Christmas in Geneva 2019 (12/25 and 12/26/19)

Greetings from chilly but remarkably sunny Geneva – Joyeux Noël et bonnes fêtes
25 Décembre 2019
Short note today…Quick breakfast at our new favorite place down the street, Christie’s Bakery … a walk in the very very quiet Christmas Day streets of Geneva…. Back to the hotel to get some work done (work!), and then with buche noel (from Christie’s) and fig bread (purchased at the Christmas Fair) in hand – we headed to Carouge for Part One of Christmas dinner at Elizabeth’s.

Arrived as Finn rose from his nap (Mike decided he want’s Finn’s schedule – three naps each day) and we all settled in for a long afternoon and evening of eating, catching up, conversation about politics in US, Europe, and elsewhere… and watching Finn do whatever 9-month-olds do. We left Carouge at about 10 pm and much to Mike’s chagrin, we walked back to the hotel – about 45 minutes. Felt good after all that food and drink. It was about 45 degrees but felt warmer.

26 Décembre 2019
Now that we are regulars at Christie’s, we stopped in to compliment them on the Buche Noel (which was a chocolate version) and to have yet another breakfast. Then I headed for a leisurely stroll to downtown (about 15-minute walk) and Mike headed to the Ethnographic Museum.

Then we met up at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAMCA) – but first a stop at a little ramen shop for lunch and then the museum (first things first !)…. The museum is located in an industrial building and the spaces are quite interesting. Unfortunately, the art was less than exciting so we walked through and then walked back to the hotel for a 30-minute pit stop, before heading to meet with some family friends for a drink and then to dinner at Lipp (a predominantly fish restaurant, with a specialty in raw fish platters).

We visited with Elizabeth’s friend, Mattie, at her wonderful architect-designed house. Mattie, who is about 85, moved to Geneva in 1958 with her then-husband who moved to Switzerland for his job. Prior to that they lived in NY for about a decade. She’s originally from Rhode Island and still maintains a home there. She’s incredibly well traveled. We discussed European politics and naturally US politics, including the unimaginable situation in which the US finds itself. After a quick apertif, we left to get Emma and Finn back home in time for bath and bed. Then we (Mike, Elizabeth, and me) walked through the park-like walkway (a sort of right of way that meanders) from Elizabeth’s house into the main street of Carouge to catch a tram into town for our quiet dinner (sans children). It’s only a 10 minute tram ride to downtown.. It was raining the whole time.

We ate at the Michelin Star Brasserie Lipp, which is modeled on the ages-old Brasserie Lipp in Paris (6th ar) and I think the menu might be the same. Not sure if there is any official relationship. Anyway it’s a really classic-looking brasserie, oned with mirrors at table height and several small rooms.. it looks very 1920s inside, although it is actually on the ground floor of a modern style building.  Waiters are in black jackets and long white aprons – old-style ambience.

We began with the LIPP Platter of raw (and a few cooked) fish – huge. Everything from fresh oysters (their specialty), lobster, mussels, clams, snails, shrimp and grey shrimp, a bowl of periwinkles (which were very difficult to manipulate!), and more. We also had an escargot starter. Frankly, the starters would have been a sufficient meal… but we did have main courses. Elizabeth had the baccalau and Mike and I shared  a seafood couscous. We passed on dessert but did share a wonderful bottle of Sancerre.

We opted for a taxi (even though the walk to our hotel was only about 10 minutes) because of the rain.

More tomorrow when we have the delayed Christmas meal and spend time with all three children (under the age of two!)

Best – for continued Hanukah greetings.

Fern