Next week I’ll be shutting down my website at some point. But don’t despair, it won’t be for long, just on Monday and Tuesday. And I’ll return with a beautiful new design. Better than ever. Because the new Ron will connect you and the city like never before! Soon, very soon, you will be able to find out more...
Give my love to the city, Ron

Metronomy have always been an odd proposition. They’re a band very much of the here and now but have a sound that has a strange amateurish 70’s vibe. They also bring the funk but filtered through a particularly English stiff upper lip. Even the band members themselves seem to be collected together from totally different bands. Despite all these contradictions, the music is fantastic and their songs are sprinkled with the golden pixie dust of great pop. They are playing at X-tra tonight and I have 2 x 2 tickets to give away. E-mail me before 4 pm for a chance to win.
Thursday 8 pm, X-tra

Sometimes on a night out, I’m not looking for the hippest beats or the edgiest club, what I want is to be pampered. Yes, you heard me, this Ron needs a little loving. And if that loving comes in the form of the finest comfort food (slow cooked pulled pork sandwich and baked New York cheesecake, anyone?), a vast selection of boutique beers and live acoustic music from Ibby and Walti, covering songs from the last few decades, then so be it. Luckily, I’ll be able to find all of these in the warm embrace of Fork & Bottle this Friday night.
Friday 7.30 pm, Fork and Bottle

All of the best comedians are angry about something. It might be the stupidity of people, the state of world affairs or even the way a man serves soup, à la Seinfeld’s soup Nazi. Andrew Maxwell is a multi-award winning Irish comedian, who has been based in London for over 20 years, and filters his anger through a certain twinkly-eyed charm and a sharp intelligent wit. Covering subjects as diverse as politics, an Irishman raising English kids and red squirrels he’s been brought into town by the International Comedy Club to play Mascotte on Friday.
Friday 7 pm, Mascotte

The Casablanca Café-Bar on Langstrasse has always been cool little place to hang out, whether it’s for warm-up drinks before a night out or for a cool-down brunch the following day. This Saturday they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary with a party hosted by djs Klaus Chindsgi and Paladisco.  You can expect the usual mix of easygoing people although, with the party currently having no end time, they may be a lot more easygoing by the time it’s over.
Saturday 8 pm, Casablanca Café-Bar

It’s usually on a groggy Sunday morning, especially after a spangly Saturday night out, that i start to contemplate the big questions of life. Why can't i tickle myself? Are my big toes too big? Is there alien life in the universe? Now, some of these may be personal to me but if you’ve ever wondered about the existence of alien life, and have had enough of hearing the answer, ‘Only on Uranus’ from your drunken friends, then head to the Museum Rietberg this Sunday for a talk entitled Is There Life Out in the Universe? with Ben Moore, Professor of Astrophysics at Zurich University. So the choice is yours: spend an extra hour in bed on a Sunday blearily wondering or go get your mind blown by an astrophysicist. In English.
Sunday 11 am, Museum Rietberg

Like the first flowers of spring, the Pop-Up Cinema in Studio 177 will be fleeting yet strangely seductive. This Wednesday (11th) will be a vampire wine battle between Brad Pitt and Francis Ford Coppola (yes, you read that correctly). Both movie makers own vineyards and both have been involved with vampire movies, Interview with a Vampire and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Taste their wines, rate which is the best and the winner’s film will be shown on the evening. Maybe this is how the Oscars should be decided. Next Wednesday (18th), the film Chocolat will be shown. To accompany the movie will be a sumptuous chocolate inspired dinner menu. Reservation for the dinner should be made by 15th March.
Wednesday 11th and 18th March 7 pm, Pop-Up Cinema, Studio 177, Heinrichstrasse 177, 8005

The social group called Zum Bunten Tisch (The Colourful Table) takes over the Restaurant Sahltimbocca one evening each month, allowing young men and women, who are intellectually challenged, to be responsible for service for the evening. There is a sense of passion and charm from all involved, and a chance to get more out of a meal than just feeling full. Also, you have the choice between booking as usual, for the number of guests or for a table, where you’ll join other guests. There are just a few places left for this month’s event (28th March) so I thought I'd let you know in advance.
Saturday 28th March from 6 pm, Zum Bunten Tisch @ Restaurant Saltimbocca

Tuesday, the 17th of February, was a black day for Houdini. A fire destroyed the entire bar area. Luckily, no one was hurt and the cinema remain intact. The clean-up and the refurbishment is still takeing place so Houdini remains closed until the end of March (maybe even longer). Until then, Riffraff offers asylum and Houdini’s current programme can be viewed there at lunchtime.

From women, for women: that’s the slogan of Evelyn Huber and Ramona Keller the designers behind Lyn Lingerie. Looking at the sexy results – all handcrafted here in Zurich -, I think they could also say: From women, for men or even the other way around. Evelyn and Ramona just closed their shop at Glasmalergasse and moved to Frau Gerold’s Garten last Saturday. As a Ronster, I’m sure you know that neighbourhood, so have a peek inside when you’re in the area.

This is what Mary Poppins sounds like when singing death metal…