103. Nägelihof

The one in Nägelihof, one of my favorite corners  in Zurich for a number of reasons. It is a quiet, almost secretive square in the otherwise busy Niederdorf. To find it, either you have to be very lost or know exactly where you want to go know.

I did my very first purchase in Zurich in the Nägelihof. It was as cold by then as it is today, and it soon became evident that either I got something to warm me up or had to go back home, at the time, in that place which name I don’t want to remember. In that moment, Shava materialized in front of me. I quickly walked in and grabbed an ultra boring yawn-feist beige scarf. The owner just looked at me, showed me the bright ones he has just received and suggested that maybe what my total neutral look needed was a pop of color. He was right – I ended up with an orange pashmina I still use to this day.

Lost as I was, I wasn’t able to retrace my steps to Shave until I actually moved to live in Zurich. It was Summer by then, and friend took me to Mère Catherine, a Mediterranean inspiration. It was the perfect evening for a home sick Spaniard. The food was great, the wine was great, but above all, we sat outside and it almost felt like I was back home. The bill quickly brought me back to reality, though.

And then, there is Le Philosophe, a tiny-tiny-tiny little old fashioned bar. You better come here with someone you like a  lot, because it will be very difficult to avoid contact. Although it is better known for its apéro à la française [French aperitif], the coffee and their chocolatey things are pretty decent.