When it comes to the alchemy of sexual charm, being French and female and a singer is a potent combination. My fevered teenage mind was forever replaying Vanessa Paradis’ sultry pout. Now direct from Paris is Lou Lesage, a 20-year-old singer who has taken the Parisian scene by storm with her rock-influenced songs. She plays live tonight at Restaurant Viadukt, and I’m suddenly in the mood for a garlic baguette. 
Thursday 9 pm, Restaurant Viadukt

The International Comedy Club usually likes to bring us comedy double bills from the UK and US but this week they’ve gone a little exotic. Jarred Christmas (that is his real name apparently) comes to us from New Zealand. He may look like Elvis’ younger, nerdier brother but the sheer force of his personality delivers the comedy at a non-stop pace. Also on the bill is Andrew Bird, from a green corner of the UK called Northamptonshire, whose comedy comes across with charm and is filled with reminiscences of childhood. 
Friday 8 pm, Mascotte

Love and music. Music and love. Are there two finer things in the whole wide world? And this weekend, your Uncle Ron may be able to help you find both at Stall 6. On Saturday, they hold their first ever speed dating evening. Love may be free but you’ll pay chf 20 to register. The after party is helmed by djs Coconut and Alain Ford. As you’ll be gazing into the eyes of your new love, making walking very difficult, why not hang around Stall 6 until Sunday afternoon when the Lauter Festival takes place. Lauter translates as louder in English, so you can imagine this festival will certainly rock. The line up is large and international including Ewert and The Two Dragons from Estonia, Steaming Satellites from Vienna, Labrador City from Bern and Zigitros from Zurich. If music be the food of love, you had better make your newfound loving loud.
Saturday 8:30 pm, Stall 6
Sunday 4 pm, Stall 6

Möbel Factory is known for beautiful furniture. Now they’re moving their showroom from Jona-Rapperswil to Zurich. Welcome! You’re invited to have a look at the new store and toast to the newcomer this Saturday at Stauffacherquai 58.
Saturday 2-8 pm, Möbel Factory

Capitalism made us rich and healthy, but not happy. The resentment is taken out on the street; religion brings more conflicts than peace on earth. The speech series Waiting for the revolution analyses and looks for answers. How can we change society? Politics? Economy? As the third speaker in this series, charming Tom Hodgkinson talks (in English) about freedom, laziness and gardening. You can listen to the British author’s plea for afternoon naps and social alcohol consumption instead of shopping and protestant work ethics this Sunday at Schauspielhaus Pfauen. If you’re not convinced that this could be more entertaining than the usual Sunday evening film, the German newspaper Die Zeit called him “the Jamie Oliver of anti-capitalism”. Just as humorous but without the olive oil.
Sunday 8 pm, Pfauen

It’s that time of the year again, where a part of Zurich’s male population plays Robin Hood – or at least men in tights. And where we get half a day off! The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. The festivities start with the children's parade on Sunday but the highlight is on Monday when the guilds march through the centre. When the church bells start to ring at 6 pm (which is why it’s called Sechseläuten) it's time to burn the Böögg, a snowman effigy stuffed with wadding and firecrackers. The sooner its head explodes, the better the summer weather forecast. Afterwards you can grill a sausage on the still-hot coals of the Böögg’s pyre. The area by Bellevue will be very crowded but there are loads of stalls to get a bite to eat or a drink. Or join the infamous party at Mascotte.
Monday from 3 pm, city centre

Like short stories, short films can often be overlooked simply because of their length but I’ve always thought the skill needed to stuff big stories into small boxes a special kind of magic. In collaboration with the Swedish Embassy, Riff Raff are showing an evening of modern Swedish Short Films. Ten are being shown in total over the evening’s two and a half hours and each seems to show a different and engaging way of looking at the world. The events curators will also give an introduction to the evening and all films will have English subtitles.
Sunday 7:45 pm, Riff Raff

World Radio Switzerland (WRS) is Switzerland’s only national English-radio station, part of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. Now, WRS has until the end of June 2012 to prove that it provides a valuable public service, otherwise it will be closed or sold. If you’d like to keep the station on air, sign their petition and even better, tune in regularly to their programs covering Swiss news, politics, culture, arts, sport and business.

I always get a small thrill from watching a movie with Zurich featured somewhere in it. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Bourne Identity are a couple of examples but what I would really like is to see my own street, as well as the Ron HQ, having a staring role in one of those blockbuster disaster movies. Well, with the site 'chaos in your town' I can stop stalking Spielberg and make my own movie dreams come true. Unleash chaos