Vienna Film Festival at the Rathaus until August 30th

If you are going to be in Vienna from the end of June to the end of August, you need to listen very carefully to the advice I am about to impart. These nuggets of wisdom are gold, I tell you. GOLD! Ok, are you ready? Repeat after me.

If I am in Vienna in the summer, I will visit the Vienna Film Festival at the Rathaus. I will come hungry. I will love it.

Now lather, rinse and repeat again.

From June 27th until August 30th this year in Vienna/Wien the Film Festival is on at the Rathaus (Google map). Every night from about 6 pm onwards the food stands along the Rathaus park open up, offering all kinds of delicious and exotic international food fare... we are talking Mexican, Chinese, Iranian (I had this, yum!), Thai, Austrian, and Czech foods to name a few - there was even an Australian booth! Thank goodness this is not in Zürich or else I would be atleast 10kg heavier.

Then after you fill your belly, wait with a cold Viennese beer in one of the seats set up near the Rathaus and await the show at 9pm (program here in German). The beautiful Rathaus building is an excellent backdrop for the film - and you might even treat yourself to a bit of Ben & Jerry's mid show. I did not make it to the film festival last year, but I am glad I went to check it out last week after work. It is really the place to be in Vienna in summer. I highly recommend it! Enjoy!

---
Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!

Who wants to visit me in Switzerland for free?!

Yesterday, while checking the prices for the Swiss Pass for the hundredth time as my family is coming to visit in September (yeah!), I stumbled across this site sponsored by the Swiss Travel System (trains, buses, etc. system in Switzerland) in which they are giving away an 8-10 day trip to Switzerland in September for FREE so long as they can follow you around and video parts of your stay for promotional material. Heck - you can even bring your dog! I cannot apply - no Swiss residents are eligible - but YOU my fellow American or non-expat- yes YOU CAN!

Just register online then create a video saying that you want to come to visit me - er, I mean come to Switzerland, and post it according to the rules on YouTube. Then wait to see if you won! How fun! Full details of how to apply are online. Heck, I will even allow you to use pictures of me in your film and explain why you want to come to the great Swiss lands - well, besides the fact you want to see the natural beauty of the Alps, the wonderful cultural landmarks, and try a bit of Swiss cuisine - we all know you are really coming to see me! :)

By the way, if you have not heard about the Swiss Pass, allow me to tell you what a great bargain it is. I am getting one for each of my family members visiting as we are going all around Switzerland. Actually, better yet, quoted from the Swiss Travel site:

The Swiss Pass entitles you to unlimited travel on consecutive days throughout the rail, bus and boat Swiss Travel System network. The Swiss Pass is available for 4, 8, 15 or 22 days or one month. (Note Jessica: I am getting the 8 day consecutive pass for them! There is also a non-consecutive pass for a bit more and as they are traveling together there is a 15% reduction on top of the price...)

This pass also covers scenic routes and local trams and buses in 37 towns and cities and will offer 50% reduction all most mountain-top trains and cable cars. (Note Jessica: SCORE!!!) The Swiss Pass will also include the Swiss Museum Pass, allowing you free entrance to over 400 museums and exhibitions.

This pass is only available to non-residents of Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein. No photograph is required: simply present your passport or identity card.

So if you have some visitors coming and you are going to travel predominately in Switzerland, you can save a bundle with this Swiss Pass. I fully recommend it for all foreign travelers that want to get around Switzerland quickly and cheaply!

But heck, go on and apply for the contest and you won't even need to buy a Swiss Pass... come on over already! :)
---
Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!

In Ulm, um Ulm, und um Ulm Herum

Ulm Rathaus and Ulmer Münster

The title of this post is a well known tongue twister about Ulm, Germany, a very charming city in Baden-Württemberg that I had the pleasure of visiting two weekends ago (Streetparade write-up tomorrow!). Last year, around this time, Ingo - Jace's colleague - invited us to witness the Memmingen Fischertag, and this year we were invited back to visit his family and we were treated to a visit to the picturesque Ulm, about 30 minutes away from Memmingen by train.

Ulm Art Museum

The city was almost completely distroyed in the war, so it is now a mix of old and new, and a fine mix if I do say so myself. The modern and the old do not clash but rather somehow compliment themselves in this modernesque city. 

The highlight of the city is definately the Ulm Münster, and it is the tallest church in the world! The steeple is 161.53 meters (or 530 feet) high, and it is 768 steps to the top... I know this not only because I read the sign on the door (below), but because I also ran up to the top... ok, so I walked... ok, fine... fine... so I might have crawled, but I did it!

After climbing up all the spiraling steps, all 768 of them, you are rewarded with quite a view of Ulm, Neu Ulm and the surrounding area. (I cannot help myself when places are named 'New' something... I would have loved to have been at that city meeting...'Order, order... we need to name this new place... the one next to Ulm...' Small guy in the back says, 'How about 'New Ulm.'... all heads nod in agreement. 'Brilliant! That is the best name ever. Genius. Give him the keys to the city. Meeting adjourned.'

The Gothic cathedral/church is really quite amazing up close (check out those gargoyles!) and from afar. I recommend a visit even if you do not go up the spire... but if you do...

you are naturally rewarded with views like this:


Ulm from the Münster

... and views of the market below -great Saturday market!

After all that climbing, some of us were in serious need of a sausage... those that climbed that is (no names will be mentioned... ahem... ahem...)... the rest, well they had one too - cheaters. :) This was an excellent bratwurst - ask Jace if he agrees... Jace, good Bratwurst?

Oh he is too busy eating... Ingo, good bratwust?



Oh he is busy, too it seems... hmm.. moving on. :)

We then headed down to the Danube and walked along the city walls, taking in the view and the quaint houses along the river before making our way to the Fischerviertel, the fishermen's quarter.

The Fischerviertel is situated along the Blau River, and is so picturesque that it makes me well up inside.The area is full of cobblestone streets, foot bridges, wooden/timbered houses, and everything so wonderfully and stereotypically German.

Fischerviertal, Ulm

This below is the schiefes Haus or crooked house right on the Blau and it is really a wonder of architecture. You can see it above in the distance, how it jets out above the water!

Even if you don't have great friends that take you to awesome places in Bavaria and across the Danube into Ulm, I would highly recommend a visit. Ulm is great for a day trip - try the local beer, too, it is tasty, and perhaps then head on over to Münich afterwards - it would make for a lovely weekend.

By the way, the tongue twister title of this post means: In Ulm, around Ulm and about in Ulm :)
---

Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!

My Orange Cinema Review

Last Sunday, I had the extreme pleasure of going to my first Orange Cinema movie showing. And it was great! Despite the rain all day, I checked my new best friend - the moving slide doppler radar tool for Switzerland - and he said it would be dry for the movie so we put on our waterproof suits and braved the elements to see the show - and you know what - it was dry the whole time! Thank you doppler! (Jace and I missed our first showing due to extraordinary squalls and storms... my oh my...)

The outdoor cinema is really great - super posh with bars and food and right on the See so you get a great view of the boats lit up and passing in the distance and the moon glowing overhead. When it is time for the show (we saw 'Up' - great new animated Pixar film, very cute!), the screen lifts up, like it is emerging from the water, although naturally it is not touching the water at all, and the lights go on and it is SHOW TIME. Very magical.

I went with my colleague, Michele. We both really enjoyed it. They really take care of you at the theatre, too - nice seats, free ice cream, red carpet entry, free rain ponchos (that say 'don't worry' on the back, and we've got you covered, hehe). Loved it.

There are a few more movies left in the season that you can see at the Orange Cinema and you can get tickets sometimes on the day from the ticket office on site. Tickets cost 20 CHF each and the cinema is located at the Zürihorn, just a 15 minute walk or so from Stadelhofen. Enjoy!
---
Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!

Street Parade on Saturday!

One of the craziest, best events of the year is happening this Saturday and I beg you to check it out - at least for the schock and awe value if nothing else. Hey, you might even find you like a bit of techno... or just techno pants. Whatever rocks your boat, check out the Street Parade 2009 this weekend. Perhaps we will bump into one another! :)

My Street Parade links:

• Street Parade Website
• My Street Parade 2008 video and Tips
• My Street Parade 2008 review
  

---
Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!

Just in time for Fondue Season - Pickled Onions

You know those essential little onions (auf Deutsch 'Perlzwiebeln' - pearl onions) that are served with the essential little gerkins alongside your fondue and racklette? Well, they are actually really super easy to make, and if you make some now and store them away, you will have them just in time for fondue season. SCORE!

I looked online for a simple recipe and there are plenty out there. Just search for 'pickled onions.' In the end, I used the one in my Fanny Farmer Cookbook. It goes something like this :

Pickled onions:
Put a pint or so of peeled, washed pickling onions in a bowl and cover with cold water and 1/4 cup of salt. Everything should be cold if you want crisp onions. Leave the onions to brine for at least 24 hours. Then when ready to pickle, wash the onions well under cool water and pat dry, then wash and sterilize your jars (important step). Place the pickles in your jars and cover the cold pickles with cold vinegar and pickling spices. I could not find pickling spices so I am just using a flavored peppercorn mix. We will see how this works... fill the jars with vinegar and a 1/2 teaspoon of spice each - in one of the jars I used red wine vinegar, the other two are normal white vinegar. I am leaving them in the fridge for about 2 weeks before Jace can have at them and I will report back on the flavor. So far, we had a peek and all is coming along nicely.

Good luck! Tomorrow - my Swiss cookbook recommendations!
---
Join the Swisstory Fan page on Facebook!