Katerina and Ivan

After a week of unseasonably cold weather in NY, it finally warmed up and the temperatures reached the 60's. Katerina Doe and Ivan Doe (both aliases) did not mind the chilly weather and found it to be ideal for an ice cream cone and a McFlurry. NY was the last city they were visiting in their 12-day trip in the US. Previously, they spent a few days in Las Vegas and San Francisco. They were very diplomatic but reluctant to point out any favorite sites, tourist endeavors or other trivial facts. According to Ivan, the one thing that he noticed and regretted during his tour of the various cities was his inability to spot attractive American women. He was not impressed nor found women in the U.S. beautiful or sexually appealing. In his opinion, the most beautiful women in the world are in Russia and Ukraine. Fortunately for him, he was sitting right next to a Russian beauty with blue eyes, blond locks, porcelain skin and delicate manners. Katerina was naturally flattered and giggled a few times as Ivan described the characteristics of a Russian beauty: it's a combination of natural and inner beauty and her overall attention to details like her attire and make up. It may have sounded a little superficial but I welcomed Ivan's frankness. In the U.S., we are smitten by Russian/Ukrainian made beauties like Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, Mila Kunis (That 70's Show), Milla Jovovich, Olga Kurylenko (Bond Girl), Karina Smirnoff (Dancing With The Stars), Oksana Baiul and many others. And the best place to admire the fittest and sexiest ladies from the largest country in the world and its neighbor: the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. As I write this entry, I realize that Ivan's sentiment, or a version of it, is most likely shared by many if not all the men in the US and around the globe who subscribe to SI, including my husband. Up until my encounter with Katerina and Ivan who are both from Moscow; Russia meant vodka, shivering temperatures, matrioshka dolls (nesting dolls), tzars, Eastern Promises, astronauts, the intimidating grandmas/nannies in my neighborhood and my daughters' ballet teacher .... Now I may add hot women, but not necessarily the hottest, because notwithstanding what Ivan thinks, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.