It´s Snowing, Errrr I Mean It´s Slushing

In over three years I have been in Geneva it has snowed a couple of times and only a couple of times the snow was to stay. I find it very interesting that Geneva as a hub for busloads full of drunk British ski and snowboard buffs going to all the close by ski resorts, Geneva doesn´t get much snow itself.

As I am writing this blog it is snowing, well kind of, more like slushing. Oh, how I hate that, especially since I now have a job to to go in the morning which requires me to take a tram and then switch in the center into a Bus going to Bernex.

I think my trip to work today needs some euro trash pop on full volume to keep me happy.
And there better be no musicians on the tram. Even with my Ipod on full volume and the high end in ear headphones which seal off my ears for any outside noise, I can hear them.
Maybe because these people like to stand really close to me.

Talk to you next year!

P.S. Today is my last day of smoking. ONCE AGAIN!

Since Everybody Is Doing It...

Highlight the things you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6.Given more than you can afford to Charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9.Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (or both.)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (indoors)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa if you consider Cape Verde Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Still Waiting For Santa. Stuck in Traffic or Simply Evil?!

I am sure you all know the feeling before Christmas, when you're all excited what kind of presents you will get this time. I love that feeling, but what I like more is presents I can use, so the husband and I started this little thing of sending us "Dear Santa..." emails. Well I send emails and simply bother him with tons of "waddayawant" questions he never answers. That´s why he got stuck with a fondue chinoise set this year. HA!

The number one item on my list this year was a new Blackberry. I use my Blackberry a lot and the one I got 1,5 years ago really looks like it has been dragged behind a car, and not in a good way. I also like to update my gadgets. I am writing this blog on my brand new Apple MacBook, so I needed a new phone to match the new computer. I fell in love with the new Curve 8900 and since it´s is not yet available in the land of the cheese, we, I mean Santa ordered it from Germany the 2nd week of December.

IT IS STILL NOT HERE and I am on the verge of insanity. I know, it´s just a gadget, but playing with new toys on Christmas is a tradition for me and I had to substitute for it this year with hours and hours of playing Rayving Rabbids TV Party on the Wii. It´s a great game and my ankles are still sore but it does not make up for the missing present.

Let´s just hope that La Post will deliver fast otherwise I will loose my temper and slaughter a mail man out of pure joy. Oh wait, I said I am trying to be nicer. All right, I am going to slash his tires instead.

Isn´t it beautiful? Such a precious piece of technology!

CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE

With the end of the year approaching a lot of things have changed in my life. I started a new job a couple of weeks ago, trying to eat a bit more healthy, willing to loose some extra pounds, trying to quit smoking for a hundredth time and most importantly trying to be more on the nice side of things which is harder as it sounds.

So, the new job. The offer came more or less out of the blue. A friend of mine operates a shuttle service going from the Geneva airport to all the skiing resorts, Chamonix, Morzine, Verbier, Les Praz to name a few and he was looking for someone to help him with the reservations and booking during the skiing season.
The job is good fun, time flies by like nothing and my co workers are really nice.
The only thing I have trouble with is adjusting to the location of the office. It´s in Bernex which is a tram ride into town and a bus ride out into oblivion also known as countryside. Hey at least I have nearly two hours every day to read my books on trams, busses and waiting for trams and busses. It´s a seasonal thing so I think I will look for something else as soon as the season is over in April. Gone are the days of long sleeping and fleeing the maid. Have to make up my mind if that is a good or a bad thing though.

I will turn 29 in 3 month and although the 30s are supposed the new 20´s I feel like an old man. I hardly go clubbing until 5 in the morning anymore, don´t really like to get drunk or even tipsy and do enjoy a good read on the sofa. Sad I know, but don´t worry, my lust for shopping and anything expensive is still there and it´s unlikely that it will leave anytime soon.
What really freaks me out is that I can´t eat what I like anymore without gaining weight. This is big pain in the behind. I used to weigh 60kg up until the age of 23, and from 25 on I am constantly gaining weight. In the moment I weigh 67 kg which for me is like being obese. Don´t worry, I am not anorexic but I like to stay size S and in the moment things are getting a bit tight around the midsection not to mention the new behind someone bolted on while I was asleep.
So, with the new job, I have decided to avoid consuming food after 18:00, I will not need the energy anyway, switch from Coke to Coke zero and be a little bit more carb and fat conscious. I´ll keep you updated on that one. Will go and buy some jogging shoes next week. Now I only have to figure out when to go for a run without the chance of bumping into anyone I know, which would destroy my image of being slightly plastic and untouchable. ;)

Quitting smoking, again, I rather not talk about it. It has been said and done and yet I failed. I thing nicotine is worst than crack. I feel like friggin Amy Winehouse without the smeared makeup and halfway dressed stumbling around. The lift of the smoking ban in Geneva does´t help either.

I will dedicate a whole blog entry on the topic of trying to be nicer since it´s a tricky subject.

Hmm, I missed blogging, I wonder why I blog so inconsistently.

While You Are Waiting

I am kinda busy sorting all the blogs I have started but not finished courtesy of my ADD, so let me entertain you with my latest find in music until I have finished them.

I fucking love this track.
(can I say fuck on here? Hell yeah, it´s my blog, I can say whatever I like)

It´s called "Feels Like Home" by Meck.
He uses a great sample from "Don´t You Want My Love" the 1992 smash hit by Felix which set my heart on fire for techno.
Apparently Meck is very happening right now, since Madonna is using this track mashed up with Like A Prayer on her current tour.



More info on Meck

Love To Travel - Hate To Pack

So, I am preparing my trip to the United States of A in the moment, the husband will be there for one week, it´s business for him an leisure for me. We will be going to Cincinnati, and I will fly on to Peoria, thats somewhere in the middle of nowhere around Chicago to visit a friend of mine. He´s flying business, I´m not. ARRRRGH, well, fair enough his company is paying for his flight and we are paying for mine. Since I knock myself out on planes anyway it´s not that bad. Just went to the doctor today and he prescribed me some pills. They have this deep blue color, makes me feel like Morpheus is about to offer me to stay in wonderland or find out what´s all behind this. I prefer wonderland. ZZZZZZZ

Anyway. I have a connecting flight via London and to make things even worse, it´s with two different airlines so I can´t check through. Already looking forward to getting up at 5:00 on Saturday.

Anyway, I love to travel but packing is a nightmare for me. Whoever invented traveling light and that stupid 20KG limit needs a serious spanking. I will be gone for a week. So I need at least, 5 pairs of trousers, 4 pairs of shoes, 7 seven shirts, 4 polo shirts, 3 pullovers. 2 jackets, 1 coat, 14 boxer briefs, lots of t shirts, a ton of socks, at least 3-4 kilos of toiletries, an overnight bag, a messenger bag, my notebook, several chargers, 3 books, umbrella, scarfs, gloves, ties etc. So can anyone tell me how on earth I am supposed to make all that fit into 1 (ONE) suitcase which is not heavier than 20 kilos. I will try, but I know that I will fail.

Why didn´t I live in the time when it was perfectly OK to travel with half a dozen oversea trunks? Sigh.

Everybody Has A Soft Side...

Even me. While surfing the net I mostly listen to music randomly on Itunes, with 65 Gigs of music there are songs I own, but never heard before since I buy the whole Album if I like a song from an artist.
10 minutes ago I found myself zoning out, falling in love with a song. It´s a tad older, but it gives me a warm and cozy feeling. It´s Snow Patrol´s "Set the fire to the 3rd bar" a wonderful duet featuring Martha Wainwright, Rufus Wainwaraight´s sister.
Martha´s voice has a fragility that carries me away, this longing in her voice is so fascinating.
The lyrics are tacky but so are the three words every single one of us wants to hear, to feel complete.
I hear them, I say them, I see them ,but most importantly I feel them. Every day! I am very grateful for that.



So, this was my emotional post for this season, can we get back to my old sarcastic self please.
I could write something about Snow Patrol´s front man and that I think his life performances remind me of someone with autism, but I won´t.

Light up!

So, apparently we can smoke again In Geneva. Inside of bars, restaurants and clubs that is. Since I am taking a break of quitting smoking in the moment, yes, I know, it´s bad, I will die, my skin will age (more BOTOX then), it´s great for my diet. I think I will give up again when I lost the 2.4 kilos I am willing to donate in the moment.

The whole bringing back the smokers from outside has one considerable side though. I won´t be able to smell the people anymore. I like to go clubbing, and although I do mind the smoke a bit, my contacts get all dry and itchy, it´s far better than having to smell all these people who do not know what a deodorant is and how to use it. I prefer the smell of smoke to the smell of sweaty humans.



Below the article about the lift of the smoking ban:

Geneva's smoking ban overturned

The Federal Court in Lausanne has ruled that the ban on smoking in public places in Geneva is null and void.

The ruling means the owners or managers of bars and restaurants can let people light-up indoors again if they want to. The court says there was no legal basis for the ban and Geneva’s cantonal parliament should have adopted a formal law before it was brought into effect in July.

Geneva’s Department of Economy and Health says it has only found out about the court’s decision from the media, and has not been given any details about the ruling. It is still working out what consequences it will have. In a statement, the department points out that the people of Geneva made a clear decision to ban smoking in public places, after more than 80 per cent of voters approved the move earlier this year.

Shows You Simply Have To Watch

I love good TV shows and I tend to get hooked quite easy on them. Some might remember my 5 year long addiction to ALIAS which left me with a craving for chasing around foreign cities wearing 5" heels, tight fitting spandex dresses and red wigs. Just kidding, it´s blonde wigs.

Since ALIAS no longer airs and I have grown up quite a bit, I got into the more serious shows. Luckily I get them fresh every week from my uncle TORRENT in the states.


MAD MEN
Set in New York City, Mad Men takes place in the 1960s at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on New York City's Madison Avenue. The show centers on Don Draper, a high-level advertising executive, and the people in his life in and out of the office. It also depicts the changing social mores of 1960s America. It is quit educational to watch this show especially as a non-american since it explains quite details why and how americans today are the way they are.
This show is not politically correct, there is lots of smoking drinking, cheating, lying, deceiving and a spoon full of racism. It´s interesting to see that the women never leave suburbia and the men are always down town. But buried under the moral and social standards of the time, there are a few women who will not take it and they are emancipating themselves. This is not a girls TV show, this is not a TV show for people looking for light entertainment. MAD MEN is for grown ups. I LOVE it. Season 2 just started to air so don´t miss watching the first season.

DAMAGES
Damages is a legal thriller set in the world of New York City high-stakes litigation. The series, which provides a view into the true nature of power and success, follows the turbulent lives of Patty Hewes, the nation's most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator, and her bright, ambitious protégé Ellen Parsons. They become embroiled in a class action lawsuit targeting the allegedly corrupt Arthur Frobisher, one of the country's wealthiest CEOs. As Patty battles with Frobisher and his attorney Ray Fiske, Ellen Parsons will be front and center witnessing just what it takes to win at all costs, as it quickly becomes clear that lives, as well as fortunes, may be at stake. With this show you never quit know who is on the good and the bad side. Glen Close´s portrayal of Patty Hewes is excellent and in my opinion absolutely deserved the Emmy she got for it. Only problem I have with Damages is that you cannot miss a single episode otherwise you will never get into it again. Too much happens. It´s a gigantic puzzle to which you are fed the pieces week by week. I still highly recommend it. Season 2 will start to air soon, so catch up on season 1.

So Gay Yet So Fabulous

Pub Quizzing

So, I gave in. After over three years in Geneva I have finally come to like to go to the pub quiz. At first I always sought that I am way too young for this and that my knowledge on what happened on Coronation street is way too limited. After I have been the other week, I must say it is really fun, there are a lot of my friends around, Leona really comes up with good questions even I can answer from time to time and there is fish and chips i simply love love LOVE. I will go again tonight, so dear stalkers, if you wanna get me tonight, go ahead but you should know that I carry a gun in my Vuitton and am considered a good shot.

The Girls Are Back!

Desperate Housewives season 5 premiered last night and I must say that we are in for a lot of new drama, set 5 years in the future from where we left them last time. I will not spoil the fun, but as already showed in last seasons finale, some major development takes place. The Scavo boys grew up to be even more trouble, Bree is running her own business, Gabrielle had two kids and let herself go and Susan is no longer with Mike...

The Wannabe Princess Had It Coming

I went to SIP with some friends last night and I must say, that i am getting more and more upset with the way people behave there.

Well, SIP was always known as one of the snotty places here in Geneva with a very weird and random door policy. Getting in is completely dependent on the mood of the bouncers. I personally never had problems getting in, except once when I made the huge mistake to talk to somebody who just got bounced. SIP used to be full of internationals dressed in a nice way and usually their mood would be more on the friendly side of things.
Basically, it´s an upscale Shakers, a big meat market, where guys and girls looking for that special someone. Maybe for ever, maybe for the duration of their assignment, maybe just until the next morning. All of us who are either taken or not looking in the moment can be considered extras.

I find it very interesting to watch the mating game since I am interested in psychology and understanding people and the force that is driving them.
I must say last night was very bizarre. Bizarre to an extend that I started wondering what happened. There was so much aggression in the air that I picked up on it and got aggressive as well.

Usually the girls are on the dance floor, dressed to the nines, having so much fun with their other female friends while the guys are at the bar, watching what the night has to offer them, standing there nodding their heads to the beat of the music. Not so much yesterday. The girls were on the dance floor, but were moving around like robots with a facial expression that would make you think that each and everyone of them has buried their parents that day. But still they were on the dance floor craving for attention of the guys, who didn´t seem to be that interested that night. So many resorted to cruising the room. meaning that they would walk around the bar, parading themselves like merchandise. SIP is always packed, so it´s not easy to just circle around as you please, you have to squeeze through the masses. Apparently they are not used to the fact that the crowds will not part as they walk by. As you can imagine, they just pushed their way through without any respect for others.

Since I am taken, and not into women I do not forgive so easily if they step on my feet or jam their elbows in my side without saying sorry afterwards. I tip toe around packed clubs like a friggin ballerina, constantly apologizing, trying to get through the masses withouth leaving an imprint of my shoes on top of peoples feet.
One of these girls decided that it would be so much fun to squeeze behind me, flirting with some random dude at the bar. To start with, she was wearing this very unflattering black number, had a face that would look just right at your local hunted house and a set of the most hideous breast implants I have ever seen. She was veeeeeery skinny, so had no fat tissued to accommodate implants the size she had. It basically looked like someone bolted two grapefruits to her chest. Bad looks aside, she had one of the worst attitudes I have seen in a long time. She was moving back and forth, always pushing people aside, looked angry at you that you are not granting her highness the space she deserves and the thing that drove me over the edge was that she would constantly step on my feet with her ugly high heels. Thing is, I like nice shoes and I hate, HATE, hate when they get scratched because some arrogant wannabe princess can´t stand still in a crowded environment. After the 20th or so time she stepped on my foot I had enough. I waited a couple of minutes and seeked revenge. I looked down and starting grinning like a mad men when I saw that she was wearing those strappy sandal thingies. I Iet myself fall back as if i got pushed by someone and stepped on her foot with the corner of my heel letting my whole weight shift on that leg. She screamed liked mad, I turned around, uttered "oh je suis tres desole" with the hardest german accent i could come up with, looked down on her fake boobs, started to giggle, turned around and walked away. She looked very shocked. She had it coming, and I simply lost my temper. I am aware, that this is not a nice way to behave but enough is enough.

So the lesson we learn from this is, that although you are a girl, you might not be as pretty and fabulous as you think you are, that not all men will worship you and that you might end up pissing off the wrong guy who couldn´t care less about you, your horrid boobs or the fact that you are on the hunt.

Be more friendly.

Magazines For Geneva!

I would love to be the editor-in-chief for Mwah magazine. I would rename it Mwah Mwah Mwah, since it´s Geneva afterall. Maybe a spin-off called DARLING! would be a good idea too.

SOURCE

Busy In The Real Life

In case you´ve been wondering what I have been up to this summer.
Here is a quick overview:

Ulli is angry that the new Facebook ate all of his previous updates.

Ulli is about to doze off.

Ulli thinks you should give yourself permission to enjoy things when the going is good, despite the fact you know the good may not last forever.

Ulli is getting a Wii. So be prepared for WII Sports turnaments.

Ulli is so wants "all star cheer squad" for the Wii. YEAH, bring it on!

Ulli is off to Germany.

Ulli is ok with Madonna´s show yesterday is going shopping now.

Ulli is very MEH ce soir.

Ulli is coming home tonight.

Ulli is back in Switzerland.

Ulli just worked out on the Wii fit.

Ulli is a round-spectacled, black-gloved torture master who emits a shrill giddy laugh after every sentence. Mwahahahohohihi.

Ulli is not allowing the world to end tomorrow. not before he has his next generation Mac.

Ulli is looking forward to seeing Corinne next month.

Ulli is wondering what he is.

Ulli really liked "Das Leben der Anderen".

Ulli "Friday, really?! Hmm,but i don´t wanna go out!".

Ulli wants his old Facebook back.

Ulli wonders why the weather is bad ever since CERN started the LHC.

Ulli is freezing cold at Scandale.

Ulli doesn't like alternative people, they're usually poor.

Ulli wants to be the sidekick of "drunk" Lluvia at Mascotte. Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome...

Ulli is about to faint, hopefully he will hit his pillow and not the night stand.

Ulli can walk in 5" heels, even dance in them.

Ulli is not so sure about the carpet under the dining table.

Ulli is grateful for the privileged life he has.

Ulli is working out while watching the latest episode of 90210.

Ulli just got hooked on "Damages".

Ulli is in bed with a cold.

Ulli is feeling way better.

Ulli is in the middle of a very yummy dinner.

Ulli is partying with the genevois. scary.

Ulli ist ein schlechtes Vorbild.

Ulli is considering buying a fur coat. Can someone turn on the friggin heat?!

Ulli is Tom Cruise jumping on the couch crazy.

Ulli just booked his flights to see Corinne. Is happy as a clown.

Ulli sipping hot chocolate with a bit of baileys watching a movie. Autumn nights, how I love them.

Ulli is learning about no load mutual funds while cooking Soljanka.

Ulli is so happy that Geneva finally has an Apple Store.

Ulli decided that it is time to start blogging about the unimportant things in live again.

Finally!

Geneva finally has an Apple Store.

The black box, we all more or less wondered about the last bazillion months on rue de marche is gone and revealed a sleak new apple store. More details HERE

Before

After

Now they only have to come out with a new range of notebooks. My trusty old Powerbook is about to die and I need a new computer with more than one USB port, yes Macbook Air I am talking about you, you are pretty on the outside but disappointing on the inside.

For the record, I hate hate hate the Iphone. 2G, 3G doesn´t matter, I will stick with my beloved Crackberry.

I Am In Love!!!

His name is Jørn, isn´t he pretty?!

By the way, I am back and this time for real.

Back To Blogging

WOW, time shifted into fith gear and I was way to busy in real life to update my blog.

Yeah, I know, lame excuse. Anyway, after watching episode one, season one of Beverly Hills 90210, don´t ask, I am up for blogging again.


Will work on a new post tomorrow.

Retouch My Body

I hate MOOriah Carey so naturally I love it when her music gets spoofed.
Check out the video, it´s fabulous.

Typical Sunday In Geneva

Sunday in Geneva 20 degrees, no plans, no brunches to attend, what does one do?

What everybody is doing, going to the lake.
Must not forget to apply sun blocker.

My Public Transportation Hell

Geneva has a very sophisticated always on time network of trams which I am very grateful for since I cannot drive. Well, I like to think that I can, I simply don´t have a license and in Geneva you don´t really need to drive. Finding a parking spot in Geneva is very hard, can I park here, oh no, blue lines, I need a macaron thingie, can I park there, yes, but only from Monday to Tuesday between 04:00 and 4:30 in the morning and so on.

So, like most of the people I know here, I am taking the tram which is quite OK. It´s not like in L.A. where only the poor people take the tram, it´s absolutely accepted here and also a very interesting place to do some people watching. You have the bankers in their cute little outfits hunched over their blackberries, the adorable Russian girls from Lukoil in their amazingly tight costumes, people from the UN in colorful gowns, well, depending on country of origin, spoiled american au-pairs which end every sentence with "totally" or "awesome" and so on.

There is only one thing I really hate about trams. It´s the level of noise in there. I am not really an aggressive person, but those kiddies with their cell phones playing french rap on speakerphone are driving me towards insanity. I am not a big fan of rap neither am I into the French language so you can imagine what it think of Leh Rubb. One day I will forget my Ipod at home and that is the day when one of these cell phones is flying out of the window.

The other source of noise I hate on the trams are the musicians. Actually I wouldn´t call them musicians, I would call them people with instruments. Most of them prefer the #15 tram going towards Cornavin train station, getting on at the Plain Palais stop. It seems they figured out that the could make the most money on that line. There are so many of them in different configurations, it´s amazing. There are the guitar boys, the old guy with the violin, the countless accordion players, The cello trio, the saxophone women who always butchers "Que Sera, Sera" and of course my personal favorite, Synthesizer Lady.

That women is amazing. She has one of these huge ugly keyboards on top of a stroller with an optional baby in there. Sometimes it´s there, sometimes it´s not. If it´s the same baby I don´t know. Anyway, keyboard on top of stroller and amplifier from hell on the bottom of the stroller. She is always very friendly, saying bonjour and bon journee but that doesn´t help the fact that her singing is awful. I mean really bad. Imagine an old Fado, that Portuguese I want to slash my wrists, but I will sing about it for hours so you want to slash your throat music, singer who had too many ciggies and too much whiskey in her life so her voice sounds like a rusty file plus the inability to stay in tune or in rhythm. It´s unbearable, every time she steps on the tram I am switching my music to the loudest cheap Techno I can find, it´s so bad.

Tourists might find music in public transportation romantic, I don´t and if I want hear that kind of music, I go to Paris.

Never go on public transport without an Ipod, earplugs or suicide pills!!

I Want To See Kylie

Glocals is having a competition in the moment, the best posting on why one would deserve to see Kylie Minogue´s concert in Geneva can win 2 VIP tickets. I want these tickets!!!

I will never ever do something unscripted again. I blabber too much and too fast and loose my grammar on the way.

Anyway, here is my posting, I decided to make a little video.

Downtown -- You Won´t Find A Place For Sure

Geneva is not as vibrant as it could be to begin with but it seems that the Bel-Air area is slowly dying in the moment. One Bar is closing after the other. The latest was Le Baroque and now Alhambar might get closed down so we get another music hall.

I like this side of the lake, it´s nicer, it has the good shopping, the parcs, the cute bankers you can watch during lunch time, all the fancy schmancy jewellers but it is nearly dead as soon as the shops close.

Do I really have to go to Paquis everytime I want to lounge in a bar in the evening? I am not a fan of Paquis, never found prostitues appealing, especially prostitutes who think I might be potential business. Come on, as personal relaxation assistants should their gaydars be up to date, and I beep loud and clearly, trust me. So I don´t like to be around Paquis, I´m not scared but I simply don´t like it. A friend of mine got very scared when we were walking through Paquis and I explained to her that the drug dealers will not harm her since they want to make a living as well. A nice and friendly non mercie is enough to get them off your back.

Anyway, does´nt Geneva have someone who is planning or controlling the city with it´s bars, shops and stuff? I mean there should be at least some places to go to in Bel-Air besides the UBS ATM. No wonder cocooning became such a trend.

Tick Tock

TICK TOCK

Vacation In Style - There Is A Waiting List. 30 Years!

As it seems my ideas of traveling do not fit my actual age. I was surfing the net last night looking for a nice destination for the next trip. Of course there are all these monster hotels on the coast of a bigger or smaller island, cruises on huge ships which have everything form a movie theater to a mall, for the adventurous people there are backpacking trips through Asia or Australia.

All the above things are not for me. For me, the Hotel is as important as the destination itself. As I have mentioned before, I love Hotels and not leaving the Hotel room the entire day sounds very blissful. So what would be the best vacation for me? I guess a fancy hotel room that moves around and all I have to do is step out to see something new, or simply look out of the window. Some people might say that I should try an RV trip where you drive around in a truck which has everything you need. Well, I am not a big fan of that since I have to cook, clean, make the bed and stuff like that and taking a servant along on the trip is impractical. I need my privacy.

So yesterday I found the perfect thing for me. A trip down the Nile in a luxury steamer ship originally constructed in Preston by the Royal Navy in 1918, the SS Misr was purchased and later converted into a luxury Nile steamer for King Farouk and is recorded as the venue for the King’s birthday celebrations. Now fully restored to a 5-star deluxe propeller steam vessel, the SS Misr accommodates just 45 passengers in spacious, air-conditioned cabins and suites and there is a crew of 63 to ensure the highest level of service. All cabins and suites have a private balcony and en-suite bathrooms.

The two Panorama suites at the front of the vessel offer impressive panoramic views. The period-style restaurant accommodates all guests at one sitting. There is also a lower sun deck with comfortable wicker chairs and an upper sun deck with a pool and sun beds for relaxation. I love the fact that there are only 45 passengers and 63 crew. I don´t like large crowds of people, for example at the breakfast buffet in the morning. Wait, I don´t do breakfast buffets, I prefer having breakfast in my room.

Another thing I would also enjoy would be a vacation on board of a luxury train going cross country. I mean a real luxury train not the Amtrak where I have to shower over the toilet.
With a nice suite cabin with separate sitting area.


A picturesque (that would be creepy with lots of fog) villa somewhere on a cliff in England would be nice as well, but they should have a helipad somewhere on the grounds, just in case I feel the urge to go clubbing and I am sure there is no club in the next town 50 miles away named Tippton St. Something.


There is a catch to all the above mentioned. I AM TOO YOUNG FOR THIS. All the pictures of the ship or the train where you can actually see people, features a wide selection of white haired people. If the youngest guest on one of these trips is under 55 you are lucky. Can you imagine me surrounded by a crowd of elderly ladies and gentlemen? I would be in the bar car from eleven in the morning on to drown my sorrow that there is no one who wants to play with me in Martini. Wearing a tuxedo of course, being an alcoholic is fine but lack of style is inexcusable.

If there would be an Agatha Christie travel company I would book with them for the rest of my life. Death on the Nile tour, yes please. Murder on the orient express, wait, let me look for my Vuitton trunks. Random English mansion murder mystery, you got me on mansion. Evil under the sun, I´ll take one, keep the sun.

I miss the 1920´s.

Hotels

The first time I can remember staying at a hotel was when I was 5 years old and I loved it and I still love staying in Hotels. I don´t exactly know what it is that I love about hotels that much but I feel instantly at home. Maybe because some people say my apartment looks like a hotel. I like the reduced clutter free look. No red walls to scare me away, no porcelain figurines to gather dust. I love symetry and I love understatement in terms of interiour design. More is less sometimes.

I stayed in a very lovely hotel last weekend, if I weren´t that busy running around town meeting as many people, I haven´t seen in a while, as possible I could have stayed in my room the whole time. Maybe because the hotel was located in the hip and happening media harbour district of Düsseldorf or maybe because the view I had from my room. The first three years of my life I grew up right opposite the hotel. They are buidling a new house there in the moment but the whole area feels so much like home, I loved it.

Huge bed all for me with a great view. What else can you wish for.

I had to get used to the concept of the open shower though. But I guess it can be great fun watching the other half. You are also able to watch TV through the glass when you are under the shower and there is a speaker right next to the shower head, so you are good to go. I want that at home!

Hotels are simply FABULOUS!

I Loved To Hate You

This is another blog related to my recent class reunion. As I mentioned before, the reunion was ok, a lot of people I was dieing to see didn´t show up, but I was compensated with a very interesting point of myself I haven´t seen so far. Our teacher was there as well, hasn´t aged a day, I wonder how she does it, and we were travelling down memory lane when she mentioned something that left me wondering.

Here is a bit of background. I got into that class in 9th grade. I was very lazy the year before, I was way too busy with plucking my eyebrows, covering my acne and looking at boys, so I had to do an extra round and repeat the year. Looking back, it was the best that could have happened to me. Anyway, when I got into class there were some other new people who came from other schools or had to do that extra round like me. One of them was Eddie. I hated him from the minute he walked in. He was this slavic asshole with a huge macho attitude, thought he was gods present to the world. Back then I was pretty much the opposite. I was in my very very queeny phase, my skin colour was a 100% artificial and my voice was so high and shrieky that only people under the age of 18 and bats where able to hear me. I was weapon grade material.

Eddie and I clashed all the time. We had arguments every single day, you could see daggers of hate shooting out of our eyes while we screamed at each other. It was really bad. It was so bad that we actually disturbed the class so much, that our teacher decided to have us sit next to each other for the rest of the year. She mentioned last weekend that she hoped it would work but expected us to be carried out of class in body bags. Well, it worked. We still had our arguments but we got along and had some sort of respect for each other. We simply loved to hate each other. That was 10 years ago.

Fast forward to last weekends class reunion and guess who came two hours to late, as usual? Eddie. There he was, aged a bit, lost some hair, gained some weight, but it was without a doubt him. He came over, gave me a big bear hug and told me he missed me. Exactly that moment I realized that I din´t hate him back then. OH NO, I had a thing for him! What the hell, how come I never realized that earlier. He was everything I fancied back then. I liked the polish bastards, with their high cheekbones, slender bodies and very manly behaviour. Back then you could´ve lined up a 100 men, I would have found the asshole.

We had a very good time that night, we actually were the only ones, plus Steffi, who went on clubbing. I couldn´t look at him the entire time without grinning about the fact that I was so blind back then. I guess he picked up on my mood because he was starting to tease me. I mean, he is straight, has a kid, an ex-wife and there he is hitting on me. Wouldn´t I´ve been happily married and would still go for that type of men, hell knows.

So, the lesson I have learned that weekend was that you should take a closer look on why you hate someone so much, before you attach the silencer to your gun. That doesn´t mean though that I have a thing for everyone I dislike or hate. Sometimes I just want to throw someone down a flight of stairs.

Clubbing

I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that I would go home for a couple of days to attend another highschool reunion. The reuinion was ok, but the hotel, I will write about that in an extra blog, and the clubbing was way better.

Living in Geneva for 2,5 years and I nearly forgot how it is to be in a club with great decor, full of happy people and cheap, well compaired to Geneva, booze.

We went to the Nachtresidenz in Düsseldorf. It used to be a cinema, I actually saw the Jungle Book with my grandmother there, and had a blast. I am still have to get over the fact that one Liter of Vodka was only 90€.

Here are some more pics of the club and a very shaky video. Sorry I was pretty much hammered.

Cats, Dogs or Sharks?

Since I was little I always loved the Bond movies, or movies with a charismatic villain. While other kids wanted to be an astronaut when they grow up I was a little weird and wanted to be an assassin. While I got rid of my man slaughtering and murdering thoughts, well, most of the time, I still am fascinated with evil people.

Since evil people tend to be outlaws and I´m a socialholic, I think I will simply stick with the image of an evil mastermind but maintain pleasant thoughts. What do I need for the evil image?

Dark and body hugging outfits. Check.
German, or Russian citizenship? Check.
1920´s haircut with the split on the side? Check.
Very pale skin from never going out into the sun? Check.
An obsession with electronic gadgets? Check
No conscience whatsoever, Check.
Mandatory evil pet? DANG!

I need an evil pet, but what kind of pet should I get? I don´t mind having a pet that someone else already has, but I can´t decide what I want. Do I want a white Persian cat like Bloefeld in the Bond movies had? I like the idea and I like cats, the only problem is that these things are H(air)-bombs. I don´t want to pay someone who constantly has to roll me with one of these 3M sticky thingies trying to get rid of all the hair stuck to my custom made suit.

Maybe I should get some Sharks like Carl Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me. I like sharks, they are sleek, have a nice colour, so they will match my sofa and drapes, and they are vicious if they sense blood. On the other hand, sharks take away lots of room, are absolutely not good for your water and butchers bill and you can´t cuddle with them very well. Maybe once, but that´s it.

Maybe a set of Dobermans like Hugo drax in Monnraker. I am not the dog person to start with, but Dobermans seem to be fine. I hate happy dogs like retrievers, they are always so happy and bouncy it´s annoying. I want a dog that is veeeeeery awake, looks good, is slim and fast.
I´m not sure about the dogs though, I don´t see myself going on a wee wee walk at six in the morning during a hailstorm. Don´t get me started on those little black plastic bags you need to pick up...

Piranhas, same problem as with sharks. Tigers, nice but kind of gay. Damm you Siegfried and Roy ( Michael Jackson´s Siegfried and Roy song is playing in my head for hours and hours to come, Arrgh) A Mini Me, hm, even in a smaller size, is a copy of myself unbearable. An evil peacock could be fun, but the screaming and all the colours would lead to that thing being dinner pretty fast, I am sure.

The longer I think about it, the more I think I will never find something that suits my needs perfectly. Maybe I should just get an AIBO glue some devil´s horns on its head and am good to go. You Don´t have to feed it, it just needs some time on the charger every now and then, I can mute the thing if it´s too noisy, it´s a wonderful spy due to the build in web cam, mobility and wifi capabality. Best thing though is that I can switch it off.

Candy Who?

Completly random, but it´s always funny to see little gays having fun.
This video IS safe for work the lyrics not so much.




I am so happy that I never went down the emo road in terms of haircuts.

Fashion Statements

For centuries people were making fashion statements with the things they were wearing, with the hairdos they were sporting but in this millenium things have changed a bit. Where you would make a statement with a great T-Shirt you were wearing and positioning yourself within a group with your haircut before, nowadays you have to add one more thing to be fashionable. Your house. With the cocooning trend after 9/11 people tend to stay home more and therefore are redecorating more often. The number of style blogs is incredible and I must say that I read some of them on a daily bases.

So houses and apartments are a fashion statement now. What I am talking about is the fact that nowadays even the kitchens have to be cool. You just can´t wash your hands in the sink anymore, you have to have a bowl. Or not even a bowl, just a shiny flat surface where water pours onto and into infinity. Your kitchen is now so cool that it has bouncers so you can´t get in it. Your dishwasher can get in but you can´t. Your fridge can be dancing the night away at Studio 54 without you.

Living in Geneva has one huge disadvantage. If you rent, like most of us do, the kitchen is already in the apartment and you have not much of a choice. These kitchens are ugly, old and so not cool. My kitchen is lucky if it can get into Shakers.

How can I become a fashionista, what´s the male term anyway, fashionister, if my kitchen is so shitty?

Going Home

I have been quiet yesterday since I am in a scheduling chaos in the moment. Friday is another Highschool reunion, so much for not looking back, I have agreed to attend. I will fly into Düsseldorf on Friday and will return to my fashionable exile of Geneva on Sunday evening. I have a total of 45 hours at home and I honestly have no clue how I will be able to manage to see all the people I want to see. I already grouped some of them, so I will save some time. Rather 3 hours of brunch with 4 people than 4 coffee dates 90 minutes each, plus too much coffee makes me very bouncy.

I want to see: my grandmother, my mother in-law, yes we are on speaking terms and get along fine, my good friend Ruth, my best man Hendrik, Matthäus, Viktoria, Marc, Jens...., plus I need to have my Currywurst, need to go clubbing, a proper club not the Genevan kind, enjoy my lavish hotel room, harass the room service, do a little shopping bla bla bla.

Oh dear how am I supposed to manage all that with 24 hours gone on sleep alone, at least two hours a day spent on maintanance etc.

I am a person to pitty. ;)

Hans Müller - It´s Getting Official

Atila Neves - Lost in Sound

Atila, a lovely guy I met during my time at Shakers has just released his first album "Lost In Sound". You should like the style if you are into Green Day, No Doubt, The Offspring, Sublime, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne and their like. What amazes me the most is that he did it all by himself. Instruments, vocals, editing, composing, it´s simply amazing.

He is not signed to a label in the moment, but I am sure he will be soon, so he is giving his music away for free!

Check him out on Soundclick.

Shopping Time

We have this huge jar where we keep our spare change, you know all those coins under a Franc, and I have decided to bring it to the bank and do a little shopping. There are a few items on my list I can´t wait to get my hands on.

The Penthouse at the Pierre. The penthouse located at The Pierre Hotel encompasses the top three floors. Spectacular 360-degree views of Manhattan are found in this incomparable property. 70.000.000$

Gulfstream G550 personal jet. Capacity: 14-19 passengers, cabin length: 15.3 m, cabin height: 1.88 m, cruise speed: 488 knots (0.85 Mach, 904 km/h), range: 6,500 nm (15,545 km). 36.000.000$

118 WallyPower high speed yacht. It has a range of 1500 miles at 9 knots, or 300 miles at 60 knots. The fuel capacity of the 118 is 22,000 litres or 5812 gallons. If the gas turbine engines are all out, the 118 WallyPower uses 14 gallons for every mile at 60 knots. At this rate it uses 951 gallons an hour. The displacement of the 118 WallyPower is 95 tons. It can accommodate 6 guests and 6 crew. 24.830.000$

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster. The early thirties saw Daimler-Benz begin to design high-speed touring cars, culminating in 1936 with the construction of the 540K. The eight-cylinder, 5.4-liter, big-bore engine was supercharged - and engaging; it rewarded drivers with a distinctive C-note from the 540K's whinnying blower. The engine developed 180 horsepower, was capable of 0-60 mph in 16.4 seconds and had a top speed of 105 mph. The steering was stiff at lower speeds, but one look at the body (there were nine options) made it clear that speed would never be a problem. The 5,720-pound car was equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and four-wheel independent suspension.This was the fastest production automobile of its era. 3.630.000$

One of those rare Grand Complications that doesn't have to shout it from the rooftops, Patek Philippe's 10 Day Tourbillon is subtle and immensely stylish. Fully mechanical and manually wound, the watch boasts a sophisticated tourbillon movement and generous ten-day power reserve indicator, tricky complications to pull off together. A small second hand gives you something to watch on the commuter train. A rectangular platinum case with a 32 mm movement diameter surrounds a rose gold dial, while water resistance down to 25 meters assures you'll be able to wear it into the pool. 270.000$

Louis Vuitton trunk set. Travel in style for the bargain price of 32.000$ for a custom set that will fit in the trunk of your classic car.

With the ammount of coins in that jar, I think the total of 134.762.000$ shouldn´t be a problem, maybe there will be enough left for a Starbucks.