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Sunday 22 May 2011

Bohemian lifestyle




“Bohemian” as in Bohemia, Czech Republic, that is. With a season of garden parties around the corner there will be a lot of glasses to wash up. Despite the following morning hassle I am not ready to compromise: no plastic cups for me, please; when it comes to a nice drink it should come in a nice glass.
I do appreciate sleek lines of modern design, but there is something fascinating about the intricacy of an old glass. Maybe the secret is in the loving hands that have made it. Or the stories it could have overheard in the passage of years. Or is it a musical sound spilling over after a gentle clinking?…


With a good quality glass available practically everywhere at affordable prices, antique crystal glass is not much of a luxury anymore. And if antique shops (Lucerne is the best place to go antique window shopping for me) sell it for a head-spinning prices, there are many flea markets in peripheries that sell them out next to nothing, especially the unpaired ones. I love to set my table with mismatching items: we are talking bohemian after all, aren’t we? ;-)

Lovely Sunday evening, everyone!

Chin-chin!

AB

Saturday 14 May 2011

Rainy Thursday

It’s been raining cats and dogs yesterday in Geneva. More than that, cats were wearing boots. Well, at least ONE did – the cat from the restaurant “Le Chat-botté” of the Hotel Beau Rivage.

This beautiful hotel was founded by the Mayer family in 1865, and has been at the forefront of hospitality for more than four generations: the staff is exeptionally courteous - even if you have come there to have a glass of mineral water (exactly my case!). 
It was one day too early for Sotheby’s exhibit exposition which is located in the hotels' building…But there were plenty of other things to see and to experience. 

Although my trip to Geneva was purposeful and work-related, plans have been swiftly rearranged: if a shower catches you at the Parc des bastions, what else is left to do if not jump into a pavilion and have a cappuccino with a heavenly tasty crème-brulée?
 
Or step into one of great many little and not-so art galleries tucked in the street of the old town?  
 
I liked very much the granite sculptures by Jean-Yves Gosti, but I cant remember the name of that gallery!  



And don't even let me get started with all the magnificent Art Deco salons...

Image www.artdecoplus.ch

It wasn’t a bad Thursday at all, but the weekend looks quite intense: I live in an inverse schedule since some time. Hopefully no deceiving showers tomorrow, have a wonderful Saturday.  

Love,
AB

Friday 6 May 2011

Can't think of an original title

As I was growing up in the 90es, rap and hip-hop culture have been big. Oh yes, I danced, and God bless there was no YouTube and iPhone cameras those days…BUT, rap just opened up in a whole new way to me: RAP as in Rhythm And Poetry, as Tobias Pingler defines it. 
Past few days were a little too busy, and I procrastinated had no time to post these photos made in KIFF a week ago. KIFF is a cult cultural venue located in a former food factory in Aarau. (This year it celebrates its' 20th birthday. Check the place here: www.kiff.ch).

Tobias Pingler (aka Toby Tiger) and the Kings of Jazz (Christoph Baumann (Piano), Marco Käppeli (drums), Jan Schlegel (Bass)) gave a concert there last Thursday. I have seen their performance sometime ago in the UnvermeidBar in Baden, and I sure will be looking out for the next concert dates: synthesis of avant-garde jazz, rap rhythms, lyrical intermezzos, and intelligent texts produces a memorable effect.
photo courtesy of www.tobias-pingler.net

“A language acrobat” – Pingler (www.tobias-pingler.net ) has been christened by the press. He loves the word, and he knows fascinating ways to keep the public entertained – with humour, well-directed awkward moves, and ironic facial expressions. His texts make one laugh and think… The Kings of Jazz do not need any introductions: the hint is in the title. Much looking forward to a CD.

And to you I wish an entertaining weekend.

Love,
AB