Peter with different eyes

I was in St. Petersburg a million times, it seemed, came out along and across. Only each trip began and ended from the Moscow railway station, and the route invariably passed along Nevsky Prospect, past Spas-na-Krovi, Kazan Cathedral and Palace Square. I had a feeling that every time I miss something important, something special, hidden from tourist eyes. I did not have enough opportunities to completely immerse myself in the atmosphere of the city, which means that the time has come to change something. My goal: to see Peter with different eyes.

Having received a mission assignment from the publisher, I realized that I couldn’t get to know Peter from the inside on my own and quickly. I needed a local one, and one that every curb in the city knows, every front door, and to the question: "How is the weather?" he answers exclusively: "She has not changed since 1703."

The task seemed difficult, but I was lucky: very soon I found Timur - a native Petersburger, musician, screenwriter and lover of good tea. Together we covered the whole of Peter, rising to the very stars, and looking into every secluded corner. He showed me the city with his own eyes, and now I will show it to you.

Five unusual places in St. Petersburg in secret from a local resident:

Griffin Tower

Fans of numerology and fans of the film “The Sign” with Nicolas Cage in the title role will be pleasantly intrigued by the history of the Griffin Tower on Vasilievsky Island. It is also called the Digital Tower, because most of the bricks of which it is built were numbered not so long ago (the locals erased the numbers, but some draw them again from time to time). One of the oldest St. Petersburg pharmacies is also located in the well-yard. Rumor has it that the tower was an exhaust pipe for an underground pharmacy laboratory, and the courtyard itself fulfills desires. Apparently, that's why it is not so easy to get there - the yard is closed, but you can still get inside.

Address: VO, 7th line, d. 16-18 (passage through the yards of the Dnieper Lane).

John Lennon Street

Fans of The Beatles and wall art will surely love this informal place with all their heart. There is a corresponding plate with the name of the street, above the arch are the faces of the musicians, and on the wall is a giant yellow submarine. There was also a place for the phrase "All you need is love" and declarations of love, of course. Such courtyards are a reflection of the real city.

Address: Pushkinskaya, 10 (through the arch in house 53 along Ligovsky Prospect).

Sigmund Freud Dream Museum

Those who read Freud's Interpretation of Dreams will be able to fantasize in this total installation something of their own, something unique, like dreams. Those who are not familiar with the work of a psychoanalyst will learn about Freud's theories, his love of art, will have the opportunity to interpret the images he sees and put them together.

Address: Bolshoy Prospect, Petrograd Side, 18A (building of the Institute of Psychoanalysis)

Schedule: Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00 - 17:00

Cost: 150 rubles, for beneficiaries - 100 rubles, admission to exhibitions, lectures, performances, etc. - is free

Website: www.freud.ru

Puppet Theater Karlsson Haus

On the roof of this theater you can see a fabulous attic of one of the favorite children's heroes - Carlson. This small door with a large lantern gives a forgotten feeling that everything is possible. Well, who did not dream in childhood to sit on the roof next to Carlson and a jar of raspberry jam ?! Now the theater season is closed, but from September 3 it will be possible to feel like a Kid at least for the evening.

Address: Fontanka River Embankment, d.50 (in the yard)

Website: www.karlssonhaus.ru

Restaurant "Big Kitchen"

Continuing Carlson’s theme, I’ll say that if you’re running out of time, and I really want to go to the roof, then there is a spiral staircase in the middle of the restaurant near the Moscow Station, in the Gallery shopping and entertainment center on the fifth floor. It leads directly to the roof, which offers a wonderful view of the city. The observation deck is small and fenced, but ideal for those who are afraid of old open roofs. Another affordable and safe roof is located in the Loft project "Floors" (Ligovsky Prospect, 74).

Address: Gallery Shopping Center, Ligovsky Prospect, 30A

Website: www.big-kitchen.com

If this is not enough, take a walk in the modern sculpture park (Pravda St.). Here, unusual monuments and heroes of fairy tales lie in wait at every step. Be sure to look into the yards! For example, the “mosaic courtyard”, which is next to the Small Academy of Arts, will also pleasantly surprise you with its colors and high artistic skill (Tchaikovsky St., 2).

How to find your local

I would hardly have found all these places without Timur. Finding your local is easy with the new, useful travel app, MyFriends. It is easy to use, and most importantly - meets our goal: introduces the locals.

MyFriends uses geolocation and shows everyone who is nearby. Finding the right “escort” will help the filmstrip - MyFriends is customary to share not only selfies, but also everything that you live - be it culinary masterpieces or collections of sports awards. I chose Timur because I saw in his tape photos of St. Petersburg roofs and unusual alleys, and in the correspondence I found out that he, like me, is a fan of cakes and coffee with condensed milk.

So, scrolling through the tape and looking at real avatars of people (no Peppa pigs and other social masks), reading their comments and even hashtags, you will gather all the necessary information to choose the best conversation partner or guide. Choose for yourself - just chat or meet.

A cool feature of the application - the "Wishes" section - there are six of them: attend the event, drink coffee, go in for sports, take a walk, eat and drink. It is enough to choose what you want to do with the local, and without unnecessary correspondence immediately go to the meeting. You can also create a "desire" yourself.

To do this, in the "Wishes" section, tell us what you want: for example, a drink. Write that you are looking for someone who knows a beer with the best craft beer. Wait for an answer and make an appointment. All! You don’t need to invent anything extra - choose a goal and get acquainted.