Monday is the Hermitage’s day off, so I Ubered to Marble Palace. It’s a branch of Mikhailovsky Palace which, along with the Rossi and Benois Wings, holds the cultural treasures of the State Russian Museum. Founded by Tsar Alexander III, this is where much of the privately owned artwork, confiscated by the state after the revolution, ended up. It was an eclectic mix of grand rooms, like the Marble hall of the eponymous palace.
This gold box and these spoons made me hanker to get back to working on my own bronze box and silver spoons 
A pair of hinged cuffs is from the special exhibition Treasures of Ancient Russia.
Along with the obligatory portraits of Peter, Catherine & Co, was this precious spaniel, who looks like an ancestor of my Maddy.
There were portraits of working class folk who looked abysmally down-trodden, and this guy. Even in Russia, the dude abides.
Lenin and Stalin, chillaxin’. 
And this jolly Bolshevik.
Cleopatra presides over the grand staircase. The sculpture reminded me more of Teresa in ecstasy than a snake bit woman suffering an agonizing death. 
Strolled up Nevsky Prospect to have tea at the famed Eliseyev Emporium, a gourmet establishment with marvelous windows.
Inside, the décor was pretty enchanting too, stained glass, twinkly lights, a player piano that performed the Moonlight sonata. 
Alas. I should have just eaten with my eyes. This fall into the category of supposedly fun thing I’ll never do again. Not only was it clearly geared to tourists the food, charmingly presented, was mediocre – sandwiches were soggy on one side and dried out on the other, the cake tasted refrigerated, and the tea was weak. 
The prices were insane, but I was expecting that. In fairness, the worst aspect was out of their control. And elegant looking older couple – probably my age – sat next to me and smelled overpoweringly of mothballs. You might be luckier.
Walked to a grocery store on my way back to the hotel to pick up some milk and some chocolate. Priorities, yo. On the shelf was in the bread section was this little treat.
I went for a bag of mini-Milky Ways