Shopping mall rises on sweets factory in Moscow

Established in the mid-19th century as a candy factory, Red October is an industrial complex of red brick buildings spread out on an island on the Moscow River across from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Its sweet-making capabilities now defunct, the complex is home to trendy new shops, galleries, bars and restaurants populated by stylish young Muscovites. Red October offers relief from the nouveau riche, brand-obsessed aesthetic that dominates many of Moscow's hot spots. Here, against a backdrop rich with imperial and Communist history, young people sporting Herschel backpacks ramble among cultural locales like the offices of the independent TV channel Dozhd.

Lumire Brothers Center of Photography

The Center features rotating exhibitions of 20th-century photography, with themes like "Elvis: Birth of a Legend" and "American Sandbox: Photos by Harold Feinstein". The gift shop is really a bookstore, and the cafe is a welcoming spot in the back.