TSUM - the signature fashion department store of Russia - has been a historic sight and the symbol of fashion in Moscow for more than 110 years. TSUM has made its name in Russia and in the world by its expertise in fashion buying. With its 70,000 square meters, it is the largest department store in Eastern Europe. It offers ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories collections of the world’s leading fashion brands including Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Gucci, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Dior, Kiton, Brioni, Ermenegildo Zegna, Tom Ford, Alexander McQueen, Prada, Fendi etc.; jewellery and watches by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Hublot, Chopard, Garrard, Graff, Mikimoto etc.; porcelain and glass by Baccarat, Bernardaud, Christofle, Lalique, Daum, as well as perfumery and cosmetics of the leading brands.

KM20 is a concept-store, restaurant and gallery in one opened right which was founded by Olga Karput in the historical part of Moscow in 2009. The store has now unveiled its latest evolution, with a new three story space packed with some of best brands. It is now over 2,500 square meters that high fashion brands and labels from young and promising designers co-exist: from Raf Simons and Helmut Lang, Vetements, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Dries Van Noten, Off-White to Cottweiler and Cav Empt and exclusive sneaker collaborations. There's something for everyone. New KM20 is not just a store. It is a place for a magical experience connected to everything modern that is happening with fashion. Objects, installations, furniture – all created specifically for the space in close collaboration with the best current creatives from all fields – this is what new KM20 is.

Red October is a former industrial area in central Moscow that's included a chocolate factory Red October, hence the name. Today it's one of the most flamboyant altough inconveniently located cultural quarters, full of art galleries, bars, fashion stores, a design school, night clubs and edtiorial offices of magazines. The photo (depicting a rather typical business redevelopment on the other shore of the Moskva River) was taken from a terrace that's part of the editorial office of Bolshoi Gorod magazine for which I have the privilege to photograph from time to time.

Russia's oldest botanic garden was founded by Peter the Great in 1706 to grow medicinal plants. "Aptekarsky" means "apothecary" in Russian. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants near the botanical garden.

A brand new business district called Belaya Ploshad (White Square) built around an early 20-century old-believers' church. Old believers are a fundamentalist sect that's split from the official Orthodox Church in 17 century. Many prominent Russian tsarist-era businessmen were from the old-believers' background. During Soviet era, this church was desecrated, then, in the 1990s, returned to an old-belivers' community and renovated. A good example of Moscow contrasts - a fundamentalist church (with a Facebook page) and modern office blocks next door. Plus - on the other side of Belaya Ploshad there is Belorussky Station Square - a large intersection with an endless construction site, a railway station, full of dirt, primitive street trade, homeless, and... nice cafes.