Imagine an invitation to stay in a friend’s artsy space in a fascinating Russian neighbourhood. The building is an older one, but the apartment is roomy, comfortable, quirky, and filled with original paintings. The subway and shops are a few minutes walk away. We couldn’t have imagined a warmer welcome from Yura, who stayed up late to rescue us after a four hour delay, pointed out all his favourite restaurants, and made us comfortable in his home. We had a great time there.