Art Gallery Review

Art Gallery Review

Art Gallery Review

By …

Introduction:

The contemporary art scene is an exciting and dynamic space that is constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms. To experience some of the most thought-provoking and innovative contemporary art being produced today, we have chosen to visit five different galleries – Artion, Nebulus, MENO, Bailly, and Gowen. Each of these galleries showcases modern and cutting-edge art from emerging and established artists. As a bonus, these galleries offer free admission to students, making it an accessible and enjoyable leisure activity for art enthusiasts and novices alike.

Some of the different criteria that we used to judge each gallery was: We considered the objective of each exhibition (the Theme), number of works, space of the environment, location, and the people we believe it attracts which also related to over personal conclusion of each gallery

Artion Gallery

Objective: “Our passion for the living history of art, as well as our desire to protect the memory and quality of the Old Masters, in alignment with contemporary trends, result in a dynamic synthesis of the artists we represent; the synergies of their work create orientations, shape opinions and one could argue contribute to the general evolution of the art world, transforming the Commercial Spectrum into Art Historical Context.”

People it would attract: Although the gallery is open to everyone, from what is presented, we assumed that people who have at least a basic understanding of art or an affinity for classical art would enjoy the exhibition more as they can draw links to the original artwork being transformed.

Number of works: 30

Space: The area itself was quite dark itself with two distinguishable floors that required some exploring inorder to fully immerse into the exhibition.

Location: 34 Grand-Rue 204, Geneva

Conclusion: This was one of the first galleries we saw, and we were thoroughly impressed. The art itself was quite immersive because it subverted the ‘great’ art we’ve grown up adorning. The birth of Venus was turned into a mosaic and the painting of the last supper was remodeled in a 3D way to depict two different scenes based on where you saw it. It’s a gallery worth seeing with a dark and moody interior.

Nebulous Pace Gallery

Objective of the installation: “Rooted in the art historical language of abstraction, Villareal’s practice uses pixels and binary code to create complex, rhythmic compositions. Investigating the capacity of light and code as both medium and subject, Villareal’s practice is concerned with the immersive, experiential, and sensorial qualities of perception.

Villareal’s latest body of work, titled Nebulae, brings this language of brightly coloured LED lights, electronics, and custom coding into the gallery space. These new wall-based sculptures are composed of hypnotic, diffused light that pulsates in vibrant hues of radiant colors. Drawing simultaneously on organic, celestial imagery and the visual lexicon of custom software, Villareal’s work bridges the divide, inviting viewers to engage with the boundary that separates the physical and digital worlds.”

People it would attract: Due to its subliminal atmosphere and the eye-catching twinkling of the light, we stated that this atmosphere would be perfect for people who want to fully immerse themselves into a body of work for a short time. Whether that be kids, students, or lawyers, there is something here that grips at everyone’s attention.

Number of works: 8

Space: The space of the gallery itself was very spacious, thus it was on theme with the exhibition as well. The open area allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in the work. Very ethereal and light.

Location: Quai des Bergues 15-17, Geneva

Conclusion: This exhibition, (in my opinion), was the second best of the galleries we explored. It was very spacious and light because the space was open for the viewer to explore it in whichever way they pleased. With 8 major works, each with its own theme and color palette, the art gallery really transported the viewer into another world. I personally recommend this to anyone wishing to try something new in Geneva – whilst it’s still here.

Gowen Art Gallery

Objective of the installation: “Gowen presents REVIVAL I – XVIIIe siècle, the first exhibition in a series which unites over twenty international contemporary artists whose visual language engages with, reimagines, and transforms imagery from the art historical canon. Co-curated by Laura Gowen and New York-based advisor Rachel Cole, the show explores various stylistic and methodological interventions in relation to eighteenth-century aesthetic traditions. Elegant portraiture, conversation pieces, landscapes and the defining mores, trends and events of the era are revisited via ever-changing modes of representation. REVIVAL I – XVIIIe siècle aspires to capture the eighteenth-century zeitgeist, connecting the past to contemporary work as a

mechanism for understanding and informing about the complexities of the present, whilst laying the groundwork for the future.”

People it would attract: The installation that was shown during the time that we visited was also playing with our modern understanding of the Renaissance, just like the Artion Gallery. It was very modern and polished. We believe that people who have an interest in modern art, and who can afford to pay big money for it, would be the ideal audience. Students who enjoy small luxuries would also really enjoy this. This exhibition was done with a younger audience in mind, since the artists themselves were using social media to elevate their works of art and build a community.

Number of works: 27
Location: Grand-Rue 23, 1204 Genève

Space: With many twists and turns all about the gallery, I liked the ‘personal’ journey that the viewer got to embark on. The works were perfected spaced out and the interior allocated enough time and space for the viewer to come to their own conclusions before jumping to the next work.

Conclusion: the interior of the gallery was quite minimalistic with a lot of corners and turns. It encouraged the viewer to take matters into their own hands and seek something that stands out to them. All the works were very thought provoking and the art curator was extremely talented and proficient in his work which helped better understand the purpose of the exhibition.

Interview

How often do you change the artworks in the gallery?

It depends on the exhibition, but we usually change them every four to five months. For example, this exhibition is going to last until the end of April, so we are going to change the paintings when the exhibition ends.

What kinds of artists take part in the exhibitions that are held at your gallery?

There are many artists that mainly create contemporary art and most of them are young, about 30-50 years old. WIth this specific collection we integrated the use of social media as most of the artists featured have used their platforms to elevate their status and their works. The reception of the works has been very positive.

How does your gallery have so many clients and visitors that want to see the exhibitions and maybe buy some pieces?
That is also related to the second question because I think one of the main reasons our gallery is so famous is social media. Our artists are mostly young and they share their art with the world through social media which connects them to young clients who come and visit our gallery daily.

Bailly’s Art Gallery

Objective of the installation: “There is an infinite number of subjects, techniques, artistic visions and creative processes that lead to the creation of a work of art. Yet, there are times when compositions that appear to be fundamentally different from one another hold common characteristics: the presence of lines and shades of color. The exhibition Lines and Colors: An artistic path provides a grouping of works that exposes the multitude of unique creative paths resulting from the use of lines and colors”

People it would attract: From all the galleries we visited, this felt the most ‘archaic’ because we didn’t find it soul grabbing or eye catching. From this agreement, we believe that people over the age of 35 may be more prone to enjoy the finer details that we happened to overlook.

M.E.N.O Art Gallery


Objective of the installation: “With a different tangible delineation from the previous galleries, M.E.N.O focuses on creating an atmosphere of fun and spontaneity where the abstract linear works are displayed in an attempt to attract the viewer’s raw reactions.”

People it would attract: This installation showcased a very ‘typical’ abstract gallery atmosphere, where linear lines are composed in a delicate way to elicit a reaction from the viewer. The location of the museum makes it easy for students to hop from one gallery to another. Although we would encourage people who find modern art ‘boring’ to give this one a try, if they’re willing to go with an open mind.

Number of works: 27
Location: Grand-Rue 33, 1204 Genève

Space: the work is comparable to the Gowen with a higher frequency of works per wall/ room. The clean aesthetic of all the white walls carried on in the showroom which helped transmit the true colors and emotions of each artwork.

Conclusion: By the end of the tour I believe that the viewers had formulated their own perspective on what the works were supposed to emoting. I believe the end purpose of the gallery is to trigger a more introspective reflection of what it means to be in such an abstract setting, thus it was quite worth the view.

However, this is an experience that we’d encourage all students and others to try because it offered a lot of different perspectives on a large selection of artworks.

Number of works: 20+

Space: Moderate spacing in the gallery with enough spacing and enough area but they could have done a bit more with the deco and the immersion of the theme with their artwork.

Location: Rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville 10, 1204 Genève

Conclusion: The artworks displayed follow inline with the contemporary theme we’ve seen thus far with a post- modern twist. What really caught our attention was the fact that there were a lot of sculptures integrated into the exhibition. The works were all quite different from each other but I think it helped break the monotony of the 4 previous galleries. Although there is a lot to explore, the previous galleries piqued our interest, however we’d love for the students to see and decide for themselves!

Great Places to Relax in Geneva

Great Places to Relax in Geneva

By Roberto Zolotoff, Isabella Mujica

1. Introduction

Midterm week is a time of stress and studying for many students at Webster and all around the world. Given the need to relax during these trying times, we decided to find good places to relax that are also nearby campus. This way, students can take a quick break to compose themselves before going back to study for their exams. In order to help our peers with their growing stress, we chose 5 places that we thought could help them relax. After picking the places to visit, we also decided on the criteria that we were going to use in order to judge the places. This way, we could communicate better the pros and cons of these locations. To achieve this, we came up with the following traits to have in mind:

–     Proximity   –    Area
  • Noise
  • Crowdedness
  • Cleanliness
Before talking about the places in question, it is important to explain what we mean with the previous traits. Proximity is pretty straightforward; with this we simply judge how far or close a place is from campus by giving the time it takes to reach the destination. Area refers to how big a place is. Crowdedness, Cleanliness and Noise are the traits we gave a score from 1 to 10 for rating. With Noise and Crowdedness, the lower the score the better. A low score in crowdedness means that the place is pretty empty while a high score means that many people go there. Similar to crowdedness, a high score in noise means that the place is loud while the opposite can be said for a low score. Cleanliness differs from the previous two in that the higher the score the better. A high score in cleanliness means that the place is quite clean and well kept, while a low score is the opposite. With the places chosen and the traits explained, we know begin our report on the places and their effectiveness for relaxation.
2. Bellevue Lake

Being the closest location to campus, the area around lake in Bellevue is a perfect place to relax. This place is found just 5 minutes from campus and provides a wonderful view to the lake. Students often come to this area to relax and take a breather near the waters of the lake. One can walk around the shore or simply sit down in the benches that can be found around the place. Students may find ducks swimming around the shore to keep them company. Despite it being a medium size place, the Bellevue lake is a clean and quiet place where people can enjoy their time. During summer, the place can also be nice for swimming to fight the summer heat. Since the place is often frequented by students, we decided to interview one of them to learn more about the appeal of this location. 

Do you go to Bellevue lake often, and why?

Yes, I tried to come to Bellevue lake pretty often usually when I have breaks in between classes and it’s nice and sunny outside and it’s pretty warm. I try to walk over there either by myself or with a friend and always usually spend around like 30 or 40 minutes there just kind of walking around the area or just sitting down and just being in the sun. It’s really important because after a long day of classes ahead you know you just want to kind of get outside and have some vitamin D and just some fresh air.

Do you enjoy going there and why? How far away is it?

I really enjoy going there because it’s a walkable distance it’s about like 5 minutes away. At most 10 minutes if I’m kind of walking more slowly or I’m just observing the nature around me or I’m with a friend we’re talking and I really like it because it’s very peaceful. There’s like some people there but it’s not super crowded its usually people who are also just relaxing and resting and with their family and friends and it’s nice to just see like the ducks and the water and just people kind of being at peace and having fun.

Where at Bellevue lake is your favorite place to chill, and why?

My favorite place to chill there definitely just has to be the benches by the water it’s really just relaxing especially there I like the inner pool it has I just like to sit there and kind of think about things and just kind of take a breather from all my classes.

3. Jardin Botanique

For our second place to visit, we went to the Jardin Botanique located in Chem. De L’Imperatrice. This place is a massive garden that serves as an ecological sanctuary to appreciate nature and its beauty. People can enter for free and admire the vast variety of plants that are scattered throughout the garden. Not only can one enjoy the sight of such magnificent flowers and trees, but they can also learn more about them by reading the notes found on informative boards next to them. Walking along the main path feels like being inside a mini fairy tale with how magic everything feels like. 

To reach this place, one only need to take the train from campus heading to Genève Secheron and walk up the stairs from the station. The place is immaculately clean due to the caretakers that are often making sure that the flora of the place is being treated with due respect. Since it’s a public garden, it is not unusual to find other people walking or laying around the garden. Despite this, the place is so big that there is plenty of space to accommodate all these individuals without disrupting the calmness and quietness of the place. Overall, the Jardin Botanique is truly a beautiful place that people should visit given the chance. It’s the perfect place to relax or simply walk around with your friends at any point during the year. We recommend visiting the garden during summer since that’s when the place is in its full glory and beauty. 
4. Geneva Lake Deck

The Geneva Lake Deck is perfect for students that, rather than just seating down, want to walk around to clear their minds. One can walk along the whole area around the lake near the Mont Blanc Bridge located in the main city of Geneva. This area is close to many shops where student can grab coffee or food while walking around the lake’s edge. While walking, students can observe many ducks, swans, sea gulls and boats that compliment to the water-like ambient of the lake. Not only that, but one can also sit down or swim in certain areas of the lake deck. The activities mentioned before are common things people do during summer time, when the weather is warmer and the heat is unbearable. 

Given its centralized location, many people can be found walking around this area. People use it to walk across the bridge or get to other places in the city, so it can a bit crowded during the day. The noise is something else to have in mind given its proximity to the road. People and cars are the sounds one can expect to hear apart from the birds and boats. Despite that, the place is rather clean for such a transited place in the city. We recommend this place for walking while using headphones. The area is perfect to simply walk in circles while listening to music to clear one’s mind. Overall, a decent place that many people will eventually walk by if living in the city. 
5. Ile Rousseau

The Rousseau Isle is a small portion of land that can be found in the lake area in the city of Geneva. Named after the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the island is a small place for people to sit down and enjoy the view of the lake and the city. Students can find many aquatic birds around the isle that add a nice touch to the ambiance. There are many benches around the isle where people can sit and even a statue of the philosopher that shares the name with the place. One can learn more about him by reading the notes on the statue and learn something while relaxing in the isle. This place is also used for some events throughout the year such as the light festival during early January.

To reach this place, one only needs to walk from Gare Cornavin heading toward Mont Blanc and use the bridge to access the isle. Given its size, one can hear the voices of people quite clearly, even if there’s not many people around. The small area means that everything is close together so the noise has a shorter distance to travel and spread. Despite that, not many people tend to go there as the place is quite small and, aside from sitting down, there’s not much to do. The isle is quite clean and has many trash cans for people to throw their wastes during their stay. Overall, the Ile Rousseau is a small but perfect place to
6. Jardin Anglais

Our final destination was the Jardin Anglais located in Quai du General-Guisan, just a few minutes away from Gare Cornavin. The English Garden is well known by many as one of the biggest parks in Geneva. Its distinctive flower clock is one of its many beautiful features and charms. Aside from that, the park has many areas perfect for picnics, events, and other outdoor activities. One can find many places to lie down beneath the trees or sit down on benches to enjoy their time here. This is also a great place to bring your friends and have a blast doing anything or nothing together. People can also find mini stores by the park if they wish to buy anything to complement their time at the garden.

The park is often visited by many people that are either walking through it or also enjoying their time relaxing among the trees. Due to the size of the park, you won’t feel like being in a crowded area despite the people around you. The park is also clean from trash, but one might want to look out old rotten pinecones. The many trees are home to squirrels and their food and sometimes that food might be nasty to touch after a while. As long as one checks the ground first, they can lay down on the grass and enjoy a sun bathe while taking a nap. Overall, this place was quite a calm visit and would definitely be one of the main places we would recommend to new students in Geneva. 

Tuscany 2023, Journey Vlog

Tuscany 2023, Journey Vlog

Webster University Geneva offers a yearly outing to Tuscany directed by the Head of the Department Francesco Arese Visconti.

This year, one of the students of the group called Giulio Giannicchi documented the seven-hour car ride to Tuscany.

We hope you enjoy the video!

Friendship While Studying Abroad – Is It Worth It?

Friendship While Studying Abroad – Is It Worth It?

In Portland, Oregon during mid August, Nike Adewumi packed her bags and said goodbye to her family. During the next four months, she would find herself in Geneva, Switzerland for the first time. Though she traveled 5,374 miles to experience Webster University’s graphic design program and observe beautiful scenery, the highlight of her experience was making new friendships and exploring Europe with them.  

Studying abroad through a university can present students with a variety of opportunities. Within the span of four months, those who study in a foreign country have the chance to travel to places they have never seen, be immersed in a new culture, and establish international connections and friendships that can last a lifetime.

For many, an experience abroad is not a solo adventure. Some may choose to navigate a new culture by themselves in hopes of finding themselves. These students venture out into the unknown alone, challenging themselves by navigating new and unfamiliar spaces. For these students, there is a hope to become a more culturally diverse and well-rounded individual by testing their limits. 

On the contrary, many other students choose to connect with other like-minded individuals in hopes that they can share their experience with new people. Oftentimes, fostering these friendships becomes a focal point of navigating a new, unfamiliar culture. 

While developing relationships and connections during an experience abroad is great, it is also challenging to grow close to individuals and then live distantly a couple of months later. Unlike simply moving on from a school or job, a study abroad student returns to their roots that may be thousands of miles away, leaving friends and a culture that they may never be near again. 

Though this makes for a challenging goodbye, the connections and relationships that are nurtured throughout an experience abroad are substantial and meaningful. Being in such close proximity to others while both being thrusted into an unfamiliar environment and culture fosters closer bonds, despite the time period being short. This opens up a larger conversation as to the impact and meaning of friendships that are cultivated while studying abroad.

Being that Webster University Geneva is a hub for study abroad students and a popular destination in the university’s international course catalog, many students in Geneva can relate to these feelings.

Tijana Ilic, a study abroad student from the Webster Vienna campus, says that coming to the Geneva, Switzerland campus was a ‘no-brainer.’ Though she came to Geneva for the scenery and activities available, her experience in Switzerland is largely defined by the varying cultures she was exposed to through friends she has made.

“I’ve made so many friendships,” Ilic says. “It was really nice to meet different people from different backgrounds and ethnicities. I was able to learn about new cultures. Since I’m from a predominantly white community and culture, it was really interesting to hear from different peoples’ perspectives. Sometimes, I don’t really think about it that often, because I haven’t been immersed in that kind of environment.”

Despite the study abroad experience only lasting about four months, students are likely to grow close to one another during this time period. Because individuals are placed in new situations and inhabit an unfamiliar land, many are more likely to bond with familiar faces in supporting one another. Study abroad student Nike Adewumi can attest to this feeling firsthand.

“I definitely feel like since we’ve spent so much time together 24/7 and we’re constantly around these people, I was forced to bond super quickly,” Adewumi explains. “Because of that, I think there’s a high chance that these relationships will last. Not necessarily on a daily basis, but as in I have someone I can always turn to and visit when I’m nearby, that type of thing.”

While studying abroad, many students find themselves in the position to travel to new places. This experience is enhanced when you have friends to tag along with you. Because bonding tends to be accelerated among study abroad students, it is easy to plan trips with friends. Tijana Ilic is glad that she took advantage of this opportunity.

“So far, my favorite experience was my fall break trip that I did with friends in Barcelona and Venice,” Ilic comments. “It was great because most of us were together and it was our first time in those places. It was nice to explore the cities and have adventures. It was especially great because we were on break from school, so we enjoyed our days where we could just laugh on the beach or eat new food together.”

As a Resident Assistant in the Les Berges Webster Geneva residence, Josep Garcia has a unique experience when it comes to students studying abroad. Through his position, Garcia has met and assisted six different groups of study abroad students. Because he is familiar with what a study abroad student experiences while studying in Geneva, he knows where to funnel his efforts in developing new relationships. 

“Most of the time, the people that come here study International Relations classes because they tend to be political science majors or International Relations majors,” Garcia says. “So, I try to take those classes so we can have some classes together, and then it’s easier to build a relationship.”

As a result of Garcia coming in contact with so many different people through his job, he has had positive and negative experiences with study abroad students, with the fall 2022 semester being a highlight of his time at Webster University.

“Many of the study abroad students that come are very privileged, so I don’t really talk to them because they don’t really try to get to know the culture of everyone,” Garcia remarks. “They just come here, take pictures, and they leave. This is actually the first group of study abroad students that are friendly and try to get to know everyone for who they are. They’re not here to just take pictures and post them on Instagram.”

At the same time, students have had largely positive experiences while studying abroad. Ilic notes that being in a more tight knit environment makes planning throughout the semester more seamless as well, whether that be trip planning or making small talk in coffee shops. 

“I think the highlight of my experience was all the group activities we have done, and how we connect,” Ilic says. “Everyone is so easy-going and it’s easy to do activities and plan with each other. A lot of the time, I think this is harder in bigger groups. I’ve liked hanging out with everyone, even if that means just gossipping or chatting.” 

When the study abroad experience comes to a close, it may be difficult to sustain relationships from miles and miles apart. However, Garcia believes that this distance shouldn’t deter one from developing new friendships.

“Everyone is going to leave at some point, even if you’re in the States and leave high school, everyone goes to different schools,” Garcia explains. “If you think about the fact that people are going to leave and not be here forever, then you wouldn’t make any friends ever. It’s worth it to make as many friendships as possible if they’re good people.”

Though time may be limited with friends while studying abroad, it is clear that making new friends in a new country is what makes time there special. Navigating a new country and culture may be a bit unnerving at times, but having a few friendly faces in your corner can easily make you feel more at home. What else are friends for?

Chocolate Stores in Genève

Chocolate Stores in Genève

William Fischer, Giulio Giannicchi, Mina Ilic and Ryan Mitchell

Guillaume Bichet Choclaterie et pâtisserie Genève

Rating; ★★★

The first place that we went to as part of our project was called Guillaume Bichet Chocolaterie et pâtisserie Genève; which is located at Rue du Rhone 17. In order to get to Gulliaume Bichet, we took the train by Webster University from Genthod~Bellevue to Geneva. It took us 10 minutes to arrive in Geneva from Genthod-Bellevue by train. After arriving in Geneva by train, you have to walk about 14 minutes from the train station in order to get to this chocolaterie; though we would recommend using google maps in order to see what direction you need to head in to get there. When we first entered Guillaume Bichet Chocolaterie, we were greeted by a warm and welcoming lady who worked at the chocolatiere. She made us feel welcomed and comfortable coming in as she asked how we were, and if we had any questions about the chocolates there. We saw a large display of a variety of chocolates that were mostly presented behind glass display cases. Every chocolate that was displayed had its corresponding flavor, price, and short description about the chocolate as well. In other sections of the Chocolaterie, you could find bars of chocolate wrapped in white boxes in neat displays as well. The
chocolates all had varying prices, ranging from 11 dollars to 55, depending on the amount of chocolate you wanted to buy and the flavors. Before we decided to buy a chocolate bar, we wanted to test out the quality of their chocolate first to ensure that it was worth the cost. We tried their speciality recommended by the lady, which was almonds caramelized in dark chocolate. After trying the almonds, we decided that we wanted to buy a dark chocolate bar, as shown in our photo. The cost for it was 11 dollars, which was a bit expensive for only one bar of chocolate. Overall, this place was a little expensive when it comes to affordable chocolates for a university student to buy, as one bar and one box of chocolate ranged from 11-29 dollars; so we would recommend a cheaper chocolate place for university students, especially since a lot of food in Geneva is generally expensive to buy, let alone chocolate. We would recommend this place for people in their 30’s or older, as they have stable jobs and would be able to afford buying more expensive chocolate than a young university student would. We think people would love this place because of its accessibility as it isn’t too far to walk too, fairly visible to see on the outside, and has a variety of chocolates to try; along with a warm and friendly atmosphere to it.

Review on Switzerland Chocolatier

Rating; ★★★★

The second place that we went to as part of our secret geneva project was a chocolate shop called Switzerland Chocolatier, which is located at 5 Rue du Mont-Blanc in Geneva. In order to get to Switzerland Chocolatier, you can take the train by Webster University, from Genthod-Bellevue to Geneva. After the train arrives in Geneva, it is about a 7 minute walking distance from the train station to Switzerland Chocolatier. When we entered Switzerland Chocolatier, we were greeted by the sweet smell of chocolates and the workers there. It was a bit crowded, with people at every aisle looking at chocolates, so it was a bit hard to pass by to look at different chocolates at times. The workers weren’t the friendliest as they were busy managing the chocolatier and making sure everything was running smoothly, but the chocolatier was very clean and well organized. There were large cases of chocolates behind displays, arranged by the different flavors with the corresponding prices below them. CHF 10 to CHF 50, depending on the amount of chocolate you wanted to buy, and also on the flavor. We decided to buy the Riders fantasy chocolate, which came in a green packaging and had a honey flavor. The chocolate was organic and had about 38% coca made from Ecuador, and was CHF 10. There was less chocolate in this packaging than there was with the previous chocolate bar from Guillaume chocolatier, and although the chocolate ended up tasting good, we thought it wasn’t worth CHF 10; as it ended up being about half a chocolate bar compared to the previous chocolate, which was a whole bar of chocolate at least. We ended up taste testing the honey chocolate when we got back to the university, and it was pretty good quality, but the price could’ve been lower as there was less chocolate to it. Overall, this place was a actually a bit more expensive compared to the last place, mainly because their chocolate bars were smaller than the previous chocolate places, and weren’t as affordable for the quantity. We would recommend a cheaper chocolate place for university students, as this place had higher prices for smaller amounts of chocolate. We would recommend this place for middle class people, as they would be able to afford buying more expensive chocolate than a young university student would. We think people would love this place because of its accessibility as it isn’t too far to walk too, has a different range of chocolate flavors, and is a clean and well organized chocolate shop.

Review on Martel Chocolatier 

Rating; ★★★★★ 

The third place that we went to as part of our secret geneva project was a chocolate shop called Martel Chocolatier, which is at Rue du Rhône 48, in Geneva.. In order to get to Martel Chocolatier, you can take the train by Webster University, from Genthod-Bellevue to Geneva. After the train arrives in Geneva, it is about a 15 minute walking distance from the train station to Martel Chocolatier; but we would recommend taking trains 6 and 10 to get there instead, as it’s faster and only takes about 10 minutes to get there. When we entered Martel Chocolatier, we were greeted by friendly workers and a smaller space than the previous two chocolate places. The workers were easy to talk to and were better at explaining details for the chocolate making process than the previous two places as well. There were large cases of chocolates behind displays, arranged by the different flavors with the corresponding prices below them. CHF 7 to CHF 45, depending on the amount of chocolate you wanted to buy, and also on the flavor. We decided to buy the dark chocolate that was made in Brazil, with 40 % cocoa in it; with its price being CHF 7. There was actually more chocolate in this packaging than there was with the previous two chocolate bars we had, with a rich flavor to it as we tried it back on campus. It was definitely worth the price because of its quality, and because there was more chocolate included in the packaging than the previous two chocolates. The price, CHF 7, was also reasonable for the quantity of chocolate. Overall, this place was actually a little more affordable in comparison to the previous two places, but we would still recommend this place mainly for tourists wanting to try Swiss chocolate for the first time, or some university students who want to spend some money on chocolate on a rare occasion. We think people would love this place for its more affordable prices for more chocolate.

Review on Manor Chocolatier Geneve 

Rating; ★★★ 

The fourth place that we went to as part of our secret geneva project was a chocolate shop called Manor Chocolatier, which is at Rue de Cornavin 6, Geneva. In order to get to Manor Chocolatier, you can take the train by Webster University, from Genthod-Bellevue to Geneva. After the train arrives in Geneva, it is about a 7 minute walking distance from the train station to Manor Chocolatier, as it’s near the train station. When we entered Manor Chocolatier, we were greeted by a more crowded environment. Manor Chocolatier was bigger than the previous 3 places, and is located on a busier street with lots of crowds. Inside, the workers were mainly at the cash registers or organizing the shelves, as there was more than just chocolate being sold, as there were all kinds of foods being displayed. Chocolates were by far the cheapest at Manor, with prices ranging from CHF 3 to CHF 25 at the most. We decided to buy the lait suisse milk chocolate that had the most amount of chocolate in it compared to the previous three chocolates we bought. It had a sweet yet bitter taste to it, and we didn’t like how sweet it ended up being. The price was by far the most affordable and reasonable, as it only cost CHF 3.50 for it. Overall, this place was actually the most affordable place to buy chocolate, and we would definitely recommend this place to university students, as you can get a good price for bigger quantities of chocolates compared to the more expensive chocolatier places. more affordable in comparison to the previous two places. We think people would love this place for its sweet chocolates, affordable and reasonable prices, and the fact that they sell other food so you can shop for chocolate and other groceries all in one. 

Review on K Kiosk Geneve 

Rating; ★ 

The fifth and final place that we went to as part of our secret geneva project was a kiosk shop called K Kiosk, which is at Pl. de Cornavin 3, Genève. In order to get to K Kiosk , you can take the train by Webster University, from Genthod-Bellevue to Geneva. After the train arrives in Geneva, it is a 2 minute walking distance from the train station to K Kiosk, as it’s right by the train station. When we entered K Kiosk, we were greeted by a small and tighter space, filled with various snacks, magazines, and small chocolate bars. Chocolates at K Kiosk were smaller and a lot cheaper, but there wasn’t a large variety of flavors to them. Chocolates were the cheapest here, with prices ranging from CHF 2 to CHF 15 at the most. We decided to buy the crunchy nut chocolate that was CHF 2, and seemed to be the most reasonable price out of the 5 chocolate shops. We ended up taste testing the chocolate when we got back on campus, and we didn’t really like the crunchy taste of it, or the fact that it felt like artificial chocolate instead of real Swiss chocolate. Overall, this place was actually the most affordable place to buy chocolate out of the five places, and we would definitely recommend this place to university students. It has affordable and cheap chocolates, and is close to the train station in case students are in a rush to buy other things as well. We think people would love K kiosk for its close location by the train station, and cheap prices for chocolates and snacks.

How You Can Make the Most out of Your Paris Vacation

How You Can Make the Most out of Your Paris Vacation

How You Can Make the Most out of your Paris Vacation I feel as though every little American girl dreams of going to Paris. We marveled at the Eiffel Tower, recognized the romance of the city and imagined what the desserts tasted like. That dream came true for this American girl. I was lucky enough to celebrate my 22nd birthday in the iconic city of Paris. Everyone knows that Paris is a beautiful city, but there are ways to plan your trip to get the most out of your stay. With a little bit of planning, you can hit all the tourist destinations while navigating the city like a local.

Here are some of my favorite experiences—and how you can have similar ones, too.

FINDING A LOCAL BAKERY – BUILDING A CONNECTION

If you want to live like a local in a new place, it is imperative that you make connections with the people around you. A great way to do that is find a business to support and frequent that place as often as you can. Food is a great place to start, and in Paris, who wouldn’t want to routinely eat croissants and pastries? So, my travel companion and I found Maison Landemaine, a bakery that was one minute away from our hotel. We visited the bakery every morning Friday through Monday, and sometimes later in the day when we had a sweet tooth. We often saw the same employees, who were very kind and remembered us after a couple visits. Recognizing a friendly face in a new city instantly makes you more comfortable and feel less like a visitor.

TAKING THE METRO

In my opinion, routinely utilizing public transportation in a new city is one of the biggest steps you can take in order to feel like a local. Taking the Metro in Paris is not only extremely convenient, but you’re literally sitting side by side with locals. Instead of repeatedly paying for bus tickets or Ubers, buying a metro pass for as many days as you’ll be staying saves money when you’re hopping from place to place. For example, I purchased a three day metro pass for 30 euros, while a one time ticket is two euros. With going from museums to restaurants to tourist stops, this was definitely worth it.

 

*Tip = do not place your metro pass near your phone for long periods of time, this demagnetizes the pass. I learned my lesson with this at least four times and it was quite embarrassing to keep asking for a new pass.

PURCHASING A MUSEUM PASS

There is no doubt that Paris is an art lover’s dream. Because I love art myself and have been studying it for some time, I had to make sure to visit as many museums as possible. When researching tickets for various museums before my trip, I stumbled across the option of purchasing a museum pass. You have the option of purchasing a museum pass for two, four, or six days, and with this pass you are able to get into a vast array of museums and attractions throughout Paris. I decided to purchase a two day pass for 52 euros, and visited about eight spots throughout Paris where the museum tickets ranged in pricing from 10 to 15 euros. So, if you want to see a variety of museums, I urge you to take advantage of this. Plus, the pass allows you to skip lines, which in the tourist capital of the world is very nice.

FINDING A DINNER SPOT

When traveling, we all want to visit restaurants and eateries that not only have great food, but are Instagram worthy. I urge you to hop on to TikTok or Instagram and see what Paris has to offer, and make a reservation for the spots you find. I was in Paris for my birthday, so I wanted to have a nice dinner that night, and I found the restaurant, Bambini on TikTok. The restaurant was beautiful, the food was amazing, (the truffle pasta specifically was to die for) and our dessert came with a sparkler and four employees who sang happy birthday. It was a memorable experience that I will never forget that came about just from scrolling on TikTok.

SAFETY IN PARIS

Because Paris is a tourist destination, some people take advantage of tourists that are not familiar with the area, and pick-pocketing and theft is common. Stay off your phone, bring a bag that can be worn in front of you, and be mindful of your surroundings. Just by utilizing a few of these tips, a trip to Paris suddenly becomes a bit more seamless. Hopefully, my visit makes your future stay one to remember.