SwissPats

Wondering what to do this month in Switzerland? Fear not the SwissPats have you covered. Suzi and Don talk festivals and, hoo boy, are there a lot of festivals this month throughout Switzerland. There's a wine festival near #Vevey that happens only once every 25 years and Züri Fäscht that happens only once every three years. Music festivals cover a wide range of genres like opera, classical music, New Orleans jazz, country and blues, as well as events surrounding the alpenhorn, shepherds and their sheep and Switzerland's national sport, Schwingen.

David Max joins the SwissPats as he discusses his new shop in Basel,  Dandy Delirium. This boutique clothing store specializes in eccentric fashion that you can wear to work or at play. Its inspiration comes from Max living in the Soho neighborhood of New York City in the 1980s.

Suzi and Don also chat about how much a 3-year-old’s curiosity cost an artist at Art Basel, they read a list of the world's most and least dangerous countries and both have trouble wrapping their heads around what is it’s like to date in Switzerland. Spoiler: It’ll cost you. 

Welcome to SwissPats’ How-To Series. In this episode, SBB media spokesperson Raffael Hirt details how to use Switzerland's world famous railway system

Unlike our typical show that features a guest or our first-of-the-month Whats Happening, our How-To Series is here to help those who are new to Switzerland or even those who have lived here for a long time. Hey, you might’ve forgotten what it was like when you first got here and didn’t know anything.

In our How-To Series, we have sought out those in the known to help you navigate your life here in Switzerland. From getting the train, to taking out your garbage, there are rules, regulations and guidelines that we all need to follow.

A lot of information is out there, but we wanted to bring it to you in a short, bite sized podcast. Maybe you already have this stuff sorted out, but if you see a newcomer to Switzerland, send them our way and hopefully we can help make that transition to Swiss life a little easier.

Carolyn Moncel make soups, owns businesses is a digital consultant and a mom. She traveled from #Lausanne to #Basel to discuss how she went from #Chicago to #Paris to #Switzerland and why now she’s making delicious soups for Simply Souperlicious.

Don and Suzi also discuss more problems with the Gotthard tunnel and how much a cup of coffee costs depending on where you are at in Switzerland.

Wondering what to do this month in Switzerland? Fear not the SwissPats have you covered. Suzi and Don talk Shakespeare at a castle, Zurich Pride Festival, Art Basel, a street art festival, UNESCO World Heritage Days, the Rapperswil Blues & Jazz festival, a trout festival and the ability to witness cows hike up a mountain. 

• A Midsummer Night's Dream | June 3 | Castle Chillion, Veytaux | [email protected]
• Street Arts Festival | June 7 | Ascona
• Gotthelf Märit (historic farmers market) | June 8 | Sumiswald
• World Heritage Days | June 8-9 | 11 locations in Switzerland, see website
• Zurich Pride Festival | June 14-15
• Rapperswil Blues & Jazz Festival | June 14-15
• 49th Trout Festival | June 29 | Lake Pfäffikon
• Alpine Ascent Engstligenalp | end of June | Adelboden to Engstligenalp

TAK Ertzinger stopped by the SwissPats to discuss her new poetry book "Found: Between the Trees" available now at GreyBorders.com. The personal story of this American/Swiss poet and artist with a Latino background doesn't end there. She also discusses her battle with PTSD and how that led to her new found love of hiking and experiencing a pilgrimage throughout Switzerland. 

Don and Suzi also talk Eurovision and how a Swiss movie theater's new seating option is simply a bad idea.

Now, we don't want to diminish this week's guest. Lili Giglia has an quite an inspiring story. From the age of 9 she suffered with severe eczema on her face and body and spent some 10 years trying everything to clear it up. Today, the former accountant now produces  products at Essentially Lili that have not only have helped her, but others around the world. Oh, and just overall she's a pretty cool chick.

But, yeah, Suzi brought back a tick from her travels in Australia and Don does most of the podcast on the floor in the fetal position. He could've used that information BEFORE his first official Swiss hike last weekend.

Don and Suzi welcomed on Susan Brownfield, a singer, actor, director and teacher who is one of two people behind the creation of Boutique Theatre Basel. From 7 June to 23 June, Brownfield is directing the musical, "The Last 5 Years." She joined the SwissPats to discuss that, as well as her journey from Oregon, to Boston, to Maine to Bulgaria and now to Switzerland. For more information on the musical, visit boutiquetheatrebasel.com. 

The SwissPats also discuss the wild May snowstorm that hit Switzerland last weekend, and an odd quirk to the toilets on the older SBB trains.

Suzi is back after a few weeks home in Australia. The jet lag is real. Still, she battled through, as her and Don welcomed on fellow podcaster, Sundae Schneider-Bean. American by birth, Swiss by marriage and now an expat in South Africa, Sundae is an intercultural strategist that helps other expats live an exceptional life abroad. She also hosts the Expat Happy Hour, which draws on the realities of expat life and offers smart and simple solutions.

Don and Suzi also discuss why a Swiss guy was denied celebrating his birthday with croissants and rundown the survey results of countries with the sexiest accents.

To listen to Sundae's podcast, visit her website SundaeBean.com.

Wondering what to do this month in Switzerland? Fear not the SwissPats have you covered. Suzi and Don talk cow fighting championships - no, that wasn't a typo - a foodie heaven in #Zurich, a TedX talk in Basel, a place where Volkswagon Beetle lovers are gathering, a run in Bern that is considered the "most beautiful 10 miles in the world, and more!

• Lausanne Art Fair | May 2-5
• Cow Fighting Championships | May 4-5 | Sion
• Dinner & Yodeling concert | May 5 | Hoher Kasten
• Kafertreffen | May 2-5 | Aaregg at Lake Brienz
• Grand Prix | May 11 | Bern
• TedX | May 11 | Basel
• Food Zurich | May 16-26
• Fribourg Tattoo Convention | May 24-26