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.
Le Gruyere AOC
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – Some solemn but colorful processions around Switzerland take place on Good Friday, here are two worth highlighting:
- The mourners of Romont (Les Pleureuses) in the small medieval town of Romont, located in canton Fribourg, about 1:30 from the Lake Geneva area. A cross bearer and 20 women, all veiled in black, pray at the fourteen stations of the cross placed throughout town. It begins at 15:00 with a Good Friday mass.
- Canton Ticino is well known because most towns host Good Friday processions, none bigger than the one in Mendrisio which involves over 600 hundred participants carrying lanterns, dressed in historic costumes, with small bands playing dirges. Thousands of people show up for the procession (hundreds come from the Lombardy region in Italy alone). After the procession attendees and participants remain in town for late dinners and impromptu get-togethers in the streets of the medieval town. The procession begins at 20:45. (Tip: most restaurants serve until past midnight so save your appetite).
- Lausanne holds one of the most traditional masses on Good Friday at 15:00. The choir of the Basilica majestically performs Bach’s “St. John’s Passion”.
Other resources:
- Geneva catholic churches (must call for Good Friday services)
- Neighboring France list of Good Friday services
- Vaud catholic churches
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Laila Rodriguez
The Russian Orthodox Church in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – I remember two years ago I found a quaint Catholic church near old Nendaz in the Valais where the Christmas Eve service included singing, a live nativity scene and hot mulled wine.
Not sure if something similar can be found in Geneva, but here’s a list of churches that offer services in English and in other languages besides French:
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – On Saturday 4 September the Geneva-based Society of Notaries Public is setting shop in a two-story London-like bus on the Rive roundabout to give free legal advice.
Once a year, notaries from around canton Geneva volunteer to answer your questions, free of charge.
In Switzerland notaries handle details concerning estate planning, bankruptcy, marriage law and matrimonial division of property, acquisition of real estate by foreigners and setting up small businesses. Notaries may be also able to refer you to other resources who can advise you on landlord-tenant and other issues as well as offering suggestions for finding accountants and other specialists.
The notaries welcome walk-ins from 08:30 to 16:30.
If you can’t attend but would like to benefit from free, or low-cost, legal advise read my earlier post: Where to find legal help in Geneva, Lausanne and canton Vaud.
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Laila Rodriguez
What’s free, where to park, where to stay, what to see, and how to get there!
Rock, jazz, R&B, hip-hop and more at Montreux
Montreux, Switzerland - English singer/songwriter and seven-time Grammy-award-winner Phil Collins sang Motown, and unofficially kicked off the 44th Montreux Jazz Festival.
The MJF officially begins tonight 2 July with an array of performers and activities proper of one of the largest, best-known music festivals in the world.
Let’s just say that it is huge, and there’s so much to see and do, one might need a quick survival guide. Here’s mine.
Free at Montreux
Laila Rodriguez
Website revamped, more information available
Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman's passport to knowing-it-all
Geneva, Switzerland – Being an expat who knows a lot about Geneva is one thing, being a know-it-all is a whole ‘nother one. For Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman, knowing it – almost – all and putting it in a book came serendipitously around 10pm one night in 1999 while trying to breastfeed her newborn baby.
“I was at home, when someone who I didn’t know called me. He got my phone number from someone else who I didn’t know, and was demanding an answer right there and then to his question . . . demanding me to help him! I hung up and knew I had to do something.”
While most people would simply change their phone number, this American-born, Geneva-raised expat decided to write a resource book instead. And with it, a new Geneva institution was born.
Laila Rodriguez
Bread classes in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – Today’s Geneva tip will not burn a hole in your pocket but might leave your mouth watering. Learn how to bake your own Swiss-style bread. Once a month the Association des Amis du Four à Pain Saconnésien, loosely translated as Saconnex’s Bread Oven Friends Association, provides a 4-hour course on how to bake the perfect loaf.
The classes are taught in French by expert, local boulangers and help you to prepare, sponge, knead, rise and bake a perfect loaf. This month’s feature is cream and honey bread – also known as torsadé. In April, learn to make the bee’s nest, or Nid d’abeille.
Each class is CHF20, which is only CHF5/hour: now that’s a bargain. Register right away as courses fill up quickly! Other courses will include Neuchatel-style bread.
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