The search for good sushi in Zurich

For those of you who've read my prior posts you will know just how much we love our sushi and how we've found it so difficult to find somewhere decent here in Switzerland, close to Zurich and even more so Thalwil to be precise, that matches the quality of that back in London.  This week, perhaps after watching a few programs on TV featuring delicious looking Japanese food, we were desperate.  What a trial.

Since being here we've tried a few places and can safely say that the cost of Japanese food here is certainly on par with most other Swiss costs - in other words it is expensive; eye wateringly so.

Saying that we've tried a few places from Hotel Ascot at Enge, which houses what is supposedly the only Teppanyaki restaurant in Zurich.  We arrived at around 7pm and sat around waiting for this glorious experienced having both thoroughly enjoyed the likes of Tatsuso at Broadgate Circle near Liverpool Street Station.  Well, we were not too impressed with our first impressions.   The worst, aside from waiting for all seats to be filled before the chef got to work and did his magic, was the disgusting ground in dirt within the grooves surrounding the table.  It was akin to going to a lovely restaurant only to find a mess in the kitchens.  Not good and I won't be going back there again.  Plus it was very pricy.

Our favourite Japanese dining experience has to be Sala of Tokyo.  Although when we first went to explore, of a Saturday lunchtime with the kids we wandered around only to find it shut.  However we've been back, Johan and I, three times since.  What we particularly like is that they change their set special menu (which we highly recommend) each month.  So you don't get bored.  You can tell a lot of thought, care and attention goes in to each dish too.  Although it is a long, long menu so don't do what I first did and start eating like you haven't eaten in a week.  It's much better to just take it easy and satisfy those taste buds.

Then there's Ginger and whilst it was a rather atmospheric and quite elegant dining experience, where I even recall the atomiser in the ladies loo, I don't actual recall anything about the food other than the effort in presentation (although I had stuffed my face as you can see so there's not much food to see - just the plates!)

Ginger has a restaurant out the back, which is quite cosy and out the front the speed version complete with sushi bar and carousel.

Talking of sushi bars our favourite has to be the sushi bar in the basement area of Jemoli for not only is it quick, it's not horrendously expensive and yet the food is fresh and prepared in front of you.  There is sometimes a wait but then a quick hop up on the bar stool and before you know it, you've got your sashimi sitting in front of you.  The best bit is that not far from the sushi bar is the 'food palace' where we would feed Patrik his pasta and let him fall asleep allowing Emily, Johan and I to enjoy Nippon.

One of our earlier experience was at Hong Kong Food Paradise at Sihl City, which looked promising.  The place has a queue up and buy first method, which with kids is pretty annoying.  The food is not that brilliant either and what you would expect from a fast food outlet.  But for a quick pit stop - it suffices.

Then there's Globus at Bellevue where you'll find something akin to Yo! Sushi in London.  Again not bad and at least more refined than that in Hong Kong Food Paradise.  Remember all these places for a small selection of sashimi and sushi rolls are the price of a night out a Roka complete with babysitter.

However the first 'proper' place we'd heard about called Sushi al Largo, sounded perfect.  We'd had a door drop and couldn't wait to try it so Johan drove the car to go pick it up.  It transpires the place is probably the least likely place to sell sushi as it doubles up as a furniture store.  But we were so starving for sushi that we were like wild dogs.  Emily couldn't wait to tuck in to her lax.  However the food itself was on par with a mediocre Pret or Marks & Spencer sushi take away box. Oh and by the way, I've taken away Coop and Migros sushi plate which at 27CHF for a few sushi rolls and Nigiri rolls makes you feel healthy but is no replacement for what you really want to eat in terms of decent sushi.

And then there's Gigi Sushi Restaurant in Horgen that we'd heard about and were keen to explore.  I'd heard it was small and discreet and close to Coop.  So we took the kids, parked up and did our shop and then headed to get our food.  The place was empty.  We couldn't believe it.  The food is fresh and the staff were pleasant.  The place clean and there's child seats too.  Could it get any better?  The portions are sizeable and fresh and actually very tasty.  We were very satisfied after that lunch. All four of us.

Unfortunately, typical of wonderful Switzerland, after deciding last minute to head to Horgen for our Saturday shop followed by a mammoth feast and all excited by the prospect of it only to be met by the following notice on the door:

And if you can't see it, it reads:

Liebe Gäste

Ab April haben wir Neue Öffnungszeiten.

Samstag’s ab 17.00 Uhr offen

Danke füf Ihre Verständnis 

Ihr GiGi Team

Or in English:

Dear guests
As of April, we have new opening times.
Saturday's open from 17.00 clock
Thank you your understanding of five '
GiGi your team

So in other words, that's it as far as us going to GiGis is concerned because you know everything and it's dog is shut in Switzerland of a Sunday and they won't deliver to Thalwil and we can't get there of an evening without getting the kids to bed near on midnight!  Shame.  But it's typical of wonderful Swiss retail outlets where they can just choose to shut, when they want, because they can.

But last week having heard about THE BEST sushi place around, and not too far away - in Adliswil - we were more than keen to try it.  Makoto Sushi's website looks great and very appealing and having had a variety of good reviews from different people we were seriously hungry for it.  So I called up having eyed what I couldn't wait to eat to be told that they're shut of a Saturday.  Sigh. 

We talked about it repeatedly.  Obsessed is the word.  So Johan suggested we go there one evening and get the babysitter to look after the kids.  Ah ... they shut at 10pm.  So with the babysitter getting to us at the earliest 8pm after her daytime job and us getting to the restaurant, we'd just have enough time for a knock back of saki.  We'd probably need it.  

If that wasn't enough, on this torturous trail, we decided that Johan would go and get a delivery so very happily (extremely excitedly) I called up to book our order online to be told that if we want to take away we have to do so before 1pm due to demand.  Sigh fast turning into Growl.  The growl appeared when we called on the Friday before 1pm to be told that they don't do take away of a Friday due to their Friday lunch time demand.  Resignation.

So Saturday night after a quick scour of the web pages we came across Bimi  Well it had good reviews and we managed to get ourselves a table at the last minute (good thing? we just accept it was a cancellation!) and so off we headed.  

First up was the annoyance that Hello Kitty really is taking over the Universe. 

Although having tried the Lychee Daiquiri (which was more ice than anything else and in a whisky tumbler so three sucks of the straw and it's done) I went for the Hello Kitty.  Well I had to.  Just for Emily.  Again, I wanted the ice to melt so I could get my money's worth but one turn of my back and the waitress had taken it.  Quite surprisingly because everything else on Saturday was incredibly slow.  We got there for 7.15 and didn't leave until 11pm!

We opted for the set menu and figured one of us would go for the sushi option, the other would go for the tempura option.

We decided to try the meat too.  Well Johan did.  I didn't fancy it.  But first up the measly portion of edamame and sake ...

Patrik could have got through those in less than three minutes (not the saki I hasten to add!).

Next up the meat dish and I am so glad I didn't go for it.  Whilst it is supposedly very traditional and people have raved about it, it just did not look nice.  They bring these pots to the table, which are sitting over a gas ring (health & safety will love it!) and the gas canister is attached too.  All very attractive.  The idea is you put the fresh produce (cabbage, mushrooms of sorts, tofu, and a few other bits as well as the all important meat) and wait for it to cook.

Well quite frankly, I don't even like the idea of paying to cook my own food either.  Just doesn't seem right to me.  Saying that my Tempura was lacking.  My tastebuds were reminiscing the prawn tempura from Roka and these vegetables and fish tempura at Bimi were, well, too crunchy with the batter just ... boring.  I'm sorry Bimi but it wasn't the best.  Not dreadful, far from it but just too heavy.

So time for dessert and it was green tea ice cream for me.

But what were those kidney bean things on top?  I've got to say, whilst I love green tea ice cream, those red things were not pleasant.  And then it was time to get a taxi ...

Now we're in a quandary ... which Japanese restaurant to try next?  We're desperate!

Sunday lunch with Tequila

Now I didn't think I'd experience a Mexican lunch not far from home, and in a child friendly environment, whilst living here.  I mean whilst Canary Wharf is not close to the border of Mexico it has a few years ago welcomed a number of decent Mexican restaurants.  There's nothing like that in or near Thalwil.  But then, I never envisaged being part of a Come Dine With Me experience that would take the three of us, and our families, metaphorically around the world tasting different cuisines.

It's quite difficult at the best of times organising events involving children and husbands and more so at weekends when there's family holidays and events to also attend.  But all three of us have done one lunch date so far.  Mine was the New Zealand lunch, followed by Helen's Indonesian and Sunday was Jennifer's 'Free' day where she opted for a Meat-free Mexican themed lunch.  It was great.  So before I continue here's my really bad joke:

Why did the Mexican throw his wife off a cliff?

Tequilla

Yes, well, moving on swiftly ....

Jennifer had prepared a number of delicious looking dips, perfect for someone like me who likes to pick or rather graze through the day.

Seven layer dip and home made Guacamole 

There was also a delicious salsa with full on piccante flavour.   And then there was the Tequila ...

There was no way in this universe that I could have even smelt this stuff let alone knocked a shot of it back.  Long gone are those days.  (Did I actually do this?!?)  At this point I took the car keys and let Johan have my share.  Phew.  Meanwhile you would've thought the kids had drunk the stuff because they, like kids do, had completely destroyed what was a tidy playroom leaving us wondering where the carpet had gone.  They were having fun.

Time to eat.  The kids enjoyed their mini pizzas and rice whilst we had an array of fajita making equipment laid out in front of us, all bar the meat of course.  Roasted peppers, cheese, courgettes and mushrooms, you name it.  I was stuffed.  This whole cooking themed lunch thing is such a fun thing to do with a couple of friends.  

Then dessert ... Margarita cupcakes, which are the first ever cakes to make me feel warm inside as I was eating them.  You know that feeling when you've drunk a liquor perhaps a little too quickly.... well I got that from those cupcakes!  Johan, and the kids, were in heaven with mexican hat and boot shaped churros coated in cinnamon.  Actually I found a quiet moment and ate three in succession.   Then the most colourful cookies were presented to the kids ...

Not only were this biscuits seriously fun in their colour (and I don't want to think about how much time they took to make) but inside each of the larger biscuits was a clever little space full of smarties.  The kids loved them.

If it couldn't get any better out came the piñata and you can imagine the excitement ...

The kids had fun and so did we.  The only downside to the whole lunch is that I've now got to follow it with a Caribbean lunch, which will take place in a few weeks time.  Argh!  Better get searching from some ideas ... if you know of any please let me know!

And that just leaves me to say to those of you who need to eat meat:  You really don't actually need to eat meat to have a great lunch...

Ceramic painting party in Dubendorf

It's been ages since I was last at a ceramic painting party ... actually my good friend Linda's hen do in San Francisco (well one of them - the other one that I organised was in Vegas where we even saw Tom Jones sing his thing!)  It's such a great way to spend a few hours and for me it couldn't be more perfect - girly chat and creativity, or as I constantly tell my children 'construction and not destruction'.  Anyhow, this time it wasn't my party and I wasn't even the invited one.  Instead Emily was the lucky girly being invited along by one of her friends from her English reading and writing class.  I was simply tagging along although not complaining and was rather excited to say the least.

Dubendorf is on the other side of the lake to us so it meant either driving or taking plenty of transport options to get there.  I was quite prepared to do the latter until not only did the weather report look ropey but I could hear the heavens open as soon as I woke.  Fat chance I was walking the final leg of the journey, which would have been just under 1km and with Emily too. As for driving, well the thought of driving through the quagmire that is central Zurich and all of the road words and I was so not keen.  The roads closer to the centre are rather like driving around the Aldgate one way system on a bad day with a few tram lines thrown in, not to mention road signs that you haven't seen before, and this right hand rule that I still feel really uncomfortable about.  So, after a few 'Snälla Johan' requests from both me and from Emily Johan offered to drive us there.  Yippee!  After all, Patrik could get to play too.

What we didn't realise, and this is another reason I do not like driving here, is that as we turned right as per the SatNav suggestion we noticed a whole bundle of road works and a few signs but thought nothing of it other than ... well ... that they were roadworks.  One mile down the road and the road was closed.  Just like that.  So what now?  Another reason why SatNavs drive me mad ... the machine was adamant that we could drive along what was no more.  'Please turn around as soon as possible'.  Well actually no!  Does anyone else find themselves talking to a SatNav, even when they're not the person driving?  This closed road resulted in us going round in circles and what we realised was that the signs on that first turning near the first set of roadworks were basically telling us the road was closed.  Well we didn't know that, although we do now.

Dubendorf is reached via plenty of countryside, loads of green and tall tree lined roads.  We didn't feel as though we were in Switzerland and actually it was rather more reminiscent of parts of England - Dorset, Somerset, ... actually anywhere with tree lined windy roads.  The village is small and makes Thalwil look like a metropolis.  Basically it's a roundabout with shops.  However Fireworks (or fuurwarch Keramik) can be found nestled across the road from the Spar shop (which Johan told me was the only shop he's even been in to that doesn't sell crisps) and next to a little cafe, well actually it shares the same door.

The room is sizeable and as you would expect, is lined with tons of ceramics waiting to be painted.  You can select anything from a plate or cup to a money box or napkin rings.  We were obviously a little late due to our road sign misunderstanding so got to work straight away.

The idea is that you choose some colours (apparently they have more than 40 of them) and a few brushes.  Because the kids were young, the woman who was running the session suggested the kids pour a little paint into the paint pot lids and rather than rinse the brush in-between, just use a different brush for each colour.  Well I learnt that afterward so got a little told off.  Whoops.

Johan and Patrik sat in the adjacent cafe whilst Emily got creative.  I'm a Taurean so I know the phrase 'like a Bull in a China Shop' but trust me, it wasn't a safe place for someone like Patrik to roam free around.  They joined us later as we were enjoying the food and went straight to paint their own plate.  I was very impressed with the creativity.

Aside from the birthday party group, the place was relatively quiet with a few people popping in throughout the course of us being there, to paint a few bits.  It's large enough so that painting can be done on one side and a birthday cake and birthday food can be eaten at another table over on the other end.   There's a loo downstairs, a sink upstairs for washing off the first attempt of paint and of course there's the bonus of the cafe right next to the painting area.  There's supposed to be a play area for kids too, but I didn't see that.

Either way, it was good and all I wanted to do was basically get stuck in and get messy myself.  But Emily wouldn't let me.  So it seems as though I need to organise a Saturday lunchtime there for my friends and I and then, without the kids we could enjoy a lovely coffee in wonderfully painted ceramic mugs next door.  Well what more would you expect?

The only downside, for us, is that you do have to go back after a week when the ceramics have been 'glazed' and 'fired' to pick them up.  You pay after you've painted.  It's quite easy to get carried away and paint a whole tea service however you will have to go back and get it all.  It's quite some distance.  Thankfully, we're lucky enough in that the party girl's mum is picking up most of the stuff and we'll get ours on our next English reading and writing session.

Anyhow, here's their opening hours (although check their website because, like this coming week, they close for certain holiday days):

Monday 11:00am – 6:30pm
Tuesday 11:00am – 6:30pmWednesday 11:00am – 9:00pm
Thursday 9:00am – 6:30pm
Fryday 11:00am – 6:30pm
Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pmOr book our studio for a paint-party with your own group during our non-regular opening hours. For groups of minimally eight people.

How things change

It's been an interesting week and even now I still can't see my desk for paperwork.  I've got tons of things to upload to sell - the kids seem to outgrow their clothes within days of me buying them.  Then there's the Girly Gang and the cookery courses and now I'm even in the throws of trying to sort out a wine tasting evening here.  Plus I've been working on getting organised; getting my websites an associated Twitter account and making sure the emails are all working properly.  I'm reading and researching and doing some plans.  I'm also keen to sort out what we're doing over the coming months.  That part is all uncertain.  Of course I've also had my German lesson, the first in two weeks, and of course have been on Mummy duty and chef duty.

My German tutor has changed her tact with me now and instead of going through the language in text book fashion, she asks me a question and then I can't stop.  Well actually due to my lack of German I can't really properly start but I try my hardest and find that I'm learning so much more vocabulary this way, and relevant words too.  However one of our conversations in last week's lesson led me to relay what I'd discovered about Thalwil that I now really like, and what I'm not too keen on when thinking about London.  How things change.  Well it has been almost two years.  Anyhow, here's my very short list (in English!):

- Whilst I love to sit and grab a coffee and know that Canary Wharf is abundant with places, I can't actually recall a place where I could possibly sit where it is quiet and where I don't see a sea of suits rushing past.  Here all the cafes are quiet.  When living at Canary Wharf I would enjoy Cafe Brera but only of a weekend and even then it is getting noisier year after year as the area becomes more popular.  My favourite branch was that at Canary Riverside, where on a sunny day you could sit outside and look out to the river and have the tranquil feel from the waters edge yet still know you're not isolated.  However every now and then, depending upon what staff member was working, you'd get this serious house music which is not conducive to concentrating and getting stuff done.  So, yep, Thalwil enables me thinking time - perhaps too much though!

- Knowing that there are currently five buildings within London which are housing missile launchers on their roofs in preparation for the Olympics security operation.  What a scary world to live in!  I have no fears of terrorism whilst living here; not in sleepy Thalwil anyway.

- Political correctness - with the amount of screaming tantrums our kids have sometimes, especially when they wind each other up, I'm sure Johan and I would have been contacted by the Social Services by now! Whilst I really appreciate the well meaning behind the department I can't stand that the lives kids live now in England is very different from what it was when I was a kid (all those years ago).  I mean, I just take photographs wherever I go and when I first moved here I used to ask if it was okay.  Instead of being told off for even carrying a camera, I'd be thought of as a fool.  I mean why would anybody NOT want to take a photograph of their child growing up whether they be in a swimming pool, bath, park or dance competition?

- Health & Safety - whilst I hate the thought of either of my children hurting themselves there is the old school approach to kids living life here.  I mean, it didn't hurt my generation (well not all of us!) and we had fun and learnt so much too.  This point was made clear when somebody posted something on the yahoo group last week expressing her disappointment that her daughter's school hadn't behaved appropriately after her daughter had to have stitches after she ran in the corridor.  The mother seemed to overlook the fact that her daughter didn't actually do as the school rules implied and instead chose to run instead.  Naturally the mum was upset yet believed the school shouldn't have a corridor that could lead to a child hurting themselves to much.   It reminded me of the blame culture that is inherent in England (more so in the States I'm sure).   The whole health & safety is messed up in England.  There's far too much cotton wool.  Kids can't do anything and if they do, somebody else gets blamed.  And people wonder why there's a generation of individuals who can't do things for themselves, who blame others and who basically don't take responsibility and have no idea about 'reality' when all they do is ironically watch reality TV.  Saying all that, I am still a little nervous (to say the least) when I see steep drops and no railings and the like ...

This is a great blog posting I Survived - The Wisdom Journal

But saying all that, I still love England, London, and most of all Canary Wharf.  Actually I've just booked flights for our next trip back!

Birchermuesli and other things

My third cookery class at Restaurant Gleis 1 in Thalwil took place earlier this week and this time I received the menus beforehand.  So whilst there were no surprises regarding what we were going to cook there were still tons of new things to learn.

I'm really enjoying organising these classes - not only is it a fun and useful evening out for me and a good chance to have a natter with a bunch of other ladies, it's great to see friendships being made.  And the world is such a small place, there's always the odd coincidence of people being neighbours without even knowing.  It's happened to me twice in the past and it happened at this week's cookery class.  It's great.  Having good neighbours is a valuable asset.

So, first up for us budding chefs after drinking our welcome Prosecco and donning our apron, was to prepare the birchermüesli, something I've certainly never made before.

At first glance you'd think you were simply creating your own muesli - even that is recommended, instead of buying the shop bought stuff (it's not only healthier, you know what's in it, and it's cheaper).  As well as small raisins, sultanas, rolled oats, ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, coconut, you need some sugar and some cornflakes as well as some sliced bananas.

Next up are the apples which need to be peeled and grated.

At this point some of us took to preparing the dessert - the strawberry mouse.  Wow that was smelling good and that was just the strawberries being cleaned and trimmed.

Then the fun started.

The Kirsch was added to the strawberries for them to soak. We also put a couple of gelatine sheets in water to soak.  I'm so used to using wonderful jelly cubes that the gelatine layers scare me.

But wow, those strawberries really did smell good.  Whilst they were soaking, the other team were adding the grated apples, plus yoghurt to the muesli mix.

That was put in the fridge and the idea - to leave it overnight as we were to eat the birchermuesli that Rolf had made the previous night.  Well actually we were going to take it home as it's really a breakfast dish.

Then we started to cook up the main course, which to me is a Swiss version of Pasta Bolognese but I'm assured it's nothing like it at all.  For starters, you serve it with apple slices.

The tip with this sauce is to put the meat in first and not the garlic and onion as you might think, and wait until it is really browned until you start you adding the rest of the ingredients (aside the herbs because they go in last).

Plus it was confirmed that slicing tomatoes is not only time wasting but actually doesn't add any real benefit so crushed tomatoes are the perfect answer together with puree, and plenty of it.

It is then necessary to leave the sauce cooking for at least an hour to really allow the flavour to permeate.

It smelt amazing.  I was so hungry!

So whilst this was cooking up, we headed to our tables for a little salad and a chat, and of course a glass of vino before heading back in the kitchen to see the herbs being added but even better to see the herb mix being created.  You see, there's a seasoning called Aromat here, which is produced in Switzerland under the name of Knorr and it is just so popular.  However apparently it isn't necessary.

We learnt that simply by getting a large air tight container and a number of spices, together with salt and pepper, you can create your own.

Mind you, there's quite a lot of salt (the white bit below).

There's tons of salt in food here in Switzerland so I wasn't so surprised about this.  However, it is also a reality check as to exactly how much hidden salt there is in the everyday seasonings that we buy from the shops.  

The idea is that once you've got all the spices together in the container, you let the salt soak up the full flavour and colour and it's quite surprising how the mixture changes colour.  Here was the finished colour having been in a container for a week.

With a few herbs being thrown in to the pot whilst the pasta was cooking up, there was just enough time for us to head back to our tables for yet more wine and chat and of course to eat our main course - Sauce Bolognese.

It went down a treat.  Interesting to have the apples on the side.

Then back to the kitchen again (phew, all this hard work!) to finish off the strawberry mousse.  When the cellophane was lifted off the kirsch soaked strawberries the smell was amazing.  But we had yet more work to do.  The strawberries had to be pushed through a sieve and then a lemon was squeezed above the same sieve.  Why you might ask?  Well to catch the pips of course.

The gelatine that had been soaking was taken out and was added to the mix.  So too was a heap of natural yoghurt.

Similar to the seasoning mix, the mousse was put in the fridge.  We got to eat the mousse that was prepared the day previously.  You're supposed to leave it in the fridge overnight you see.  I'm not complaining and I'm also apologising now for no finished item photograph.  It was actually so delicious that I ate it without even thinking.  But I can say that we did have fun in the presentation of it.  We learnt how to scoop out the mousse elegantly using a warm dessert spoon.

The idea is that you get a container full of hot water and a large spoon.  Once the spoon is hot, you use it tilting it downward and toward you and gradually scoop out the mix.

When you've taken a sizeable amount that just more than fills the spoon you have to very quickly (and this is the key bit that we all had a giggle over) get it from container to presentation bowl without it flopping, slopping and/or dropping.  We all had a go at this and mine was dismal and rather embarrassing.  Worryingly it was the smallest 'dollop' out of all the mousse bowls.  It's one of those procedures that looks just so much more easier than when you attempt it yourself.  Finish it off with a lovely squirt of whipped cream.

So after that delicious dessert, it was time to head home but not after agreeing another cookery class date.  Next time we'll be making pesto sauce from scratch along with a number of other things.  I'll also be organising a wine tasting evening where we'll be inviting the husbands along too, but that won't be for a few months yet.

But last but not least before we headed home, we took our packaged up Birchermuesli so as to give it to the kids for breakfast the next morning, which I certainly did (as well as having a little bit myself!)

Gothenburg is not just about Volvo

Well of course we were going to book both flights and hotel within minutes after being offered three days and nights of babysitting for us to enjoy the local spa to take time out together and relax.  First up was getting the kids prepared for spending time without us.  Well that didn't take long.  For as soon as we told them they were going to spend three days without us and be with Farfar and Louise and the hands went up in the air and the cheering started.  Great!

Sankt Jorgen Park Resort as per their website, really is a modern country club with getaway golf and what they state is Sweden's premier Spa, certainly award winning - based in wonderful Gothenburg.  By the way, for those of you who are unaware there is a East/West divide in Sweden so as my husband is from Stockholm I have to whisper when I say I really like the other side!

When asked whether we wanted to hire a car in case we wanted to venture outside the resort we knew it would be pointless.  For we had absolutely nothing on our agenda other than ... well ... absolutely nothing.  Saying that, after arriving at lunchtime and having had a very healthy and quite delicious salad at their Greenhouse golf restaurant, we headed indoors to the golf academy.

I've been told I've got a natural talent having managed to score an average of 3 over par which apparently means I have a handicap of 54 and for the first time playing on a proper course and to get that is supposedly not bad (if that makes any sense - it doesn't make sense to me).  Now, naturally the pressure is on me to perform and especially so on a simulated golf course using this high tech Trackman that is used in the Park Golf Academy.

My thoughts are that golf has to be approached with both a mathematical mind (i.e. wind v distance v club v angle club hits the ball v all the other variables) and a with the belief that you're playing snooker or darts (i.e. snooker - ball goes in to pocket and darts - dart hits bullseye).  Easy peasy.  But seriously, I'm pretty terrible to say the least, take a while to warm to it, especially if I haven't played it for a while and also I'm blaming my high heeled sandals for last week's lack of performance (although it did really help when I leant backwards as if I were sitting, to simulate me wearing flat golfing shoes).  But I do appreciate it being highly addictive.  I mean if Angry Birds can be addictive, wanting to improve ones golf swing, etc. certainly is.  The only downside you have to go find your golf balls (unless of course you're fortunate enough to be able to employ someone to do that for you).  Either way, it was fun and a good introduction back in to the game; if you've left it for a while like I had.  The set up in the Golf Academy at Sankt Jorgen is ample to allow a number of groups to simultaneously play making it perfect for a corporate event and is also great for a couple to have a giggle together like we did.

So did we go on to play a round of golf on the course?  What the heck of course we didn't.  I'd booked myself in for some treatments, cheaper of course than in Switzerland, and I couldn't wait until my London trip.  Plus as part of our stay we had a spa ritual included.   We were so looking forward to relaxing ... sorry ... collapsing and headed to our room to do so.  The first things I always do:  check view from window and check out bathroom and the products.  Our standard 'Golf View' room was ample although the golf view was looking over the practice course so a little misleading ...

However the room had everything one would need apart from ... no bath!  No bath in the room at a so-called spa resort?  Well there wasn't one in ours.  That was strange.  But then we found the mini fridge (yes we did want to collapse whilst stuffing our face with goodies from the fridge) and to our horror ...

I couldn't help but question the environmental impact of each room in the hotel running a mini fridge for just two bottles of water.  I find it worrying/amusing that a hotel, which puts a note about their concern for the environment in the room, would waste energy on a pretty much empty fridge.  Bottom line for us - no goodies.

Then we learn there's no room service either having scurried around searching for a menu to order in some nibbles.  We later learnt that the hotel can provide it but at the equivalent to £20 per pop, leading us to sneakily walking past the healthy spa goers and golfers to buy up half the reception desk chocolate stock.  So I "kind of" (i.e. don't want to admit it) understand why in such a place they only offer water in their fridge, keep their goodies behind the reception desk and don't offer room service.  If you're healthy or want to be healthy you'll love this hotel.  It's right up your street.  This also became more apparent over the course of our three day stay.

The building is relatively new and an architectural delight.  There's a variety of art adorning the walls, which themselves are stunningly high especially from within the central ground floor Bula Bar.  It's far from flamboyant and instead cleverly done with many unique eye catching pieces in the typical Scandi style that only the Swedes can achieve, and most would excite any budding interior designer.

As for the food, we ate first in the Bula bar relaxing with a decent sized strawberry mohijto.  I loved the platter so much I had it the next day for lunch.

 Breakfast was impressive and extensive although depressingly from 7.30-9.30 midweek with an hour reprieve of a weekend.  But 9.30?  We were pretty horrified to note that upon arrival.  I was beginning to think it more a training camp especially when I went to get a camomile tea to take up to my room.

But it was good.

We had two evenings where we enjoyed the hotel's three-course set menu from within their Garden Cafe, which is not like a garden cafe at all and rather like a very stylish restaurant.  The only downside - only two food options so if you stay at the hotel and eat in the restaurant for more than two days you could get a little bored.

We tried out Jos bar (I was to learn that the word Juice in Sweden had over time morphed into a slang version of it and hence the name Jos).  You could buy all the products used throughout the treatments:  Dermalogica, OPI, and Park Spa's own P.S. as well as a few more.  The food was all raw food.  Even the chocolate cake was made from ground nuts.  It was delicious.  My body was fast becoming a temple.

One thing I really liked were the little touches post treatment.  I know it's so important to drink water after a therapy, especially a massage, for so many reasons.  However at Park Spa you are also given a little bowl with the most delicious Chinese plum and dried ginger slice.  You could buy those too!  Saying that, by day three I was getting a little fatigued with nuts and pulses.

The treatments, those that I had, were great.  The body scrub, where you lay in a sort of bath wrapped in towels and have this body length of shower drip warm soothing water on you throughout the treatment, is unbelievable and you have to try it if you go to to this spa.  It is by far the best treatment I have ever had, and I've had quite a few.  It was heavenly and I can't recommend it enough.

You walk from the rooms to the spa reception through a corridor lined with windows - to one side darkened and through the glass you can just about make out the hydrotherapy pool inside; the other side you can see clearly the outside pool.  Each time we'd walk past we couldn't help but worry about the sanity of those in the outside pool because not only was it cold outside, these people looked freezing or looked like they were pretending not to look freezing.

On our last day we had the Spa Ritual - a three hour long ... well ... spa ritual.  You get to choose a basket of goodies (not the edible kind but the smelly kind): relax, purify, or energise.  Johan opted to relax, and having eaten so much raw food I figured I'd go the whole hog and chose to purify.

The difficulty is that the bullet pointed list of instructions - what treatment to use in which part of the spa - was in Swedish.  Whilst I understood some there was plenty I didn't and with us having chosen different packages it meant I had to continuously ask Johan for translations, and remember it all!   Saying that mid-way through the ritual Johan had gone in to the Quiet Room - a wonderfully relaxing place with zero sound where you get to lay on a waterbed and either sleep or watch the coal fire strategically placed in the centre and the front.  I had forgotten what I had to do and so crept in thinking he was at the first bed to the right just as you walk in the room.  With spa ritual goodie box in hand I crooked my head around the door and whispered "what do I do next?" then realised that actually instead of Johan staring up at me a lad young was looking wide eyed and quite scared at me.  Quite embarrassed I had to do a quick scan of the room before locating Johan.

Other than that it was fine and I recommend doing the ritual on your own.  There were groups of girls and a few couples wandering around in packs chatting and therefore not getting quality time alone and real relaxation time.

The first room we both had to go to was one where you sit on moulded stone seats listening to water sounds and watching a nature video.  Naughty me sneaked a photograph ...

It's all very lovely but seriously Sweden is a beautiful country and I couldn't help but wonder how many of the people that pay to sit and enjoy that room have the real thing on their doorstep?  A reality check that we all need to take time out, even if it is raining, to go for a walk among nature.  It's wonderful - and free!

Amusingly it transpired that as part of me purifying myself I had to go in to that outdoor pool.  Of course Johan stood up and had to watch me throughout whilst smiling.  However I was mightily impressed.  It was thoroughly enjoyable and even better given I'd just rubbed ice all over myself having come out of a sauna.  Plus I had the whole pool to myself.  But the highlight, the pièce de résistance was upstairs - it wasn't on my list of things to do but I was being nosy.

The beds sway from side to side and there are earphones on each one to allow you to listen to the ambient music directly without any interference.  It couldn't have got any better.  It was a great end to our list of treatments and to the end of our stay.  We really enjoyed ourselves; felt healthier, relaxed albeit were quite tired from doing nothing ... Gothenburg - Sweden's second largest city - has a great many golf courses, the impressive Chalmers University of Technology, tons of beautiful landscape including the archipelago and various large parks including 13 hectares at Kungsparken, and of course the humungous Volvo factory amongst other things, and it also has a country club that is definitely worth taking a trip to in order to spend time enjoying the golf and their impressive spa.

Launching the pirate ship

One of the things I've missed about London life as a Mum living in Thalwil is being able to watch Emily and Patrik get involved in school events, like those I enjoyed as a child.  There's the Christmas play, the Easter bonnet parade, school sports day, and the charity events and awareness days.  However it's not like there aren't any festivities here, they're just different and sometimes completely impromptu and sometimes that's just real fun.  The one thing they do really well here is include the families in the activities and the parents, especially us mums, are pretty much expected to bake or make whatever is needed.

Last week was pirate week at Emily's nursery and she got to dress up as a pirate, go on a pirate hunt, welcome another school into her schoolyard for more pirate play and as well as taking a pirate trip to the wildlife park, on the Friday they launched the pirate ship.

Unbelievably one of the new teachers has, over the course of the last week, built a wooden pirate ship.  It is truly impressive and cost just over 500CHF to build including screws and wood. I've seen it take shape each day as I pick up Emily.  So on Friday they had a pirate party, invited all the parents and used it as an excuse to launch the ship.

I'd promised to make some cupcakes the day prior and had my days schedule in my head figuring I'd get the baking done in the morning to do the icing in the afternoon.  However having got on the bus this morning, because we were running late, Patrik decided to throw a tantrum because he ... because he couldn't hold on to the back of the chair.  Don't ask.  So whilst I was trying to stop his roaring shouts that have everyone including the bus driver looking at me and giving me the 'You bad mother' stare, I'd forgotten to press the button and went sailing past the stop for Emily's nursery.  That meant taking Patrik first.  The downsides: Emily has to be in nursery 15 minutes earlier so she was going to be late, the food shops are near Patrik's nursery but with the need to take Emily straight to her nursery there was no chance, due to bus timetables there was a lot of walking to do.  Panic was setting in and I knew I couldn't let Emily down, nor her nursery.

Amazingly for the first time in a fortnight he didn't cling to me like a Koala bear and with his new found confidence left Emily and I able to run for the bus back toward her nursery.  We made it with two seconds to spare.  However that still meant I had to get home and having been to the physio the day prior, my leg was really in no fit state to walk the route back.  Amazingly having dropped Emily off I got to the bus stop with two minutes spare which meant I could head in to Thalwil's high street first and I needed caffeine.  I also needed to shop.  However after the breakfast where I used the time to write up some notes, I was in no mood to shop and headed home, still on course to get the baking done before the Skype chat.  However what I hadn't bargained for was that the box of eggs in the fridge was indeed empty.  So no cake baking.  Oh how I miss having convenient shops conveniently positioned within a minute from the front door.

But whilst I was having my Skype chat I was making up the pirate flags that I'd found from the website.  After all time was not on my side.  Simply Swanky is a great website and offers a whole heap of free downloadable things including these pirate flags.

Amazingly after my lunch I did the daily shop and headed home to bake the cakes.  For 12 cupcakes (and if you want 24 just double it - easy as that):

150g self raising flour
150g caster sugar
150g butter or margarine
3 eggs

Such an easy recipe and best of all there's no messing about and you literally throw all the ingredients in the bowl together.  Then whisk.  Easy as that.  A level tablespoon in each paper case will make medium sized cupcakes.  Pop them in the oven at 190c (180c fan) for 15 minutes.  As you've taken the tray out of the oven, take the cases out of the tray and place on a rack to cool.

As my first lot were cooling I had the second lot ready to pop in to the empty tray and in to the oven.

By the time the second lot were out I had my icing ready.  Easy icing is literally icing sugar and a bit of water.  Just dribble the water in slowly and stir using a spatula.  You'll know when it's the right consistency when it's not at all runny, and instead nice and think but not too thick that you can no longer stir the icing.

And here's the finished batch.

Not perfect but then considering I'd made and iced 24 in just under an hour I don't think they're at all bad. So that allowed me enough time to gather bits together and go get the twice hourly bus, walking so carefully as to not do a Bridget Jones trip.  Thankfully I didn't and within twenty minutes of arriving and laying out the cakes ...

Just four were left. Conclusion: my easy to bake cupcakes got the kids approval.

But on to the boat.  It was great.  The kids put on their painting jackets and all set to work at giving it some colour.  At this point the owner of the nursery, and leaseholder, was getting nervous about the colour concoction.  The kids thought it looked fine and anyhow they were having a great time.  But you know, these Swiss do like to look out of their window and complain about the slightest thing (not all of them) so I could understand her concern about the paint job.

Us parents all chatted together whilst the kids got themselves messy, the floor messy and the boat messy.  It only seemed appropriate when the builder of the boat ushered the kids away for a bit and climbed up on to the boat himself, complete with bottle.

Then after spraying the kids with champagne naming the ship 'Zelda' to which us parents were amused to hear the cries of 'yuck' (they'll be changing their tune in ten or so years) everybody got to enjoy the finished thing.

The contented smile on Emily's face says it all.

Yo-ho-ho ...