Graffiti along the river Limmat in Zurich

Dear Friends, I am The Homesick Potter,

This morning the sky was blue, the sun was out, and so was I. It has been mostly overcast since I arrived in Zurich so needless to say it was a treat lapping up some sun. 

I went on my usual morning walk along the river Limmat. Halfway down the path is a sanctioned area for graf artists. The quality, style, technique and imagery varies greatly. The wall, just another canvas for the artists, is a wonderful vehicle for them to express themselves, but also to remember friends by. The artwork changes constantly; it may be political, satirical, rebellious or subversive. But every batch of new artists is keen to make their mark.

Der Wanderweg

Be careful you might 

be watched

but then who give a ... 

More than one way to express yourself

Stay here a while

You will be remembered

One of many

Green eyes watching 

 Close up 

  

Collage on the fence

Mine as well

  The wall 

For the critics out there: granted some of the work we see here does not fall into the      conventional art form. But  beauty can be found in the most obscure places.

Passionfruit cheesecake at Cafe Schober in Zürich

Dear Friends, I am The Homesick Potter.

I am driven to find that perfect brew that is also known as coffee. But truth be told, it is not just about the coffee. It is about the whole experience of finding a place where the ambience is right, the service is friendly, the eye is getting its candy and so are the taste buds.

Zürich does not lack cafes, in fact I am not sure how many I should list. But I might as well begin now.

Today I went to  Cafe Schober. map

I scouted it out the day before, during a walk when the window decoration took me by surprise.

 A narrow entrance leads to a room which resembles a sweet shop. Packaged sweets rival the assortment of cakes. 

 My eyes rest on a passionfruit cheesecake. 

The coffee I ordered is called "a Schale" or more precisely a shawle. I did ask for a double shot. Nice and strong! The California cheesecake has a crunchy base with a rich but not too sweet vanilla creme cheese filling. The top consists of a tangy passionfruit layer which is peppered with seeds adding an additional burst of flavour. The three elements are in perfect harmony with each other.  I should mention the art on the third floor is by Mischa Kaufmann. It's worth going up the stairs. 

My days work is done. Moreover, the waiter was easy on the eye and extremely pleasant.  I managed to satisfy all my senses.

A tale of two cities; Zurich and San Francisco

Dear friends, I am The Homesick Potter.

Two very different cities on two continents, but I am on my usual quest; coffee and food.
Local time 7:30 am, it is still dark outside, dawn is only minutes away and Zurich is slowly revealing itself to me.

I am sitting in Café Motta, the perfect early morning hangout, sipping my favourite drink, a latté. This always seems to make me reflect and contemplate on the present, and also on the past. Here in Zurich the present and the past occupy the same space. The interior design of Motta is modern, on the wall there are large mirrors, framed by two abstract paintings. The space is generous, round tables and chairs invite.  Hidden behind the "Neue Zuricher Zeitung", patrons read their newspapers. No one seems to be in a hurry. Outside the church bells ring for the early morning service. I shall like it here.

Zurich photo credit Gerhard Pratt

But before I totally succumb to Zurich's charm I would like to revisit San Francisco.

 Different views

Places not to be missed in the Mission District:

The Local Mission Eatery on 24th Street is a wonderful place to have dinner or go for brunch. The space is inviting; long benches make communal eating a must, the kitchen is open and part of the experience, further back there is a large cookbook collection sorted by colour rather than topic. 

In the back of the restaurant is the Knead Patisserie.  Do try their Pomme de amore; a flaky pastry filled with crème brûlée. In fact all of the pastries I tried are divine, but  alas my coffee cravings were not satisfied - I went elsewhere for these needs.

Gracias Madre on 2211 Mission is a wonderful Mexican vegetarian & vegan restaurant that merits more than one visit. Even carnivores will love it.