Tonight is the beginning of a new concert series called Musik Ohne Strom (Music without electricity) at Alte Kaserne. Over the next few months they’ll be showcasing a selection of singer/songwriters who’ll be performing, as you may have astutely guessed, in an intimate and unplugged manner. The series kicks off tonight with three artists - Ian Constable, Lionel & Louise and Snowville. Entry is free with a collection made at the end.
Thursday 8 pm, Alte Kaserne

After it’s pop-up edition at the London Summer Olympics this year, the International Radio Festival is back in Zurich and will be broadcasting across the city from the heights of Schloss Sihlberg. As usual they have a selection of the finest radio djs from around the world for you to listen to online, on radio or even on your feet if you choose to go to one of the parties they are planning. Programme / Streaming
Thursday until Sunday, broadcasting 8 am til late, Schloss Sihlberg

The little community of shops and restaurants that live underneath the arches at Im Viadukt have got together this Friday to organise another one of their Viadukt Nights for us. This year they seem to have gone all out for variety. In the Markt Halle you’ll be able to try food as diverse as sushi, paella and an Argentinean gaucho grill as well as many local Swiss specialties. This can all be washed down with a visit to the Absinthe bus or the Pimms and British Ale bar. There’ll also be tango dancing, bands playing, some afternoon kids activities, a couple of djs and perhaps most importantly, your chance to participate in the 3rd Swiss Oyster Championship. PDF Programme
Friday 5 pm til 2 am, Im Viadukt

Just like a love affair with a midget, this summer was short and intense. And as we enter the dying embers of it, we need to ensure we make the most of the sunny days that are left. Luckily, The Legendary Sudden Rush BBQ is here to help. As you might expect there’ll be some grilling plus choices if you’re vegetarian, as well as some chilling with a bar and an unplugged live show by Elias and dj sets by Ser Simon and The Clementimes. From 11 pm the After-BBQ-Party takes place at Club Bellevue. If you went to the main event you’ll pay reduced entry to the club.
Saturday 3 pm, Sudden Rush Travel & Surfshop, Forchstrasse 226, Zürich

N°2, WoodLove and Kafi Höfli on Brotgasse 3 offer the prefect mix of new styles, old furniture, up and coming brands and a secret getaway with a touch of Provence in Zurich. N°2 is the heart of it all; a small boutique for the finer things in life. It’s always worth to have a look at its quaint collection and this Saturday they host the Summer End Ceremony with drinks and a presentation of the new autumn / winter collection by Claudia Bonorand. Though I hope that this weekend is not the end of summer, the cold wind lately made me think of stocking up on warmer clothes too.
Saturday 2-7 pm, N°2

As if I were a new father, I get a surge of pride whenever a new club opens in Zurich. This probably speaks more to my emotional shallowness than anything. So maybe just ignore that. But this Saturday in the ever-changing Zurich-West, glas.raum has its opening party. Over two floors they’ll be hoping to bring the finest in electronic music to the city. For the opening they’ve brought in Berlin dj Cassy as headliner, listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 25 djs that rule the Earth, as well as Swiss dj duo Mountain People.
Saturday 11 pm, glas.raum

Last week I met a friend for lunch at Little Italy aka Hot Pasta. I’ve passed the venue several times since its opening in 2010 and finally paid it a visit. You can choose between various pasta and sauces, home-made raviolis, fresh salads and soups. Over noon they over a lunch deal that includes a salad and a drink. The portions are generous so don’t schedule a meeting right afterwards as you rather feel like going for a nap on an Italian beach. Amici, I’ll be back!
Little Italy, Militärstrasse 76, 8004 (also at Universitätsstrasse 15, 8006). Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8 am to midnight, Saturday 8 am to 1 am. Sunday closed.

Soon, the pool areas will close their doors to the public, making me realise that autumn is lurking around the corner. But before we say goodbye to shorts and flip flops the temperatures roar the next few days. And they may be your last chance to go for a swim in one of the pools (the river and the lake are open all year around of course, unless they freeze over). Here are the dates. Following pools close on Monday, 9th September: Obere Letten, Untere Letten, Heuried, Stadthausquai, Katzensee. The week after, on Sunday 15th September, follow: Allenmoos, Letzigraben, Tiefenbrunnen, Mythenquai, Rimini. And on Sunday 22nd September finally Utoquai.

Gut gerüstet für die nassen Tage – und die kommen bestimmt – ist man mit dem Regenmantel von Stutterheim. Der klassische "Friesennerz" ist in diversen Farben zu haben. Besorge dir jetzt das "Must-have" für den kommenden Herbst hier im Shop! 

Does Switzerland have an image problem? Looking at the international news about Switzerland this year that certainly seems to be the case: Tax row, bank secrecy and finally Oprah. But don't worry. Simon and Andreas are taking care of it. The two fearless filmmakers head out on a yearlong odyssey across Switzerland in order to rebuild the battered reputation of their home country. Their film Image Problem was screened at Locarno’s film festival and is now available on Vimeo in full length with English subtitles.