to alternately unload the car and lay down ourselves as the night before had been a marathon of the kids waking up - Z 3 times, A 2.

Our apartment is right in Town Hall Square, and all our windows face the square. Pretty cool when you just look out the balcony to see the Tallinn Christmas Tree being unloaded from the truck and raised. Much less cool when the loud drunks start yelling and singing at 11:30pm. I think the period of silence between 2am-5:30am was due to the rain that must have fallen some time in the night.

The morning started OK if early, to the kids it was 8am when they awoke so who can blame them? Then we learn that Tallinn is so amazing and we are so cursed here. Terry's been unwell with some kind of bug all day. I'll report on the zoo separately, and with a couple of photos, but after that it was pretty much hanging out in the apartment the rest of the day, with me making some excursions to get ginger ale, wipes (we'd forgotten them!) and a few other things.

Just keep repeating, at least we're away!