While I was traveling in Russia, Sergey was back in DC, getting his Russian on without actually traveling to the place. Lucky him, he got press passes to the soft opening of Mari Vanna, a Russian-themed restaurant – operated, decorated, and staffed by Russians. We have actually checked it out together since, and I can say that the decor is right on point – drawing inspiration from a mix of Ballets Russes, the intelligentsia’s dacha, perhaps with a pinch of a communal flat setup in a pre-1917 mansion.… Read the rest

Row houses are quite peculiar–with their depth, width and general size limitations. Not to mention the always dark middle room on each floor (unless you are the lucky resident of a corner unit). And then there’s the layout, which typically means that all rooms are open and can be seen at once on the first floor. I actually love the flow that such layout creates, and I think the specifics of the way our house is set up pretty much equates to perfect flow.… Read the rest