GstaadLife

December 15 marks the opening of Hotel des Alpes, Saanenmöser’s newest hotel. Located on the main road, this hotel is slated to be an 11-room bed and breakfast. Bruno Kernen, of Hotel Kernen in Schönried, is managing the hotel.

As though he didn’t have enough to do. Bruno Kernen, the former ski racer and Schönried hotelier, must laugh. “On the one hand, it was the desire of the owner that I run the hotel,” Kernen said. “On the other, Saanenland has a large demand for warm beds and the 11 beautiful double rooms are a welcome addition to our 22-bed operation in Schönried.”The three-star hotel - which opens December 15 in Saanenmöser and for which architect Gottfried Hauswirth was responsible - will be a “Hotel Garni” or a bed and breakfast. In the mornings, guests will be greeted by a large breakfast buffet; the breakfast room will be enhanced with a comfortable lounge and bar, but there will be no restaurant. The possibility to book half-board nevertheless exists. Dinner can be taken at the Hotel Kernen in Schönried and a shuttle service is available for hotel guests.“The fact that a restaurant is missing is the main difference between this hotel and Hotel Kernen in Schönried,” Kernen said. “The style of the hotel will be similar. The interior will be made with a lot of wood work, and coziness is a priority.”

“The stars in the sky…”
Kernen’s philosophy remains: “Stars belong in the sky, and not on the hotel door.” The thing with stars is that although they are a categorization he can live with, they don’t really say something meaningful about the price to service performance ratio. And Kernen believes this is essential. “One is measured by it,” he said.One night in a double room at the Hotel des Alpes, depending on the season, costs between SFr 100 and SFr 230 per person. The hotel will only be open during high season for now. “First, we must see how it runs,” Kernen said. “It makes no sense when both houses are half full in the end.” The hotel is already well booked for Christmas and New Year. Now, it’s a waiting game. “We have not done much advertising,” Kernen said. The hotel website will be launched as of December 15.A big advantage the hotel has, is its proximity to the train station. It’s practically at the front door. “And one doesn’t have to say much regarding the ski area nearby,” Kernen said with a smile. The hotel offers awesome views to the west. Family Kernen invites all interested parties to the opening on December 15.

Translated and adapted from the Article by Christine Eisenbeis in AvS 15.11.11

Mr. Gareth Davies, new headmaster of the JFK International School.

The JFK International School, having enjoyed great success over the past 41 years of its existence under the direction of the Lovell family, is now in new hands. Having been purchased from the Lovells at the end of the summer, it has now been guided into the capable hands of the JFK Foundation whose commitment will ensure that it builds upon its good name, continues to develop and provides the best in education. I recently spoke with Mr Gareth Davies, the new headmaster.

Was it a big challenge to move from Singapore to Gstaad?
Coming to Gstaad is a dream come true. As former Head of the Elementary School at the United World College in Singapore, I worked with some very dedicated teachers, one of whom was married to a member of a Gstaad family, who still own a chalet here today. We spent time with them on vacation here, skiing and enjoying all that the Saanenland offers. We fell in love with the region then.

Which kind of school did you expect to find, and what about the legacy that Mr. Bill Lovell leaves behind?
At an international school directors’ conference, many years ago, I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Bill and during that time, learned a little about JFK and its history. I can remember very clearly thinking how wonderful a school he was describing and what a wonderful position he held. Roll on a few years and I find myself in this very special and responsible role. Preserving the strengths and moving the school carefully forward, are my tasks now. The family-feel is clearly a great strength!

What model of school will you adopt going forward?
I believe a school should be part of its community and that both should support one another. I believe that as a school, we should hold the highest expectations of our students and through doing so, encourage them to expect highly of themselves. Our school should provide every opportunity possible for our students, in order that they can discover something within themselves where they might enjoy success.  Kurt Hahn the German educator, famously said, “There is more in you than you think.”  It is our job to help youngsters to ensure that they discover what this talent is.

I have heard that JFK International School will make available some scholarships for local children from 2012. How many will you accept?
Nothing has been formally decided, but as the local community is held in high regard, the school will be looking to see how we can best serve the youngsters of the Saanenland. Scholarships will surely be considered.

Do you consider yourself as a strict headmaster? And if so, do you believe it’s a necessary quality to have disciplined students?
I would prefer to use the description “firm but fair”. Discipline is not only necessary, but essential. Students need to know exactly what is expected of them and to know that this is consistently required. For optimum learning to take place, the atmosphere of the classroom must enable and facilitate this. Boundaries must be known, to ensure that all are secure. Without doubt, the happiest classes are those where all members are clear of rules and consequences. It is no coincidence that these are the ones in which the best teaching and learning take place.

You have so far had a long career as headmaster.
This is my 21st year as a headmaster out of a career in teaching spanning 31 years! My time in Singapore started 15 years ago when I was asked to set up the first primary school of the United World College. This had originally been set up as a high school by Lord Mountbatten and Prince Charles. We opened our doors to 135 students between the ages of 9 and 11 years of age. The campus now has over 2’900 students from 4 - 18 years of age and is one of the most dynamic international schools in the world.

Are you going to add more grades?
From next September we are opening our doors to Year 10 students, that is, those who are 14 and 15 years of age.  We begin the IGCSE program with the Cambridge University Board as our examining body. This is a very positive move for the school and will enable our students to gain top qualifications whilst staying with us here in Saanen until they are 16 years old.

Are you in competition with the college “Le Rosey”?
We offer something very special and unique. We are small enough for every pupil to be known by every other person at the school. We are very much a family school and are happy to build on the wonderful work established by the Lovell family over the former 41 years. I look forward to working with Le Rosey and making professional and personal links.

What do you like about Saanenland? 
Everything so far! As a family, we discover something new each daywhich gives us something to be thankful for. I thank ‘the locals’ who have done so much already to make our family feel so much at home here. 

Good luck, Mr. Davies!

by Januaria Piromallo

Countries gradually removed gold and silver from their national monetary systems, and replaced them with paper, the result was inflation. The world probably and unfortunately will not return to the Gold Standard. But it can return to a world in which most of the world’s currencies are linked to several currencies, such as the Dollar, Euro and Yen, or possibly to a single Eurodollar currency. Whether these reserve currencies return to relative price stability, and can avoid the problems of the 21st century, remains uncertain, but it is a goal to aim for. I certainly do not believe that we, or the U.S. will be running into a hyperinflation, such as Germany, Hungary and Yugoslavia or recently Zimbabwe has experienced. However a slow steady inflation, which in difficult times increases in speed, is within a lifetime often destroying all your savings. And of course it is highly questionable, how for instance the U.S. will ever cover its trillions of obligations going forward. These obligations now exceed even by far a 100 % tax rate should it be imposed on the Americans.
Like gold, U.S. dollars have value only to the extent that they are strictly limited in supply. But the U.S. government has a technology, called a printing press (or today, its electronic equivalent), which allows it to produce as many U.S. dollars as it wishes at essentially no cost. By increasing the number of U.S. dollars in circulation, or even by credibly threatening to do so, the U.S. government can also reduce the value of a dollar in terms of goods and services, which is equivalent to raising the prices in dollars of those goods and services. We conclude that, under a paper-money system, a determined government can always generate higher spending and hence positive inflation.

Today we are watching a crucial moment in European and global history. A possible breakdown of the Euro and the ensuing sound of helicopters dropping drachma, peseta, lira and escudo keep me up once a while at night. Current policies from Europe have the potential to create riot, revolution or worse. But there is a silver lining here - all of the peripheral European nations can act unilaterally to solve their own problems. Exit and devaluation works for any one of them. The road will be bumpy, but the Greeks can drop the right stuff from their own fleet of helicopters! Let’s just hope they (and the rest of Europe) figure this out soon and don’t end up using 1930s European policies to generate 1930s European outcomes.

Let me pause for one short illustration of the character of one single destructive force arising. That was its effect upon the financial structure in Europe. Foreign countries, some also in the face of their own failures, the failures of their neighbors, not believing that Europe has either the courage or the ability or the strength to meet this crisis, withdrew from Europe’s most significant investments, including a significant amount of gold. The alarmed European citizens withdrew also significant amount of currency from the banks into hoarding. These actions, combined with the fears that they generated, caused a shrinkage of credit available for the conduct of industry and commerce. Its visible expression was the failures of banks and business, the demoralization of security and real property values, of the commodity prices, and of employment. And that was but one of the invading forces of destruction that we have been compelled to meet in the last 18 months. 

Written by Toni Knecht, Member of the Executive Board of Management, Saanen Bank AG / Picture: © silencefoto - Fotolia.com

They look forward to a new beginning: (from left) Manuel ­Stadelmann, Klaus Detmer (owner), and Yvan Letzter.

The Rialto officially reopened on December 3 under the management of Yvan Letzter and Manuel Stadelmann. Former work colleagues, they aim to turn the Rialto into a place where locals and guests meet. “There are enough gourmet restaurants in Gstaad; what is lacking is a bistro,” emphasize Yvan Letzter and Manuel Stadelmann. At the Rialto, there now will be a mix between haute cuisine and bistro, a concept called “Bistronomie” that has roots in France. “The menu features traditional regional dishes as well as haute cuisine creations,” explains chef Manuel Stadelmann. “Here, one should be able to eat like at home… traditional dishes from grandma’s cuisine prepared in a light way.” Besides stew or sausage, there is caviar or truffles “Every guest will find something they want on our menu.” Even though he will now mainly host,  Yvan Letzter, who was sommelier at a prior job, will bring his wine passion and knowledge to his new job. “We offer wine at good prices,” he says. The wine card is available on an iPad, where “10 to 15 wines are presented in detail, including their histories and illustrations.”

The motto of both restaurateurs: ‘Authentic hospitality and good quality at reasonable prices in a pleasant ambience.’ “Everyone should feel comfortable with us, the local as well as the foreign guest,” they say. Since his purchase of the Rialto in 2005, Klaus Detmer has modernized the restaurant. “The Rialto Bar - which remained structurally unchanged - is to become the meeting place for all,” Stadelmann says. “The bar is designed for cocktail parties.” And here the offering is a mix between the traditional and the exclusive: tarts and pizza, dry meats, cheeses, sausages, salmon, cod, duck or vegetable dips. For both men, a boyhood dream has come true. “The work at the Chesery was a lot of fun,” explains Ivan Letzter, who was sommelier for Robert Speth during the past 20 years. When Klaus Detmer approached him and asked if he wanted to manage the restaurant, Letzter, who is 43 and a Schönried resident, did not need long to make a decision. And in Manuel Stadelmann, he found a perfect business partner. The two knew each other from the Chesery days. Manuel Stadelmann, 32, is Alsatian with Swiss roots and has worked in various renowned kitchens, including the Hotel Drei König, Sonnenhof, and the Chesery. Most recently and for the past five years, he worked as a private chef in a house in Geneva.

Translated and adapted from the Article by Anita Moser in AVS 2.12.11

The arduous birth of the trail began 11 years ago at Saanen Bank’s 125th general meeting when the bank made a SFr 125,000 donation to Gemeinde Saanen, with the restriction that the money be used to create a walking trail from Schönried to Gstaad.“We are happy that everything went well and that the landowners supported this route,” said Adolf Hauswirth, Saanen Bank’s thenboard president. Schönried and Gstaad are finally connected with a continuous trail, and hikers are no longer required to dodge traffic on the Grubenstrasse.“There were differing ideas and not all wishes went in the same direction,” said Emil Trachsel, local council member.Some landowners wanted an access road to their homes in exchange. When the building application was published in the spring of 2009, “there were a few small objections, but none to the trail,” Trachsel said.

Translated and adapted from the Article by Anita Moser in AvS, 8.11.11

Unabatedly, Ted Scapa’s creative genius turns ideas and bizarre images into the small and large weaknesses of humans and animals. That the weird sides and failings of mankind are shown in such a witty and concise way is the hallmark of the brilliant artist and cartoonist, who at the age of 80 still manages to find inspiration during his travels. Recently and amusingly and jokingly, he brought back a great “fish salad” from Brittany and ideas from China.

Ted Scapa, where do you draw the tireless creative force and energy for these activities, the long journeys and their ideas?
Above all, it is curiosity that drives me. It is my constant companion. I invest a lot of time, get up early, and carefully observe the environment... and work. Topics such as “Angel,” “Fish,” “Golf”, “Time”, “Music” fascinate me, and I’m curious whether I will manage to finish a work: I design up to 80 drawings per book.

You are regularly in Saanen. Can we expect an inspiring book about Gstaad in the near future?
Why not - maybe one day! I like the idea. On the other hand, I think the nature of Gstaad-Saanenland is so fantastic that it cannot be interpreted but enjoyed instead. And above all, we must protect it.

Ted Scapa will be in Gstaad in December: exhibition and workshop at the Grand Hotel Park (further information through the hotel); exhibition of wine images at Caveau de Bacchus; book signing at Cadonau on December 30.

Ho Ho Ho...Happy Christmas! At least it’s usually happy for those of us who love Christmas, notwithstanding the Scrooge in every family who tries to make the holiday miserable because they can’t enjoy it themselves. It can be a volatile time, and most families get together only to find themselves on the verge of a family meltdown.

It’s pathetically infantile that a family can’t come together once a year for joy and merriment to celebrate Jesus and exchange gifts without pushing each other’s buttons. Yet it happens to almost all of us, particularly when we come together under one roof as adults. Those who say Christmas is for children are right, but children come in all sizes.

I still love Christmas - despite the fact that almost every year there is a major family drama where doors are slammed, insults are exchanged, and tears are wept. I love the gleeful spirit, listening to Christmas music by the fire, wrapping presents, stuffing stockings, choosing and decorating the tree, setting up the crèche, watching snow fall, and all the glorious holiday food.

Once the tree is erected, the men in the family begin the eye-rolling and teasing, acting as if all this Christmas business is ridiculous. Actually, they simply don’t like Christmas and prefer to be in a bad mood for several days - instead of pretending, as my mother and I do, that Santa is coming and we must set the scene and put on faces of good cheer.

Humbuggery, you say! Certainly. And why not? I can think of nothing more appealing than a false veneer. Appearances are not necessarily bad, and keeping them up - especially when one pretends things are better than they really are - is the essence of civilization. I didn’t always think this way, and I can see why for some, truth above all else is necessary. Fighting against tyranny, hypocrisy, or suffering is a perfectly noble endeavor, especially if it brings the truth to light.

But when it comes to Christmas, most of us know Santa doesn’t exist and that the world and our families are not perfect. What’s the harm in a little cheer and make-believe? So you had a miserable childhood and your early Christmas memories are fraught with mirthless images? All the more reason to relish the occasion now and treat each other like we would treat a child who still believes Santa Claus wears a red suit and rides a sleigh pulled by red-nosed reindeer. At the very least, indulging the Christmas fantasy is the polite thing to do - particularly since life can be painful. Fanning the flames of misery at the end of every year is antagonistic and selfish - the precise opposite of what Christmas is about.

Peace and a generous spirit are qualities we should all seek, particularly now when emotions are running high. Give a gift, write a card, send a cookie. Offer a smile to your unpleasant neighbor or hold your temper when the service is terrible and you are forced to wait. Better yet, when your relative says something infuriating and idiotic, smile and say OK. If that’s too much to manage, invite a lonely bore to dinner or give a compliment where a compliment is almost due. Make something. Save something. Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Lend a hand. Go to church. Find your patience. Do whatever it is you might not normally do for someone else’s benefit and not necessarily your own.

Perhaps this means giving Hanukkah and Kwanzaa equal billing. So be it. Happy Holidays to you and Merry Christmas to us!

But it’s not over yet...there is that damned New Year only a few days ahead, and it will bring out as many curmudgeons as Christmas. Find a humorous way to indulge one of them. Maybe a plastic cockroach in their bed or a fake turd in their shoe. If nothing will put a smile on their face, tuck them in, kiss them goodnight, and have fun with someone new. If what they say is true, the end is near and you have nothing to lose, anyway.

by Mandolyna Theodoracopulos

Totally unexpected, Lauenensee on Sunday gave us a "San Nicolaus" present: another unforgettable day on ice skates. A thin layer of very light snow crystals covered the lake like a white velvet carpet. The tree branches turned into immaculate ice sculptures and the iced waterfall made a picture perfect scenario. Skating swiftly the children designed figures on the silver ice, doing slalom between the snow patches. No other noise, only the soft sqeaking of the blades of the skates. Not even locals from Lauenen, like Francisca and Bernard Annen, the owner of the grocery shop in the village, could believe that after the heavy snow fall of the past days the lake was still  smooth like a ice rink. It was pure magic.Lauenensee was  a "living " work of art. A natural canvas. Sometimes the nature likes to surprise us. 

By Januaria Piromallo