My Secret Geneva – Swiss Bliss: A Sweet Review

My Secret Geneva – Swiss Bliss: A Sweet Review

Introduction

Nestled within the pages of Diccon Bewes’s Swisswatching lies a captivating chapter that unravels the mysterious origins of Swiss chocolate, inviting readers on an intriguing exploration of this highly wanted delicacy. In the 19th century, the introduction of milk chocolate by Daniel Peter in 1875 and the subsequent collaboration with Henri Nestlé allowed Swiss chocolate to gain widespread popularity, revolutionizing the industry and solidifying Switzerland’s reputation as a chocolate powerhouse. Delving beyond the borders of Switzerland, this chapter embarks on a sensory quest to trace the journey of chocolate from its humble beginnings to the luxurious Swiss confections that grace global palates. At the bottom of this exploration within our group lies a thought-provoking thesis: the price of Swiss chocolate may not always serve as a reliable indicator of its quality. This chapter is a celebration of heritage, craftsmanship, and the intertwining narratives that have shaped the world of Swiss chocolate. Upon reading this chapter, our team was inspired to conduct an experiment on whether the price of branded Swiss chocolate is worth paying for. The experiment includes visiting four chocolate stores in Geneva, tasting different chocolates, considering the prices, taste and quality to be able to compare which chocolate is really worth its price tag.

The first location we tried was Martel Chocolatier at Rue de Cornavin 16 1201, Geneva. The store was easy to access as it is very close to Manor and visibly sticks out thanks to its clear window displays. Our overall experience was somewhat negative as the employees seemed to be dismissive of customers. They didn’t ask us if we needed any help or recommendations and quickly prioritized the french speaking customers. It appears the employees were rushed and didn’t aim to offer any special experience. The seating area was pretty full and loud making the atmosphere stuffy and a bit chaotic which wasn’t helped by the absence of music playing to drown out any noise. Comfort wise the tables were small and the chairs were of a plastic quality which didn’t make us want to stay very long. In terms of design, the look of the store is minimalistic with a gray and gold tone theme as well as large windows bringing in natural light to the store.

As for the chocolate, the taste is slightly above average. In our subjective opinion the chocolate tasted very artificially sweet with a strong aftertaste. The texture was hard at the first bite but became sandy as we chewed. For 11 francs the quality could have been better. There were no pre packaged bars as they offer asymmetrical cut pieces that are then weighed to determine the price. To put it into perspective, for the same price we could have bought approximately four more Lindt bars (2,50 francs). Packaging wise, no bag was offered aside from a thin plastic bag closed by a sticker.

Overall Ratings

Customer service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Comfort: 4/10

Design: 6/10

Taste: 6/10

Texture: 6/10 (sandy)

Quality based on price: 5/10

Packaging: 2/10

The second store that we visited was Guillaume Bichet, located in Rue du Rhone 17, 1204 Geneve. It was not easily located as it is overshadowed by the construction taking place just in front. We were welcomed warmly the second we entered the store by the employees. We started looking at the chocolates that were arranged nicely. After a few moments, the lady kindly offered us to taste one of their most popular products, the “Almond Princesses” which are chocolate covered almonds. After which, we purchased the chocolate. We then asked them if we could take pictures from their store and interview them, which they gladly agreed to, since they were so easy going and polite to the customers. Their nice and warm behavior made us feel free and comfortable to come up with our questions and inquiries about their store and job. The atmosphere of the store was quite pleasing as it was located near the lake and the limited number of seats led to a quiet and intimate atmosphere. Classical music could be heard which added to this ambience of leisure. Comfort wise, the chairs are plush, covered in a velvet material, making the store look luxurious. The view from the window of the lake only enhances this comfort, encouraging customers to stay longer. The design of the store is sleek with brown and white themed displays accompanied by many glass displays of their products.

In terms of taste, the chocolate was not overpoweringly sweet however the flavor was a bit muted. The texture was creamy and easy to chew. In our opinion, the chocolate was appropriately priced at 11 francs seeing as the store seems to be more catered to higher class customers. In terms of packaging, they kept it quite simple with a smooth white paper box with a plastic cutout showing the chocolate.

Overall Ratings

Customer service: 10/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Comfort: 6/10

Design: 8/10

Taste: 7/10

Texture: 8/10 (creamy)

Quality based on price: 7/10

Packaging: 8/10

Guillaume Bichet: Employee Interview

As the Guillaume Bichet employees were the most welcoming and patient ones, we decided to interview them and inquire about their products. We asked about their most sold chocolate, which was the “Almond Princesses”. We asked one of the staff members to see if they have any personal favorite chocolate and it turned out it was not really a popular chocolate within the store, named “Corsica” which is a praline chocolate. Regarding the origins of the chocolates, we found out their chocolates are produced in a factory in Versoix by specialists and are then delivered to the store. In terms of what differentiates their store from others they emphasized on the elegance they offer in their design with muted color schemes and an elevated customer experience.

The third location, Läderäch was not easy to find because it was hidden among the buildings, at Rue du Mont-blanc 30, 1201 Geneva. When we entered the Läderäch chocolate shop, we were amazed with the design, as it was very captivating, yet reserved, giving it a wealthy atmosphere while keeping it interesting for the customer. There were chocolate sculptures, colorful chunks of chocolate bars and designed stands of a chocolate candy variety. It is a good place if you want to make a gift to someone and choose something sweet yet creative. For example, their petite boxes of chocolate popcorn with different flavors, or their gift boxes of minimalistic chocolate candies. There were no places where we could sit and drink coffee or rest, the shop was crowded, and the employees looked busy. We had to make a choice quickly and leave because the atmosphere wasn’t too comforting. When we tried to interview a staff member that wasn’t occupied with customers, she seemed to be not eager at all to answer any of our questions or interact. We had to stop our attempts because she looked clearly annoyed with our presence and we didn’t feel welcomed. As for the taste of the chocolate, it was moderately sweet with a clear taste of milk. The texture was crunchy at first and then creamy. The price was surprisingly lower than we thought, at 6 francs per bar, half as expensive as similar stores such as Martel, which added to the value.

 

Overall Ratings

Customer service: 3/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Comfort: 2/10

Design:7/10

Taste: 8/10

Texture: 8/10 (crunchy then creamy)

Quality based on price: 9/10

Packaging: 10/10

The last location we visited was Lindt at Rue de la Tour-de-L’île 1, 1204 Geneva. The store was easy to find, since it had a big colorful label and was not hidden by any shops or buildings. When we entered the shop, it seemed like a little museum because everything was very bright, colorful and designed in a way that attracted the most attention. There were big stands with rainbow coloured candy wrapped chocolates, brand themed toys, easter bunnies covered in gold wrapping, chocolate hearts and huge sculptures made of chocolate which was all very captivating. The store seemed to be great as a tourist attraction. Furthermore, it had a lot of choices: from raspberry flavored chocolates to coconut and dark chocolate flavors, valentine themed chocolates for couples, basic designs for average tourists and even funny little animal figurines for kids visitors. However, there was no place to sit, so we were expected to just buy chocolates and leave, which we were eager to do as there were quite a lot of people. As we were buying the chocolate, the staff members seemed friendly and polite. And as we left the store, buying a milk chocolate bar for a relatively low price, we were given 6 candies to try for free as a gift, which was very nice from the employee’s side.

As for the chocolate itself, it tasted quite good for the price of 2.50 which we paid. It was very sweet and milky, melting in the mouth, with some creamy aftertaste. However, it felt a little sticky and not as smooth when we chewed the chocolate.

Overall Ratings

Customer service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Comfort: 2/10

Design: 9/10

Taste: 7/10

Texture: 6/10 (creamy but sticks on teeth)

Quality based on price: 8/10

Packaging: 2/10

Coop

When we tried the coop’s vegan (oatmilk) chocolate bar, we were first excited to find out what this rather exotic chocolate is. But shortly after, we were hit with an atrocious taste that reminded us of grass mixed with sugar that also left a bad aftertaste and it felt ‘sticky’ in the mouth. The packaging was colorful and rather attractive, but the taste was very disappointing. The price was very cheap, similar to Lindt’s price but in terms of quality Lindt is marginally better.

Afterwards, we tried a regular milk chocolate bar from Coop for a relatively low price to cover the traumatic experience from the previous bar but it was almost just as bad, because it tasted too sugary with a hint of spoiled milk. The packaging was generic.

Overall Ratings

Vegan version: Taste: 0/10; Texture: 2/10; Quality based on price: 3/10; Packaging: 3/10

Regular: Taste: 3/10; Texture: 3/10; Quality based on price: 4/10; Packaging: 1/10

Conclusion

To sum up, our favorite store was Guillaume Bichet and our least favorite was Martel. However, in terms of chocolate we had different favorites. We found the Läderch chocolate the best tasting, while Coop had the worst tasting ones. Through this review we proved our thesis that price is not really the best indicator for the quality of products. To further test our thesis, we will conduct a blind taste testing of the chocolates we tried in class for our presentation.

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!

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.

Five Diverse Resturants

Five Diverse Resturants

By: Fiona Maliqi Maliqi and Mimoza Zenullahi

For this project, me and Mimoza worked together and we decided to do different nationalities restaurants that were easy to access and within a budget of a student because we ourselves were having a hard time finding good restaurants to eat at. We did different nationalities because we wanted to try different kinds of foods, and we also got to try a couple of foods for the first time and we were very impressed. We wanted those restaurant suggestions to be available for everyone and not just the people that were going to see our project so instead of doing a PowerPoint presentation, we decided to create a website that everyone can access to see our reviews and suggestions and we also are planning to add other restaurants when we have the time to check them out. We did our restaurant research on Google, but we could not afford to try many restaurants and choose the best one so we checked reviews, we checked the location and we chose the most easily accessible restaurants and student budget-friendly.

We also interviewed the owner of the Albanian restaurant, he was very kind and was open to answering any questions we had. He told us when he opened the restaurant, who he opened it with and how’s the work going so far. It was a short interview but we got good answers.

Albanian restaurant -The Supreme Grill

We liked it, the food was pretty good, the service was excellent, and the workers there were nice. We didn’t like the interior but the outside had a great view. It was a little far so that’s the only downside to it. It was medium affordable. We paid around 20 CHF each. We can certainly say that this was not the best Albanian restaurant in Geneva and we look forward to trying all the other ones. We plan on adding them to the website too. We got qebapa (a type of meat that is greatly liked in Kosovo) and trileqe (a type of dessert made with three different kinds of milk, and caramel on top). We saw that the other Albanian restaurant had fli and other types of Albanian food too so we are looking forward to trying that one in the future.

 Japanese- Sushi Shop

We loved it, the food was excellent, the service was very good, and the workers had a little bit of a hard time explaining things in English but they were very nice. We liked the interior too, it was like a simple and modern environment. It was very near so we liked that. And we got to try a lot of new foods. It was very affordable considering sushi prices. We both paid 25CHF which we considered cheap for Geneva. As this was the first time for Fiona to eat sushi I can say that she actually likes it a lot and is down to try other dishes too. The cheese Californian roll was her favorite so far. What was the weirdest but a very delicious dish was the avocado and Nutella roll which we did not expect to taste good at all but it surprised us a lot.

Mexican– Tacos Tacos

It had good food, but it wasn’t really authentic Mexican so we plan on trying another restaurant we saw, the menu had a lot of choices though, the place was good-looking but basic. It was very near to Les Berges for the Webster students that live there and it’s like 10 minutes away from Cornavin. It was the most affordable one. We paid around 15 CHF each.

 Italian– Molino- it was our least favorite. The food was good but we’ve tried better Italian food. It was a little expensive for our budget so that’s our biggest critique. We both paid around 35 CHF. It was very near Cornavin so that could be a plus. The interior was nice and cozy but very formal at the same time.

Lebanese – Perfums of Beyrouth – GREAT food, we loved the shawarmas, the service was great, the workers explained everything to us, they were very welcoming, the place wasn’t very good looking but still comfortable. It was a walking distance from Cornavin so that was the biggest plus. It was pretty affordable. We paid 20 CHF here as well but that was because we tried more food, if you want just a type of food it is way cheaper. Same as for the Albanian restaurant, we plan on visiting other Lebanese restaurants too
since there are already 2 other restaurants on our list.

Secret Geneva Project

Secret Geneva Project

By: Zani Bislimi and Ismael Monomoh Dominguez

When it comes to diversity, having a good time, and having a lot of visitors, Geneva is a well-known city to tourists. In addition to seeking out hidden gems, our group was looking for each pub’s distinctive feature. For each bar, we specifically looked at the cost of a 0.33 cl pint and a captivating feature. We checked out 6 pubs and at the end we are going to rate them from 1 to 10. 

L’Alambic 

This bar was located next to the Mont Blanc bridge. One special feature about this pub was that on weekends they welcome local artists to perform and it gave really chilly vibes which we recommend to go just for a simple date on a week day. The price of the pint was 6 CHF which was a medium range between all the bars we looked at.  Although it was a really nice and welcoming environment, what really stood out was lack of selections when it comes to beers and the terrace was uncomfortable, when it comes to chairs and tables. We rate this place a 7 out of 10. 

Le Phare 

This pub is located two streets away from ¨Manor¨. This bar in our opinion wasn’t really that special. 2 things that stood out though were the snacks, which really had a lot diversity and they often do themed months and a discount on a specific themed cocktail. However, when it comes to beers it was weird because they did not have 0.33 cl pints but only 0.25 and 0.50 cl. Which means we obviously took the 0.50 and it cost 9 CHF which is a lot. We rate this place a 5 out of 10 because it was too crowded and not really our style of drinking. We recommend this place for people a little bit older and especially for the LGBTQ community because that bar is known to really support them. 

Lucky Brothers

This bar was located just by the bus stop of Coutance, when it comes to our opinion this was the bar, we liked the most. It was really friendly, a lot of diversity, a lot of good food and a good selection of pints especially for Belgian beer lovers. What stood out to us was the sportsy way of managing the pub and the customer service which made us feel comfortable just like at home. We ordered 0.33 cl pint which costed us 5.60 CHF each.  We truly recommend this place to people that like watching sports and we rate it a 9 out of 10.

Roi Ubu 

This bar is located at the entrance of old town. This bar was easily the worst rated because of its simplicity during the day. When it comes to night life, this bar is always full of people and a lot of energy. The best part was the outside tables and chairs where a lot of people passed and big circles of people staying close to the bar. The price was the worst, for a 0.33 cl it was 8. 50 CHF which really did not make sense. We give this bar a 4 out of 10 because of the price and boring vibes during the day. 

Café La Clemence 

This bar was located at the center of old town, this was the coziest bar out of the 5. Two interesting things we saw were the terrace which was amazing especially for cold weather because it had outside heaters which made you feel just like home. The other thing was the price of the beer which was really cheap, for a 0.33 cl it was 5.00 CHF and it tasted good. We really liked the place and we suggest to everyone, especially during weekends. By that we give this bar a outstanding 8.9 out of 10.