Kurji Tat, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Kurji Tat (Chicken Thief) - a simple and convenient lunch break place in the southern part of Ljubljana. No more, no less.


(Blaž) Blaz Dobrovoljc - for couple of weeks still Manager of system administrators group at SRC.SI and then he will try his entrepreneurial spirit on his own. Grew up in Vrhnika (Verd) and now lives with his family in Kurešček - known for weekend houses, MTB track and The Queen of Peace. Graduated at FOV, worked as computer courses instructor before joining SRC.SI with his Lotus Notes Domino and Sys Admin skills. Totally enthusiastic about aquariums and fish - has two big fish tanks and a pond, feeding fish with crabs bought in supermarket and is actually hoping to get soon some new fish from fish eggs in the pond. Astrology, scuba diving and joga - he does, too. When he gets more than he needs, the ones that need more, benefit. But only the ones that ask for help.


In a forest horoscope Blaž is beech tree (bukev). Such horoscope can be found in Golte Alpine garden.

Primi, Bratislava, Slovakia

Primi - a hip place in Bratislava Old Town. Stylish. Pleasant. Cool. Music maybe a bit too loud, considering the fact that no one is actually dancing there and a lot of conversing is being done.


Kristina Sojakova a.k.a. Kika - works for IBM in Bratislava, leading a team Reseller Representatives. Born and raised close to Austrian border in Slovakia, studied in Vienna hence speaks fluent German, never lived in Dublin, but did in Montpelier, before returning back to Bratislava. Given everything, she would give back - working pro bono for UN programs. From dark blue to light blue.


Summer nights in Bratislava. Always a fun place to come to.

Caffe Paris, Bratislava, Slovakia

A small caffe near Crowne Plaza hotel. Free WLAN and two connected laptops on the bar really do influence and shape discussion around the table.


Emil Redzic (Redžić) - working for IBM in Bratislava as PartnerWorld Contact Services Representative. Grew up in Mengeš, moved to Kamnik, Portorož and Bratislava. Gea College graduate, used to work for a while at Edvina restaurant where presumably some Italian guests fly in and out of nearby airport just to enjoy a nice meal - Tiramisu there is supposedly killing good. Currently reading Brian Greene's works to feed his curiosity about string theory and related issues. With unlimited resources he would probably help create an even bigger Hubble and an even bigger LHC.


A bottle of Czech Frankovka - it did not feel quite right. Might be due to a beer to many before and after. As long as the company was good.

Via Bona, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Via Bona - very popular and quite popular restaurant in the southern part of Ljubljana, called Vič. Pretty good service, although homeliness almost borders on intrusiveness, but the daily menus are more of a poor-ish experience.


Peter Pogacar (Pogačar) a.k.a. Paaro - stuck with his Paaro nickname since he first used it in 1993 primitive computer game Tanks/Bomb. Grew up and still lives in Kamnik, but his uncle is a priest in Chile. Paaro is a not so long ago FRI graduate and most of his professional life a freelance programmer, among others cooperated with Hal and still cooperates with Analitica. An active choir singer, 16 years for Cantemus and lately as one of Mekinjski kemblni and he actually knows what recuperation means. Avid mountaineer, was just recently on a 16 hour trek in Kamniške-Savinjske Alps. Currently reading Hans Hellmut Kirst books out of his rich bookshelf he has. One day he will travel to all the countries described in Jetlag travel guides: Molvania, Phaic Tan and san Sombrero. Way to go!


Sunny. Busy. Here. There. In. Out.

Galerija Dali, Kranj, Slovenia

Galerija Dali - will not spend much words on it. You need to come yourself to see it and feel it. Thumbs up and thumbs up.


Mojca Gosar - associate to attorney at too-long-a-name-to-be-written-here law firm in Kranj. Grew up and lives in Gunclje and her grandma was one of fourteen kids. Yo. Used to be a tour guide for Collegium and also a while in public admin (Urad za Šport). Being one, generally lawyers don't like to read much as they are constantly under heaps of paper, but she does recommend Jesper Juul's Competent Child - a book she will also give as a gift to Peter that just incidentally stars in Gunclje video. If she happens to say goodbye to the intriguing world of law, she would help orphans and delinquents. She already does to an extent. Good cause.


Dali's interior is always changing and really worth paying a visit.


Ošabnik and Klofutar - being lawyers - are really not the most serious names you can pick in Slovenian language. But so is not Mojca. Yet to be added on the empty plate.

San Martino, Ljubljana, Slovenia

San Martino - nice pizzeria in part of town that was dying for a decent restaurant (many offices in vicinity with not much choice for business lunch. San Martino is now one of four Italian places in BTC - with the same owner, I presume.


Gregor Papez (Papež) - System Administrator at Simobil, the mobile operator. Originally from Črnomelj, now lives in Turjak (but actually not in the castle, yet). Worked also for Atlantis (translation part of the business, now known as Iolar), Hermes Softlab and Vzajemna. Reading The Joy of Perfect Health and is totally into model airplanes: has four acrobatic ones and a big DC3 has been in the making for a while now - a big gathering of such machines can be seen in Vilesse in Italy each year. Lots of money would buy him an island near Bahamas, lots of golf lessons and most probably you would often also find him close to kerosene smell.

Mishio Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland

Mishio - casual Asian dining. We ended up in this place as it's design and message drew attention from far. And it was well worth it. Good place. Mishio = Mi (light) + Shio (salt). Japanese words. Also serves as a first name there.


Steve Knell - IBM Tivoli Netcool Channel Manager for North East Europe. Raised in London with his home club being FC Tottenham now living in a 600 years old house in Ipswich in East Anglia. A house that has a record in William the Conqueror's Domesday Book and needs a lot of care and attention as every precious investment. Long time BT employee, moved to TCSI (now Rocket Software) and later to Comnitel that merged with WatchMark and bought Metrica to form Vallent only to be bought by IBM. During that ride he lived half a year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has 3 kids, does a lot of sailing and is reading Greene's Fabric of Cosmos. One day he might find himself buying some more of those Domesday Book mansions and renovate them. Demanding, to say the least.


Mixed interior. Mixed food. All casual. All Asian. I was served Traditional Chinese medicine food supposedly having positive effects if one is experience attention deficit disorder. What a niche. What? A?

Floss Bellevue, Zurich, Switzerland

Floss Bellevue - a temporary raft set up on Zurich lake for the time of EURO 2008. It became the hottest place to be and to be seen - and they don't want to take it away now. Summer nights in Züri.


Mihaela Gotia - IBM Software and Services Manager at Avnet in Romania, where she recently came from MBD, another IBM Software distributor. Lives in her newly built house in Mogosoaia, but is originally from Alba in Transilvania from where job brought her to Bucharest. Recently finished ITIL Foundation Plus certification in Finland and briefly crossed the Arctic Circle. Has a 2 year old daughter, was a professional swimmer, likes scuba and already tried Parasailing (Parascending). Latest books Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus and Goleman's Emotional Intelligence. Down the road she might get heavily involved in fashion and do some more of cubist-type painting of hers. Paracubism.


I love Fluglärm (Noise from the airplanes). Sticker on a car parked in a town near the airport. A funny way to protest. Or what?

Opera Bar, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Opera Bar - one of the hippest places in the evenings and during the day also serves as a good out of office sandwich or coffee meeting place.


Martina Zmuc (Žmuc) Reflak - Tivoli Marketing lady at IBM office in Ljubljana, covering CEEMEA region. From day one a Ljubljana native and as she got married she joined the only Reflak named family in Slovenia. First started working for IBM as a student 14 years ago and recently just returned from maternity leave that brought her Brina. Walking the dog, reading Mutant Message Downunder (as did Marko Žagar) and is about to finish her second study at FDV. One day she might bring to Slovenia and EU brands such as GAP and others that are currently available in USA. Good for us and US :)

Julija, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Julija - great location in the old town - not difficult to find, good service, good food. Ideal for a summer lunch out.


Janja Grabic (Grabić) - currently seriously playing the role of a footballers wife, was born and raised as Kosec in Maribor, worked at TV Paprika (where she found out she can talk continuously for 4 hours in front of the camera) and at advertising agency Enki. Still freshly inlove with her new iMac and recently found out that she actually is also a cat person as she picked one from the street and named it duly Calla (calle is Spanish for street) and she recommends Third Eye for summer reading. And other seasons as well for that matter.


Dejan Grabic (Grabić) - more and more important and famous Slovenian footballer, currently midfielder for NK Interblock in Ljubljana. Croatian ancestors, born and raised in Novo Mesto and was a passionate footballer all his life: NK Bela Krajina, SC Bregenz, NK Domžale, NK Olimpija, ... A lot written about him on the web already and a lot more English language coverage is expected soon. When his football career is over, he might play a round or two with Poker Champion Chris Moneymaker Watch out for this unusually highly educated and kind footballer.


Pet + Butique = Petique.

Szenario, Swissotel, Zurich, Switzerland

Szenario, lobby restaurant in Swissotel, serving also as the breakfast lounge for guests. Jams are served in tiny glasses called Gläsli in Swiss German.


Stefan Hungerbuehler - IBM Tivoli Security Sales Leader for CEEMEA region. Before joining IBM in Switzerland, he worked for HP, AOL, Netscape (now AOL), Mercury (now HP) and a start up in San Francisco. Has two kids (they used to make balsam and would put it in small Gläsli), drives a Mini, used to drive BMW K1200S and is now thinking of a new Harley. At the moment reading Covey's 7 habits and their Jeep Commander is often taking his family to their cottage high in Swiss mountains. Views are taken care off.


Mini - shaky picture of interior while finding our way out of the garage. Mini could easily borrow Hummer's slogan: "Like nothing else."

Zeughauskeller, Zurich, Switzerland

Zeughauskeller - a very famous restaurant in Zurich. Popular hence crowded. You also just absolutely have to try sleek handdryers they have installed there. Whoosh.


Carolyn Sil a.k.a. Cass - recently appointed Tivoli Channel Marketing person for North East Europe at IBM. Grew up in Coleraine, marriage gave her Asian name Sil, she now lives near Windsor. Started working as trained chef at Mulligan's - same name as retaken shot at golf - the game she does not play. Went on to work at Christian Salvesen, Syllogic (now Perot Systems), FAST (UK version of BSA), Elyzium (now Portal Partnership) and did some freelance marketing, before decide to join IBM. In her pre-2-year-old-son era, she was - yes - an active dragon boat racer.She's done The Great River Race, recently read The Reapers by John Connolly and is a spa addict. No work and full of money, she would visit each and every Formula 1 race (paddock access, naturally) while flying in and out of her Italian sea side estate. Cheers!


No. 47 - a must when in Zurich. Not that anything else is not worth trying.


If you fancy a really long sausage, Zeughauskeller is the place to go to.


Smoking kills. Or at least hurts.

Mamma Mia, Zurich, Switzerland

Mamma Mia - a quite nice pizza and pasta place with good food, but a website from the 90s. You have to check it out, haven't seen one like this in ages ... :)


Bruno Hengartner - newly appointed Consultants and Systems Integrators Alliance Manager at IBM in Switzerland. Born and raised in St.Gallen. Technical and MBA graduate, worked for Oerlikon Contraves, Swisscom and later several years at IBM. Active member of IBM's sailing club, driving horse power packed Ducati 998s, a Moto Morini, Audi S4 and Maserati Spyder - most of this URL links were automatically added by Zemanta widget as I let my blog be "zemified". As a massively parallel reader, he would recommend Energy Medicine by James Oschman and something in that direction would also be the field of his future work, would he decide to switch career to not-for-profit. Possibly in cooperation with EU's Leonardo Da Vinci programme. Worthy cause.


Service button - I can think of many places that could benefit installing it ...


A very pleasant environment of IBM Zurich Research Lab. Great scientists deserve great care in order to bring to life exciting new nanotechnological wonders.