Did you know that the first full moon of the year was once known as the Wolf Moon? I picked this snippet up online and shared it with my older child one cold January night, as we had a magical mommy-daughter moment, holding hands and looking up at that moon. Perhaps I should have chosen […]
Of Pinterest, Feral Children and the Kruger National Park
Ever since the bigger child turned 8 and is now ‘practically a teenager’, we’ve been clashing over what she is and isn’t allowed to do. ‘You’re, like, totally controlling,’ she told me a few days ago. ‘No I’m not. And speak properly. And stand up straight.’ ‘You’re also overprotective. What do you ever let me […]
Morning Mood
What’s the music of your morning? These days, mine is far less ‘Morning Mood’ and more ‘Ride of the Valkyries’; less sipping herbal tea as I watch the sun peer pinkly over the Alps, and more hefty contributions to the Swear Jar as I run around trying to get everybody ready and out of the […]
5 beauty products you can make at home
Why spend tens and even hundreds of francs on beauty products when you can just as easily make them yourself, using simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry? Making your own beauty products will not only help you cut your expenses, but your skin and hair will also benefit from the […]
Switzerland has many carnivals but Halloween is not one of them
Many Anglo expats, particularly Americans, may be dismayed to discover that Halloween is not among the many festivals widely celebrated in carnival-happy Switzerland. In fact, after a surge of popularity around 1999 and 2000, the holiday seems to be on the wane. “Today you notice it mostly in the shops, maybe a result of globalization,” […]
Millionaire exodus after tax vote?
GENEVA Next 30 November, the Swiss will vote both on a federal and cantonal basis whether their country should continue to provide special tax privileges to foreign millionaires. The arrangement allows wealthy expatriates to declare a fiscal ‘forfait’ (tax package) based on their lifestyles and not the actual amount of their fortunes. On average, their […]
International Olympic Committee and FIFA attacked at UN General Assembly
UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai today called on international sports bodies, including FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to respect universally recognized human rights at their events, especially the right to peaceful assembly. Maina Kiai condemned “private multilateral bodies” and singled out Switzerland-based IOC and FIFA in a speech to the UN General Assembly. […]
Geneva greening initiative takes root
In coming weeks, the city of Geneva will be planting 250 trees as part of a greater “greening” initiative launched in 2012, according to the Tribune de Genève. Pâquis and Eaux-Vives are being targeted, as they have been identified as neighbourhoods in dire need of vegetation. The northern tip of Plainpalais also will receive a […]
Swiss companies out-perform analysts’ expectations – except for UBS
Markedly positive third quarter earnings are now being released by Swiss companies. According to IG Bank, eight of the 15 companies that have reported so far have beaten analysts’ expectations by an average 2.21% with the exception of UBS. At Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, profits were lower than expected at CHF 762 million against analysts’ […]
40-50 Swiss family-owned hotels under threat of closing
Family-owned hotels across Switzerland are striving to compete with larger ones. According to Swiss Info, an estimated 40 to 50 hotels are expected to close in alpine areas over the next few years, largely because they fail to target their guests properly, said Director of Tourism Jürg Schmid. The challenges are mostly financial, as many […]
