Saturday, June 30, 2012

Open Air Cinema along Lake Lugano

Enjoy the unforgettable summer film evenings under the stars at the Lido of Lugano. As of June 20th the Open-Air cinema at the lakeside is back again. Until July 26th Lugano offers the best films of the past movie season at the extremely popular waterside Open-Air Cinema. Don't miss this special and romantic side of Ticino. Whether it is hot or even with a little rain it will be a unique experience you will never forget.


There are many different kind of movies waiting for you … to be seen … for more information on where and what click here: Open Air Cinema Lugano 2012

Entrance CHF 15.-
Coop Supercard Night CHF 10.-
Tickets online: www.cinemaopenair.ch


Friday, June 29, 2012

Longlake Festival Lugano 2012

The beating heart of the Lugano summer is once again the LongLake Festival. Over 200 events and outstanding guests are enlivening the city, its squares, streets and parks each and every day for almost a month.


The 2nd International Festival proposes entertainment, theatre and dance shows, concerts as well as a lot of activities for kids. To better acquaint yourself with the ongoing events, the LongLake Festival has been split in six thematic sections: Lugano International Festival, Lugano Buskers Festival, Urban Art Lugano, Lugano Family, Estival Jazz, Lugano Words Festival and many other sideWave events.

INTERNATIONAL (28.06-22.07)
offers a rich programme with pop and classical music concerts, theatre, movie and cabaret shows, master classes and many internationally renowned guests.

BUSKERS (18.07-22.07)
pays homage to street art proposing folk, rock, jazz, indie and classical concerts, theatre and puppet shows as well as other original and innovative artistic performances.

AUL (28.06-22.07)
proposes a variety of arts initiatives aimed at connecting the residents with to the urban background.

FAMILY (28.06-22.07)
offers a wide choice of events for families and children: fairy tales readings, puppet theatre shows, children movies, magic and clown shows.

ESTIVAL JAZZ (05.07-07.07)
open air free concerts bringing forth some of the best musicians on the world scene.

WORDS (28.06-22.07)
gives voice to writers and scholars by proposing recitals and meetings in the beautiful framework of the Parco Ciani and in the evocative space of the Ex-Macello Pubblico (former public slaughterhouse).

Click here for the detailed programme: LongLake Festival Lugano 2012 booklet



Monday, June 25, 2012

How to recognize an Expat Kid

“The ideal place for me is the one in which it is most natural to live as a foreigner.”
Italo Calvino

You know you are an Expat Kid because:

1. You can’t answer the question, “Where are you from?” (And when you do, you get into an elaborate conversation that gets everyone confused and/or makes you sound very spoiled.)

2. You flew before you could walk.

3. You have a passport, but no ID Card

4. You run into someone you know at every airport.

5. Your life story uses the phrase “Then we went to…” five times.

6. You know the luggage allowance for every flight to your location, and which airlines don’t weigh hand luggage.

7. You live at school and go home for vacation.

8. You’re suddenly doing playdates in three languages

9. Your second major is in a foreign language you already speak.

10. The best word for something is the word you learned first, regardless of the language.

11. You still use those words, even if you know what they are in English.

12. There are times when only your family knows what you're saying.

13. You mess-up your idioms without even thinking about it.

14. You know the true meaning of “football.” (and in your mind can hear the shout, “GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!”)

15. Your best friends are from 5 different countries.

16. You know that it truly is a small world.





Wednesday, June 20, 2012

15 activities to do with your kids this summer

Need some inspiration for summer activities? Here is a list of things to do this summer, that won't break the bank. Have fun!


1.  Build a fort, go to nearby woods, gather sticks, broken branches, etc. build a fort, or house this will provide days worth of enjoyment both in the gathering/building/playing inside.

2. Take a nature walk.. take along a journal, let the kids bring cameras, then go home, identify everything your photographed, create a nature book. That's a whole other day's activities (paper, photos, glue, scissors, notebook) this is especially good saved for a rainy day.

3.  Take an  "Alphabet tour"... again camera(s) in hand, journals - letter guides for younger kids - drive to town/city - begin with the letter a (Apple street) b (building) c (colosseum) d(dairy queen) e(eatery) you get the drift - when you are done - each child has a personal and creative alphabet memory book.

4.  Make homeade ice cream.  Make popcicles, smoothies, ice cream sundaes.

5.  Go to an outdoor concert or cinema.

6.  Cook with your kids but let them plan it, be apart of the shopping, table setting - make dessert!

7.  Host a cooking party - invite some friends - have each mom bring a few ingredients and spend the day making cookies, treats, etc. (maybe you know someone who could use some extra love and attention - make a whole meal with these friends, let the kids make cards, and go make someones day brighter and happier).

8.  Go fly a kite (why not make them first).

9.  Make an obstacle course out of your back yard and have races.

10. Tour a chocolate factory: http://www.alprose.ch/

11. Blow up Diet coke with mentos: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/original-mentos-diet-coke-geyser

12.  Make Taffy.

13. Have a pajama day, enjoy movies and popcorn (great for a rainy day).

14. Travel around the world. Have English scones for breakfast, Chinese Stir Fry for lunch, Italian for dinner.

15. Camp in your back yard.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

IWCL Evening Club Summer Party 2012

Summer
 is
 fast
 approaching
 and
 before
 we
 all
 head
 off
 to
 our
 respective
 summer
 vacations
 or
 start 
relaxing
 by 
the 
lake, 
let’s 
gather 
and
 meet
 for
 a
 
drink, 
overlooking 
the 
beautiful 
view
 from
 AnaCapri.



Please join the IWCL Evening group for some fun and entertainment at the Anacapri on Thursday, June 21st.

Venue: Summer Aperitivo by the IWCL Evening Group
Where: AnaCapri

, Via 
Maraini

, 6900 
Lugano,
 Tel: 
091/
922'
53
'00

When: Thursday, June 
21st,
 2012

Time:

 7:30pm


Drinks 
start
 at
 CHF
 5.50
 for
 soft
 drink
 and
 CHF 
7.00 
for
 wine
 by 
the glass, 
Anacapri
 will
 provide
snacks.
 


Please 
kindly 
RSVP 
to
 
Sabrina 
and 
Sandrine at iwcleveninggroup@gmail.com,
 
if
 you 
are 
interested 
to
attend.
 That
 way
 we 
can
 reserve
 a 
nice
 corner 
for 
us
 all!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Fun facts for kids or how to keep their brains busy

This post is dedcated to all the mums who are planning looooooong trips across the country or the continent. Following is a list of fun facts that should get your conversation going during your travels.


Kids are a lot better company during a car ride if you keep them engaged in conversation I find. This list provided us with endless laughs and conversation during our car trip last summer from Lugano to Madrid and then on to Paris.

So here goes:
- It is impossible for most people to lick their own elbow. (Try it!)
- A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
- A shrimp's heart is in its head.
- In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand, or attempted to do so.
- It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
- The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is believed to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
- If you sneeze too hard, you could fracture a rib.
- Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
- Wearing headphones for just an hour could increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
- In every episode of Seinfeld there was a Superman somewhere in the picture.
- In the course of an average lifetime, while sleeping you might eat around 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders, or more.
- Some lipsticks contain fish scales.
- Cat urine glows under a black-light.
- Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
- Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
- There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
- The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing (when using the proper position of the hands on the keyboard; Hunting and pecking doesn't count!).
- A shark is the only known fish that can blink with both eyes.
- The longest one-syllable words in the English language are "scraunched" and "strengthed." Some suggest that "squirreled" could be included, but squirrel is intended to be pronounced as two syllables (squir-rel) according to most dictionaries. "Screeched" and "strengths" are two other long one-syllable words, but they only have 9 letters.
- "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
- Almonds are a member of the peach family.
- Maine is the only state that has a one-syllable name.
- There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
- Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula"
- A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
- An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
- Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
- In many advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.
- The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."
- A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
- The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
- The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
- Most people fall asleep in seven minutes.
- "Stewardesses" is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

Source: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Buone vacanze 2012

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.” 
Charles Bowden



Friday, June 15, 2012

Summer holiday in Switzerland 2012

Are you ready for the summer holidays?

Well, the Switzerland Tourism Orgaization is in full swing welcoming thousands of tourists in every corner of the country. This video by the Swiss tourist board made me smile. Especially readers who live or have lived in this beautiful country will catch yourself giggling at some of the typical Swiss traditions depicted in the life guards sceen, for example.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Celebrating the summer at Lugano's Lido

Come celebrate the summer. Lugano's Lido invites you to a rich buffet accompanied by super DJ Michael J Ro and his music from Radio Fiume Ticino!

They are waiting for you at the one and only beach of Lugano tonight at 19:00. Don't miss the beautiful sunset!


Venue: Ê tornato il sole...!
Where: Lido Beach Lounge, Viale Castagnola 6, 6900 Lugano
When: Thusday, June 14th, 2012
Time: 19:00

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

WWF Summer camps 2012

Searching for a last minute booking for a special nature adventure camp. Switzerland's WWF's Panda Club offers children and young people 7-18 years over 65 holiday camps this year.  Through playing and crafting together the young experience the relationship between humans and the environment while learning about nature in its beauty and diversity.

To download the WWF summer camp catalogue 2012 click here.


Most of the camps for this summer are complete, but there are still some interesting camps with places available. Just click here to have a peek: http://www.wwf.ch/it/attivi/bambini_ragazzi/campi_natura/iscrizione/ or call WWF direclty at Tel. 091/820 60 00 or  044/297 21 21.

Kids' Klub Summer Kamp 2012

School's nearly out and you are still searching for a fun and nature-friendly summer camp for your kids. Check out the Kids' Klub Summer Kamp by clicking here: http://kidsklub.ch/en/activities/kids-klub-summer-kamp. Lots of open-air games and a swimming pool as well as guided activites will keep them busy as well as happy. There is even a possibility to learn some Chinese or Sign language.


This camp is destined for children aged 6 to 11 and takes place from June 18th to 22nd, 2012 in Pura. Pick-up is at 8:30 and drop-off at 17:30 at the Denner Parking in Agno.

For more info and enrollment write to info@kidsklub.ch or call Alessia at 077/ 448'68'65.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

InterNations June Networking Event

Would you believe that there are already 261 people signed up for the InterNations meeting tomorrow night? The monthly InterNations Meet-up Event is proof that the Expat community is growing fast in Lugano. Don't miss this event, you'll have a chance to make friends with people of all ages from Mongolia to Zimbabwe and from Taiwan to Jordan.


The InterNations Lugano group will be meeting on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 from 7 pm onwards, at NYX Lounge in Lugano, a trendy and modern Lounge Bar in the centre of town overlooking the lake. Great atmosphere, decor and good music combined with a superb selection of wines, cocktails and food are guaranteed.

They have exclusive use of the upper floor and half of the downstairs at NYX Lounge in the centre of town.

Please register for this event by clicking on the InterNation site here.

Venue: InterNations June Networking Event
Where: NYX LOUNGE, Via Stauffacher 1, 6901 LUGANO
When: Wednesday, June 13th, 2012
Time: 19:00 to 23:00
Entrance fees for the event:
Free for Albatross Members
CHF 10 for basic members
CHF 20 for attendees who are not on the guest list.
The entrance includes one welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers and snack foods. After that, as usual, drinks are pay self (pay as you go / no tabs)!


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Communicating with my Kids

Following my International Children's Day post, I thought I'd share my enlightenment of this weekend.

My adolescent son is the proud owner of a portable phone since we moved to Paris. He never needed one in Lugano - in my opinon, although my son might beg to differ - since I could see his school out of my front window and hear the boys playing soccer in the schoolyard during breaktime.


Ikr = I know, right?

Anyway, with a new environment come new habits, along with a new phone and a whole new language. It is a language totally new to me. I always insisted my kids spell words out when writing and do NOT use abbreviations. I am sooo outdated! After receiveing various cryptic messages from Expat boy I needed to reseach some basic internet slang so I could communicate with my own son via SMS and WhatsApp. Did you know the latest abbreviations? Here goes.

UCAP - Up Close and Personal
HF - Have Fun
YDU - You Don't Understand
HTBT - Had To Be There
WHYB - Where Have You Been?
IDWTK - I Don't Want to Know
KMU - Keep Me Updated
TMMS - That Made Me Smile
OCN - Of Course Not
JLUK - Just Letting You Know
HAYT - How Are You Today?
IDWT - I Don't Want To
IHYDM - I Hope You Don't Mind

Did you know that according to the Urban Dictionary Moms is a respectful term for a parent? I won't go any further.....

Friday, June 1, 2012

International Children's Day

“Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future”
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (American, 35th US President)

It's great to be a kid! At least, it should be, and that's the idea behind International Children's Day. It is a day dedicated to promoting the rights, health and happiness of kids everywhere.


The International Children's Day (ICD) is said to have originated in Turkey in 1920 and later in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. It was a coincidence that two very important events took place on 1st June 1925. The first was the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva while at the same time the Chinese Consul-General in San Francisco gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. Since both these incidents had the idea of child welfare at their core, 1st of June began to be celebrated as International Children's Day thereafter. However,  it was largely restricted to the communist countries and continues to be restricted, even after the atrophying of communism.

There is often little public awareness of International Children's Day. Most of the nations in the Western world, the Middle East, Africa and the southern hemisphere have their own particular so called "Children's day", which they celebrate during different times of the year. However, International Children's Day has acquired an important place in the agenda of United Nations and its concerned agencies, especially UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund).

Now, I know that Switzerland has not jumped on that bandwagon yet but nevertheless why not celebrate the day by doing something special with a child in your life--and let your own inner child have some fun as well!