I've been trying to go to the local Russian store more often, as they carry the most interesting foods sometimes. Behold, a full meal that would not be out of place in Tomsk:
We have: toasted matnakash (which I always call "lavash" because that's what we called it in Siberia when we were little, even though true lavash is totally different, and is more like a tortilla.)
With that we have some cold cuts of ham and salami (the Russian store has nearly 20 varieties of sausages and as many types of ham), topped with some awesome Armenian brynza (it's sort of a feta cheeze, but not to be confused with Slovak bryndza from the Wiki article) - just the right degree of salty.
On the side there is a Russian version of sauerkraut (which was too fresh, and inspired me to make some of my own - proper pickled cabbage needs to be more limp and, well, pickly) and my favourite salad of all times - Olivier 
Ahh, and that green drink the colour of a chemistry experiment? That would be my favourite soda, Tarhun. The green is, of course, food colouring, but the drink IS actually flavoured with tarragon.
I have to admit that the meal as a whole would be incomplete by strict Russian standards, as it consists only of zakuski without the requisite first course (soup), hot course (meat or fish) or dessert (well, we had dessert, I just didn't take any pictures of it.)
In fact, the meal as it was laid out would have been perfect accompaniment to a bottle of vodka, as tradition dictates. Too bad I don't drink vodka (I know, what a bad Russian) and can't justify a full holiday meal on a Thursday:)
I subscribe to the NY Times UrbanEye, a daily alert of things cool in the Big Apple and in the paper itself. Since I don't actually LIVE in New York, reading UrbanEye is somewhat like magical thinking - imagining how cool it would be to attend events described in the digest, had I had more time and money and time and...
The blogs I've been dying to finish that WILL appear on this page...eventually...
* My trip to Houston (trust me, it's worth talking about)
* My trip to a craft fair
* The shows I've worked on this year (the main reason for not posting on any predictable schedule)
* IKEA Hacks
* Communism in architecture
Meanwhile, all I can offer is a list of New York Times articles I found fascinating.
1. A Guide to the French reminds me that I grew up in a Socialist country where the dressing and etiquette habits remain much the same as in France, and I love it.
2. Mikhail Baryshnikov takes the kinds of photos I end up with in a darkened theatre when I am not careful.
3. This has been covered on the Internets already, but $1 bus fares make me happy.
4. So do the "new" Polaroid snapshots.
5. LOVE this photograph of Gnarls Barkley!
As much as I love their music.
6. The government makes me really sad and scared.
7. Apparently, one can build reefs with decommissioned subway cars - do they not rust???
8. As women, we are conditioned to never ask what we want, or what we are worth. One woman intends to do something about it. I will be reading her book.
9. No offense, but college kids nowadays are bloody spoiled.
10. And pity the writer who lives outside Brooklyn (where all the cool kids are, apparently.)
While it's raining, I'm trying to put together a couple of posts. Meanwhile, this makes me happy...
