November Monthly Round Up

Life Lately: In Geneva, we are starting to see the Christmas decorations in the shops. It is only natural that I want to share with you a list of independent shops where you might find the perfect gift for your family and friends. As far as I’m concerned, I always start in advance to go hunting for beautiful gifts. It’s so nice when the shops are not yet overrun. When I sat down to write this blog post, I realised that my list had grown considerably... and the result is that it has ended up being a Christmas Shops List and a very photo-heavy monthly round up. I really hope you enjoy…

Coop City (12, rue de Carouge)

Coop City is a Swiss institution (the only non-independent shop in my list). On November 1st they displayed everything you need to make a special decoration for this Christmas. This year, I would be tempted to make an Antarctic decoration, all blue and white.

Ñ (Egne) Wine & Tapas Bar (12-14, rue du Cendrier)

The freshly opened EGNE is a 10 minute walk from Geneva Cornavin train station. The vibe is really relaxed and cool, with a minimalist elegance, and the staffs, two young smiling guys, exude Spanish warmth. You can also buy exquisite wines and other fine Spanish products, since the bar is a delicatessen too.

Chloë Jewellery Shop (6, Rond-Point de Plainpalais)

I love their cosy and girly universe and their high-end fantasy silver, gold plated and rose gold plated jewellery. All their jewellery is handmade. All creations are then presented in a very nice gift package, in pastel or bright colours.

Les Filles Indignes (10, rue de l’Arquebuse)

This is a coffee, wine and delicatessen whose concept is to have no predefined menu. Every day the menu, made of quiches, salads, soups, and homemade cakes, is concocted according to what the chef finds at the market. I like this bohemian atmosphere and the little corner bookshelf is a real plus.

SBC SPA (77, rue des Eaux-Vives)

Should you decide to offer yourself a treat or want to offer a very nice gift to a friend, what about an afternoon at Sbc Spa? This is a freshly opened spa with an Arabian Nights decor. One can enjoy the hammam, jacuzzi, sauna, a haircut or a massage with Decléor products, a brand renowned for its high quality.

Mr & Mrs Renou (39, rue Saint-Joseph, Carouge)

Freshly opened, this gem of pastry shop is very popular among the gourmets in Geneva. It must be said that their creations are uniquely delicate and terribly delicious. The chef has been decorated with the prestigious medal “Meilleur Ouvrier de France”. That day, I fell for a dark chocolate and Madagascar vanilla cake.

Atelier Floral Création (28, rue Ancienne, Carouge)

Where can you buy a beautiful Christmas wreath? Here’s your answer! I really think that a bouquet of flowers is one of the nicest things to brighten up your house.

Librairie du Boulevard (34, rue de Carouge)

A book is always one of the best Christmas presents! One of my favourite bookstores in Geneva is the Librairie du Boulevard, an independent bookstore in the popular district of Plainpalais. Whenever I can, I take a look at the new arrivals. I really enjoyed reading the summary of these three books.

“Et puis ça fait bête d'être triste en maillot de bain”. (And then it’s stupid to be sad in a swimsuit) by Amandine Dhée, a French author whose books are inspired by everyday life…

“Summer” by Monica Sabolo, an Italian author whose book has won a prize and become a hit. This psychological novel is full of intrigue; we are immediately prisoner in its yarns…

“Bakhita” by Véronique Olmi, a French author who won the “Prix du Fnac 2017”. In the 19th century, Bakhita was kidnapped at the age of seven in her village in Darfur…

City Coop - Book Corner

While shopping at a Coop supermarket, I stopped by its “book corner” to check out the new book releases. I choose a pretty selection of books, each one completely different from the other: a book on Portuguese cooking, a novel by a famous Belgian author, the second book of an English author who excels in working-class heroes and the romance genre.

I didn’t buy any of these books; I simply put them on my Santa Claus gift list…If I am good he will probably leave one of them in my Christmas stocking.

So what’s next? Christmas…counting the days already!!!

A woman in Berlin by Anonymous (1954) (Eine Frau in Berlin)

Sincerely, this book is the best I have read this year. Henceforth it will be part of my list of all time best reads. Despite the atrocities it describes, I found it very easy to read, given the detached tone of the narrator. Indeed, the text does not fall into melodrama, it remains objective. That said, I had tears in my eyes on many occasions.

The anonymous author makes a poignant, cold, detailed and humorous autobiographical account of the post-war period following the fall of Berlin, when the Red Army invaded Germany. It relates the everyday life in Berlin during the Soviet occupation, particularly in relation to women, victims of multiple rapes, starvation, loneliness and the relentless struggle for survival.

This memoir was published anonymously for the first time in 1954 in English. The narrator wrote her diary every day by the light of a candle. Later she gave her notebooks to a friend, who decided to have them published anonymously to preserve the privacy of the people described in her memoir. After the death of the narrator, in 2001, the name of the author was revealed. She was Marta Hillers, a German journalist.

Parc des Eaux-Vives

That was the day when autumn really began in Geneva. We had enjoyed a sunny and mild October and early November, but suddenly the temperature dropped, the wind began to whistle loudly and the cold and rain came to stay.

If you have been following me for a while, you will know that autumn is my second favourite season and that nature enriches my life. Whenever I have time, I love going for a long stroll around Lake Geneva, parks and forests…And I can say that Parc des Eaux-Vives has quickly become my happy place. I always have a splendid time there. 

You know, the magical thing about living in a small city is that it takes only minutes to get to anywhere.

I hope you will enjoy this tour. 

Lots of Love