Merry Christmas!!!

A Toy Tourism Survey!

Hi Everybody,

Here's a survey about Toy Tourism! Please let me know what you think if you have time!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Thanks!!
Sincerely,
Michael TheMonkey

Lost in the (American) 50's in Moscow

Hi Everybody, I had breakfast yesterday at the awesome-looking 1950's Beverly Hills Diner! The interior is filled with neon lights, checkered tiles, jukeboxes, puffy vinyl bar-stools and even some booths shaped like old Cadillacs! The waitresses wear polka-dot dresses with white collars and tall stockings, the busboys have red and white striped shirts, bow-ties and neatly parted hair, and the speakers play wonderful doo-wop songs and other music from the past -- the atmosphere is very complete!

I ordered Eggs Benedict with hashbrowns, pancakes with strawberry syrup, and American drip coffee :-) The Eggs Benedict was great: the Hollandaise sauce was creamy and fresh, the egg was cooked perfectly to be just a little runny, and the toasted English muffin was very tasty. One complaint I had was that (unlike a real diner in the US) when you order Eggs Benedict, you only get one muffin and egg set on a tiny bed of hashbrowns in the middle of an otherwise large, empty plate. All sides are extra, even toast. The hashbrowns were not the best, either. They were a bit soggy and gray. They didn't really detract, but they didn't add anything, either. The pancakes, however, were fluffy and excellent, and they came with both strawberry and maple syrup, so I could try both. :-)

Compared to the "Starlite" Diner, another old-time-American themed joint here in Moscow, Beverly Hills is relatively unknown, but it shouldn't be! Beverly Hills is at least as good or better than Starlite.

And here are some facts:
The Website with cool music, menus and other info.

There are two Beverly Hills diners in Moscow:
м. Chistye prudy, Sretenka 1: +7(495) 625 42 21  
м. Lubyanka, Nikol'skaya 10: +7(495)221 78 01 (I visited this one!)

There is also a kid's room! With Spider Man and other famous American idols :-)

It is open 24h!

Breakfast prices:
~ Egg Sandwich 270 Rub/ $8.85
~ Steak and Eggs 420 Rub/ $13.70
~ Breakfast Burrito 390 Rub/ $12.80
~ Four Cheese Omelette 250 Rub/ $8.20
~ Pancakes (recommended by Michael) 240 Rub/ $7.80
~ Waffle with Vanila Ice Cream 150 Rub/ $4.90
~ Eggs Benedict 220 Rub/ $7.20
~ Tea 120 Rub/ $3.90
~ Coffee from 100 Rub/ $3.30

Michael's Rating: *****/5

Well, the breakfast was great and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Moscow. I'm looking forward to going back to try Beverly Hills' lunch and dinner menu!

Парк Искусств Музеон - Statues!

Hello Friends and Toys!

Yesterday I took a fantastic trip through Moscow's Парк Искусств Музеон ("Park Iskusstv Museon" - Fallen Monument Park).  The park is very large and stuffed with statues.  It extends along the Moscow river from the bridge near Park Kultury metro station to where the statue of Christopher Columbus stands on its island.

View Larger Map

The sculptures and statues are all unique and span a wide variety of styles, shapes and subjects: There is everything from Soviet and wartime sculptures to folk characters, realistic figures and abstract carvings.

You can view some of the park for free, and entrance to the rest is very cheap, 30-100 rubles ($1-$3) depending on your age, student status and whether or not you are a resident of Moscow.  You can also get in for 30 rubles if you speak some Russian and are extra nice to the lady who sells the tickets ;-)

The ticket makes a great souvenir!

I'll share some of my favorite parts of the park below.  I'd like to recommend the park to anyone with a free afternoon in Moscow!  Even if you are not an art or sculpture lover, the park itself is very quiet, simple and pleasant.  It's a great break from busy downtown Moscow.

Michael's Rating: *****/5

See you next time!

Sincerely,
Michael TheMonkey

What is Russia really like?

There are many stories and stereotypes about Russia.  When someone mentions Russia, certain images come to mind: winter, vodka, communism, bears in the streets, James Bond and the KGB, Cathedrals with bulbs on top, long-bearded Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, etc.

You can find some of those things here, but what is Russia really like?

Here's a glimpse!

Yesterday, I visited a mall called "Metropolis" in the northern part of Moscow. I had lunch at Burger King (Бургер Кинг)!  Malls and shopping are very popular in Moscow, and so is fast food!  (Of course, besides fast food, there are many other great places to eat.)

This week begins my exploration of Russia.  If you've ever been curious or are planning a trip here, I'll try to answer your questions and give you an overview of some great things to do and see in Moscow!

Yours,
Michael TheMonkey

REVIEW: Burger King at Metropolis Mall

If you like Burger King, Moscow won't disappoint.  The burgers and fries are the same quality as they would be in the United States or anywhere else.  However, the prices are higher.  A regular meal for a single person might cost as much as $10, which seems a little high for fast food.  The choice of sauces is nice (there are six) but you pay extra for sauce.  The curry sauce (карри соус) is very good! :-)

Michael's Rating: ***/5

A New Direction

Hi Everybody

I wanted to announce some exciting new changes that I'll be making to my blog in the next couple of weeks!

To this point in my young, toy-monkey life, I've spent most of my time traveling to new places and giving a glimpse of the things I found there. While I've had a great time on all of my adventures, I feel that there's one very interesting place I've often neglected, and now I'd like to spend more time sharing it in more detail: Moscow!

Next week, I'm going to begin posting my in-depth guide to Moscow for the benefit of tourists and Toy Tourists alike!

I'll also be updating my blog's navigation and appearance to reflect the new focus!

Yours,
Michael TheMonkey