Maybe it’s the sense that summer is slowly packing away her golden trinkets for another year that has done it, but this weekend has brought out the Zurich city quarter festivals in force. The Röntgenplatzfest takes place on Friday and Saturday and has live bands and djs playing both evenings, an organised tour of Zurich West if you want to get to know the area a little better and is a kid-friendly zone on Saturday afternoon. Friday sees the granddaddy of all Zurich streetfests taking place – the Hallwylplatzfest is now in its twentieth year and has a kids fest until 6pm then out come the bands, and who could resist with names like The Peacocks and Handsome Hank. Finally, on Friday and Saturday is the Brupbacherplatzfest. There’ll be bands aplenty both nights, but while all the other festivals will have food and drink to enjoy, the Brupbacherplatzfest has a Food Street with Ethiopian, Indian and Arabic delights on offer.
Friday from 8.15 pm, Saturday from 12 pm, Röntgenplatz, 8005
Friday from 4 pm, Hallwylplatz, 8004
Friday from 6 pm, Saturday 12 pm, Brupbacherplatz, 8003

Houdini was an illusionist and though he died almost 90 years ago, he’s still remembered today for his magic. One reason for Frank Braun to name the new cinema at Kalkbreite after him (the other reason «The name just sounds good»). With this latest addition the Kalkbreite complex is complete and celebrates this on Friday and Saturday with readings, music, food, exhibitions, tram rides and of course also films at the new cinema. It’s your chance to get a glimpse behind otherwise closed doors, visit the roof terrace, check out the new cinema, enjoy some concerts on the piazza, get a drink at Wohnzimmerbar, a cupcake at Oh Sweetest Thing or some meze at Bebek. For the full programme, check their website.
Friday 5 pm to 11 pm, Saturday 12 pm to 11 pm, corner Kalkbreitestrasse/Badenerstrasse, 8003

In a motel next to busy Hardbrücke street, two brothers arrive and except for having to use the motel’s bath as both a double bed and a shower, things seem normal. This soon changes as the brothers rehearse their circus act all day, fight for the love of the Motel dancer and generally cause the owners trouble. This takes place as the house band plays on the Motel roof. All this is part of StrassenZirkusTheater’s new open-air show, Das Motel, which will be performed, for free, outside of Helsinki Club on Friday and Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Helsinki

If you think of a live performance of classical music, I’m sure certain images come to mind – perhaps violinists in tuxedo’s, cellists in evening gowns, plush red theatre seats, the respectful murmur of an expectant audience. Well, Musik im Rausch has decided to break with tradition and perform classical music in unconventional spaces. Previously it has been in a mechanics garage, an electrical power station and even at the top of the Prime Tower. This Saturday the performances will be in the Alter Botanischer Garten,overlooking the cty centre. If you’d like to go, I have 2 x 2 tickets to give away. E-mail me.
Saturday 7.30 pm, Alter Botanischer Garten, Talstrasse, 8001

Les Digitales is a festival for electronic and experimental music that takes place across Switzerland in various cities and parks. All the artists on offer come from both Switzerland and across Europe. I’m looking forward to hearing Ghosting Season from Manchester, England and Pingu, who are a duo from Zurich and Berlin. Both have that dreamy vibe perfect for summer. It's taking place for the first time at the Stadionbrache, an urban grassland and gardens next to the old football stadium in Hardturm. They’ll also have a bar and simple menu to ease you into the chilled electro mood. And entry is free!
Sunday 1 pm to 9 pm, Stadionbrache, Hardturm

Did you spend too much money on your holidays? Or saving up to escape this miserable summer? Here some tips to enjoy Zurich for free. Model city: How did Zurich look like 200 years ago? At the Haus zum unteren Recht (Neumarkt 4) you find a detailed model portraying a town without Limmatquai and Bahnhofstrasse. Fishing: Anyone is allowed to fish at the lake, as long as you stand at the public shore and don’t use bait fish. Mazes: To lose and find your path – that’s what life is all about. In Zurich you can get lost as much as you like at the hedge labyrinth at Kasernenareal, the flower maze at Seeburgpark or the medical plant maze at ETH Hönggerberg. Birds: if you like birds head to the Voliere at Mythenquai. For more than 100 years it offers refuge to wild birds and visitors can spot 111 exotic birds.

The speciality at Moudi’s Lecker Café are their mezze, and when you try them you realize immediately, why the café chose this name (Lecker means tasty in German). Compared to other offers in town, the price is very reasonable and they’re prepared mostly without garlic. So you can come back every day without starting to smell, tells me the owner. Smart! They offer 30 dishes – of which 25 are vegan – so the choice is great. If you don’t want to spend every single night there, you can also get a take-away.
Moudi’s Lecker Café, Kronenstrasse 48, 8006

I think we can all agree that modern technology is a great thing. Take for example the Nike+ jogging app. This little gizmo, when worn during your jog, will draw your route onto a map for you to gaze exhaustedly at afterwards. Now, modern technology coupled with a devilish mind is a great and wondrous and funny thing. Take this website as an example, and maybe as an inspiration - runningdrawing.tumblr.com – in which the blogger uses her Nike+ to draw pictures as she runs. I’m not sure if it’s NSFW but let’s just say she uses the long straight roads she lives near as her inspirational muse. I’d love to see any pictures you’ve jogged using our city as the canvas.

You don’t know where to find the next tram or bus stop? Or if you’ll catch the next S-Bahn? Departures Switzerland answers all these questions. Just download the app, hold your mobile into the desired direction (reminds me a bit of E.T.) and you’ll receive tie table including distance to the next station. Very hand: They also tell you if the trains or buses are running late.