East Eats West

Gentlemen, custom-made bicycles and beer

I do not believe in destiny, I believe in connecting the dots. And this weekend many dots got connected at the first Gentlemen's Run in Zurich. Let me explain. During winter good friends of mine stayed in my apartment. As a little thank you they left me an old Swiss military bike. I tried it recently and realized it had some technical problems. The bike mechanic then told me that repairing the bike would not be economical so I sadly parted with the bike. But the bicycle bug bit me and I started looking for a new bike to roam the city. At the new bicycle shop Stilrad in the Viadukt I came across my dream-bike: a German Schindelhauer aluminium bike with a carbon-belt drive. Just perfect for whizzing around the city! While looking at the bikes a man approached me an invited me for the first Gentlemen's Run in Zurich. The Gentlemen's Run has nothing to do with running, more with cruising around town on a bicycle while wearing cool vintage clothes. It is all about style, not speed. And having a beer while on the way. About a hundred gentlemen and a few ladies showed up and we cruised around Zurich, sometimes earning spontaneous applause by tourists and bystanders. I couldn't have wished for a better re-introduction to bicycling, bravo!

Website: http://gentlemensreport.com/gentlemens-run/

Irish wool and handwoven Tweed

Ireland might not be the first name that pops up when men's tailoring comes to mind. On the other hand, I am sure sheep would be a common association with Ireland. On a recent visit I came across a small shop in Dublin that sells traditional Tweed products. The shop, by the name of Kevin & Howlin, exists since 1936. They buy best quality handwoven Donegal Tweed from Magee, a weaver that was established in Ireland in 1866. The Tweed, a thick, coarse and warm wool fabric, is then sown into traditional and hunter's jackets, vests, pants, hats and shawls. Tweed is a rather heavy and coarse fabric and therefore perfect for harsh winters. I ended up buying two light and dark green salt&pepper, named after its dotted pattern, jackets and a dark brown flannel pant. I am all set for winter now!

Website: http://www.kevinandhowlin.com/ and www.mageeclothing.com

Freshly roasted coffee from Zurich

Starbucks set foot to Zurich exactly ten years ago. Teenagers and mothers with their babies particularly took a liking to Starbucks (due to free WiFi and a strict non-smoking policy). Starbucks perfected the art of adding tons of cream and caramel sauce to a cup of coffee, charging a small fortune for their sweet concoctions and giving teenagers doing their homework on the premises a sugar high. However, recently those sweet concoctions have gone out of favor among adults. There is a bit of a back-to-the-roots movement among coffee drinkers in Switzerland. Among my friends there are a few who have returned to simple, honest coffee servings like espresso, cappuccino or even the more basic, old-fashioned coffee with milk. Once you leave any sweet flavors on the side the quality of the bean and the roast becomes important. One of my favorite locals roasts are by Caffé Ferrari in Dietikon, Zurich. They have been roasting coffee, using coal, since 1895. Their “Grossmutter's Käfeli” (grandma's coffee) is perfect for an acid-free full-bodied espresso. Just add a bit of sugar (no cream or milk, please)! Since I started working at my new office, which uses the Caffé Ferrari beans, Starbucks won't be seeing the likes of me!

Website: http://mondialprodukte.ch/

Chimichurri and prime Argentinean beef

Ever since I visited Argentina I have been craving some tender and juicy Argentinean beef. Thanks to an Argentinean friend of mine I recently was invited to an Argentinean barbecue. The host, Gustavo Andereggen, is an Argentinean himself and imports prime beef and wine from there. The barbecue strictly followed Argentinean protocol: lots and lots of beef, homemade spicy Chimichurri barbecue sauce and very little side dishes. What a feast!

Website: http://www.mitierra.ch/