Leonid Agutin

I wouldn't call Agutin's songs a discovery (since they are my parents' music – and I’ve one too many karaoke fans around me), but they were certainly a timely find, especially this November, with its blues and lack of sunlight. As it were yesterday, I remember that his songs randomly popped up on my playlist on the last working day of the six-day workweek – and boy, was it an instant mood booster! My personal recs are Остров (Island), Ай-ай-ай (Ah-ah-ah), and, of course, Хоп хэй лала лэй (Hop hey lala lay) – these will, no doubts, help you hop-hey-lala-lay through a gray, tiring day. Also, Agutin is one of the old-school musicians going viral on the net lately, among many others, so be ready to hear a ton of him afterwards! – Marina 

Mulled “wine” and set theory

Yesterday, I wrote an entire paragraph about the (non-alcoholic) pomegranate “mulled wine” drink from Tsekh 85, but as I was leaving the office, I remembered that I actually had another discovery in mind. It is – nerd alert! – set theory. The thing is, I’ve recently decided to brush up on my statistics skills. A quick search yielded this free Harvard statistics course (from a random Reddit recommendation, of course), complete with a book on probability. And oh my, this book! It starts with a chapter on set theory as a means to work with probable outcomes of an experiment, plus there are some additional paragraphs at the end for someone who isn’t fluent in set theory, like I was. 

Working through these paragraphs first made me remember how I loved sets and especially Venn diagrams at school; it’s such a beautiful way to think about the world. As I am working through the main chapters, I can practically hear my brain growing new neural pathways to reconcile with the math I used to love as a school kid; it’s such a joy! If you’ve been looking for a brain-teaser, I can’t recommend it enough. And, going back to the start, any study session is better with a cup of spicy pomegranate goodness, of course. – Catherine

Secret mansion 

For a long time I had the notion that just a block away from ITMO’s Grivtsova campus there’s a hidden Demidov’s mansion with the facade facing inwards, not the street as usual. What I couldn't wrap my head around is how people got there – maps claimed it is closed to the public.

One November day, while crossing Grivtsova Lane, I noticed a group with a guide entering a courtyard. I assumed they could only be there for the house, so I followed them. I was right, but naturally, I didn’t receive a warm welcome – the guide refused to let me join, even for money. The group paved their way through the secret door, and, so as not to leave empty-handed, I pulled my last try and approached the security guards standing nearby. To my surprise, they were kind and offered to let me in once the group left. 

And the waiting paid off! A narrow passage and labyrinths of two-story buildings led to an apple orchard facing a beautiful yet renovation-requiring mansion with a rare metal staircase. I’m happy with this little discovery and that it did not turn into the beginning of a true crime story. – Elizaveta

Beyond coffee

I guess I’m really late to the party, but it was only this fall that I, a black-coffee-no-sugar enthusiast, genuinely started to enjoy checking out all kinds of novelty beverages. Some of them I even make at home. For example, as it turns out, pumpkin spice latte, a fall staple, is pretty easy to recreate. Other times, a new drink to try becomes a reason to finally go out for a walk. I was really skeptical about a sugar bomb that usually is bubble tea, but gave it a try and now I get the hype. Among other favorites I tried this month is cascara, also known as coffee cherry tea. It actually tastes kind of like dried fruit compote. A whole new world of beverages is now open to me! – Kseniia