In the early 1980s and before, when the shipbuilders and breweries moved out, this area seemed destined for oblivion. Then, in the latter part in the decade, city planners decided to turn the old buildings into warehouse-size restaurants, bars, clubs, and theaters. It was an undertaking that has paid off handsomely, revitalizing an entire part of the city and, at the same time, saving impressive old buildings from demolition. I got a kick out of the way Zurich has saved part of its heritage by giving the buildings a completely new and modern use. Most nights, I combined the old and the new, starting out with an excellent, indulgent dinner in a restaurant for grown-ups in the Old Town and then making my way slowly to Zurich West so that I could hear a set or two of live music when the scene got going, around midnight. But typically, I was in bed at my hotel by 2:30 in the morning, when the hard-core clubbers were just hitting their stride.

I prefer the pleasures that can be found earlier in the night at places like Brasserie Lipp. Everyone knows this famous old landmark in Paris, with its opulent belle-epoque look and its traditional French food and extensive wine selection. But few people know that there is one in Zurich, with the same beautiful feel to it and topped by the Jules Verne Panorama Bar, a fantastic spot providing a view of the city from a perch atop a 10-story tower. It was odd at first to sit in Zurich and experience being in Paris, but the sensation became authentic with the first sip of wine. The light, the tiles, the paintings, the mirrors - everything says Brasserie Lipp, including the occasional annoying Parisian yap of the small dogs brought in by some of the patrons. This is a place to indulge: bouillabaisse with a dry white wine, followed by a country-style cassoulet and some hearty red wine, will make any night enjoyable.