tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:11:03 +0000Weekend breaks from SwitzerlandEuropeGeneva cityJobhuntexpat lifeEnglish movies in SwitzerlandLeaving Dubai...VeniceVillagesautumnexpats in Switzerlandfashion autumnfilmsforeigners in switzerlandhollywood moviesinternetreviewsAlbayzinAlhambraAppleArtBest and worstjobsCopenhagenDubai MallEscaladesEvianFreemasonsGaudiGuggenheimIgadgetsIndoor poolsIpadItalyLife in DubaiLuzernLyon festival of lights 09Meryl StreepMilanMind PowerNetworkingNew MoonNora EphronPastryRhoneRobert NortikSagrada FamiliaSan MarcoSightseeingSpain vacationsSt JulienFranceSwiss train travelThe Lost SymbolTwilight seriesValentine's day gift ideasVitam ParcYvoireavatarbeautiful french villagesblog audiencesblog contentblogospherecelebrationclimate changecoffeecomfort foodcrimeculture genevadessertsfantasy fictionfestivalsfolklorefood historyforeigners in europegood foodgranada vacationsharvestintegrationjazzjobs in 2010librariesliving in Switzerlandlooking for a job in switzerlandlouis vuitton besacelyon shopingmarc jacobsmedieval castlesmen and womenminaret banmountain bikingmythoctober temperatureoutlet shopping europepizzaplaces to see before you diepurse snatchingreadingridiculous fashionromantic comedyromantic comedy dvdromantic moviesshort drives from Genevasights and soundssports facilites near Genevaswiss rivierateam switzerlandtechnologytop romantic comediestwilight for dummiesunemployementweatherhttp://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-5141207555553920077Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:10:00 +00002010-03-01T15:10:08.542+01:00fashion autumnMilanoutlet shopping europeWeekend breaks from SwitzerlandSo, here's what you do if you're in Milan, on the weekend of the Milan Fashion week - only you don't have a fat cat bank balance, fashionista wardrobe, or the street cred required to muster up passes to any of the actual mainline events -  1) Get a room in the city - even if, budget constraints dictate that you're staying so far away from the actual action that the clerks at the reception http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/03/fashion-milan-and-autoroute-blanche.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-1310198141749293444Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:56:00 +00002010-02-24T12:56:02.290+01:00Dubai MallLeaving Dubai...Life in DubaiJust back from a week in Dubai - the land of the sun, surf, dazzling lights, shameless excess - just what the doctor prescribed as an antidote to the depression brought on by a prolonged bout of a dreary winter and an even duller Geneva. I know that the media would make this city out to be currently in the throes of a cataclysmic crisis, where investors stand ruined and poor labourers toil it outhttp://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/shameless-excess-bring-it-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-917863861044132638Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:30:00 +00002010-02-15T10:30:00.384+01:00louis vuitton besacemarc jacobsridiculous fashionWould you pay a month's rent for this? Apparently there are people who would. Take a look at the latest bag from Louis Vuitton's Spring Summer 2010 collection   It's called the Raindrop Besace and is expected to retail at Eur 1200. I don't know much about fashion, but you're kidding me right? Or maybe it's a case of the designer (Marc Jacobs), trying out some not so subtle http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/ridiculous-fashion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-5604230973680733417Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:52:00 +00002010-02-12T14:52:37.472+01:00Indoor poolssports facilites near GenevaSt JulienFranceVitam ParcIt was the worst of times, a seemingly endless winter, spent wallowing in a heap of weepy romantic comedies, DVD box sets and watching my neighbour's cats put on weight (one of them has got to be pregnant). The bleakness was relentless, the boredom was terminal. There appeared to be no repreive in sight. And then, like a ray of sunshine that had fought a seemingly unwinnable war with the bank of http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/vive-la-france.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-2653624294473798209Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:43:00 +00002010-02-09T11:43:33.687+01:00expat lifeexpats in SwitzerlandGeneva cityI know that this may be a little premature, considering I've only been here a few months (seems like a lifetime already), but here's a few things that make it real hard to love the Switzerland and locals.  1) Texting while walking - Talk about taking "Pieton is King" a little too seriously. What's with the walking with your head down while texting, and not even bothering to look while http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/pet-peeves.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-1904521792189717689Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:30:00 +00002010-02-04T10:30:00.185+01:00crimeGeneva citypurse snatchingSo I'm getting out of a meeting at one of Geneva's most prestigious hotels - The President Wilson, last evening, when I got robbed. It was a slick operation. I am an easy target, both arms full, distracted, as I finish a phone call getting into my car. A man knocks at my window and signals to my tyres. "The wheel's out of alignment, be careful driving," he says, in French. Alarmed, I step out of http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/gypped-in-geneva.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-8481288945136559142Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:08:00 +00002010-02-01T12:08:13.641+01:00English movies in Switzerlandfilmshollywood moviesreviewsThe 40 something executive in a customised designer suit who zips through check in, while you wait it out behind the four parent, six screaming kids nightmare of a family returning from a ski vacation. The woman who clocks in sixty thousand odd air miles, managing a career, a family and two children. The hotshot young manager who comes up with a way of cutting 85% of the cost to company, two http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/02/illusions-and-recycled-air.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-1526222054032273424Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +00002010-01-29T12:00:47.131+01:00AppleIgadgetsIpadValentine's day gift ideasI'm no tech geek, in fact, if there were a Darwinian scale on tech awareness, I'd probably be hunched right next to the primates, but I'm right on top of Apple's droolworthy Ipad launch. While the $500 gadget is a must have for this year,  here are some other cheaper yet great Valentine's day gift ideas from the Apple Store 1) Personalised I-Gadgets - SFr 7+ (SFr 75-200)- A personalised http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/apple-makes-happy-valentines-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-6766818585681556808Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:52:00 +00002010-01-27T15:52:13.940+01:00EvianVillagesWeekend breaks from SwitzerlandNever let it be said that I wasn't brave enough to venture out to explore the beauties of Switzerland in winter. An impromptu visit by a friend led to a boatride to Evian. She was on a short trip, visiting the thermal baths was not an option, so the experience was... how should I put this... a sleepwalk through a ghost town. No more Lac Leman boatrides for me till the peak of summer. http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/anyone-home.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-8205822915108668978Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:30:00 +00002010-01-21T11:30:00.447+01:00avatarfilmshollywood moviesThe Chinese government has pulled Avatar out of an estimated 1500 theatres in China, substituting the film with a biography of Confucious. While arguably, cinemagoers are better off with this switch, the motives behind the move are more sinister; many commentators believe that it is an attempt to nip in the bud any unrest that might be building up as a result of popular association of the Avatar http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/avatar-modern-drama.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-549110706802888136Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:08:00 +00002010-01-18T13:08:45.931+01:00expat lifeforeigners in europeforeigners in switzerlandIt's just the first few weeks of the decade, and already, we seem to be awash with happiness surveys, and satisfaction indices. International Living's recently released Quality of Life Index lists Switzerland as number three among the list of places that offer you the best quality of life, behind France and Australia. Is it realistic, however, to use these surveys as a guiding light towards a http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/feature-happiness-and-foreigners.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-9172717448512825310Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:30:00 +00002010-01-14T11:30:00.276+01:00romantic comedy dvdromantic moviestop romantic comediesAs if it weren't difficult enough to get through a Swiss winter in case you aren't a skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, luging (or some other such sporting activity involving insanely uncomfortable sports gear and launching yourself from a great height) enthusiast, it turns out to be the worst winter in the northern hemisphere in decades. I've chosen the sensible option and chosen to deal with http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/getting-through-winter-boot-camp.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-3870572978218728249Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:37:00 +00002010-01-11T14:37:37.393+01:00coffeeinternetlibrariesreadingLast week's supposedly cool viral campaigns inviting female facebook users to reveal the color of their bras (to surprising success - I certainly didn't want to know my best friend's penchant for "electric pink with lace"), only reinforces the fact that pretty much anything is "cool" as long as its online. (Facebook's Bra Color Story) Unhappily, it also means that we accept the decline of http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/starbucks-bibliotheque.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-2857492287326940116Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:41:00 +00002010-01-07T11:41:10.447+01:00Best and worstjobsJobhuntjobs in 2010JobsRated recently released its survey on the Best and Worst jobs in 2010. At the top of the worst job list is "Roustabout" (people who work on oil rigs, also used for circus workers). The Best Job is (don't bother twisting your brain, you'll never guess..) Actuary!!! These are the guys who provide statistical, probability based modelling on risk to insurance providers. This report ranks 200 http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/01/ma-i-want-to-be-photojournalist-nah.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-4528114978814921729Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-12-15T14:00:02.606+01:00living in SwitzerlandSwiss train travelYou know that pet bone you pick with your partner all the time? The one your friends roll their eyes and refer to when they talk about you? Car vs Train travel is fast becoming one that we add to our "repertoire" as it were. Here's my case for why train travel is better .... 1. Liberation from the GPS! No anxious searching for the right street, no standing on one leg to get a satellite signal, http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/take-train-dude.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-8369240941751974827Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +00002009-12-13T13:00:07.657+01:00climate changeCopenhagenThe Guardian has established a "Reader Leaders" section, inviting readers to weigh in with their indepth views on Copenhagen, climate change and the state of the green revolution Here's my article... The Copenhagen Summit forges on, despite Climategate. Brave attempts have been made to reestablish credibility and redirect energies to achieving positive outcomes, especially by drawing focus to http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/hopenhagen-2009-be-thought-leader.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-2482166146470765661Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-12-11T14:00:09.313+01:00culture genevaEscaladesGeneva cityRobert Nortik If you happen to travel to Geneva this week chances are you'll see a lot of what look like soup or fondue pots in the windows. If you are not a local, like me, you will probably assume this is a traditional, albeit eccentric, way of welcoming the Christmas. You would also be dead wrong. The soup pot is called a "marmite" , and is the quirky symbol of Geneva's "independence". That's right - http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/geneva-in-spotlight.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-584503510496621332Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-12-09T14:00:10.682+01:00Lyon festival of lights 09lyon shopingWeekend breaks from SwitzerlandI have to say I was astounded at the sheer scale, number of people and the spectacle of the Festival of Lights in Lyon. The installations were the best of modern art in themselves, but the city of Lyon is an icing on the cake  - vibrant, diverse, cultural - the best of what Europe has to offer. An hour and a half drive from Geneva, this French city is a must visit for anyone looking forhttp://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/lyon-festival-of-lights-09.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-6577314664387934711Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-12-10T13:57:06.158+01:00EuropeJobhuntlooking for a job in switzerlandunemployementToday marks the four month anniversary of my unemployment. Being a  scarred veteran of the job hunting scene in Geneva, I thought I'd share with you some of the most common types of personalities  that I've encountered so far. 1) The Con Artist Recruiter - These are the guys who make sure they post a position sound that sounds attractive, urgent and important. This ensures they recievehttp://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/job-hunting-in-switzerland-saga.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-8737372233499309286Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:12:00 +00002009-12-02T13:12:36.305+01:00expat lifeexpats in SwitzerlandHSBC released the results of its Expat Explorer survey this week, covering 26 expat locations across the globe. Not surprisingly, Switzerland places at the bottom of the table on the friendliness index. South East Asia comes out on top on this score. Switzerland comes in ninth among established/developed markets, with Canada topping the list. Overall, Switzerland ranks 13, with high rankings http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/12/worlds-friendliest-expat-cities.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-2370341229997561402Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:22:00 +00002009-11-30T10:22:38.041+01:00foreigners in switzerlandintegrationminaret banIt's official. Terror has won. The decision to ban minarets is the latest victory granted on a platter to every radical, hate mongering terrorist out there; even worse, it gives them a platform of self righteousness from where to boast that they are justified in what they are doing. " The west is waging a war on Islam", they will proclaim - unfortunately, they will be right about Switzerland. http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-fear-won.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-6121370422776841129Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:14:00 +00002009-11-24T12:15:19.264+01:00fantasy fictionNew Moonteam switzerlandtwilight for dummiesTwilight series Wondering why TV channels are going nuts over the launch of New Moon? Mostly interested in the Non fiction rack in the bookstore? Stuck in a room full of giggly girls gushing abour Edward's eyes? At a multiplex, considering whether you should get in the line for tickets to New Moon? Here's the least you need to know about the Twilight.... What's it about? Its a teenage romance. Only one http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/twilight-for-dummies_24.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-6309191517773620444Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:26:00 +00002009-11-17T14:26:06.923+01:00blog audiencesblog contentblogosphereinternettechnologyIt started out as a simple idea... I wanted to jazz up my website with pictures I'd taken during our recent trip to Barcelona.I'd seen a lot of sites with these rolling photographic slideshows and I wanted to setup something similar for my blog. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. A week and 5 unsuccessful attempts at web template changes later, I was a cross eyed, irritable wreck http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/theres-bubble-in-blogosphere.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-6648555759990872384Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:36:00 +00002009-11-05T16:36:54.404+01:00FreemasonsGaudiMind PowerSagrada FamiliaThe Lost SymbolA week long trip to Barcelona was a lot longer than most vacations I've been on so far, so I thought I'd have plenty of time to relax, roll up my sleeves and dive into Dan Brown's latest bestselling potboiler - The Lost Symbol. The book started out pretty much as expected, with the usual lineup of symbological potpourri (this tbook explores the mythology of the Freemasons) thrown in along with ahttp://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/lost-symbol-beyond-joyride.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-1021805412304508662Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:40:00 +00002009-10-30T17:40:38.177+01:00AlbayzinAlhambragranada vacationsplaces to see before you dieSpain vacationsFor the first few hours, we almost regretted having left the buzz and excitement of Barcelona for Granada. The approach from the airport was through an industrial area, with dirty furniture warehouses and gritty factories. The approach into the centre of town reavealed a quiet small town, with one main street. Not much was happening, even at five in the evening. We were told that the town shut http://wideeyedgypsy.blogspot.com/2009/10/rain-in-spain-and-alhambra.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0