Thank you, Cinema Paradiso

The story of a famous Italian film director who returns home to a Sicilian village for the first time after almost 30 years away. Once there, he is reconnected with the life and people he once knew—particularly the old projectionist at the town’s movie theater—and in revisiting the poignant memories of childhood, the journey brings back the highlights and tragedies that shaped his life and inspired him to pursue his dream.

I must have seen it around 10 times and I still love it. But see the master's cut - the love of his life, Elena, has not been far away from the movie theatre in all those years, but how could he have known, he left town and never looked back until he returned to learn the truth. The movies became his life, as he, by a lifespan of time, missed what he really loved but never got.

Light project

The city authorites are working on a project called "Plan lumière" to highlight the uniqueness of the big town and to improve the orientation in the night by placing spotlights to highlight the facade of the buildings.

Wow, till now I didn't get lost in the dark, but I must admit that it really looks great! So streetcats, hit the road and discover the city in a new light.

Weekend's special

I love weekends! Time to break free and to get crazy! Inside news: the girl next to me was my former boss at work in Santa Barbara, California...

Modern times at Sulzer's

In Winterthur, 20 miles from Zurich, the industrial complex of Sulzer is history now . The area is now being converted into a new city district of living, working and entertainment. Part of the old monuments remain and it still leaves a big impression. But in my ears, I still here the hammering of the steel pressing machines... when Sulzer had the reputation for producing the best turbines, turbochargers and diesel engines in the world.

Knock knock

After "Paris, Texas", Wim Wenders hit the film festial in Cannes with his latest movie called "Don't come knocking". Main roles: Sam Sheppard in the search of his past and the hope of future and and a terrific Jessica Lange.

The King, still taking care of business

Wow, another Elvis release, this time the Elvis home movie footage on DVD "Elvis by the Presleys".
Meet the King, meet Elvis the redneck, meet the guy who's still taking care of business, even 28 years after his death. For more than 4 hours. And enjoy it - live on your home screen. And for the soundtrack: Skip it, just the same old songs of any compilation.

For readers, I recommend Elvis' biography by Peter Guralnick "Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley" is a must-read for any rock or Elvis fan. The second volume, "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (Careless Love)" shows the inevitable downside of the King's fame.

Looking for superb Elvis: You might better stick on "The Lost Album", the "Album That Never Was": it packages all the master tracks from two Nashville sessions in May 1963 and January 1964 into one complete set. (Originally intended as an album, the May '63 tracks instead were used as singles and album "fillers" over the next few years.) Now collected together for the first time on this CD, it turned out to be the one of the best album Elvis ever released. Top pick for all Elvis fans.

Sunday on the beach

Andy given Sunday, let's meet on the beach. But here we are, two brothers, one in LA, one in Zurich... But one day, we make it again!
(the guy in the back, that's me, in front, my brother who lives in California, USA)

Berta's place

I've been there again, at Berta's bar in Zurich.

Such a cool place to be. You wouldn't imagine that you are close to downtown - so calm, relaxed, with a cozy neighborhood.

My top pick in district 3.

Austrian doodle doo - breathtakingly!

"i had no idea how this mix of folk and contemporary music would sound, but I like it a great deal." tom, streetcrawler's

The name Attwenger comes from an old four-lined stanza, that was played in regional broadcast and later appropriated by Markus Binder and Hans-Peter Falkner. Since 1991, "Attwenger" is a project in constant flux. Markus Binder plays drums, Hans-Peter Falkner the accordian (electric squeeze-box). Both sing and use contemporary electronics in their music. Attwenger is considered one of the most innovative bands in Austria and fuse elements of folk with punk, rock, hip-hop and electro.

Gulp, gulp - like never before!

City crawling, streetcats, hot-running Vespa scooters, bling-bling girls in the streets. Time for a pit stop.

Do not go for any import stuff, go for the real thing.

Turbinenbraeu, nothing else.

Brands:
Goldsprint - the easy lager
Start - the unfiltered one
Rekord - my favorite one!

Kid's county

Claudia and her boy Lenny, now nearly 1 year old. Time for gifts, toys and a Carrera slot car set soon!

July 04, 1954 - The "Wonder of Bern"

Sepp Herberger, Fritz Walter, Jupp Posipal, Horst Eckel, Werner Liebrich and Ottmar Walter (from left to right) after winning the world championship. (Photo: dpa)

The German national team caused the “Wonder of Bern” on July 4, 1954 by beating the undeniable favourite Hungary 3-2 in Switzerland and thus becoming world champion for the first time.

And after 51 years, we still call it "football", the rest of the world "soccer"...

Montauk, Long Island

Max Frisch's autobiographical novel Montauk is a book about love and loss.

Memories of a city district

Time to say goodbye to the good old times

Remember the old train viaduct in downtown Zurich, Switzerland? The bents had simple storage buildings built-in, mainly for stocking coal in the early days, and were used until recently by merchants to do some business.
The neighborhood was a mix of shut-down and deserted industry places and cheap working class buildings. It's been a social melting pot with the famous "Long street", a 2 miles road of seduction, broken dreams and drug dealer's paradise, close by.
Everything is gone now as the city authorities are converting this old neighborhood into a fancy and modern place with expensive apartment blocks, trendy bars, stylish restaurants and posh clubs.
Gone has also my local motorbike dealer, the small park where you got terrific home made ice cream, the Italian take away and my beloved restaurant "Bananas & fruits" which was located in one of the viaduct-bents.
Everything changed but memories, they remain.

A krispy donut today