Dancing in the Streets... of Zurich

Can I just gush about Zürich for a bit? I don't live there, but I have got to figure out a way to make that happen!

Sunday, Zürich played host to our first ever bloggers (and lovers and fans) in Switzerland meet-up. Some of us toured the Google offices and then a huge group of us met up at Café Balthazar (um, mouth watering Flammekueche - yum!). Isaiah and I had a great time meeting some wonderful people. (Thanks again everyone for the great turnout!)

As if that weren't enough fun, after everyone went their separate ways, Isaiah, R, and I went for a walk along the lake and found this Latin Dance Party!! Heck, yeah!

Although it's not very possible that we'll move there, we sure want to make more visits to Zürich this summer. What a city!

Die Bombe! Swiss Party Staple

One of my fondest childhood memories is getting to beat a piñata to oblivion on my birthday. Our papier-mâché creatures were always stuffed with spicy Mexican candy, American candy, and small toys. The goal, of course, was to release the treasure and scramble to gather as much of the goodies as our pockets could hold.

Far way in the land of Heidi, Swiss children have a similar birthday tradition, sort of. Instead of exploding a piñata with sheer human force, Swiss kids get to light an indoor explosive just powerful enough to pop the lid off of a cardboard cylinder that spews party favors like balloons, hats, and mini games. (Sadly, no candy.)

This genius of a party novelty is known as the Tischbombe. That's right, it's a table bomb, specifically designed for indoor use. No need for the complications involved with piñata use: a blindfold, a baseball bat, and a nearby tree. Simply place the Bombe on a non-flammable surface, hand your kid a match, and light 'er up! (We found these at Migros.)

Highlights from a Weekend in Stuttgart, Germany

Affectionately known as the city of Treppen, or stairways, Stuttgart quite literally kicked my butt this past weekend. Today is the first day my calves and quads aren't sore - I'm a wimp, I know. Nonetheless, we managed to have quite a relaxing weekend just wandering around, visiting bookstores, and people watching at the Spring Festival. (Note to self: never again eat fair food no matter how enticing - we all had upset stomachs before bed that night.) Although we didn't see all there is to see in Germany's sixth largest city, thank you Wikipedia, we made sure to hit up a few spots frequented by tourists and locals alike.

Markthalle Stuttgart: Indoor marketplace boasting spices galore, dried fruits, and delicacies from around the world.

Sunday Brunch at Zadu Bar: For only 9.90 Euros per person you get all-you-can-eat eggs, bacon (American-style!), sausage, cereal, pasta, salad, rolls, fruit, desserts and more!

 

Höhenpark: This lovely park is a short walk from the Weissenhof Estate I mentioned in yesterday's post. A humble donation of 50 cents allows you to climb the tower for a decent view of the city.

 

Karlshöhe

Here you'll find an outdoor café called "Tschechen & Söhne" that serves a variety of drinks and eats. I recommend the Maultaschen mit Kartoffelsalat, which is a traditional meal of the Schwaben region, consisting of medium-sized noodle pockets and a simple yet delicious potato salad.

Honorable mentions:
1. Mos Eisely Bar - it was dead on Friday night, but was one of the few places that had a separate room for smokers.
2. If you can deal with smoke, Club Zwölfzehn had a cool rockabilly scene going on.

Bauhaus: Design in Stuttgart

Before this past weekend, Bauhaus was just a term filed away in my mind's folder labeled "Stuff the pretentious kids said in my art history class in college." You may know it as the style in which "form follows function." In other words, the space, or object, is designed with its function in mind and an emphasis on zero frills. I had heard of it, but I had never seen it. This it can refer to a style of architecture, and I had the opportunity to visit some examples.

As far as I understand, the Wiessenhof Estate in Stuttgart is a group of houses designed in the Bauhaus style. A group called the Deutscher Werkbund commissioned the estate as an exhibition in the late 20s. Sixteen different architects were invited to participate in the project and contribute their designs for single family and multi-family homes. The purpose was to introduce a new way of designing living space that would be utilitarian and affordable enough to help solve the housing shortage in Stuttgart.

The houses feature concrete building materials, flat roofs (which serve as space-saving terraces), and small windows. Today you can wander through the estate, a sort of outdoor museum, and read (in English, too!) about each house and view its floor plans. Beware the laundry hanging in the yard - the houses are fully occupied by residents.

Beyond the practical exteriors, the interiors of these homes were also specifically created to save space and money. Such functional features include built-in wardrobes, hide-away beds, and narrow hallways. If you'd like to get an idea of what the architects intended for the interiors, visit French architect Le Corbusier's double family home that was converted into the Weissenhof Museum (first three photos below) in 2002.

View from the Weissenhof Museum

Row houses designed by Dutch architect Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud

Row houses designed by Dutch architect Mart Stam

Cube: Museum Grub in Stuttgart

Even if fine art, especially modern and contemporary, isn't your thing, you shouldn't altogether skip the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart. First, the building itself, a giant glass cube, is worth admiring. There's no need to enter the galleries - just take the stairs and walk the corridors that wrap around half of the building's perimeter. Another attractive feature is Cube Restaurant, which you can freely visit by taking the elevator to the top floor. Here you can escape the afternoon rain, sip fancy chocolate milk (served on a silver tray with drinking water and a sweet), and take in a view of Das Neues Schloss - the castle and surrounding square. If you are interested in the art, the current special exhibition runs through mid June and examines "The Triptych in Modern Art."


Check back soon for more on our weekend trip to visit our dear friend FH, who lives and works in Stuttgart, Germany. I must admit - I loved not having to consult a map and just follow while someone else lead us around town. Brilliant!

The Magic of Spring: Musings in Switzerland

The day before the official arrival of spring, I was snapping some shots of Al and Little L in the backyard. I noticed that a few patches of wildflowers had begun to bloom, but mostly I noticed green buds and shoots beginning to sprout. What amazes me is that over the course of three short weeks, those green buds and shoots blossomed into fragrant purple hyacinths. They seem to have appeared almost overnight! (Before 19 March 09 and After 9 April 09)

Goodies: Things that Made Me Smile in Stasbourg, France

I thought I’d share some last bits of splendor from our Strasbourg trip.

The first is a patisserie called “Stein” located near Parc des Contades (55 Boulevard Clemenceau). We stumbled across it Easter Sunday as we took the twenty-minute walk from our hotel into the city center. We ordered coffees à emporter and some delicious cinnamon breakfast pastries. Mmm.

The other is a women’s clothing boutique called “Ultra Funk” that carries a lot of merchandise by the name “Skunkfunk,” which I think is a Basque label. Here you can find colorful tops, dresses with asymmetrical patterns and hems, accessories, and a few novelty tees for the guys. Rue des Juifs at Rue Brulee.

The Sights of Stasbourg, France

I've never found myself walking around a city with a permanent goofy grin on my face repeating the phrase "I like it here" the way I did this past weekend in Strasbourg. I find that this city has the cosmopolitan charm of Paris without being overwhelming and fussy. The shop, hotel, and wait staff were all so kind and friendly - even after we butchered their language.

The city shares a lot of what makes metropolitan cities like Paris pulse, but on a smaller more accessible scale. Designer boutiques like Hermès abound, but mixed in with discount retailers, so it feels less pretentious. Jazz shows, river boat bars, and parks lead the nightlife scene. Young people partying along the river bank mooned us on the boat tour and surprisingly everyone just cheered and laughed.



I don't mean to keep comparing Strasbourg to Paris, but I've been wanting to make a trip back to the City of Light ever since we moved to Switzerland. I'm glad, though, that it hasn't worked out, otherwise I would never have discovered this little gem: Strasbourg.

Chocolate Easter eggs too beautiful to eat!

Christian Chocolatier

Antiques Flea Market on Saturday (Rue du Vieux-marché-aux-poissons)

Magnolia Trees in Place de la République


View of Restaurant "Au Pont Saint Martin" from boat tour on the Ill

Quai des Pecheurs

Tourists in Strasbourg, France

Although at first glance we may not appear to be the touristy types (fellow tourists have very mistakenly asked us for directions to major sights), we are indeed map-wielding, photo-snapping, coupon-redeeming travelers. We do, however, enjoy strolling to the monuments instead of racing and only consulting the map when absolutely necessary (and in the most discreet manner possible). When we have no local contacts to show us the local hot spots and don’t speak the local languages, we rely on the advice of the tourist office.

Over Easter/My B-day weekend, Isaiah and I took a road trip to Strasbourg, France, located in the Alsace region along the border with Germany. It was kind of a last minute decision, as we had been following the weather forecasts all week to find out which cities within a few hours driving distance would have warm weather. Yes, it was nice here in Switzerland, but we wanted to do a little getaway. Strasbourg did not disappoint.

Upon arrival, we purchased the Strasbourg Pass, coupons you can redeem for major tourist attractions. Overall, we saved about 20 Euros using these passes, and we still had coupons leftover!

Top 5 activities we enjoyed this weekend:

1. People-watching after dark, sitting on the edge of the Ill River, with a bottle of wine.
2. Relaxing on the boat tour (coupon).
3. Climbing to the platform of the cathedral for a view of the city (coupon) - photos below.
4. Admiring junk at the Saturday flea market.
5. Visiting the Museé Historique de la Ville de Strasbourg (coupon). This was one of my favorite museums ever. Recently renovated, you can try on costumes and armor as well as interact with the displays. The relief map from 1727 is impressive.

One more thing we enjoyed was renting bikes for a few hours (coupon) and riding to all the parks. Parc de l’Orangerie was my favorite, but I felt the Jardin Botanique we could have skipped altogether (it was totally run-down.)

As for food, I regret that because our trip was a bit on the spontaneous side, I didn’t get a chance to research the best places to eat. We ate mini “to-go” versions of tarte flambée (crème fraiche, white onions, and bacon on dough), which are like pizzas, but Alsatian style. Our one big dinner was at “Au Pont Saint Martin,” which we spotted on the boat tour. The building is typical Alsatian style with cuisine to match. I recommend the 1/2 Coquelet au Riesling et spätzle, one of the house suggestions.

I Can't Get Enough: Lounging Around in Eastern Switzerland/Western Austria

Look, when you've spent most of your life enjoying San Diego weather and you move to a place like Switzerland with its six-month-long winters, the little things count the most. Like going for a leisurely bike ride and sitting in the sun for a little break.

Here's the big square near the floating opera stage (on the Bodensee) in Bregenz, Austria. From our house, we take a bike path that crosses over into Austrian territory - you hardly realize it! Mostly I just follow Isaiah on his bike because I have no idea where I am going. It's not all bike paths all the way to Bregenz, but it is an easy ride and a great way to spend a spring Saturday.

A Spring Story

The backyard lavender that's been smashed and buried by snow this past winter is finally starting to resume its perky posture.

I feel a bit like this lavender. During winter, I'm buried in coats and boots and scarves and gloves - it's suffocating. I don't feel quite like myself, nor do I look like myself. Now that spring is here, I have shed those cold weather duds for short sleeved blouses and flip flops (even if it's just for a few hours around noon). I walk with my shoulders back and my face to the sun; I'm beginning to feel like me again. I hope that soon the color will return to the lavender bushes, but not as much as I hope to get some color back in my skin!

A woman at the bus stop today was wearing jeans and a long sleeved top with grungy old hiking boots. Her hair was a bit disheveled and she alternated between scolding her dog and her son. About an hour later, we met again at the bus stop. Still with dog and boy in tow, her demeanor had changed; her hair was up in a loose bun and her face was glowing. She had ditched her former outfit for a bright colored sun dress and some sandals, but her bag was empty. I like to think that she just got so fed up with cold weather clothes that she popped into the first clothing shop she saw, found a pretty dress, and deserted her jeans in the dressing room. I think she's as excited about spring as I am.

For the woman who has money to burn

No, no, we haven't been to India recently, so those prices are not in rupees. Yes, my friends, a boutique in Lugano had this, um, fashion displayed in its window, and those price tags are in Swiss francs! I mean, really, you slap a "Made in Italy" label on an ugly dress and you can charge this kind of money?

I don't get it. It looks like some Milanese designer ransacked his grandmother's wardrobe from the late 70s/early 80s and decided that it would be fashionable to bring back this "retro" look. I hope this designer did it as a joke to see how many fools would actually buy this stuff. I know that older ladies find this style tasteful and conservative, and I can respect that. But CHF 800 for that blouse???

I've heard a lot of people say that the Swiss are quite fashionable, but I think that's a bit exaggerated. I have no grounds to speak, since I spend the whole day in my pajamas, but have you seen the girls who wear super baggy bright colored sweatpants and tuck them into their socks? Don't get me started on the older women who stuff their non-skinny jeans (even cargo pants) into their boots. At least they're trying to update their look, I guess.

La Bella Svizzera: Weekend in Lugano

Now I understand what everyone around here means when they say Ticino might as well be Italy. Much of the evidence I found to support this claim I discovered during dinner.

First, it's the food. Sure, the menu at Trani, the restaurant and wine bar we discovered while wandering around the streets of Lugano, featured a "Menu Formaggio" with servings of Raclette and Fondue; even a side of spätzli complemented another dish. Still, these dishes seemed more like the token Swiss items on offer, while everything else on the menu was pure Italian. We devoured the most delectable sweet potato ravioli. We savored the house specialty: La Carciofata, a sampling of different artichoke appetizers. We favored the Italian wine over their other offerings, which brings me to my next point: the wine. The Swiss wines on the menu were significantly more expensive than the Italian ones. And as I mentioned in a previous post, we polished off two bottles during our leisurely dinner, so it's a good thing we went with the more affordable selections. The last very noticeably Italian staple were the men. I don't care if you are Italian-American or Swiss-Italian; if you have Italian blood, you love to love the ladies. The table across from ours seated a boisterous group of seven Italian men. All from Switzerland. Even after I announced to them, in Italian, that we were celebrating our one year wedding anniversary, one of them immediately started to chat me up when Isaiah left the room.

The ragazzo who took this photo of us exclaimed, "Ah, tu sei bellissima, ma tu..." Translation: "Ah, you are beautiful, but you..."

For dessert, Isaiah ordered a sorbetto di limone served with vodka. I ought to start doing that at home!

The interior of this restaurant looks like an old wine cellar, complete with brick walls. I snapped this shot while we and the group of seven were the last to linger.