Official partner of i Saloni WorldWide Moscow 2009

Official partner of i Saloni WorldWide Moscow 2009

Official partner of i Saloni WorldWide Moscow 2009

Official partner of i Saloni WorldWide Moscow 2009

This landmark of Constructivism built by architect Konstantin Melnikov was once a garage for buses. Now, thanks to Darya Zhukova, it has been transformed into an exhibition space for contemporary art with a children’s center, a bookstore, a lecture hall, and an art café. In the two years of its existence there have been only three exhibitions here: a show by Russia’s most in-demand conceptual artist, Iliya Kabakov; a show by the most influential player on the art market, Francois Pinault; and a show by Britain’s largest-scale sculptor, Anthony Gormley. This was enough to turn the garage into the most talked-about and most visited place in Moscow as well as the main arena for a biennale of contemporary art, which will take place here in the fall.

BRANDS: Alivar, Altamarea, Bernini, Cyrus, De Majo, Kos, Malerba, Melograno Blu, Milldue, Potocco, Toncelli, Ulivi

You won’t find Genre Crisis on your own. Better ask someone. The joint is packed and space is limited, and you may not get in, especially if you come in a large group. If you are admitted, then it’s just like you got a visa for the UK: an authentic English pub, English people. On Fridays and Saturdays there are concerts by some sort of unknown indie-pop band and plenty of cheery Brit-pop dance music and other guitar music with the obligatory morning catharsis by Oasis’s  Wonderwall. In contrast to a real English pub, you can smoke here. But there is no good without bad: watchful security guards. Don’t try putting your feet on the chair or coming in with your coat on. The answer will be, «Excuse me, we don’t do that here.»

If you can’t decide what country’s cuisine you’re in the mood for, stop into Geocafe, a club for gastronomic travels around the world. Here you can taste culinary traditions from around the world, including roastbeef, pastrami, sushi with tobiko, foie gras with fresh berries, pelmeni, profiteroles, panna cotta and much more.

At Gogol’ you will find concerts primarily by well-known Russian groups like Billy‘s Band, The Bricks (Kirpichi), Markscheider Kunst, Hummingbird (Kolibri) and Pep-See plus the occasional touring act, students of the humanities, home-made horseradish vodka, mediocre fare, poor service, and, according to eyewitnesses, watered-down beer. It’s clear, Gogol’ ain’t what it used to be; but is still dear to Muscovites who continue to come here out of old habit. It’s just one of those things, like watching a movie wrapped in a blanket, an outdoor skating rink in winter, dancing to the music of your youth, or getting into a drunken fight with a former classmate…
Сover 200–600 rub.

Moscow‘s first boutique hotel is situated in a seven-story building from the end of the 19th century. Its decor was created by Canadian designer Rafael Sharif. Each floor of the hotel has been decorated in one of the colors of the rainbow. The insides of the guest rooms feature natural materials: stone, marble, and schist.

This steak house in the center of Moscow is but one of the outlets in the Goodman chain spread across all of Moscow and now including restaurants in London, Kiev, and Novosibirsk. This is the place to go for a nice-sized portion of good meat – ribeye, New York, or filet-mignon from Australian and Argentinean Angus and Hereford cattle.

GQ Bar combines a classic bar (topped with a long stretch of black glass) and two restaurants, an Asian one and a Mediterranean fish one.  The open kitchen allows guests to watch the spectacle of the kitchen’s artistry.

This hotel is situated in one of the seven famous high rises from the late Stalin era, the construction of which began in 1947, the 800 year anniversary of Moscow, and was kept «top secret». The hotel‘s architecture has similarities to the adjacent Kazan station, and the towers of the Kremlin. Inside the décor is reminiscent of the style of Russian churches. The main foyer contains the world‘s longest multi-level chandelier, which illuminates seven stories. Stalin himself came up with the idea for the star-toped spire at the top of the building while construction was already underway.

This branch of the Moscow House of Books specializes in books in foreign languages. The selection is limited, prices are high, and the bestsellers on the shelves are a year old. But if you can’t find something to read elsewhere in Moscow and you really need something, stop in here.

The cult club Ikra can be summed up with one word, gloomy: gloomy concerts (Psychic TV, Legendary Pink Dots, Current 93, Alec Empire, Goldie), and gloomy bordello-ish decor (semi-darkness, red lights). It always seems like around the corner someone is selling heroin or having sex for money. Everything is gloomy and this gloominess is already three years old.  This is the face of a club with a unique and interesting concert program.
Сover 300–1500 rub.

BRANDS: Acerbis, Alivar, Bruhl, Longhi, MAP, Minotti, Mobileffe, Porro

BRANDS: Allmilmoe, Bench, Molinari, Moooi, Tom Dixon, Vitra