GstaadLife

According to legend there is a treasure hidden at the end of rainbow - well at least now we know why they are digging that honking great hole up at the Alpina... :-)

Photo by Ivan Inäbnit, Schönried

As you know, here at GstaadLife.com we're always up for some good party pictures...even when the party took place a while ago. So with apologies for the wait, we take you back to March of this year at the Grand Hotel Park in the inimitable company of Depy Chandris. On the evening in question, she presented her most recent jewelry creations to the more than fifty invited guests, including Prince and Princess John Radziwill, Count and Countess de Moustier, George Tornaritis, Manuela Vapdinoyiannis, Marion de Picciotto, Maria Embiricos, Ninetta Fix, Alexandre de Musset, Geneviève Dalle and Jean-Claude Jacot, and many more of Gstaad's well familar faces.

Above: Depy Chandris (left) with Princess John Radziwill.

Depy Chandris' jewelry designs are both auspicious and delicate. Her theatrical sense of taste can be appreciated right down to the way she creates her displays. The Marco Polo restaurant was decked out in fine fashion, with sparkling blue butterflies contrasted with bright red velvet tablecloths, with the Chandris' collection displayed in large picture frames, set about small chalkboards. Guests' placement cards showed photos of more of Ms Chandris' work and were signed "Dear Depy love your jewels, Andy Warhol" (who said it's not cool to re-use accessories). Click here for more photos of the evening, and our thanks to Depy Chandris and Antoinette de Scheel.

On the Stalden (overlooking the Gsteig-Gstaad valley), August 1 2007. The lights are individual torches held by people who have walked up for a few hours to reach this vertiginous ledge. At the end of the queue is a huge bonfire casting its glow back down the valley. This is Gstaad life.

Photo by Evelyne Peten (click to enlarge)

Busking is the practice of doing live musical performances in public places to entertain people, usually to solicit donations and tips. Well, they don’t ask for money when they busk on the Promenade in Gstaad, but the impromptu musical performances are no less entertaining...

The change of weather patterns and seasons always makes dramatic mountainscapes of the hills around Gstaad. When these events occur simultaneously, the results can be breath-taking.

Above: the Videmanette peak that towers above Rougemont shakes off the rain clouds of the past few days. Below, is that the Hornberg or Saanenland’s first volcano? The west-facing slope of the Hornberg shot from Le Crêt (between Rougemont and Flendruz). Click photos to enlarge.

By the way, if you haven’t tried it, GstaadLife.com recommends the lesser-known hills above Rougemont for easy family hikes with sweeping panoramic views.

Why we don't mind when it snows in the summer. Above, Saanen as seen from Le Grand Chalet at 10h00 this morning, with the snow caps of the Vanil Noir in the background. This is Gstaad life.

Click photo to enlarge...

It was one of the few wintery days this season...
On the left, in between the trees, you can see the landing strip....
so come and see us, as soon as you get your plane...
or just take the train like the rest of us!

Above: looking back towards Saanen, Schoenried, and the Rellerli from atop the Hornberg

Photo and text by Evelyne Peten

As seen from Rougemont on Sunday January 28:

"Alpine villages all have churches, some of them very old and very beautiful, which make them ideal places to pray for snow. They are normally quite empty, but this season you may have to queue."

Guardian of London travel section, December 13 2006

After reading stories like the one below about the economic challenges facing this year's mountain restaurants, it may come as some surprise that the snow conditions, while sorry compared to last year, aren't actually as bad as they might seem. Ok, take that back, they're not great but there are still a few options. For off-piste mountaineer skiers the situation varies by the day. The rapid warming and cooling has caused layering of the snow, and 15cm of "powder" may now either be hard or comprise an icy foundation. This didn't stop Evelyne Peten, who shared the above photo with us describing a great day on the Walegg (above Feutersoey) from last week. For the less adventurous, GstaadLife.com advises you to stay where the snow-making is.

By Alexandra de Scheel

Gstaad winters have seen many varieties of skiers upon the famous alpine slopes which entice them each year from across the globe. There are young kids just starting out, ones whizzing down the mountain full speed, teens who look as if they were born on skis, and a few who look as though they just may die on them. Then there are adults racing enthusiastically down amongst the youngsters, taking their time in snow-bunny fashion or expertly gliding in smooth, majestic strokes. There are three high schools which take their pupils out every day, numerous ski schools and instructors teaching new kids, teens and young adults to ski everyday. But a rarity in this diverse group is the adult, especially one over forty, who dares to take the plunge, put their by now well-cultivated pride on the shelf and go out there as a student for the first time. Even rarer still, is one who does this, then surprises even the most jaded instructors by surpassing any effort by anyone half their age, by going from level one to level five in as many days. But this is just what Jack Armstrong did at the age of 49.

Above: Jack Armstrong, left, with Gstaad Ski School instructor Emmanuel “Mani” Raaflaub. Click photo to enlarge.