About blog: http://blog.kievukraine.info I am an American expat who has been living in Kiev (Kyiv) for the last 15 years. Kiev, the capital of Ukraine is one of the most beautiful and charming cities in Europe. This 1500-year old city, with a population of nearly 3 million people, is a leading industrial and commercial center of the country. We created this blog as a public service for anyone interested in the latest information, gathered from hundreds of international news sources, and updated continually throughout the day and night.
By Nicholas, http://blog.kievukraine.info
Imagine you’ve rented an expensive apartment on Kreshchatyk. Even though the rent may top that of a townhouse in Washington’s prestigious Georgetown-Foggy Bottom neighborhood, most likely you’ll find the interior lacking tasteful decor, a sense of modernity, comfort and most importantly safety.
The matchmaking of Ukrainian women with foreigners of the opposite sex is a great opportunity for them to become the recipients of expensive gifts, while foreign pleasure-seekers get a chance to spend a few unforgettable nights with the Slavic beauties. In the meantime, those who want to find true love are the victims of this “business of loveâ€
I remember my first days in Kyiv well, as forgettable as they were. It was five years ago and the city had no middle-class restaurants worth noting. Kyivans had the choice of dining out in Soviet-style cafes, McDonald’s restaurants or really expensive places where you daren’t walk in without a thick wad of C-notes to cover the high cost of dining. I love eating out and yet I hardly ate out at all.
A former resident of Kyiv, an American named Bruce, once told some Best Of team members that looking for Thai food in this city, though difficult at times, can even be rewarding. He mentioned in particular a certain local restaurant that, he said, served the best Tom Kha soup this side of Bangkok. Heady words, to be sure, but having lived there for some years over a decade ago, he became a discerning culinary expert on all 
Though Mardi Gras and Carnival are over, signaling the beginning of the Christian Lenten period, the local Maslenytsa tradition is all set to begin, meaning it’s time to think about pancakes (crepes, actually), known in Ukrainian as mlyntsy. In Ukraine mlyntsy are easy to find – just turn to any Ukrainian restaurant and they’re bound to be on the menu. But forget the restaurant scene for a while.
At a few parties this weekend – the opening of a new local nightclub, a private combination going away/birthday celebration and an elite food-tasting club event – I had the chance to really immerse myself in what variously constitutes ex-pat life in this city.
My American mother-in-law once found herself in a very uneasy situation: While visiting her son (my future husband) in Kyrgyzstan years ago, she was introduced to the invigorating experience of a Russian banya. However, with no understanding of Russian culture or the language, she found herself locked in a steamy room with a large, naked Russian woman who proceeded to undress her and beat her with a bunch of birch branches.
From personal experience I know how hard it is to shop for men. Seriously, how many more times can you give your husband, brother, or boyfriend a belt, a business-card holder, or another “Simpsons†mug? Valentine’s Day is the toughest nut to crack: does a gray scarf, beige sweater, light-blue button-down shirt really say “I love you� On the other extreme, you can’t bring yourself to give him a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
