Laila Rodriguez
The Auffahrtsumritt, which celebrates Ascension Day in Switzerland - Photo ©Auffahrtsumritt Beromünster
Switzerland – Most residents of Switzerland are enjoying a Thursday off; for many this is the beginning of a four-day weekend courtesy of an ancient Christian tradition: Ascension Day.
In Christian faith, Ascension Day, or the Feast of the Ascension, celebrates the day when the resurrected Jesus went up to heaven, 40 days after Easter Sunday.
Ascension is a recognized Federal holiday in Switzerland and one of several with religious connotations.
What is particular about this holiday is that it is recognized by both Catholic Church and Protestant Reformed Church cantons.
The most colorful celebration takes place in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.
Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Finding something to do on Sundays in Geneva and surrounding areas seems to be the perennial conundrum for many expats (and a few locals too) who find the area a bit tame on the weekends. Allow me the pleasure then, to bring you a selection of some of the most fun and interesting activities in the Lake Geneva region, and beyond.
Swinging in the outdoors
Just visit the Events page of GenevaLunch where I have posted an eclectic collection of what-to-do-on-Sundays, from antique fairs and flea markets to hiking and Nordic walking.
I hope you enjoy the list and happy Sunday everyone!
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Laila Rodriguez
Brad Pitt, Geneva resident Kofin Annan, his wife and Angelina Jolie in the WEF in Davos, Switzerland in 2006 - UN Photo
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Being the Geneva scout I have become, I was delighted to find a connection to Angelina Jolie’s engagement ring: the jeweler Robert Procop, a Beverly Hills-Geneva designer who specializes in custom jewels made with conflict-free diamonds.
Procop’s Creative Studio may be in Beverly Hills but it is in the “gemstone laboratory and workshop” in the heart of Geneva where, according to the jeweler, “truly magnificent works of art” are fabricated. Procop sales team say the skills and expertise of master craftsmen in Geneva, “long celebrated for their impeccably made luxury goods and unwavering attention to detail,” are responsible for distributing gems to their offices, workshops and trade members across the globe.
The jeweler was not a random choice for the Pitt-Jolie combo as he not only “unequivocally” supports Jolie’s charitable efforts to help children by producing Jolie’s jewelry line (earnings go to charity), but also provides diamond buyers, in this case Pitt, with the assurance that the diamonds they purchase “are not conflict diamonds”.
Laila Rodriguez
The Assiette Genevoise restaurant discount card is a good deal for those who like to dine out often and explore new restaurants
GENEVA, Switzerland – In addition to the many group deals in the area (GroupOn, BuyClub, etc.), there is a way to pay less when eating out: buying a restaurant discount card.
The Assiette Genevoise, for example, is a two-eat-for-the-price-of-one card that can be used at more than 100 participating restaurants in the canton and in neighboring France, for one year.
The formula is simple: call ahead to reserve, present the card and pay only 50% of your food bill. The discount is made based on a party of two diners having a “main dish”; drinks are not included in the discount.
If that is not incentive enough, consider that the card is not marked with a name, thus family and friends can use it as well.
Discount cards around Lake Geneva
Laila Rodriguez
UN's Ban Ki Moon lends his leg - Photo courtesy of UNMAS via flickr
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A flash mob at Geneva’s Place du Molard on 4 April is not unheard of. What is peculiar in this case, is that many of the mob participants will have rolled up one of their pant legs or their shirt sleeves.
It is not show your socks day, but lend your leg day, a global call to ban landmines.
By rolling up one of their shirt sleeves or pant legs, participants are showing solidarity with landmine survivors; it is also a call for States that have not yet done so, to join the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, the Ottawa Treaty or Ottawa Convention.
In laypersons terms, the Convention seeks to end the use, transfer, production and stockpile of these weapons, ensure their destruction and assist survivors.
Flash mob lends a leg in Geneva
Flash mob lends a leg in Geneva
The lend your leg campaign which was spearheaded in Colombia, was launched on 1 March 2012, the thirteenth anniversary of the Convention’s entry-into-force.
While Switzerland does not suffer from this scourge, Geneva has a special place in the fight against landmines.
The Geneva connection Read more…
Laila Rodriguez
Paris for young artists scholarship
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Department of Culture of the city of Geneva and the Simon I. Patino Foundation will soon be closing applications for their annual Arts in Paris grants.
The Foundation and the city of Geneva pair up annually to grant scholarships to young artists to enable them to undertake studies, courses or carryout research work in Paris.
Laila Rodriguez
Child birthing classes for women who do not speak French well or not at all
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Here’s one great resource for you preggo ladies out there. If you are interested in birthing courses but would rather do so in your native language, and that is other than French, then sign-up for the courses offered by The Midwives Arcade and Appartenances-Geneve.
These two organizations (one which offers services for migrant families and the other an association of independent midwives) offer childbirth courses for women starting on their fourth month of pregnancy. The midwives also offer a meeting with moms and babies after birth and help guide families through the Geneva healthcare system.
Laila Rodriguez
The British Theatre company Mimescope performs, The Oracle of Delphi. A piece exploring matter and anti-matter. The piece was conceived by biologist Anne Gaud McKee and comedian Markus Schmid - Photo ©Cern
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Cern’s new experiment in arts and science is a 3-year artist’s residency programme initiated by the laboratory.
One of the programmes, offered to dancers, is sponsored by the city and canton of Geneva.
Some of the grants, given to artists in various disciplines, range from 3-months to 3-years.
What is really interesting is that grant winners will work with Cern scientists to develop art that uses science.
Laila Rodriguez
Plainisphare music collection in Vich
VICH, SWITZERLAND – Jeff Duplain and Rolf Knüsel know about music, love it, produce it, collect it and sell it. Tons and tons of it. However, the two aging friends, have decided to close their shop, opened in 1974, and call it quits.
With the closing of their shop, about 60,000 CDs and a few remaining DVDs have been put on sale at their two-story store in Vich, near Gland.
Most of the music for sale is Jazz, but there are also hundreds of Blues, R&B, Gospel, World, Tango and Classical music CDs in stock.
Their collection, considered one of the best in Switzerland, is for sale for several reasons: the economic crisis, competition from Internet sales and downloads, and a “choking grip of major retailers in the market,” the friends said recently to the local press.
Although the sale began in September there is still plenty of ‘gold’ in their musical chest.
Rolf Knüsel told us they are “still clearing CDs and DVDs.”
“For those who come to our location, we drop the price 50%. Just please let us know before coming by,” he said.
Visit their website: http://www.plainisphare.ch/Plain/plain.htm#1
Laila Rodriguez
Warning: This post is not for the lactose intolerant.
Swiss cheese maker at work - Photo of My Switzerland
SWITZERLAND – We know, the Swiss love their milk. Fresh Swiss milk from “contented cows grazing on lush meadows,” is what helps produce great cheeses, says the Swiss tourism office.
Although there are many varieties, here are some of the most popular cheeses made from cow milk, which represents about 90% of all Swiss cheeses produced; the remaining 10% are derived from goat and sheep milk.