Arbat Street is not to be confused with New Arbat Street (or "Novyy Arbat Street"), which is an entirely different matter. New Arbat Street is a linear emporium of gambling parlors, electronics shops, a casino or two, and glitzy restaurants. There is also a sports bar/sushi restaurant, which is not an entirely reassuring combination. New Arbat Street was the place to hang out during Soviet times, as it contained restaurants and bars for foreigners, largely populated by the children of the diplomatic community (as explained to me by a Serbian who grew up in Moscow with his diplomat father and who had many unsavory and titillating experiences there). Today as well, New Arbat Street is a swinging place for Muscovites of all generations: the older generations (or at least those with money) frequenting the casinos, and the younger generations skateboarding along the large sidewalks.
