#life in switzerland is like naturally photogenic

[tbh-entp]

ok so infj invited me to a chalet at the end of this week/this weekend. Supposedly we will be skiing (which i have done literally once, he knows this) and jacuzzi-ing. imma pigeon up and tell him that i still gotta thing for him in a non joke way (the key part)

#because he's actually wears his emotions more on his sleeve than i do #really pushing me to not be like 'yeah you're alright lol' #when i mean #i've literally been in love with you for like 4 years now #also #is this a date!? #is this romantic!? #i think the boat trip and mountain day + picnic a few weeks ago was a romantic thing #because that's what it felt that #we literally shared wine and cheese and chocolate on the top of a mountain looking over a lake #vierwaldstättersee #if u wanna know which one #my life is a lot and i know this sounds like rich ppl shit now that i'm typing it but #life in switzerland is like naturally photogenic #and the chalet this weekend belongs to someone who we worked with who is swiss and can have a chalet casually--i've never been invited lol #HOW DO I DO THIS #i just want to have his children in a joke but like not joke way #i'm not joking he'd make a great dad #we've got to stop hanging out so much and texting and calling because he's got me with my hopes up over here #i'm probably delusional #i just spent 400 on ski gear #(literally so dumb lmao i'm still at about -10k return since moving here 7 months ago) #around him tho i go dumb and i'm like suddenly without worry #less risk averse #which might not be good? #idk other side of the coin is that i do feel safe to the point that like i never know where we are because he knows and i trust him

[umichenginabroad]

Swiss Family (Imperial)

Joey Imperial

Environmental Engineering

Sustainability and Industrial Ecology - UTT, Troyes France

After my stint in Chamonix I made my way back to Geneva to stay with some of my family’s very close friends who have lived in Geneva for the majority of their lives. Although I have never met them before, they welcomed me into their beautiful home with unbelievable hospitality. Needless to say, home-cooked food, hot showers, and my own room were a pleasant change after my time in Chamonix

After a wonderful welcome dinner, my “Tita P” (”Aunt P”) began asking about what I would like to see in Switzerland. I hadn’t done too much research about Switzerland before coming as this part of the trip was not originally on the agenda, but I did have one spot that I really wanted to see. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Washington DC several times in my life, and more specifically the National Gallery of Art. There is an absolutely extraordinary piece of work there by Albert Bierstadt entitled “Lake Lucerne”. I saw that massive painting nearly 4 years ago, but it is still, to this day, my favorite piece of art that I have ever seen. Lake Lucerne is located in Switzerland, only about a 3 hour drive from Geneva. Naturally, Tita P did everything in her power to get us there, and I couldn’t thank her enough.

“Lake Lucerne,” Albert Bierstadt, 1858. Picture credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org

In our journey to Luzern we decided to stop at Jungfraujoch, nicknamed the “Top of Europe” as it is home to the highest train station in Europe at 11,332 ft. We would end the day at my Tita P’s vineyard chalet on the end of Lac Leman opposite of Geneva. The next day I would have to return to Geneva to catch my flight to Barcelona. With that chronology explained, here are some pictures from our travels!

Swiss chalets are designed to beautifully blend into their natural surroundings. With dark wood and simple construction, these chalets are cozy and perfectly suited for their alpine environments.

View of a valley from the train to Jungraujoch.

Unfortunately it was awfully cloudy when we arrived at the Jungfraujoch observation station, but this is what it looks like on a clear day. Regardless of the weather, it was incredible to learn about the history of the station and the human achievement of building a railway to the top of a mountain!

After Jungraujoch we made our way to Luzern! Although I didn’t find the viewpoint that Albert Bierstadt painted from, the town and surrounding mountains were just as photogenic.

The Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge, is one of the most famous features of Luzern! It’s a wooden footbridge dating back to 1333

Sunset View of Lac Leman on our way to spend the night at the chalet

View from the chalet in the morning. It was incredible to see such uniform and beautiful vineyards manicured on the steepest slopes! 

With a personal tour of the best that Switzerland has to offer finished, I made my way to the Geneva airport in quite the bittersweet mood. I was looking forward to meeting Barcelona, but I knew that I had to come back and see more of this beautiful nation after experiencing such unique landscapes, food, and history.

Reflections from Barcelona and home to come very soon; thanks for checking in and joining me on these last legs of my trip!

-Joey

#joeyimperial #ipetroyes #umichenginabroad #ipesummer19

[michaelfallcon]

The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich

After years in the doldrums, the coffee scene in Zürich has in recent years exploded in multiple directions. The range of venues to drink coffee is diverse and punches above its weight for this relatively small city. It makes for a surprising mix of spots, whether you’re after the choicest cup, best atmosphere, or somewhere to make your Instagram feed pop.

The traditional coffee in Zürich is called a café crème. It’s a medium-sized drink, Italian-style espresso with around 50% hot water. It’s served with a basket of gipfli (small croissants) available on the table, alongside a small chocolate and a tumbler of tap water.

But tradition is only half of the story in Zürich. Like elsewhere around the world, there’s been a new wave of shops in recent years. Here the emphasis is on quality ingredients, knowledgeable staff, and well-designed interiors. Think wooden boards for plates, handmade cups, and industrial style. Because of the hot summers, and despite long winters, Zürchers love to sit outside. So most cafes will offer al fresco drinking, often with a sheepskin rug for comfort, and a box of blankets to choose from for warmth.

The selection of shops below takes quality coffee as a starting point, but I’ve chosen some spots as much for their ambience or distinctiveness in the scene. Speaking with many of the owners, they highlighted a small but passionate nascent coffee scene and optimism for what it held for the future.



  Photos courtesy of Luca Franzoni.

ACID

Zürich’s Langstrasse is the heart of the city’s nightlife, a melting pot where some of the most exciting restaurants and bars are. Making a bid for the award for most photogenic coffee shop is ACID. With its pink walls, homemade furniture, rotating art, and neon, people looking to capture a perfect coffee moment here are spoiled for choice. Deeply supportive of the local artistic community, co-owner Yann Gurtner wants ACID to be a “constant changing piece of art.” On a warm day you can take in the ever-changing, colorful scene on the street outside and Helvetiaplatz across the road.

Coffee comes from micro-roastery Miro, located just around the corner. They make a special roast of their Melbourne-inspired beans for ACID, from Honduras Santa Rosa Copan arabica beans. From this you can get an indulgently syrupy mixture of tropical fruits and milk chocolate. These are crafted on a La Marzocco Linea PB, and served on a wooden plate with a homemade jasmine tea palate cleanser.

ACID is located at Langstrasse 67, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook.

  Photo courtesy of Pascal Grob.

MAME

Quite rightly, this shop is proud of its World Brewers Cup champion barista Emi Fukahori. The trophy on the shelves of the Seefeld branch is proudly displayed. But even more striking are the Goat Story Gina machines used for filter coffees and teas. These are delicately tended to with a wooden paddle by the baristas—the most knowledgeable in the city.

Fukahori founded MAME with her partner, two-time World Barista Championship Finalist Mathieu Theis, after they met (appropriately) at a barista championship in 2015. The pair “dreamed of having a cafe where we can celebrate such coffees.” And so they founded MAME together in 2016, opening a branch on Josefstrasse (near both ACID and Miro). MAME means beans in Japanese, a nod to Fukahori’s heritage.

The Seefeld branch followed in 2018, here you can sit at the communal table or browse the selection of high-end bikes; yes, this shop doubles as a cycle store. The cups are handmade works of art, by French ceramicists Jars, and are available to buy too.

As you’d expect from the barista pedigree behind the shop, taste is all-important. Three roast choices are available to customers, helpfully plotted on a flavor wheel on the wall. This is a great spot to try coffee from local roasters Vertical Coffee, founded by a team of Swiss climbers.

For a real adventure, try a flight of coffee, espresso or filter trio. Oh, and you must try their “crazy blend” if you want to have an interesting morning…

MAME has multiple locations in Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Bros Beans & Beats

The coffee in BBB is as smooth as the music. While the tunes have a distinctly hip-hop flavor, the espressos are a fine balance between fruitiness, acidity, and bitterness. And, dropping in like a guest MC, there’s a rotating line-up of seasonal roasts available too.

With backgrounds in the luxury hotel industry, co-founders Andreas Di Sario and Sezer Oezenir place emphasis on great service. There’s no doubt the waiters here are more attentive than elsewhere in the city, when your presence can feel like an inconvenience. “The coffee scene in Zürich is quite young, as it takes a while til hypes and new trends arrive here in Switzerland,” Di Sario says. These two are bringing some of that hype themselves—their shop logo is a silhouette of their likenesses complete with beards and baseball caps.

There’s a lot of space in this shop, yet it retains a homely feel. The warmth is enhanced by the Acme tableware, and what could be more welcoming than the sight of a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle dominating the bar? The team works with local roaster Henauer to keep things on point.

Bros Beans & Beats is located at Gartenhofstrasse 24, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Christian Forrer.

ViCafe

Until recently, takeaway coffee was just not “a thing” in Zürich. Perhaps due to the genteel nature of life, or the Italian influence, people tended to sit for their coffees, and take their time. But alongside a handful of hole-in-the wall hatches around town, ViCafe has emerged as a success story.

The ViCafe journey started on the vineyard-lined riverbank village of Eglisau near the Swiss border with Germany. The company originally revived the vintage “Vivi Kola” cola brand, which is itself another success story. From this venture, a microroaster emerged, and soon grew to take over the old Eglisau railway station. Now expanded to nearby Zürich, there are six takeaway locations around town.

At the prominent Bellevue spot in the heart of the city, the queue is a permanent fixture. There’s no shame in ordering an iced latte from here: take it with you on a stroll down the lake, with a view of the alps towering above, and you’ll feel like a king.

ViCafe has multiple locations in Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Piazza

Representing Zürich cafe heritage is Piazza. With tables spreading into idyllic Idaplatz, this is one of those places to while away the hours. There’s nothing unique about the coffees here, but they are about at “Zürich” as you can get: a café crème is served with a small dark chocolate on the side.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to watch the locals playing petanque, kids zooming around on their scooters, or just gaze up at the trees—which boast spectacular cherry blossoms in the spring. It’s one of those places where time stands still and all is right with the world. Located in a residential area, it’s hidden from tourists and is something of a neighborhood hangout.

The interior is a mishmash of retro design, with examples of the mid-century furniture found in the city’s myriad vintage shops. The black-and-white bar is something of a signature, as are the multicolored tables and chairs that catch the morning sun. In the adjoining shop you can buy olive oils and balsamic vinegars, migrate onto an ice-cream from Gelateria Bi Berna, or something alcoholic from neighbors Calvados. This is the kind of cafe where great days begin.

Piazza is located at Idapl. 2, 8003 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook.

  Photo courtesy of Samuel Zeller.

Monocle Cafe

When Monocle magazine decided to make Zürich its permanent base, the company wanted to make a statement. Monocle is the magazine of choice for the jet-setting bachelor, with a Swiss lifestyle of ski weekends, outrageously expensive watches, and modest style. Naturally, the cafe fits perfectly with this demographic.

For the design-conscious visitor to Zürich this is something of a pilgrimage. Their space is everything you’d expect: sophisticated and stylish. It’s a perfect spot to sit and read (or buy from) their array of magazines, and if you’re so inclined, browse their range of clothes and dream that you could afford them.

Monocle’s editor Tyler Brule is often present, as behind a mysterious sliding door are the offices of the magazine, and the spot where they record their podcasts.

Monocle Cafe is located at Dufourstrasse 90, 8008 Zürich. Visit their official website.

  Sihl Records

This is another shop where the tunes are as important as the coffee. Sihl Records is a local haunt for Zürich’s thriving tech-house scene, which includes mega clubs Supermarket and Hive, as well as shop’s neighbor Freida’s Büxe (arguably one of the world’s finest nightclubs). Zürich also hosts Europe’s largest techno festival, the annual “Street Parade,” so there’s a constant stream of world-class DJs passing through town. You’d wager most of them drop by here for an espresso. They’ll also be able to shop the store’s discerning selection of house and techno vinyl, previewing it on the store’s pair of Technics turntables. In-store sessions of visiting DJ’s are recorded and streamed on YouTube.

Tucked down an unassuming side-street, this shop demonstrates the wide range of coffee experiences to be found in Zürich.

Sihl Records is located at Martastrasse 114, 8003 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Yoichi Iwamoto.

Miro

Some of the pioneers of the Zürich coffee scene, Miro’s founders dared to roast speciality coffee five years ago, when (almost) no one else was. Customers first found their seasonal roasts through their coffee truck, which toured the city.

Miro sources through a variety of importers, offering around 15 different seasonal coffees annually, with four or five on at any given time.

The team here is serious about coffee, so you’ll find drinks like cortados, cold brew available on tap, and coffee-inspired cocktails. In-house barista Ivan Pepe Marin developed the cocktails himself, and they make a trip to the city’s lively Kreis 4 area worthwhile alone.

The space itself is industrial and minimal; the machinery and drinks speak for themselves. As well as functioning as a cafe, you can watch roasters in action and participate in workshops—this really is a serious coffee lover’s destination.

Co-founder Daniel Sanchez is buoyant about Zürich’s ability to compete among the big boys in the coffee world, “We tend to be humble in Zürich and look up what bigger cities like Berlin, Copenhagen, and London are doing. But I don’t think we have to hide.”

Miro is located at Brauerstrasse 58, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Luc Benyon is a freelance journalist based in Zürich. This is Luc Benyon’s first feature for Sprudge.

Top photo by Giuseppe Bognanni.

The post The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich appeared first on Sprudge.

The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

[shebreathesslowly]

The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich

After years in the doldrums, the coffee scene in Zürich has in recent years exploded in multiple directions. The range of venues to drink coffee is diverse and punches above its weight for this relatively small city. It makes for a surprising mix of spots, whether you’re after the choicest cup, best atmosphere, or somewhere to make your Instagram feed pop.

The traditional coffee in Zürich is called a café crème. It’s a medium-sized drink, Italian-style espresso with around 50% hot water. It’s served with a basket of gipfli (small croissants) available on the table, alongside a small chocolate and a tumbler of tap water.

But tradition is only half of the story in Zürich. Like elsewhere around the world, there’s been a new wave of shops in recent years. Here the emphasis is on quality ingredients, knowledgeable staff, and well-designed interiors. Think wooden boards for plates, handmade cups, and industrial style. Because of the hot summers, and despite long winters, Zürchers love to sit outside. So most cafes will offer al fresco drinking, often with a sheepskin rug for comfort, and a box of blankets to choose from for warmth.

The selection of shops below takes quality coffee as a starting point, but I’ve chosen some spots as much for their ambience or distinctiveness in the scene. Speaking with many of the owners, they highlighted a small but passionate nascent coffee scene and optimism for what it held for the future.



  Photos courtesy of Luca Franzoni.

ACID

Zürich’s Langstrasse is the heart of the city’s nightlife, a melting pot where some of the most exciting restaurants and bars are. Making a bid for the award for most photogenic coffee shop is ACID. With its pink walls, homemade furniture, rotating art, and neon, people looking to capture a perfect coffee moment here are spoiled for choice. Deeply supportive of the local artistic community, co-owner Yann Gurtner wants ACID to be a “constant changing piece of art.” On a warm day you can take in the ever-changing, colorful scene on the street outside and Helvetiaplatz across the road.

Coffee comes from micro-roastery Miro, located just around the corner. They make a special roast of their Melbourne-inspired beans for ACID, from Honduras Santa Rosa Copan arabica beans. From this you can get an indulgently syrupy mixture of tropical fruits and milk chocolate. These are crafted on a La Marzocco Linea PB, and served on a wooden plate with a homemade jasmine tea palate cleanser.

ACID is located at Langstrasse 67, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook.

  Photo courtesy of Pascal Grob.

MAME

Quite rightly, this shop is proud of its World Brewers Cup champion barista Emi Fukahori. The trophy on the shelves of the Seefeld branch is proudly displayed. But even more striking are the Goat Story Gina machines used for filter coffees and teas. These are delicately tended to with a wooden paddle by the baristas—the most knowledgeable in the city.

Fukahori founded MAME with her partner, two-time World Barista Championship Finalist Mathieu Theis, after they met (appropriately) at a barista championship in 2015. The pair “dreamed of having a cafe where we can celebrate such coffees.” And so they founded MAME together in 2016, opening a branch on Josefstrasse (near both ACID and Miro). MAME means beans in Japanese, a nod to Fukahori’s heritage.

The Seefeld branch followed in 2018, here you can sit at the communal table or browse the selection of high-end bikes; yes, this shop doubles as a cycle store. The cups are handmade works of art, by French ceramicists Jars, and are available to buy too.

As you’d expect from the barista pedigree behind the shop, taste is all-important. Three roast choices are available to customers, helpfully plotted on a flavor wheel on the wall. This is a great spot to try coffee from local roasters Vertical Coffee, founded by a team of Swiss climbers.

For a real adventure, try a flight of coffee, espresso or filter trio. Oh, and you must try their “crazy blend” if you want to have an interesting morning…

MAME has multiple locations in Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Bros Beans & Beats

The coffee in BBB is as smooth as the music. While the tunes have a distinctly hip-hop flavor, the espressos are a fine balance between fruitiness, acidity, and bitterness. And, dropping in like a guest MC, there’s a rotating line-up of seasonal roasts available too.

With backgrounds in the luxury hotel industry, co-founders Andreas Di Sario and Sezer Oezenir place emphasis on great service. There’s no doubt the waiters here are more attentive than elsewhere in the city, when your presence can feel like an inconvenience. “The coffee scene in Zürich is quite young, as it takes a while til hypes and new trends arrive here in Switzerland,” Di Sario says. These two are bringing some of that hype themselves—their shop logo is a silhouette of their likenesses complete with beards and baseball caps.

There’s a lot of space in this shop, yet it retains a homely feel. The warmth is enhanced by the Acme tableware, and what could be more welcoming than the sight of a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle dominating the bar? The team works with local roaster Henauer to keep things on point.

Bros Beans & Beats is located at Gartenhofstrasse 24, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Christian Forrer.

ViCafe

Until recently, takeaway coffee was just not “a thing” in Zürich. Perhaps due to the genteel nature of life, or the Italian influence, people tended to sit for their coffees, and take their time. But alongside a handful of hole-in-the wall hatches around town, ViCafe has emerged as a success story.

The ViCafe journey started on the vineyard-lined riverbank village of Eglisau near the Swiss border with Germany. The company originally revived the vintage “Vivi Kola” cola brand, which is itself another success story. From this venture, a microroaster emerged, and soon grew to take over the old Eglisau railway station. Now expanded to nearby Zürich, there are six takeaway locations around town.

At the prominent Bellevue spot in the heart of the city, the queue is a permanent fixture. There’s no shame in ordering an iced latte from here: take it with you on a stroll down the lake, with a view of the alps towering above, and you’ll feel like a king.

ViCafe has multiple locations in Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Piazza

Representing Zürich cafe heritage is Piazza. With tables spreading into idyllic Idaplatz, this is one of those places to while away the hours. There’s nothing unique about the coffees here, but they are about at “Zürich” as you can get: a café crème is served with a small dark chocolate on the side.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to watch the locals playing petanque, kids zooming around on their scooters, or just gaze up at the trees—which boast spectacular cherry blossoms in the spring. It’s one of those places where time stands still and all is right with the world. Located in a residential area, it’s hidden from tourists and is something of a neighborhood hangout.

The interior is a mishmash of retro design, with examples of the mid-century furniture found in the city’s myriad vintage shops. The black-and-white bar is something of a signature, as are the multicolored tables and chairs that catch the morning sun. In the adjoining shop you can buy olive oils and balsamic vinegars, migrate onto an ice-cream from Gelateria Bi Berna, or something alcoholic from neighbors Calvados. This is the kind of cafe where great days begin.

Piazza is located at Idapl. 2, 8003 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook.

  Photo courtesy of Samuel Zeller.

Monocle Cafe

When Monocle magazine decided to make Zürich its permanent base, the company wanted to make a statement. Monocle is the magazine of choice for the jet-setting bachelor, with a Swiss lifestyle of ski weekends, outrageously expensive watches, and modest style. Naturally, the cafe fits perfectly with this demographic.

For the design-conscious visitor to Zürich this is something of a pilgrimage. Their space is everything you’d expect: sophisticated and stylish. It’s a perfect spot to sit and read (or buy from) their array of magazines, and if you’re so inclined, browse their range of clothes and dream that you could afford them.

Monocle’s editor Tyler Brule is often present, as behind a mysterious sliding door are the offices of the magazine, and the spot where they record their podcasts.

Monocle Cafe is located at Dufourstrasse 90, 8008 Zürich. Visit their official website.

  Sihl Records

This is another shop where the tunes are as important as the coffee. Sihl Records is a local haunt for Zürich’s thriving tech-house scene, which includes mega clubs Supermarket and Hive, as well as shop’s neighbor Freida’s Büxe (arguably one of the world’s finest nightclubs). Zürich also hosts Europe’s largest techno festival, the annual “Street Parade,” so there’s a constant stream of world-class DJs passing through town. You’d wager most of them drop by here for an espresso. They’ll also be able to shop the store’s discerning selection of house and techno vinyl, previewing it on the store’s pair of Technics turntables. In-store sessions of visiting DJ’s are recorded and streamed on YouTube.

Tucked down an unassuming side-street, this shop demonstrates the wide range of coffee experiences to be found in Zürich.

Sihl Records is located at Martastrasse 114, 8003 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Yoichi Iwamoto.

Miro

Some of the pioneers of the Zürich coffee scene, Miro’s founders dared to roast speciality coffee five years ago, when (almost) no one else was. Customers first found their seasonal roasts through their coffee truck, which toured the city.

Miro sources through a variety of importers, offering around 15 different seasonal coffees annually, with four or five on at any given time.

The team here is serious about coffee, so you’ll find drinks like cortados, cold brew available on tap, and coffee-inspired cocktails. In-house barista Ivan Pepe Marin developed the cocktails himself, and they make a trip to the city’s lively Kreis 4 area worthwhile alone.

The space itself is industrial and minimal; the machinery and drinks speak for themselves. As well as functioning as a cafe, you can watch roasters in action and participate in workshops—this really is a serious coffee lover’s destination.

Co-founder Daniel Sanchez is buoyant about Zürich’s ability to compete among the big boys in the coffee world, “We tend to be humble in Zürich and look up what bigger cities like Berlin, Copenhagen, and London are doing. But I don’t think we have to hide.”

Miro is located at Brauerstrasse 58, 8004 Zürich. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Luc Benyon is a freelance journalist based in Zürich. This is Luc Benyon’s first feature for Sprudge.

Top photo by Giuseppe Bognanni.

The post The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich appeared first on Sprudge.

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