club travel morningside

Pay Your Way

Travel by destination, travel by experiences, enquire now.

The Club At Morningside

Location & hours.

Suggest an edit

39033 Morningside Dr

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

You Might Also Consider

SilverRock Golf Resort

10.5 miles away from The Club At Morningside

Lee O. said "We just played this course yesterday. I wanted to play earlier but one of my friends has a stiff back. We started at 8 and once we hit the back nine the heat was horrible. It's why you pay only 41 bucks. The course was very…" read more

Rancho Los Fonseca

Geoff M. said "If you want to really get into the true feeling of being on a farm with animals this is the place. No frills, no one trying to hide anything. Real farm animals and you can take as much time as you like. The owner is a real…" read more

in Petting Zoos, Party & Event Planning

Mobile Zoo of Southern California

14.3 miles away from The Club At Morningside

Paige E. said "Everyone loved it! The lady who brought the animals out was so nice and well organized. We had them out for a birthday party and it was such a hit. The setup was adorable. They had several tiki shade umbrellas that looked great and…" read more

Amenities and More

Ask the community.

Ask a question

Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about The Club At Morningside .

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

We joined Morningside four years ago after a long and exauhestive search of the clubs in the Valley. The service is first class, the course is outstanding and the recent multimillion dollar expansion, now almost complete, brings the club to an even higher level. The club is really wonderful, most of all because of the warm and friendly members.

Yes this is first class all the way. You have arrived. Paradise. When I'm Faye's age this would be my home. For now it's a great place to visit.

So why write a review on one of the most exclusive private golf country clubs in the nation? This is one of the nicest courses I've ever played. The Canadian King of Scotch invited me out for a couple of rounds. This is a little slice of golf heaven in Palm Springs. The course is lush, and in fabulous shape. Greens were rolling fast but fair. This club has a very friendly feel, like the show "Cheers." The clubhouse is lavish but nicely appointed. The food is fantastic! Their lobster roll is to die for! Best I've had on the left coast: fresh, meaty and the roll is nicely buttered. They also offer a southern fried chicken that takes days to prepare. If you ever get an invitation play the course or visit the club for a meal, you should accept without hesitation.

A-a-a-mazing! Beautiful views! Clean swimming pool! Very relaxing! Came here to stay for 5 days and the restaurant service was impeccable! And if you love to golf, be sure to do it at this club!

B&T Racket

Jina F. said "I knew exactly what I was looking for before I went in and didn't want to waste any time as I was on a tight schedule for the day. I was greeted warmly upon arrival and on of the staff approached me within minutes to see if I needed…" read more

in Tennis, Badminton, Pickleball

Outdoor Journeys - Camp Nawakwa

Camp Nawakwa is a summer camp in the heart of the Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains. We have provided a relaxed, open atmosphere in the natural environment for children of Southern California and Nevada since 1947.… read more

in Summer Camps, Team Building Activities, Venues & Event Spaces

People Also Viewed

The Lakes Country Club

Stone Eagle Golf Club

Tradition Golf Club

The Reserve Club

Desert Princess

Heritage Palms Golf Club

Classic Club

Chaparral Country Club

Mission Hills Country Club

Best of Rancho Mirage

Things to do in Rancho Mirage

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Things to Do

Driving Range

Pitch and Putt

Bike Rentals

Other Golf Nearby

Find more Golf near The Club At Morningside

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

Director of Financial Aid

• Grad Sch Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• Morningside
• Opening on: Aug 24 2024
• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Building: Avery Hall
• Salary Range: $75,000 - $100,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Admissions and Outreach, the Director of Financial Aid has responsibility for and administers the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) student financial aid programs.

The incumbent manages and supervises all financial aid processes for awarding student grants and scholarship packages (merit and need based); works closely with the University’s Student Financial Services on the awarding of scholarships, stipends, and loans; responsible for disbursement of student travel stipends; develops and monitors the Financial Aid Office budget; monitors college work-study expenditures; works closely with the Office of Academic Affairs to ensure students’ satisfactory academic progress before disbursement of Financial Aid; reconciles financial aid and stipend disbursements with the GSAPP Finance Office; interprets and applies federal laws and regulations, University policies and regulations, and state regulations relating to the delivery of student financial assistance; maintains accurate and detailed financial aid data to assure timely and accurate submission of required reports and analyses to University leadership, Dean, Associate Deans, Program Directors and other senior administrators; develops and directs financial aid strategies within the framework of federal and state regulations that are consistent with GSAPP’s recruitment, enrollment and retention objectives; accurately maintains the student information system (SIS), Slate and other related database to reflect aid allocations; ensures GSAPPs systems are used effectively and that processes and product enhancements are developed which are technologically up-to-date and contributes to student satisfaction; ensures that students are informed about their eligibility for GSAPP financial aid, develops application forms and processes, and oversees the evaluation of applications; responsible for the timely and effective awarding of all types of financial aid offered by GSAPP; supports students with questions related to external support and facilitates access to relevant University resources and offices; maintains confidentiality of information exposed to in the course of business regarding students, supervisors or other employees.

This position requires the kind of teamwork, supervision, and personal interaction; therefore, regular and predictable on-site attendance is a job requirement.

Responsibilities

Responsible for all aspects of Financial Aid including knowledge of Federal Regulations for loan disbursement. Manage and supervise all financial aid processes for awarding student grants and scholarship packages (merit and need based); work closely with the University’s Student Financial Services on the awarding of scholarships, stipends, and loans; responsible for disbursement of student travel stipends; develop and monitor the Financial Aid Office budget; monitor college work-study expenditures; work closely with the Office of Academic Affairs to ensure students’ satisfactory academic progress before disbursement of Financial Aid.

Oversee compliance and audit, in collaboration with the Finance Office, responsible for the regular and timely reconciliation of Financial Aid awards and budgets. (30%)

Ensure the effective use of the School's digital systems, such as Slate, Student Information System (SIS), PowerFaids, Canvas and others; create forecasting and projection models for use in financial aid disbursement and budget planning. Use data driven models ­– data mining and predictive models – to increase efficacy and efficiency of financial aid award processes. Survey and report on internal stakeholders (current students, faculty, staff, etc.) and the external market (prospective students, alumni, employers, etc.) to remain in-sync with trends.

Maintain detailed financial aid data to assure timely and accurate submission of required reports and analyses to University leadership, Dean, Associate Deans, Program Directors and other senior administrators. Work collaboratively with key stakeholders throughout the School to set and evaluate financial aid policies and programs. Create and implement strategies for future award cycles.

Establish a sustainable, evidence-based model for financial aid that utilizes both merit and need based institutional aid to recruit a high quality and diverse student body. Collaborate with the Office of Student Affairs to enhance student success and retention and Associate Deans ensure optimization of the School's various financial aid endowments with respect to restricted financial aid awards. (30%)

Ensure that students are informed about their eligibility for GSAPP financial aid, develop application forms and processes, and oversee the evaluation of applications in collaboration with the Dean, Program Directors, Faculty, and Senior Leadership.

In collaboration with the Office of Communications, develop messaging for prospective and current students related to the current tuition fees and Cost of Attendance, scholarship opportunities within GSAPP and externally, financial wellness tools or workshops, and other related resources. Support students with any Financial Aid questions (including external support) and facilitate access to relevant University resources and offices. (30%)

Other duties as assigned. (10%)

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required.  Minimum 4-6 years’ related professional work experience.

Excellent analytical and organizational skills; Strong interpersonal and written communication skills; Team player with empathy, respect for others and a collaborative approach; Ability to respectfully lead and guide others, while also being a good listener who is open to new ideas; Ability to maintain a high-level of confidentiality and working relationships with others.

Understands, is sensitive to, and respects the diverse academic, socio-economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, disabilities and sexual orientation of students, faculty, administrators, and staff; fosters collaboration and consensus building.

Excellent knowledge of management information systems and software programs, and comfort in working with academic and financial aid databases.

Training, education and certifications are strongly desired. Experience in higher education, Architecture or related fields and specifically in a university system or industry, is highly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree preferred.

Success in facilitating effective partnerships with and between constituencies applying effective techniques to achieve meaningful impact.

Track record of institutional change and skill in developing vision and strategies that inspire others.

Demonstrated experience-structuring programs to best serve the School’s educational goals while meeting federal and state legal requirements.

Intermediate understanding of federal and state employment law and University policies and procedures.

Ability to act independently, take initiative, build consensus, and exercise sound judgement.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

Commitment to Diversity 

Columbia university is dedicated to increasing diversity in its workforce, its student body, and its educational programs. achieving continued academic excellence and creating a vibrant university community require nothing less. in fulfilling its mission to advance diversity at the university, columbia seeks to hire, retain, and promote exceptionally talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.  , share this job.

Thank you - we'll send an email shortly.

Other Recently Posted Jobs

Events and Office Coordinator

Executive director of communications, director of graduate admissions.

Refer someone to this job

• ©2022 Columbia University
• Accessibility
• Administrator Log in

Wait! Before you go, are you interested in a career at Columbia University? Sign up here! 

Thank you, for sharing your information. A member of our team will reach out to you soon!

This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors' experiences. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University's usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice .

• Share full article

What’s the Best Way to Explore Kenya? Join a Local Hiking Club.

The author sought an authentic experience, and found it in Lets Drift, “an exuberant Kenyan-centered enterprise” of people living in and near Nairobi.

Hikers embark on the Kahunira trail through the agrarian countryside near Githunguri in Kiambu County, Kenya. The outing was organized by a local hiking club called Lets Drift. Credit... Rolf Potts

Supported by

By Rolf Potts

• Aug. 26, 2024

By the time we reached the third waterfall on the Kahunira trail, my wife, Kiki, and I had been walking through the forested backcountry of Kiambu County, Kenya, for nearly three hours. Along the way, we had tasted sweet lady finger bananas in the market town of Githunguri, sipped a sour Kikuyu home brew called muratina proffered by laborers at a rural gravel quarry and made a heart-pounding shortcut across rust-flecked irrigation pipes that traversed a steep gorge fringed with tea plantations.

Our companions were two dozen young Kenyans who’d learned of the excursion through Lets Drift , an outdoor recreation community that creates weekly hikes, bicycle excursions and mountaineering treks in the countryside outside Nairobi.

Upon arriving at the forest-shaded waterfall, some members of our cohort stripped down to swimsuits, performed acrobatic dives off boulders that edged the cascade pool and posed for selfies in the midafternoon sun.

In a part of Africa where the conventional tourism industry was built around a wildlife-focused, British colonial footprint, Lets Drift stands out as an exuberant Kenyan-centered enterprise. Its aim is to celebrate outdoor recreation and, at the same time, generate a sense of community among the country’s growing urban middle class.

Created in 2018 by Alex Kamau and Paul Njuguna, both from greater Nairobi, Lets Drift attracts roughly 8,000 participants each year, many of whom participate in activities like hiking, e-biking, backcountry camping and digital detox retreats. “Our mission is to make adventure more accessible and affordable for Kenyans,” Mr. Kamau said.

Lets Drift also welcomes international travelers looking for an unconventional experience in Kenya. Within the traditional model of East African tourism, outsiders endeavoring to “meet the locals” often wind up having roadside photo-and-souvenir encounters with Kenyans wearing traditional Masai or Samburu costumes. But on the Kahunira waterfall trail, the Kenyans we interacted with wore Lycra and hiking boots, and carried day packs. Like us, they were tourists; unlike us, they weren’t traveling all that far from home.

‘Affordable and accessible’

The decision to begin our Kenya sojourn by joining a Nairobi hiking club flowed out of my habit of perusing online local newspapers of the places I one day hope to visit. After reading a December 2020 Business Daily Africa feature about Lets Drift , I began to follow the Kenyan hiking community on Instagram . The outdoor images posted there resonated, not because I found them exotic, but because I found their celebration of exploring the wilderness within driving distance of Nairobi relatable to my own youthful summertime explorations of the backcountry trails of the Colorado Rockies.

Indeed, just as the notion of who was able to travel long distances was democratized by railroad and steamship technologies in the 19th century, social media has democratized the kinds of stories — and storytellers — that can inspire and inform us about places before we go there. In giving us a peek into what local people do for fun in the places we seek to visit, hiking clubs like Lets Drift (or similar communities tied to things like sports, art or cuisine) enable us to explore ways that we, as tourists, can respectfully join in.

Our relaxed five-hour Kahunira waterfall hike looped us back to the town of Githunguri, where we shared a classic Kenyan meal of nyama choma (barbecued goat) and ugali (cornmeal porridge) with our fellow hikers as we waited to catch a shared minivan back to Nairobi. In keeping with Lets Drift ritual, we addressed each other by alliterative trail names — Dazzling Daisy, Jolly John, Kurious Kiki, Relaxed Rolf.

When I mentioned that I hadn’t seen the Kahunira waterfalls described in any guidebooks or on any travel websites, Wango Alfred, a 25-year-old artist and photographer from Nairobi who’d served as our guide, told me that Lets Drift scouts out its own routes. “We rarely seek out the same places as international tourists,” he said. “We like to keep things affordable and accessible for everyday Kenyans. Sometimes this means walking across private agricultural lands, so establishing relationships with local leaders and spending money at the village level — like we are right now — counts for a lot.”

I asked him: “Was it strange to have a couple of Americans come along?”

“All kinds of people join us,” he said, noting that Nairobi is a cosmopolitan place that mixes cultures within Kenya, which means Lets Drift hikes might involve people from various ethnic groups socializing with those from other groups: Kikuyu with Kalenjin, Luo with Kenyan Somalis and Kenyan Asians — all of them learning about one another’s cultures as they go. “When Americans or Europeans join us, it feels like we get to travel outside of Kenya and learn things about those places, too. The goal is simply to relax and be present, to feel the ground as we get to know new people, whoever those people might to be.”

The mission: ‘To evangelize outdoor adventure’

In the days following our hike, Kiki and I combined day visits to Nairobi sights like the Karen Blixen Museum and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage, with evening meet-ups with our new Kenyan hiking friends.

At a restaurant called the Talisman in the city’s Karen suburb, we had beef stir-fry with a 27-year-old foreign-relations lawyer who’d hiked under the name “Malignant Marc” Chirchir. At the BigFish in Westlands, we had brown ugali and tilapia that had been “wet-fried” in a vegetable stew with “Radiant Ruth” Kuria, a 34-year-old study-abroad administrator. Our conversations mixed the local (Ruth had recently been married in a traditional Kikuyu ceremony; Marc’s Kalenjin family hailed from a tea-growing area) with the global (Marc had spent time in Rwanda and Britain, Ruth in Malaysia and Turkey).

Kiki and I also paid a visit to the Nairobi Garage , a Silicon Valley-style co-working space not far from Nairobi’s central business district. There, on a breezy veranda full of young Africans doing business on their laptops and smartphones, we met Mr. Kamau, the 30-year-old Nairobi native who helped found Lets Drift in 2018.

“Our first goal was to evangelize outdoor adventure among Kenyans,” Mr. Kamau said. “And at the same time, we’re trying to decolonize that idea of travel. At popular tourist destinations like the Masai Mara, three out of every five safari outfitters are operated by Western companies, not by Kenyans. I don’t take it personally, but I want to shift the dynamics with what we are doing with Lets Drift. We are fighting hard to make sure people aren’t looking at just one dimension of our country.”

Alex told us how Lets Drift started as a WhatsApp group of recent university graduates who enjoyed hiking together as a way to stretch their comfort zones and experience new places. As word of mouth grew, Mr. Kamau and Mr. Njuguna asked for a small subscription fee to cover group expenses. The turning point for Lets Drift came in 2020, when dusk-to-dawn Covid curfews compelled scores of Kenyans to seek outdoor diversions by day.

“Before Covid we would have maybe five people on a hike,” Mr. Kamau said. “The first hike after Covid attracted 50 people. I remember calling Paul and asking him, ‘Do you know anyone we can hire? We need more guides.’ So instead of having one hike on a single day, we’d organize five.”

Rich stories

Lets Drift operates on a subscription model, with Kenyan members gaining access to a variety of beginner, moderate and challenging hikes for the 2,000-shilling monthly fee (about $15; non-Kenyans pay the equivalent of $20 to $40 per excursion, depending on the type of experience and the distance from Nairobi).

Hikes are organized around attractions, accessibility and safety; some offerings also include yoga, mountain biking and photography excursions. “We want more people to travel,” Mr. Kamau said, “so we’re experimenting with all the things we can do for them.”

“We’ve seen a shift in the way Kenyans view their own wilderness,” he added. “People used to view hiking and mountaineering as a mzungu thing,” he added, using the Swahili term for foreign people. “Now we see it as something that’s accessible for everyone.”

Mr. Kamau went on to describe some of the reasons members have given for joining Lets Drift. “One member told me she joined Lets Drift because it was a more enjoyable way to work out than going to the gym,” he said. “Another joined so she could have a day each week where she could just be herself, instead of being seen as someone’s mother or daughter or employee. And of course, people like you and Kiki are just looking for a different way to experience our country.”

“When you match all these perspectives together,” he said, “the stories people hear about Kenya become so much richer.”

Rolf Potts is the author of five books, including “Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term Word Travel” and, most recently, “The Vagabond’s Way.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Provincetown, Mass.:  Located at the tip of Cape Cod, P-town (as locals call it) has overlapping — and sometimes competing — identities : one of America’s oldest art colonies, nature preserve, thriving L.G.B.T.Q. resort and historic Portuguese fishing village.

Lake Como, Italy:  Stars like George Clooney frequent this scenic corner of northern Italy, but you might be surprised by how affordable it can be. Here’s an insider’s guide .

South of France:  Horses, bulls and birds of all types live among the pink marshes of the Camargue, a rugged landscape shaped  by the relentless push and pull of sea and river.

Disney Theme Parks:  As Disney has raised the cost of tickets and hotel rooms at its theme parks, and added pricey, difficult-to-navigate tools, even its most loyal fans are asking themselves  if they should rethink their vacations.

Helsinki, Finland:   Explore the stunning architecture  of the new central library, browse treasure-filled shops in the Design District, sweat in a wood-burning sauna, sip cocktails on a schooner and trek across islands in the surrounding archipelago.

Advertisement

The Club at Morningside 4+

The club at morningside, inc, designed for ipad.

• 5.0 • 2 Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

Everything you love about The Club at Morningside’s website, now in a native, easy-to-use mobile app! The time-saving tools you use online are now even more convenient; connect with other members, register for events, make a tee time, reserve a court and get up-to-the-minute updates directly from the club... all in real-time. Built with communication at its core, it’s your membership toolbox... anytime, anywhere!

Version 6.8.0

- Bug fixes

Ratings and Reviews

App privacy.

The developer, THE CLUB AT MORNINGSIDE, INC , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• App Support
• Privacy Policy

You Might Also Like

Morningside Community Assoc.

Cascade Hills Country Club

Lomas Santa Fe Country Club

Maroon Creek Club

Broken Top Club

Other destinations

• 55.3233 73.07655 1 Chernoluchye/Krasnoyarka recreation area

Expect that some knowledge of Russian will greatly assist you in your travels here.

Omsk is a major stop (and indeed, one of the best stops) on the Trans-Siberian Railway . This capital city is also the "terminus" for the Trans-Siberian Railway's South Ural branch.

Omsk Tsentralny Airport ( OMS   IATA ), serviced by flights from Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Krasnoyarsk , and Andijan , Uzbekistan .

• Cruising, whitewater rafting, and canoeing along the Irtysh, Tara, and Shish rivers

The next major stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway are Tyumen to the west and Novosibirsk to the east. The first major stop to the west along the South Ural Branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway is Petropavlovsk , Kazakhstan .

• Has custom banner
• Has mapframe
• Has map markers
• Has Geo parameter
• Western Siberia
• All destination articles
• Outline regions
• Outline articles
• Region articles
• Bottom-level regions
• Pages with maps

Navigation menu

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Omsk: Western Siberia's hidden gem

A city view of Omsk. Source: Dmitry Feoktistov

Omsk was founded in 1716 when a wooden fort was constructed to house a Cossack unit in the area to protect the expanding Russian frontier from Central Asian nomadic incursions. It served various administrative functions throughout the 1800s and became infamous as a place of exile and incarceration. The city was rundown when selected as a hub for the Trans-Siberian railway in the 1890s. Many international trade companies and foreign consulates relocated here and the remnants of their offices can still be found in the city today.

The mystery of Kolchak’s gold

Omsk became the headquarters of the anti-Bolshevik white army led by Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak in 1918. In late 1918 there was a revolt in the city initiated by a leftist faction (Socialist Revolutionary Party or SPs) with 500 rebel deaths at the hands of Cossacks and Czechoslovak soldiers, a major factor in convincing the SPs to join the Bolsheviks. There is a large Soviet-era monument to the uprising at the corner of Lenina street and Broz Tito street.  

Kolchak was entrusted with a large portion of the Tsarist’s gold reserves, yet amazingly lost much of it. Supposedly 250 million rubles were lost (about $8 million at the time). Legend has it that they were buried near the village of Taiga, yet numerous excavations have turned up nothing. The area still attracts the occasional fortune seeker.

Kolchak’s headquarters are located at what is today the  Omsk Regional Archives  at Broz Tito St., 3. Nothing shows how much times have changed as the imposing Kolchak statue that was unveiled in 2012 around the corner. The statue guards  Kolchak restaurant , a four-story culinary complex featuring a steak house, an Irish pub, a Central Asian café and an Italian eatery.  For more details on where and how to dig Kolchak's gold, see  Top Ten Mysterious Lost Treasures of Russia

Dostoevsky and the Tsar

At 1.15 million people Omsk dwarfs the region’s second largest city, Tara (population 28,000). The city is split by the River Irtysh into two sections (all places of interest are on the right bank) with downtown emanating from the River Om.

Most foreigners have heard of Omsk via writer Fyodor Dostoevsky who spent four years here as a prisoner (1849-1853). He spent most of his time in Omsk in squalor and chains and with no books besides the Bible, however, it left an indelible mark on his memory and influenced his future literary output. There is a statue of the writer in chains grasping a Bible at the corner of Partizanskaya and Spartakovskaya streets, where Dostoevsky undoubtedly stepped many times. A  museum dedicated to the author's time in Omsk  is located nearby at Dostoevskogo St. 1. The local university is also named for him.

A view of the Assumption Cathedral, Omsk. Source: Lori/Legion-Media

Tarskaya Street is one of the city’s oldest thoroughfares. It features a monument to victims of Stalinist repressions and the Tara gates, originally built in 1792 as one of the four entrances to the Omsk fort. Nearby stands the Assumption Cathedral, one of the largest churches in Siberia. Future Tsar Nicholas II laid the first stone here in 1891 when making his way back to St. Petersburg after his Eastern journey.

In Omsk you are never more than a few steps from the village, made clear when one exits the center to the north, where most houses are wooden and roads unpaved. Stroll along Bulatova and Rabinovicha streets, a well-preserved ensemble of wooden architecture.

Omsk’s cultural heritage 

The Pushkin State Library is worth a look with busts of Russian literary figures adorning the front side of the building. At the corner under the big “M” is one of several stations of the never completed Omsk metro. Construction began in 1992, but as of 2014 the project is again dormant due to financing problems.

One of Omsk’s most famous sons is Symbolist painter Mikhail Vrubel (1856-1910). Vrubel ignored contemporary trends and focused on themes from fairy tales, demons and religious subjects and also designed a majolica frieze for the Metropol Hotel in Moscow. Omsk’s Fine Arts Museum is named for him and features a number of  his works .

Milhail Vrubel's painting 'Demon Seated in a Garden' (1890)

Over the years a number of tourists have tripped over the monument to Stepanych. This bust of a plumber rising from a sewer was the idea of Omsk’s former mayor after a trip to Slovakia in the 1990s. Stepanych has become one of the symbols of the city.

Omsk is a hockey town, with one of the major teams,  Avangard , in the KHL, Russia’s premiere professional league. Russian champions on several occasions, check out a match at Omsk Arena. But if you can’t catch a game there’s a large kiosk featuring the team’s merchandise at the airport.

Siberian   punk, jazz and the classics

While Omsk may not be on everyone’s radar musically, it does host a  musical theater  built just after the war. The building on 10 Let Oktyabrya Street is in the form of an enormous sloping grand piano.

A monument to Stepanych, Lenina Street, Omsk. Photo credit: RIA Novosti/Pavel Lisitsyn 

Perhaps Russia’s most famous punk band,  Grazhdanskaya oborona  (Civil Defence), was formed here in 1982. The band was active until 2008 when lead singer Yegor Letov died of heart failure at age 43. Letov is buried at the Staro-Vostochnoe cemetery. A sprawling graveyard with thousands of graves, fans should stop at the administration for help in locating his grave.

In Russia, Omsk is known among the younger, tech-savvy generation primarily because of the “Omsk bird,” also known as Winged Doom. The origin of what became one of Russia’s most ubiquitous memes comes from a painting by German artist Heiko  Müller. One day in 2009 an Internet user posted this painting with the line, “Welcome to Omsk,” at the top. Additional versions menace viewers stating, “Don't try to leave Omsk,” and “Omsk is closer than you think.” Like many popular memes on the Internet, this one went viral and has become something like an unofficial symbol of the city.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.