October 31, 2005 | 11:00 am

Zürich's Nightlife
Red-eyed like an albino, with black rings, Einstein hair and a voice that would make any chain smoker sound like a Wiener Sängerknabe, I report back to you after experiencing some of Zurich's vibrant nightlife. As the hazy clouds in my head gradually lift, last night's memories pierce through them like the first sunrays at dawn.

Plain sailing, Zürich steals those Temple Bars and Bermuda Trianglse the show any day. A shipbuilding factory, a brewery, a bio-garage, a foundry and a club in the cellar of a parking house - it can't get much better than that - except in summer, any real Zürcher will add eagerly. Then, you let your feet tangle in the refreshing water whilst enjoying a drink in an open-air bar like Pier West or a Badi. Skinny dipping included!

Too fond of warm water, I gave the cold October-Limmat a miss and drowned myself amidst the floating crowds of Züri West instead. The first wave took me to Schiffsbau, a former shipbuilding factory, now hosting the glass-contained first class restaurant LaSalle, first class bar Nietturm - both slightly above my budget- and a Mecca for Jazz, Moods (http://www.moods.ch). Lured by the sounds of one James Taylor Quartett, I entered Moods through a small door in the back right of the traditional industrial brick structure, which had been complemented by a mirage of modern elements. I retreated upstairs to the comfortable seating area and enjoyed the pleasant sounds in the company of my new pint-sized friend.

With recharged batteries, I was eager to push on and found another intriguing locale by the name of Labor. Equipped with unusual decorations plus a red ceiling covered with shiny silver balls, the bar hosts the country's most popular talk show Aeschbacher. Nearby was Zürich's only public indoor space within a former foundry, now called Puls5 and set picturesquely against a colourfully lighted courtyard behind Schiffsbau.

Delicious smells outside Angkor, a restaurant/lounge/bar, arose my appetite. Les Halles, I had been told, was the place to go. A "bar comme food" with its own bio and gourmet market/garage, Les Halles has its own Peugot-bar in the style of a North African port bar. After a tapas feast and a decent amount of wine, I happily wandered next doors to Besame Mucho, another place of reds, lights and liquids, before making my final stop at Toni Molkerei. Here, I spent the rest of my night spaghetti-ing my body Swiss-style following the motto: "When in [Switzerland], do as the [Swiss]. - Work hard, play hard." Well, I mightn't have fulfilled the first criteria, but I certainly played hard. I leave you with my last words chin-chin and Prost! See you at Zürich's oldest quarter Niederdorf for a little shopping tour tomorrow.

To read about more food and nightlife destinations in Zurich, visit coolcapitals.com.