Mari Vanna Creates Old Russia In America

I'm obsessed with all things Russian. I have no explanation for this. I'm not Russian. I hate pickled and over-mayonnaised food.  I dislike gray skies and mind-numbing cold. Yet, still I find myself with a deep intrigue for Russian cities, culture, and art. I even took Russian Language in college. What have I used this basic Russian for? Aside from getting the Slavic maintenance man at my office to hang and fix things for free не очень (not much).

Imagine my delight  visiting D.C. two weeks ago with my girlfriends, when we stumbled upon a hip Russian bar and bistro called Mari Vanna.  It's very hard for Russian places to become "hip" in the US because Russia isn't one of the countries we'd consider trendy or modern. I've seen very few Slavic themed clubs or restaurants probably because of the stigma that Russia is simply not "fun". Mari Vanna has sought to overthrow this American misconception and has opened chains of its restaurant in Moscow, St. Petersburg, NYC and London.

According to our hostess, Mari Vanna was a Russian lady who opened her kitchen to travelers and cooked them authentic Russian cuisine. In that vain, Mari Vanna was created with the idea of making people feel as if they were in a bonafide kitchen in the middle of St. Petersburg. Everything in the restaurant feels and looks as if it could be found in any eatery in Moscow, right down to the bathrooms which play creepy Slavic music from an old radio above the toilet. Even the wash-basins appear to be from when the USSR was still in tact.

The bartender was welcoming though I may have soiled that relationship with my clumsy broken Russian. He let us sample all six of the different infused-vodka that were sitting in jugs behind the bar. The fruit flavors were delicious, but I have to say some vodka flavors should not be attempted. The Oatmeal infusion tasted like vodka poured on Quaker oats.

Lighting Fixture that holds wine bottles

Menu on a slab of wood with a spoon attached

Oatmeal, Raspberry and Honey infused-vodka

Bathroom water basin

Non-Russian Ladies enjoying the Russian traditions

Upon leaving, the hostess gave us a lot of Russian candy and, what she claims, is a key to the restaurant. I sincerely hope this key actually will open the doors to Mari Vanna as I will attempt it for throwing a secret Russian Vodka Party in D.C. one of these days. You are all on the invite list.

Free Swag

Inauguration: Homecoming Weekend for GW Alumni

I found myself pretty busy with work and school applications in 2012 so I plan to make up for it this year by travelling A LOT. A little glimpse into my plans, my trips will include Nashville, Chicago (again!), Rio Di Janiero, Buenos Aires, and Charlotte.

This weekend starts the travelling bonanza in a place I used to call home for four years, Washington D.C.  I will be travelling to D.C. to attend the second Inauguration of Obama. Being there the first time, you'd think I wouldn't need to go for round two, but alas, it is not really the actual Inauguration that I'm going for (sorry Barack). 

Inauguration weekend is to D.C. what Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, minus the beads and the flashing people.   Bars stay opened until 4 or 5 am. People wander around outside the monuments hoping to attend  free concerts that feature artists like Beyonce. There's Inaugural Balls all over the city where people get dressed up in prom attire and dance the night away. When I went to GW, four years ago (wow I'm getting old), our Inaugural ball was at the Omni Shoreham and was made up of various rooms with a different themed ambiance in every room. There was a DJ playing top 40 hits in a room with strobe lights, a Frank Sinatra band in an exquisite ballroom, a casual folk band in a room with vegetable crudites and pigs in a blanket...  And for GW students, this experience is what I imagine homecoming football games must be like to Boston College or University of Texas. Politics was our home-sport and we got to watch the first string politicians play every day.

Here's some pictures of Inauguration from January 2009.

Waiting for the Inauguration Concert to commence

It was so cold that day, the reflecting pool was frozen

Attentive crowd freezing their butts off on Inauguration Day January 2009 

I wish I had a picture of Obama to place with these pictures but from where I was standing he was not even visible except on the mega-screen. The millions of people that got there at 5 am. were all miles in front of me blocking my view. Not even to see the president sworn in will I get up that early. I did have some great company Inauguration weekend...

The Single Ladies

I will be spending Inauguration with the same trio of "single ladies" from four years ago. Sometimes I get nostalgic looking at these photos, and then I notice the ugly green gloves and white hat I'm wearing and the nostalgia fades.

7 Super Shots Hostel Bookers Challenge

I am taking part in Hostel Bookers "7 Super Shots" challenge.  I was definitely one of the least talented photographers in my photography class in Florence so take that with a grain of salt when you scroll through my list of "super shots". I like these seven photos because they encompass some of the emotion and character in the places I've visited/lived. 

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/7-super-shots/

1.) A photo that... takes my breath away

Florence, Italy

This is a picture of the infamous Duomo in the middle of Florence. Something about the bird and the extreme blue in the sky make me feel like I'm still on the cobble stones gazing up at this massive church.  

2.) A photo that... makes me laugh or smile

Jackson Hole, WY

Wyoming is full of surprising wildlife. This wild horse wandered in front of my camera as I was photographing the Tetons. He also proceeded to disrupt the dinner my company was throwing by greeting as the guests with a nuzzle and standing behind everyone's cars so we couldn't pull out of the field.  What a character.

3.) A photo that... makes me dream

New York, NY

New York is a city of dreamers.  Every time I look at the NYC skyline I have visions of what life would be like living here, working here, and soaking in all the energy, lights, and caffeine that characterize New York. New York has a man made beauty that can't be contained. 

4.) A photo that... makes me think

Washington, DC

This photo is from the Inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009. The national mall was full of people from every walk of life. I watched the inauguration from the small incline that rises to the Washington Monument with thousands of others. There was said to be over one million people on the mall in front of the capital that day. I felt privileged to be one of them. I love this shot because the people seem to rise out like an endless sea and the flags are all blowing the same direction.

5.) A photo that... make my mouth water

Barcelona, Spain

This flavorful mass of candy can be found in Barcelona's "La Boqueria". I've honestly never seen so much candy laid out like this in a market before. Spanish sugar rush is a must to stay up until 4 am. in Barcelona's ever alive nightlife. 

6.) A photo that... tells a story

Panama City, Panama

I love this picture (as you can see I've used it as a banner on my blog since it's inception). I took this in the Casco Viejo in Panama City, Panama. I love the bright colors of the quilts and the dreamy expression on the Panamanian woman's face. I wonder what she's thinking, what her life is like and how long she's been making quilts for tourists. 

7.) A photo that... I am most proud of aka my National Geographic Shot

Las Terranas, Dominican Republic

This is an actual picture of me so I'm not sure if that counts. This was taken in Las Terranas in the Dominican Republic when I was on a drive around the island with a Dominican family. I like it because it makes me think of what travel feels like for me:  long strange trips in a truck that lead up to a brief moment where a new place opens up to me that I never knew existed. This place, in my exhausted euphoria of trip hypnosis, emphatically became a part of my being like a scar that I can never remove. I actually have a literal scar from this trip because I fell into the hole behind me shortly after this picture was taken.  

Recap on my year in travel

Lately, my girlfriends and I have been discussing what trips we want to take over the next year. India was mentioned, as well as Croatia, Greece, the Midwestern United States, and Canada. Sometimes I find myself so overwhelmed by how many places I want to see before I'm married and have babies dangling from each arm that I feel that I'll never get it all done on time.

I get so overwhelmed that I forget about how many cool places I've gotten to see over the past couple years of my life. I was at a dinner party a few weeks back and my friend said to me, "For a while I wasn't sure if you were working or not because of how many vacations you took".  I'm blessed to have a job that allows these type of vacations and days off.

This year alone I went to: The Dominican Republic, Miami, DC, NYC, Amsterdam, Florence, Siena, Las Vegas, Jackson Hole, and Cape Cod. This also doesn't count my various trips to mountains to ski or my traverses to outdoor venues to hear awesome concerts like Avett Brothers in Vermont and Phish in Watkins Glen. I assure you I do have a job. In fact the Jackson Hole trip was for work!

Pictures for your viewing pleasure (or really for mine): 

Las Terranas, DR

Santo Domingo, DR

DC, my old home

Old Friends in Amsterdam

Jessica and Jessica in Amsterdam

How you get around the Netherlands

Beautiful other Jessica in Italy

The Arno River

Ponte Vecchio

Vegas by night

Vegas by day

Avett Brothers in Vermont

Mighty Tetons

Wild Horses in Wyoming

Phish in Watkins Glen

Dunes of the Cape

Life is Good

It looks like I'll be ending this year, at the very place I started the last one... in NYC. This year I'll be at Madison Square Garden attending the Phish New Years Eve concert.  Hopefully 2012 will be as good as 2011 or better.

New Year's 2011, NYC skyline