Culture & Customs

Quotes, quips and asides spoken by those in the know (and not).

Ukraine will soon have its own independent Orthodox church, fueled by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Bloggers and twitterers this fall, in the lead-up to the mayoral elections, were effusive in their praise of Moscow living conditions. Was it real or staged?

What's news on the travel front.

We consider some of the best holiday treats, which are of course cookies, and then serve of a simple and delicious recipe.

An American writer consumed by Anna Karenina goes in search of the great writer’s little-known refuge beyond the Volga, near Samara.

A dog is a basic necessity in the village, and the bigger the dog, the better. Chado is decidedly not big.

Russian law enforcement had a busy week, from taking on the ~high~ seas to putting rich jerks in their place.

Falling objects, family feuds, and friendly felines dominated our attention this week.

What’s more surprising, fake feminists or fish with bad teeth?

To selfie or not to selfie? That is the question, or at least one of the questions, addressed this week.

Climate change is destroying Russia and people still want to duel, but at least someone’s getting free pizza.