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HOT News
January 31, 2008
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Currently (at the end of January 2008), I am quite busy with my repeat clients, mostly business people, and had not time for a while to learn its manual, but I have already tested it and made several shots of my pets. I was so excited even I forgot that several minutes earlier that I was very tired after a Moscow By Night tour with my clients.
With the new Nikon, it's like I changed a Russian Lada for a Mercedes...You can see one of the pictures with “My lovely Pets - Kerry and Lilu”, which I took during that night.
To learn all features of this amazing camera, which was released in September 2007, you can read review posted by Phil Askey at Digital Photography Review website Nikon D300 Hands-on Preview.
By some circumstances and availability of this camera in stock, I couldn’t buy a kit, but purchased the body and lenses with flash separately and really enjoy my choice, so now I have:
Nikon D300 Body
Nikon 18-200 mm F/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF DX VR Lens
Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight Flash
Here, I would like to thank greatly my repeat clients: Tom Milana from Miami, USA (Transworld Business Brokers LLC) , and Michelle Shultz from London (Qualcomm Europe) who helped me a lot to purchase this camera and accessories.
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January 17, 2008
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At the end of the past winter holidays (in Russia Dec 30 - Jan 08) I received via post a letter from Olga and Bill Rogers who used my services in Moscow during almost a week (6 days) at the end of June 2007. When I opened a big envelope I was greatly surprised with a handmade calendar with the pictures which Olga and Bill took during their pretty long trip to Russia and Ukraine, and after reading their nicely designed message I remembered all the best moments from our tours to Moscow famous landmarks. I was so exited reading their story, so then I had a thought that it can be interesting not only for me and immediately sent to Olga a message with my request to post it on my website. After receiving their permission, from my side, I decided to make some small gift for them too and during next several next days, in my free time, worked in Photoshop enhancing the picture which I took during our tour to Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra (monastery) in Sergiev Posad. And now, when it is ready, I am happy to share the both gifts with you:
Dear Arthur:
How better to let you know what we have been doing for part of the year, so this calendar is for you to enjoy and see where we spent one month - mid-June to mid-July. This will be the last calendar we will put out, as it has become too time consuming and a lot of work. We spent 6 days in St. Petersburg, 6 days in Moscow and 9 days in Ukraine. What a fantastic trip we had.
Russia was a surprise — nothing like we are led to believe. Big modern cities, people are well dressed, friendly, cheerful, drive big cars, and everyone has a cell phone. We had a car, driver and English guide who knew the city and how to get around in the crazy Moscow traffic. It is easy and safe to travel there on your own, and many speak English.
You can continue to read the story here: A Letter with Season Greetings from Canada
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December 18, 2007
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Hanukkah is now well under way, and Christmas is only one week away... Winter holidays are coming and many people in a lot of countries have already started to shop for Christmas gifts and to think about how they can greet the New Year of 2008.
I think that celebrations of Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year can unite all people in World, from different countries - all of us want to be with our friends, families, relatives. We want happiness and peace. We want stability now and in future. We wish our relatives strong health and pray to God for them. We are happy to watch how our lovely kids grow and prepare them for a great future! Do you agree with me? If yes, lets drink to that during our celebrations of Hanukkah, Christmas and the New 2008 Year!!!
This news is with my personal greetings for the current and upcoming winter holidays, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year of 2008, I would like to dedicate to all my former clients and friends who I met for whole my life. Now I am worried again, as last year, that I will not have a time to send personal seasons greetings to all my friends in many countries, but I hope that they can read my wishes:
- Happy Hanukkah!
- Merry Christmas!
- Happy New 2008 Year!
- Strong Health and Happiness to you and your family!
- Spend a great time during your Winter Vacation!
With this news I would like to post for you a picture which I think will fit 100% to upcoming celebrations of Christmas and New Year. I took this picture on the famous pedestrian street of Moscow, Old Arbat, walking up and down the street with my clients Millie Ball and Keith Marshall on October 28th 2007 and when I got this picture, I immediately decided that I have to post it with the current news.
To read the full story about this photo you can here: Season's Greetings from Russia.
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November 24, 2007
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Today was the second day of competition for Cup of Russia (Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2007/2008 in Moscow) and I was very happy when Johnny told me himself that he is in first place so far in context.
I worked with Johnny about 10 days before the competition for Cup of Russia which started for him yesterday, NOV. 23, 2007. Mostly I worked with him as professional driver, not as a guide - he has visited Moscow many times and knows the city pretty well :-), but everyday he needed transportation to/from ice rink for his practices and for shopping when he had some free time.
It was not so easy to provide transportation for him and his trainer, Galina Yakovlevna, from the hotel Cosmos to the skate rink in THE Olympic Sport Complex because of terrible traffic near the hotel. One bridge on Prospect Mira, a main highway, is being reconstructed, and the traffic in the whole district was almost paralyzed during workdays. But using long "detours" and side-roads, I was able to be on time almost everyday, but honestly it was very hard work and I still feel exhausted after 2 days off. From the first day of competition for the Cup of Russia Johnny didn't requested my services because
the Sport Committee of Russian Federation organized special buses for all skaters to the actual competition in the new Ice Palace in Hodynka, where the competition will end tomorrow, NOV. 25.
No doubt, that it was very interesting for me to know the results of this competition, but I have not opportunity to see it on TV because of I have not satellite channels (the competition is currently broadcasting by the main commercial TV company "NTV PLUS"). So, this morning, when Galina Yakovlevna dialed my phone number by mistake, I asked: “How is Johnny". She told me, "He was second in short program and Stephane Lambiel, who took the first place, was excellent!". Of course, second place is a very good result, but following some Russian customs, during this day I tried to use STRONG words and CLENCHED MY FISTS TIGHTS to send support to Johnny. :-)
This evening, I had no patience to wait for the results, so I called his trainer. She responded, "Johnny is nearby and he wants to tell you directly", and she passed the phone to Johnny.
"I am first"
Those were his first words from the phone...
To finish this news from Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Moscow, I would like to say here: Go, Johnny, Go! Good luck for you tomorrow to finish the current competition in this exhibition; good luck for you in two weeks on final in Turin (Italy) and in future figure skating competitions! You are the BEST!
Useful Links:
1. Official website of Johnny Weir
2. Published on official ISU site Results - Cup of Russia 2007/2008 - Men
3. My photo with Johnny Weir (GUM, 2005)
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November 16, 2007
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Recently, Millie Ball, who is travel journalist from New Orleans, USA, posted at her blog two very interesting stories about her trip to Russia. She was here, in Moscow, with her husband, Keith Marshall, at the end of October and used my services as a guide and driver couple of days. It was very interesting to work with them: they like Russia, had a lot of questions about everything (life, people, culture, politic, history and many personal questions), we had a lot of fun during our sightseeing tours around famous places of Moscow.
Yesterday she informed me that her stories about Moscow and St. Petersburg are already online and I think that her experience and information are worth to learn for all people who have interest to Russia:
1. Moscow: 16 years later
2. St. Petersburg, Russia 16 years later
My story about Millie and Keith with their photo, which I took at Old Arbat street near one gifs shop, you can see in special photo-album of My Dear Clients.
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Moscow, Russia 
Contact Info: Arthur Lookyanov