GstaadLife

You've just spent millions buying land, building your dream holiday chalet, and decorating it to your heart's desire. Then the local authorities where you built the property tell you that you have to rent it out 50 weeks a year. Sounds mad? This is just one of the hare-brained schemes currently under consideration by the commune of Rougemont, which is suffering from the fact that "cold beds" in vacation homes represent more than 60% of the village's housing.

From August 1 through August 6, the Wasserngrat chairlift and restaurant is open daily from 11h30 until 16h30. On August 1, there will be a traditional menu served, with chairlift departures between 18h30 and 19h30. And on August 5, there will be a Sunset Dinner, with chairlift departures between 19h00 and 19h30. Reservations are required for evening events by calling 033 744 96 22 or emailing info@wasserngrat.ch. We look forward to welcoming you.

Nik and Simon Buchs

On July 21, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad began again. But this year is not like any other year as 2006 marks the Golden Jubilee for the festival. With this year’s festival being the 50th since it was founded by Lord Yehudi Menuhin in 1957, Swiss television has produced a 50-minute documentary entitled ‘Menuhin – the Swiss Years’ (to be broadcast on August 20 at 23h00 on SF1 and later on TSR and TSI). There is also a bilingual German and English book about the history of the festival entitled ‘Gstaad and the Menuhins’. In an interview with GstaadLife, Christoph Müller, artistic director of the festival since 2002, stated...

'Gstaad and the Menuhins'

Over seven years have gone by since the sudden passing of Yehudi Menuhin on March 12 1999 in Berlin. But through the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, people in Saanenland are still able to experience the extensive works of their honorary citizen, his empathy as a humanitarian and philanthropist, and the intellect of this cosmopolitan philosopher. ‘Gstaad and the Menuhins’ is not just another Menuhin biography, but rather the fascinating tale of how one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century came to settle almost unrecognized in Gstaad, and how he went on to dramatically influence this region over 45 years of his life. The fascinating tale of the festival is brought to life with an extensive selection of old pictures and till now unpublished documents.  In this book many people -- some important and some less so -- recount their personal memories of Yehudi Menuhin and his family, the time of their stays in Gstaad since 1954, as well as precious and unforgettable encounters with him and his grand musical interpretations over the course of 50 festival summers.

'Gstaad and the Menuhins' is available now at the Menuhin Festival online shop or at Cardonau on the Promenade, priced SFr 65. The book is published in German and English side-by-side, and is well worth picking up if you are even slightly interested in this great contributor to mankind.

GstaadLife has some sad news for those of you who enjoy stopping into the Hermès shop on the Promenade, not only to see the newest collections, but to have a chat with the owner, Maya. Unfortunately, Maya will no longer be running Hermès. You may have noticed that the shop is closed at the moment and when it re-opens it will not only have an all-new look, but a brand new owner as well. As Maya and her husband Karl Krogstad have been involved with Hermès Gstaad since 1981, GstaadLife took the opportunity to interview Maya about this change.

As Gstaad swelters in the heat of a summer to rival that of 2003, area swimming pools report up to 20% increase in revenues. The pools in Saanen and at the Gstaad Palace (as they like to call themselves now) both have results that better the same period in the record year of 2003.  For next summer the Palace plans to renew its pool bar, and while they both promote themselves as family venues, Saanen still has much more to do for the kids (as well as more kids for your kids to play with). The Palace however appeals since it is better set up for real lap swimmers or those looking for a more exclusive feel (many people don't even realize it's a public facility).

The Gemeinde has noticed that more and more people are privately washing their cars in their driveways. This is prohibited by law. Article 18 of Abwasserreglemente Saanen states that people may only wash their cars at places where car washing is allowed, since washing one's car in a driveway causes unnecessary pollution of the sewer. Hmmm, with no automatic carwash in Gstaad or Saanen and no carwashing at home, it looks like dirty cars or hand-operated jetwash for all.  OK personal tip coming... there's an automatic carwash at the Volvo dealership in Zweisimmen -- coin or pass-key operated, very high quality wash, and fits a Range Rover without wet brush streaks when driving out after the drying cycle. There...the secret's out...which means long waits...oh well, all in service of Saanenland!

Full service car wash in Gstaad

With that oh-so-convenient car wash between Gstaad and Saanen now reduced to a pile of rubble, where to wash your car (without ruining those new suede Tods)? Individual service, hot wax, and interior cleaning if needed; the perfect car wash service awaits you at the Rütti-Garage Gstaad (the Esso service station and Audi/VW dealer on the right as you leave Gstaad on the way to Gsteig/Col du Pillon).  As the capacity at this specialty carwash is limited, you are advised to go early in the morning to keep your waiting time to a minimum. Opening hours are Monday through Friday 07h30 to 12h00 and 13h30 to 18h00, Saturday 08h00 to 12h00. Call ahead on 033 748 74 74.

'GstaadLife recommends...' will appear regularly on this website. If you have something you would like to recommend, let us know about it in an email to editor@gstaadlife.com. Be sure to include details and pictures!

On July 25, The Anzieger von Saanen carried a cover story (German only) about new plans for attractions on Glacier 3000. According to Marcel Bach, one of three principal shareholders in Gstaad 3000 AG (the company that took over operations for the glacier earlier this year), it is no longer enough to entice people up to glacier just for the view. So the new plans are focused on groups and attractions, and most notably feature what will be the world's highest altitude toboggan run, a 935 meter white-knuckle ride from the Botta restaurant down to the chairlift at Sex Rouge.

Taki Theodoracopulos, better known as Taki, is a journalist and writer, living in Gstaad, London, and New York. His column ‘High Life’ has appeared in The Spectator for the past 25 years, and he has also written for National Review, the London Sunday Times, Esquire, Vanity Fair, the New York Press, and Quest Magazine, among others. In 2002 Taki founded The American Conservative magazine with Pat Buchanan and Scott McConnell. He is also publisher of the British magazine Right Now! and has been writing for GstaadLife since its first season in 2003.

I find it hard to write about high life in Gstaad with the Middle East going up in flames. But I find it even harder to accept the fat cats in St Petersburg horsing around  in the Konstantinovksy Palace while innocent civilians are being targeted by both sides in Lebanon and Israel.  By speaking near an open microphone, Bush gave us an inkling how the big boys think. (Cynically and with a closed mind.) “I feel like telling Kofi to get on the phone with Assad and make something happen… See, the irony is what they need to do is get Syria to get Hizbollah to stop doing this shit,” says the retard Bush to his poodle Blair.