My Final Weekend in Geneva

Happy Sunday! It was another sun-filled weekend in Geneva!  I hope you had a chance to relax this weekend. Due to my house-hunting trip in New York City and the Nike Women’s 10km race in London, this was my final weekend in Geneva. The sunshine and warm weather allowed me to enjoy it just the way I wanted –  by the lake.

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Many of my friends have asked why I didn’t travel somewhere this weekend while I have Europe at my fingertips.  Honestly, at this point, there was no where I wanted to be more this weekend than relaxing in Geneva. While many of my friends were out of town for weddings, bachelorette parties and other travel a few lovely friends were here to relax and soak up the sunshine. Once back in New York City, relaxing on the water and enjoying views like this won’t be nearly as convenient as they are now. Keeping that in mind, I slathered on the sunscreen and headed outside for the entire weekend.

Friday night I enjoyed a lakeside barbecue with Leah and Jason who stopped in Geneva on Friday night as part of their honeymoon which is taking them across the world for six months!

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We sipped wine, relaxed and enjoyed grilled sausages and salads while catching up. I loved hearing about their adventures thus far, especially their time in Slovenia, their favorite country thus far.

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We were treated to an incredible sunset before the sky opened and forced us to run home in the pouring rain.

Saturday morning I happily obliged Leah’s request for a leisurely 5k run through Geneva before they left.  We ran along the lake, stopping a few times for some intervals including tricep dips and bench dips.

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After sending them on their way, I met Sandra and Louise at the Wakeboard Center for an afternoon of sunshine and reading on the rocks. IMG_0593

A great area for an afternoon on the lake, the Wakeboard Center has a great mix of options including 2 bars, restaurant, stand up paddle boarding, wakeboarding, in addition to space for relaxing on the beach, floating dock and rocks. We preferred it over Genève Plage as it had far less kids and entrance is free.

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Perched on the rocks we spent hours soaking up the sun while enjoying a bit of a breeze. Temperatures in Geneva reached 90 yesterday, so after a few hours Sandra and I decided to take to the water. Sandra and I spent an hour exploring the lake via stand up paddleboard. We spent half the time paddling and half the time using the board as a base for swimming in the water and relaxing. We both found it more challenging than expected due to the boat wakes but definitely enjoyed it! Though I can’t imagine surviving a stand-up paddle boarding yoga class, I’d love to try it next time I’m in Savannah or another waterfront location.

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After so much sun, fresh air and a beer it was difficult to rally but after a round of showers and some much needed aloe we continued the fun with dinner and drinks

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Our evening progressed into dinner a wine and cheese filled dinner Le Decanteur, gelato at Manu and a nightcap at Bottle Brothers.  Yesterday was SUCH a relaxing day – exactly what I wanted.

After sleeping off yesterday’s fun in the sun, I woke up ready to continue the weekend’s relaxing theme while still enjoying some sunshine and getting my life in order. Since I fly to New York on Wednesday, laundry was first on the agenda and starting to pack and organize things was second.

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My morning coffee and the New York Times fueled a sweaty run and farmer’s market shopping session in preparation for this evening’s dinner date with Emily. I knew I wanted something healthy, fresh and easy. It’s way too hot in this apartment for the oven and I had too many other things on my list to be burdened with a complicated recipe. Pinterest came through again by recommending this Best of Summer Salad with Blueberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette.

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This picture doesn’t due it justice!  Suffice it to say, Emily and I both agreed that this giant salad, inspired by the above recipe, needs to become a Summer standby. Healthy and fresh, the salad was delicious and the avocado, Chevre and almonds helped ensure we were satiated. I can’t wait to take the leftovers to the office tomorrow!

How was your weekend? What is your favorite Summer salad combination?

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Would You Go Nude or Covered?

Unfortunately for us, Geneva, Switzerland is often cited as ranking within the top 5 most expensive cities to live globally. It’s hard to believe that we live somewhere which seems expensive versus even New York City!  The currency features a 1,000 CHF note and there are more designer cars and luxury boutiques than Rodeo Drive or Park Avenue.

In New York,  I often indulged in weekly manicures and monthly pedicures, often in the company of friends. It was the perfect way to relax and catch up with girlfriends. But, these days I only book manicures when I find discounts on BuyClub, our equivalent of Groupon.  The average manicure in town begins at 50 CHF while pedicure are often over 100 CHF! Imagine my excitement when my friend Kerrie invited me to a girl’s evening at the most inexpensive spa experience in town. She said the hour-long experience would cost just 20 CHF. After a rough few days, I was very ready for some rest and relaxation with a girlfriend.

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We met at Bains des Paquis, a popular swimming and dining spot on Lake Geneva at 6:30. In addition to a restaurant and swimming area, they also feature saunas, hammams and massage rooms. Once entering the office area, the staff welcomed us to Ladies Night, the one night per week when the hammam and sauna area is female only.  In case you’re not familiar with the term hammam, it is a steam room, similar to a Turkish bath where people go to cleanse themselves on a weekly basis.

Bains des Paquis spa shop

She explained that the 20CHF included admission to the saunas, Turkish bath, hammam and lounge area overlooking the lake. For an additional 1 CHF we could buy honey, mint body soap scrub to use while exfoliating our bodies with loofahs. She also walked us through the steps of a proper hammam experience, as explained by these hilarious signs.

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After getting locker keys and treating ourselves to orange and mint water, we headed towards the lockers to change into our bathing suits. While some people choose to enjoy the experience in the nude, Kerrie and I both opted for bikinis.

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During our hour inside, around 50% of the women were nude while 25% or so were topless and the other 25% were wearing bathing suits. There were all shapes and sizes in the judgment free zone.

As you can imagine, I left my phone in the changing room, heading towards the hammam first. We hung our towels on a hook oustide the door, only carrying our loofah and soap in with us. Once inside we were engulfed in a delightfully warm, cloud of humdity. After relaxing for 10 minutes on the warm tile seats, we covered our bodies in the soap.

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We didn’t immediately rinse it off, instead letting it soak into our skin. After a few minutes we scrubbed our bodies with the loofa, focusing on our feet, knees, elbows and other rough, dry spots. After 15 minutes of gossip and laughter, we rinsed the soap off with cold and warm water. My skin appreciated the sloughing of dry, winter skin. It was GLOWING and the level of cleanliness I felt reminded me of our experience in the Istanbul hammams.

From the hammam we headed across the coridor to the saunas. There are two (80 and 95 degrees) different rooms, each overlooking the lake. We chose the 80 degree room as this one was empty versus the other. The evening views were beautiful and we relaxed for another 20 minutes on the warm wooden bench, melting further and further into a state of total relaxation. Luckily, in both rooms, the women surrounding us were talking with each other so Kerrie and I both felt comfortable talking with each other during the entire experience.

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Last but not least, we went into the Turkish bath, which was narrow and humid. We only lasted in here a few minutes before we headed back out towards the lake. I opted to refresh with a final cold rinse under the outdoor shower while Kerrie opted for a freezing cold dunk in the lake.

We both decided that we’d love to make this a monthly Tuesday night event, next time indulging a bit more with a massage and some relaxation around the fire. The massages are cheaper than most in Geneva, only 50 CHF per hour. This combined with the hammam and bath experience would make for a wonderful two hour date with girlfriends after a long workday.

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Your Turn: If you were going to a sauna or hammam like this, would you go fully nude, partially covered or wear your bathing suit?

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Spin Geneve – Geneva’s First Spin Studio

This morning it felt more like we were in London or New York than Geneva!

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Bo and I spent the morning doing something we’ve missed since moving abroad – enjoying a workout class followed by brunch. Catching up with friends before and after a sweaty workout class was a regular part of our weekend routine until moving to Geneva full time. While Geneva has many athletic people, very little of the Geneva social scene revolves around group fitness activities.

When I saw on Facebook that Geneva’s first spin studio was opening this week, Bo and I knew we wanted to give it a try. Bo, who is an avid Flywheel fan, has missed spin more than I have since moving abroad. But, as a runner who realizes the importance of cross training, I have missed cycling during these shorter, colder winter months.

Spin Geneve, conveniently located near our transportation hub, Gare Cornavin, enjoyed a soft opening the last few weeks of December before formally opening their doors on Monday.  An experiment of sorts, Spin Geneve is currently in Bike Switzerland, a local bike store which closes each winter during the off-season. This allows the Spin Geneve owners to see if the concept will work here before expanding into a permanent location.

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Based on our first two classes, it is clear that spinning is an unmet demand here, and the studio should do wonderfully! The space features 15 brand new bikes with RPM monitors, a bathroom, changing area and huge fan to keep the room cool. One great aspect of Spin Geneve versus many other spin studios is that their bikes all have interchangeable pedals. This means that regardless your shoe or clip style, they can fix a bike to meet your need!

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The classes are 45 minutes in length and have, thus far, replicated many of the nearby rides and popular cycling routes. The climbs are long and intense, followed by fast sprints to flush out the lactic acid. Doing their best to cater to the local market and demand, they are considering adding a few back to back classes, allowing people who want longer rides to stay for two classes. Their schedule currently includes morning, lunch and evening rides making it a very convenient Geneva workout option.

Cost: 25 CHF though packages can reduce prices to 20 CHF – Address: 22 Rue des Grottes, 1201 Geneva – What to wear: If you have cycling shorts & shoes, make sure to wear them. Otherwise, your favorite workout outfit & shoes will suffice.

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