Marks

I just came back from two weeks of travel to Italy, where I took care of my grandma, and spent some time with my parents as well. I was thinking that I have not upated this blog in so long, and at the same time I reached some important "marks": my 1-year anniversary with my man, my 2-year anniversary in Zurich, my 5-year anniversary with the firm. I am now ready to open a new chapter in my life, move on and move forward. But more of this later.

Contentment

Contentment: the quality or state of being contented.
Contented: feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation.
(from the Merriam-Webster dictionary).

Quite a bit of time has passed since the last time I posted. I know, I had made a commitment to post more, but the rest of November and December were swallowed by intense work, health issues, and preparing for my trip to Africa. Luckily, work got done, the health issues were identified and will easily be resolved, and the trip to Africa went wonderfully.

Actually, the trip surpassed all expectations. Not only was I able to recharge my batteries, be away from everything, and enjoy the scene in a beautiful location of the planet, but I had one of the (if not "the") most enriching experiences of my life.  Africa made a dent in my heart that will never go away: it taught me humility, appreciation for life, people, and circumstances, whatever they may be.

Africa reminded me of how strong a person I am, that I can overcome every difficulty with hard work and a positive attitude. It reminded me that I don't have to do anything I don't want to, but I must work hard to employ my skills where it gives me the most satisfaction and makes the highest impact. It taught me that I can live with less, that I don't need stuff, that a simple life is what's best for me.

Africa taught me that when you find that special someone, you don't let him/her go. At the same time, that you must not compromise your mental and personal sanity to stubbornly prove that you can make it work.

Africa taught me that, while I am and will always be a lonely traveler, I will never be truly alone, but will be wrapped by the embrace of the entire world.

Africa taught me to find contentment where I am, while at the same time to use my present status as a basis for progress, and a ramp to launch into the bright future ahead.

Veggie, Meat, and Fantasy

Two great culinary experiences in Zurich recently for me: very different, but equally loved and recommended.

Hiltl (vegetarian) - I often passed by on my way to the gym, but it took me a year to finally go...I had the Casimir, a rice dish with quorn, mango, fruits, and a bit of saffron in the sauce. Everyone in our group loved it: others had the risotto with mushrooms, the papaya salad, and the Indian black curry - all good. I thought the presentation of the food was excellent too.

La Cote (meat, Kreis 3) - As a meat fan, I loved this place. I had their (in)famous Cafe de Paris entrecote, the way I like it - as rare as possible, or "bloody" as the waiter said with a smile. You can also eat charbonnade. We all shared a couple of desserts and they were nothing special, but then again, I was in "meat heaven", so nothing to complain...

A Taste of... - Zurich Lunch Adventures

In the past few months, I have been organizing lunch events with several friends in Zurich. Usually, I pick  a different place every time, reflective of a different cuisine, mostly on Fridays, but occasionally on other days. The reason is that, generally, Fridays are a bit more laid back in the office, for everyone.

Here are some of the places visited (with the links), and some comments/ recommendations.

A Taste of Jamaica
http://www.clarkes.ch/
Cozy take away place with a couple of tables, it is awesome: nice owners/workers, cheap, and delicious food. Highly recommended. But plan on taking a nap afterwards, I had to have 2 teas to be able to get back to work and stay awake!

A Taste of Sri Lanka (or India?)
Nimmi Restaurant & Take Away
I liked it. It was a big portion, it was tasty, and it was cheap. The shrimp curry was a bit on the spicy side for me, but totally edible - I am not a big fan of spicy (as in "hot", not "spices"). I was satisfied with the price/quality ratio.

A Taste of Vietnam
http://www.saigon.ch/5-0-Aktuell.html
I had the pho with beef and really liked it, even on such a hot day. I have been back for dinner and had the pho with fish, even better. Their lotus tea is nothing to write home about, just tastes like regular tea to me (but what do I know?)

A Taste of Vietnam - Part 2
http://restvietnam-la.com/
Roasted Duck with Rice costs 17 francs at lunchtime. Definitely recommend the place.

A taste of Asia
Teoh Asian Restaurant

Loved the food, loved the company. I had noodles and chicken with veggies and mushrooms. Definitely going back for more. I also had dinner there with some friends, we had a special pork dish - food is super tasty, but I thought they could do with a bit bigger portions.

A Taste of Italy

http://www.bottegaberta.ch/#/homepage/
This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Zurich, and I keep going back, over and over again. We stumbled upon this place with my colleagues a while back, and it was love at first sight. They have a very good menu special for lunch - 20/22 CHF including salad, main course (usually have 4-5 choices available with the menu deal), coffee, and drink. For Zurich, I think it's a very good deal. Their cuisine is "creative Italian" I would say, combining different tastes of the Italian traditional cuisine in new ways (like the outstanding pasta with eggplant and mint tomato sauce, yum!). The people who work there are awesome too. The fact that I could have eaten the same/similar dishes in my dad's kitchen, with the same friendly atmosphere, just made me feel at home.  I had the pasta with vegetable and black olives tomato sauce, a coke, a salad with bread and an espresso, and the bill came out to CHF 20. Delicious and cheap. Highly recommended.

A Taste of Bavaria

Bauschänzli, Stadthausquai 2, 8001 Zürich

Great, great food and fun group!
No beer for me this time, but the bratwurst, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut I ate lated until the following day!

A Taste of the USA

Helvti Diner
Talk about disappointed hopes...My dreams come true...a diner in Zurich! The place was quite full, but we had a reservation, and squeezing in a bit, we were fine.
Forgivable sin: my dark-chocolate milkshake was a bit liquid (definitely less thick than a "North American style" milkshake), but nonetheless it was very tasty and I liked it.
Unforgivable sin: I like my meat as rare as possible, and I asked for a burger accordingly. I got a very well done burger instead and someone else got my burger probably. Now, ok that we were a big group, but if you are serious and you take the trouble of asking the clients how well done they want their meat cooked, well, keep track and don't scr** it up! It might be an honest mistake, but I am sorry to say that it kind of spoiled my meal a bit. Ok, I am not sorry to say - for that price, don't scr** it up!
My conclusion is: I should have listened to my gut feeling and gone with a Dr Pepper and a pastrami sandwitch instead. If I happen to be there again, I will try this option. However, I definitely won't go out of my way to go back to this restaurant!
P.S. FYI, I had a much tastier burger at the Oliver Twist pub in the Niederdorf, for a fraction of the price.

A Taste of Switzerland
http://www.fribourger-fondue-stuebli...dex.php?menu=1
I had a great, great lunch, and the best fondue I've had in a looooong time. Heartily recomment the place. Power nap needed, good thing I had a black tea throughout!

A Taste of Greece
http://www.vp-catering.ch/bistro-take-out/

Great company, great food, the place is really cute and looks/feels like eating in a friend's dining room. I had the aubergine saganaki (eggplant and various other veggies with feta cheese and tomato sauce) and really, really enjoyed it. Water, salad, main course, and bread a-plenty for CHF 16.

Next planned event is A taste of the Langstrasse (and currywurst) at Körry. Currywurst is a typical Berlin treat, and I have been to the place already, but it's always worth going back.  

Is it fatty? YES
Is the place a "hole in the wall"? YES
Is it absolutely delicious for all currywurst and pommes lovers? YES, YES, YES!

Well, All Things Considered

...As I typically answer these days when asked how I am doing.

I am doing ok, I would say. Better, perhaps, is a more appropriate word.
I have been in Italy for a week, supposedly chilling out, but really not ever being able to completely disconnect from everything. I had quite a bit of plans for this week of vacation, but I did none of the things I planned to do. Instead, I was completely absorbed by some work, taking care of a loved one, and just dealing with an over-active and over-reactive brain. I have about ten posts in draft format that I need to complete, recipes that have been tested and need to be finalized, ideas in my head that need to be put to paper. I decided that, while I hope to be able to do all this, I will not beat myself up if I don't. After all, I am supposed to be on vacation.

The week was a very good one though, for several reasons. I learned a lot, and had the chance to practice "having a servant heart", which is the cornerstone and foundation of my personal belief system. To be fair, I did relax sometimes with some sunbathing, friends' visits, some good music and movies, chilled conversations and old stories, and I know there will be more to come in the next few days. I need all the energy I can get to deal with the month of September and the following ones, both in my private and professional spheres.

The last year has not been easy, and, while I have felt a lot better in the past two months, I still have that certain feeling of uneasiness from time to time. The huge difference is, now I am not letting it overcome me, but I am actively dealing with it.

Recently, I received the same comment from two different people who don't know each other: they both said that I always seem happy, always smiling, and people find it hard to believe that I ever have hard times. All that shines is not gold, as they say. But one would find it hard to pick it up it from what I write, say, or the smile on my face.

It is not that I am faking happy emotions I don't possess - I really am, deep down, an internally happy person. However, I too have hard times, and, while I disapprove of hiding one's emotions, I am a believer of preserving private feelings, and of not letting your internal struggles interfere with your external accomplishments and actions - if you feel awful, it's nobody else's faults, and, while it is helpful to talk to a friendly and understanding ear, one's "bad mood" should not create problems to other people. That is why I will very rarely discuss private matters with people beyond my "happy few" list, which consists of seven fantastic people, the best of the best, the ones you know who love you unconditionally, no matter what you tell them.

Two other people instead told me that I am hard to label and put into a category, and asked me "But who are you, really?". That is a good question. I often ask myself "What do you want to be?", perhaps I should also start asking "Who are you?" instead.

Well, if you really know me and are really close to me, you already know about the highs and lows, the constant doubting and questioning, the euphoric moments coupled with falling in the "pit of despair". Yet, I still find pleasure in life, in little things that make me happy and carry me through. I questioned everything about my life, made some important changes, remained "suspended" in some other areas, loved myself and hated myself with a passion. The positive thing in all this is that I learned that I, too, can have doubts. I, too, need help sometimes. I too, am not invincible. I too, can suffer, and it is perfectly ok to suffer, it is a fact of life that we cannot always avoid.

Most importantly, I no longer feel "stuck", I am moving on and making progress, although slowly, and guess what? I got my "grinta" back and figured out that I can go wherever I want - "wherever" being more a state of mind than a physical place. I always knew this, but somehow I had forgotten it. I really, really need to get back into martial arts, for my sanity and because I miss it like the air that I breathe.

After this series of random words, there is not much one can say, except perhaps...good night! I have a feeling that, when I read this post again tomorrow morning, not all of it is going to make sense, but well, all things considered, life seldom makes sense.

Exactly How It Is

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I heard this today after a long time, and it dawned on me that this is a pretty darn good summary of the whole thing, from beginning to end.

I quite like the end though, "I just called to say I want you to come back home..."

International Food Finds

Some more recommendations on cool places from all over the world to eat/drink/hang out, right here in Zurich.

Argentinian: Ojo de Agua.
While taking a little walk in the older part od Zurich, I stumbled upon this little store with a cafe and restaurant, and realized that they had yerba mate for sale...so I bought a kilo and I am enjoying it now. I do need to buy another bombilla, because mine is broken...I have since discovered that this little place is actually part of a bigger business, including a restaurant in Paradeplatz.

Israeli/Jewish: Kosher City.
I was not particularly impressed I must say, I was hoping they'd have more variety for what they advertised online, and also I was hoping to find more "Sephardi" rather than "Ashkenazi" food. Nonetheless, I was able to find Osnei Haman (which I made last year from scratch and they came out quite good, but this year I didn't have any time). I also bought kosher ingredients to make potato burekas, gvina levana to make ugat gvina, humous with zaatar.

General Asian: New Asia Market.
Located on Feldstrasse, right next to the office, there is a sister store in Basel as well. It seems operated by Vietnamese people, and there are a lot of Thai products, cool snacks (such as sesame sticks), and various spices and ingredients to make Asian food. I have to go there soon to see if I can find what I need to make Kimchi.

Korean: Yumi Hana.
Situated on a side street of Bahnofstrasse, very close to the Hauptbanhof, it was a gift from heaven. It placated my craving for Korean food which I was carrying for months, and I also bought ginseng tea, soba and udon noodles, soy sauce, and extra-firm tofu.

Moroccan: Maison Blunt.
Exceptional ambiance, outstanding company of my girlfriends, the food was ok. I have been spoiled by much better Moroccan food before, but I would definitely go back for the environment again. Also, it is in one of my top favorite parts of Zurich, the vibrant Kreis 5.

Chinese: Suan Long.
Located in the infamous Langstrasse, I went there on a Friday evening after work, with a large group of friends, and after an apero at Dini Mueter - which deserves a mention of its own, because it is an awesome, awesome bar/cafe with a lot of character and a certain attitude. I thoroughly enjoyed the place and the company, and ate a delicious duck. I definitely recommend it, and will go back again. The evening continued with drinks at the Volkshaus, the "House of the People" (another awesome venue for a chill drink, mingling, and eating a simple but tasty meal) and then on to my first experience at exploring Zurich's reggae scene.

In closing, I know I already mentioned it in another post, but Zeughauskeller is so good that I keep going back! After that first time with my brother and his girl, I went back with all sorts of people and in different circumstances: with guests and friends visiting Zurich, with Swiss friends born and raised in the city, and with foreign friends living here. I tried various dishes, and, last but not least, a passion of mine, veal liver with rosti. Sublime.

May - An Interesting Month

I cannot believe that today is already May 24! This has been for me a pivotal month, a month of reflection and introspection, and one of those times in life when one must stop, take a deep breath, and try to understand where to go next.

Exactly a month ago, it was Easter Sunday and I was at my parents' place for a few days. Then, I had a crazy, crazy week full of irrational events, and a weekend with my friend here in Zurich.The following week, I decided to take a step back and reassess my life, as I was going through some rough times. Mostly, I am really hard on myself and sometimes I lose confidence, going through periods of highs and lows. Often, I try to overcome these feelings by being strong and carrying on, but at times I just feel low. I have learned to enjoy the highs and cope with the inevitable lows of life as best as I can - I am not always successful, but, at least, I try my best to stay positive.

I have discussed and found inspiration from some dear people in my life, while others, albeit concerned for my well-being, don't really understand who I am, how I think, and what I do. In particular, I have been really motivated by a book I am reading, which encourages the reader to let go of some things, and start doing other things not because they are expected, but because one wants to do them.

Expectations are an aspect I particularly struggle with: on one hand, I place high expectations on myself, and on the other hand, I recognize that other people also place their high expectations on me. I am expected to be smart, rational, do well, settle down, et cetera. However, do I stop and wonder what is it that I really want? I have responsibilites, I generally make rational decisions, and keep my focus. At the same time, perhaps I am not interested in being rational, settling down, and all that. And this is also ok.

Last year, I started listening more to what my heart says, and, although it's been hard and I have questioned my choices many times inside me, I have not looked back and I have not regretted it. I plan to continue doing so - always with a rational backup plan in my drawer, of course. After all, they say:

"Expect the worst, hope for the best".

Earlier this month I turned 30, which makes me really happy and at the same time it makes me think about the place in life I am at the moment, and where I want to go. I have been having some general health and anxiety/ stress-related issues, I have been traveling quite a bit, and I have started letting go of things, situations, and people that, while important, are taking time and energy from me and the pursuits I want to focus on. At the same time, I have tried to strengthen and develop old and new relationships. I love, I hate, I am emotional, and I like every minute of it.

Now I will finish this week, then spend a few fun days with my friend in Lisbon. And then, on to new and exciting adventures: a greater focus on my blog and cookbook, developing my newly-official relationship, thinking carefully about my next steps, fighting my fights against the world. Business as usual, but with a pleasant twist.

Life is a good thing.

Food Finds

Being a big time foodie, I am constantly on the lookout for new food experiences: restaurants, cafes, grocery stores to find ingredients for my recipes, and mostly to discover new flavors that inspire me in my recipe-creation endeavours. I find Zurich a particularly generous city in terms of exposure and access to diverse culinary adventures. Some people have complained about prices (too high), variety (or lack thereof), and quality (volatile), but my experience so far has been extremely positive and I will try to address the objections strictly from my own personal experience.

On the money side, I should mention that food, together with traveling, is one area where I allow myself to "splurge": my budgeting, financially conservative, living-way-under-my-means and bargain-savvy happy self will not blink a second time at spending a ridiculous sum of money for a fine dining experience (which I will have saved the cash in advance for - sorry, I am that way and I can't help it!). Therefore, while I agree that eating out in Zurich can be expensive, my saving nature, and the fact that I perceive eating out as a treat (to myself and to my loved ones) rather than a habit make me more inclined to spend the money on that.

On the variety side, there are very few foods I don't like or eat*, and so far I have not been disappointed by the availability of choices in Zurich. Also, if I crave a certain type of food and I either can't find it or I am not particularly impressed with what I found in a restaurant, I will most definitely try and make it from scratch. Chicken fried steak and homemade biscuits, anyone? Of course, if I expected to eat Korean food like in Korea, or Italian food like at home, I would be sorely disappointed, but this is true for all places I have been to/ lived in the world.

On the quality side, well, it is all a stroke of luck in my opinion, wherever one is: the chances of finding good food and the misadventure of eating bad food can happen.

The questions I ask myself all the time are the following: 1) Is there enough variety of food here to keep me entertained/ not bored? 2) Does a particular food satisfy my taste buds and experience demands? 3) Can I find the ingredients to make what I want to eat from scratch?

Zurich's answers to these questions has been "YES" so far, with one important exception. Until now, I have not been particularly impressed by any Japanese restaurant I have been to, neither in taste (nothing truly outstanding) nor in variety of available choices (nothing exceptionally creative). Being my favorite cuisine, I will admit that it is somewhat hard, and I still cannot bring myself to cook it from scratch. So for now I will keep on looking, until I find my happy Japanese spot here in Zurich.

Lastly, I would like to share some interesting food finds that I stumbled upon lately.

Churrascaria Rincao, a Brazilian restaurant located near Sihlpost. I went there with a big group of people for an all-you-can-eat-meat type of evening. We were served all types of meat, some more satisfying to my taste than other, but while the quality was good and I enjoyed most of it, it was nothing to write home about. I have definitely had more interesting all-meat dining experiences in the past (such as the Argentinian Pampas in Palo Alto, California and Papagaio in Tel Aviv, Israel). The company was amazing though, so all in all a good experience.

Abyssinia, an Ethiopian place where we had a buffet with different plates and again a big group of people. I am a lover of Ethiopian cuisine, and I truly thought that this place was amazing - particularly, I loved lamb in a spicy sauce and the beef tartare. And that bread...yum....A definite positive on my "great restaurants" book, I will go back again for sure, and I highly, highly recommend it.

Le Cedre, a Lebanese restaurant I checked out with a friend who was a newbie at this kind of food. I liked the way they cooked the usual things, eggplants, hummus, falafel, their meats were good, their wine was good. I was disappointed by one thing though: I wanted kanafeh, and that's why I went there - because I read they make it. However, they told me they make it only in the morning, and therefore only have it for lunch - they are right that it must be eaten hot, so they cannot keep it until evening, but still...oh well, the excellent company of the friend I went with erased the disappointment for missed kanafeh, at least a bit ;) No, seriously, I had a fine time and I recommend the place.

Currently, there are a couple of stores I am looking forward to visiting, as well as a couple more restaurants, on which I will share my impressions in a later post.
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*For the records: I don't particularly like cucumbers and would not consciously choose them, but will eat the occasional ones if they are already there in a dish. I will not eat blood sausage, even if it was the last available food on earth. I love oysters, but for some reason my stomach does not, whether they are raw, grilled, fried, or whatever, and so I won't eat them if I can avoid it. Aside from these, I eat everything, and I will try everything at least once.

Impressions Genevoises

A few weeks ago, I spent a wonderful couple of days in Geneva. I must say that, ever since I saw it for the first time, I always love when I go back and visit the city. The reasons are several: I enjoy speaking French and understanding the random conversations taking place all around me; people are cold but friendly, and this reminds me of a more laid back and sleepy version of Paris; finally, when I go there I somehow feel relaxed and on vacation.

This time I met a friend from school in the States, and we caught up with each other’s lives, dreams, directions, and recent happenings. We had a coffee by the lake, then excellent Vietnamese food at Cho Lon (Rue de Zurich, 43). As everyone knows, I love food and I always enjoy trying new recipes and discovering new ways to spoil my senses. However, of all the possible world cuisines, Vietnamese was never on top of my list, albeit I have a deep love for noodles (particularly egg noodles, rice noodles are ok); it’s not that I dislike it, on the contrary: what I want to say is that, whenever I happened to go to a Vietnamese restaurant, I generally liked it, but it’s not the type of food I would look for nor crave. Perhaps the best way to describe my relationship with Vietnamese food is that I am neutral to it.

I was in for a surprise: as I sat in front of an outstanding bowl of pho, I realized that I had really missed Vietnamese food. After years of Vietnamese food overload in California (and thanks to the culinary skills of very capable friends with Vietnamese heritage) I had not had it ever since I moved to Switzerland, and it never occurred to me I’d miss it. Craving Korean food - perhaps. Craving Japanese food - for sure. But Vietnamese food…My taste buds and brain thought differently though, and I highly, highly recommend the place if you ever visit Geneva.

My friend and I walked around and saw all the United Nations buildings, and I even got the “insider tour” – for me, an economist with a focus in international institutions and business who originally picked her college major with the idea of becoming a diplomat, it was like heaven. It was excellent to share personal impressions about our experiences in Switzerland, which are different, but at the same time there is a sort of fil rouge.

Later I said goodbye to my friend, and headed for a walk in the old part of Geneva, which I did not know: a cobweb of quiet cobblestone streets, a two-faced heart of Catholicism and Reformation. Somehow, I couldn’t help but think that Geneva is the perfect place to have a coffee, go to the hairdresser, buy cute jewelry and lingerie, bon bons, and rose-scented products. Funny enough, to this day only two other places in the whole world give me this feeling, which is a mixture of decadent paresse and uninterrupted intellectual stimulation: Paris and New Orleans. It was nice to find the same sensations in Geneva.

I wish I’d had more time to wander around, and also go shopping more seriously in the new part of town, but I had to go back to Gare Cornavin to catch my train back to Zurich. I said au revoir to Geneva, and hopped on the train accompanied by pleasant thoughts of the weekend, as well as the perspective of upcoming fun in Zurich. Little did I know that I was in for a shocking surprise in Zurich too!

Destiny is cruel – sometimes you meet wonderful people and never see them again even though you would die to, and some other times you meet people who pierce your heart ruthlessly, whom you hope, for your own sake, never to meet again and not reopen the wounds, and you bump into them months later, on a random evening, as you exit the Hauptbanhof, cross the street, and turn right on your way to the grocery store. Natürlich…

Clubbing in Zurich

Contrary to expectations, I must admit that the Zurich nightlife is amazing. Prior to moving here, I thought I'd find a fairly quiet and laid back city, nothing too exciting, and I was prepared to live with that. What I found, instead, is a vibrant, young, and cosmopolitan city.

Last weekend I had a couple of interesting and fun "excursions" into the Zuercher night, starting from Valmann where I met some random cool people, such as a German-by-birth, Basler-by-choice working for a big pharma company (guess which one), a Polish personal trainer and psychologist, a Slovakian risk manager for an investment bank, an Italian American intellectual property lawyer from Boston, a Dutch wine trader, a chef from Canton Schwyz, and the list continues...

Then my dear friend S.G. came for the weekend, and we had a blast walking around the city, enjoying the very nice and warm weather, eating all kinds of foods, talking about plans for the future. After a nice couple of glasses at D-Vino, we headed for a night of dancing at Amber, and let me tell you...we danced until we couldn't take it anymore, and when we eventually left, we walked into the Zurich night with happy feelings.

Here is a picture of me having a grand time, courtesy of usgang.ch - I am not even going to say how sore I was on Sunday, and then Monday, and then Tuesday (with the added bonus of soreness from the gym!). Today was the first day I was completely OK, but I think it's a fair enough price to pay for such an outstanding time.

Let's leave it at that.

On the other hand, giving the increasingly longer "recovery times" and to quote one of my favorite country music singers, some might say "I ain't as good as I once was"...

In reality, it is all in the brain.

Graubünden Adventures

Last weekend we went to Laax (canton of Graubünden) with a few friends and coworkers for a pleasant ski weekend. I must say that it was my first weekend ever since I got back to Zurich, and while I wouldn't have minded to be home a bit (!), I greatly, greatly enjoyed the time spent with friends as well as the majestic landscape. Not so much being sore after a day of skiing, when I hadn't worn my skis for about three years...

We left Zurich on Friday afternoon, and, already at the Hauptbanhof, I lost my travelling companions! Here's how it happened: it was entirely my fault, because I decided to stop for a cigarette before getting on the train, and we agreed to meet on the train on the way to Chur. Natürlich, we got separated: the train was very full and we didn't see each other, but talked on the phone and agreed we'd meet on the platform or on the bus Chur-Laax. From the time the train arrived to the bus leaving time, there was exactly a 6-minute time span, so we had to run. Of course, not knowing exactly where I was supposed to go, I ran on the opposite direction to where the bus stop was, and ended up missing the bus! No big deal, because I had plenty of time to get to Laax before dinner time, but it was already dark, I had never been there, and somehow I had to explain to my German-only speaking bus driver to please tell me which stop I had to get off at to get to the hotel. I know it doesn't sound like a huge deal, except that, as I said, it was pitch black outside, and the stops were quite far one from the other, in the middle of nowhere. I thought it would suck if I got off at the wrong stop, with no one around, and even if there was any soul around, they probably wouldn't speak any English. Worst case scenario, I thought, I'll find someone who speaks Italian or French, which shouldn't be too hard, or just guess my way through the labyrinth of understanding/speaking Swiss German...Well, to cut a long story short, I was able to somehow successfully communicate with the bus driver in some mixture of undefined language, met a couple of nice Rumantsch-speaking old ladies on the bus (the Rumantsch sounds a bit like the spoken dialect of my neck of the wood in Northern Italy), and made it successfully to the hotel. Moral of the story: cigarettes are bad for you, hehehe...

The first night we had dinner and then went dancing and it was a lot of fun, but I left quite early (1:30am) because I really wanted to ski the next day. On Saturday morning, we wake up and there is a very nasty snow storm coming down, we can barely see anything for the fog, but of course we are not deterred, and armed with skis, ski boots, helmets, and goggles, we head up the mountain for a day of fun. Let me tell you that I hadn't skied in more or less three years  - and the last time I was in Tahoe on a very easy slope, so nothing comparable to the intensity of skiing in these slopes, on top of the very bad snow condition and snow storm - and because I was in Italy in the past few months, I didn't really go to the gym, so I was both out of practice and out of shape. I had fun and it was good to be back in the snow, but I took it easy and at the end of the day I was as tired as I could be.

In the evening, taken by snow trucks, we went up the mountain and went to an outstanding restaurant, Grandis Startgels where, after an aperitif, we had a four-hour dinner. The chef, who spoke Italian and is awesome, delighted us with an avocado mousse with shrimps, cranberry sauce, pumpkin chips, meat roti, salad, green risotto with fish, a selection of cheeses and jams, three types of desserts, coffee, and the unforgettable main course: polenta enriched with cheese and cooked directly on the burning fire, and four types of fire-roasted meats: lamb, chicken, filet, and deer. All accompanied by cascades of excellent red wine. I was in Heaven. I never wanted to leave again. Actually, I want to go back and "hide" there for a few days, hiking, reading, and eating, assuming they let me. Needless to say, I did not go out that night, but straight to bed after dinner...I was done.

The next morning, some people left early, but the day was sunny and beautiful, and perfect conditions for skiing. Except that I was so sore I couldn't even dream of wearing my skis, so instead I had breakfast and then went on a hike around the mountains with my friend. We walked all the way to Flims, where we had a nice hot chocolate and I tried for the first time Capuns. Delicious.

Then, we made it back to Zurich later that afternoon. I must admit I really liked Laax and Flims, and canton Graubünden in general: people are super nice, they speak Italian, and they definitely know how to cook! Added bonus, the landscape is breathtaking.

January Travels

Chile, a brief stop in New York, a visit to London, chilling in Varese, then back to Zurich.

Amazing.

I stepped back, recharged my batteries, and learned some important things in all these trips.

First, my heart has reasons that go against reason, and I accept that.

Second, the challenges ahead will make me stronger as I walk right into them.

Third, all is important, but there is nothing more important than family.

Fourth, I am blessed to have the greatest friends in the world.

Now let this year begin...a big question mark, but I am curious.

Holiday Season

This holiday season, for some interesting life turn, doesn't seem quite real to me. At the end of the day, it's almost Friday, December 24 (in three minutes to be exact) and it really feels just like a regular week. Everybody told me that I would feel the Christmas atmosphere much more once back in Europe, but to be honest, between the very busy season at work, health issues, high stress, visitors, wedding news, and running around all the time, my mind has just been too engaged elsewhere to really think about it.

When I was in the Bay Area, after the big rush of the summer and early fall, December used to be quite calm at work and in my surroundings, so I would just take my time to decorate my apartment, plan holiday parties, fundraisers, take a whole day for myself and do my Christmas shopping for everyone, send out cards, drink pumpkin spice lattes...This time around, I have visited the Christmas markets, celebrated with friends, and I am here with my family, which I am extremely grateful for, but this incredible sequence of events happened so fast that I didn't really have time to realize that, indeed, it's my most favorite time of the year!

If I look back at the past few months, my life has undergone dramatic changes: six months ago, I was living in the USA, single, with a good grasp of life in that country, lots of friends, lots of activities, making rational, brain-driven decisions. Six months later, I am living in Switzerland, just learning how things work in this country, no knowledge of the local language, meeting old and new friends, trying to figure out my place and recreate a community life here, and making instinctive, heart-driven decisions. Most importantly, for the first time in many years, I am listening to my heart in a way I thought I had forgotten, and it feels wonderful.

Next year many challenges lie ahead, but I am really excited about all the things that await me: after a much-needed vacation, I have a new life to build up. My word for 2011 is going to be "German". Until then, I leave everyone with my best wishes for a warm, love-filled holiday season, and a picture of good things. Perhaps they don't have pumpkin spice latte over here, but definitely gluehwein is quite up there on top of my wishlist!

With love.

Swarovski Tree and Gluehwein

Things That Make Me Happy

It is a wonderful Sunday afternoon, and for once, I am actually not writing from Zurich. After some very intense weeks, I am taking a break at my parents' house this weekend, just relaxing and enjoying people and things that are good for the soul. No work, no schedules, no running around as usual.

I would like to share some of the things that are making me happy now.

Rose bushes surviving in the snow.

New boots.

Assembling ingredients for newly-created recipes.

A stack of cards ready to be sent to friends.

Praying by candlelight.

Massages.

Love poems (and hopefully their traslation!)

Räbeliechtlizum

After a quite relaxing day, last night I met up with my friend to go attend the parade in Richterswil for Räbeliechtli (sorry, link in German or French only). My friend was telling me it's quite a traditional event in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: basically, people carve out and decorate turnips, and then add little lights in them - sort of like what people in the US do for Halloween with pumpkins, although the underlying reason to celebrate is much different than that. In Richterswil the whole city participates to the event by turning off all the lights and putting out decorated and lit turnips, so it is actually quite nice to see.

We saw the parade, then walked around and ate many traditional goodies, such as sausages, schoggi praetzeli, raebe suppe, and lots and lots of gluehwine. We laughed, enjoyed the festivities, and bought some decorations, and we could just feel in the air that the country is already getting ready to wink at Christmas. I had a wonderful and relaxing time, not to mention the fact that I thought it was really interesting to get to know yet another side of Switzerland.

Afterwards, we ended the evening with a couple of glasses of good Spanish wine at D-Vino (very cool choice of name I think: "di vino" in Italian means "of wine", but "divino", one word, means "divine") where we met and conversed with some interesting personalities...

But that is another story...

Fondue

I finally made it back to Zurich for a few days, and I must say that it feels good to be home. I am quite excited at the thought of staying up to write until the early hours of the morning, sitting on my couch under a blanket, then sleeping in and just spending a couple of days without schedule. To be honest, I do have a few things planned, but they are very relaxing and loose evening plans, and I left both weekend days purposefully empty to just do what I feel.

I was invited to spend a pleasant evening in the company of good friends, sharing wine, lots of laughs, and fondue. I had had fondue before - not in Switzerland though - but I must say that this time was quite different: various cheeses mixed with wine and seasonings, coupled with kirsch liquor and crunchy bread made for an excellent meal, but it was the special, relaxed atmosphere that really melted away the stress of a few very full weeks. The wine, meats, and sweets blended together with amazing conversation, touching all corners of the world and bringing our minds to unexplored places.

I experienced the essence of Swiss hospitality: a combination of tradition, relationships, and warmth, the perfect balance between old and modern, and a breath-taking view of the lake and the lights of Zurich. With my eyes glancing at the past and my feet walking decisively on the path to the future, tonight I happily welcome the pleasant feelings and the challenges of my new life in Switzerland.

Happiness is...

...coming back to my home in Zurich for the weekend.

...walking around town with my friends visiting from the States.

...seeing my teammates for dinner and drinks, laughing together, and just enjoying each other's company.

...having a great time with Pablo Picasso and Mark Chagall at the Kunsthaus.

...receiving poems.

...love.

The Struggle of Being a Believer

Before starting to discuss this matter, I would like to make a premise. I am usually very reserved concerning religion. Those who know me well enough, know that I am a believer, but I rarely enter into a detailed discussion on the topic, because I don’t like to advertise my faith and I feel strongly against proselytizing, which I find extremely irritating. While I will give an answer when I am questioned about it, I firmly believe that religion and faith are private matters. I have friends and family members from the most diverse background, people who are believers of many different things, including the belief that God is only a man-made invention, and I am happy and grateful to have each and every one of them in my life.

The reason I decided to start this discussion here and now is because of the many questions I have received from various people on the matter of my faith; specifically, on what it means for me to be a believer and a catholic, and how I can continue to be so in these times. Please know that the opinions I am sharing here are strictly and simply my own: I do not make any representation that they are the absolute truth or are representative of those of other believers, other catholics, or someone else. Also, I hope that sharing my opinions won’t offend anyone, but if it does, please know that I am simply trying to answer the questions I have been asked throughout the last few months, and I chose this public space so I could answer once and for all. I am just making a good and honest effort, with no other intentions.

So what does faith mean to me? Saying that I believe in God would be an understatement. I feel God, everywhere. I see him everywhere. I talk to him, at different times and in different places. And he answers me, showing me the way, guiding my path. I am an intelligent human being who has been given the gift of free will and free choice, and because of this, I freely choose to put my life in the hands of God. I am not saying it’s always easy, because I struggle a lot with letting go, but I trust him. I pray - for myself, for my dear ones, for humanity. The things I pray the most for are health and wisdom, and that is all I need. I love to pray with people of different faiths, because I believe that the power of prayer is universal and transcends human labels.

I believe in Jesus and deeply respect him. He is an example for me, the type of person I aspire to be: he was someone who made everyone feel special and chosen, a very uncomfortable person who constantly put his life at the service of others, someone who set the powerful straight, and who raised the weak, the poor, the neglected, above all. Someone who never had a bad word for anyone, even those who spit on him, and never excluded anyone. He incarnated and represented the true spirit of a servant heart.  I don’t recall reading or hearing anywhere that he ever rejected anyone because of different color, belief, sexual orientation, origin, or ethnicity. I behave accordingly, and I believe that any other behavior that deviates from this standard is a man-made construction to control people.

I believe that the Bible is a great book full of common sense, and I believe it was written by people inspired by God. I believe it is comparable to a wonderful poem exalting the glory of God, and full of good advice on top of that – the same no-nonsense advice that my grandma would give me (everything in moderation, don’t harm other people, be kind, etc.). I enjoy reading it and meditating upon it, because it inspires me to be a better person. However, I don’t believe it is the absolute truth as it is written, and I don’t believe it necessarily needs to be taken literally. I believe the only absolute truth is what I will hear from God directly if I am ever lucky enough to see him face to face. Until then, I will try to be a good person and aspire to be Christ-like, in the specific ways that I elaborated earlier.

I am happy to be a catholic: it is who I am, links me to my ancestors, my family, and I enjoy being a part of this community of faith. I am also a very critical and angry catholic – I question my religion all the time, and I get really mad when I read things like the church having multi-million businesses, covering up abuses, dictating measures that go against public health and the well-being (physical and emotional) of people. I won’t even go into events of hundreds of years ago, like the crusades, Galileo, the inquisition, just to name a few (which also make me mad) – it is sufficient to open any daily newspaper to get mad. I also believe there are many examples of wonderful people who are/ were catholics and did great things for the advancement of their communities and the betterment of the world. My personal favorites? Mother Teresa, whom you all know, and my late uncle Peter, a hippy priest who used to drive a motorcycle in the jungle to go teach people to read and write.

I believe strongly in the rule of law, and believe that it is an absolute necessity that law and religion be separated at all times. The law of the land must never be influenced by religious feelings, but must objectively guarantee, protect, and preserve the rights of all those who are subject to it. I believe the church is made of men and women, not gods, but just like everyone else, they must be subject to the rule of law, and pay if they commit a crime. Always and unconditionally, just like everyone else. After that, I personally believe we should at least try and find compassion in our hearts to forgive, but let it be clear that forgiveness never, ever, means impunity.

I believe that religious people have a right, like everyone else, to voice their opinion. They do not, however, have the right to give the rest of the people the “holier than thou” attitude – we can discuss all we want and I will enjoy it, I will say my opinion and you will say yours, but please be respectful and don’t try to “convert” me. I will show you the same respect and won’t try to do it either. I believe this applies to anyone: a believer (of any kind) is never by default better than an unbeliever, and vice versa.

Finally, I personally believe in the “getting your hands-dirty” type of religion – cooking for the homeless, caring for the elders, comforting the sick. Not only I feel God’s presence in all those endeavors, but, by exposing my many faults and wants, they allow me to show the world what it means to live the faith and struggle to be a believer, a catholic, and strive to become a better person.

Showing by example, that is. I won’t say a single word about it, ever againJ.

Zurich at Four

Throughout the day, Zurich is a bustling city: at 6 in the morning, the colors and the flavors of the open market in Helvetiaplatz fill the air, along with the voices of vendors and passers-by who stop at every stall to pick up an apple, a freshly-baked croissant, or flowers. There are several Italian vendors, and among them my favorite cheese shop selling buffalo mozzarella and burrata.

At 8am, everyone is running to catch a tram or a train to get to work in suit and tie or fancy heels, or running in jeans to the gym to get a little exercise before starting a long work day. Bankers, consultants, construction workers, store owners, a diverse sample of humanity crosses each other's path in the city's paved streets.

At 11am, moms with their strollers and little old ladies walk about and head to the park or the grocery store, and the occasional student sprints with his bike and his iPod while challenging the traffic. People from office buildings pour outside with a coffee and a cigarette for a break.

Any given evening of the week, from about 5pm until later, people fill bars and cafes for a little apero before dinner, laughing and meeting new people, and just enjoying themselves. If the weather is pleasant, as this September has been, people will even sit outside and enjoy the last bits of summer that they can get, while the leaves on the trees start to turn yellow and fall down. Then, the dinner and post-dinner-drinks crowd replaces them and continues the party. One thing that amazed me ever since my first day in Zurich was that people go out every single night of the week, work or not. It seems to me that Zurchers enjoy life.

However, recently and unexpectedly, I discovered my favorite time of the day in Zurich. At 4 in the morning, when the air is crisp and the sky starts getting pink, in anticipation of the sunrise. When the streets are quiet, except for the occasional person cuddled up in her coat, eyes fixed on the ground, either coming home after a wild night, or leaving to start the day, and the smell of freshly baked bread coming from the bakeries, still closed but already alive, captures your senses every few steps.

The moment when you know you really should go home, because in a couple of hours you have to wake up, but instead you keep walking and enjoying the magic atmosphere, trying to ignore the passing of time, and artificially prolonging the night.

The moment when, between light and dark, you create everlasting memories.

The moment when, as I was told, you expect the unpredictable and allow your heart to listen to life's whispers.