Culture & Customs

A tale of two long distance road races – Russia’s oldest and its most prestigious – and what they tell us about the state of running and fitness in Russia.

A compendium of 13 useful websites for persons interested in traveling to Russia, covering everything from the latest visa information to cruises, to what not to do when in Russia (etiquette).

Summer is a time for cool dishes. Like Okroshka. Typically made from kvass, we offer an alternative recipe for those living in the kvass desert known as America.

A look at Putin's recent divorce announcement, Russia attitudes toward divorce, and how the capital is coping with the imposition of paid parking in the center.

Each year, thousands of hikers are drawn to the Caucasus, convinced it will be no problem to scale Europe’s highest peak. After all, it’s only 18,510 feet, and a rail car can take you up to the base camp at 12,500 feet. But Elbrus is a devious mountain.

The Great Siberian Tea Road, a historic and legendary route that once connected China and Siberia with European Russia, was one of the world’s longest trade arteries. We retrace its path, geographically and culturally.

Easter is here, and that means it's time for Maria Nikolayevna's Paskha!

The Americans, on FX, is a brilliant episodic drama that recreates the 1980s with only minimal anachronisms but plenty of tension, plot twists, double-dealing and moral relativism.

Has your postmaster chased you down the street with a broom lately? Clearly you don't live in Russia... The Russian Post continues to stoke the fury of millions. But Russian videographers are striking back, documenting abuses by RP workers.

Zakuski have a well-deserved position of honor in the realm of Russian cuisine. In this issue we look at a tasty appetizer with connections to the Pacific: Canapes of Smoked Salmon.

Russia's ban on American adoptions focused attention on Putin and world politics, while the real issue is the plight of the children who live inside the vast orphan system.

One year from the opening of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, we look at some of the less conventional bits of news about the coming games.