Bern and Zurich have an odd relationship. Slightly wary of each other, occasionally in competition but with a certain begrudging respect. Of course if you want to create a bi-city orgy of sweat and love then music is the aphrodisiac, and Amboss Rampe is the venue. The Lauter Liebt Fester party on Friday will play host to two bands and a dj from each town. From Bern comes the indie folk of Silver Firs and the intense rock of I Made You A Tape, while Zurich offers up the dark pop of Steiner & Madlainas and the Brit popish The Dillians. Djs Sentiment (Zurich) and Noe Weigl (Bern) will be playing the afterparty with disco to techno.
Friday 8 pm, Amboss Rampe

 

 

Gird your loins, dear Ronster, for the Porny Days Film Festival, a three-day celebration of all things passionate, pulsating and yes, pornographic. But please don't be thinking cheesy 70's funk guitar and extra-keen pizza deliverymen, this festival looks at the art, not just the arse, in porn. The films will be shown in Riff-Raff and include 68 films and documentaries from 20 countries (either spoken or subtitled in English) that celebrate the humorous, sensual and strange corners of sexual desire, as well as exploring the politics, social taboos and feminine concerns that go along with it. To accompany the films at Riff Raff, Langstrassenkultur will be holding the opening party on Friday with the band The Sex Organs and dj Dr Sexual Healing, on Saturday they will host Zurich’s most glamorous drag queen, Evalyn Eatdith, as well as a new interactive performance installation, Masturbutopia, and as a finale to the whole weekend, Sunday will be the day for the now legendary Porny Brunch.
Friday to Sunday various times, Riff Raff and Langstrassenkultur

 

 

If you’ve been watching the unfolding refugee crisis with a feeling of horror and helplessness then let Refuture give you the chance to do something this weekend. Refuture are an independent, locally organised group that works to better the lives of refugees. Over the whole of the weekend, many bars and clubs around town have been asked to participate in a donation drive that will go toward funding two projects in Zurich - Autonome Schule Zürich, which is a migrant education project based in Zurich, and Watch the Med – Alarm Phone, which organises a 24 hour emergency phone helpline for migrants travelling across the Mediterranean. So if you’re heading out for a drink sometime over the weekend, maybe you want to lean toward one of the bars or clubs taking part. Full list of venues here.
Friday to Sunday various times and locations around town

 

 

Over the last few weeks, Zukunft have been celebrating their 10th anniversary with a series of party nights and live shows, all building up to the grand finale, which is happening over two floors this Saturday night. To headline the final night they’ve brought in German duo Âme, who have been at the forefront of dance music for the last 20 years with their genre-melding mix of Detroit influenced deep house and soul. The rest of the night’s line-up of djs is also pretty spectacular, with seven of Zurich’s finest giving Zukunft the kind of debauched 10th birthday party that makes getting older seem almost worthwhile.
Saturday 11 pm, Zukunft

 

 

We seem to have gone from summer directly to winter this snowy week, but if you still want to wrap yourself in the memories of a hot summer then Chad Valley will be playing live at Papiersaal next Wednesday. Chad Valley come from the UK and is the side project of Hugo Manuel, lead singer of Oxford band Jonquil. He makes music that combines the mellow glow of Balearic beat with the smooth sheen of 80’s synth pop, and will make you feel like the sun is shining out of your blissed-out smile.  If you’d like o go to the show I have 2 x 2 tickets to give away. Email me.
Wednesday 8 pm, Papiersaal

 

 

December is always a hectic month and my holiday spirit gets buried in an endless to-do-list. I barely manage to get my grocery shopping done. So I'm very grateful that there are a few Sundays coming up when the shops and malls in the city centre are open: 29th November, 6th and 20th December from 11 am to 6 pm, as well as 2nd of January from 9 am to 8 pm. On the website of ' Shopping in the city' you’ll find the list of the shops that are taking part.

 

 

Crispy bacon and grilled Brussels sprouts tickle my tongue while I eat one of the new salads at Lilly Jo's Deli. For once, the choice between vegan or non vegan was very simple, though I usually like to try everything at a new restaurant. Each week, Lilly Jo comes up with fresh, seasonal dishes to fill the empty stomachs of everyone who works in Zurich West.  
Lilly Jo, Pfingstweidstrasse 16, 8005. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7 am to 9 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm

 

 

A cable, a fitting and a bulb – that's all you need to create a cool light source for your office or your home. The pendular lamps are very popular at present as they are useful but also convertible design pieces. Marc and Esther will help you get going: In their new Online-Shop Konigs you'll find special bulbs, high quality fittings and colourful textile cables.