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This issue is devoted to Moscow. We are glad to present hotels' special rates, information on the first retrospective of brilliant Russian avant-garde artist Alexandra Exter, newly opened Gousyatnikoff restaurant and charming provincial town of Torzhok.
Sincerely,
Helen Isaeva
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Novikov's new restaurant "Gusyatnikoff " housed in 19th century mansion aims for class in every direction. Upon entering, you may think you have stumbled into a nobleman's country house, with the expensive furniture, specially imported and designed by Andrew Martins. On the other hand, the grandeur is not imposing and the space somehow feels lived in and comfortable. There are also billiards and poker rooms downstairs but this feature does not detract from the restaurant's food.
It is impossible to imagine the Russian art of the early 20th century without Alexandra Exter. This Byelorussian-born artist who lived in Kiev, Moscow, Toscana and Paris, was a bright star of the Russian avant-garde. She created Cubo-Futurism and being friends with Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Guillame Apollinaire, Alexandra Exter played a vital role in familirizing Russian viewers with latest developments of Parisian avant-garde.
The town was well-known in Russia as a centre of gold embroidery of the country even before the Mongolian invasion of the 12th century. Embroidery was used by tsars, boyars and senior clergy for decorating clothes, objects of interior designs and for cult purposes. In order to embroider the porphyra (a purple gown of the monarch) for his coronation ceremony, Alexander II commanded that 30 of the best needlewomen be brought from here to St. Petersburg. A gold embroidery factory still operates in the town.
It was there that they made beautiful costumes for War and Peace and Anna Karenina films. Now they embrioder clothes, military banners, Russian coat-of-arms, glasses and cosmetic cases and other objects.