tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76121971951051399332011-11-28T00:44:42.830+01:00Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-51412075555539200772010-03-01T15:10:00.000+01:002010-03-01T15:10:08.542+01:00

So, here's what you do if you're in Milan, on the weekend of the Milan Fashion week - only you don't have a fat cat bank balance, fashionista wardrobe, or the street cred required to muster up passes to any of the actual mainline events -  1) Get a room in the city - even if, budget constraints dictate that you're staying so far away from the actual action that the clerks at the reception desk

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-13101981417492934442010-02-24T12:56:00.000+01:002010-02-24T12:56:02.290+01:00

Just back from a week in Dubai - the land of the sun, surf, dazzling lights, shameless excess - just what the doctor prescribed as an antidote to the depression brought on by a prolonged bout of a dreary winter and an even duller Geneva. I know that the media would make this city out to be currently in the throes of a cataclysmic crisis, where investors stand ruined and poor labourers toil it out

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-9178638610441326382010-02-15T10:30:00.017+01:002010-02-15T10:30:00.384+01:00

Would you pay a month's rent for this? Apparently there are people who would. Take a look at the latest bag from Louis Vuitton's Spring Summer 2010 collection   It's called the Raindrop Besace and is expected to retail at Eur 1200. I don't know much about fashion, but you're kidding me right? Or maybe it's a case of the designer (Marc Jacobs), trying out some not so subtle fashion

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-56042309736807334172010-02-12T14:52:00.000+01:002010-02-12T14:52:37.472+01:00

It was the worst of times, a seemingly endless winter, spent wallowing in a heap of weepy romantic comedies, DVD box sets and watching my neighbour's cats put on weight (one of them has got to be pregnant). The bleakness was relentless, the boredom was terminal. There appeared to be no repreive in sight. And then, like a ray of sunshine that had fought a seemingly unwinnable war with the bank of

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-26536242944737982092010-02-09T11:43:00.000+01:002010-02-09T11:43:33.687+01:00

I know that this may be a little premature, considering I've only been here a few months (seems like a lifetime already), but here's a few things that make it real hard to love the Switzerland and locals.  1) Texting while walking - Talk about taking "Pieton is King" a little too seriously. What's with the walking with your head down while texting, and not even bothering to look while crossing

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-19045217921897176892010-02-04T10:30:00.004+01:002010-02-04T10:30:00.185+01:00

So I'm getting out of a meeting at one of Geneva's most prestigious hotels - The President Wilson, last evening, when I got robbed. It was a slick operation. I am an easy target, both arms full, distracted, as I finish a phone call getting into my car. A man knocks at my window and signals to my tyres. "The wheel's out of alignment, be careful driving," he says, in French. Alarmed, I step out of

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-84812889451365591422010-02-01T12:08:00.000+01:002010-02-01T12:08:13.641+01:00

The 40 something executive in a customised designer suit who zips through check in, while you wait it out behind the four parent, six screaming kids nightmare of a family returning from a ski vacation. The woman who clocks in sixty thousand odd air miles, managing a career, a family and two children. The hotshot young manager who comes up with a way of cutting 85% of the cost to company, two

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-15262220540322734242010-01-29T11:00:00.003+01:002010-01-29T12:00:47.131+01:00

I'm no tech geek, in fact, if there were a Darwinian scale on tech awareness, I'd probably be hunched right next to the primates, but I'm right on top of Apple's droolworthy Ipad launch. While the $500 gadget is a must have for this year,  here are some other cheaper yet great Valentine's day gift ideas from the Apple Store 1) Personalised I-Gadgets - SFr 7+ (SFr 75-200)- A personalised engraved

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-67668185856815568082010-01-27T15:52:00.000+01:002010-01-27T15:52:13.940+01:00

Never let it be said that I wasn't brave enough to venture out to explore the beauties of Switzerland in winter. An impromptu visit by a friend led to a boatride to Evian. She was on a short trip, visiting the thermal baths was not an option, so the experience was... how should I put this... a sleepwalk through a ghost town. No more Lac Leman boatrides for me till the peak of summer.

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-82058229151086689782010-01-21T11:30:00.001+01:002010-01-21T11:30:00.447+01:00

The Chinese government has pulled Avatar out of an estimated 1500 theatres in China, substituting the film with a biography of Confucious. While arguably, cinemagoers are better off with this switch, the motives behind the move are more sinister; many commentators believe that it is an attempt to nip in the bud any unrest that might be building up as a result of popular association of the Avatar

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-5491107068028881362010-01-18T13:08:00.000+01:002010-01-18T13:08:45.931+01:00

It's just the first few weeks of the decade, and already, we seem to be awash with happiness surveys, and satisfaction indices. International Living's recently released Quality of Life Index lists Switzerland as number three among the list of places that offer you the best quality of life, behind France and Australia. Is it realistic, however, to use these surveys as a guiding light towards a

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-91727174485128253102010-01-14T11:30:00.025+01:002010-01-14T11:30:00.276+01:00

As if it weren't difficult enough to get through a Swiss winter in case you aren't a skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, luging (or some other such sporting activity involving insanely uncomfortable sports gear and launching yourself from a great height) enthusiast, it turns out to be the worst winter in the northern hemisphere in decades. I've chosen the sensible option and chosen to deal with

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-38705729782187282492010-01-11T14:37:00.000+01:002010-01-11T14:37:37.393+01:00

Last week's supposedly cool viral campaigns inviting female facebook users to reveal the color of their bras (to surprising success - I certainly didn't want to know my best friend's penchant for "electric pink with lace"), only reinforces the fact that pretty much anything is "cool" as long as its online. (Facebook's Bra Color Story) Unhappily, it also means that we accept the decline of

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-28574922873269401162010-01-07T11:41:00.000+01:002010-01-07T11:41:10.447+01:00

JobsRated recently released its survey on the Best and Worst jobs in 2010. At the top of the worst job list is "Roustabout" (people who work on oil rigs, also used for circus workers). The Best Job is (don't bother twisting your brain, you'll never guess..) Actuary!!! These are the guys who provide statistical, probability based modelling on risk to insurance providers. This report ranks 200

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-45281149788149217292009-12-15T14:00:00.000+01:002009-12-15T14:00:02.606+01:00

You know that pet bone you pick with your partner all the time? The one your friends roll their eyes and refer to when they talk about you? Car vs Train travel is fast becoming one that we add to our "repertoire" as it were. Here's my case for why train travel is better .... 1. Liberation from the GPS! No anxious searching for the right street, no standing on one leg to get a satellite signal,

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-83692409417519748272009-12-13T13:00:00.001+01:002009-12-13T13:00:07.657+01:00

The Guardian has established a "Reader Leaders" section, inviting readers to weigh in with their indepth views on Copenhagen, climate change and the state of the green revolution Here's my article... The Copenhagen Summit forges on, despite Climategate. Brave attempts have been made to reestablish credibility and redirect energies to achieving positive outcomes, especially by drawing focus to

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-24821661464707656612009-12-11T14:00:00.008+01:002009-12-11T14:00:09.313+01:00

If you happen to travel to Geneva this week chances are you'll see a lot of what look like soup or fondue pots in the windows. If you are not a local, like me, you will probably assume this is a traditional, albeit eccentric, way of welcoming the Christmas. You would also be dead wrong. The soup pot is called a "marmite" , and is the quirky symbol of Geneva's "independence". That's right -

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-5845035104966213322009-12-09T14:00:00.002+01:002009-12-09T14:00:10.682+01:00

I have to say I was astounded at the sheer scale, number of people and the spectacle of the Festival of Lights in Lyon. The installations were the best of modern art in themselves, but the city of Lyon is an icing on the cake  - vibrant, diverse, cultural - the best of what Europe has to offer. An hour and a half drive from Geneva, this French city is a must visit for anyone looking for a

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-65773146643879347112009-12-06T14:00:00.001+01:002009-12-10T13:57:06.158+01:00

Today marks the four month anniversary of my unemployment. Being a  scarred veteran of the job hunting scene in Geneva, I thought I'd share with you some of the most common types of personalities  that I've encountered so far. 1) The Con Artist Recruiter - These are the guys who make sure they post a position sound that sounds attractive, urgent and important. This ensures they recieve hundreds

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-87373722334993092862009-12-02T13:12:00.000+01:002009-12-02T13:12:36.305+01:00

HSBC released the results of its Expat Explorer survey this week, covering 26 expat locations across the globe. Not surprisingly, Switzerland places at the bottom of the table on the friendliness index. South East Asia comes out on top on this score. Switzerland comes in ninth among established/developed markets, with Canada topping the list. Overall, Switzerland ranks 13, with high rankings

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-23703412299975614022009-11-30T10:22:00.000+01:002009-11-30T10:22:38.041+01:00

It's official. Terror has won. The decision to ban minarets is the latest victory granted on a platter to every radical, hate mongering terrorist out there; even worse, it gives them a platform of self righteousness from where to boast that they are justified in what they are doing. " The west is waging a war on Islam", they will proclaim - unfortunately, they will be right about Switzerland.

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-61213704227768411292009-11-24T12:14:00.002+01:002009-11-24T12:15:19.264+01:00

Wondering why TV channels are going nuts over the launch of New Moon? Mostly interested in the Non fiction rack in the bookstore? Stuck in a room full of giggly girls gushing abour Edward's eyes? At a multiplex, considering whether you should get in the line for tickets to New Moon? Here's the least you need to know about the Twilight.... What's it about? Its a teenage romance. Only one

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-63091915177736204442009-11-17T14:26:00.000+01:002009-11-17T14:26:06.923+01:00

It started out as a simple idea... I wanted to jazz up my website with pictures I'd taken during our recent trip to Barcelona.I'd seen a lot of sites with these rolling photographic slideshows and I wanted to setup something similar for my blog. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. A week and 5 unsuccessful attempts at web template changes later, I was a cross eyed, irritable wreck

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-66485557599908723842009-11-05T16:36:00.000+01:002009-11-05T16:36:54.404+01:00

A week long trip to Barcelona was a lot longer than most vacations I've been on so far, so I thought I'd have plenty of time to relax, roll up my sleeves and dive into Dan Brown's latest bestselling potboiler - The Lost Symbol. The book started out pretty much as expected, with the usual lineup of symbological potpourri (this tbook explores the mythology of the Freemasons) thrown in along with a

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-10218054123045086622009-10-30T17:40:00.000+01:002009-10-30T17:40:38.177+01:00

For the first few hours, we almost regretted having left the buzz and excitement of Barcelona for Granada. The approach from the airport was through an industrial area, with dirty furniture warehouses and gritty factories. The approach into the centre of town reavealed a quiet small town, with one main street. Not much was happening, even at five in the evening. We were told that the town shut

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-46929531769889719572009-10-13T12:50:00.000+02:002009-10-13T12:50:33.739+02:00

Batman had one to let him know when Gotham was in trouble. The three wise men saw one in the sky when the Big J arrived.Something always went wrong every time Harry met Sally. It was a sign. One that we choose to ignore.  We first started seeing it in the last week of September.Every woman on the street (and quite a few men) were wearing boots. Short ones, long ones, stiff ones and slouchy

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-39078772273916728782009-10-07T13:35:00.000+02:002009-10-07T13:35:48.220+02:00

Voila, almost in a flash, we enter the best part of the year. I love this part of the year, it has joy and affirmation, excuses to celebrate crammed into its nooks and crannies. In October then, a month of metamorphosis, where sunny days turn overcast, warm breezes turn chilly, and nature changes her wardrobe from nautical greens to more vibrant hues,as if preparing for the celebrations ahead.

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-52363114441565361752009-10-01T23:42:00.000+02:002009-10-01T23:42:49.934+02:00

and I'm not making money off of this (I wish!) I'm linking to this great article I found on th Huffington Post. Do take the survey on the sidebar - I think it works for men as well! What The Happiest And Most Successful Women Do Differently

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-38818148906105452722009-09-28T11:42:00.000+02:002009-09-28T11:42:20.249+02:00

We are at the ticket counter at the Jardin du Cinq Sens (Garden of the Five Senses) at Yvoire. I stutter out a few words in french indicating that I would like to buy tickets. " Would you like to pay in Swiss Francs or Euros" replies the girl beind the counter, to our amazement, in English and with a smile. She informs us that there will be a brief introduction before we enter the garden. There

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-80755430173619809622009-09-23T10:18:00.000+02:002009-09-23T10:18:29.902+02:00

It appears that Hollywood currently agrees on the type of cinema that women want. Beautiful and successful woman, managing a hectic career, maybe a child and a diet and exercise regimen that makes her eligible to be a runway model. Ruggedly handsome, male lead, great with children, successful, capable of putting relationships first, with body to die for in case he needs to take his shirt off.

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-66770018642163231292009-09-18T10:30:00.000+02:002009-09-18T10:30:30.242+02:00

To wrap up, the highlights of the Venetian weekend …... To Die For The light in late summer. Slightly overcast, never too hot to walk or glide in an open air water vehicle Dorsoduro – Funky, airy and very chic San Marco piazza – simply stunning Cioccolato Pepperincino. Chocolate goodness with a kick in the end Venetian masks. Evocative of more dramatic times Overrated Murano

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-1360618172951087132009-09-16T11:12:00.000+02:002009-09-16T11:12:01.291+02:00

(This is the second of a three part series - Day 1 can be found on Chantal Gardner's blog http://www.onebigyodel.com)What I really love about Italy is the sensory overload – every where you look there are sights that amaze, sounds that delight, tastes and smells that entice you . You need to be an energizer bunny on steroids to be able to take it all in.Day two of Venice started out on a slower

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-34033765987004600662009-09-02T15:18:00.000+02:002009-09-02T16:29:22.473+02:00

So we are finishing brunch at this cafe on the weekend, after a bone crunchingly exhausting unpacking weekend. We just about have time for dessert before returning to the chaotic sea of cartons that is currently our home. We fleetingly contemplate experimenting with the house special (raspberry cheesecake in french), we decide on the tiramisu just as quickly.The tiramisu appears and disappears in

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-86344838990955907842009-08-18T11:57:00.000+02:002009-08-18T12:44:18.228+02:00

A new activity just jumped to the top of my list of most hated activities. Its called "Networking". Its a polite word for a mercenary form of organised socialising, where the aim of eveyone present is to wheedle out a name, contact and possible availability of a job at the place where the other person works. You say hello to a person you never saw before in your life, you behave as if he/she is

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-73028841947708301532009-07-30T13:59:00.000+02:002009-07-30T14:23:21.390+02:00

I thought I hated it. The very idea of it was enough to ruin my appetite. In fact, various renditions of it ordered from fast food outlets during working lunches and late nights, had succeeded in not just putting me off pizza, but the entire cheese family. They were giant lumps of white bread, sometimes stuffed with melted cheese. The sauce was a sickly orange with no discernible taste. The

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-13374401107240692202009-07-21T14:55:00.000+02:002009-07-21T15:27:39.233+02:00

Alors! it's been an eventful few days. First up, it was mountain biking in Chamonix. There we were, gung ho expats, willing to give everything a shot. Two mountain bikes were thrust at us, we were bundled into the cable car, and then the ski lift, taking us upto La Tour. From there it was downhill all the way... figuratively speaking of course. By the time we got down to where we started, I was

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-60395960319232454292009-07-09T12:33:00.000+02:002009-07-09T13:02:39.047+02:00

So I walk into the office of this highly recommended "outplacement" agency. I meet a very tall guy wearing a suit.Me - "As you can see, I have a good educational background and work experience for a Finance position in Geneva"Guy - "Yes, eets very gud"Me - "So how long do you think it will take for me to find a job"Guy - solemnly.. "I must warn you that it cood take 9 to 10 months"Me -

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-84656947722565491632009-07-03T09:19:00.000+02:002009-07-03T09:35:26.193+02:00

So we are at this karaoke bar last night with a bunch of friends (another last farewell). This is Dubai, so you have a crowd representative of most nationalities - Arabs, Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, Italians, Brits, Americans... you name it.Black or White starts up, and spontaneously the entire bar joins in. Everyone knows every nuance of this song. Everybody wants more.The

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-29095545535093456352009-06-30T13:19:00.000+02:002009-06-30T13:26:46.405+02:00

This is it.. time to leave. I'll really miss Dubai, it has been a great experience. Over the past few years it seems like we've grown together. Here's my ode to Dubai ... it had to be in sentimental (albeit rickety) verse.Ode to DubaiI covet this glittering jewel in the sand No task or milestone too big for this land Tallest tower, Longest marina, Man made palm seen from the moon. No

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612197195105139933.post-39071335440644843602009-06-25T07:17:00.000+02:002009-06-25T07:56:04.530+02:00

Nobody said anything about falling in love and landing yourself in an existential dilemma. I thought you met someone, fell in love, held hands and looked happily thereafter into the sunset.Instead here I am, moving countries for the second time in 3 years, setting up from scratch, wondering if I'll ever be able to build the kind of career I imagined, and desperately trying to ignore that rational

Wide Eyed Gypsynoreply@blogger.com1