As our first official order of business here in Moscow, Shannon and I were invited to a dinner with many other lines at the Metropol Hotel in downtown Moscow. We're told its from the time of the czars, and it is the only 5 start hotel of its age in Russia. The dining room was grand with probably 3 story ceiling height, an old bar in the front and many tables in front of our large banquet table in the back of the room. Anna (the Russian woman who first discovered our line in NYC and invited us over), Shannon and I were the first to arrive, so we sat front and center with Victoria (the founder of the showroom), her father Igor, and his interpretor. What we didn't realize when we sat down was that we were to be the only American's at the table. Not that I'm complaining trust me, just a situation you don't often find yourself in these days. As the other guests slowly filed in our table had three languages going at any given moment. To my right sat a Russia now living in Milano and helping to run a showroom of 30 odd brands, and two Lithuanians, current residents of Moscow, representing a Lithuanian designer. To our left were a french woman and man with their brand, An Italian woman (the other half of the showroom), a Ukranian girl who lives in Brooklyn there representing Bulga (the handbags) and a British pair. Most spoke many languages (leaving Shannon and I feeling like morons), but the french only spoke french, Mr. Shamus only Russian, and us, only English. So every toast had three mouth pieces at once and many different versions of cheers. We tried many authentic Russian dishes - blinis, salmon, a special chicken salad, Cabbage pickled in beet juice (my favorite, no foolin) and veal in some sort of puff. No matter how much we put on our plates or how little Victoria and her father ate, we were constantly being berrated for not having enough... It was a fantastic night complete with original Russian instruments playing on the balcony with a Russian singer while we chatted away. Didn't feel much like business :). But that was continued yesterday and today. More on that later.
PS. WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO for the Phils!! Shannon and I were so floored to see our city as champs, and only sorry we couldnt watch it in real time. Next year ;).
