Ekvtimishvili, Nana. The Pear Field. Translated by Elizabeth Heighway, Peirene Press Ltd, 2020.
The Pear Field has been a critical darling in both English and in Georgian, and it is the first Georgian novel I’ve read in Georgian (with help from the English translation). I’m a big fan of literature in translation and try not to be a snob about it, but I’ve got to say that here the original Georgian version was better. The English version felt quite abridged, and while some of the choices made perfect sense (what does the average English speaker know about the difference between a khrushchyovka and chekhuri proekti or the stereotypes of people from different regions of Georgia? In that context, it’s not informative), others I really missed in the English version. The Georgian descriptions were longer (not just because I read slowly), sly language jokes were missing (I understand that this is not easy to translate, but the ones I understood in Georgian were pretty great…I probably missed even more), and anecdotes and additional examples were cut. They didn’t move the plot forward, but they did contribute to the mood of the book. I think these excisions are what made the English version feel more bleak and depressing to me, while the Georgian version had a lightness and vibrancy to it. (Interestingly enough, this is very similar to my reaction to the author’s film “In Bloom”.)
Most reviews of this book mention that horrible things happen to children in it. Having read these reviews, I was prepared and didn’t find them as awful as I probably would have otherwise. I think reading in Georgian was also helpful here, because I couldn’t understand the awful details on the first read but I could get the gist, so I was more mentally prepared. I recommend this strategy if it applies to you.
So far all I have written about this book is criticism, but I do think it was very good. It’s just not a book that’s easy to explain why it’s good. Lela, the main character, isn’t exactly likable, but she is admirable in her way, and her refusal to give in keeps the story going. The same could be said of many of the characters: you don’t like them, but they’re interesting. Some, of course, you will detest. Ekvtimishvili’s writing is very visual and her descriptions are fantastic. I know Kerchi Street, where the story is set, well, so it was very easy for me to visualize, but I think others can do so as well. Her descriptions of people are full of life and a bit of humor. They keep the book from being bleak.
With the content warning mentioned above, I do recommend this book as a description of life in Tbilisi in the 1990s. It’s quite short (the English version is 163 pages, the Georgian 211), so it’s not a big time commitment like The Eighth Life is. If you’re a Georgian language learner looking to read in Georgian, this seems like a decent place to start. There is lots of dialogue using everyday speech, which is easy to understand. You probably won’t understand the vocabulary used in the violent scenes, but that was OK by me. I “warmed up” by reading two children’s books in English and their Georgian translations first, and while I was glad to have the English version, too, I was able to understand the Georgian well enough without the English to compare them.
One word of advice: pay attention to the boys in the school. I found myself thinking of them as a group rather than individuals (perhaps just like the system did!), and that left me confused about a major plot point later on.
Note: I’ve waited a few weeks to post this to make sure that we stayed healthy, weren’t contacted by contact tracers, and didn’t see the hotel pop up in the news as a cluster (and also because I’m kind of a slow writer/photo editor and there’s been a lot going on in the world).
There’s a new Georgian company called Travel Box that I heard about through Facebook, and I wanted to give it a try. I love the “box” concept (beauty boxes, snack boxes, etc)…they’re usually a good deal if themed so you’ll use the products, and getting one feels like a mini Christmas morning. The Travel Box concept is that you get to pick the region for your trip, but which of their partner hotels you get a voucher for is a surprise until you open it. The voucher is for 2 people for 2 nights, and the partner hotels are all 5-star. In the box you also get some accessories (some branded, some not) and beauty products. It looks like they may have added a bottle of wine in recently, as well. Each box is 350 GEL (currently 103 USD). You have to book your stay in advance through Travel Box, and you’re responsible for your own transportation and any expenses other than the room.
I hesitated to buy the box at first because it isn’t a small amount of money–especially-if the voucher gets wasted–but I contacted customer service with some questions before buying and they were very helpful and set my mind at ease about taking the risk. The responded quickly and in English, and all of their policies seemed reasonable to me (free rebooking 10 days before the scheduled trip, can book in someone else’s name, or change the name for free up to 2 days before the trip, rescheduling allowed if COVID regulations change abruptly, etc.). The delivery arrived smoothly and I was quite pleased with the products–the facemask fits me quite well and is a good option for running to open the door or going for walks when I don’t plan to see anyone, the scarf really suited G’s mom, and I found some lotion I quite like. In general it’s a good deal if you’ll be able to use the voucher (our hotel’s advertised price was 300 GEL/night), but would be a waste of money if you don’t, though the products might soften the blow a little.
You book your stay through Travel Box, not the hotel directly, but the booking process was easy and fast, and when I had follow-up questions the Travel Box staff replied very quickly.
We chose Kakheti for our surprise hotel because it’s a short drive from Tbilisi, we thought it would be beautiful with fall colors, autumn is the wine season, and we thought there would be plenty of outdoor activities to keep us occupied in a lower Covid-risk way. Travel Box has lots of partners in Kakheti, so where we would wind up was a surprise. (There are some regions where they only have one partner, so you pretty much know where you’ll wind up, though they are constantly adding more partners so it isn’t a guarantee). Our voucher was for Esquisse Hotel in Telavi itself, which we had never heard of before. I was delighted when I looked at their website and saw a beautiful swimming pool, so we tried to schedule our visit when we might still be able to use it.
When we arrived, the staff were friendly, our room was gorgeous, and they seemed to be doing a good job following the Georgian CDC’s anti-coronavirus protocols. We had a big balcony with an incredible view of the mountains, which also made it easy to air out the room before we spent too much time there (though I did let a fly in. Oops). (I also used my disinfecting wipes on high-touch surfaces before we settled in). G had to do some remote work while we were there, so he was pleased that the desk in the room was comfortable and the WiFi was fast and reliable. That isn’t always the case in Georgia, even in fancy hotels. The bed and shower were luxuriously comfortable, and the whole room was clean and beautifully decorated.
Esquisse has two restaurants on the premises, and the first night we ate at the “modern Georgian” restaurant. The food was very impressive, and we were the only ones there. We had a delicious beet salad with “pink” goat cheese, a Georgian take on beef bourguignon garnished with tklapi (Georgian fruit leather) served over tashmijabi (Svanetian cheesy mashed potatoes) (I am going to try to copy this dish at home this winter), and some m/phkhlovani (khachapuri with greens baked in). Everything was delicious, and the house saperavi was a little sweet and smoky–delicious and unlike other saperavis I’m familiar with–and the pour was generous!
Dinner in Esquisse hotel’s “modern Georgian” restaurant
The next morning we slept in and went to brunch at the traditional Georgian restaurant. We had thought we would go walk around Telavi or visit some of the surrounding sights, but we were having so much fun at the hotel and the food options were so good, we wound up never leaving! My first reaction walking into the yard was that it would be a perfect location for a wedding (their conference facilities also looked quite nice). The winemakers were at work that morning and G got to talking with them, which led to a few free samples of their wines and chacha. The chicken mtsvadi was particularly good, as it’s prone to dryness and this was especially succulent. We played billiards for a little while, went for a stroll, and then I was happy that the weather seemed warm enough to go for a swim. The pool was beautiful and long enough to actually swim laps in (20m, I believe). There was only one other family swimming, though there were plenty of sunbathers. G’s chats with the winemakers had resulted in the information that there was a free winetasting that afternoon sponsored by Bank of Georgia Solo, so we popped down to attend (no one seemed to care that we aren’t Solo clients). The sommelier was there and she told us about the wines, but it was a Georgian-style wine-tasting with a lot of wine provided and the suggestion “Taste it!” rather than the style where you get little sips of each. The kindzmarauli was our favorite. It’s a semi-sweet wine, but this one was sweet in a very fruity way and pleasant for sipping. G got some advice from the sommelier about his winemaking, and we enjoyed spending time outside absorbing the sunshine and breathing fresh air. For dinner G wanted khinkali, so we ate at the traditional Georgian restaurant again. Their cheese khinkali (კვარამკვარი) were the best I’ve had outside of someone’s home, and the meat khinkali were quite good, though not the best I’ve ever had. The traditional Georgian tomato and cucumber salad was served with dressing on the side! We were very full of good food and wine by the end of the day.
View of the sunrise over the Caucasus range from our balcony
I managed to wake up early Sunday morning to watch the sun rise over the Caucasus from our balcony, and it was beautiful. I got a morning swim in, which was chilly but totally worth it. I was glad to be able to swim twice–it definitely has a positive effect on my mood, as did all the fresh air and sunshine we got that weekend. We had a last meal back in the modern restaurant, and since all the food we tried had been so good I took a risk and ordered a burger (until recently burgers in Georgia have been mostly disappointing, and I hadn’t yet had a decent one outside of Tbilisi). The burger was quite good, and they even managed to get the char-grilled taste. G ordered some excellent khachapuri, and we brought the leftovers home for lunch the next day. Unfortunately we didn’t eat enough meals there to be able to try the tolma with peach, which also sounded amazing.
On our way out of town, we stopped at the Telavi agricultural bazaar to buy fruits and vegetables. The fall foliage along the Gombori pass was really beautiful.
Regarding Covid: Cases were and have remained comparatively low in Kakheti at the time I’m writing this post. At the time we travelled, most cases were still centered in Adjara and Tbilisi cases were just starting to increase. At this time, masks were only required in enclosed public spaces. Mask compliance was generally good indoors, though apart from the staff we were pretty much the only ones wearing them outside (we only took them off to eat/drink and swim and in our own room). I’m glad we invested in some comfortable, reusable filtered masks earlier this summer so we were able to protect ourselves and others while still having an enjoyable time. We did our best to protect the staff and tip them well. I was surprised how crowded the hotel was on Saturday (it was quite empty on Friday), but there was generally enough space to not have too much close interaction with people, even around the pool and at the winetasting. The weather was perfect, so we were able to spend most of our time outside and only ate outdoors. I used the government’s StopCov contact tracing app, as well, to be able to be alerted and alert others to possible contact quickly if it turned out to be necessary. We limited outside contact as much as possible for the 2 weeks before the trip, with only necessary grocery shopping and work, and for 4 days before we left for the trip (the most that work would allow at that time) we didn’t leave the house at all.
I think the Travel Box format is a great way to promote domestic tourism and a creative response to the Covid-19 challenges to Georgia’s tourism industry. It was a good deal at a lovely hotel that we hadn’t heard of before (and would love to return to, though it’s pricey for us). Our experience with Travel Box was very positive, and I would definitely buy a box again, though I’m not sure I will this winter–things seem to be getting worse and worse and it will be more difficult to plan and travel safely. Overall, I’d say Travel Box was a nice way of mixing luxury travel with a bit of adventure and sticking to a budget (though we did spend a lot at the restaurants; we could have eaten much more frugally if we wanted to, though). I don’t know if the logistics of Travel Box would work for first-time visitors to Georgia (though I’m sure their staff would be willing to provide help and advice), but I’d definitely recommend it to folks with some experience in the country. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for similar deals when I travel in the future. If you’re looking for a beautiful and comfortable place to stay in Telavi, I definitely recommend Esquisse: with or without the Travel Box.
Since I’m often asked for book recommendations, I’ve started a list (two actually) on Bookshop.org of books about Georgia and books about the region more generally. They are by nature incomplete–I can only include books available on that site, and I am sticking to things available in English and that I have personally read and liked. If you think something is missing, feel free to reach out–if I haven’t read it yet and you’re willing to get a copy to me, it could make its way there soon! I do plan to keep updating the lists as I work my way through my massive “To Read” pile. Full disclosure, if you buy books through the link, I will get a small commission; you’re of course welcome to make note of my recommendations and buy the books elsewhere. I have also updated the links in my book reviews, where possible. Happy reading!
As restaurants in Tbilisi start to reopen, here is some inspiration for the tastiest, coolest, freshest salads in the city. (No guarantees these exact dishes are still on current menus, though).
A collection of my Twitter posts on the best salads in Tbilisi. (#bestsaladsoftbilisi)
I LOVE a good salad; it might even be in my top 5 favorite foods. A good salad has many different toppings and a well-paired dressing. It can be a riot of different colors, flavors, and textures. A bad salad, on the other hand, is one of the saddest dishes there is. Here are the places doing it well. (In no particular order)
CoffeeLab’s seasonal salad.
In summer the oranges are replaced by nectarines.
Just the right balance of sweet and sour, creamy and crunchy.
Tomato Salad from Salobie Bia
Perfectly lives up to their tagline of “unpretentious Georgian food”, simple Georgian ingredients put together perfectly. Oh so delicious!
Blue Cheese, Grilled Apple, and Walnut at Cafe Gallery.
Great combination!
Warm salad with wild garlic from Culinarium Khasheria
(something similar on the menu at Cafe Littera, as well).
Unique and delicious!
Spinach and orange salad from Chemo Kargo Beer Factory
Though good, this was the weakest dish we ordered there. The whole menu is creative and delicious. Surprised I haven’t heard more buzz about this place! Get the rye adjaruli with adjika compound butter.
Chicken Caesar Salad from CoffeeLab
Also contains some sort or warm, delicious, peppery pork product. Pleasant surprise! (But not for people who don’t eat pork)
Spinach with dates, cream cheese, and fried spring onions at Lolita. Solid, but not as interesting as it sounds.
Unknown vegetable salad/pkhali at Amra.
Neither I nor the Georgians had heard the word on the menu before, but the waitress said. “No, it’s beets”. And some greens. Something is pickled. With walnut sauce. Refreshing! (Determined by Twitter to probably be kohlrabi).
Chicken Salad from Mazaki
Looks like the picture on the menu! Super fresh greens and crispy veggies, nice light Asian dressing. Chicken a little too soy-sauce-y/salty for me, but good texture, and good with the dressing.
Chickpea, Beet, Bulgarian pepper and mizuna from Lolita (via Wolt)
Didn’t notice the peppers, but delicious anyway. Chickpeas perfectly cooked, and just the right amount of tang to the dressing. Might be some French-fried onions in there, too
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star (image from GoodReads)
Theroux, Paul. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar. First Mariner Books ed., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2009. Print.
In this book, the author, Paul Theroux, travels across Eurasia mostly on land, primarily by train. He more or less retraces his journey 30 years earlier, which was recounted in his book “The Great Railway Bazaar”. The most pertinent difference between these two journeys, for my purposes, is that on his second journey, he was not able to get a visa to Iran, and so he rerouted through Georgia. This book stands out as the least glowing travel memoir of Georgia I’ve read, which is not to say it’s negative, though. It’s certainly an interesting tale and a snapshot of Georgia at a very particular time. Theroux crosses the land border from Turkey to Georgia at Sarpi on a dreary, muddy spring day not long after the Rose Revolution. This was before Saakashvili shined things up, and before the tourists came. He visits charity houses, watches the mediocre ballet in the faded Opera House, and sees subsistence farmers all along the rail line across the country. It’s a good reminder that the Rose Revolution was not very long ago, and that Saakashvili’s reforms still took time. The Opera House only recently reopened after years of renovations, and some of the people he met and spoke to are still relevant cultural figures, but the Georgia he describes is very different than the experience visitors will have in Tbilisi or Batumi these days, though the Georgia Theroux descrives is still prevalent in the regions and prone to be forgotten by Tbilisi elites and foreign tourists alike.
One quotation from one of Theroux’s conversations made me think, in particular, about this blog. They say, “You live in a place and you become blind to it” (p. 454). I think that has been happening to me, now that I’ve been in Georgia for more than six years (!?!?!). Things just seem normal now, and I don’t have the observations that I used to. That said, if anyone has any requests for posts…
One interesting part of Theroux’s journey was that he made a point of meeting with writers on his travels, including one of my favorites: Elif Shafak. Her book “The Bastard of Istanbul” remains one of the most enjoyable and thought-provoking contemporary novels I have read. It’s clear that Theroux holds her in similar esteem (and also that she’s really really pretty). She is great. Reading “Ghost Train to the Eastern Star” has greatly expanded my to-read list, as so many of the books whose authors he meets sound great, and I am curious to read about his previous journey when he and the world were very different.
Remember Rosemary? Unfortunately, they had to close, but like I reassured you the chef (my good friend, btw…there’s your disclaimer) had a new project up his sleeve…Begemot! This place is even more up my alley than Rosemary was, as it combines delicious food with BOOKS. It’s not a full restaurant, but it’s an ideal place to grab a light lunch or a snack. The menu features tea and coffee, pastries, salads, sandwiches and soups, some American style, some with a Georgian twist like sulguni or adjika. Laptops, and of course reading, are welcome. I’ve never made it early enough in the day for my caffeine-sensitive self to sample the coffees, but a friend who lives in the neighborhood has already made it her morning coffee stop. I’m a gigantic fan of the Cubanos. Oh my gosh, go to Begemot and get a Cubano.
❤ Cubano (also a salad…should have gone for the chips and peach iced green tea)
Everything I’ve tried has been good, but seriously, just get the Cubano (or the roast beef. I think the meat is the same). It’s even served with homemade potato chips. The used book selection is surprisingly good, with reasonable prices ranging from 5-15 GEL. They’ve also got a BookSwapping shelf where you can take or leave books for free. The Tbilisi English BookSwap meets there (first Wednesday of the month, 7:30, join us), and they have also added on their own multi-lingual international BookSwap meeting. The decor is adorable and cozy, and they play nice chill music. The Master and Margarita theme is done subtly, but you’ll notice it in the posters. Highly recommended. In fact, I’ve got a bit of free time between engagements this afternoon, so I’ll probably be there.
Maybe I’m a little bit nosy, but I’ve always liked books that give me insight into other people’s personal lives. When I was a kid, I read my way through the biography section of the library and preferred novels that were written in diary form. I read more broadly now and will accept non-realistic elements in my books, but I still love a good memoir.
Margaret Wettlin’s story of planning to visit the Soviet Union on a one-month tour and ultimately staying 42 years certainly resonated with me now that I’ve been in Georgia longer than expected. (But I have no intention of staying THAT long!)
I think the most valuable part of this book is her recounting of her experiences during the war. Though I’ve read a decent amount of material about Russia and the Great Patriotic War (/World War Two), I haven’t before come across any first-hand accounts of the civilian experience outside the major cities or of being evacuated. Her short time in Tbilisi during the war was particularly interesting to me. I found it funny that they found a cheap “peasant’s house” in Bagebi “five miles of climb from Tbilisi”(196). Bagebi BARELY counts as a suburb these days, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheap anything there. It was a good reminder of the huge changes Georgia underwent as part of the Soviet Union, and the further and faster development I’ve seen even in my few years here.
The greatest weakness of the book was also the most interesting part: Wettlin’s underdeveloped and unsupported political views. She never joined the Communist Party, but she certainly supported the proclaimed Soviet ideals of equality and reform. She even became an informant for the secret police in support of this dream, but when she became disillusioned that her work didn’t seem to be making things better, she quit. She is critical of Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev because they made people’s lives worse, not better. She never would have gotten a good grade on a political science term paper, as she offers no evidence to support her beliefs…but who does, really? How many Americans could give real, evidence-based reasons to explain why they are a Democrat or a Republican? Of course there are many people who can, but I would wager that for the majority of people, it just feels right, as the Soviet dream initially did to Wettlin. Her opinions in this field really shed a lot of light, for me at least, on why so many people continued to support the Soviet Union for so long, despite the hardships they faced.
The book is far from perfect, but that’s a large part of why it’s so interesting. Definitely recommended reading for those interested in Soviet history.
Waiting for the Electricity by Christina Nichol (image from GoodReads)
Nichol, Christina. Waiting for the Electricity: A Novel. New York, NY: Overlook, 2015. Print.
I read this on my flight from Georgia to the US, and in some ways it was the right choice for the circumstances. Slims Achmed Makashvili is a Batumeli in 2002, who believes that life could be better, and asks Hillary Clinton for help and advice. He is chosen for a US Government exchange program and visits America, but gets deported back to Georgia. Then (as those who know Georgian history will know) comes the Rose Revolution, and things change.
I was struck both by Nichol’s deep understanding of Georgia, and some very VERY basic mistakes in Georgian language, geography, and culture. I just couldn’t square this disparity in my mind. That said, though I certainly know a lot about Georgia, I haven’t lived in Batumi (I’ve visited multiple times, and have friends who’ve lived there, though); I don’t know any of the Adjaran dialect of Georgian; and I didn’t visit Georgia before the Rose Revolution. These facts could explain many of the things that don’t feel right to me, though not all of them. I’ve never been particularly good at suspension of disbelief, but I’m not sure if that applies to things like spelling and the location of Borjomi. This is probably something that would not even register to the vast majority of people interested in the book, even those who also read my blog, so I can’t say it’s a deal-breaker. I also found Slims’ frequent letters to Hillary hard to read…it’s just too soon. I’m usually a character-driven reader, and I didn’t particularly connect to any of the characters in Waiting for the Electricity, which probably made me less of a fan.
This wasn’t the right book for me right now, but there isn’t anything off-putting about it. Despite my quibbles, it was OK. I’d like to hear what others think, and see if they connected more.
Rosemary has taken over Kiwi Cafe‘s old location at 41 Vertskhlis Kucha, near Liberty Square
Now, before I give you my review of the new restaurant, Rosemary, I have to give you the disclaimer that the chef, Grant, is a good friend of mine. As such, I’ve had his cooking many times, long before he opened the restaurant. In fact, when we were living in the same neighborhood, my apartment had an oven and his didn’t, so he asked if he could come over sometimes to use the oven–I was not at all opposed. Grant is a professional chef back in the US, and he’s from the state of Georgia, so many of his dishes are inspired by traditional Southern food, but he’s using the ingredients fresh and available to him in this Georgia. As such, some of the dishes skew more American Georgian, some skew more Caucasian Georgian. He’s also got local wine and microbrews on tap.
Burrito night!
I’ve been to Rosemary three times now–once for pre-opening burrito night, once for a welcoming tasting party, and once as a regular old guest, so I’ve tried quite a few of the dishes. My absolute favorite so far is Rosemary’s take on the traditional Georgian ბადრიჯანი ნიგვზით (badrijani nigvzit, eggplant with walnuts). Here, it’s served as eggplant fries with a Georgian-spiced walnut dipping sauce. I also really enjoyed the arugula salad with cheese, pear, and adjika-honey walnuts. My more carnivorous dining companions have all given rave reviews of every meat-centered main that has come their way (braised pork belly, chicken satskheli–inspired by satsivi but served warm, and pork tenderloin). I have enjoyed all of these, but to me they weren’t as stand-out and creative as the other dishes I mentioned above. The draught red wine was good, and although I’m not really a beer-drinker, I’ve enjoyed Alkanaidze’s brew. The hot mulled wine was perfect for a gray, rainy day.
Rosemary’s menu on October 16, with a glass of Alkanaidze in the foreground
One small detail where Rosemary really shines is that they bring you free, chilled (tap) water as soon as you arrive. It’s so nice to get that note of American-ness (and also to be able to drink water with reckless abandon). I was also glad to have my dishes arrive as courses–first the appetizer, then the soup, then the meat–another small detail that’s often overlooked in restaurants in Georgia.
Clockwise from top left: Badrijani Nigvzit, Salad Tbilisoise, Chicken Satskheli, Pumpkin Souffle
If you’re looking for a taste of home, or something different from the ordinary Georgian fare, but still distinctly Tbilisian, I recommend you stop in to Rosemary and see what they’ve got for you to try that day.
Language: Russian and Estonian with (teeny-tiny) English subtitles
Availability: available on DVD and Amazon streaming in the US
This film was produced in a collaboration between Estonian and Georgian filmmakers and actors. It was Estonia’s nominee for the Academy Award, and made it to the short list, though it did not win. “Tangerines” is a lovely movie about older Estonian men who don’t want to leave their homes in Abkhazia (each for their own reasons), despite the escalating violence. They come across a wounded Georgian soldier and a wounded Chechen mercenary, and take them in, and the film follows the political, ethnic, and inter-personal relationships and tensions that follow. This film was purposefully very multi-ethnic and multi-lingual. The characters ultimately learn to move past their ethnic differences and prejudices to help each other in an extreme situation. As one would expect in a film about war, there is violence and sadness, but my overall feelings toward the film were positive. The only thing I didn’t like about the film was the teeny-tiny subtitles (on the edition I rented from Netflix, at least)…I had just been to the eye doctor, who cleared my vision as good, and I really had to squint to read these. I had an advantage over others, though, as I can understand the Russian part, at least! (My Estonian however, is non-existent).
Cookies and The Caucasus 