Let me celebrate a couple of rediscoveries today both related to my Inessa: Alyonka, my favorite chocolate-vanilla spread (comparable to Nutella in quality but considerably less pricey) only available at the supermarket in Shchukino; and Jem, a British singer whose voice has bewitched me since I heard her songs in Inessa's computer in June.
Of course, the day featured a number of other mention-worthy happenings, such as the bank's delay in locating my misplaced cash card; the sumptuous and mildly decadent dish of pork in vinegared pig's blood paired with pork rind-and-tofu curd prepared by my boss' household staff for the usual stragglers at work; and dinner with Faizal and Dearie at Kult, another lounge lizard lair of the O.G.I. variety buried in the recesses of Yauzskaya Ulitsa (better known as the location of the hyper-snob clubs Leto/Zima/Osen). Each of those will likely occupy their own niches in my memory banks.
But in this instance, the last and more modest events are the ones that distinguish this day from others. I've always wanted to get myself another container of Alyonka, which I first bought at Zebra, Inessa's supermarket along Narodnogo Opolcheniya, a couple of months back. Originally sold as a chocolate bar, Alyonka is one of the best brands of Krasny Oktyabr (Red October), a Russian confectioner founded by two Germans, Teodore Ferdinand von Einem and Julius Heuss in 1867, first at Sofiyskaya Naberezhnaya (Sophia Embankment) and later at its current site on Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya (Bersenev Embankment). They also make another favourite: Slivochnaya Pomadka s Tsukatom (Cream fondant with candied fruit).
The image of the little girl on the chocolate bar first sold in 1966 invokes such nostalgia among Russians it's almost palpable. For example I found the following blog entry by Lolita, a Russian teen now living in Los Angeles, expressing such emotion in finding one of these yellow-red chocolate bars in a small shop in a southern Califorian suburb:
Anyway, I like Alyonka as much for the taste as for the faux Russian folk art packaging. There's no going back to peanut butter after this.
As for Jem, it's a different kind of enchantment altogether. A bit like the grip that took hold of me when hearing De-Phazz for the first time: firm and ticklish. My ducky mentioned her name almost absent-mindedly tonight at Kult when talking about their MP3-filled computer. Wasn't really too sure if we were talking about the same artist, but when I checked online tonight, this website turned up. All her songs are put up in her site. It won't allow me to download songs but I can play a continuous loop until I've gotten all the tunes committed practically to memory!
Jem, whose real name is Jemma Griffiths, is actually from Cardiff, Wales, known for Tom Jones and Charlotte Church. She had been singing and writing songs since the age of 13. After reading law at Sussex University in Brighton, England, she moved out of her comfort zone into London to work for other artists and allow her creativity to flourish. There she had a chance to work with Madonna, Fatboy Slim and Björk's songwriter. When one of her demo-tape songs received wide play following its first exposure at a national radio programme in the US, she was signed up by the record label of the Dave Matthews Band. Although the 30-year-old songstress sounds like and has most often been compared to Dido, I like her better. Her PR sheet is spot-on about her music: "...a combination of bright melodies, soul searching lyrics and diverse rhythms that grab you from the first listen. Her seemingly innocent lyrics contain those closely observed details that are as much about optimism as they are about discovery."
Of course, the day featured a number of other mention-worthy happenings, such as the bank's delay in locating my misplaced cash card; the sumptuous and mildly decadent dish of pork in vinegared pig's blood paired with pork rind-and-tofu curd prepared by my boss' household staff for the usual stragglers at work; and dinner with Faizal and Dearie at Kult, another lounge lizard lair of the O.G.I. variety buried in the recesses of Yauzskaya Ulitsa (better known as the location of the hyper-snob clubs Leto/Zima/Osen). Each of those will likely occupy their own niches in my memory banks.
But in this instance, the last and more modest events are the ones that distinguish this day from others. I've always wanted to get myself another container of Alyonka, which I first bought at Zebra, Inessa's supermarket along Narodnogo Opolcheniya, a couple of months back. Originally sold as a chocolate bar, Alyonka is one of the best brands of Krasny Oktyabr (Red October), a Russian confectioner founded by two Germans, Teodore Ferdinand von Einem and Julius Heuss in 1867, first at Sofiyskaya Naberezhnaya (Sophia Embankment) and later at its current site on Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya (Bersenev Embankment). They also make another favourite: Slivochnaya Pomadka s Tsukatom (Cream fondant with candied fruit).The image of the little girl on the chocolate bar first sold in 1966 invokes such nostalgia among Russians it's almost palpable. For example I found the following blog entry by Lolita, a Russian teen now living in Los Angeles, expressing such emotion in finding one of these yellow-red chocolate bars in a small shop in a southern Califorian suburb:
Yesterday I went into a Russian shop in the suburbs. It was sort of a hit-and-run affair; I sort of just grabbed a few things which struck my fancy, which is a mystery even to me. The tally was a sweet, crumbly Armenian bread, "French" cookies, a two-liter of kvas, and an assortment of exquisitely packaged candies. A great rush of light entered my breast when I saw the "Alyonka" brand at the counter but, after all, I had already gotten what I had come for, whatever that was. Later on we passed a Russian deli downtown and I got a mushroom and cheese croissant. I was feeling cocky so I thanked the proprietor in Russian; it is the only time I have ever flirted with a Russian man.It is so evocative as a pop symbol, despite its socialist origins that it even became the subject of a legal dispute. In December 2000, Krasny Oktyabr was sued for 4 million rubles ($143,087) by Yelena Gerinas, a woman who claims that the company improperly used her likeness on its Alyonka chocolate bars. Gerinas claims in her lawsuit, the first of its kind in Russia, that the brand-boosting image on Alyonka bars was copied from a photograph taken by her father, the well-known photographer Alexander Gerinas who once worked for Krasny Oktyabr. She says Krasny Oktyabr used the photograph in designing the Alyonka label. Little is known of the case's outcome.
Anyway, I like Alyonka as much for the taste as for the faux Russian folk art packaging. There's no going back to peanut butter after this.
As for Jem, it's a different kind of enchantment altogether. A bit like the grip that took hold of me when hearing De-Phazz for the first time: firm and ticklish. My ducky mentioned her name almost absent-mindedly tonight at Kult when talking about their MP3-filled computer. Wasn't really too sure if we were talking about the same artist, but when I checked online tonight, this website turned up. All her songs are put up in her site. It won't allow me to download songs but I can play a continuous loop until I've gotten all the tunes committed practically to memory!
Jem, whose real name is Jemma Griffiths, is actually from Cardiff, Wales, known for Tom Jones and Charlotte Church. She had been singing and writing songs since the age of 13. After reading law at Sussex University in Brighton, England, she moved out of her comfort zone into London to work for other artists and allow her creativity to flourish. There she had a chance to work with Madonna, Fatboy Slim and Björk's songwriter. When one of her demo-tape songs received wide play following its first exposure at a national radio programme in the US, she was signed up by the record label of the Dave Matthews Band. Although the 30-year-old songstress sounds like and has most often been compared to Dido, I like her better. Her PR sheet is spot-on about her music: "...a combination of bright melodies, soul searching lyrics and diverse rhythms that grab you from the first listen. Her seemingly innocent lyrics contain those closely observed details that are as much about optimism as they are about discovery."
Jem released her debut album Finally Woken in March 2004. Other artists she's been compared to are Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Club 8, Anjali, Beth Orton, Massive Attack, Everything But the Girl and Saint Etienne, which performed in April or May this year in Moscow.Just A Ride
Life, it's ever so strange
It's so full of change
Think that you've worked it out
then BANG
Right out of the blue
Something happens to you
To throw you off course
and then you
Breakdown
Yeah you breakdown
Well don't you breakdown
Listen to me
Because
It's just a ride, it's just a ride
no need to run, no need to hide
It'll take you round and round
Sometimes you're up
sometimes you're down
It's just a ride, it's just a ride
don't be scared
don't hide your eyes
It may feel so real inside
but don't forget it's just a ride
