T̶w̶o̶ One p̶e̶r̶p̶e̶t̶u̶a̶l̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶a̶t̶s̶ immigrant settling into home country number five.
Once again, Zurich has topped the world-wide quality of living survey, reminding me yet again that any move after this one will just be a step backwards. Maybe the high ranking has something to do with the free chocolate bunnies? Too bad we also have the seventh-highest cost of living.
Are you one of the millions of people who fly just for the privilege of squishing your body into a tiny and inappropriate space for hours on end? And have you often wondered where you could get that seatback-in-the-upright-and-locked-position feeling without having to actually leave your hometown? Me, too! That’s why I dragged a friend … Read more
Last night we checked out the Expovina, a week-long expo that allows one to sample wines from around the world in one convenient converted-warehouse location. For a nominal entrance fee of CHF 12, we were free to bounce from stand to stand, tasting as many wines as our palates could handle. There were millions more … Read more
Today when I bought my new monthly pass for public transportation, I got a free bunny. Mmmmmm…. free Swiss chocolate….
One of the fabulous things about living in Zurich is the plethora of nature that is so close by. In less than 10 minutes we can be hiking atop the Zürichberg, and in about a half hour we can be on the Uetliberg, the ridge just to the west of the city. Yesterday we braved … Read more
Ever since I first experienced it in Germany eight years ago, I have been endlessly amused by the enthusiasm with which Spargelzeit (asparagus season) is welcomed in this part of the world. Placards outside of restaurants and markets scream about its arrival. Grocery stores pile up half their produce section with bundles upon bundles of … Read more
I just returned from a retina-burning couple of hours at the Zurich Kunsthaus, where the exhibit Feast of Color is in full, vibrant swing. The 200 or so paintings and sculptures come from the private collection of Werner and Gabrielle Merzbacher, an apparently insanely wealthy couple with a passion for intense colors and early-20ith-century European … Read more
Becoming a legal resident in a foreign country is often about as fun as, say, having a root canal every week for months on end (ok, that’s not really fair—I’ve never had a root canal, so what do I know? The point is that it sucks.). When my husband and I moved to Milan in … Read more
Recently a gigantic grey box has sprung up in downtown Zurich, right next to the lake. Its bright orange signs let passersby know that it contains something that has to do with the The Gates. The Gates was an installation in Central Park by artists Jeanne-Claude and Christo, whose famous works include the Wrapped Reichstag … Read more
In a shocking twist of events, the city of Zurich has reversed its no-mariachis-on-trams policy! The pictures were quietly replaced over the past few days. A little internet research revealed that the Mexican consulate complained to the city about the signs after having received many angry calls from the community. The replacement of the signs … Read more