Bazar dell'Avvento in Minusio

This weekend you might want to undertake a little trip to Minusio. It will be worth seeing your children's faces light up when they discover the beautiful theater, for the young AND old.

At this Advent bazaar you'll have the opportunity to create scented candles out of natural beeswax. A buffet awaits you in the restaurant with yummy specialities, while at the bright cafeteria, you'll find an endless variety of cakes and biscuits to be enjoyed with good music performed by the various groups that will add to the festive cheer.

You will find interesting ideas and thoughts for Christmas gifts, such as home-made creations made with warm and colourful materials and by skilled hands. Some stalls offer books, stationery products and natural beauty creams. Not to be missed is the flea market with clothing, toys and miscellaneous items which are fit for a second life.

Venue: Bazar dell'Avvento
Where: Scuola Rudolf Steiner, Via dei Paoli 36, 6648 Minusio
Date: Saturday, Dec 5th & Sunday, Dec 6th, 2015
Time: 10:00 - 21:00
Click here for the programme: Bazar dell'Avvento

Eco-friendly food shopping: a new kid in town

We are all concerned when it comes to recycling. If you live in Switzerland you know what an Eco center is, a place where you meet your neighbour on a Saturday morning - on your way to washing your car - to sort and throw out the recyclable trash accumulated during the week.

Packaging is an essential part of a product's sale. It's all good for those who appreciate the form, the aesthetics and the information it can provide. It's all bad for those who believe and/or work in daily task of reducing waste production.

Negozio Leggero promotes over 1500 cooperative goods in bulk. Just like in the olden days when having a bucket of milk was essential to transport it, you'll be helping yourself from a tap, filling containers brought from home with the desired amount.

Finally an alternative to shop without packaging! Great prices, organic products and there is everything: vegetables, soaps, pasta, wine, detergents, spices, teas and more.

So check out this new eco-friendly store where trendy presentation and emerging flavours will capture your attention and provide you and your kids with a totally new shopping experience.

Negozio Leggero, Via Lambertenghi 2, 6900 Lugano

For a better healthier you! 5 a Day

We've all heard about the five portions of fruits and vegetables we are suppose to eat per day to stay healthy.

Here's a little help via "5 a Day", a national health promotion campaign aimed at boosting your fruit and vegetable consumption. The objective is better health and well-being for the population of Switzerland. "5 a Day" shows you how to increase your personal consumption of fruit and vegetables – variety with a lot of fun and pleasure.

Eat five portions of vegetables and fruit every day. This depends on how you feel and without having to weigh each portion.  A portion equals about a handful of vegetables or fruit. Here’s how to determine the appropriate portion:  For children, it’s 70 gr of vegetables or 100 gr of fruit.  For adults, it’s 102 gr of vegetables or fruit. How and when the portions are eaten during the day is not as important as the versatility in choice of vegetable and fruit varieties; because in each fruit and vegetable there are a range of substances that are good for our bodies. The more colourful, the better!

Need a little help, just check out their site: 5 a Day.
The site also gives you the info for every vegetable and fruit you can find at the market.
Looking for some kids friendly explanations, click here for the Nutrition Disk or the Food Pyramid.

There's even a logo "5 a Day" that provides helpful guidance when selecting vegetables and fruit enriched products.

Natale a Breganzona

"At Christmas I no more desire a rose

Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth;

But like of each thing that in season grows."

William Shakespeare

There will indeed not be any roses but rather poinsettias and as for the snow, it is too early to say, but even the snow will be welcomed to render the atmosphere even more magical.

Christmas in Breganzona is ready to welcome you with its charming Christmas spirit. You'll find over 50 exhibitors selling their arts and crafts as well as gastronomic delicacies. This is a celebration for those of you who love Christmas genuine, generous and festive.

Venue: Natale a Breganzona

Where: Campetto Rosso, Scuole Elementari, 6932 Breganzona

When: Saturday, Dec 6th from 15:00 and Sunday, Dec 7th, 2014 from 10:00

Click here for the programme.

Don't miss it!

Tasis Holiday Market 2014

T'is the holiday season again and the American school in Montagola is holding it's yearly Holiday market soon.

The TASIS Parents Association does so much for TASIS, and this Holiday Market is another example of their hard work and dedication to the School and to the community at large.

Shop from over 70 stalls selling fashion, jewellery, Christmas gifts, Fimo decorations, Love and lace signs and much more. Indulge in the foods of the world and make new friends.

Don't miss it.

Venue: TASIS Holiday Market
Where: American School of Switzerland TASIS, Via Collina d'Oro, 6926 Montagnola
Date: Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014
Time: 13:30–19:00

FREE valet parking for all visitors!

St.Edward's Christmas Market 2014

This Saturday, St. Edward’s Church in Lugano welcomes everybody to its Christmas Market at the warm and festive Casa Benson.

Be tempted by a selection of homemade traditional specialities, handicrafts & preserves.

Enjoy a glass of mulled wine whilst browsing amongst many stalls: Tiffany treasures, handbags and scarves, children’s handmade gifts, books old & new, DVDs to watch again, and some new surprises!

Morning Coffee & Lunches will be served and Child Care provided.

Parking reserved across the street at the Via Motta car park. Collect your free parking ticket on the day.

All proceeds go to the ministry of St. Edward’s Church

Venue: St. Edward's Christmas Market
Where: Casa Benson, Via Clemente Maraini 6, 6900 Lugano
Date: Saturday, November 29th, 2014
Time: 10:00 - 15:00
For more Information visit www.stedwards.ch

San Martino's Fair in Mendrisio

It is time to visit Mendrisio's market full of local products such as salami, sausages, cheese, and of course, roasted chestnuts. A world of visual and olfactory sensations are waiting for you to take in. Spot the Alphorn blowers who - if you are lucky - will let your kids have a go at it. You'll also find horse riding for children. Not to be missed is Saturday's exhibition and sale of Swiss cows.

There are old proverbs celebrating San Martino and the time of the year when wine becomes the central focus. In fact, the Saint is remembered on the 11th of November, when work in the fields is mostly finished. After the fruit harvest and the preparation of food for the winter and the next planting season, it is the time when the wine was readied.

This was a very important moment in the calendar of old rural Ticino, with the end of agricultural contracts, payment of rents and fairs to attend.

Times have changed, but the San Martino's fair is still a date not to be missed, having renewed itself every Autumn for almost four hundred years. Among stalls offering everything from horticultural produce to brown cows, the farmers of the entire region meet to sell, buy and trade in a contagiously happy atmosphere, especially when there's a little November sun to warm the days.

Venue: San Martino's Fair
Where: Mendrisio down town
When: Saturday November 8th to Tuesday November 11th, 2014
For a detailed programme, click here.

Eataly is only one hour away!

Feeling adventurous? Pop cross the border to Milano...

Destination: Eatlay, Piazza XXV Aprile, 10, 20124 Milano

I have been hearing from my friends across the globe about this a high-end Italian food market/mall chain comprising a variety of restaurants, food and beverage stations, bakery, and retail items. Driving into the city trying hard to remember (after having left the city 14 years ago) which road to take, I recognised the site where once the old Teatro Smeraldo stood. Honestly, I actually preferred the theatre.

However, as a tribute to this historic Milanese location, Eataly hosts a huge stage and offers a totally free season of music, which includes all the genres, from pop to rock to opera, as well as hosting recitals, readings, cabaret, theatre, ballet, meetings and art shows and naturally gastronomic ones.

My description would be: much todo about nothing. Eataly might make sense in New York, Dubai, Istanbul or Tokyo but in Milano? Admittedly, it is a treat and fun to browse around the 5000 m2 devoted to food and the best, locally sourced products spread out over 4 floors but most delicacies can be found around the corner... if you know where to find them! Or just walk down the road to the open markets of San Marco or Piazzale Lagosta!

Advent market in Lugano

Today, the first Advent Calendar window has been opened and therefore the countdown towards Christmas has officially begun.

To celebrate the first of Advent, head down to Piazza Riforma at 17:00 this afternoon to see Lugano's official Christmas tree. Accompanied by music, Julie Arlin will host the lighting of the city's tallest Christmas tree. A really exciting event, especially for children.

After, also check out the Advent market starting today. During all of Advent, Riforma Square will be populated by charming wooden houses, where you can find all sorts of Christmas specialties, decorations and original gift ideas.

A magical world for children, which even adults love to partake in. The joy of being together, without necessarily having to stay in one's home living room. The pleasure of buying presents at the market or in boutiques. This is the kind of Christmas that the city of Lugano proposes and which will feature 37 very special days in the streets of the city centre so that the Christmas season can reach out to everyone.

Lighting of the Christmas Tree
Sunday 1.12.13 at 5.00 p.m.
Riforma Square

Advent Market
Sunday 1.12.13 at 5.30 p.m.
Every day until Monday 23.12 from 11.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Tuesday 24.12 from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.