THE VORTEX KNOWN ONLY TO THOSE WHO REMEMBER: After 10 hours of movies, wine and a bit of dozing, my arrival on Russian soil at 10:30 a.m. was uneventful. By 2:30 p.m. I was drinking wine on the Arbat with Heidi. I managed to get my cell phone re-registered with a new phone number for less than $30! We did a bit of grocery shopping and as we filled our basket with several bottles of wine, the sommelier came up to us and said we couldn't buy any wine today. She pointed out the sign that stated there was an official ordinance from the City of Moscow to prevent the sale of alcoholic beverages today. The reason - it's some sort of military holiday (day of the merchant marines?) and so, the theory is, don't sell booze, so they don't get drunk and ruff up the streets. So, we were stuck with my small bottle of red wine, bequeathed to me by my Delta seatmate, Fred. Fred, from West Palm Beach must have thought me a lush after watching me down a bloddy mary and a glass of wine before we even reached the Atlantic Ocean. That was enough to make me pass out, so saved the extra bottle to take to Moscow.

After shopping, we returned home to get ready for a party. I guess I can't get away from the vortex. I've been sucked back into this world as I spent the evening networking at a going away party for the parents of an American businessman. My mind, racing with the ideas from the renewed energy of nostalgic memories mingled with present day stories, turned jetlag into jet fuel as I kept going until 2 a.m.

The wine consumption continued until well after midnight. Fortunately, there was an abundance of delicious catered Russian food to absorb the excess alcohol. Well, it was a nice thought anyway.

Russian blini with caviar, "salat", all sorts of hot and cold appetizers. The crowd ranged in age from 20something to 70ish, middle-aged American businessmen and, well, of course, beautiful Russian women. I held my own and worked the room as if it were a Wharton event. To my amazement, the host himself was a Wharton undergraduate adn his mother, a native Philadelphian, shared with me all their connections to Penn. Another guest I met turned out to be on my list of Wharton alumni that I thought I might reach out to. Too bad I can't write off the trip as work related:)

For the first time in over 3 years, I actually slept until noon. A lovely rainy Sunday and no NYTimes to read. Hmm, I will have to pick up a Moscow Times. I'm now connected to the internet thanks to Golden Wifi. Perhaps today we can buy some wine.