At the end of August the huge temporary art gallery, Photobastei, will be closing. If you haven’t been yet, why not!? I’ve mentioned this place plenty of times! If you need another reason to go, a new exhibition by German born, UK living photographer Anne-Katrin Purkiss will be on display. She’s best known for her black and white portraits, having a number on display at many London collections including the National Portrait Gallery. Her exhibition at Photobastei concentrates on British artists, such as Damien Hurst and David Hockney, in their homes and studios. If this doesn’t tickle your fancy there are, as always, a large number of other exhibitions taking place in Photobastei at the same time.
Thursday until 17th August, 12 pm to 9 pm everyday (except Monday), Photobastei

Emika is an English dj/singer, with Czech roots, who grew up in the trip-hop heartland city of Bristol. These influences can all be heard in the music she makes herself, including her glacial cover of Chris Issak’s Wicked Game, as well as the tunes she plays in clubs. This Friday she’ll be at Zukunft where you’ll get to see both sides of her talents as she’ll give a live performance, followed by her first djing set in Zurich. Dj’s Nat & Princess P will be there as support.
Friday 12 am, Zukunft

I have an Openair festival dilemma for you this weekend. On Friday and Saturday is, perhaps, my favourite free city festival of the summer, the Werdinsel Openair. On the green island surrounded by the Limmat, there’s enough room to grill, chill and swim the day away as you listen to a cool selection of local bands. While a little ways away, in Wetzikon, is the Schlauer Bauer Openair. Taking place from Friday to Sunday (camping is allowed) this festival has bands as diverse as the Oriental-Swing punk of Budzillus to the indie-folk of You & I. They also have a Circus Stage where theatre performers and storytellers will steal your imagination.  You’ll normally need to buy tickets to get in but I have two tickets to give away for each day. Email me, letting me know which day you would like to go.
Friday 5 pm, Saturday 2.30 pm, Werdinsel Openair
Friday 7 pm, Saturday 12 pm, Sunday 10.30 am, Schlauer Bauer Openair

In this age of the digital music download any shop that sells and celebrates vinyl should be cherished, not for sentimental reasons but because once we’ve realised that digital is only for the convenience of music but vinyl is for the sound and texture of it, we’ll need these places as landmarks to find our way home again. Hum Records is one such landmark, selling all forms of predominantly black music from hip-hop to jazz to funk to reggae to soul. This Saturday they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary at the shop with food, drink, bbq and, of course, music from some great local djs.
Saturday 3 pm, Hum Records, Ankerstrasse 11, 8004

The summertime and picnics go together like, well, picnics and annoying wasps if I’m honest but, despite that, who doesn’t like to eat and drink under the open sky on a red and white chequered blanket? If this sounds like you, you might be interested in the International Picnic Buffet taking place on Sunday at the Chinagarten, next to the lake. Just prepare your favourite food and bring it along, as will everyone else taking part. This is your chance to try homemade regional favourites from around the world, and dazzle people with that secret recipe you’ve been wowing people with ever since you cared about wowing people with things like food.
Sunday 12 pm, Chinagarten, Bellerivestrasse, 8008

Four friends run away together in a caravan to follow their dreams of adventure on the road, when they happen upon a solitary young women in a rusted old truck. What happens next, when these five strange characters meet, is the subject of ZirkusFahrAway’s new show Carakran. This strange tale isn’t told through words but with aerial acrobatics, tightrope walking, slapstick comedy and accompanied by wonderful live music. They’ll perform their magical circus spectacular outside of the Helsinki Club, and i have 2 x 2 tickets to give away. Email me, letting me know which evening you'd like to attend (although Sunday is already sold out).
Sunday until Wednesday 7.30 pm, outside Helsinki

Just like a green oasis of tranquillity on the edge of Kreis 4 and Langstrasse, the Zeughaushof is a perfect hideaway from the city, and sitting at the centre of this calm, under the shade of a huge sycamore tree, is the Summergarte grill and bar. Serving excellent Mediterranean inspired sandwiches and salads at lunchtime (i can recommend the grilled tuna sandwich, MSC-certified of course) and superbly grilled fish and meat in the evenings. You can sit at tables and chairs or if you want to embrace that languid feeling, lay on the grass on their multi-coloured rugs and ground-level tables. All of this is overseen, naturally, by a huge psychedelic fish sitting on the rooftop of the bar. As their name suggests they are only open in good weather.
Summergarte, Zeughaushof/Kasernenareal

Does this sound familiar? You come home after shopping and realize that you forgot to buy garbage bags. Again. This happens to me regularly and I don’t seem to be the only one. So some smart guys came up with the idea to offer a «bag-subscription», the Sackabo. Depending on how much waste you create they send you either 2, 3 or 4 rolls three times per year. You have to sign up for one year at least but hey, these bags won’t go out of fashion.

I’m turning into a fan of the face lifted corner at Kalkbreite with Wohnzimmerbar, Oh Sweetest Thing, Bebeck and the vintage furniture shop. The latest is a sister of the existing Möbel Zürich at Malzstrasse 21. The mission of the shops: Saving unique pieces of furniture, restoring them with lots of love and present them in a good light.
Kalkbreitestrasse 10, 8003 Zurich. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12 pm to 7 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm

In Macrocosm you navigate a wobbly, black spot through a sparse black and white universe. It is your task to collect the black dots to grow the black space. But be aware: planets, canons and lasers don’t mean well and try to destroy you. The navigation is as simple as the graphics. Just place your finger on the display and off you go. It’s addictive. Available at iOS App Store.