Summer is a small life

Organize a family trip to Lake Baikal and celebrate the anniversary.

During the festive evening in honor of the birthday, we should have had a concert of the famous Russian celebrity on the shore of Lake Baikal. In the report, we conducted a phased analysis of the event, starting from the signing a contract with the performer, ending with an analysis of the mistakes made and the options for solving them in the future.

Yuri called us on March 1. In summer, he planned to spend time actively and celebrate his wife's anniversary on Lake Baikal. Comfort was important for him, so Yuri chose the best hotel in the north of the lake — Baikal Residence.

With all the advantages of the hotel, there is one significant drawback — it is six hundred kilometers from Irkutsk. It takes 1.5–2 days to get there by water or by land. We offered to fly by private jet for 1.5 hours, but this option wasn't suitable. It was decided to move the program to the South of the lake, connecting the route to the Circum-Baikal Railway and the Khamar-Daban mountain range.

According to the plan, the guests were to arrive on July 6, take a steam bath, go for a massage, and sleep. The next day after fishing, to arrange, for an unsuspecting birthday woman, a concert on the terrace with a cake and a guest star. The next three days were devoted to the active program — SUVs driving, storming a mountain river by the airboat, a trip to the glacial lakes, a cruise.

First, we determined the place of residence. For Yuri, it was important to reduce the number of transfers from hotel to hotel. We chose the Recreation Center of Russian Railways and the new hotel Belosnezhka. Then we chose the equipment and made a preliminary estimate. Menu and small details like outfit equipment we left for later. In early May, we began to discuss the organization of the festive evening.

What was to be decided:

We agreed with Mityaev that the performance will take place on July 7 at 20:00. He was accompanied by seven other people: a concert director, administrator, two musicians, a sound engineer, and two technicians.

Before making an advance payment of the fee, we received from the representative of the musician a contract and two riders: household and technical. In the household, there were living conditions, flights, food preferences and all that doesn't apply to the technical part. Here it can be specified how many towels are required in the dressing room, the brand of water and the fat content of favorite yogurt. The technical rider regulates the scene plan and equipment requirements — consoles, equalizers, musical instruments, sound, light.

I sent the contract to the lawyer, the technical rider transferred to the Asia Music Company — they are engaged in designing and installing musical equipment at concert venues in Irkutsk. I was engaged in the household rider.

Requirements were as follows:

In the middle of May, Yuri and I started discussing the menu. The guests accepted the options offered by us without any changes. It was necessary only to develop a separate menu for the eldest daughter – Anna. Due to her allergies, the chef removed from her diet: dairy products, nuts, rice, sesame, eggs, oatmeal, red fish and red meat. From the rest: poultry, white fish, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, we had to come up with a varied menu for five days. While the rest are having fun with amber trout with mashed asparagus and cream, eating it with honey cake, Anna should not feel like in a sanatorium where she is treated with starvation.

One of the wishes of Yuri was to cross Baikal from one bank to another. He didn’t want to do it on a speedboat, and with a charter of worthy yachts on the lake is an eternal problem. The owner has changed, the screw has turned down, stopped working with tourists, very high price — sometimes it is difficult to find arguments “for”. It was really difficult, but finally, we found the most suitable yacht for us. Yuri, after consulting with his eldest son, Artyom, approved it.

When I analyzed the contract with the musician, I was alerted by two things. The first is the “clumsiness” of the text. There was an impression that it was written hastily and definitely not by a lawyer. Everything is vague, without precise wording. The second is bonded conditions. In case of disagreement, the musician is always in the black. Definitely, the amounts that we had to pay, should have been supported by a serious contract.

We understand that in show business a contract is nothing more than a paper. Everything happens on trust, with the help of a handshake. If the artist fails, then tomorrow he may lose part of the concerts and corporate events. But that didn't make it easier. We did not want to spoil the holiday, even if it could deprive the artist of all performances.

Paragraph 5.3 was particularly disturbing in the contract: “In case of unilateral refusal of the contractor to perform the contract, the latter undertakes to return to the customer the advance payments made by him to the cashier of the contractor.” This meant that they could say to Yuri for a couple of minutes before the performance: “We changed our mind, there will be no concert, take your money.” There was no penalty that would motivate the musician not to do so. It took two weeks of negotiations to change the terms of the paragraph.

If this text comes to concert directors or personally to Oleg Grigorievich, I would like them not to be offended. Customer feedback and constructive criticism are helpful. Perhaps it will be useful to other artists. We would be more happy to offer our guests performances of stars during travels. To do this, they and their concert directors need to reach an agreement:

In the movie “Burnt” with Bradley Cooper, the main character, a follower of the old school, is experiencing a creative crisis that does not allow him to “catch” a new taste and get a third Michelin Star. Just sous vide helps him — technology with which we planned to rethink the dishes for our hikes.

Sous vide is a cooking method in which meat or vegetables are placed in a plastic bag with pumped air and slowly prepared at a relatively low and precisely controlled temperature.

When our chef brought quinoa with turkey and bulgar with chicken in vacuum bags, it did not look appetizing. After it turned out in the plates, a rich smell of vegetables, spices, and meat went. Not a drop of oil and no roasting. Everything was prepared in a vacuum at low temperatures — all the taste and nutrients of the products remained inside. None of the products lost texture, elasticity, and shape. So you can cook almost any dish.

Now, to feed guests with tasty and useful food we only need to boil the water in a pot, throw the packets there and wait 10 minutes. Restaurant menu in the absence of civilization. We decided to try this novelty during a hike on Soboliniye Lakes.

We drove two SUVs to the exit of the Irkutsk airport building. It was 50 minutes left before the landing of the guests. At that moment, on the pier in the Village of Kultuk, two hours from Irkutsk, was loading on the boat support staff, equipment and products. To have time to prepare for meeting guests at the Recreation Center of Russian Railways, the boat had to depart at 8 am.

At 7:50, the captain was ready to set off, they were waiting for the cake — it should have been delivered in a separate refrigerator car. From the airport, I called the manager of the confectionery company. He didn't answer. After three or four unsuccessful calls I called his director. It turned out that the manager who took the order confused the date and our cake had not even baked.

Kostya, the director of the confectionery said, “Vladimir, don't worry, we'll deliver it by helicopter.” The guests hadn't left the plane yet, but we already had a mistake.

The notorious human factor throws up such unforeseen tasks every day. Over time we stop to be nervous, the immunity to stupidity and irresponsibility of people is developed. We just need to correct their mistakes and move on according to the daily schedule of the program.

When we saw Yuri accompanied by his family, he no longer seemed like a stranger to us. It always happens when you communicate with the customer directly for several months. This significantly discharges the situation and sets a positive impetus at the start. As if you meet an old friend.

We got our luggage, sat in the cars and drove to the center of Irkutsk for breakfast. While the guests were eating, we met Oleg Mityaev with his team. Their flight landed 30 minutes after the guests. We planned that we first deliver the family of Yuri to the Recreation Center of Russian Railways. Musicians were sent a little later so that they don't meet with the birthday woman. We wanted to keep the surprise until the next day.

After breakfast, we drove to the pier in the Village of Kultuk, the southernmost point of Baikal. At the same time, in Kultuk our workers were putting boxes with musical equipment aboard a cargo ship. They needed to have time to transfer two tons of light and sound in two hours. By the arrival of the guests, this ship was not supposed to stand out among the others on the pier. We could send it earlier — it was planned to transport the musicians and the cake, which could not be delivered by the morning boat.

Previously, we sent photos and a description of the recreation center to the concert director. Expecting that he understands that this is not a 4* hotel, as stated in the rider, we did not call him and did not recheck. He also did not show attention to this issue. There was an understanding that people go to work, and it is not so important where to spend two nights.

The Recreation Center of Russian Railways consists of two complexes. The first is luxury, the second is simpler. We accommodated Mityaev with the director in luxury. The rest of the team, including the remaining members of the musician's group we placed in a simple complex. In order to neutralize the moment that the complexes are located at 700 m distance from each other, a separate boat was planned for transfers. We also did not worry because there is simply no better-living conditions in this area.

Initially, we perceived musicians as part of our team, which works to satisfy the guests. They perceived us as a service staff that works to satisfy them. There were moments when I could be sent for a bottle of water or asked to carry a suitcase. And my assistant to change cutlery or pour tea. It was important to arrange the roles in advance.

“During the stay at the hotel to provide 3 meals a day” — the fourth item of the household rider modestly said. No specific instructions, just that. We decided to feed Oleg Grigorievich and his concert director with the same food we fed the guests in the main building. The group accompanying the musician was supposed to eat in the kitchen of the neighboring complex, where their rooms were located. Together with the team of organizers. Everything went wrong with the first chop.

When the musicians just arrived at the Recreation Center, they said they went to bed, and they would have lunch later. That is, the chef had to cook them separately, because according to our rules we do not serve heated meals. “It's okay, we will survive once,” we decided with the chef.

Dinner that day went according to plan, but then it collapsed completely. They started going to the refrigerator at night and asked for food, when all the staff was asleep. Endless snacks and “bring us that.” With the musicians, the kitchen stopped working on the menu. By the afternoon of the second day the problem was simple: “Just feed.” In addition, they stopped eating in different complexes, and gathered in one.

On the night of July 6 to 7, the day of the match between Russia and Croatia, the musicians did not go to bed at all. The kitchen workers began to worry if they had enough food. They started to use personal stocks: pelmeni, lard, someone brought vegetables, someone took out a jar of gooseberry jam. At one o'clock at night we sent a boat to catch fish. “To live till morning,” the chef muttered.

We could avoid this chaos. In the contract with the musician, it was necessary to write the menu and schedule of meals.

Our team had an uncontrollable stream of wishes, with which we didn't know how to cope. We were unplanned asked to arrange a fishing trip, give a bottle of wine, which was not in the rider, to provide an extra room. To organize an additional waiter, drive the boat with fishing gear and deliver the wine are simple tasks, but they were not specified in advance.

We found ourselves in a situation where we are forced to fulfill the requirements not agreed with the musicians in order not to disrupt the performance, which is agreed in the contract with Yuri. It cost us money, but we could not bill the guest. We also couldn't take money from the musicians or refuse them. They used a set of my mistakes made when performing a rider. I don't blame them for that.

It was necessary to make the same program for the musicians as for the guests. Transfer, meals, accommodation, daily schedule — to register everything up to the number of sandwiches on the table. Essentially the same rider, only from our side. In case of default, we could ask to pay a penalty. Or jump out of a cake.

Inviting stars of show business to work, you should follow a few rules:

In the morning we prepared a ship, an instructor and fishing gear. But before boarding a ship there was a situation that confused not only me.

Even at the stage of preparation, the concert director wanted to send Oleg Gridorievich to go fishing with the guests. Yuri and I positively received the news and decided that this was a great opportunity to surprise his wife. But then everything changed, and Mityaev, referring to the desire to rest before the concert, refused. We didn't pay special attention to this — nothing bad.

The ship was ready, the waiters were carrying snacks and drinks to the deck, the guests were having breakfast at that moment. I came to the pier to check everything and met the concert director of Oleg Grigorievich. He was dressed in a tracksuit, with a backpack, ready to go with us, but without Mityaev. Oleg Grigorievich is a star, everyone knows him. His presence on the ship is appropriate. The concert director, even Mityaev's, but without him, is just a stranger.

How can I explain to the guests his appearance on board? How to introduce him? Here is the captain — he controls the ship, this is a fishing instructor — he helps to fish, and this is an unknown person — it's not clear, why he is here. He was offended and went to bed, leaving me alone with the question of who was wrong in this situation.

To set the festive tone in the morning, we delivered a box of fresh peonies for the birthday woman. The weather on this day was quiet and it was not hot. The guests went to the pier after breakfast and boarded the ship. The captain sailed off and went along the Circum-Baikal Railway. Periodically he made stops and we lured the fish with the noodles and threw hooks into the water.

For four hours we didn't catch any fish, but we had fun — we were talking, sharing impressions, drinking tea with homemade cakes and farm cheese. By lunch, the ship moored to the recreation center, the guests went ashore and went to the table laid in the fireplace room.

At 7:00, while the guests were sleeping, the technicians dismantled the equipment and loaded it onto the ship. The musicians collected things and prepared for the flight to Moscow. By nine in the morning at the recreation center, nothing reminded about yesterday's concert. A further journey from that moment went for us as usual.

After breakfast, the guests boarded a high-speed boat and went to the Village of Vydrino — one and a half hours by water from the Recreation Center of Russian Railways. The airboat and two guides were waiting for them at the place. The goal was to climb the river and go to Soboliniye Lakes.

For lunch, there was a test menu in a vacuum and we were interested in receiving feedback. At about two o'clock in the afternoon, the guides made a fire, boiled water for tea and reheating the vacuum bags of food. The opinions were divided. Young people said it was unusual, technologically advanced and healthy. Yuri and his wife said that in the taiga conditions it is not capable of replacing boiled potatoes with lard — the atmosphere is not the same.

Guests managed to go down the river before the rain. For their arrival at the hotel, dinner was prepared and the fireplace was kindled.

SUVs arrived at the parking lot at ten to eleven. We sat on three cars and went to the foot. During the summer we go to Mamai Mountain 5–6 times. This is one of those places that does not bother. We associate it with its privacy and friendly atmosphere. Due to the inaccessibility of people, nature isn't changed much here. The locals don't change either. It has its own special climate — the perfect place to visit.

While the wheels slowly climbed up on the stones and dirt, the chef inflated the coals for cooking dinner. By noon, the group was at the central cottage, where they were met by local people — Sergey and Asya. They took the guests for a walk to the waterfall and the mountain lake. With my assistant and the drivers, we were preparing the place for dinner: we brought a table, laid them, inflated sofas, helped the chef with the grill.

Every year we change the menu at all locations. The feature of this year in Mamai Mountain was grilled meat dishes: pork ribs, lamb shoulder, homemade pork sausages. The absolute hit, marked by 80 % of the guests — beef side Pastrami.

At 5 in the morning, we loaded snacks and drinks on a yacht in Irkutsk. In the Village of Vydrino, it moored two hours before the breakfast of the guests. The captain had time to clean the deck before boarding.

Yuri's family was taken to the pier by minibus. Three kilometers of the Village Vydrino take half an hour — the road without repair since Soviet times. All in holes.

On this day, the plan was to cross the lake from the East Bank to the West, take a walk in the Ethnographic Museum Taltsy and return to the Recreation Center of Russian Railways. If possible, to visit the Nerpinary with trained Baikal seals and observation platform in the Village Listvyanka. The weather and the water were quiet, nothing prevented us from fulfilling our plans.

From this year we stopped using the services of the tavern located in Taltsy. Our own catering allows us to be more maneuverable in terms of time of serving and choice of dishes. We can also bring several chefs, make themed dinners and use different table decorations.