Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – It is getting closer, the moment to say “au re-voir“. Geneva Living, this blog which I have been writing since March 2009, is making a move!
I will still be writing about life in Geneva, but under GenevaLunch’s new platform, which begins 29 April. Expect major changes, though one thing will remain unchanged: great content.
GenevaLunch will continue to be a non-profit venture run by Ellen Wallace who started it back in 2006. Ellen is absorbing all costs to make this an even better website. I urge you to contribute to help this transition.
Donate anything you can: CHF10 or CHF10,000! The money will be used to enhance your experience and to pay for the move. We do not receive salaries for our work on this site.
Donate now!
Help us continue serving our great community!
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – No week seems to go by without a film festival in town, here’s my ultimate guide to Geneva’s film festivals. Enjoy!
Film festival in Nyon – Photo ©Jared Bloch
Laila Rodriguez
Swiss Film Awards nominees celebrate ©EddyMotion
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - This week catch all the movies nominated for the Swiss Film Awards 2013 at the Grutli Theater for only CHF5 a movie; then attend the Swiss equivalent of the Oscars’ in one of the most beautiful buildings in Geneva, the Batiment de Forces Motrices.
Organizers say “originality, bravery, poetry and social commentary characterize the films selected for the [2013] Swiss Film Awards,” which will take place on 23 March in Geneva.
The QUARTZ Swiss Film Awards - as it is officially known – takes place in a different city each year.
The awards are not only a way to recognize national talent, but also a means to promote Swiss filmmakers; the nominees receive between CHF5,000 and CHF25,000 each.
Among the nominees are Swiss heavyweights Ursula Meier, shortlisted as the Swiss entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2013 Oscar’s Academy Awards and Markus Imhoof, nominated for the same award in 1981.
The movies can be viewed at the Grutli from 19-25 March.
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – After first introducing it in 2012, Swiss television broadcaster RTS will be televising live the 49th Superbowl game – American football’s seminal contest - between the Ravens and 49ers. It will then re-broadcast it on Monday 4 February at 12:00 on RTS Deux.
As always Mr. Pickwick in Geneva and Mr. Pickwick Basel, Darling Pub in Lausanne and Bolgenschanze in Davos, will stay open until 5:00 showing the game and hosting a Super Bowl party.
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Laila Rodriguez
The Geneva Hotel Management School located next to the UN – Photo EH
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – This May, the Geneva Hotel Management School (EHG) will open its doors for one day to give prospective students the opportunity to see first-hand specialised hospitality and restaurant management.
Attending the Open Day is free but registration is required. Email: po@ehg.ch to get your spot now.
The Vieux-Bois Restaurant, considered one of the best in the city, managed by the school and located next to the UN’s Pregny gate, is open to the public for reservations.
The EHG (Ecole Hoteliere de Genève) was recently chosen as one of the top ten best schools in the world.
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – As temperatures continue to drop and the number of people living in the streets seems to grow, there is a dire need for sleeping bags to provide crucial protection from harsh winter conditions.
In response, the Salvation Army in Geneva (Armée du Salut Genève) is carrying out the S.O.S. sacs de couchage or sleeping bag drive. The sleeping bags will be distributed to Geneva residents without access to shelter.
Drop off new or used-but-clean sleeping bags at: Hôtel Bel Espérance (rue de la Vallée 1) in the Old Town, or at the Armée’s main brocante on Route de Chêne 18-20.
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Laila Rodriguez
Celestial show on Christmas day will be seen all around the globe – Image, NASA
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – On 25 December a pair of holiday lights will pop out of the deepening twilight: Jupiter and the Moon are having a Christmas conjunction.
According to Nasa the show will be seen all around the globe, “Even city dwellers, who often miss astronomical events because of light pollution, can see the show. Separated by less than 2 degrees, the bright pair will beam right through urban lights.”
There is no need for a telescope to enjoy the show just look east and search for the holiday lights.
¡Merry Christmas!
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Laila Rodriguez
Give your old cell phones and accessories a new life!
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A Swisscom campaign is calling for donations of old mobile phones to raise funds for school children in Ethiopia.
The campaign seeks to recondition and sell the recycled phones to raise funds for a school in Harar.
The phones will be sorted at the Realise centre in Geneva (which also refurbishes old computers). Non-working mobiles will be disposed of in an “environmentally friendly manner in Switzerland” while the good phones will be sold overseas.
If Swiss residents manage to collect 100,000 phones, Swisscom will match this with a CHF500,000 donation.
Drop your phone off at any Swisscom or K Kiosk store or visit Swisscom for more details.
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – All Hallows’ Eve is not yet here but I am already looking for original Christmas gifts -sadly, parting gifts too. So when I came across a coffee table book showcasing “rare arctic scenes around Geneva”, I knew I had to have it.
The Léman Arctique Ice Storm book is available at the OffTheShelf bookstore in Geneva starting in November.
The February 2012 silver thaw which created beautiful ice sculptures in Versoix and the city of Geneva was captured by many photographers in the area. The book features some of the most amazing of those photos -including many award-winning snaps- taken by 70 photographers.
The 2012 ice storm has not been the first in the area. Geneva photographer Jean-Pierre Scherrer has been documenting for the past seven years, the beauty left by these storms. See his awesome photos here.
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The last of the 2012 neighborhood flea markets in Geneva, takes place this weekend – 29-30 September – in Paquis.
Geneva rock band, Ghost Engine at the Paquis La Ville est a Vous
In spite of the rain, hundreds of people showed up on 29 September at the popular neighborhood to enjoy the festive atmosphere: music, flea market and food vendors.
Food vendors from Ethiopia, the island of Mauritius, India and other regions, were grilling and cooking filling the streets with exotic aromas, and selling their food at great prices: CHF12 a plate.