Restaurant “Elite Club Angel”

Despite the fact that the great Armenian director Sergei Parajanov, alas, never managed to live on Armenian soil, although he had such plans, it was in Yerevan that his house-museum was opened. This country always treats all its children with tenderness and sincere love, even those who by the will of fate turned out to be prodigal. Parajanov was born in Georgia, spent a lot of time there, and lived in Moscow and Kyiv for a while. Even those people who are not familiar with the director’s work, according to Armenian tour operators, will be curious to visit the museum dedicated to him. Firstly, perhaps this will inspire them to watch several famous films. And secondly, Parajanov was not only a great master of cinematography, but also a great mystifier, a mocker, who first of all molded the space of his own life and created amazing absurd pictures. All this, of course, was reflected in his legacy, and therefore a visit to the museum turns from a decorous cultural event into a bright attraction.

Sergey Parajanov is a recognized master of avant-garde cinema, who introduced a new stage language into circulation. At the same time, all his techniques and images are nurtured by ancient Christian traditions and the centuries-old cultural heritage of Armenia. So with his pictures he paid tribute to his roots.

Parajanov’s works were also appreciated by foreign masters. Federico Fellini, Louis Aragon, Michelangelo Antonioni, Francois Truffaut and many others expressed their admiration for such films as The Color of Pomegranates and Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. Among Russian masters, Tarkovsky and Vartanov highly valued his work. Some of the techniques used by Parajanov in his works were creatively rethought by other masters. So, despite some modern oblivion, one cannot help but note the influence of the master on the development of modern culture.

Although Parajanov was not lucky enough to live in the homeland of his ancestors – he was born in Tbilisi to an Armenian family – the director left his entire rich legacy in Armenia. Parajanov was an amazingly multifaceted personality – therefore his legacy did not consist only of works related to cinematography. Initially, he studied at the construction department of the Institute of Railway Transport, then took violin and vocal lessons at the Tbilisi and Moscow Conservatories, studied dance at the Tbilisi Opera House, but eventually chose cinema and graduated from VGIK. Parajanov drew brilliantly, made beautiful collages. In general, he turned all the living space around him into high art. Which allowed descendants to admire the rich legacy left by the master, but cost his loved ones dearly. Because of the craving for shocking, the inability, and even the unwillingness to adapt to the blurry, gray and amorphous body of the surrounding philistine masses, not only Parajanov suffered, but also his family.

His first marriage fell apart, although the spouses maintained a warm relationship, the son was raised by his ex-wife, although the boy often saw his father. As a result, Parajanov even spent several years in prison and a colony, accused of sodomy. Although most of his friends and acquaintances assume that the director was heterosexual, he could say anything in his unexpected mysteries and desire to shock others. And the reason for the arrest was a not entirely innocent joke that sounded in an interview with the director, published by one of the Danish newspapers – as if as many as 20 members of the Central Committee of the CPSU were thirsty for lovemaking with Parajanov. This, and a letter in defense of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, persecuted in the late 60s, cost Parajanov 4 years in prison. This extraordinary person, who always wanted to stand out, took the imprisonment hard. He could not adapt to prison customs, and the prisoners suspected that he asked for it himself in order to subsequently make a film about life in captivity. But it was this tragedy that gave the world the symbol of one of the cinematographic awards. A portrait of Pushkin, scratched with a nail on an aluminum kefir lid, had an amazing and adventurous journey before ending up in the hands of Federico Fellini. He liked the thing so much that he cast a silver medal in its likeness. Now such medals are awarded to winners of the Rimini festival.

Another prison work – a shroud painted with amazing biblical images, which Parajanov created especially for his cellmate, who died on the neighboring bunks, is now kept in a museum in Yerevan. In addition to this sad work, the museum’s exposition paints the image of an unusual person, demonstrating dolls, ceramics, collages, drawings and much more created by Parajanov during his life. In total, about six hundred of the master’s creations, made in various forms and styles, are collected here. In addition, the museum features two rooms where the creators of the museum were able to reconstruct the atmosphere and interior decoration of his home from the director’s personal belongings that were kept in his apartment in Georgia. This tour of Armenia will allow fans of Parajanov’s work to learn

An elegant and charming place that combines several options for relaxation at once is “Elite Club Angel”. Here, under one roof, there is a cozy cafe, a chic restaurant, and also one of the best dance clubs in the city. This is not an ordinary dining room, but an amazingly sophisticated lifestyle. For such a meeting, it is worth buying a flight with Uzbekistan Airlines and going to Yerevan. Sophistication here is manifested in everything from the interior ambience and the choice of appropriate musical accompaniment to the amazing selection of dishes and drinks on the menu.

“Elite Club Angel” is an ideal place for arranging an ideal and completely non-standard romantic date. So, if your tour of Armenia is booked for two, include it in your program. Moreover, the establishment is able to support the entire varied official program, from a beautiful dinner with live music to languid dancing for dessert. A real club-restaurant of the forties.

The interior space is divided into three zones. The first is a cafe, then a restaurant combined with a bar and a separate VIP room, where you can arrange a private party, counting on about a dozen people.

The hall of the restaurant “Elite Club Angel” justifies its purpose of connecting hearts with tender bonds. Everything here is conducive to cozy and full of tender glances gatherings. These are soft pastel colors of the walls, and charming landscapes decorating the space, and comfortable wicker furniture. Tables and chairs made of lovely pastoral straw do not limit you to the prim severity of forms with hard backs and starched tablecloths. And so that guests completely forget about the existence of the outside world, with its dank rains, frosts or stifling heat, the temperature in the room is maintained depending on the season by an air conditioner or heating system. Such delights are rare, which you will not encounter even during a holiday in Uzbekistan.

The best time for a romantic outing is Tuesday or Saturday, when an evening of Latin American dances is arranged for visitors right in the restaurant. Entrance to this extravaganza of rhythm and movement is paid, but in return an experienced teacher will help the couple begin to move gracefully and in time, even if the creator, in a fit of deep joy, endowed you with only right limbs, and both of you. Salsa, a sensual and tremulous dance, and nothing will add such charm to the evening as joint movements on the waves of this beautiful music.

If you are not ready to merge in a rush of dance, then you can just listen to live music, especially since it sounds here every evening. Jazz is played on Wednesdays, and on Fridays, more severe and courageous fans of chanson meet in the “Elite Club Angel”.

This is still a restaurant, so it would be unfair to ignore the wonderful cuisine of this establishment, especially since the food here is simply magnificent. You can try another masterpiece of Armenian cuisine or treat yourself to a classic dish from a European gastronomic book. Moreover, people with any taste preferences will be able to choose something for themselves here, both those who cannot imagine their life without animal protein, and followers of a plant-based diet. There is even a special section of the menu for vegetarians, dishes can be found under the heading “Lenten cuisine”. For dessert, you can try a magnificent black aromatic coffee with a drop of something alcoholic, which gives the taste a variety of rich shades. Although you can also enjoy alcoholic drinks without any caffeine. There is plenty to choose from, from elegant tart wine and flirtatious champagne to insidious liqueurs and vermouth. Fans of exclusively strong drinks will be pleased with the presence of rum, gin, cognac and whiskey. To add an element of surprise to the evening, you can try local cocktails.

If you liked the cuisine and chose some signature dish, but do not have the strength to go to the restaurant, you can always order dinner to the hotel in Armenia where you are staying.

“Elite Club Angel” awaits guests seven days a week, from eleven in the morning until midnight.

Contacts: 

Tel.: (+374-10) 58 43 43

Mobile: (+374-77) 57 78 77

Address: RA, Yerevan, Nalbandyan 20