IZMAILOVO MARKET
73 Izmailovskoye Shosse. Metro Partizanskaya.
Yes, you have to go. Because beyond the piles of matryoshka dolls, fake fur hats, and Soviet memorabilia, it’s the best place for tree ornaments (wooden, etched glass, knitted or antique), table linen, small works of art (lithographs, ceramics, drawings), shawls, jewelry and stones (like purple charoite, only found in Russia). You might end up buying a rug, or an antique hutch, or a painting, or puppets, or a chess set made of amber and ebony. Tip: bring cash and extra tote bags because you just never know what’s there this week.
TWEED HAT
6 Maly Zlatoustinsky Pereulok, Bldg. 1B. Metro Katai Gorod. tweedhat.ru
Tweed Hat launched several years ago with the growing local popularity of Irish tweed hats; and this highly unique men’s boutique has since expanded – in some ways more predictable than others. The selection and variety of hats has expanded in style, as hipster fashion is never predictable. Tweed Hat also offers a fine selection of handcrafted briefcases and carrying bags, shirts, vests, accessories and ….. cutting boards. Tip: measure your kitchen counter width before stopping in.