Tips on how to survive and thrive in Russia & CIS…

• Life´s a Beach

  

  It’s August and the beaches are buzzing on every body of water between the Black Sea to the Arctic Circle. The weather’s scorching, the rays are invigorating and the azure sea is full of men and women having the time of their lives showing more skin than a Babushka has seen on herself in a lifetime. From the Sochi coast to the lakes and rivers of the Volga basin, savvy guys nowadays favor the comfort and style of the boardshort. And in Russian and CIS waters the Boardie is de rigeur.

  Originally developed for aquatic sports like surfing, boardies come in different lengths, vibrant colors and a plethora of stylish designs from brands including Quicksilver, Billabong and Hurley. Loose and fast-drying, boardshorts are an ideal way to impress the delicious Russian and Ukrainian ladies you’ll encounter everywhere in this Post-Soviet water wonderland. It’s important to feel good when confidently trying to catch the eye of a delightful Slavic mermaid, and boardies provide the perfect combination of flair and practicality.

• Where the girls are… Moscow

  

  From the Bolshoi to the Mariinsky, you’ll find that Russian theater and musicals are incredibly popular, and as any observant man-about-town will surmise, especially among single Russian women. Perhaps it comes down to an enduring love of the arts, every little girl’s dream of becoming a prima ballerina, the tradition of Russian women in the theater, or a vehicle for meeting available men with common interests

  A quick glance around before the lights go down on the musical Monte Cristo at the Moscow Operetta Theater sums up the issue: Russian women feel completely at ease on their own not only in a theater, but about town. In singles or pairs and dressed in their finest outfits, these elegant drama lovers are equally entrancing whether it’s feel good Mamma Mia, dramatic Swan Lake or Chekhov’s Three Sisters.

  During intermission you’ll likely spy a captivating lady breathtakingly dressed to kill in silk and lace browsing a program while sipping champagne before heading back for the final act…alone or in the company of a bevy of other beguiling femmes. A gentlemanly “Enjoy the first act?” while making smiling eye contact will likely reap you huge rewards as most Russian woman are open and unafraid, and exhibit little pretense.

  As chimes signal resumption of our performance, you can be sure to spot numerous parties of delightful single women as well as deliciously solitary ladies regrouping to take their seats.

  The sheer numbers of available beauties is enough to seriously distract any normal male from the performance as each coiffed and polished woman becomes otherworldly enchanting as the sensual darkness descends and the stage is bathed in theatrical light.

  Whether or not the theater is your favorite pastime, you’re well advised to make it a primary venue for your amorous pursuits…

• From Megabytes to Love Bites

  

  With the hassle of today’s international airport security it’s a weight off a traveler’s mind to fly with the smallest, least cumbersome equipment possible. “Netbooks”, or powerful new generation miniaturized notebooks, are rapidly gaining popularity. With a growing range of models and millions of sales due to their practicality, the sleek, tiny portables feature laptop functionality at a fraction of the cost.

  On your next trip to Russia or the Ukraine you’ll likely want to bring a computer along for the ride in case you need to browse AnastasiaDate.com, send an email or show off photos of your home town to your hot and bothered Russian sweetheart. Just launched to eager expectations by the technology geniuses at Asus, the Eee PC T91 is a new generation netbook that has garnered heavy applause from the market. With a versatile, adjustable PC style interactive display, it’s basically set up for travel as an ultra lightweight mini-portable computer and touch-screen tablet rolled into one.

  The T91 has an 8.9 inch interactive (touch screen) display that can be unhinged, spun round and flipped down making it the first available netbook that doubles as a comprehensive Tablet PC. Weighing in at just over 2 lbs. and under an inch thick, the super-slim T91 is rounded off with standard Bluetooth and WiFi capability. It’s also rumored that forthcoming versions of the T91 will ship with the imminent Windows 7 OS, enabling optimal usability of the netbook/interactive screen set-up. With 5 hours of battery life and a gesture-enabled track pad, this versatile traveler’s companion should impress any potential Post-Soviet flame with its petite technical flexibility.

• Where the Girls are/Moscow

  

  Ever see a fabulous looking woman strutting purposefully down the street and wonder where she’s going? In Moscow chances are she’s headed to her favorite lingerie shop in GUM (Glavnyi Universalyi Magazin or Main Universal Store) on Red Square. An institution, GUM is not only the main glitzed out shopping mall in Moscow and the most upscale, but a magnet for all the hottest ladies in Russia.

  Completely renovated and upgraded since Soviet times, the luxury building features Russian medieval ecclesiastical architecture topped with an intricate steel framework and glass roof. Inside are over 150 of the most fashionable boutiques, design shops and restaurants in Moscow, or anyplace in the world for that matter. But this isn’t what we directed you there for. GUM is ground zero for girl watching in Moscow. Just take a seat at the café by the main indoor fountain, order up your favorite zakuski and drink, and watch the parade of fur clad beauties stroll by.

  Just don’t spill your cappuccino at the sight.

  Contributed to Anastasia Secrets by Rollo Tomassi

• Staying in touch…

  The Blacberry 8900 Curve

  …while playing in Moscow used to be a hassle. Not getting your mail during drinks atop the Sky Lounge? Enter the smartphone by Blackberry. Even though Moscow and most of CIS have exceptional broadband coverage, the new Blackberry Curve 8900 Smartphone kicks it up a notch with Multimedia and Mobile streaming at its best. With a delicious 480 x 360 pixel screen and lightening fast keypad, the 8900 Curve fits comfortably and will accommodate the hammiest gloved hand. Other features include a built-in media player to play songs and videos, internet access and WiFi connect, a 3.2-MP camera that can also record video plus support mobile streaming. RIM provides unsurpassed corporate and internet email so the head office will have no doubt you’re hard at work, which in Moscow indeed you will be…

• Start Making Sense

  In Russia they say you can have eight seasons in a single day. Don’t go home saying you survived the Russian Winter and all you got from it was a lousy t-shirt. It’s best to come prepared and be comfortable. And looking good doesn’t hurt. A warm, practical alernative to a winter parka is a long overcoat of wool or cashmere. Cashmere is well known for its luxurious warmth and easy care. Long, with lots of pockets, its worth its weight in gold. For all seasons, you can button up with a scarf and gloves to gasket in the heat, or undo the top to ventilate. It’s perfect in layers for the winter, and light and practical enough to wear during cool Spring weather.