The spirit of the place according to Natalya Polenova

Reported by Cécile Balavoine. Photos by Ludovic Maisant.

"Between my many travels, I enjoy the rustic life on the Polenovo estate, the vast land that houses the house where my great-grandfather lived and where many of his works can be seen, as well as his studio. But I travel regularly to Moscow, both for business and to see friends. My pied-à-terre is in the very old Patriarch's Ponds district, where I grew up. Where I grew up, this area has become very hipsterwhich I appreciate. I really like I Love Cake, which offers very New York-style breakfasts. I usually go there after spending a couple of hours at the Sandouny baths with a friend, a sacred tradition for me. These baths, founded in 1808, are a veritable institution, and you can still feel all the splendour of the 19th century here.^e century.

I also like to have a good meal at Nouvelles Chinoises, just next door to me, to get back into shape after a drunken night out at the Noor Bar. Another really great place, just a stone's throw away, is Fresh, a trendy vegan restaurant where I order freshly squeezed juices. In the evening, I opt for Rico, an upmarket restaurant, but very much in my style, because it's like being at home, in a relaxed atmosphere. The decor is eclectic, with candlelit sofas and a warm atmosphere. The menu includes fantastic seafood, vegetables from local farms, and bread made on the premises... It's a real treat! my favourite place for special occasions.
When it comes to shopping, I recommend the LavkaLavka grocery shop. They sell quality, organic and eco-friendly products. They even have a village in the countryside with a cooperative. You can find pine nut and mulberry tree oils, Siberian honeys, fish eggs from Lake Baikal... I'm a big supporter of this project, which is part of the New Rustics movement, with which I fully identify. When it comes to clothes, I mainly buy from Traffic on Nikitskiy Boulevard.

As I travel a lot, and my trips are all linked to cultural life in Moscow, I prefer to going out with friends rather than taking part in social life. I occasionally go to galleries, such as Artplay or Winzavod, which are alternative places, but this is relatively rare. Nevertheless, I never miss the December musical evenings at the Pushkin Museum. We go as a family, it's a tradition."

NATALYA POLENOVA'S GOOD ADDRESSES

POLENOVOTul'skaya oblast', Zaoksky rayon - Strakhovo - Tel : +7 487 343 38 38 - Email : polenovo@tarusa.ru - Internet : www.polenovo.ru
I LOVE CAKEBolshoy Patriarshy pereulok 4 - Tel: +7 495 226 02 38 - Internet: ilovecake.gidm.ru
SANDOURYNeglinnaya st. 14, Building 3-7 - Tel: +7 495 782 18 08 - Internet: www.sanduny.ru
CHINESE NEWSUl. Spiridonovka 25/20 - Tel: +7 499 136 97 21 - Internet: chinanews.moscow
NOOR BARUl. Tverskaya 23/12 - Tel: +7 903 136 76 86 - Email: hi@noorbar.com - Email : www.noorbar.com
FRESHErmolaevskiy pereulok 10/7 - Tel: +7 968 441 25 91 - Email: freshcafe@list.ru - Internet: freshrestaurant.ru
RICORuzheiny pereulok, Bât. 6/2 - Tel. 8 916 530 82 36 - Email : rico.rest.moscow@gmail.com - Internet: rico-restaurant.ru
LAVKA LAVKAPetrovka str 21/2 - Tel: +7 495 621 20 36 - Internet: lavkalavka.com
TRAFFIC17/1, Nikitsky Boulevard - Tel: +7 495 690 12 71 - Internet : www.be-in.ru/network/331-traffic
ARTPLAYUl. Nizhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya, 10 - Tel: +7 495 620 08 83 - Internet: m.artplay.ru
WINZAVODUl. Syromyatnicheskiy 1, Bât. 6 - Tel: +7 495 917 46 46 - winzavod@gwinzavod.ru - Internet : winzavod.ru
POUCHKINE FINE ARTS MUSEUMUl. Volkhonka, 12 - +7 495 609 95 20 - Internet : www.arts-museum.ru