There was a team of divers that cleaned up the harbor a few years ago. They said they found, on average, one bicycle every 10 feet.

In Juneau, all the restaurants close by 8:30 or 9:00 pm.

I don't think any restaurant in Madrid even opens 'til 9:00.

Did I lose the plot here....is Svetlana in Alaska? Come back you Siberian Intoxicator of the Senses...fair Svetlana, my pores ooze for your grace and pulchritudinous luminosity.

Oh I get it, Svetlana and Pinhedz eloped to Alaska. It won't be long before Mrs. Pinz comes snooping around this forum.

Computers are getting scarce here in the frozen North. In Sitka, you can find a computer sitting unattended now and then, but in Fort Chilkoot, they put me in the guard house (cell #3) with no internet connectivity. Right now I'm a place that they call Joonoe.

Svetlana is already back in VA, and I see I have an e-mail from her ordering me to report for rehearsal yesterday. She's a strict disciplinarian, and I'm afraid the punishment will be harsh when I get back.

It's our new look--no more white rubashkas and blue sarafans.

Big event last week--Svetlana bought a house.

"Now not only I live in America, I own American land."

If Svetlana tells you to practice at home, and then at the next rehearsal she says "Good sight reading," that might not be a compliment.

Here's the schedule for the Russian Festival at Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore this weekend. "Samovar" is my old band (the one that's in all the movies), and if you want to see Svetlana play instead of conducting, catch the "Beltway Balalaikas" on Sunday:

http://www.russfest.org/schedule.htm

Tonite, Svetlana and Vladimir will be performing at the St. Petersburg Nights Restaurant in Florida
If you head out now--you might get there in time.

We welcome you to the home of Russian hospitality & cuisine 0n Florida’s West
coast! Thank you for coming to visit with us. We are open six days a week
from 5:00pm until late (Closed on Mondays). Our food is prepared from the
freshest & best ingredients we can find so it will please your
palates. Russian cuisine is well known for its wonderful soups, delicious
salads, delicatessen appetizers both hot & cold, and marvelous
entrees. Many of St. Pete Nights dishes are based on the recipes that
have been in our family for over 200 years, which originated in Russia and
Ukraine. Our facility can cater to the parties up to 120 people.
Banquet menus with Russian and other cuisines are available upon request.
You are our guest & as such we will do our best that you will enjoy our
offerings to quell your hunger & your thirst.

У нас, в Русском Ресторане Санkт Петертбурга, теплая атмосфера,
живая музыка, восточные танцы, караоке, танцы, русские фильмы! Добро
Пожаловать!

We are waiting for your call: (727)363-3832

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter with our schedule, specials and discounts, please email us at ilona@StPetersburgNights.com

Enjoy Russian/European musical videos on our 15-foot screen every day.
Live music every Friday and Saturday from 8:00 pm. Euro DJ Saturdays after
10:00 pm. Special events! Get ready to eat, dance and create yet another memorable experience!

The dancers at the St. Petersburg Nights Restaurant don't look Russian.
But in old St. Petersburg, the dancers didn't all look Russian either:

OK--for once the sound quality is not too bad, because they used the pinhedz audio feed instead of just the sound recorded by the video cam.

You might notice the stereo pair (8' above svetlana's head) is a bit cockeyed; that's because the house stereo bar had one cable that was kinda taped in a too-short position for some reason.

Watch for Varvara's jingle bell schtick when the pace picks up in the 2nd half: