Halloween Fun with Russian Treats

Happy Halloween! 🎃 The pumpkin is glowing, and Lucy is ready to greet the kids for some evening trick-or-treating. I've stocked up on some Russian candies to make it more interesting for the kids! I ...
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Mushroom Adventures and Kombucha Creations

What’s going on with the mushrooms? The first square mushroom is thriving! It has developed impressive air cushions, making it so much easier for it to float—now it happens instantly. For those sensit...
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Halloween Traditions in a New Country

Our first Halloween in the country where it all began! I was a bit surprised by how few houses were decorated—only a handful! On the other hand, almost all the shops, cafes, and florists were festivel...
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Autumn Adventures and Cozy Moments

Weekly Update 🧡 As the cold weather sets in, we've started turning on the heated floors in the bathroom more often. Now it’s practically impossible to move around in there! 🧡 Autumn in London is qui...
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Exploring Kent Downs Wildlife Wonders

Kent Downs National Landscape | Part 2 In addition to the pheasants, we encountered a large number of birds of prey, which might explain the dead pheasants we saw. I even managed to identify one using...
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Hiking the Kent Downs Landscape Adventure

Kent Downs National Landscape | Part 1 I think this is the perfect hike if you don’t have a car and want to avoid spending more than two hours on the road, but you still want to enjoy a good long walk...
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Birdwatching Delights in the Park

This morning, I found myself watching the birds in the park again. Among the ones I hadn’t seen in a while, I spotted a heron and a beautiful tufted duck with its striking black and white plumage. I a...
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Cost of Pet Care in London

How Much Does It Cost to Care for a Cat and a Dog in London? It’s often said that having pets in London is incredibly expensive. Curious, I decided to calculate the costs of our three furry friends. W...
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Cozy Autumn Adventures and Celebrations

Weekly News 🧡 Halloween has just passed, and I already have my advent calendar! Last year, I had the Liberty calendar, which we delivered to Yerevan with the whole team (shoutout to Katya <3). Thi...
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Veterinary Visit for Luskas Health Concern

It's been a while since I shared any veterinary stories! Luska has been making squeaky and whiny sounds for the past few days whenever she jumps onto her usual furniture. I carefully checked all her p...
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Hidden Culinary Gems Near Home

Every time Lucy and I go for a walk, I make an effort to avoid the main street and the busiest part of our neighborhood — there are so many people rushing around, limited space, and the billboards can...
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Job Applications and Cozy Discoveries

Weekly Updates 💞 I sent out over 120 applications this week, including my dream job as a Communications Coordinator at Wimbledon. I do wish I hadn’t rushed it and had included more than what was aske...
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Kombucha Brewing Journey and Tips

The First Harvest The tea mushroom turned out well, and it tasted delicious! The only thing I would improve is the carbonation; it could use a bit more fizz. I'll experiment with different recipes, pe...
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Creative Advertising Slogans Unleashed

As someone who is looking to grow in the fields of advertising, branding, and marketing, I made a promise to myself to take note of interesting advertising slogans in English. Here's a fun menu from B...
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Heartwarming Animal Blessing Experience

Pet Blessing Continuing the story! We were passing by St. Albans Cathedral and decided to go inside, and it turned out that in 20 minutes, there would be a blessing of animals. Fate, right? I knew it ...
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Discovering St Albans Charm

St Albans This is where my husband and I started exploring the nearby cities to London, dreaming of the day we might buy our own place in the UK. With a population of around 148,000, it's slightly lar...
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Job Hunts and Weekend Adventures

Weekly Updates 🧡 I'm still actively applying for jobs and facing a fair amount of rejections. I think I've found a routine that works for me—20 applications a week, five a day with Wednesdays off. 🧡...
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Mastering Humor as a Second Language

Cracking Jokes in English I think all the immigrants out there can relate to this. At some point, expressing yourself in English becomes much easier, whether it's making small talk or diving into a de...
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Embracing Comfort in Self-Care

Here's the thing: you’re keeping up with yourself, losing weight, taking care of your skin and hair, all while battling your insecurities and trying not to pick up new ones from social media. Then you...
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Delicious AirFryer Cheesecake Experiment

Autumn has bitten me, and I’m continuing my experimentation with various pies in the AirFryer. I came across an interesting healthy cheesecake recipe on Reels that I felt compelled to try, but there w...
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Navigating Corporate Dilemmas with Confidence

My husband and I agreed that ignoring the situation (answer B) was not an option; that answer is definitely last on the list. He chose option C, suggesting that I’m being “tested” on my understanding ...
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Navigating Job Rejections and Finding Joy

Weekly News 💚 I'm getting closer to my first 100 responses. After some time, I plan to analyze them and draw some initial conclusions. 💚 Last week, I received a record 10 rejections, including 2 une...
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Volunteer Experience with Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs for Blind People To grab your attention, here’s a snapshot of Lucy drying off after her bath. I recently discovered the incredible volunteer program offered by Guide Dogs for Blind People! ...
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Wildlife Encounters in Dolgoprudny

When I moved abroad, we started getting visits from hedgehogs at our home in Dolgoprudny. Later on, for the first time in 20 years, we even saw moose! If we happen to spot any foxes, it'll be obvious ...
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Unexpected Kindness from a Neighbor

About My Neighbor Once again, our garbage chute is out of order, so I have to make a trip down to the B floor to toss out the trash myself. As I step into the elevator, I bump into a young neighbor wh...
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Unexpected Treasure on the 15th Floor

I decided to head up to the 15th floor to take care of some errands and stumbled upon THIS—a Wedgwood plate! Just sitting there, for free. As a token of appreciation, I left behind some beer, dog stic...
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Dog Festival Fun and Life Changes

Weekly Update 🧡 On Saturday, we attended a dog festival. We didn’t win anything, but Lucy received a million compliments in her red beret. Surprisingly, there weren't that many dressed-up dogs! 🧡 We...
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Bark Off Festival Highlights and Fun

By the way, we're attending the Bark Off dog festival in the park this Saturday! Lucy has been nominated in two categories: Miss Hampstead and Waggiest Tail. We've already picked out her outfit—what d...
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Cultural Canines and Their Playful Nature

On Dogs My mom recently observed something intriguing while in London. She asked, do dogs also have cultural behaviors and attitudes towards one another embedded in their DNA? This revelation once lef...
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Floral Subscription Experience and Perks

I've finally decided to give a floral subscription a try! I love buying flowers and arranging bouquets myself, but there's a bit of a problem with flower shops in my area. With a subscription, though,...
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Dealing with Frustrating Telegram Calls

Like many of you, my mom and I have experienced all stages of frustration with these annoying calls on Telegram and WhatsApp. "Varechka! Varechka! You're mumbling! I can’t hear anything!" I ...
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Job Applications and Autumn Adventures

Weekly Update This week, I was actively applying for jobs. On ordinary days, I aim to send out at least five applications. I spent two days working on a test task for a company looking for a Marketing...
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Navigating Pet Chaos at Home

It's quite amusing to look back at certain experiences with the passage of time. The first three photos were taken in September 2023, just after we brought Lucy to Abu Dhabi and introduced her to the ...
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Reviving History at the Duke of St Albans

The Story of a Pub During the week my parents came to visit, we explored more than ten pubs, trying to learn a little something about each one. Honestly, most of their stories are quite similar—most o...
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Women’s Pond Reflections and Experiences

At the Pond Recently, I visited a local bookstore in Highgate and stumbled upon a gem—a collection of stories from 14 female writers about the women’s pond in Hampstead and their personal experiences....
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Discover the Joy of Disposable Cameras

I recently had a delightful surprise with a disposable Kodak camera! If you’re uncertain about whether you really need a film camera, this might just be the perfect option for you. I ordered two of th...
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Capturing Memories with Disposable Cameras

To welcome my parents, we prepared a little welcome pack that included two disposable Kodak cameras. The idea was for them to capture their moments while I snapped away on my own camera. In reality, I...
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Embracing Autumn in London

Weekly Highlights 🧡 I'm not sure about you, but I was absolutely thrilled when autumn suddenly arrived in London last week! The summer felt so packed, and now I’m craving a bit of calm and a producti...
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Kombucha Adventures with Family and Friends

Kombucha, or as they call it, Чайный гриб So, the process has begun! The mushroom should grow in a month. In our little apartment, I no longer have any space for it on the kitchen counter, and Lucy ha...
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Treasured Keepsakes from Moscow to London

Unpacking from Moscow 💜 The Infinite Calendar. Let me start with the jewel of the haul. I'm so glad I didn't realize how huge and heavy it is. It's especially nice that my parents couldn’t say no to ...
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Mastering Household Routines for Harmony

Household Routines I recently found myself reflecting on my habits and routines. I have many rules in my household that I strive to follow, and not adhering to them can be quite disheartening for me. ...
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Play the Historic Organ at London Bridge

I've seen pianos at train stations and airports, but an organ? That was a first for me! At the London Bridge station, you can play on an organ from 1880 named Henry. I honestly thought this event woul...
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Memorable London Trip with Family

I forgot to mention that we found a fantastic Airbnb for my parents right in the neighboring tower—it really changed the game for our trip! Despite the worsening weather, our travel plans are still in...
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Benefits of Weight Loss Loose Jeans

The downsides of losing weight: your favorite jeans start to feel loose. But on the bright side, you can now slip a baguette into those jeans and keep it dry under your jacket! 🥖
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Family Adventures in London

On the day my parents arrived, we showed them our little apartment, strolled around the neighborhood, and visited our favorite park, Hampstead! Yesterday marked our first full day in London. We explor...
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Exploring Local Delights and Adventures

Weekly Highlights 💚 I finished reading a book! I enjoyed it so much that I decided to take it to James Park for the last 50 pages. Why hadn't I come here before to relax among the squirrels, ducks, a...
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Embracing London Life After Travels

Weekly Update In the first week after returning from Turkey, I realized just how much I've missed London and everything here! 🧡 We soaked up the last bits of summer sun, indulged in watermelon, and e...
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Maximizing a Small Storage Closet

It seems you enjoyed my post about cleaning, so here’s the second installment! Today’s task was a bit more challenging — tackling a small storage closet measuring just 1.2 square meters. We had alread...
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Unexpected Elevator Encounters

This morning, Lucy and I stepped into the elevator, where a man was already standing. Lucy, playful as ever, started swirling her hips, trying to get his attention. He just looked at her, smiling sile...
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Exciting Insights from Reading in English

On Reading in English and Translation I have no doubt that reading books in English is incredibly beneficial, but there are moments that make you want to squeal with excitement and read even more! Yes...
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Turkish Village Memories and Souvenirs

News of the Week: Blissfully Relaxed I've got the last update from our little Turkish village; we’ll be home this evening. As a souvenir, I’m bringing back a beaded bracelet that I bought from kids on...
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Adventure at a Wild Beach

Cirali Airlines A couple of days ago, we decided to head out to a wild beach with our snorkel gear. The journey there wasn't easy, taking us an hour under the blazing sun. *I must admit, I was wrong t...
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Eternal Flames of Mount Chimaera

The Eternal Flame of Chimaera Not far from us in Çıralı lies Mount Chimaera, famous for its natural eternal flames that have been flickering for at least the last few thousand years. Methane, mixed wi...
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Experience Local Life in Çıralı

I’m relaxing in the village with my Turkish grandmother 🥰 I realized that for the first time in my life, I’m vacationing in Turkey among the locals. And I’ve never seen so many free sun loungers avai...
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Nature Adventures and Career Updates

Weekly Updates 💚 During my evening walks, I count how many foxes I encounter. Last week, I broke our record—seven in total! The UK is one of the few countries officially free from rabies, with the la...
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Mosaic Vase DIY Project Progress

New DIY Project | Part 1 I realized I wouldn’t be able to finish my project before heading out, so I decided to share my progress! I've wanted to work with mosaic tiles and grout for a while, and I th...
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DIY Mosaic Vase Project Progress

New DIY Project | Part 1 I realized I wouldn't be able to finish my project before leaving, so I decided to share the current progress! I've wanted to do something with mosaic tiles and grout for a lo...
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Mosaic Vase DIY Journey Begins

New DIY Project | Part 1 I realized I wouldn’t finish it before my trip, so I decided to share my progress! I’ve wanted to do something with mosaic tiles and grout for a while now. I thought I’d start...
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Mosaic Vase DIY Journey Part One

New DIY Project | Part 1 I've realized that I won't finish my latest project before I leave, so I decided to share the current progress! I've wanted to do something with mosaic tiles and grout for a l...
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Grocery Haul Experience at Marks and Spencer

Unpacking My Marks & Spencer Grocery Haul🥬 When compared to Russian stores, M&S feels like the British version of a familiar grocery chain—somewhere in between a Перекрёсток and a Вкусвилла. ...
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Cherishing Memories of Grandmas Brooch

Remembering Grandma I often find myself envying those who still have their grandparents around at 30. I never met my grandpa on my dad's side, and my grandma passed away back in 2014. I vividly recall...
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Cross-Cultural Humor at the Pub

One day, a Russian, an Englishman, and a Scot meet up in a pub. This weekend marked our first real outing to a pub where we got to know some locals and chatted for nearly three hours. I discovered tha...
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Innovative Marketing at Crypto Conferences

What’s Interesting at Crypto Conferences Every time my husband returns from these events, I ask him what caught his attention from a marketing perspective. It’s a professional habit of mine! At the la...
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Moonrise Magic at Parliament Hill

Last night, before heading to bed, Lucy and I decided to climb our hill, Parliament Hill. We don’t usually go there in the evenings, but our intuition was spot on this time. When we arrived, we found ...
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Our Memorable Day at Wimbledon

Our First Wimbledon 🥹🎾 We arrived before 7 AM to join the famous queue. As it turns out, being number 5825 in line is considered lucky! The delightful volunteers, plenty of restrooms, water stations...
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Cats, Chicken, and Secrets Unveiled

Yesterday, for some reason, I intentionally omitted one detail from the story. Lucy didn't steal food from the table; it was her cats who tossed it to her! Did I try to salvage anyone's tarnished repu...
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The Chicken Heist and Vet Adventures

You stole the chicken with sauce and pickled vegetables from the table, and your parents spent three hours cleaning up the mess throughout the apartment. They even shelled out £190 at the vet just for...
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Tennis Adventures and Fox Encounters

Weekly Highlights 💞 I can't stop filming foxes; I'm not sure when this obsession will pass. One of the photos turned out like a scene from a western film — Lucy and two foxes. 💞 We finally bought bi...
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Moscow Transit Pass: A 30-Year Journey

I was sorting through some things and came across this! It's a Moscow transit pass that just recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. We still can’t figure out exactly whose it is, so I'll just think...
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Secret Connections Over Morning Lattes

A Little Secret For the past few months, Lucy and I have been stopping by GAIL’s for our morning lattes. As is often the case, the staff start to recognize you as a regular, and you, in turn, remember...
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10 Favorite Home Treasures and DIYs

10 of My Favorite Things at Home ✨🏠 Paintings by My Grandmother's Brother Alexander Khomko was an artist who worked at the Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard alongside Nikulin and was one of the last cal...
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Summer Adventures and Visa Hurdles

Weekly Update 🧡 The highlight of my week was undoubtedly spending six hours in line for a Spanish Schengen visa—only to grab an appointment for July 8 the next morning! 🧡 The Winter Party was such a...
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Hidden Floral Gems at Urban Flower Co

There’s a fantastic flower shop near our tennis club that never fails to surprise me. Every time I go in, I discover a new flower I didn’t even know existed. This fluffy, wavy wonder is called celosia...
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Explore Brightons Best Day Experiences

A Day in Brighton Here are a few spots to enjoy a leisurely day in the city. 📍 Truffle World Right from the train station, we popped into this truffle shop! They offer everything truffle-related—chee...
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Visa Woes and Booking Insights

Whining About Schengen and Useful Tips for Booking I have to say, getting a Spanish visa in Moscow is way easier than doing it in London! Today, I spent nearly six hours in line (five hours and 45 min...
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Winter Party Excitement in Mayfair

Hiking and trips to other cities are great, but it’s been a while since we attended any social events! This Friday, my husband and I are going to the Winter Party in Mayfair — ready to dance, enjoy th...
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Summer Adventures and Personal Wins

Weekly Highlights 💜 Last week, I continued to enjoy summer in the city and played a lot of tennis. I set a personal record by spending 3.5 hours on the court—playing four sets and wrapping up with a ...
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Introverted Dogs Cozy Weekend Vibes

A Weekend Micro Vlog from the Life of an Introverted Dog 😁 There’s something truly special about spending a lazy weekend with our furry friends. Today, I took a little time to observe my introverted ...
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Finding Humor in Anxiety Challenges

My anxiety has reached a new level. I’m not just imagining terrible events that could happen in my life; I’m preparing a stand-up routine for when they do! Here’s a joke for if I ever lose my left han...
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Unique Mushroom Crafting Ideas

Mushroom Collection 🍄🍄🍄 Here are the promised mushrooms! This time we have three unique pieces: a vibrant fly agaric, a pale toadstool, and their little one. I crafted these using cord instead of y...
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