clare escape travel

Clar' Escapes Travel

Contact and address, opening hours:, location & routing, clar' escapes travel on the web, clar' escapes travel : essence festival travel agents.

Clar' Escapes Travel - Travel agency with travel advisors that are eager and excited to get to know you and coordinate your vacation travel to any destination. (407) 917-2030 - Office Hours: Monday - Saturday- 8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. (EST).

Clar' Escapes Travel - Home | Facebook

Clar' Escapes Travel , Windermere, Florida. 63 likes · 2 talking about this. We are your " Custom Leisure and Relaxation" travel specialists.

Clar' Escapes Travel

Clar' Escapes Travel , Windermere, Florida. 70 beğenme · 2 kişi bunun hakkında konuşuyor. Book your 2019 Essence Festival Package today with Clar' Escapes Travel . We have a few rooms that just opened up at the Hilton Riverside and we still have other...

Best 30 Travel Agencies in Windermere, FL with Reviews - YP.com

(407) 745-7333. Travel Agencies. Add to mybook Remove from mybook. Error when adding to travel collection. This business was removed from the travel collection. 20. Clar' Escapes Travel . BBB Rating: A.

Clar' Escapes Travel , LLC - Login

This website is protected by 256-bit security. Login. dummy. Email * Password *. Forgot your password?

clarescapestravel.com - Clar' Escapes Travel : Ess... - Clar Escapes...

clarescapestravel.com. Clar' Escapes Travel - Travel agency with travel advisors that are eager and excited to get to know you and coordinate your v... Clar' Escapes Travel : Essence Festival Travel Agents.

Essence Festival 2018 Hotel and Party Packages are Still... | Eventbrite

The owner of Clar' Escapes Travel , LLC has been hosting and booking travel packages to Essence since 2010. If you have any questions, prior to booking your package, feel free to contact us at: (407) 917-2030 or 1 -877-607-5846. Our Office Hours are: Monday- Saturday, 8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Clarescapestravel.com: Clar' Escapes Travel : Essence Festival...

clarescapestravel. 58.60%. escapes travel.

Clarescapestravel : Clar' Escapes Travel : Essence Festival Travel...

Clar' Escapes Travel - Travel agency with travel advisors that are eager and excited to get to know you and coordinate your vacation travel to any destination. generator. Powered by Slider Revolution 5.2.4.1 - responsive, Mobile-Friendly Slider Plugin for WordPress with comfortable drag and drop...

Essence Festival | Clar' Escapes Travel

ESSENCE FESTIVAL - JULY 4TH- 8TH, 2019. Package Options. A. ... * Clar' Escapes Travel Hosts on Site with You ... ( Contact us at (407) 917-2030 or email us to receive a flyer that has the pricing and payment requirements for this package,

Similar businesses near me in Windermere, FL

• Amazing Vacation Homes Florida 13790 Bridgewater Crossings Blvd #1080, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Real estate agency | Travel agency
• Global Travel Alliance 13796 Bridgewater Crossings Blvd #1120, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Travel agency
• Champion Villas: Kissimmee Vacation Home Rentals 13506 Summerport Village Pkwy, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Real estate agency | Travel agency
• Advanced Travel Marketing 13967 Caywood Pond Dr, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Travel agency
• Peninsula Travel Presentations 5519 Oxford Moor Blvd, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Travel agency
• Lindsy Motley with Magical Moments Vacations 5525 Oxford Moor Blvd, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Travel agency
• Bernheim Travel Cruises Inc. 4825 Palmetto Park Dr, Winter Garden, FL 34787, USA Travel agency
• Vacation Central Florida Physical Location NOT Open to Public, 5044 Tildens Grove Blvd, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Real estate agency | Travel agency
• Florida Getaway Vacation Homes 5044 Tildens Grove Blvd, Windermere, FL 34786, USA Real estate agency | Travel agency
• Concierge Realty Inc 15568 Ave Of The Arbors, Winter Garden, FL 34787, USA Travel agency | Real estate agency

Most Recent

• AY Realty Group [Real estate agency]
• Dash Point Laundry [Laundry]
• Greenville Dental Associates [Dentist]
• Uptown Dental @ Trafalgar [Dentist]
• Edward Law Group Injury and Accident Attorneys [Lawyer]
• Phoenix Physical Therapy Rehabilitation, PLLC [Doctor]
• Estavillo Law Group [Lawyer]
• Little Puppies Online [Pet store]
• Fibich Leebron Copeland & Briggs [Lawyer]
• Dental Care of Morristown [Dentist]

Today most viewed

• Canger Engineering Associates
• CrystalCase
• DEN Satellite Badging Office
• Willow Pass Dental Care
• Hull Auto Repair
• NewSound Hearing Centers
• Norton Flooring
• Propane Plus Corporation
• Encompass Parts Distribution - TV Electronic & parts
• ProFix Auto Repair
• Davis Humbert Law
• Sandeep Bhatia, M.D.
• legit barbers
• Freeburn, Keith, PT, DPT
• MGMM Productions
• Grant Tire Services
• B & B Transmissions
• Trouble Free Auto
• Del Campo Joseph
• CompleteCare Vineland Health Campus
• Wreck & Mended Auto Body Shop
• Melinda R. Zellars, DPM

Home page   .   + Add listing   .   About   .   Privacy Policy   .   Terms of Service   .   Contact Us   .  

© 2024 BusinessYab.com All Rights reserved.

CLAR' ESCAPES TRAVEL, LLC WINDERMERE, FLORIDA

Clar' escapes travel, llc, windermere, key facts about clar' escapes travel, llc.

• US Businesses
• Companies in Florida
• Orange County Companies

CLAR' ESCAPES TRAVEL, LLC NEAR ME

Officers and Directors

Clarice honeywell, clarice honeywell related companies, registered agent is clarice honeywell, annual reports.

Your perfect holiday. Tailored to you, planned by me.

As your Personal Travel Expert, tell me what you’d like from your holiday and I'll sort everything for you. Whatever you want, whatever your budget, I'll take care of it.

We plan the experience, you make the memories!

• You’ll be fully protected by ABTA.
• Avoid endless hours spent searching the internet.
• Friendly, expert advice & personalised guidance.
• A direct line to me… no call centre queues.
• A huge variety of choice & holiday deals not found online.

My latest offers

Relax, spread the cost.

Direct Debit

Our Guarantee To You...

Book & Relax

Latest Articles

Experience the best of fuerteventura.

Fuerteventura, one of the captivating Canary Islands, beckons travellers with its diverse offerings.

Ditch the Sunlounger: Holiday Ideas for the Active Traveller

Ever found yourself restless on a holiday, itching to explore beyond the sun lounger and poolside? Or maybe you're planning a getaway with someone who just can't sit still.

Hop into Adventure: Easter Holiday Destinations

If you're seeking sunshine, culture, and relaxation, look no further! Here are five incredible destinations to consider for your Easter getaway

Cruise Myths Debunked: Discover The Truth About Cruising

Cruising is an incredible way to explore the world, and its popularity among UK travellers is soaring.

Places abroad to enjoy Easter Celebrations with a difference

Discover these lesser-known spots to spend the Easter holidays

Here’s Some Half Term Happiness

Get inspired to have the best half term ever with our top family holiday picks

A selection of my partners

Get Advice, Travel Tips, Recommendations

• Stay up-to-date on the very latest in travel news
• Receive special offers & loyalty gifts in your inbox
• Be the first to hear new travel podcast episodes
• Top travel stories & destinations to inspire you

You can opt out at any time. View our privacy policy or T&Cs .

Thank you for registering.

There was an issue adding your registration.

We use cookies to give us an insight into how you are browsing our site. This allows us to tailor and personalise your browsing experience in the future. If you’re happy with this, simply click continue. Don’t worry, you can change your cookie settings at any time. View our privacy policy .

By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use .

Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report

Get ready to escape with this list of family favorites.

SHUTTERSTOCK/HANNES VAN DER MERWE

Data scientists and researchers at Misterb&b, the world’s largest LGBTQ + travel community, have used the habits of its 1 million registered users to create an index ranking the gayest cities in the world for 2024.

Founder Matthieu Jost created Misterb&b after he and his partner were victims of homophobia and harassment while trying to rent a room during a vacation in Spain.

The company connects LGBTQ+ travelers with rentals and services provided by family and allies in their destinations.

His latest feature, Weere, now allows travelers to connect socially before they travel. Users can chat with locals or make plans with fellow visitors.

You can learn more at misterbandb.com , but keep scrolling to find the 15 gayest cities in the world for U.S. travelers according to Misterb&b.

15. Atlanta – USA

Atlanta’s glimmering nighttime skyline

Image by Shutterstock

Atlanta is the city of hot summer nights and even hotter Southern men.

RELATED: Elska serves up the men of Atlanta

14. Miami – USA

Miami’s famed South Beach at night

Miami knows how to party all year long.

RELATED: Winter Party Festival 2024 returns to Miami Beach

13. Las Vegas – USA

The fountains of the Bellagio in Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas — sometimes.

RELATED: The best DJs from around the world are coming together for EDC Las Vegas 2024

12. San Francisco – USA

Sunrise over the skyline of San Francisco

You can find just about any experience in the City by the Bay.

RELATED: Commando’s Guide to gay San Francisco

11. Paris – France

The Eiffel Tower in Paris

The City of Lights is also the unofficial gay city of love.

RELATED: 30 of the sexiest men from romantic Paris

10. Puerto Vallarta – Mexico

The gay-friendly Zona Romantica district from above

Puerto Vallarta is Mexico’s gay Pacific paradise.

RELATED: Escape to Puerto Vallarta with gay travel experts Michael and Matt

9. San Diego – USA

Fourth of July fireworks over San Diego

Enjoy fun, food, and sun year-round in San Diego.

RELATED: Kimpton Alma wants to show you why San Diego is a foodie’s dream

8. London – United Kingdom

Big Ben and Parliament in London

Oscar Wilde would have reveled in today’s gay London.

RELATED: London calling – your ultimate gay guide to the city

7. Wilton-Manors – USA

The community celebrates Pride in Wilton Manors

Despite the efforts of some, South Florida has a vibrant drag and nightlife scene.

RELATED: Drag brunch targeted for closure by Florida governor

6. Washington, D.C. – USA

The Washington Monument set against the backdrop of the city's annual cherry blossom blooms

Our nation’s capital will host WorldPride 2025.

RELATED: Capital Pride 2023 – a celebration of love, diversity, and star-studded performances

5. Los Angeles – USA

Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles

The greater Los Angeles area has everything from a thriving foodie scene to some of the country’s hidden natural treasures.

RELATED: California's Channel Islands NP is a grueling but rewarding wind-swept paradise

4. Chicago USA

Boys Town celebrates Pride

In addition to celebrations during Pride Month, Windy City Santas celebrate the holiday season by going half-naked in public.

RELATED: Stuff your stocking with these 55+ pics from Sidetrack Chicago Santa Speedo Run

3. Palm Springs – USA

The gay men's clothing-optional Descanso Resort in Palm Springs

Image by Hannes Van Der Merwe

Palm Springs has many clothing-optional resorts for gay men who want to shed their clothes and their inhibitions.

RELATED: Descanso Resort is Palm Spring's sophisticated escape for gay men

2. Fort Lauderdale – USA

Fort Lauderdale beach at night

Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America for its 300+ miles of navigable canals and waterways.

RELATED: Rejuvenate your body and soul at the queer-inclusive W Fort Lauderdale

1. New York City – USA

The skyline of the city that never sleeps

Enjoy a spa treatment at LGBTQ-friendly NYC spas.

RELATED: A guide to NYC’s premier LGBTQ-friendly spas

Latest Stories

Unleash your winter party 2024 cravings with these 30+ pics from last year, mouthwatering philanthropy –explore 55+ pics from easterseals south florida's 33rd annual festival of chefs, 21+ steamy photos of scotland’s finest gay men in elska glasgow, 2024 primetime emmys: lgbtq+ celebs who walked the red carpet, 25 pics of hot, shirtless celebs just to remind us of warmer weather, 20 lgbtq+ movies coming out in 2024 that we can't wait to see, golden globes 2024: take a look at the lgbtq+ celebs who walked the red carpet, 10 of the best and steamiest queer sex scenes of 2023, 14 steamy photos from fetish gras san diego 2023, 20+ pics to celebrate miami dreamland nye party with trixie mattel, 16 gay nfl cheerleaders we are happy to cheer on, 59 steamy sidetrack chicago santa speedo run pics for holiday enjoyment.

Our Picks For the 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023

You'll never guess which countries had the most tops, bottoms, verses & sides in 2023, 10 drag queens who absolutely conquered 2023, long may they reign, these are the 5 states with the smallest percentage of lgbtq+ people, these 20 celebs have the best booties in the business according to science, adult entertainers spill on why they joined the industry (and how long they plan to stay), here are the lgbtq+ nominess for the 2024 golden globes, which state is the queerest these are the states with the most lgbtq+ people, trending stories.

Nicholas Galitzine on how 'Mary & George' is a story of queer & female empowerment

'Drag Race's Violet Chachki: 'There are maybe too many drag queens'

Mother! 15 iconic pictures of RuPaul throughout the years

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

Colton Underwood: 'Coming out journeys aren't always clean & pretty'

Russia arrests nightclub employees for 'extremist' drag show

35+ mouthwatering pics from the Big Queer Food Fest in WeHo

Lukas Gage says his 'Euphoria' & 'White Lotus' characters' stories are still 'unfinished'

Lollapalooza 2024: 10 Queer Artists Set to Take the Stage

Out and About with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Lightning strike suspected in cruise ship fire at sea

Watch this spicy sneak peek of the ‘For the Love of DILFs’ season two finale now! (EXCLUSIVE)

The queer stars of Universal Television stun in spring menswear

Here are all the celebrities who came out in 2024 (so far!)

'Drag Race' star Q shares she's living with HIV

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood

Why most GOP women are standing by their man

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Exclusive: Stars shine bright at Elton John's AIDS Foundation Oscars party

No, the rumors aren't true — 'Euphoria' season 3 is still happening

Killer Queens! Crystal Methyd is ready to SLAY 'All Stars' & Heidi N Closet killed her self-doubt

8 dating tips for gay men from a gay psychotherapist

Mr. Gay World's Plus cover story: behind the scenes

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Most recent.

Crafting diversity and inclusivity in beauty with Fashion Foundry

Sexual assault survivor Stephen Hart uses theater to heal

Breaking down the Sean Combs aka P. Diddy accusations & timeline

With 'Hello Again,' Tig Notaro knows she's a role model for queer women

Find your perfect fit with gender-inclusive fashion from The Pride Store

Unleash your fiery spirit with The Pride Store’s Aries gift guide

Prohibition Wellness & revolutionizing self-care for all

The ball's in Zendaya's court in this horny new 'Challengers' clip

'John Tucker Must Die' is getting a sequel and we only want ONE THING

Does Paul Mescal have the sexiest legs in Hollywood? PRIDE investigates

Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know

Watch this HILARIOUS video of 'Drag Race' S16 queens as Vine clips that has us CACKLING!

'Barbie' star Hari Nef is starring in a biopic about this trans legend

16 Republican AGs threaten Maine over protections for trans care and abortion

Opinion: I'm a climate scientist. If you knew what I know, you'd be terrified too

Bud Light boycott likely cost Anheuser-Busch InBev over $1 billion in lost sales

Vibrant locks rain or shine with The Pride Store's top haircare essentials

Republican Lauren Boebert RUTHLESSLY mocked for pathetic audience size

Alert! Lady Gaga just gave us the most substantial update on LG7 to date!

Election season got you down? This crisis line is soothing LGBTQ+ mental health

Federal judge grants Casa Ruby founder Ruby Corado pre-trial release from D.C. jail

Recommended stories for you, donald padgett.

• Trip Planner
• Private Tours
• Small Group Tours
• Two Capitals
• City Breaks
• Trans-Siberian
• River Cruises
• Russia & Beyond

4-star edition of the private 9-day tour of the Russian capitals

5-star edition fo the private 9-day tour of Moscow & St. Petersburg

13-day in-depth discovery of Moscow, Kazan, and St. Petersburg

7-day tour designed to harness the best of the Venice of the North

11-day private discovery of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Golden Ring

Your Russia Getaway

Fill out the short trip survey to receive a personalized itinerary from a destination expert.

• Travel guide
• Before you go
• What to see

Russia Trip Planner

Learn about the dos and the don'ts for your amazing trip to Russia

• Our Partners
• Reservation Policies

Rated 9/10 on the Trustpilot review platform

• My itineraries
• Chat with us
• Trip survey

Groups & Agents

• For Suppliers

+1 (888) 744-6056

• North America : +1 (888) 744-6056
• Oceania and Australia : +61261888118

Rostov the Great, Russia

You are here

Why visit rostov the great.

Founded in 862, fabulous Rostov the Great or Rostov Veliky (do not confuse it with Rostov-on-Don) is situated on the sparkling Lake Nero's shores and is known as a tourist center of the famous Golden Ring itinerary . The scenic town with more than a thousand years of history boasts a huge number of cultural monuments. Some of them are considered to be especially valuable cultural heritage sites.

Rostov has dozens of amazing sites. The most significant must-see on your Rostov tour is definitely the Rostov Kremlin , placed in the historic town center. The Kremlin was originally built not as a fortress but as a residence of the local church leader. The Yaroslavo-Rostovsky Museum is a treasure trove of Russian icon art, while the other Rostov churches hold many of their own beautiful frescoes.

Attractions of Rostov Veliky

Another outstanding landmark worth seeing during your Rostov travel is Abraham monastery . Founded in the 11th century, it has the honorary title of one of Russia's oldest monasteries. 

The Borisoglebsky Monastery sits 18 km from Rostov. The monastery was founded in the 14th century by two monks who supported St. Sergiy. It is believed that St. Sergiy himself selected the location for the monastery. It was often visited by Russian princes and tsars, including Ivan the Terrible, who came to the monastery three times and made more than twenty donations. In 1994, the Borisoglebsky Monastery witnessed a revival after the dark Soviet times. Nowadays, it is a male monastery and a branch of the "Rostov Kremlin" museum sanctuary.

If you decide to switch from historical highlights to picturesque nature views, consider visiting the Rostov City Park located in a natural beauty spot on Lake Nero's shore. Spectacular city festivals are organized annually on the park boardwalk and delight the visitors with fantastic parades, theatrical plays, reconstruction battles, and other breathtaking events. All these will certainly turn your Rostov journey into an exciting adventure.

• Call us now
• Request a call
• Chat on WhatsApp
• Start Live chat
• Contact via email

Moscow & St. Petersburg Small Group Tours Private Tour Packages Trans-Siberian Trips Russian River Cruises Moscow Tour Packages St. Petersburg Tours All Russia Tours

Why Travel to Russia Best Time to Visit Russia Russian Visa Information Tips Before Traveling Tips on Arrival Russian Currency Moscow Travel Guide Read More in Our Blog

Hermitage Museum Church of the Savior on Blood The Kremlin Sergiev Posad, Golden Ring Kizhi Island The Red Square Siberia Lake Baikal

Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST39939 All Rights Reserved © 2024 About Us | Testimonials  | Our Blog  |  Terms of Service  | Privacy Policy  

This website is protected by 256-bit security

Advertise   Contact   Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

A Gentleman in Moscow

Quick recap & summary by chapter.

The Quick Recap and Chapter-by-Chapter Summary for A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles are below.

Quick(-ish) Recap

The Prologue introduces Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, a Count who became a revolutionary hero due to a poem he wrote. On June 21, 1922, after the Russian Revolution, Rostov manages to avoid a death sentence due to his status as a revolutionary hero, but his noble birth means he is still sentenced to house arrest at the Metropol Hotel, where he has been living for many years.

In Book One , Rostov begins his house arrest and moves into a humble, small room at the Metropol. Rostov meets Nina, who is a long-term guest of the hotel. Nina is 9. Nina teaches Rostov about the inner workings of the hotel and eventually gives him a passkey for the hotel. Rostov also meets the Bishop, a waiter who Rostov dislikes because he's bad at his job.

In Book Two , Rostov meets up with Mishka, his old friend, who is romancing a woman named Katerina. Rostov also meets Anna Urbanova, an actress who Rostov makes love to. The Bishop gets promoted and continues to be a thorn in Rostov's side. As the years pass, Rostov becomes depressed and decides to kill himself. Nina is also now 13 and will be leaving the Metropol soon. However, the night of Rostov's planned suicide, Rostov comes across Abram, the hotel handyman, and they chat the rest of night, so he doesn't go through with it.

In Book Three , it's now 1930. Rostov, who has very discerning tastes, has been helping out at the restaurant (The Boyarsky) with Emile (head chef) and Andrey (maître d'). They call themselves the Triumvirate and meet daily to plan out the restaurant's activities. Anna and Rostov begin seeing each other on and off. Rostov also befriends Osip, a Soviet official who wants Rostov to teach him the ways of the privileged classes.

Nina comes to visit. When she returns years later, she has a young daughter Sofia, but her husband has been arrested and sent to Siberia. She asks Rostov to watch Sofia temporarily, but Nina never returns. Rostov and the rest of the hotel staff help to raise Nina. When Nina is 13, she falls down the stairs playing a game with Rostov and he finally leaves the Metropol to rush her to the hospital. Osip arranges for Rostov to return discreetly to the hotel. Meanwhile, Mishka gets sent to a labor camp in Siberia. When he gets out he is weak, and he (a former revolutionary) is critical of the revolution.

In Book Four , Sofia is now 17 and plays piano very well. Her piano teacher is a man named Viktor. Rostov also meets Katerina, who informs him that Mishka has died. Rostov admits to her that Mishka was the one who wrote the poem that made Rostov famous. Katerina leaves Rostov with Mishka's last project, a subversive book of quotes about the famine in Russia.

In Book Five , Sofia is headed to Paris soon for a piano perforance. Rostov has been planning escape. Rostov asks a man to deliver a letter to Richard, an American who once approached him to ask him to be a spy (Rostov refused, but befriended Richard). Rostov oversees an important dinner at the hotel, analyzing how the men are seated to understand the power dynamics in the room. Before Sofia leaves, Rostov gives her a map.

Through a carefully executed plan, Rostov is able to lock the Bishop in a storage room in the basement. Meanwhile, in Paris, Sofia finishes her performance and uses the map to find Richard's house. She gives Richard a package with the seating arrangement information that Rostov collected (e.g. valuable intelligence about the Russian power dynamics). In exchange, Richard orders barrage of phone calls to be placed to the Metropol, causing a fracas that allows Rostov to escape.

In the Afterword , we learn that Viktor and Rostov met up after the escape. The men are dressed similarly, and Viktor boards a train that serves as a diversion. Rostov returns to his home. His mansion was burned down, but he enters a nearby tavern where a woman is waiting for him (described as "willowy", which implies it's Anna).

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

The book opens with a poem (“ Where Is It Now? “) written in 1913 by Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov . It’s followed by a court transcript from June 21, 1922. The Bolsheviks (pro-revolution) put Rostov on trial. The poem made him a revolutionary hero, but his upbringing is clearly noble. They decide that they won’t execute him, but they sentence him to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel (where he was already living) for the rest of his life.

1922, An Ambassador

Rostov is escorted back to the Metropol, but to a much smaller room than before, originally built for the hired help. He’s allowed to fill it with his belongings, but anything that doesn’t fit is now property of the State. Rostov deliberates and keeps mostly items with sentimental value. The last object he grabs is a pair of scissors that once belonged to his sister, Helena .

Andrey (maître d’ of the hotel restaurant, the Boyarsky), Vasily (hotel concierge), and Marina (hotel seamstress) show up to see him, and they drink and talk and toast to the Metropol.

Rostov then goes to his desk which he kept and unlocks a secret latch in the desk legs where some gold coins are stored.

An Anglican Ashore

The next morning, Rostov asks a clerk to deliver a letter to Konstantin Konstantinovich . He tries to read the essays of Michel de Montaigne which he has been meaning to do, but Konstantin shows up. Konstantin agrees to send out three notes, and later in response, three items (pillow, linens, soap) are delivered to Rostov. That night Rostov gets dinner at the best restaurant in the hotel, the Boyarsky.

An Appointment, An Acquaintanceship

Rostov goes to his barber appointment. A man gets annoyed with Rostov and clips off part of his moustache. Rostov goes ahead and asks the barber to shave off it all off, since it’s a symbol of aristocracy which he no longer is.

For lunch, Rostov goes to the less upscale hotel restaurant, the Piazza . The waiter there is the Bishop , who Rostov thinks is bad at his job. Rostov helps out a couple nearby by recommending a better wine pairing for their meal than what the Bishop recommends.

He is approached by Nina , a 9-year-old girl whose father is a Ukrainian diplomat. She says she’s seen him before, but wants to know what happened to the moustache. She asks him a bunch of questions, and the Count ends up telling her a story about a duel that once began in the lobby of the hotel. He tells her about a pair of pistols the hotel manager kept behind a secret panel in his office.

Anyway, Around and About

Nina soon calls on Rostov for tea and ask him about princesses. He tells her about royal drama and courtly manners.

Nina teaches Rostov about the inner workings of the hotel. Nina managed to obtain a passkey for the hotel at some point, and she uses it for her adventures and to snoop on people. She takes him to the basement, shows him the furnace and electrical room, and she even shows him the storage room for the hotel’s silver.

Inspired by their adventures, Rostov discovers a secret room attached to his room.

An Assembly

Nina and Rostov go spy on a Bolshevik assembly. Rostov notes the many similarities between the Bolsheviks and the old order. After, Mr. Halecki , the hotel manager, talks to Rostov. He says that the hotel staff must no longer refer to Rostov using honorifics such as “Your Excellency” as they were previously accustomed to. Rostov says it’s fine.

When Halecki steps out of the office, Rostov sees that the pair of dueling pistols are still hidden in Halecki’s office.

Archaeologies

Mishka (Mikhail Fyodorovich Mindich) , Rostov’s friend from University, comes to see him at the hotel. Mishka is a writer. The two catch up and reminisce about Mishka staying with the Count’s family over various summers. They remember Helena , Rostov’s sister.

In late December, the Count gives Nina a Christmas gift of his grandmother’s opera glasses. Later, he sees Nikolai Petrov , a former prince, who is now working as a musician. The chat. They also plan to get together. (Via footnote, we’re told that this never happens. The Bolshevik police will soon find that Nikolai has kept of photo of the Tsar and send him to be sentenced. He gets a relatively light punishment of a “ Minus Six “, being barred from the six largest cities in Russia.)

That night, the Count opens Nina’s present to him which is her passkey for the hotel.

1923, An Actress, an Apparition, an Apiary

It’s been one year since Rostov’s house arrest. Rostov meets up with Mishka, who is excited about a woman named Katerina . Rostov feels a twinge of jealousy over his friend’s comparative freedom.

Anna Urbanova , an elegant actress with two borzoi dogs shows up at the Metropol and invites Rostov to dinner. The two eat and make love. As he heads back to his room, he sees an open window with a ladder that leads out to the roof. He climbs up and chats with the handyman Abram who is out there.

1924, Anonymity

As time passes, Rostov begins to feel invisible at the hotel. Nina is busy with schoolwork. Mishka has also been busy lately, editing an anthology and romancing Katerina. The USSR has recently been recognized by other countries and the hotel has been filled with foreign guests.

At the Boyarsky, Rostov helps Andrey to narrowly avoid a socially-fraught seating arrangement. Rostov has always been good at managing seating arrangements. Rostov is dismayed to discover that his waiter is the Bishop, who has been promoted to work at the Boyarsky, likely due to nepotism. Furthermore, Andrey thinks that it was the Bishop who put in a complaint that the Metropol’s various wines were against the ideas of the revolution. Now, they can only serve unlabeled wines, sold as simply red or white.

Depressed, Rostov grabs a bottle of wine with an insignia he recognizes, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, to take with him. He decides he will drink it on the 10th anniversary of his sister Helena’s death and then kill himself.

1926, Adieu

On the 10th anniversary of his sister’s death, Nina is 13. She and a boy are testing out the rules of gravity and doing other scientific experiments, so she declines dinner with Rostov. She will be moving soon. Mishka has also left with Katerina to go to Kiev. Abram, the handyman he occasionally chats with, plans to retire. Rostov sees small signs that the world outside is changing quickly.

Rostov meets Charles Abernathy , a British aristocrat, at the hotel bar, the Shalyapin , and they chat. Rostov tells him the story about the birthday party of Princess Novobaczky .

Rostov and his friend arrived late due to being run off the road by a Hussar (means light cavalry) officer. His friend also slips on ice on the way in. The Hussar is at the party and is clearly interested in the Princess, though Rostov ends up talking with her. After dinner, Rostov’s friend wants to play cards instead of dancing due to his fall. Rostov and the Hussar join him, and Rostov wins a lot of money. Rostov smugly forgives the Hussar’s debt, and the Princess hears about it and offers him a dance to reward his generosity.

Bitter about being shown up, the Hussar courts Helena, Rostov’s sister, breaks her heart and sexually assaults her handmaiden. Rostov challenges him to a duel, where the Hussar’s arm is injured. Rostov gets sent out of Russia, to Paris, for a while for injuring the Hussar. When Helena later gets sick with scarlet fever, Rostov is still stuck in Paris and is not able to see her before she dies.

After parting ways with Charles, Rostov goes to the roof to kill himself as planned, but is interrupted by Abram. They chat until late and he goes to sleep. The next day, he goes to have a chat with Andrey.

1930, Arachne’s Art

Four years later, he’s still alive. Rostov has been working at the Boyarsky with Emile (head chef at the Boyarsky) and Andrey and is now head waiter. They have daily meetings where they strategize on how to acquire rare ingredients and deal with other restaurant issues. They refer to themselves as the Triumvirate .

The Bishop is now an assistant manager to Mr. Halecki. Wine labels were eventually able to come back to the Metropol. Mishka is in St. Petersburg now, broken-hearted after Katerina left him for another. Rostov sees a girl he recognizes as Nina, who has hasn’t seen in years. They catch up for a while. She says she’s leaving the next day to help collectivize farms. He confides in Marina, the hotel seamstress, that Nina seems passionate but overly serious now.

Rostov then returns to his room where Anna is waiting for him.

An Afternoon Assignation

The narrator fills us in on Anna’s past. Before, she was a successful actress, but things changed. Some people objected to the content of her movies as being anti-communist and when talkies (movies with speech) arrived, people didn’t like the sound of her husky voice. Her career was over. Because all her fancy possessions belonged to the state, she couldn’t keep them and was soon living very humbly.

In November 1928, eight months after being kicked out of her mansion, Rostov and Anna ended up seeing each other for the second time. From then on, they ended up seeing each other on and off for the next year and a half.

Anna was able to resurrect her career, but in different types of roles with her as a hardworking woman (as opposed to playing princess-y type roles before). She got her mansion back, though she has been humbled either way.

An Alliance

Back in present day, the Triumvirate is preparing for a private function. Rostov learns that the guests have requested him specifically.

He finds Osip Ivanovich Glebnikov there, a Soviet official, who knows all about Rostov’s background and history. He’s there to ask for Rostov’s assistance. In order to help manage diplomatic relations with the French and English, he wants Rostov to teach him English and French. He also wants insights into the privileged classes. Rostov agrees.

The Triumvirate has recently gotten together a number of rare ingredients for a bouillabaisse, a dish they’ve been wanting to prepare. They have a run-in with the Bishop when he rudely inquires about what they’re doing.

After the delicious meal, they chat and celebrate. Rostov drunkenly misplaces a letter from Mishka. Unbeknownst to Rostov, Mishka reports in the letter that a Poet Laureate of the Revolution has killed himself (an ominous piece of news, indicating the shifting social circumstances going on in Russia).

The narrator notes that collectivization of the farms ends up going poorly for Nina and her group. It results in a million farmers being exiled and massive food shortages, which tests Nina (and the others’) loyalty to the party.

1938, An Arrival

The thirties are a difficult time for Russia, with famine, overcrowding, limits on personal expression and the like. The Bolsheviks start trying to bring back more luxurious and glamorous aspects of life, like nicer clothes and accessories.

Nina shows up one day at the Metropol. It’s been many years, and she is now married and has a daughter, Sofia , who is about 5 or 6. Her husband was arrested, and sentenced to corrective labor in Siberia. She is going to move there and needs help watching Sofia until she is settled. She asks Rostov for his help, and he agrees despite not being in the best position for the job.

Adjustments, Ascending, Alighting

With Sofia as his charge, Rostov has to figure out what to do with her. He needs to learn how to care for a child. He turns his bed into a bunk bed so she will have space to sleep. Sofia turns to be a obedient, but playful child and likes playing games. Marina agrees to watch Sofia for the afternoon, and suggests a hotel chambermaid that can help in the future. Rostov has a meeting with Osip, but Rostov is unprepared. Osip is angry, but understanding when Rostov explains why.

Mishka shows up. He’s upset over his publisher’s censorship of an anthology of Chekhov’s letters that he has been working on for years. Rostov tells him he did the right thing by just accepting it.

However, afterwards Mishka ends up going back and making a scene. He is questioned by the police and sent to Siberia. As for Nina, she never returns from Siberia and Rostov never sees her again.

The Kremlin eventually gets a report that Rostov has a child with him. However, due to his relationship with Anna and her affair with the Commissar, they assume Sofia is an illegitimate child of Anna and the Commissar. The report is buried and locked away.

1946, Antics, Antitheses, an Accident

Eight years later, Russia is on the mend post-WWII. The Bishop is now the manager of the hotel, and he summons Rostov to inquire about a prank involving a trio of geese that ended up on the fourth floor, near the room of a Swiss diplomat. The Bishop accuses Sofia, now 13. Rostov is indignant. At the same time, he knows that the geese were originally in the kitchen of the Boyarsky, and that Sofia saw the same diplomat complain about the freshness of the poultry to the staff. Andrey notes that the dumbwaiter is covered in feathers.

Mishka shows up, looking haggard post-Siberia, though he has been sentenced to a Minus Six (exile from the six largest cities in Russia) and shouldn’t be here. As Rostov and Mishka catch up, it’s clear how out of step the Bolshevik’s ideas are from Mishka’s, who was once a revolutionary. He notes how the greatest poets in Russia have stopped writing and how Russia has become too adept at destruction. When Rostov discusses the same topic with Osip, Osip says that progress always comes at a great cost. He notes how America was built on the backs of slaves.

Later, Rostov chats with Richard , an American aid-de-camp to a general and hotel guest who saw the geese incident. The two become quick friends. Richard thinks it’s impossible to predict what parts of history and culture will live on to become immortal.

That night, Rostov sees Sofia and anticipates that she will play a game where she tries to secretly rush to whatever location he’s headed to and arrive before him. Rostov back to his room to try to beat her at her own game, but Rostov soon finds out that she has fallen on the stairs. Rostov takes her and leaves the hotel for the first time in over 20 years.

Rostov rushes to the hospital. He directs the taxi to what once was a state-of-the-art facility, but is now worn down. An unqualified doctor is about to perform surgery, but two visiting surgeons appear and take over. Sofia will be okay.

Osip shows up with Marina, saying that Marina will watch over Sofia, but he’s arranged for Rostov to discreetly return to the hotel. Osip explains that he found out because it’s his business to keep an eye on people of interest (presumably, he was the one who brought the surgeons there as well). Rostov thanks him for the favor. Rostov returns to the hotel to find that Richard has left him a gift of a phonograph and records.

Andrey’s son died in battle in WWII. He and his wife are grieving his death. He also knows that eventually the authorities will realize their apartment is too large for their reduced family. In time, they will be forced to leave their home and will be moved into a smaller apartment.

1950, Adagio, Andante, Allegro

Sofia is 17. She has grown up to be demure and sympathetic. Rostov hears from Vasily (the concierge) that Sofia is with a man, Viktor Stepanovich , and he marches angrily into the ballroom to separate them. Rostov is quickly informed that nothing improper is going on. Viktor is giving Sofia piano lessons. Sofia plays, and Rostov is shocked at how good she is. She says it was meant to be a birthday surprise for him. Viktor actually studied at the Conservatory once, but now conducts the hotel restaurant’s orchestra to make ends meet.

At lunch, Rostov comes across an architect. There’s no longer a need for architects in Russia, so now he sketches buildings for a travel agency. Rostov also meets up with Richard, who he is now close friends with. As they chat, Rostov recalls a story about the moths of Manchester . They are an example of speedy evolution, of a species having to adapt to their new circumstances quickly. (This is reminiscent of the people in this chapter who, like Rostov, have had to adapt quickly to new circumstances.)

1952, America

Anna has shifted to stage acting, which means she is now around for months at a time. Rostov and Sofia play a game during lunch, and Sofia mentions that Rostov should invite Anna. Rostov pretends to not know Anna until Sofia tells him that she and Anna have been acquainted for years.

A professor staying at the hotel invites Rostov for a meeting, which he discovers is a clandestine meeting with Richard, who he hasn’t seen in two years. Richard wants Rostov to spy for the Americans. With Stalin’s health in question, the Americans need information on the power hierarchy in Russia in order to prepare diplomatically for the shift in Russian leadership.

Rostov gently refuses, and the matter is put to rest. Soon, Stalin passes away, and a battle is brewing between Malenkov and Nikita Khrushchev to be the next leader of Russia.

1953, Apostles and Apostates

The Bishop makes changes to the order-taking process at the Boyarsky, and when Rostov complains, Rostov also lets slip that the Triumvirate has daily meetings about the restaurant’s operations.

Meanwhile, Sofia wins a piano competition. Sofia, Anna, Rostov, Andrey and Emile celebrate in Rostov’s room afterwards, but the celebration is cut short. Vasily enters to warn them that the Bishop is on his way up because someone is looking for Rostov. The Bishop enters with Frinovsky , the director of the Red October Youth Orchestra. He invites Sofia to join the orchestra in Stalingrad, noting that it’s not optional. However, Anna intervenes by saying that Nachevko , the Minister of Culture is interested in Sofia’s talents (a lie), so Frinovsky lets it go.

Later, Katerina, Mishka’s love interest, introduces herself to Rostov for the first time. She tells him that she and Mishka reunited, but he died a week ago. When Katerina refers to both Rostov and Mishka as fine poets, he corrects her. Rostov never wrote a poem in his life. Instead, he reveals that the poem that saved his life (“ Where Is It Now? “) was written by Mishka. They published it under Rostov’s name because they were worried Mishka would be killed for writing something so revolutionary, but Rostov’s nobility would protect him. Ironically, the poem ends up saving his own life instead.

Katerina leaves Rostov with Mishka’s final project, a chronological compilation of quotes about bread from famous Russian authors, including the censored quote that landed him in Siberia. It’s a rebellious project because it contrasts with all the famine the Bolsheviks caused in Russia.

1954, Applause and Acclaim

Sofia is now headed to Paris in six months, which they all marvel at since for a very long time Russians were not permitted to leave the country. When Sofia thinks about staying here instead, Rostov tells her he has done her a disservice by not conveying to her that the world outside is worth exploring, even if he’s stuck in here.

The Bishop now attends the Triumvirate’s daily meeting and micromanages them. Rostov has been formulating a plan to escape from the hotel. Sofia’s tour spurs him further into action.

Achilles Agonistes

(The book now starts describing the actions Rostov is taking to prepare for his escape, but doesn’t divulge what the plan actually is.)

Rostov leaves a note with the front desk and goes to the barber, despite not needing a shave. Soon, a bell boy shows up asking for the barber to come immediately. With him gone, Rostov steals a bottle that the barber refers to as the “ Fountain of Youth ” from the cabinet.

Ever since Sofia’s plans to head for Paris were in place, Rostov has been busy preparing. He bought her a suitcase and guidebook, has been teaching her French and Marina has sewn her a dress.

Now, Rostov returns to his room, pulls out the guide book and finds a map of the 8th arrondissement (municipal district) of Paris. He carefully draws a line. He then grabs his copy of the essays of Michel de Montaigne and begins cutting out hundreds of pages.

Arrivederci

In May, after he sees an Italian couple leaving the hotel, he breaks into their room using the passkey that Nina once gave him. He steals an outfit. He later returns to steal a hat and some nesting dolls as well. That night, he notes that he has almost all the components he needs for his plan.

When he sees an American salesman, Webster , wave to the same professor who once lured him into a meeting with Richard, Rostov makes his acquaintance. Rostov asks Webster to deliver a letter to Richard, who he suspects Webster may know.

Sofia has a fitting for the dress that Marina made and Rostov sputters and gets overprotective when he sees it is backless. After, he meets with the Triumvirate plus the Bishop. There is an important dinner for the Council of Ministers and the Presidium that Rostov is supposed to oversee, but the Bishop assigns it to Andrey instead. This is problematic because overseeing the dinner is required as part of Rostov’s plan.

An Announcement

Andrey reports having tremors in his hand (later we find out it was a lie), so Rostov ends up doing the dinner anyway. Rostov is glad when he’s told there is no seating plan. He thinks to himself that because of rigid hierarchy of the Russian bureaucracy, the people will know exactly where they need to sit and that says everything you need to know about the power hierarchy in Russia.

At 9, the doors open with Malenkov and Khrushchev at the head of the table. Rostov listens intently as he serves. They make a demonstration. A power plant has finally finished construction and will now provide power to half of Moscow. The people watch as the lights go out across Moscow and then flicker back on, now drawing power from the newly opened plant.

On June 16, Rostov is making final preparations with Sofia, having explained to plan to her the night before. Sofia comes in later, telling him that her venue has been changed. Rostov fetches a new map and redraws the path.

That night, Rostov and Sofia reminisce over dinner. He tells Sofia how sad he will be without her, and he gives her a photo of himself from when he was younger for her to keep. She teases him for the huge moustache. Rostov tells her about the moustache being cut off and how that led to him meeting Nina.

At ten, all the hotel staff see Sofia off for her trip. Rostov hugs her and she leaves.

An Association, Antagonists at Arms (And an Absolution)

While Osip and Rostov have seen each other less over the years, Osip is in town now and they get together to watch Casablanca.

On June 20, Rostov serves a Finnish couple. He asks them for their room number since he needs to steal a Scandinavian passport as part of his plan. After he gets the passport, he returns to find the Bishop in his room.

The Bishop has found the discarded map with the path drawn on it. The Bishop heads down to tell the authorities, but when he gets to his office, Rostov is somehow sitting there waiting with a gun in his hand (reminiscent of the game Rostov used to play with Sofia). The gun is one of the dueling pistols stored in the office.

Rostov demands the key to the files in the office (where the Bishop has documented all the flaws of the hotel staff). He has the Bishop destroy the files on his friends and then locks him up in a storage room in the basement (in the process, they end up visiting all the rooms Nina once showed him).

On June 21, it has been exactly 32 years since his imprisonment. He follows his normal routine, except for stealing an American journalist’s fedora and raincoat. He gathers only the essentials in a rucksack.

In Paris, Sophia has finished her performance. She cuts off her hair using Helena’s scissors and uses the “Fountain of Youth” stolen from the barber to dye her hair where one part of it is white. She puts on the clothes stolen from the Italian couple. She exits and walks according to the map that Rostov prepared.

Sofia marvels at the monuments in Paris, and eventually she finds the house of Richard and his wife. Richard hands her a package, which is the copy of Montaigne’s essays that has been filled with gold coins. In return, Sofia hands Richard her bag. In a seam is a piece of paper with the notes on the dinner of the Council of Ministers and the Presidium.

(In other words, Rostov has offered Russian intelligence in exchange for help. Richard had previously wanted information on who would be in power after Stalin. Rostov notes that the seating arrangement points to Khrushchev and Malenkov being in power. But the fact that only Khrushchev knew where the dinner would held pointed to his dominance over Malenkov.)

The final piece of the puzzle is for Richard to confirm Sofia’s arrival. As instructed by Rostov, he has men call into the Metropol at midnight. The calls on 30 different phones causes pandemonium. In addition to letting Rostov know Sofia is safe, it also presents an opportunity for Rostov to escape during the fracas, wearing the journalist’s clothes.

Afterwards…

That same day, just before midnight Viktor Stepanovich awaits Rostov. They meet up.

By the next morning, the KGB has been alerted to Rostov’s disappearance. The Bishop is also nowhere to be found and rumors have arisen that Sofia went missing in Paris.

While Andrey and Emile wonder if Rostov escaped, two letter are delivered from Rostov where he thanks them for their friendship as well as gifting them with a few gold coins.

Later that day, a chief security administrator (Osip, as indicated by a scar above his left ear) in Russia is reviewing a file when a young man tells him about the situation involving Rostov at the Metropol. He’s also informed that they found the Bishop locked in a storage room. They were able to gather that a Finnish passport was stolen along with some clothes. It was confirmed that a man wearing those clothes boarded a train to Helsinki.

We then find out that the stuff about Finland was a diversion — Viktor is the one who got on that train to misdirect the police.

Rostov is in the Nizhny Novgorod province, his home province. He sees that his mansion has been burned to the ground. He heads toward a tavern instead where a willowy woman (presumably Anna) sits waiting.

Share this post

The Heiress

Fourth Wing

Funny Story

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Best Cozy Mystery Books of 2024

Bookshelf: Development Diary

Best Rom-Com, Beach Reads & Contemporary Romance Books

2024’s Best Rom Com & Romance Books (New & Anticipated)

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Princess Catherine cancer video spawns fresh round of AI conspiracies

Online conspiracists have seized on the video, despite catherine’s plea for privacy; most artificial intelligence experts say it shows no evidence of manipulation.

When Catherine, Princess of Wales, released a video statement last week sharing that she had been diagnosed with cancer, some users on social media said they regretted engaging in wild speculation about her prolonged public absence. But others jumped immediately to a new conspiracy: The video was generated by artificial intelligence.

Users on TikTok, X and Facebook shared videos pointing out alleged AI breadcrumbs, such as a ring disappearing and reappearing on Catherine’s hand. Others said her hair moves unnaturally, or that the bed of daffodils in the background is suspiciously still.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” said one woman in a video with 1.4 million views on TikTok, capturing the general befuddlement around some news events and online images amid AI technology’s rapid advancement. The woman — whose TikTok bio describes her as a “world traveler, photographer, designer, and real estate investor” — then contributed to the confusion by breaking down what she claimed were signs of AI in Catherine’s recorded statement.

BBC Studios, a TV production arm of the BBC, has confirmed that it filmed the video of Catherine’s message last week at Windsor Castle, and Kensington Palace told The Washington Post that accusations of AI tampering are “factually inaccurate.” Multiple deepfake forensics experts agreed, saying they examined the video and found no signs of AI manipulation.

“All of these armchair forensic analysts out there that are claiming that they find evidence of AI manipulation, it’s a spectacular combination of ignorance and arrogance,” said Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in analyzing digital images. Farid said he reviewed the video and found “absolutely zero evidence” that AI was involved.

Earlier this week, TikTok appeared to be funneling users away from searches related to such allegations. A search for “Kate Middleton cancer ai” instead showed results for “Kate Middleton cancer.” The user then had the option to proceed to results for the original search. TikTok declined to comment.

The episode highlights the growing difficulty of figuring out what’s real and what’s not in the age of AI. Already, former president Donald Trump has falsely accused an unflattering political ad of using AI-generated content, and actual fake images of politicians on both sides of the aisle have circulated widely on social media, destabilizing the concept of truth in the 2024 elections.

“AI casts a pretty big shadow,” Farid said. Major online moments are “immediately suspect,” fueling the culture of conspiracy.

Social media speculation about Catherine erupted after a series of puzzling events that left the public grasping for more information about the princess’s health and happiness. In January, Kensington Palace issued a statement that Catherine underwent “successful” abdominal surgery . Weeks passed without a public appearance by the princess. Then in early March, the palace released a cheerful photo of Catherine and her three young children, which — as it later admitted — had been edited. As major news organizations retracted the photo’s publication, the incident raised more questions and supercharged the conspiracy theories.

Then came Friday’s video, in which a wan-looking Catherine sits alone on a bench before a garden of spring blossoms. After sharing news of her illness, she describes a heartbreaking effort “to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I will be okay.” And she asks the world to let her tend to her young family in peace.

The revelation of her cancer diagnosis stunned viewers and drew an outpouring of affection for the princess. Some online conspiracists apologized for fueling gossip about her long absence from the public stage. But fresh doubt quickly emerged as well: “Can anyone explain how nothing at all moved in the backdrop, flowers, grass, etc.” posited one user on X (who was quickly excoriated as “a moron” by a prominent British TV personality).

Wael Abd-Almageed, a professor of AI at Clemson University who develops deepfake detection software, said he and a student ran the video through their detector and found no indications of AI content. Abd-Almageed slowed the video down to examine it manually, again finding no evidence of AI tampering. If details such as her ring appear fuzzy, he said, it’s because of motion blur and the video’s compression.

Another expert, Hao Li, CEO and co-founder of generative AI video-effects company Pinscreen, agreed that the video appears to be authentic, noting the bugs that fly in front of Catherine’s face and the subtle swaying of yellow flowers in the background.

Only one AI expert contacted by The Post offered support for the suspicions: Deepfake detection start-up Deep Media, which has contracts with the Pentagon, said it found a “high likelihood” that Catherine’s voice and face were manipulated with AI.

But other experts — including Farid, Abd-Almageed and Claire Wardle, co-founder and co-director of the Information Futures Lab at Brown University — reviewed Deep Media’s findings at The Post’s request and said they found the results unconvincing.

Given that even disinformation experts now find it challenging to assess the authenticity of online content, Brown’s Wardle urged institutions such as Kensington Palace and the BBC to do more to publicly validate the images they share before online conspiracies gain traction.

The continuing conjecture around Catherine underscores the difficulty of assessing what’s real in an AI-enabled media landscape, she said — as well as the risks of relying on deepfake detectors to separate fact from fiction.

“Most people don’t have access to tools that do this kind of analysis,” Wardle said. “And even people who are saying they have these tools, they’re absolutely not 100 percent certain by any means.”

Help Desk: Making tech work for you

Help Desk is a destination built for readers looking to better understand and take control of the technology used in everyday life.

Take control: Sign up for The Tech Friend newsletter to get straight talk and advice on how to make your tech a force for good.

Tech tips to make your life easier: 10 tips and tricks to customize iOS 16 | 5 tips to make your gadget batteries last longer | How to get back control of a hacked social media account | How to avoid falling for and spreading misinformation online

Data and Privacy: A guide to every privacy setting you should change now . We have gone through the settings for the most popular (and problematic) services to give you recommendations. Google | Amazon | Facebook | Venmo | Apple | Android

Ask a question: Send the Help Desk your personal technology questions .

• 3 things everyone’s getting wrong about AI March 30, 2023 3 things everyone’s getting wrong about AI March 30, 2023
• When you should (and shouldn’t) rely on AI tools February 28, 2024 When you should (and shouldn’t) rely on AI tools February 28, 2024
• AI selfies — and their critics — are taking the internet by storm December 8, 2022 AI selfies — and their critics — are taking the internet by storm December 8, 2022

How creators are turning to long-form writing, like blogs and newsletters, as a way to escape algorithms and build community off social media

• Influencers have been turning to different forms of long-form writing, like newsletters and blogs.
• Building community on social media has been a struggle for many creators.
• Writing can also be a smart way to build extra income streams through subscriptions or website ads.

In recent months, Lesley Buckle has turned back to writing.

The beauty influencer, known online as Freshlengths, started her career interning at magazines and created her blog in 2010. She was a blogger for several years until Instagram took over as the place to be for influencers. Buckle found a following there, started posting more and more pictures and videos, and neglected her blog.

But a growing feeling of uncertainty on social media has pushed Buckle to get back into blogging .

"You have your own space, and you can control that platform, how it's viewed. You don't have to keep pandering to what the algorithm wants, or what the platforms want you to do," Buckle told Business Insider. "Every time I log onto social media, there's something different. The blog is going to be a stable space for me."

Buckle is part of a group of creators that has turned to slower, longer types of content that don't live on social platforms. It can be blogs like Buckle's, but also newsletters, books, journals, or even essays and opinion pieces in media outlets — like Dylan Mulvaney's essay on Porter Magazine, or fitness influencer Annie Openshaw's piece on gut health in Marie Claire.

As short videos have exploded in popularity with the rise of TikTok, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts, some creators have found it difficult to build and maintain meaningful connections with their audiences. Feeds of short videos are built around virality, not consistency.

Turning to long-form content — in writing, but also through podcasts , community platforms like Patreon, and YouTube videos — has been a way for creators to counter this.

"They understand it's volatile, and the best way to make money is to own your audience in some sort of way," said Rafy Evans, who works as a senior digital manager at Infinity Creative Agency.

In late March, prominent education creator Hank Green posted on X that he felt he wanted "a way to create that gets away from these freaking algorithms," and had recently launched a newsletter with this goal. He added the newsletter already had hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

For some creators, long-form content is also a way to slow down their relationship with their audiences and build stronger connections.

"You can definitely get burned out by the immediate feedback loop on social media," said Alexandra Hayes Robinson, a TikTok creator and author of the Substack newsletter Hello Hayes . "It is a very intense thing to put something out and within minutes to have hundreds of comments reacting to that thing, good or bad."

Written content is a way for creators to build 'community'

The idea of " community " has become central to the creator economy, and long-form content can help foster it.

Fashion creator Emma Brooks said she has taken to reading as a way to slow down and take a break from short-form content. She's also found it's a good way to build a stronger relationship with her followers. She shares her thoughts on books through written reviews and an upcoming Instagram broadcast channel that she will treat like a book club.

"For me personally, there's an appreciation for substance that is coming back," she said. "Putting your thoughts out there into the world and having either people agree or disagree with that and having a conversation, there's so much more gain and fulfillment in that rather than watching a video for 15 seconds."

Blogs also have the added benefit of potentially appearing on Google searches, when they're optimized for SEO , which can help creators reach new audiences.

And for creators who started their careers in the early-2010s blog era — like Buckle and fitness creator Annie Openshaw — writing may also feel more natural, and a way to return to their roots.

"I have never really clicked with the fast, choppy content that TikTok has made the norm, and I much prefer being able to express my thoughts and feelings on a topic," Openshaw said.

There are never too many income streams

A potential TikTok ban has been a harsh reminder for creators that relying entirely on social platforms for their careers can be a risky bet. Some of them recently told BI that a TikTok ban would be devastating. Creators generally view being multi-format as a wise business move.

"It's just a smart business tactic to have people be able to experience what you have to offer in different formats. It's been super successful for me," Hayes said. "As I think about growing the Hello Hayes universe, I think about all of the different ways that people can access what I have to offer."

The options for monetization can vary depending on the medium. For newsletters, creators can offer a paid subscription or include sponsored content with brands. For blogs, there can be different types of banner ads and affiliate links, as well as sponsored content.

Sponsored content on blogs and newsletters can be attractive for brands because it can often hit a more dedicated audience and drive conversions at the bottom of the funnel compared to social platforms, said Thomas Walters, Europe CEO of influencer-marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

"The type of audience who's going to take the time to read a long-form blog or a Substack are probably what we define as the evangelists, individuals who are really highly engaged," said Julianne Fraser, founder of brand-marketing consultancy Dialogue New York.

Particularly when it comes to newsletters and other types of subscriber-only content, the perception is that these readers have a strong stake in the work of the creator.

"When you are a [newsletter] subscriber, it's like you're laying a foundation brick into whatever it is that someone is building, and it's not even just whatever it is that they're building, you are laying a foundation brick into something that you're building together," said Jessamyn Stanley, a creator who recently started the Substack newsletter Satanic Baby Girl . "They are really investing in a way where we're creating a sacred space."

This story has been updated with new details.

Watch: Logitech's chief marketing officer tells Insider that creators 'take my brand places that I can't go alone'

• Main content

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Poem inspired by New York mugging wins top prize in National Poetry Competition

Imogen Wade’s The Time I Was Mugged in New York City impresses judges for ‘lyricism in the account of an abduction’

Scroll down to read the winning poem

A poem inspired by the author’s experience of being mugged has won the first prize of £5,000 in the National Poetry Competition.

The Time I Was Mugged in New York City by Imogen Wade tells the story of being locked in a van at JFK airport by a man dressed in black, driven to Grand Central station and made to give the man money.

“Writing this poem helped me step into my memories and unknot an event that I’d never processed,” said Wade, who lives and works in Surrey. “I revisit my 19-year-old self, an exchange student in the hazy cityscape of New York, as she travels from the airport to the station.”

Judges said that the poem’s “paradoxical lyricism in the account of an abduction demands reading and rereading. Opening with the speaker’s recollection of ‘finding herself’ in her abductor’s van, the poem narrates in strangely beautiful detail how she travels with him as his prisoner through the city, where he finally takes all her money and then helps her out of his van ‘like a princess’, holding her bags ‘like a vassal’ and kissing her on the cheek.”

Wade added that the van’s interior “emerges as a charged symbolic space when the narrator encounters it again in her interactions and dreams. I learned that the past doesn’t always stay past and sometimes in order to process a trauma, I have to revisit it – even if that means entering the same van I am trying to escape from. Process is progress and poetry carries great psychotherapeutic power.”

after newsletter promotion

Wade’s poem was selected from 19,000 poems from 8,841 poets in 110 countries, which were judged anonymously by the poets Jane Draycott, Will Harris and Clare Pollard. Winning the competition “feels like a dream come true”, Wade added. “I work so hard at my writing, and to have recognition at this level from the judges is incredible. It marks an important transition point in my career as a poet.”

Fawzia Muradali Kane was named as the second prize winner for her poem Eric, while the third place winner was Rency Jumaoas Raquid for Like Her. The top three poems will be published in the spring issue of the Poetry Society’s journal The Poetry Review. The seven commended poets are AV Bridgwood, george graves, Harriet Jae, Katie O’Pray, Jack Nicholls, Anna Selby and Madeleine Wurzburger.

Previous winners of the competition include Carol Ann Duffy, Ruth Padel and James Berry . In 2022, Eric Yip was named the youngest ever winner of the prize.

The Time I Was Mugged in New York City

I told people that the travel sickness pills made me stupid. I entered JFK with a red suitcase and no one to greet me. A man came up to me, dressed in black. I found myself in a car park by an expensive van and he was holding my luggage. Get In, he said. There wasn’t a single thought in my head. I found myself inside his van; he locked the doors immediately after; made me switch my phone off as we went under the bridge. We spoke about Niagara Falls. He chose the narrowest roads in the city, a needle making a joke out of Manhattan. When he pulled up outside Grand Central station, he said – don’t get out, there are bad people around. He made me unzip my suitcase, books and bras spilling over the seat, and give him all my money. Then he helped me out of the van like I was a princess; he held my bags like a vassal and kissed my cheek. Get In, I hear whenever a man pushes me too far; Get In to my big black car. Sometimes in my dreams, I am sitting beside him on the leather; I don’t need to be ordered and together, we drive with melodious speed over the East River.

• Awards and prizes

Most viewed

A model of restraint, ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is unlike anything else on television

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Premiering Friday on the confusingly named Paramount+ with Showtime, “A Gentleman in Moscow” is quite unlike anything else on television. Created by Ben Vanstone ( “All Creatures Great and Small” ) and largely directed by Sam Miller (“ I May Destroy You ”) from the 2016 novel by Amor Towles , there’s nothing overtly radical about the production or plot, and elements of the story might remind viewers of Wes Anderson’s “ The Grand Budapest Hotel ” or Alexander Payne’s “ The Holdovers ” or Kay Thompson’s “ Eloise ” books. But in its tone and pacing is quite its own creature, at once romantic and controlled, somber and whimsical.

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, sometimes heart-stopping, and as much as anything the stage for a wonderful performance by its star, Ewan McGregor, it collects characters who are flush with emotion but — for reasons political, personal, cultural or as a matter of self-preservation — don’t demonstrate it openly. The production, too, maintains that tension between feeling and restraint, which ultimately intensifies the feeling.

McGregor plays Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, who, having returned to Russia from Paris in the wake of the 1917 revolution — he “missed the climate,” he tells a Bolshevik tribunal — is saved from a firing squad by virtue of a famous “pre-revolutionary” poem that bears his name. “It is attributed to me, yes,” he tells his inquisitors. And so he is sentenced to lifetime house arrest in the luxurious (actual, still operating) Hotel Metropol , his current place of residence, though he is moved from his plush suite into a bare attic room. (He’s still allowed to eat in the restaurant and drink at the bar.)

That is the whole of the premise, really, and almost the series’ sole setting, as, from 1922 to 1958, with large tracts of time skipped over, characters come into and out of the Count‘s small world — which, with its other rooms, and nooks and crannies, proves not such a small world after all.

Though he has fixed ideas about what constitutes proper behavior, the Count (who will become simply “Alexander”) is not a snob, and forced to rely on himself, he becomes self-reliant. Being raised to appreciate life’s finer things will prove the basis for appreciating the simpler things. Though he has his dark moments, he will be pulled back from the brink and integrate himself into the downstairs life of the hotel without losing himself. Rather, he finds himself. “It is the business of times to change, Mr. Halecki,” he says to the genial hotel manager (Rob Jarvis), “and gentlemen to change with them.”

Entertainment & Arts

What’s the best streaming service right now? Here’s our ultimate power ranking

Amid a writers’ strike largely about the power of platforms, we take a snapshot of the streaming pecking order, from Netflix to (formerly HBO) Max.

June 12, 2023

Even so, it’s a largely stable world these characters inhabit. While things change over the decades within and without the walls of the Metropol — people grow up or grow old, rulers die and are replaced, relationships deepen among characters and characters relate differently to their circumstances — life goes on. Which is not to say it isn’t a story with a beginning, a middle and an end.

Underpinning the intrigue is a love story, or stories, individual and collective. (It’s a healthy, not an enforced, collectivism.) Among the Count’s more significant relationships are Anna Urbanova (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a movie star who swans in and out of the Metropol with her assistant, Olga (Anastasia Hille), and Mishka Mindich (Fehinti Balogun), a friend from college, now involved in revolutionary politics. Johnny Harris plays Osip Glebnikov, a secret police officer of some depth; John Heffernan is Bishop, a loyal party member who has none, and will rise through the hotel’s ranks over the years. Beyond the state apparatus itself, he’s the series’ designated villain.

Most crucial to the overarching plot are two little girls — the Count has a way with children, and they have a way with him — left implicitly and explicitly in his care: Nina (Alexa Goodall), who knows every inch of the hotel (she has a passkey) and, later, Sofia (Billie Gadson, younger; Beau Gadson, older). These actors are accomplished beyond their years.

The series does not perfectly re-create the book. It expands some roles, alters others and replaces some motivational backstory with more dramatically obvious, relatively labored backstory; it loses scenes, adds a few and skips long discussions of Russian character, culture and history (and American film noir). But the journey is the same, and the largely subdued, fanciful, almost fairy-tale atmosphere of the series matches that of the novel.

The story is in no sense a petition for the return of the monarchy but contrasts Old World gentility with the heartlessness of the surveillance state, culture against the assassination of culture. (It’s helpful to remember that the Soviet Union was not a place one could leave, but only escape from.) That oppressive presence means that, even as the series is largely subdued — there are crises that require action, and moments of great suspense, handled without melodrama — the tension never quite dissipates. That’s how it is when characters you come to love live under a shadow.

More to Read

How Putin’s crackdown on dissent became the hallmark of the Russian leader’s 24 years in power

March 9, 2024

Theo James and Kaya Scodelario discuss ‘The Gentlemen’ and keeping up with Guy Ritchie

March 7, 2024

Review: Brilliantly acted, HBO’s ‘The Regime’ flirts with satire but lacks political bite

March 2, 2024

The complete guide to home viewing

Get Screen Gab for everything about the TV shows and streaming movies everyone’s talking about.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Robert Lloyd has been a Los Angeles Times television critic since 2003.

More From the Los Angeles Times

With ‘Palm Royale,’ Bruce and Laura Dern are (finally) father and daughter on screen

March 27, 2024

Stephen Colbert walks back Kate Middleton jokes: Don’t ‘make light of somebody else’s tragedy’

March 26, 2024

Kyle Richards’ daughters on their parents’ breakup becoming reality TV: ‘We’re used to this’

Introducing Jenn Tran: The first Asian woman to lead ‘The Bachelorette’ — finally

A Gentleman in Moscow on Paramount+ review: Ewan McGregor is exceptional in this captivating adaptation

M illions of people have read Amor Towles’s globally successful 2016 novel, A Gentleman in Moscow , and so debate has raged about who should play his impressively moustachioed protagonist, Count Rostov.

Some fancied Richard E Grant for the role. Benedict Cumberbatch and even Kenneth Branagh were also raised, but rest easy, fans: Paramount+’s eventual pick, Ewan McGregor, is exceptional.

This tender yet captivating eight-episode story follows the life of Count Alexander Ilych Rostov (McGregor), who has been placed under house arrest in the opulent Metropol hotel in Moscow during the Russian Revolution.

Rostov is of aristocratic stock, but is spared a death sentence by the Bolsheviks: some years ago, you see, he also happened to write a poem (well, it was attributed to him) which became a call to arms amongst the revolutionary generation.As a sort of next-best compromise to death, Rostov is marched from a Bolshevik tribunal into the hotel where he will spend the next 30 years of his life.

Despite the constraints of his locked down circumstances (the parallels with our own lockdown are obvious), the erstwhile Count is a beta-type, who builds a big life in his small, enclosed world.

He forges familial relationships with hotel staff and guests as the Metropol evolves into a miniature city opposite the Kremlin, housing long-lost friends, the politically opposed, the romantically involved, and although Rostov is prohibited from leaving (if he does, he’ll be shot on sight) he gives the audience a lesson in the power of quiet rebellion. “They can take away your house or your rooms, they can’t take away who you are,” he tells his young friend, Nina (Alexa Goodall), a fellow hotel ‘guest’, also living this isolated life.

Yes, the narrative and McGregor’s playing could do with more bite at times, the early episodes drift somewhat and a little nastiness would’ve gone a long way in injecting some required pace to proceedings, but McGregor’s Rostov had me deeply invested in his survival.

It's become virtually impossible for a period drama to be staged without it looking like it’s been partially lifted from Wes Anderson ’s creative department, but A Gentleman in Moscow escapes that by a whisker. Of course there are echoes of the Grand Budapest Hotel, but the set design and costuming have a depth and elegance which comes across as authentic.

The Metropol is a Narnian labyrinth of rooms, representing the lies and subterfuge that swill around the hotel between the guests, the politicians, apparatchiks and staff. There is so much deceit that eventually the truth ceases to exist and the Metropol becomes a fantasy land; as hotel business goes on as usual inside, beyond the building’s heavy revolving front door, a bloody uprising consumes the streets, that as the audience we rarely see.

Those revolving doors spin like a wheel of fortune for Rostov, bringing in new guests and life altering moments – some brutal, some carrying opportunity and some with love. Rostov declares that “the heart must always be a priority,” and the love on display here is influenced by the changing times in which he and his friends find themselves.

To that end, McGregor plays opposite his real-life wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Rostov’s love interest Anna Urbanova, a starlet with whom his fate becomes intertwined. I can't say the chemistry is remarkable, but it's a stellar interpretation of a slightly awkward, unlikely and unique love story.

There is also depth and subtlety as we witness Rostov move from a young man to an ageing father figure. Will he simply sink further into a state of acceptance, and see out the end of his days in the attic of the Metropol – or will he eventually stage a brave escape? If we are looking for a clue then it might be found in one of the script’s best lines: “If one does not master one’s circumstances,” says Rostov, “one is mastered by them.”

On Paramount+ from March 29

Register now for one of the Evening Standard’s newsletters. From a daily news briefing to Homes & Property insights, plus lifestyle, going out, offers and more. For the best stories in your inbox, click here .