I hope they make a better job of it than the other "Russian enterprises" on the north coast - Ocean Village - the gym, restaurant there; the chef "at the Waterfront! ; management of Ocean Sands Estates in Perla Marina, and the Russian Security company - very unprofessional!
For the whole of 2011 only 1645 Russian visitors came to the north coast with another 1042 from former USSR countries! That compares with 346,934 extrajanos coming to POP in 2011! So as someone said a small number for Russian foods!!!
Olly
Although i cannot comment on a few things here that you mentioned, Olly, i can tell you this: The Gold's Gym inside ocean village is the best gym on the north coast. hands down. period. there's not even a close second! I joined on monday because i now bicycle back and forth from Cabarete to Ocean Village in Sosua. Previously, i had belonged to to Platinum gym above the casino in Sosua. that's a nice gym as well and i belonged there for 3 years. On monday, however, i joined Gold's and the first thing they do when you walk in the front door is hand you a very large towel and locker key. Inside the bathrooms they have "Soap" in all of the dispensers! I know this sounds crazy but, at the other gym, they seldom have soap, and they certainly don't include a towel service with membership at the other gym. also, one of my few complaints about the other gym is that they allow people to come in and play their music so loud that on several occasions i started bleeding out my ears. NO seriously, the music at Platinum gym can be so load that i've had fillings fall out of my mouth. i don't know how Ken (an esteemed member here) can stand it. it perplexed me. it astounded me. i watched Ken exercise; i studied him--i was envious of how indifferent he was to the decible level of music inside the gym. i saw windows crack and a chandelier fall and nearly miss killing Ken. He just continiued walking as if it was just a daily occurence here. but then, one day, i noticed that Ken can hardly hear. It occured to me that Ken is nearly deaf, despite being a near genius in every other respect (i love Ken), he leaves his hearing aid at home before coming to the gym. as a result, he stand very close to girls and watches their lips move in order to decipher if they're saying anything that is worth paying attention to. Sometimes he alerts me to something profound a girl has accidently said with her breasts. I look for his cue. i notice that he just nods his head up and down, looking at thier boobs like i do. only, i'm more obviious about it. Ken has it down to a science. Well, he does hold a PHD!
Anyway, Gold's gym in Ocean Village also offers lots of other amneities like very good A/C cranked up in the gym, hot water, soap (did i mention they have lots of soap?), a 25 meter swimming pool--available to gym members, and a fantastic restaurant that serves the best pumpkin soup i've ever had on this island. No, i do not know one single person working at the gym...although i would like to get Ken to join. i miss him. i may pay for his membership if he so inclines.
Ken, are you out there? Can you hear me now?
Ken, Say hi to your son, Jeff and his beautiful girlfriend. Tell them i want to buy them a beer. Come down to the bar and let's watch girls move their lips up and down, and you translate for me and tell me if they're saying anything worth listening to? Ken is fluent in baby talk and can understand autistic language that women sometimes choose to communicate in. I'm only fluent in Donkey talk and beaver whispering. otherwise, let's just pretend to wacth their lips move and stare at their boobs instead. I miss you!
LOve Frank