Art Basel

ART BASEL -The world's biggest contemporary art fair opened in Switzerland on Wednesday with buyers demanding ever higher standards from galleries as the global economy stages a fragile recovery.


It receives more 1,100 applications from art galleries worldwide, but picks less than a third of them, allowing only about 300 galleries to exhibit in the northern Swiss city's huge exhibition halls over the five days.  The resulting collection, showcasing over 2,500 artists from 37 countries, is not only a feast for the eyes but also a thought-provoking display of artwork spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.  Staples such as Picasso, Andy Warhol and Joan Miro count among prominent names at the show.

But there are also more recent works by icons such as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and US contemporary sculptor Paul McCarthy.

One gallery featured McCarthy's "dwarf" series, while another displayed a series of photos of the Eiffel Tower by Lagerfeld.

Besides showcasing such latest trends in the art world, this show also affords art lovers a glimpse of rare pieces before they are snapped up by private collectors.


Art Basel closes on June 20.

Manners and Etiquette

Manners and Etiquette are two staples in Swiss society. Children obey their parents, the elderly are treated with the utmost respect, and people greet each other formally with (3) kisses. If you are with a co-work or a friend and they say, "I invite you" this simply means they would like to pick up the check. The first few times this happened I thought "invite me where?" we've already arrived at our destination..... In general the Swiss split the check evenly and the restaurants/bars are VERY accustomed to providing separate bills. In the USA it would be a huge inconvenience for the wait staff to divide the check per patron. Not is Switzerland (CH):) Another item to note is the traffic, cars actually stop for pedestrians. Image that! But beware the tramlines rule the road so don't expect them to stop when you’re at a crosswalk.

Half-way mark..... Three months to go!

I have officially hit the 3-month mark for my stay in Basel! It's a strange time for me at the moment because I have one foot in my life here in Basel and one foot in Philadelphia.

I've settled in at work with a LONG list of deliverables due by the time August hits...... I’ve decided to take a brief time out from traveling and enjoy Basel over the last two weekends. It has been a blast!!! My expat community is growing faster than I know how to respond to all the bbq, dinner, drink, and coffee invitations. On Sunday, the girls and I watched SATC II at the kino in style with cosmos of course! The Rhine is slowly warming up and a few brave souls have ventured in for a swim.

I'm very excited about the upcoming Summer here in Basel. Bergli Books the ONLY English book store in Basel is hosting a WALK Party with Peter Habicht a local author with a reputation for a delightful sense of humor and a skillful way of telling fascinating facts about Basel. Many more exciting details to follow……..



Love you and miss you all:)