Tais Rousseau, 30 years old, hometown — Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-50, free artist, teacher, beginner tattoo artist
About herself
Even before my birth, my mother dreamed her child would become a painter. By education, I am a qualified teacher-painter.
It was always difficult for me to focus on one kind of creativity. In addition to arts, music fascinates me, I breathe by music. I'm not a bad singer. I have an academic mezzo-soprano.
I am passionate about nature, animals, plants.
For 30 years I managed to live in five cities: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-53 (Vilyuchinsk-3), Volzhsky, Moscow, Sevastopol, Bucharest.
Watch, read and listen
I have always been fascinated by reading historical, ethnographic literature, mythology. I feel a special love for Gumilyov, his theory of ethnogenesis, the theory of passionarity. I love the myths of the world.
I am a music lover, almost in all genres you can find tracks that can captivate and interest, but most of all I prefer folk music. Mainly Romanian, Indian, Scottish, Irish, Slavic folk, world fusion, jazz funk, alternative rock with elements of folk, Romanian alternative rock, ambient, I love Rachmaninoff, especially the concert №2.
I prefer historical drama to all film genres. I love theatre more than cinema, but, in turn, not as a spectator, but as a participant of theatrical action. I graduated from theatre courses in Moscow and had the opportunity to play the final performance in the role of Sophia, the heroine of the play by Neil Simon «Fools» in the house of Vysotsky on Taganka.
What inspires
Music, books, animals, nature, ancient myths and legends, a culture of the peoples of the world are my real sources of inspiration.
I love the architecture of Bucharest and other Romanian cities. Bucharest is eclectic, it combines incongruous things. Cosy streets covered with cracks of history and experience, colourful facades and porches, majestic palaces near the high-tech and Gypsy slums all of it take a piece of the soul.
Bucharest inspires the creation of architectural sketches. And if you try coming up with an epithet for Romania, it will be the word mystical. Romania is a mysterious, magical mountain country with many places of power, countless beautiful views and landscapes.
How I rest
The best vacation, for me, is to get with my husband and animals to the mountains. We have a house in one of the mountain towns near Transylvania. There are amazing air and atmosphere, few people, much nature.
At the end of October, I attended an international tattoo conference in Bucharest. There I met interesting people, professionals in their field, and with one of them, I will continue to study in the field of tattoo art.
Where I spend a lot of time
My favourite place in Bucharest is the old town. There are many people, tourists, cafes and souvenir shops. There is also a whole block of shops selling goods for professional artists. I like the atmosphere and comfort of this place.
There are many beautiful parks in the city. I live three minutes walk from Karol Park, named after the first king of Romania. I like the careful attention of Romanians to animals, and each Park provides special fenced areas for walking dogs and urns for them. And what a beautiful vegetation is planted there, and how many animals and birds live there! It seems there is a small forest in the centre of the city. Walking there, you can even smell the flowers and mushrooms, see the squirrels, feed the geese and ducks.
Bucharest has a rich selection of authentic Romanian national costumes, from antique to machine-made. I found an amazing shop near the centre, opposite the Armenian Church, where you can buy books about the history of Dacia, many souvenirs not for ordinary tourists, but for passionate people about the ancient culture of the country. There you can see the sculptures of Decebalus and Dacian Draco carved from wood, paintings by local artists depicting the values of the Romanian people, and everyday clothes with the symbols of Dacia.
Dan Rima, 24 years old, hometown — Chisinau, choreographer
@dan_rima
About himself
I've been dancing since I was five. I participated in many national and international competitions. After graduating from high school, I came to Bucharest to study and entered the faculty of journalism. At the same time, I kept dancing. I started working on television for a show that needed dancers, collaborating with famous artists, and making video clips. I was in High Strung New York Free Dance. The shooting took place in Bucharest, and I worked with actors from Hollywood and with famous choreographers: Tyce Diorio, Myles Thatcher, Phillip Chbeeb, and Nakul Dev Mahajan, these are people who staged dances for Taylor Swift, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin. The film premiered on September 13 in Italy.
Now I study at the faculty of international communication and public diplomacy.
Watch, read and listen
Music is an important factor in a dancer's life. I like listening to classical music in the car or with headphones, it's inspiring.
I prefer films based on real facts. I like comedies or those stories from which it is possible to make any conclusions.
I used to read books for personal growth because I like to develop and learn something new every time.
What inspires
Everything around me inspires me. Wonderful people, projects in which I participate.
I love the old city of Bucharest. Anyone who will be in Bucharest, I advise you to see the old city. I inspired by travel, sea and mountains, which in Romania is very beautiful.
How I rest
Bucharest, as Europeans say, is a small Paris, and people here are creative. In summer there are various festivals: Untold, Summer Well, Neversea. This is a new trend among young people, artists and DJs from around the world come here.
Where I spend a lot of time
One of the favourite places in the city is Therme, a large complex with thermal waters. I also love Herestrau Park. Every weekend there are creative events. MNAC — the national Museum of modern art is an institution and a Museum, two in one. Carturesti Carusel is a large and beautiful bookstore, a unique place in the city where you can read and be alone.
Bucharest is a historical and at the same time modern city. Here people from the fashion world, singers, dancers, actors feel free.
Alexandra Bochelyuk, 26 years old, hometown — Dnepr, graphic artist, event manager
@sofunnysunnybunny
About herself
As a child, I was fond of drawing, four years engaged in art school and in parallel went to animation courses. After graduating from school, I entered the Dnieper national University with a degree in Japanese language and literature.
My biggest passion is travelling. After graduating from University, I went to Shanghai for eight months to improve my Chinese. There I realized that Asia was good for tourism, but I prefer to live in Europe. Upon my return from China, I decided to continue my studies in Slovakia with a degree in tourism management and spent the next three years travelling around Europe.
I like listening to classical music in the car or with headphones, it's inspiring. My favourite part of travelling is to try local cuisine, meet new people and take pictures of beautiful locations.
My hobby is my work. I am a graphic artist and work at a gallery in my favourite city — Bucharest.
Watch, read and listen
I can't live a day without music. Music is my inspiration, as well as festivals. Music has played a key role in my life and pushed me to move to Romania, for me it is the country of the best festivals in Europe. In the summer there are especially many of them, I advise all festival fans Electric Castle and Untold festivals, which are held in one of the most beautiful cities of Transylvania — Cluj-Napoca. My favourite bands are Romanian underground music. If you are a fan of high-quality techno with elements of folk, listen to the songs of such groups as Subcarpati, Argatu, Fantome and Credcasunt Extraterestru.
My favourite movie genres are Thriller, detective and horror movies. I love screen versions of Stephen King's novels. Movies, for me, is a way to escape from the problems, so I always choose puzzle movies with a cleverly twisted plot. One of my favourite movies is «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo», «Shutter Island», «Se7en», «1408», «Summer of 84».
I'm a big fan of Japanese literature, and my favourite genre is Japanese existentialism. I advise you to read the novels of one of the greatest Japanese writers Kobo Abe, especially «Woman in the Dunes», «Inter Ice Age 4» and «The Double of Human Being». Reading his novels, you will wonder where you are, in the real world or in the fantasy world created by Kobo Abe.
What inspires
Inspiration is all around us, and it's not hard to find it. I am inspired by music, architecture, cities, people. My biggest inspiration is Bucharest, a city that charges with its energy, fascinates with the beauty of parks and mixed architecture. Another source of energy is the Carpathians. I'm one of those people who prefer the mountains to the sea. Returning to Bucharest from places like Sinaia or Busteni Brasov, feel yourself healthier and happier with a huge desire to create.
And when I don't have time to travel, Instagram saves me. Another source of energy is the Carpathians. I'm one of those people who prefer the mountains to the sea.
How I rest
I count myself among the representatives of the city and outdoor activities. One of my goals is to bring as many impressions and photos from each trip as possible.
I love Romanians because they know how to rest. If you, like me, are lovers of nightlife, Bucharest is the city for you. The old centre is full of bars and nightclubs, here the music does not stop until seven in the morning, even on weekdays. In summer, I prefer to go with friends to the Carpathians and see the fabulous castles of Transylvania, like Peles or Cantacuzino.
The best places for lovers of small and atmospheric cities, I can offer Sibiu and Sighisoara. The beauty of Transylvania will not leave indifferent.
Where I spend a lot of time
Bucharest is a city of parks. Several times a week I go to the Cismigiu Park, earlier it was the favourite Park of Romanians elite. Famous people like Mihai Eminescu, George Enescu, members of the Rossetti and Cantacuzino family spent time there, and I understand why. This is a classic Park where you can enjoy the silence right in the centre of the bustling city, go boating on the pond and eat corn on a stick.
To all park lovers, I advised visiting Herastrau. This is a giant Park in the North of Bucharest with a large lake, around which you can ride a bike, skateboard or roller skates.
For breakfast, I go to my favourite cafes: Grand CaféVanGogh, Paul, Mara Mura and French Revolution.
Bucharest is a Paradise for fashion lovers. In the city, you can find many design showrooms. My favourite Romanian brands on Instagram are @nymphaclthing, @moja_ro and @amizade.ro.
And if you are a fan of art, do not just walk past by gallery on the Spain Square, it is called Piata Spagna Gallery.
Carturesti Carusel bookstore on Lipscani Street it is must-see for everyone who wants to come to the capital of Romania. You won't find a more beautiful bookstore than this one. Here you can buy many souvenirs, books in any language, as well as enjoy the magical interior.
