Lugano Estival Jazz 2011

“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul”
Plato

It might not sound very inviting at his very moment but - believe me - the sun WILL reappear! Be ready to plunge into Lugano's Estival Jazz as it celebrates its 33nd year of existence this year.

Lugano Estival Jazz is the premier musical event in Southern Switzerland (Canton Ticino).
Set in the heart of Lugano, in the beautiful 19th century Piazza della Riforma, and in the surrounding town of Mendrisio in star architect Mario Botta's "Piazzale alla Valle", Lugano Estival Jazz attracts thousands of Jazz and World Music fans each year.

The good news is:  All concerts are OPEN AIR and TOTALLY FREE!

Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Keith Jarrett, Ray Charles, Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, BB King, Friedrich Gulda, Tito Puente, Chick Corea, The Manhattan Transfer, Take 6, Gato Barbieri, Maynard Ferguson, Cesaria Evora, Dee Dee Bridgewater Carla Bley, Barbara Hendricks, Wynton Marsalis, Cheb Mami, Noa, Oscar D'Leon, Jon Hendricks, Paco de Lucia, Van Morrison, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Khaled are only some of the over 300 groups / artists that have performed since 1979.

Click here for this Estival Jazz 2011 programme and see if you might be tempted to join a concert below the starry sky.

Where: Mendrisio www.mendrisio.ch
When: Friday 24th & Saturday 25th June, 2011

Where: Lugano www.lugano.ch
When: Thursday June 30th, Friday 1st  & Saturday 2nd July, 2011

Umbrellas for your shoes - Shuella

“If a woman rebels against high-heeled shoes, she should take care to do it in a very smart hat”
 George Bernard Shaw (Irish, 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature, 1856-1950)

The weather is going from bad to worse these days. Girls know what it’s like to get all dressed up, put on their favorite pair of shoes (my friends know I am a total shoe addict), go out and then be soaked in a summer shower in just a couple of minutes.

Yesterday I came across a great invention called Shuella. The name Shuella says it all. These boots are the combination of shoes and umbrella. The Shuella is basically a rubber boot that any trendy girl can carry with her in her purse and take out at the first sign of rain. It goes perfectly over any type of shoe, from spiked heels to flats, the only sacrifice made with this seemingly revolutionary product being that of comfort over appearance. The Shuella also has a padded sole to avoid slipping or, even worse, tearing the rubber with the heel, and it fits the ankle thanks to several adjustable straps.

"Shuella came about because I was frustrated that every time it would rain or there was inclement weather, I had nothing fashionable and functional to wear that would protect my shoes. I looked everywhere and when I could not find anything suitable, I designed and created them myself.” designer and Shuella founder Rebecca Miller says.

“My goal was to design an extremely stylish, durable and convenient product to carry in your purse or briefcase. Shuellas are easy to put on and strong enough to walk in with a slip free sole. I’ve also included a cloth to wipe off any excess water before you fold them up and put them back in their convenient pouch. I knew if I designed something that met my high standards that they would be perfect for women everywhere.” the designer explains, adding that the Shuellas come in various sizes so that all women can find a pair that suits them like a glove.

SHUELLA was launched in September of 2008 in the US but given the actual weather situation throughout Europe they might just become the next fashion statement this side of the ocean.  SHUELLA'S are availablefor just $49.95.  There is free shipping in the U.S. and they will ship overseas for just a $12.50 shipping fee. (Guess what, I'll be ordring them in PiNK!)

Go ahead, check out these colorful, waterproof  "Umbrellas for your shoes" at their website: www.shuella.com.

Online shopping in Switzerland - at a discount!

“Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.”
Bo Derek (American Actress, b.1956)

Who doesn't like shopping at a discount? Even better if you don't have to drive miles to get to the next outlet store. Having said that, Europe's greatest Shopping outlet "Foxtown" is 15 km down the road in Mendrisio.

If you prefer to browse and shop from home, however, here are two sites that might interest you. These sites offer private sales of major name brands at highly discounted prices. You'll discover an exclusive variety of products in the following domains : fashion items, accessories, shoes, perfumes, watches, home decoration, design, items for children, travels, fine dining, etc.

Discounts range from 30 to 80% off the retail price depending on the brand.

It is quick and free-of-charge to register on both sites and you are under no obligation to purchase. You'll receive a private invitation, by e-mail before each sale starts. You have the opportunity of buying products round the clock, right from home, or from computers anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection.

My favourite aquisitions are kitchen gadgets and electronic devices. Just check out My Store's current vast offer on i-pad & i-phone accessories or their selection of Fox Trot Accessories. I am a total addict to boxes and the recipe folders are smashing.

On eboutique you'll currently find everything from food processor and lady shavers to garden furniture.
These sales are for a limited time only: two days to two weeks for each sale.

My Private Boutique are selling Alessi and Bodum products, so hurry and have a peek.

Here are the three shopping survival links:

My Store.ch
eboutic.ch
My private boutique.ch

Should you live in Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, the UK or have a mailing address in one of these countries you can also shop at the following site known for exquisite fashion: Vente privee.
European innovator of online private sales, (Yes, they are based in wine-sipping, trend-setting Paris, hence their snazzy name), they have more than 20 years experience in selling exclusive fashion and lifestyle products. Vive la shopping révolution!

Test your Swiss Geography

"You learn through mistakes....no one was born a master."
Swiss proverb

See if you can beat your kids at this fun Swiss canton challenge. Just drag & drop the 26 cantons into their correct place and see who is fastest. My first attempt was 134 seconds. What is yours?

To play the Swiss Canton Geo Puzzle click here.
To play the Swiss Canton flag puzzle click here.
For my American readers I have dug out the American State puzzle: Click here.

Enjoy and learn!

Switzerland's Chocolate train

"Never mind about 1066 William the Conqueror, 1087 William the Second. Such things are not going to affect one's life ... but 1932 the Mars Bar and 1936 Maltesers and 1937 the Kit Kat - these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every child in the country."
Roald Dahl

Well, given the response my last chocolate post received about Karl Lagerfeld's chocolate hotel room I have more good news to share.

Living in the country of chocolate, you should not miss the Chocolate train. It runs from Montreux to the Gruyère region from where the excellent quality Cailler chocolate and naturally, Gruyere cheese come from!

Travelling in exclusive 1st class “Belle Epoque Pullman” deluxe carriages just as in 1915 is a unique excitement. You'll visit the picturesque Gruyères village and discover how Gruyere cheese is made at the demonstration cheese dairy. In Broc, a tour is offered together with a film and a tasting to see how chocolate is made at the Cailler factory.

The Chocolate train runs every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from May to October and every day in July and August. Reservations are compulsory and can be made at Montreux train station or at your travel agency. The package includes coffee and croissant on the train, bus transfers and a tour of the Gruyères castle, as well as visits to the demonstration cheese dairy and the chocolate factory.

The train then returns to Montreux, a pleasant resort town on Lac Léman where you can also visit the Castle of Chillon.

How about that for a day's outing with the kids if you happen to be in that part of the world? Couldn't think of anythink yummier myself!

When: The Chocolate Train leaves Montreux at 9:35 a.m. and returns at 5:52 p.m.
Reservation: Rail Center GoldenPass Services, Tel. 0900 245 245 or +41 840 245 245
Info: www.mob.ch
When making reservations, specify whether you'd like to sit in a restored 1915 vintage Pullman car or a modern "panorama car" with oversize windows.

Ever heard of Freaker USA ?

Need a funky, groovy post to cheer you up during this rainy autumn-like day?
Check out this freaky video by Freaker to promoter a beverage cooler. Sounds freaky? Well, it actually is BUT exhilaratingly fresh and original.

Freaker USA is a North Carolina based company that is on the forefront of keeping your bottles cool and your hands more comfortable! Zach Crain and the Freaker Team are pursuing the American dream of preventing all moist handshakes with their patent pending product the "Freaker". Freakers are nationally recognized as the one-size-fits-all knit coozie that functionally makes your beverage feel special. Presented in myriad of prismatic designs, the Freaker is a strong, tight knit that keeps your liquids insulated in style.

Q to Zach: Can the Freaker really fit on everything?
A: One size fits all, baby! Our family friends use them for toddler bottles! Our healthy friends use them for sports bottles! Our generous friends use them for gifts of wine! And our debaucherous friends have them on 40 oz of bum wine!




Designer: Zach Crain (United States)
Manufacturer: Freaker USA Inc (United States)
Material: Yarn, spandex
Colours: All
Price: $9 US dollars

For more info click here.

"The King's Speech" in VO at Massagno's Cinema LUX

“The highest of distinctions is service to others.”
King George VI

DO NOT miss this absolutely exquisite film in its orginal language!

None of us English native speakers appreciate the dubbed movies that are shown in all of Lugano's four (!) cinemas, therefore this is an occasion you should not miss. If ever there was a movie you MUST see in it's original language (after "My Fair Lady" of course) it is "The King's Speech". Passionate, emotional, witty and funny, this film gives you a historical insight of King George VI' s career if you can call it that. The future Queen Elizabeth's mother is beautifully interpreted by Helena Bonham Carter.

Based on the true story of King George VI, "The King's Speech" follows the Royal Monarch's quest to find his voice.

After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle.

Should you wish to listen to the "real" speech by HM King George VI broadcast by Buckingham Palace on September 3rd, 1939 click HERE.

Where:  CINEMA LUX, Via Motta 61, 6900 Massagno, Tel. 091 967.30.39
www.cinemalux-lugano.ch
When: Friday at 18.00 and 20:45, Saturday at 18:00 and 20.45
Language: Original English version with French and German subtitles

Costumes worn by Hollywood actors Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech" star in a glamorous display "Hamlet to Hollywood: Fashion from Film" at the Barley Hall in York, UK until May 2012. This exhibition features items from the rails of stage and cinema stars from Tudor times to the 20th century.

The New Google +1 button

"The difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to that which is unknown."
Albert Einstein

Upon viewing my blog today I came across a new button that I had NOT added. Therefore, after having done my research, I decided to introduce Google's latest gadget to my readers.

Google have been experimenting with their +1 (Plus One) button for a while and today they released it for websites and blogs.The plus one button lets you recommend things you like to friends and they will see your recommendations in Google search results and over time in Ads and possibly other places.In search now you can see the plus one's of your friends, contacts from Gmail, Google Reader and Google Buzz.So it makes sense to allow readers to plus one your content and recommend it to their friends. Adding the button to your blog will give the readers the option to plus you up!

Therefore, go ahead, plus me up ;)

Happy blogging. Happy reading!

June 1st is 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).

This year children welfare is also going to be an important point of discussion in the G8 summit meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany from the 6th to 8th June (owing to it's proximity to 1st June). The major concerns will be poverty in the African nations and the prevention on HIV among children in the same nations.

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!

Discover Boldini's masterpieces with IWCL in Como

"Vous êtes un monstre de talent!" is what Edgar Degas said of Giovanni Boldini.

The Evening Group is pleased to invite you to great art exhibit: BOLDINI and the BELLE EPOQUE at the Villa Olmo in Como.

As of March 26th, Villa Olmo is hosting the eighth great art exhibition organized by the Assessorato alla Cultura which this year is dedicated to Boldini and the Belle Epoque. It features over 110 paintings from some of the most important Italian Museums and Collections.

The legendary period of the Belle Époque is interwoven with the works of the talent that was Giovanni Boldini. The creative energy and optimism that revolutionised the story of the fin de siècle were boldly marked by his fluent and unmistakeable brushstrokes that expressed both beauty and joie de vivre.

Chiara Naldi is kindly offering to guide the Evening Group through the Boldini exhibit at Villa Olmo in Como. The guided visit is free of charge. Participants need only pay the museum Admissions ticket of Euro 10.-. We will meet directly at Villa Olmo at 19.00. Visit begins at 19.15

Participation is limited to a maximum of 25 people, so please RSVP to Helen at hroowalla@gmail.com

For more information, please check out Villa Olmo's site at: http://www.grandimostrecomo.it/en

Where: Villa Olmo, via Cantoni 1, 22100 Como
When: Friday, 10 June, 2011
Time: 19:00