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Dynamo (Kiev) will play on the Olympiyskiy Stadium

Maxim — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:48:37 +0000

Olympiyskiy Stadium as the main sport arena of Ukraine was always connected with football club “Dynamo”. On this stadium “Dynamo” repeatedly became champion of USSR, won in the legendry match in the finals of Super Bowl European Championship in 1975. That’s why after the reconstruction of the stadium “Dynamo” will play all its home matches on Olympiyskiy Stadium. The agreement was officially signed on the 12 of December 2011. Starting from this days and at least for next 5 years Olympiyskiy will be home stadium for the “Dynamo”(Kiev) football club.

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Kiev Theatre of Opera and Ballet presents opera of J. Verdi “La Traviata”

Maxim — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:56:24 +0000

Kiev Theatre of Opera and Ballet will present on its stage world famous opera of J. Verdi “La Traviata” on the 17 of November. It was firstly ordered by Swiss impresario in February 2011 to be shown on the stages of best theatres and concert halls of Switzerland. After great success of the performance actors decided to show it on their own stage at home. “La Traviata” can be found in repertoire of almost all opera theatres of the world, though every director has his own judgment of this opera. The same situation is with version of our theatre. Action takes place 100 years later then in the original opera, in Paris, in the middle of XX century.

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Nostalgia Cotton Candy Machine

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 05:42:47 +0000

Nostalgia Cotton Candy Machine

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Ukrainians like to buy books, PC, home appliances via Internet

Valeria — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:57:37 +0000

The volume of Ukrainian market of online commerce in 2010 reached USD 500 million and this year may rise 60%. According to the research firm InMind, 66% of Ukrainian Internet users, or about 12 million people, say that they have experience of making online purchases.

Half of online shoppers are users aged 21-30. At the same time, 36% of Internet buyers are people with incomes above the average and high level.

The most popular goods, which Ukrainians bought online last year, were computers (14% of respondents surveyed by InMind), office equipment, home appliances (25%) and books (33%).

4 thing to know about Kiev Zoo …

Olga Stelmach — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 04:08:47 +0000

Kiev zoo — is one of the largest zoos on the territory of former USSR countries and one of the oldest zoos in Ukraine. It covers the territory about 40 hectares. The animal collection of the zoo numbers about 3500 animals from all over the world.

1. Each animal has its peculiarities

Therefore you should not feed the animals! This may adversely affects their health! Pay attention to your children!

2. If desired, visitors can join to help animals

First at the entrance is a box where you can bring things from home, which could play animals.

If desired, and financial opportunities can engage in guardianship animals.

3. Great tragedy zoo-animals often die

In this matter the government began to intervene and people who care about the fate of animals.

4. At the zoo is prohibited:

feed the animals;
enter the territory with different animals;
throwing objects at the cages, pools and fountains;
put children and climb the fences and railings;
Professional video without coordination with the administration of the zoo;
scream, to include radios and tape recorders;
damaging and destroying trees and shrubs.

Inappropriate leads to liability under applicable law.

For the feeding of animals in the zoo penalty of 50 hryvnia. Your apology will not help.

Come To Yalta

Victoria — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:37:05 +0000

There are so many places to visit in Ukraine that you’re never sure where to start. Considered the jewel of the Crimean peninsula, Yalta is one of those cities you have to experience for yourself. It’s a seaside resort town on the Black Sea that is surrounded by steep mountain peaks and beautiful blue waters. It was also the home of famous writer Anton Chekov. With beaches, resorts, museums, and a friendly population of about 80,000, you can see why it has been compared to Carmel, California, Greece, and the French Rivera.

If the name Yalta is ringing bells in your head but you’re not sure why, think back to your World War II history lessons. Yalta was the city in which Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin D. Roosevelt held their ‘Big 3’ conference to discuss the war that they were all involved in. Livadia, the Romanov vacation home that was used for the conference, is open to visitors, as is the home turned museum of Anton Chekov. The Nikitsky Botanical Gardens located just outside the city is beautiful with their 1,600 rose varieties and you could enjoy a good meal while looking out over the sea and the gardens from this elevated location.

If you are going to tour Yalta, take a two day, three night trip so that you can enjoy everything the city has to offer and the beautiful beaches to relax on.

Ukraine Prostitutes Get A Letter Sent Home

Victoria — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 06:40:59 +0000

Ukraine authorities have taken an interesting step towards banning prostitution in their country. Anyone arrested in connection with the sex trade will have the wonderful honour of dealing with mom and dad when they get out of jail. According to the ‘Sehodnia’ newspaper, law enforcement authorities have started sending letters to the parents of prostitutes telling them that they son or daughter was arrested just as he or she was selling their bodies for money. The campaign has been put into effect in an effort to reduce the prostitution trade by having parents bring some pressure on to their kids.

The program has already had some effects on the trade. One young woman, the newspaper reports, has quit the trade entirely after dealing with the family scandal and no peace and quiet at home for more than a week after she was arrested and her parents received the letter. It has already reduced the number of prostitutes on the streets as many young men and women do not wish to get into arguments with their parents.

While prostitution in Ukraine is not illegal, there are laws in place concerning it and they are rarely enforced by the police. Many Ukrainian women alone have had to resort to selling sex in order to simply make it and while the government calls it a ‘national disgrace’, they are doing nothing about closing down the many bordellos or stopping a lot of the streetwalkers that are commonly found in both the major cities and smaller villages.

Ukraine Famine of the 1930s

admin — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:36:13 +0000

Dusia, a first generation Ukrainian Canadian, says that she does not remember much about the famine in Ukraine of 1932-33. She was only five year old when the Soviet-imposed famine, also known by historians as the Holodomor, started raging in her home village. That was one of the most devastating national disasters of the Ukrainian people in all modern history. “My Mom went out to sell jewellery and buy some bread, but she never returned home”, – recalls Dusia, one of just a handful survivals among people living in central and eastern parts of Ukraine during the Holodomor. It is estimated that the total number of those who died from starvations when communists forced Ukrainian peasants into collective farms can be more than 10 million people

When the famine death toll reached 30,000 a day, Ukrainians were arrested for hiding a loaf of bread or a few potatoes. Any foreign aid was rejected and starving families were prevented from travelling to regions untouched by that man-made disaster.

Father Borys Gudziak, rector of the Lviv’s Ukrainian Catholic University, says that during the Soviet era, people were not permitted even to talk about the famine and the artificially orchestrated death of millions of people in Ukraine. Those who lost their parents, sisters, brothers, and friends, had to go through life without ever mentioning it by fear of persecution and by Soviet propagandist brainwashing. Many modern historian, the present parliament of Ukraine, and the government of 26 world nations share the opinion that the Holodomor can be referred to as an ethnic genocide. Under the Soviet leadership, the artificially-induced famine was targeting the entire Ukrainian nation as a social and political entity.

Unfortunately, the Russian government still refuses to acknowledge the role of Soviet communists in the famine. And, in Ukraine, people only now have started to understand all scope of that tragic disaster sweeping the Ukrainian land in the dark years of Soviet “collectivization”.

How To Be Polite In Ukraine

Victoria — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:01:05 +0000

When you visit Ukraine, you will be treated to some of the best hospitality the world has to offer. As a guest you find table filled with food and gifts and toasts will be offered all around. If you are offered a gift from one of the residents, it is considered rude to turn it down. Always make sure that you graciously accept the proffered gift so that you do not insult your hosts. This is the Ukrainians way of saying, ‘Welcome to our humble home and country’.

Some other rules of etiquette that you may find helpful when you visit Ukraine are as follows:

Bring a gift when you visit a family home. A bottle of wine, bouquet of flowers, or a cake satisfies this tradition. If you know there is a child in the home, bring them a small gift as well.
If you choose to bring a bouquet of flowers, make sure there are an uneven number of blooms. This is considered good luck.
Remove your shoes when you enter a home in order to help your hosts keep their home clean. More often than not, they will offer you slippers to wear.
Casual dress is acceptable when you dine at a host’s home unless they specify otherwise.
Be ready to give a toast during dinner. Guests are usually asked to so as an honour to them.
If you are offered food and drink while visiting friends in Ukraine, accept it even if you are not hungry. It is considered rude to refuse, although if you leave some on your plate, your hosts will graciously accept that you are full.
Your host’s may offer you an item that you compliment on so make sure you are very careful when doing so.
While using public transportation, give up your seat to mothers with children, the infirm or the elderly. This shows respect.
Do not whistle or shake hands with someone across the threshold of a door. Both are considered bad luck.
Expect to have your coat, briefcase, or baggage checked at a restaurant or theatre.
Make sure you share any snacks or cigarettes with those around you as it is a sign of respect and friendship.
If you are in Ukraine on business, have your business cards printed ahead of time with English on one side and Ukrainian on the other.
Business attire is conservative and men should not take off their jacket unless they are asked to.
When attending an Orthodox Church service or simply touring one of the many cathedrals in the country, women should wear head scarves or hats and men should remove any hats they are wearing. This is a sign of respect.
Do not put your thumb between your first two fingers as this is a rude gesture in Ukraine.

The Post’s home makeover survival guide

admin — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:30:21 +0000

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.

Even in the top-end luxury apartments with heated Spanish ceramic tile floors, there are bound to be problems with the plumbing and electricity. Less life-endangering but equally unpleasant problems include ugly curtains in need of emergency replacement and white leather and velvet couches in need of constant cleaning.

If a grouchy landlord continues to rip you off and you’d rather not keep a handyman on your payroll, here are some professional establishments that can be called in for the rescue.

Plumbing

Almost all water and sewer plumbing in the city stems from the good old days of the Soviet Union. So, despite having a gorgeous, geometrically shaped Kohler toilet, odds are it will leak at some point. Rather than wait for problems to start, call the Center of 1000 Services, a professional establishment specializing in, well, the name kind of says it all. And that includes small domestic repairs. Their website promises “We’ll be at your place within an hour!” This should give anyone hope that small problems do not have to become big ones. They can fix leaks, unclog toilets, check the out-flow of all household plumbing, or even replace a shower head.

Electricity

Overloaded branch circuits (especially in winter) and incorrect wiring jobs (it’s common here) can create fire hazards, or at least blown fuses or power failures. Once again, the Center of 1000 Services can help, in this case by sending an emergency repair team to check the condition of apartment wiring, fix circuits and fuses, add additional electrical sockets or change light switches.

The company can also help with various household essentials, such as hanging picture frames, mirrors and bathroom hooks and repairing broken furniture, door knobs and locks. Prices start from Hr 120 per service call.

With the overtly sexist slogan “Husband for Rent,” the Domodel home repair company also specializes in similar services. They are very flexible and can deal with many minor service calls for just Hr 80 per visit.

Center of 1,000 Services

www.1000.kiev.ua

7 Izyumska, 251-7847, 237-7048.

Domodel

26 Shota Rustaveli, #9, 531-1332.

Carpet, fabric/furniture cleaning

Domovichok cleans carpeted floors (Hr 13 to Hr 20 per m2), as well as couches and armchairs (Hr 20 to Hr 35 per m2). Call one day in advance.

Domovychok

3 Radistiv, 247-9063.

Curtains

Style and Comfort offers a fabulous assortment of curtains for any room and of any type. They have an in-house interior designer, as well as a full crew of installers. They’re not cheap, as all fabrics are of well-known international brands, but on the upside this is a professional company with a proper pricelist.

Style and Comfort

1 Gorkoho, 287-3262.

Childproofing

Human life seems to have been undervalued in the former Soviet Union, and so not until recently have people started thinking about child safety products. If you need safety gates or magnetic tot locks for cabinets and drawers â€“ and if you can’t get used ones from a member of the International Women’s Club of Kyiv â€“ go to Mothercare. This British children’s store is probably the only place in town that sells these and other related items.

Mothercare

Globus mall, 3rd Line, top floor.

DIY

For those who can’t bring themselves to hire one of the “Husbands for Rent” and believe they can realistically tackle household problems on their own, get all the essential tools and materials at Epicenter home goods mega stores and Budmax home-repair warehouses. While Epicenter locations are quite far from the center, try Budmax, which offers a nice range of electric tools from Bosch and Skil, as well as lots of manual basic home repair tools: hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, levels and measuring tapes as well as everything else you might need for major repairs.

Budmax

www.budmax.com.ua

143/2 Chervonoarmiyska, 537-2395.

Epicenter K

I was certainly disappointed that the corporate execs from Epicenter K snubbed the Post when we asked if we could take photos inside one of their gargantuan home improvement stores. (They probably figured we’d give away trade secrets such as where their forklift operators can and cannot go.) But I was more than pleased to at least have a look aroundÂ (unannounced, of course).

In the same way that Metro Cash & Carry have the middle-income bracket figured out when it comes to food sales, so the Epicenter K people have realized that many, many Ukrainians want to improve their homes â€“ and have the money to do it. Epicenter K, which has three locations across the city, is nothing short of a Ukrainian version of Home Depot, with football field-sized stores in which one can find power tools, lawn chairs and portable heaters, everything for the garden, light and vanity fixtures, siding, flooring paint, cement, and even shower boxes that have lights, a seat, a stereo and jets that shoot water at you from three sides.

Ultimate shower boxes aside, Epicenter stores are neat, well-organized and have pretty decent prices on most goods. Collapsible cherry wood lawn chairs from Hr 150; propane barbecues from Hr 700; portable radiators from Hr 500; rattan mats from Vietnam from Hr 6; Makita and Bosch power drills and other tools; axes and saws for outdoors enthusiasts; paint matching and custom mixing; in-store DIY videos on everything from laying tile in the bathroom to installing a kitchen sink; wall safes in all sizes and shapes; safety clothing and other protective gear, and a store teeming with staff at every turn ready and willing to help you.

I’ll tolerate the snub. I’m writing this, aren’t I?

Epicenter K

11 Bratyslavska, 561-2750.

1/B Kiltseva Road (next to the Metro Cash & Carry), 206-2603.

40 Hrihorenka, 594-5145.

Open daily from 7:30 a.m. till 9:30 p.m.

by Yulia Boyle, Kyiv Post Staff Writer Paul Miazga, Kyiv Post Staff Writer