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Here are some events coming up that may interest our male readers in particular: an action packed movie, an adventure movie and a Gentlemen's Ride event with vintage motorbikes in Nyon followed by a rock concert. Monday Movies in English in Nyon at the  Capitole Cinema Monday 21st September - 20:30 "Code Name U.N.C.L.E" Monday 28th September - 20:45 "Everest" -  see trailer below Music   On Saturday the 26th September at 15:00 there will be a Gentleman's Ride Party event at the Usine a Gaz followed by a vintage rock concert in the evening with bands Duck Duck Grey Duck and The Staches. During the day in the courtyard of the Usine, there will be vintage motorbikes on display and other events are planned. The Gentleman's Ride Party is a world wide event to raise funds for prostate cancer and awareness.  Click here for more info  For the family The Comptoir Suisse continues until the 21st September in Lausanne. This is a massive fair with a lot on the agenda and a ferris wheel! It makes for a good family day out too - there is a good description of what it is all about on the Lausanne Mom blog Circus in Town - A reminder that the Knie circus is in town so parking is restricted in Place Perdtemps car park in Nyon between the 18th and 20th September

New Arrivals and "Living in Nyon" on the TV and in the newspaper! Hot news! Although "Living in Nyon" has been around for a while, it is only recently that I have concentrated on its publicity, and what a few weeks it has been because of it! The site has been featured in the newspaper and on TV, so it's all good news, consequently visitor numbers have shot up. Firstly here's the TV coverage The section is called "Info Hebdo" which means daily info/news. The total length of the video link is 7 minutes 30. There are two features before me and "Living in Nyon" is at the end at 2 minutes 16, You can forward it to the exact point by sliding the bar at the bottom of the screen to 2.16. When you see a shot of the Nyon rooftops, that's the beginning of the piece. Here's the link. http://www.nr-tv.ch/flash_infoh/aaplay_h059.html Not so keen on seeing myself on camera mind you, the sun that was was very bright that day so I look quite pale, and I don't seem to smile a lot, which isn't really me, but.... the coverage of the site itself is just great! and the Yvan Mulone, the interviewer and cameraman from Nyon Region Television was very friendly, and is a nice guy. The interview was filmed on the terrace of the chateau and Mont Blanc was looking magnificent. I said that the view from where I was standing was was one of my favourite views in the world, and Mr Mulone said it was his too. The interview is in French by the way, my very poor French mixed up with a bit of Spanish..... Secondly Here is the newspaper article that was featured in La Cote Other News/ New Arrivals ! Very shortly there will be new categories added to this site including 1. Fitness/ jogging routes around Nyon 2. Places to stay (Bed and Breakfast) 3. More information on accommodation under the "frequently asked questions" 4. And a fun section on the familiar faces that you often see in the streets of Nyon. If you have any suggestions for new categories you also want to see on here, then let me know.

NOTE: Update Thursday 21 August. The Tourist Board have just informed me that they now have an English version of the voucher mentioned below. Also note, there are new events added for this weekend 23/24th August (under "Future Nyon" events on the sidebar).--------------------- As this is such a beautiful area it may not suprise you that when you move to Nyon, lots of people will want to come and visit you. Along with discovering the town, lake and mountains, they will also want to try the local gastronomic delights. So, to help your guests learn a little more about the different foods and wines that are available here, the tourist board have recently launched a voucher to encourage visitors to try out local food. Called the forfait "Découverte gourmande" this voucher costs 59 CHF per adulte and 33 CHF per child and entitles you to the following: 1. An aperitif at the Caveau des Vignerons in the Chateau of Nyon which entitles you to 2 X 1 dl of wine from the region and 150 grammes of charcuterie (cold meats). There's a children version of this offer which includes 100g of charcuterie plus a glass of apple juice. plus 2. Cheese from the cheese shop "Le Gite" of Nyon 300 grammes of Gruyère or 200 gramme of Gruyère plus 200 grammes of Vacherin or another "coupe" of cheese of your choice to the value of six francs plus 3. A meal, either in the Restaurant "Au Coeur de la Cote" in Vinzel which will give you three Malakoffs with a salad and "tarte a la creme" (for children 2 "baby" Malakoffs or chicken and chips with an ice cream) OR A meal in the Restaurant Le Léman in Nyon with Filets de Perches and a garniture of choice and a green salad (choice for children from the "enfant"menu) and finally 4. Dessert from the Confiserie Rapp in either Nyon, Prangins, or Gland. A selection of 6 pieces (chocolats and petits fours for around 60 grammes) with a drink. For more information and to buy the voucher, contact the Nyon tourist office, Avenue Viollier 8, 1260 Nyon. Tel 022 365 6600 Email info@nrt.ch Bon Appetit!

If you want to pick up a bargain, or have a clear out of your "cave", then this Saturday there is the opportunity to do so with a "British style" car boot sale over at Webster University in Bellevue. If you want to sell, spaces are CH15 per car. Reserve your place by emailing carbootgeneva@gmail.com and full details will be sent to you. If you want to buy, the car boot sale will be open from 09:30 to 13:30 and parking is available in the lower car park at Webster university. The sale will go ahead whatever the weather (in true British style....) Light refreshements available on the day.

A reminder that "Les Hivernales", the rock and beat festival has begun and continues over the weekend in Nyon -see previous post her e for more details and listen to an  interview about the festival here Saturday March 2nd - Open Day at Lake Leman International School in Morges   Open Day  from 11:00 to 15:00 Meet the teachers and the LLIS management, discover the Primary and Secondary School and enjoy the day’s activities with your children. The open day starts at 11:00 at the school: From 11:00 to 12:00 Presentation of the website by the Secondary school students From 12:00 to 14:00 – Soccer practice From 13:30 to  14:15  - Story telling From 14:15  to  15:00 - Art workshop Snacks and drinks provided all day. LLIS School- Avenue de la Gottaz 34-36, 1110 Morges, Switzerland -  See school website here Business and Professional Women Switzerland - Networking dinner Candlelight Ceremony & Networking dinner -  Thursday, March 14 th  2013, at the Restaurant du Casino in Rolle This tradition is celebrated by all the BPW clubs around the world to remind them of the international solidarity and resources of the global association. It is  an  opportunity to discover what BPW has to offer. More details click here  Host families required for "Up with People"  March 18-25  Up with People is a global education and service programme focused on bringing the world together through service and music. The international cast of 120 students from 20 countries will be travelling to Geneva on March 18 for a one week stay. During their time in the area they will live with local host families, volunteer in the local community and perform 2 international shows at the Salle Communale de Versoix.  Homes needed for 120 cast members Can you provide a place to sleep, breakfast and dinner and give limited transportation (outside of the centre of Geneva) in the mornings and evenings from March 18-25?   If so, you’ll receive 2 complimentary tickets to the show for hosting. Photo above  - the cast from a previous show - courtesy "Up with People" The 120-member cast is between the ages of 18 and 29 years old and represents 20 different countries. Cast members are out of the house during regular business hours, volunteering, rehearsing or taking part in educational workshops. Sunday March 24, is a ‘host family day,’ you may choose to show them , include them in a family event or simply relax at home. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Advance Team: Contact Katie Baudler at 079 155 37 13 or Katie.upwithpeople@gmail.com with questions or for more information. See the show  ‘Voices’ Salle Communale Lachenal à Versoix à  19:30 the 20th and 21st March. Tickets available now click here

Here are four film reviews from film student Fanny Leyvraz. The first, "Muchachas" comes highly recommended from both Fanny and Living in Nyon.  This film focusses on the relationship that household maids in Mexico have with their employers and the families they work for. Yesterday, at the Nyon film festival, one of the maids was given the opportunity to speak to the audience as the film's director Juliana Fanjul had flown her in from Mexico to attend the screening of the film and to answer questions. A rich an interesting discussion ensued. The next three short reviews are from the "First Steps" film selection. These are short films out of film schools presented in world or international premieres. Fanny warmed to two of the films, but not to the third.  Read on for her reviews. Muchachas  - screening tonight Thursday 23rd at the Cinema Capitole Fellini Capitole Fellini at 20:00 A film filled with whole-hearted and honest exchanges  In the city of Mexico, almost every single wealthy family has an employee doing the household chores. They clean, cook, answer the door, do the laundry, and take care of the kids. is about three women, Lupita, Remedios, and Dolores, who have spent their entire life as house-workers. Wide hands and robust arms, wrinkled faces, they wear their hair short or tied up. Their every move is done with the precision of a watchmaker, energetic and with minimum effort. They are always active and quiet, always standing yet discreet, but the camera reveals the courage and strength these three women, and imposes our respect. Using the technique of conversation, Juliana Fanjul and her camera are able to obtain genuine thoughts and opinions of those who are usually silent. Asking simple questions, and letting time loosen tongues, the process of sharing grows as the minutes go by. The house-workers have memories about their childhoods, they comment on how they consider themselves in relation to the family they work for, their intense reactions can be touching, amusing and sometimes troubling. The film raises many questions - the culture of young female house-workers coming from small villages (where they usually didn’t have any access to education), to questions on Mexico itself. The documentary addresses the separation between economical classes, and the nature of the relationship between the boss and the employee, or the employee and the children of the family, issues that encourage an evolution. Filled with whole-hearted and honest exchanges, gave these incredible women the time and space to speak up about their side of the story. Info and tickets here  Three first steps films by film students - Usine a Gaz  Friday 24th April at 10:00.  Note: all First Steps films will be shown in a mammoth screening session from 10:00 onwards. See timings of the following three films here  Mars Closer Paul and Pauls not only share almost the exact same name, but also the same dream. They long to be a part of the first expedition to Mars, to be the first men ever to set foot on another planet. We follow each man in his earthly dwellings. Paul walks the busy and rainy streets of Tokyo, in an atmosphere recalling In Latvia, Pauls plays in the garden with his two small children. Mixing very blunt addresses to the spectator, and dreamy scenes, does not seem to be real, but wonderfully fictional. Economic Forecasters The blurry and colourful lights, the hullabaloo of radio transmissions, and the swirling of newspapers lure us slowly but surely into an absurd and amusing world. There are two men that see economy as predictable. One looks up to the planets, walking in the dark streets of Helsinki, the other in his newspaper-crammed office, answers calls from hesitant house-buyers or investors. Funny and eccentric, will make you smile. On vénère bien les chevaux In a small café, somewhere in France, there is a cult, betting on the horse-races. If the analogy made with the frenzy of horse-racing bets and the story of the Buddha, and his twelve animal tournament is surprising and smart, it fails to move deeply the spectator. This small window to the horse-racing bet world is probably authentic, but unfortunately not so enchanting.

This weekend (on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May ) it's the Jardins en Fête which will be held in the park and grounds of the Château de Coppet. This event is dedicated to plants and the art of the garden and brings together gardening professionals all in one space. With over 130 exhibitors it is one of the biggest garden events in the region. Hester Macdonald from the Swiss Gardening School will also be at the show. Hester runs gardening courses in English throughout the year. See our post from 2014 when Living in Nyon attended one of her courses. On Sunday 24th May, it's the annual CGN Naval Parade and this year it will gather in Rolle from 10:00 - 19:00. The main choreography of boats will take place between 14:00 and 14:30 and can be seen from the quayside in Rolle. It's an impressive sight when all the lovely Belle Epoque boats gather together in one place! See photos from last year. On Friday 29th May it's Neighbours' Day in both Prangins and Nyon. If you have just arrived here and don't yet know your neighbours, this event is an ideal time for neighbours to get together. Look out for posters in your building or community to see if anything is being organised in your area, if not, why not take the plunge and invite your neighbours over for an apéro to say "Bonjour!"  If you don't live in Nyon or Prangins, click here to find out when and where the event is taking place in your area.   The outdoor swimming pool in Nyon has now opened. In May, June and September it is open from 09:00-20:00 and in July and August from 09:00 to 20:30.

Whether you have a small balcony at 400 metres in Nyon, or a big plot of land at 1,000 metres high up in St Cergue, if you are in need of some excellent gardening advice for this part of the world, then look no further than the Swiss Gardening School. The school's tag line is "Lessons in English for amateur gardeners by professionals" and classes are run throughout the year on a variety of subjects by gardeners Hester Macdonald and Tara Lissner. The school's next course will be held in Nyon on the 1st April from 09:00-13:00 an will be "Design - On a Budget - Creating a beautiful outdoor space without spending a fortune". Below are a selection of photos taken by Living in Nyon at one of the school's gardening course back in September 2013. Despite the editor of this site having  decidedly  non-green fingers, she learnt the best way to pot plants into containers, how to plant bulbs the correct way up, what to look for when buying compost, how to design and plan around colour schemes, and she also got some good recommendations on local nurseries, garden centres and online gardening sites. Nearly six months later, the box of  bulbs that the editor planted is still going strong and in bloom!    As class sizes are small there are plenty of opportunities to ask the gardening experts one-on-one advice on anything and everything to do with gardening based on personal requirements.   Classes are fun and informative  - See here for full details of upcoming courses   h eld  i n both Nyon and Founex. Photo above - sensible, practical advice given to students Photo above -which way up do I plant these? Photo above - recommended reading material. Plant Pots made out of coffee tins!  Photos below - Living in Nyon box of bulbs and flowers planted September 2013 (top left of photo) and the same box March 2014.

“Mahragan”  - by Omar El Shamy  - 23 mins long   - The film will be screened for a second time on Friday 26 April at 13:00 at the Usine à Gaz  in a collection of 18 short films at Usine à Gaz at the Visions du Réel film festival . Review by Trish Thalman who say this is a " splendid film, a noisy and exciting visit to the musical 'street' of Cairo" Mahragan is the name of a popular Rap music group in Cairo. The three young, energetic musicians have taken the traditional Chabbi format of music and up-dated it to reflect the modern beat and musical freedom they now have since the revolution occurred two years ago. Rap music is ‘what’s happening’ as we are introduced to the boisterous opening scenes of a massive, street concert in Cairo.  It’s all about sparklers, flashing lights, a line-up of massive, full-blast speakers, vuvezuelas, dance circles of young males (only males!) wearing jeans, ‘hoodies’ and wonderfully garish t-shirts, who are able to hip-hop and yell along with the music from Mahragan. The fans know all the words to the songs, which are words of opposition from ‘the people’ to the authorities. This was not possible 2 years ago. Mahragan have a long list of bookings, in spite of the confusion with their booking agent who has put June dates before May dates in their diary. One of their musical gigs is a stylish wedding reception at The Swiss Club in Cairo, where Mahragan provide Chabbi-type music, a tradition at Egyptian weddings, but with their lively ‘rapped-up’ beat, and without the fiery political words. The lead singer and songwriter proudly confirms that Mahragan is from a working-class area of Cairo, and that the working-class people are the ones who have important stories to tell. His people are not yet free. The group refer to older and contemporary poets and songs for their on-going, political and musical education. Mahragan truly believes, writes about and raps to the tune that the Egyptian Revolution carries on, and that they will eventually be free. This is a splendid film by a talented, young filmmaker that takes us on a fun, noisy and exciting visit to the musical 'street' of Cairo, with warmth, humour and energy.

Under the Sun – Review by Suzy Nelson-Pollard This film will be shown on Wednesday the 20th of April, at 20.00 at the Grand Champ theatre in Gland. Tickets can be bought here If it wasn’t a reality for the millions of people living in North Korea, Under the Sun could almost be a sci-fi film. Russian director, Vitaly Mansky, received permission to film a “normal family” in their everyday lives in North Korea. Each scene was carefully staged and rehearsed and re-rehearsed, each time with “more happiness and patriotism”. Yet due to the lack of technical know-how of the Koreans, Mansky managed to keep filming during the staging of each scene, and smuggle the footage out of the country. Photo above - courtesy Visions du Réel The results are impressive, funny at first sight, yet sobering and tragic as the film goes on. School lessons, work, free time, childhood and adulthood, every moment is devoted to praise to the Supreme Leader. Scenes of people commuting to work and children travelling to school are astounding, as nobody talks to each other, nobody smiles, laughs, and the faces that pass across the camera are desolate, fatigued, cold and desperate. As the young child of the family realizes how growing up comes with more responsibility and will require serving the Supreme Leader as best she can, tears stream down her face. Her mother tells her to think of something happy, and when she can’t summon such a thought, she recites a poem declaring her faithfulness to the Leader. There is nothing else that she can rejoice for. While staged photos of beautiful parades, as well as horrific human rights reports, are usually the only sources to understand North Korea, “Under the Sun” is an astounding record of the country. Demonstrating the extent of the repression, the brainwashing, the fear and the control placed on the inhabitants of this small northern country, the documentary is also beautifully filmed. It should not be missed. See trailer below.

If last night's thrilling Wimbledon final has inspired you to pick up a tennis racket for the first time, or if you already play and want to keep up with your game, then did you know that Nyon has its own tennis club for players of all ages and levels? Just on the outskirts of the town, it is set amongst lovely countryside, and has three indoor and nine outdoor courts and it welcomes new members and visitors. This year it celebrates its 75th anniversary and many famous names have played on its courts including a young Roger Federer in a tournament back in 1995! The club has an annual programme of events, summer courses and tournaments. If tennis is not your thing then you can still go to the club for lunch. Watch others running around while you sit and stay cool in the shade on the restaurant's terrace. Check out the Tennis Club website for more details (their programme of events is in English)

If you are looking for a place to visit, either to entertain guests or for a short drive out into the countryside then the current art exhibition at the Jan Michalski foundation in Mont Richer is worth a visit. The Michalski building is devoted entirely to literature, has an impressive brand new library and currently has an art exhibition called "Manwoz", a collaboration of work by musician Manau Chao and artist Jacek Wozniak.  The building itself is an extraordinary structure high up in the middle of of the Vaud countryside! The exhibition runs until the 21st December. Opening times:  Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 14.00 to 18.00 Admission: CHF 5 (adults) 3 CHF (students, pensioners, unemployed, groups, IV)  Free for all under 18 years of age and residents of Mont Richer Parking available.