Valentine’s Day is approaching, and even though it falls on a Tuesday this year, there’s no
reason you shouldn’t mark the occasion. To help you pick the right place for a perfect date,
we’ve compiled a list of top events.
No Expense Spared
Diamonds are your Valentine’s best friend
If you are really looking to splash out for Valentine’s Day, you might consider a gift of local diamonds (brillianty). Did you know that Russia has a booming diamond trade and a unique way of cutting the rough stone to make it, well, just really really sparkly? Smolenskiye Brillianty offers flawless “Russian cut” diamonds, a technique with highly regulated parameters which ensures optimal light reflection. That means: sparkly. Prices increase according to the complexity of the cut and, of course, the number of carats. Smolenskiye Brillianty prides itself on quality and heritage and so all diamonds are certificated to guarantee their authenticity.
http://smolenskdiamonds.ru/
Various locations
A Romantic Train Journey
Love on the rails
Granted, it’s no Orient Express, but on February 13th the № 003 overnight train from St. Petersburg to Moscow will be getting into the spirit of love and giving its passengers a journey to remember. The eve of Valentine’s Day will be marked by a special concert from a St. Petersburg music group in the train’s restaurant wagon. Guests aboard the train will also be treated to romantic gifts, and the cars will be decorated with all the trappings of the holiday. For a truly romantic evening consider avoiding the platskartny (third class) carriage. Sharing Valentine’s Day with 50 babushkas may not scream romance.
Details at http://fpc.ru/
Sokolniki Park
Selfies with your significant other
Those who aren’t fans of public displays of
affection can stop reading now. Love taking
selfies with your significant other? Stick
with us. February 13 marks the launch of
Sokolniki Park’s Valentine’s Day quest, in
which happy couples are invited to take
photos of themselves around the park
and share them on social media with the
hashtag #влюбленывпарке (lovers in the
park). An additional element of the fun will
be secret helpers hiding twenty miniature
versions of the park’s golden fairy statue
near the main trails and landmarks of the
park. The more you find and photograph,
the greater your chance of winning. If that
all sounds like hard work, don’t worry.
Sokolniki boasts plenty of other activities,
including skiing paths, a husky club and a
tubing slope.
Meatless
An alternative Valentine’s Day
Sick of couples making out in front of you
on the metro escalator and the proliferation
of pink decorations and candied roses in
town? Meatless could be your sanctuary this
Valentine’s Day. Down with hearts, roses
and sweet sparkling wine, and up with huge
chunks of roast beef chased by a smooth
whiskey—their words not ours. Meatless is
encouraging ladies to treat their men to an
unforgettable night this Feb. 14. Think free
shots and meat tastings, a bearded waitstaff
and an abundance of dark wood and leather.
Fall in Love at VDNKh
A romantic extravaganza
Whether you have a significant other or
not, the romantic atmosphere at Moscow’s
VDNKh is bound to get you in the mood for
love this Valentine’s Day. Most activities will
be centered around the gargantuan ice rink,
where guests will be welcomed by cupids on
skates to learn dance moves, take part in the
“longest kiss” competition and join in with
a huge, romance filled flash mob. If you’re
single and don’t mind being loud and proud
about it, don a “my heart is free” badge and
try to find yourself a date on the ice. The
evening will culminate with a huge balloon
release where you’ll be encouraged to make
a wish for the special someone in your life.
Films about Love
Cinema and chocolate
On Valentine’s Day, the Swiss Embassy in
Moscow will present a special event called
“Films about Love” at the Multimedia Art
Museum. Two movies by Swiss filmmakers
from the Italian speaking canton Ticino
will be shown: “Bread and Tulips” by Silvio
Soldini and “Sinestesia” by Erik Bernasconi.
There’s no better way to spend the most
romantic evening of the year than treating
yourself and your significant other to some
Italian and Lindt chocolates that the organizers
promise will be provided at the event.
The films will play in Italian with Russian
subtitles.
Dances about Love
An evening of contemporary ballet
If you and your loved one are into classical
music and ballet, then the Russian Academic
Youth Theater (RAMT) has prepared
a real gift for you on Feb. 14. Primas and
leading singers of the Bolshoi, Mariinsky
and Perm Opera and Ballet theaters, as well
as guests from abroad, will talk about love
on the same stage. “Dances about Love” is a
collection of true love stories, from Mozart’s
“Kiss” to Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” to
some contemporary composers like Olga
Wojciechowska from Poland that will delight
any fan.
Library Addict
Valentine’s Day for a bookworm
The Bibliotechnik (Library Addict) project
is hosting a romantic edition on Feb. 14 at
the Flakon design factory, which could be
a perfect date for a couple of bookworms.
Bibliotechnik runs a series of theater performances,
and the Valentine’s Day special
edition will feature readings of love lyrics
written by prominent Russian poets such as
Alexander Pushkin, Agniya Barto and Boris
Pasternak. There will also be a signing, cover
versions of perennial Russian hits from the
1980s by Yury Shatunov and Andrei Gubin,
and discussions of classical literature. Once a
glassworks plant, Flakon now houses dozens
of design studios, cool boutiques and bars, so
it’s a good place to browse for a gift before the
performance and have some wine afterward.
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