A night out in Zurich West
Zurich is supposed to offer some of the best nightlife in Switzerland, and Christoph and I finally got out and sampled some of it last Saturday. We were home by midnight, so it hardly counts as a night out by local standards. The clubs here stay open til the wee hours, and the one I had my eye on didn't even open its doors until 11.

But we made the most of our time. We spent the evening in Zurich West, the old industrial quarter of the city that's now ultra hip and trendy. We headed first to Maag Music Hall, a warehouse-turned-theater, to catch Steps, an international dance festival taking place this month across Switzerland. I just started a modern dance class for beginners, so I was looking for inspiration.

The venue itself was super cool. It's tucked away among still operating warehouses and a major train overpass. Inside, in addition to the theater, are two bar/lounge areas, big expansive spaces where a chic crowd gathered before and after the performance. A refurbished shipping container serves as one of the bars, with the bartender mixing drinks from inside.

I really liked the show too. The dancers were from Tel Aviv, and the title of the performance was "Three: Messages about sensuality." It was modern dance, so it was a little out there at times and slow in parts. But the music got more interesting in the second half and then the "sensuality" part really kicked in. At one point, the dancers took turns exposing themselves. There were some nice mid-air BAs, followed by some below-the-waist, frontal nudity. The guys tucked their thingies between their legs, which was shocking in a Silence of the Lambs sort of way.

My favorite part though was a partner dance involving two fantastic (fully clothed) male dancers, who managed to be incredibly masculine and feminine at the same time. They were like a visual poem.


By the time we left the music hall, the streets were bustling with club-goers and cruisers. After bouncing around a few different bars looking for an interesting scene, we found a great spot called Les Halles. It was a very relaxed, casual crowd surrounded by a jumble of old euro movie posters, pinball machines, mismatched tables and chairs and marine-themed kitsch. It was a nice contrast to the ultra-modern, sleek vibe so many places are going for here. What made it even more homey was the fact that there's an Italian deli in the back and it was still open at 11. That's unheard of in this country, where store hours are strictly regulated.

Christoph and I finished our drinks, browsed the deli, bought some cheese (just because we could) and headed out in time to catch the last tram.