Saturday 30 June 2012

Little men by 'Happiness supplier no.1'




The author of this picture is Eugenia Gapchinskaya, Kiev artist who has made happiness as her brand, and describes herself as ' happiness supplier number 1 ." Pictures of Evgenia are cheerful and bright, inhabited by small funny and touching people



Eugenia Gapchinskaya born in 1974 is a Ukrainian artist, painter, illustrator of children's literature.


In 2008, the Ukranian post has released a series of 12 stamps, "Zodiac" with her works.
Annually she holds over a dozen new exhibitions in Ukraine, Russia, France, Belgium, England, the Netherlands and other countries. He has several of his own galleries in Ukraine and Russia. Her works are in European museums and private collections of fans and artists.


Her style is very recognizable. And even if she thinks of experiment and something new, it is just about somewhere inside herself, at the level of these strange little men from her pictures. 'This is the way I thinkh – thourgh these little beloved men', says the artist











personal web-site http://gapchinska.com
photos are taken from 2photo



Friday 22 June 2012

On the 22 of June at 4 am ...

On the 22 of June 1941 at 4 am the Great Patriotic War started.
As a rule many interesting articles and links and opinions and memories appear in Mass media right by some important date. This day is not an exception.

If you are good in Russian, you may read the following
Memories of Konstantin Simonov, Soviet poet, July 1941


The story from a witness. Vladimir Berezhkov, interpreter, in Berlin, 22 of June 1941
22 июня 1941 года Валентин Михайлович Бережков встретил… в Берлине.
Его воспоминания поистине бесценны. (full version here)


Podcast with the discussion 'Myths of the War', download 
Правда и мифы о Великой Отечественной войне — почему сегодня так трудно разобраться, где одно, а где другое?



Listen or download Иосиф Кобзон Довоенный вальс for free on Prostopleer

21 June, Victor Tsoy's birthday

Only a lazy one doesn't know Tsoy...
Виктор Цой, Soviet rock-musician, poet, leader of the group KINO, has become a symbol of the epoch that 'was waiting for changes'

Tsoi contributed a plethora of musical and artistic works, including ten albums. He died in a car accident on August 15, 1990, aged 28.



At the age of 17, Tsoi began writing songs. In the 1970s and the 1980s, rock was an underground movement limited mostly to Leningrad; Moscow pop stars ruled the charts and received the most exposure from the media. However, rock music was not popular with the government. Thus rock bands received little or no funding, were not given any exposure by the media. By this time Tsoi had begun to perform the songs he wrote at parties.
Tsoi went to underground concerts of Leningrad rock musicians. After a Boris Grebenshchikov solo concert he returned with Grebenshchikov on an elektrichka train from Petergof to Leningrad and played two of his songs to him. Grebenshchikov, who had already been a relatively established musician in the Leningrad underground scene, was very impressed by Tsoi's talent and took him under his wing and helped him start up his own band. This signaled the beginning of Tsoi's rock music career.
Kino's impact on Soviet music and society was huge. The group introduced a sound and lyrics that no other Soviet artist before them was able or willing to produce. Kino opened the doors for modern Russian rock bands. It's displayed today in many places around Russia, from graffiti on the fences of St. Petersburg to an entire wall dedicated to Viktor Tsoi in a bylane of the famousArbat street in Moscow, where fans still gather to remember their hero. In 2000 some of the nation's top rock bands came together and released their interpretations of Kino's best songs as a tribute to Viktor Tsoi on what would have been his 38th birthday. Even though he is gone, Viktor Tsoi still lives in the minds of many Russian youths.
There are lots of web-sites dedicated to his music and song. Like the fan's site http://vitya-tsoy.ru/ where you may listen to the music and find his texts or watch some videos with the legend of Russian rock or web-sites with the info about all his albums etc
The most symbolic songs are for sure these one
'The star named the Sun'

Listen or download КИНО Звезда по имени Солнце for free on Prostopleer
and 'We are waiting for changes'

Listen or download Кино Мы ждем перемен for free on Prostopleer
Here I'd just share some of my most favorite songs! 


Listen or download КИНО Пачка сигарет for free on Prostopleer
Listen or download Кино В.Цой Кукушка for free on Prostopleer
Listen or download Кино Алюминиевые огурцы for free on Prostopleer

С днем рождения, Витя!


Monday 11 June 2012

Maria Sharapova wins French Open

congratulations to Maria Sharapova, tennis player, who recently won French Open 


Russia's Maria Sharapova after winning the French Open women's singles final over Italy's Sara Errani at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 9, 2012 in Paris


"It's surreal. It's the most unique moment I've experienced in my career," Sharapova said. "When I won Wimbledon at 17, I thought that would be the most treasured moment of my career. But when I fell down on my knees today I realized that this was extremely special - even more so."
With the win in Paris, Sharapova now has a matched set: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles. She is the sixth female player in the Open era to do so. Even more rare, Sharapova accomplished that feat with her first four Grand Slam titles.


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Maria+Sharapova+completes+career+Slam+with+French+Open+title/6758115/story.html#ixzz1xUfthfZM


Мария Шарапова вчера выиграла Roland Garros. Теперь у неё есть все титулы турниров "Большого шлема". 
Ранее ей покорились корты Уимблдона, Открытого чемпионата США, Австралии и вот, наконец, Франции. 
Маша стала 10-й спортсменкой за всю историю, кому удалось собрать полную коллекцию из всех четырех самых престижных трофеев в мире тенниса. 
Поздравляем Машу!!!








more photos here 

Saturday 9 June 2012

Russian Market during the Russian Language Day in Hong Kong


Dear friends!

We are happy to invite you to the Russian market which will take place on the Russian Language Day on the 9th of June 2012.

The fair is organised by the Russian Language Center.

At our market you may choose and buy the following
You may help us to make the fair more interesting and useful for you! For this purpose we invite you to our blog-shop ‘Russian curiosity shop’ where we introduce these interesting things for you. You may see what books we will offer you, you may order something and receive it during the fair or tell us what you are looking for and we will find it for you!

If you have something to share or to sell (souvenirs, books, dvd) or you can cook any Russian dish and you would like to take part in our fair – let us know immediately and we’d be happy to take you in!

How to book a thing OR to make an order right now
  • choose an item from our catalogue OR ask for recommendation
  • write an e-mail to 2teacher@rlc.hk to book an item from the shop OR  receive information about the terms, price and conditions
  • you come to the fair to get your item

Our market has also a charity mission. We would like to give the income from most part of the stuff on the market to the association of volunteers "Волонтеры в помощь детям-сиротам" (volunteers held orphans) - this is a charity foundation (web-site http://www.otkazniki.ru) - and one of their projects 'Children in need' - "Дети в беде"Please read here to learn the details. 

You may follow us and read fresh news in our blog
 
Please, write to 2teacher@rlc.hk for any inquiries or questions


 picture by V,Kustodiev

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Eugene Onegin, some famous quotations


Eugene Onegin (RussianЕвге́ний Оне́гинBGN/PCGNYevgeniy Onegin) is a novel in verse written by Alexander Pushkin.
It is a classic of Russian literature written by Pushkin, and its eponymous protagonist has served as the model for a number of Russian literary heroes (so-called superfluous men). It was published in serial form between 1825 and 1832. The first complete edition was published in 1833, and the currently accepted version is based on the 1837 publication.
Almost the entire work is made up of 389 stanzas of iambic tetrameter with the unusual rhyme scheme "AbAbCCddEffEgg", where the uppercase letters represent feminine rhymes while the lowercase letters represent masculine rhymes. This form has come to be known as the "Onegin stanza" or the "Pushkin sonnet."
The rhythm, innovative rhyme scheme, the natural tone and diction, and the economical transparency of presentation all demonstrate the virtuosity which has been instrumental in proclaiming Pushkin as the undisputed master of Russian poetry.
The story is told by a narrator (a lightly fictionalized version of Pushkin's public image), whose tone is educated, worldly, and intimate. The narrator digresses at times, usually to expand on aspects of this social and intellectual world. This allows for a development of the characters and emphasises the drama of the plot despite its relative simplicity.
The book is admired for the artfulness of its verse narrative as well as for its exploration of life, death, love, ennui, convention and passion.
Чем меньше женщину мы любим, 
Тем легче нравимся мы ей, 
И тем ее вернее губим 
Средь обольстительных сетей. 

The less we show our love to a woman,
Or please her less, and neglect our duty,
The more we trap and ruin her surely
In the flattering toils of philandery.
***
Учитесь властвовать собою; 
Не всякий вас, как я, поймет; 
К беде неопытность ведет". 

Learn self control, and do not forget,
Not all will understand you as I, or read you,
Inexperience to calamity can often lead you.
***
Уж небо осенью дышало, 
Уж реже солнышко блистало, 
Короче становился день, 
Лесов таинственная сень 
С печальным шумом обнажалась, 
Ложился на поля туман, 
Гусей крикливых караван 
Тянулся к югу: приближалась 
Довольно скучная пора; 
Стоял ноябрь уж у двора. 

Though we do not admit it in our hearts.
The sky already breathed autumn's breath,
Already the sun shone infrequently,
The day became shorter noticeably,
The mysteries of the woodland shade
With melancholy leaf-rustle were laid bare,
On the fields the mist lay everywhere.
Of geese a cackling caravan
Stretched far to the south: and then came near
That boring time that we all remember,
Already at the gateway stood - November!
***

И вот уже трещат морозы 
И серебрятся средь полей... 
(Читатель ждет уж рифмы розы
На, вот возьми ее скорей!) 
Опрятней модного паркета
Блистает речка, льдом одета. 
Мальчишек радостный народ 
Коньками звучно режет лед; 
На красных лапках гусь тяжелый, 
Задумав плыть по лону вод, 
Ступает бережно на лед, 
Скользит и падает; веселый 
Мелькает, вьется первый снег, 
Звездами падая на брег. 

Already the frosts and frozen noses
Bite hard, and the fields are silvery…
(The reader now expects the rhyme 'roses')
Well, here it is then, seize it avidly!)
Finer than modish parquet flooring
The river gleams, all clothed in ice.
A crowd of boys, their spirits soaring,
Noisily cut it with their skates.
On its red webbed feet a heavy goose
Thinking to sail on the water's breast
Steps carefully upon the ice,
And slithers, and falls. Then comes to rest,
Glittering and twisting, winter's first snow,
Falling like stars on the shores below.

Pushkin Selfportrait with Onegin (wiki)


Ах, Александр Сергеевич, милый .... (с) or Pushkin's Birthday

Today, on the 6th of June ,we celebrate Alexander Pushkin's birthday. Only lazy one didn't mention it today in his account anywhere. This just proves that Pushkin is indeed "наше все" - 'our everything', as we use to call him now, following the phase of some critic.

Indeed, if you ask many interesting and talented professors in Russia 'who is your favourite writer', many of them will say 'Pushkin...', and that is of course not because they didn't read anything else! Pushkin is indeed greatest poet and a real treasure of Russian literature

Let's see why. Let's read the quotations about Pushkin by the writers and critics of his time  - here we will find interesting facts about him


При имени Пушкина тотчас осеняет мысль о русском национальном поэте. В самом деле, никто из поэтов наших не выше его и не может более назваться национальным; это право решительно принадлежит ему. В нем, как будто в лексиконе, заключилось все богатство, сила и гибкость нашего языка. Он более всех, он далее раздвинул ему границы и более показал все его пространство. Пушкин есть явление чрезвычайное и, может быть, единственное явление русского духа: это русский человек в его развитии, в каком он, может быть, явится чрез двести лет. В нем русская природа, русская душа, русский язык, русский характер отразились в такой же чистоте, в такой очищенной красоте, в какой отражается ландшафт на выпуклой поверхности оптического стекла.
Н.В. Гоголь
When I think about Pushkin, I immediately think of the idea of ​​the Russian national poet. In fact, none of our poets is above him. In him, as if in the lexicon, is combined all the wealth, power and flexibility of our language. More than anyone else, he further extended the boundaries of the language and showed all its space. Pushkin is a phenomenon, unique phenomenon of the Russian spirit: he is a Russian man in his development, as he might be in two hundred years. He is of Russian spirit, the Russian soul, Russian language, Russian character reflected in the same purity, in such beauty, in which the landscape is reflected on the convex surface of the optical glass.
NV Gogol

It is difficult to estimate the contribution of  Pushkin in the formation of Russian literature and Russian language. This is already the undisputed truth, and confirmed by a wide variety of studies.



Russian literature and Russian language is constantly experiencing the impact of the political situation in the country. Depending on who rules a great power, began to set up their own rules and regulations that speak about how to write or say what books will be sold and which will fall under the ban. Language  assimilated, feeling the impact of popular dialects, as well as European language. Gradually, language and literature acquired properties of other cultural traditions that took root in Russia, but all were strange.
 Everything has changed since then, as the literary arena joined Alexander Pushkin. In his works, the author uses the popular lexicon. Despite the fact that he is considered a good connoisseur of French language, is widely established in various areas, Pushkin refers specifically to the people's speech, using specific words or concepts. Thus, he brings in a whole new language of communication elements that have been forgotten or replaced by a foreign vocabulary. Pushkin understood that the Russian language - is primarily a national treasure, and however  it had been changed and distorted by the great minds of his time, ordinary people will still speak the national language – same that had been used by their ancestors.

 In addition, the author introduces the language of a large variety of beautiful epithets and metaphors. He imbues his works phraseology and expressive epithets, the writer tries his readers not think straight, and try to see the image and beauty of language and words denoting the usual subject and ordinary action. The literary language of Pushkin became a classic of Russian language, which was later followed by other writers.
Pushkin was the first Russian writer who began to make experiments with the stylistic orientation of the text. He never followed the strict framework of genre when writing texts. Pushkin is more appealing to the notion of style, highlighting the common features of it, playing with it, creating a unique product. In addition, Pushkin laid the foundation of a new stylistic direction in Russia - realism. All the writer's works are multi-faceted and diverse.

Reading Pushkin, you hear his voice. He was the first poet who destroyed the image of a convention of copyright: in "Ruslan and Lyudmila," "Eugene Onegin", Pushkin speaks to the reader "on an equal footing", as it is between close friends, all grasping at a glance 



Заслуги Пушкина перед Россией велики и достойны народной признательности. Он дал окончательную обработку нашему языку, который теперь по своему богатству, силе, логике и красоте формы признается даже иностранными филологами едва ли не первым после древнегреческого; он отозвался типическими образами, бессмертными звуками на все веяния русской жизни. Он первый, наконец, водрузил могучей рукою знамя поэзии глубоко в русскую землю...
И.С. Тургенев

The merits of Pushkin for Russia are  great and worth getting national recognition. He gave a final transormation to our language, which is now by its richness, power, logic and beauty of form is recognized even by foreign philologists as almost the first after the ancient Greek.  He was the first, who finally hoisted the banner of poetry, deep in the Russian land by the mighty hand...
IS Turgenev




source of photos - vk.com
text (Russian) here and here

Charity mission of the Russian market during the Russian Language Day

Dear freinds!
you already know that we are holding the 5th Russian Language Day on the 9th of June, coming Saturday. And we already informed you that there is organised the Russian market. So we would be very happy if you find something interesting for you on this market.

We also wanted to inform you that the most part of the stuff on the Market will be sold in order to support a charity foundation from Russia. Let me tell you about it.

All of the money for home-made deli and the books will go to the association of volunteers "Волонтеры в помощь детям-сиротам" (volunteers held orphans) - this is a charity foundation (web-site http://www.otkazniki.ru) - and one of their projects 'Children in need' - "Дети в беде"

Few words about this organisation:

"Three years ago, our association has emerged as a reaction to the terrible situation with ‘otkazniki’ (‘refuse-children’)  - children left without care of their parents and help from the government, forced to live their little lives ... in the hospital wards. Yes, it is in ordinary hospitals.

Our social movement unites very ordinary people of different professions, ages and social status. Every day, they find some time to make a contribution to the organization of hospital care for these children.

Within this time, we were able not only to support more than one hundred medical facilities, which take care of orphans, we were able to make the problem transparent, obtain a review of legislative bureau in the Moscow region. We have registered  creating a movement to help our volunteers entity - our Foundation.

However, within this few years of working with ‘refuseniks’ in hospitals It has become clear that this is just a small link in the chain of great disaster - the problem of child abandonment in Russia.

We will continue to provide financial assistance "here and now" to those hospitals that are in need, in the absence or partial government funding.

However, the priorities of our business, are the development and implementation of projects aimed at preventing child abandonment and the promotion of family placement of children.

Orphans, they are no one’s. They have no mother, who will protect them as the wall from a hostile world. No one to defend them. They also can not do it themselves, because they are small. So we help them." 


We welcome you on this day and would be very happy if you help us to support children in need!

Saturday 2 June 2012

Russian deli - zephyr

If you go to Russia, you should try many things there! Indeed. Russian cuisine, the way we make potato, dairy products among which 'glazed cheese' is perfect etc...

And one of the most popular deli is ZEPHYR

Zephyr (let's call it marshmallow, still the taste is quite different) is a kind of sugar confectionery; it is made of fruit-berry puree mixed with sugar and egg white, then any of the formative fillings is required: pectin, agar syrup, gelatin (marmalade) mass.

Zephyr is known may years, it was first cooked and popular in ancient Greece, where it received its name from the god Zephyr who, according to mythology, gave this recipe to people.

As  the marshmallow is based on fruit puree, this pleasant deli is undoubtedly useful! Thanks to therein carbohydrate this snowy snack promotes mental activity, and is good for digestion, says wiki.

You may try to cook zephyr at home, for example the popular cooking web-site gotovim.ru  offers 24 recipes among which you will find the original oldest recipe of an apple zephyr.

You need 
Apples - 6 - 7 pcs. sugar - 1/2 cup egg (white) - 7 pcs. lemon juice - 2 tsp. gelatin - 1 tablespoon 

Washed apples baked whole or cut into pieces. Then rub them through a sieve. To this applesauce add sugar and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Egg-whites cool down, well beat and mix with applesauce. Add dissolved gelatin, lemon juice, mix all thoroughly and put in a unit dose container. Chill in the refrigerator.

 Other interesting recipes containing zephyr as an ingredient 

You may also try it if you visit our RUssian market on the 9th of June on the Russian Language DAy. there we will offer several types of Zephyr including famous zephyr in chocolate. More in our Curiosity shop 



How are you – to be or not to be when talking to Russians



When you meet any English-speaking person, you hear 'Hello, how are you?' or just 'oh! How are you?'. I already got used to that and quickly – while passing – answer 'thank you, hello' or just 'how are you?'. I LEARNT to do that, though sometimes i am still confused about that. Why? Let me explain)

When Russians meet, they say «Здравствуйте»  to people they meet for the first time or to those who are elder or higher in the hierarchy . Literary it means ‘Be healthy’ (здоровьеturns to the stem здрав  - zdrav and then came to imperative zdrav-stvuite). For friends we use Privet (hi) – привет!  Sometimes we may say «Здорово» , which is also ‘hi’, but keeps the old meaning wishing health.  It is a good manner to smile when you greet someone.

Then it depends on the person you greet. You may just pass if there’s nothing to discuss with him. Or you may spend few minutes to learn how is your friend. And here we ask ‘How are you?’ – «как дела?», «как ты», «ну как поживаешь» (how do you live), «какие новости» (anything new?)

So what does it mean? It means that Russians use this question when they REALLY what to ask how are you. And it means that they expect to get the answer. What kind of the answer – that already depends on your politeness (it’s already another – and very interesting - thing to discuss). As well as smiling – this is something that shouldn’t be formal (well, we speak about everyday life, not business etiquette that is usually very formal), and requires a sincere question and sincere answer.

Sky lanterns in Moscow on the 1st of June

Yesterday, on  the 1st of June - the Day of  children's defense - in Moscow there was a flash-mob 'Sky Lanterns'

Thousands of sky lanterns were released into the sky. This event broke Guinness' record!
Let's see a photo-report and some video













all photos by malinovskaya for Moscow walks
more photos at the community