Bâlehoo

BRAHMS REQUIEM - February 9
Brahms Requiem will be performed by the Neuer Basler Kammerchor at the Martinskirche on February 9. The performance will feature soprano Andrea Lauren Brown and baritone Dominik Wörner. Visit www.nbk-basel.ch (German only) for more information and tickets.

Brahms Requiem
Martinskirche
February 9, 20:00

CONNECT THIS FEBRUARY WITH CONNEXIONS
Noohn cocktail hour. Skiing. Go-karting. Theater. Bowling. Movies. If these sound like fun, take a look at connexion’s complete program of events for February at www.connexions.ch. If you are interested in participating or would like more information about connexions, Basel’s Social Events club for English-speaking adults in the Basel area, send an email to events@connexions.ch.

HAVE A SALSA-RRIFIC FEBRUARY
Add a little spice to your Monday night. Two new salsa courses – Puerto Rican and Cuban - will be available at the Tanzcafé Singerhaus at Marktplatz. For 80CHF, you get five classes, which are held on Mondays beginning in February (with a two-week break for Fasnacht school holidays). Give Puerto Rican Salsa a whirl (class will run on Mondays from 8pm to 9pm) or see if Cuban Salsa (classes on Mondays from 9 to 10pm) is more your speed. For reservations or more information call 079 516 39 22 or visit the website www.singerhaus.ch.

OLD ROCKERS
If you’ve got a deep-seated sense of nostalgia, you’re in luck. A spate of prehistoric (but irresistible) rockers are performing nearby in coming months. Deep Purple is in Strasbourg, France at Le Rhénus on March 25. Folk singer Joan Baez is also coming to Strasbourg at Le Salle Erasme on March 17. For tickets to either of these events, visit www.fnac.fr. And you can watch Bob Dylan warble through a set in Zurich on April 29 (Hallenstadion). Tickets are going fast and are available at www.ticketcorner.ch. Finally, tickets are on now sale for Meatloaf – yep, the ‘loaf’ himself – who will be appearing in Basel at the St. Jakobshalle on June 25. For information and tickets visit www.topact.ch.

MINI FONDUE PUTS THE “GOO” IN GOOD
As a die-hard cheese-aholic, I am pleased to see that Fondue Season is in full gear. But much as I would like to, I don’t always have time to linger over a giant pot of cheesy goodness. So, how’s a girl to get her daily fix? Easy. Just run to your local grocery store and pick up a handy, individual-sized container. I like the aptly named “Mini Fondue” from Migro. It is the perfect size for a satisfying, but not sleep-inducing, lunch. You can heat it up in the microwave, but I recommend heating it on the stove in a regular pot (rub the bottom of the pot with a garlic clove first for a quick little kick). So, forget about that stale, plastic-wrapped sandwich at the SBB. Make it (mini) cheese fondue instead.

LA ESPANOLA
Next time you want to whip up some tapas for an evening apero or surprise that special someone with a plate of paella, look no further than La Espanola, a Spanish specialty store on the Spalenring between te Brausebad and the Schutzenmatt Park.

At La Espanola, you’ll find Spanish ingredients, such as rice and beans (dried and canned), olives, pickled vegetables, pates and spices, as well as pre-packaged and/or frozen Spanish foods and snacks. In their deli area, they offer fresh parma ham, chorizio and other sausages, and cheeses. On the first Saturday of the month you can pre-order paella to take home. La Espanola also has a good-sized selection of Spanish wines and beer (by the case!) as well a range of aperitifs and liquors, including manzanilla and (one of my favorites) Quarenta y Tres. Need something to cook in? No problem. They also sell paella pans in all sizes, as well as earthenware pitchers and serving dishes, and some truly kitchsy items like two-foot high flamenco dancer dolls and wine racks shaped like barrells.

La Espanola
Spalenring 154
Basel

ACQUA – MORE THAN JUST A WATERING HOLE
Acqua. As I entered this popular bar, it occurred to me that I was probably the last person in Basel to go there. In fact, my first visit was just this past week - and at 12 noon no less. No, I wasn’t on a mid-day bender. I was there for lunch: some of the best – and most reasonable - Italian food in Basel.

Well-known as one of the coolest bars around town, this hipster hangout also rates high with some local foodies. As I learned, it’s great for weekday lunch, where the quick and tasty menu (appetizer plate w/salad, bruschetta, hard-boiled egg and ham, followed by your choice of pasta with meat or vegetarian sauce) is served up quick and prompt. You can be in and out in less than an hour, giving you time to linger over their excellent espresso at the end of the meal. And the price won’t hurt: CHF 20 prix fix! The coffee isn’t included, but a carafe of house wine and sparkling water are (and for those of you with hearty appetites, the price also includes free refills on pasta). All this, plus Acqua’s romantically industrial (”ro-dustrial”? “in-mantic”?) atmosphere? Hard to beat.

If lunch isn’t your scene, swing by Acqua for dinner. Whether you are a devoted carnivore or prefer fishier fare, Acqua has something for you. With their four-course menu (appetizer, pasta, main course, dessert), you can select from the daily Mare (sea) or Terra (land) menu - and just ask if you’d like to mix and match. Highlights included a fresh and delicious grilled fish platter, a rarity in our little land-locked nation, and steak that was nicely cooked and not-too-huge, allowing room for their tasty desserts. Salad and potatoes are served up family style as part of your meal. Again, the price is right (approximately CHF 60 per person for food), and at dinner the already warm ambience is downright hot; low lighting and wads of candles make you want to linger at that table for hours.

Finally, wine buffs take note: the small, but quality, wine selection provides some great deals. When I was there, I spotted a few (super) Super Tuscans that could be had at unbeatable – eg, lower than Basel retailer - prices.

So, whether you’ve been for drinks or never been at all, it is time to give Acqua’s food a try. And make sure to make a reservation – because Acqua’s menu might be new to me, but the secret is clearly already out and tables are hard to come by.

Acqua Osteria
Binningerstrasse 14
4051 Basel
Phone +41 61 271 63 00
Fax +41 61 283 00 71
www.acquabasilea.ch

HOUSE FOR SALE – LOERRACH
A completely renovated house is now available for sale in Lörrach. For details, visit the website www.dalwis.com or contact Bernard D’Alwis at Bernard@dalwis.com