Picture this — you’re bundled in layers of comfy clothing, eating a delicious seasonal sweet, surrounded by beautiful lights, and celebrating with friends and family. If you’re at all tickled by the holiday spirit, you have to make your way to one of the world’s Christmas markets. While the art has been perfected in Europe since the Middle Ages, all around the world you can find festive markets to celebrate … more »

Maulies, that is first of all the story of three friends – Pascal, Christian and Mark – who love authentic cuisine and quality regional products. When they visited Southern Germany, they discovered a local specialty, Maultaschen, also known as Swabian Pockets. These traditional German pasta squares commonly contain a filling of minced meat, breadcrumbs, onions and spices, although vegetarian declinations exist, of course. The friends were seduced by these tasty pasta pockets … more »

Until 30th November 2018, the art lovers and culture curious among you can visit ‘Sube al Sur’, an exhibition of 10 contemporary Spanish artists at Galería Peripherie Arts in Berne. The event is organised by Vesaniart in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in Switzerland and sponsored by CLC World Resorts & Hotels. The luxury hotel group with headquarters in Mijas Costa, Andalucia, aims to support the local community, its initiatives, … more »

Every autumn, Zurich trembles with excitement about one event: the Zurich Film Festival. This year again, all eyes were on the Swiss metropolis. The 14th edition of the ZFF promised to be extremely exciting and we were not disappointed: high-profile film premieres, stars and celebrities, Swiss and international personalities from entertainment and business, fashion and beauty… the Zurich Film Festival is about appreciation of the art and its actors, about … more »

When I got the opportunity to spend two days at hotel The Chedi Andermatt, I was delighted and looked very much forward to it. After all, travelling is my absolute passion. Being able to travel and discover the world is priceless, but there is also a small downside to it: after seeing many amazing places and staying at wonderful hotels, with time, you start getting a bit spoiled somehow and, suddenly, … more »

A passion for vintage, mixed with a creative spirit, that’s the magic potion from Zurich that led to the creation of The Loving Spoon. The Maxim: re-purpose. re-value. re-love. Across Europe, in the United States and Canada, Maya Chelmis hunts the flea markets and unearths great finds of the last century. Obsolete in public homes, abandoned in attics and tarnished old-fashioned by time, she rekindles these antiquities for a second life. … more »

Journey to the magical land of blue lagoons and Northern Lights with the Iceland Collection by OPI. Featuring a palette inspired by the country’s scenic, varied landscape of volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, lava fields and glaciers, this collection offers a range of captivating, chic hues that portray the wild beauty of Iceland. The Iceland Collection features 12 new shades in classic Nail Lacquer, Long-Wear Infinite Shine and GelColor formulas, with … more »

Located in the heart of Geneva, Hotel Tiffany is a chic brasserie and intimate boutique hotel nestled in the charming neighbourhood known as “Quartier des Bains”, famed for its art galleries and cool vibe. Housed in a 19th century building, Tiffany Hotel combines the timeless elegance of Art Nouveau style with a modern and contemporary twist, creating a cosy, relaxing and beautiful setting for business or pleasure. Whilst sills and wrought … more »

As a chemist, I can perfectly understand the importance of using natural skincare products that are free of synthetic ingredients such as parabens and mineral oils and that you better avoid putting anything that is chemical related on your skin. Thanks to Dr. Barbara Sturm, a German aesthetics doctor, and her revolutionary research, we can now have access to a variety of molecular skincare products that can satisfy even the most … more »

Playa del Carmen is located in the state of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico and currently has more than 200,000 inhabitants. Only 35 years ago, it was still a small fishing village with only 200 local fishermen. Today it is one of the most popular places in all of Mexico. I lived in Mexico for four months, three of them in Playa del Carmen. I call it the paradise on … more »

Ah, Les Voiles, this magical place at the shores of Lac Leman…  Classy and sassy, this pop-up bar offers a pristine view of the many yachts roaming the waters and also the city of Calvin’s Who-is-Who. Here, the beautiful party crowd of Geneva gathers at sunset to enjoy after-work cocktails and receptions. Like this one organised by Hennessy… Many brands embrace the concept and transform the ephemeral space in a temporarily branded location. When I … more »

NOTE: For an event in St. Gallen – Friday 29.09. in the evening – Cubanisto is looking for Makeup artists and beauty bloggers who would like to help with creating party looks for guests. This is a paid collaboration. If you are interested, let us know by e-mail >>> Secret parties in cool venues… that is signature for Cubanisto. United by curiosity, those with a sense for adventure come together after dark for … more »

Beautiful, packed with talent and unparalleled energy, that is Eileen Hofer. As a blogger, journalist and filmmaker, she juggles her various vocations. With her  film, Horizontes, Eileen Hofer, of Turkish-Lebanese origin and now living in Geneva, flew to Cuba to capture the intertwined portraits of three generations of classical dancers. Alicia Alonso, a nonagenarian with the status of absolute goddess, former prima ballerina assoluta who lost her sight at the … more »

Michel Couture ready-to-wear fashion draws its inspiration drawn from London streets, clearly displaying a penchant for a chic but relaxed look. From T-shirt to cardigan, from the indispensable jeans to the must-have duffle coat, from tie and bow tie to irresistible socks: Michel Couture offers an elegant and sleek style that manages to be playful, carefully shaped and singular at the same time. A touch of extravagance is thrown into … more »

Propercorn is a low-calorie popcorn, certified vegan, wheat free and gluten free! Cassandra Stavrou has brought a youthful look to the long known corn grain. The new generation of popcorn is healthy and can be enjoyed by all. This is not just a snack to attack cravings or accompany aperitifs: Propercorn, as the name suggests, is popcorn crafted correctly. A healthy and crunchy snack! Today, the trend goes towards upscale … more »

This February, I am celebrating the eleventh anniversary of my love encounter with Champagne Deutz. It was at a picnic on top of Mont Pèlerin in Switzerland that my epicurean boyfriend at the time organized at the occasion of Saint Valentin. Here, surrounded by the astonishing views 700 meters above Lake Geneva, it was the first time I took a sip of this heavenly nectar. Refreshing, surprising, crisp and clear… with its distinctive … more »

In time for Valentine’s Day Fifty Shades Darker is released and hits cinemas around the globe. We see a super sexy Dakota Johnson aka Anastasia Steele in hot and steamy scenes with Christian Grey, impersonated by Jamie Dornan – otherwise called “The Golden Torso” (and if you have seen the first part of the trilogy, you will know why). Filming these hot scenes must have gotten Dakota quite thirsty, because … more »

In my job I get to test an enormous amount of beauty products, but not everything gets a feature on coolbrandz. One reason is that the aim of this platform is not so much to express my own opinions but rather to imply our blogger and influencer community in testing and reviewing new products and sharing their stories. I rarely publish actual product reviews myself, unless… I really, really like … more »

When I first travelled to Sardinia years ago it was love at first sight. I truly fell in love with this magical island and I can’t stop but going back every summer. Why do I love Sardinia so much? Well I think the island has really so much to offer, dreamy beaches and blue Sea but also a captivating culture, cuisine, traditions and beautiful wild nature. Let’s face it: Sardinia’s beaches … more »

Coolbrandz is friends with mood, the fun & fabulous jewellery made in Switzerland, you know it. What we also know is: the 14th February is the day that is symbolic for love. For Valentine’s Day, jewellery is always a good idea. Although, of course, showing love and showering the person you love with attention and gifts shouldn’t be a question of just one day. Still, Valentine’s is a popular occasion … more »

Taking its innovative design codes to the next level, Nespresso has released its smallest ever machine. Offering the perfect solution for coffee lovers looking for modernity, convenience and compact design, the Nespresso Essenza Mini machine has a fresh new minimalistic look and space saving proportions. Despite its small size, the Essenza Mini machine is big on style and personality. It is available in two distinctive shapes and a range of … more »

Fashion hunters and cool scouts this is for you: Tserkov recently opened a brand new boutique at Storchengasse 21, featuring select designer labels. You will find creations by big names such Vivienne Westwood, Elie Saab and Alexander Wang, but also newcomers to the arena of designer clothes and accessories like Zeus & Dione, Charlotte Simon und Paula Mendoza. Tserkov is a fashion startup, backed by Lascaris Investment Group, which designs … more »

On 10. September 2015 a new exciting shopping attraction opened its doors in Zurich: the luxury lingerie boutique Risqué. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the opening but as I see on the blogs of some of my friends the evening was a total success: beautiful people, beautiful location and, of course, beautiful lingerie! Over 120 guests attended the event and DJ Tanja La Croix was spinning the vinyls, dressed in a … more »

The Steampod by L’Oréal Professionnel and Rowenta Salon is the world’s first care styler. When it was launched in Switzerland, we got to help by matching this hairstyling innovation with Swiss beauty bloggers and influencers in order for the ladies to review it. Today I am happy to share some of the great contents they created with you. The secret to the innovation is in the name: Steam and pod. Morgane from … more »