Laila Rodriguez
Thousands for books for avid readers, loan them or buy them
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Get ready for some serious shopping this weekend.
Thousands of books, magazines and DVDs are up for sale at the bi-annual sale at the Library in English located in the Paquis, right next to the Kempinski Hotel.
Secondhand, and some new, books for adults and children, audio-books on CD, magazines, and DVDs are for sale.
When: From 4 to 6 November, 2011.
Remember you can also donate your books to the Library!
Read all about it in one of my earlier posts.
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Laila Rodriguez
Golden owl for sale at one of the flea-markets in Geneva
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland – ‘Tis the season for shopping (second-hand shopping that is). Get your cash and bargaining skills ready as the La Ville est a Vous celebrations in the city of Geneva have begun.
For those new to Geneva let me say this is a celebration not-to-be-missed.
Neighborhoods close some of their streets to vehicle traffic leaving huge spaces for pedestrians to sell and shop. Anyone can sell almost anything, the one golden rule is that the articles cannot be mass-produced new products. To sell perishable food items you must contact the organizers in each of the quartiers.
Selling is on a first-come first-served basis. These are not like the big “open-air brocantes” where professional sellers try to sell you expensive old items, this is a bargain-hunter’s nirvana.
We are talking about mammoth flea-markets.
Hawk your wares, get rid of old stuff, or find a great bargain. Score anything from a DVD to a chair, after rummaging through Florida souvenirs and paintings.
These are family events: ludotheques set-up areas for children to play in; music, dance and theater performances are offered throughout the day and well into the night; and food stalls can be found at each of the neighborhood parties.
- Plainpalais : 14 May 2011
- Acacias : 22 May 2011 (returns)
- Geisendorf : 28-29 May 2011 (returns)
- Petit-Saconnex : 4-5 June 2011 (new)
- Eaux-Vives : 11-12 June 2011
- Saint-Jean : 25-26 June 2011
- Concorde : 27 August 2011 (returns)
- Jonction : 3-4 September 2011
- Europe : 10-11 September 2011 (new)
Around Lake Geneva
Laila Rodriguez
Batiment de forces motrices where the fashion show will be hosted
Geneva, Switzerland - On 8 October Geneva meets vintage, meets fashion, meets charity.
Four charity organizations, the Salvation Army, CSP, Caritas and Emmaus; and the Geneva School of Arts and Design (HEAD), are hosting a vintage-inspired runway show with DJs, tango and the superb Geneva-based electronic duo Aloan.
The “Frip & Chic,” as the event is called will be hosted at the beautiful Bâtiment des Forces Motrices over the Rhone river.
All the dresses presented during the evening are original designs made with fabrics originating from second-hand clothes collected at the non-for-profit boutiques.
Laila Rodriguez
Anything and everything for sale in Paquis - Photo ©La Rue est a Vous
Geneva, Switzerland – After much discussion and plenty of speculation, the popular neighborhood party and flea-market in the Paquis will take place after all on 18 and 19 September but on a much reduced scale compared to previous years.
If you’re a fan of the usual Paquis mayhem, prepare for a heart-break as this will be the last year for the music and street-theatre performances, the exotic food vendors and the stalls selling new and second-hand items.
According to Gaston Coutaz, member of the organizing neighborhood committee, the fetes, which gathered over 20,000 people in 2009 and which has been a Geneva staple for the past 18 years, is coming to an end.
“The volunteers in Paquis will hold one last neighborhood party [...] In spite of our original mandate and due to current circumstances: a huge hike in costs and an unsuccessful search of funds, the organization is no longer able to sponsor the event,” said the press release sent by the association on 3 September.
The heavy fees associated with clean-up, security and set-up have been passed by the city onto the neighborhood association which simply doesn’t have the funds for it, says Coutaz.
Laila Rodriguez
The time of the year to buy and sell to your heart's content
Geneva, Switzerland – The incredible Sotheby’s sale this past week took most of my shopping attention, but after seeing up close those 6- to 52-carat diamonds and rare watches going for millions of dollars, I decided to turn my short attention span to another kind of more affordable vintage shopping: flea markets.
This weekend 15-16 May, the City of Geneva begins its neighborhood parties and flea-markets labeled under the city-is-yours slogan or la ville est a vous. Anyone who is not a professional seller can go early, throw down a blanket or set up a stall, and sell his/her “own vintage collection” and I mean, anything in your vintage collection. The space is free.
Grottes, first fair:
Laila Rodriguez
Picnic and bikes at the botanical gardens
Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland – Rain is threatening to break a streak of sunny days and wide open blue skies, but don’t let a few drops keep you in as there’s plenty to do this weekend, and for free! Here are my selections.
Laila Rodriguez
Bargain shopping in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – Two semi-annual kids’ consignment sales are taking place in the Lake Geneva region this weekend 17 and 18 April.
This is a fun, smart way to buy and sell (although it is now too late to register as a seller) kids’ toys, clothes, baby and sports equipment, books, DVDs and even some pregnancy clothes.
Laila Rodriguez
Preparing the big weekend sale
Geneva, Switzerland – Vintage handbags, designer suits & dresses – think Dior, Chanel, and American brands – will be for sale this weekend in Geneva and for a good cause: the Salvation Army-sponsored programs in Geneva and French-speaking Switzerland.
On Saturday 13 March the otherwise low-key store becomes a brand name vintage seller, so prepare to shop starting at 10:00.
Laila Rodriguez
Update: For the 2010 edition read: The Paquis fleamarket 2010 in danger
Flea market at the Paquis, the time of the year to buy and sell to your heart's content
Geneva, Switzerland – The mother of all neighborhood flea markets is back, or better said, never went away. That’s right, we are talking about the Paquis flea market. Previously in New To Geneva? Me Too, we mentioned the famous Fetes de Rues, also known as the La Ville est a Vous and how this year these parties did not include the ever so big and notorious Paquis event.
The Paquis flea market will be taking place after all on 19 and 20 September but not under the City banner of La Ville est a vous but under the name: La Rue est a vous.
Laila Rodriguez
List updated Oct. 2010 [To read about vintage and consignment clothing shops read here]
Window display at a second-hand shop, thrift store in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – I must confess; the font of knowledge in our household vis a vis Geneva thrift stores, is my husband. He’s an avid shopper and a true bargain hunter who found several thrift stores while waiting for us to join him in Switzerland and who continues to find great bargain basements in the Lake Geneva region.
I like two thrift stores in particular: The Salvation Army store or Armee du Salut in Geneva a no-frills storehouse which always has treasures in plain-sight, and the Caritas brocante in Plan-les-Ouates which also has great deals and is very well organized and welcoming.
Window shopping at a second-hand store in Geneva
Thrift stores are called brocantes, which is also the name given to privately-owned antique stores selling high-end and expensive items.
The list I provide here, are charity-run stores not antique shops. If you are interested in leaving your clothing for sale on consignment or buy fine second-hand clothing follow the link up top.