Shopping in rue Darwin

What were you up to today? In the sales frenziness, I found a harbor of peace in rue Darwin, just behind Place Brugmann. This little street has been growing quite fast lately! There are plenty of nice shops - mainly home decor and fashion - to keep you busy over the weekend (because yes this is one of the few spot where places are opened over Sundays).

To begin with, I went to see my three year old niece's swimming class in Darwin Aqua Club a rather special little swimming pool in an Art Nouveau building (rue Darwin 15). If you have kids, that is a great place! 

Then, my friend and I decided to look for this Bonnie & Jane shop I have read of in Elle Belgique. And yes, I can confirm, whatever you have been reading, this is a unique place! It is run by two creative ladies who are not just selling you objects, they are proposing an idea, a lifestyle and a special atmosphere. You see, it is like entering into your best friend apartment, the kind of place you want to spend time in. You are surrounded by all sort of magical and delicate stuff, from old lamps, flea market-style furniture, retro clothes, selected pieces of jewelery and much, much more. I bought a lovely pair of socks and a unique pillow I already adore!

Bonnie & Jane shop. All photos via the Bonnie & Jane FB page

Next to it, there are three shops run by Lucia Esteves (Lucia Estevez, Mist and Moon), who presents an adorable selection of homewear and ready to wear woman fashion, with a great selection of labels (including Scandinavians).

We then walked up the road and visited a marvelous (and kind of exotic) boutique run by Anne Marie Witmeur which displays rugs, suzanis and special objects from all over the globe.

Next door there are the two Kelly shops, who are always surprising you with fashionable, yet uncommon accessories and clothes (mind you this season they have head band to die for ).

Kelly Boutique. All photos via Google

Bonnie et Jane

Rue Darwin, 34  

1050 Brussels

Lucia Estevez

Rue Franz Merjay,131 (at the corner with rue Darwin)

1050 Brussels

Must 

rue Darwin, 37

1050 Brussels

Moon 

rue Darwin, 38

1050 Brussels

Kelly Boutique
rue Darwin, 60

1050 Brussels

Anne Marie Witmeur

rue Darwin,52

1050 Brussels

New Year's Hangover

Happy New Year Brussels expats! I hope you had a great party yesterday. I am completely hungover and cannot quite get out of bed. I am not sure how I got back home this morning, but I guess this means I had a great party yesterday. 

The last thing I remember is that I had to walk all the way down from Chatelain, it was raining for a change, I was trying to speak Spanish but I was under the impression that nobody could really understand me (I wonder why), it took me ages to find the keyhole but finally I heroically managed to reach my bed. What a glorious moment.

Honestly I do not remember having that much alcohol.Though I certainly did not have sufficient calorie intake. Guess what, I arrived at the party, throw myself at the buffet and after 15 minutes my lower lip started swallowing like a balloon. Perfect moment to discover I am allergic - to what I do not quite know yet. What I know now is how I would look with Botox: ridiculous. So I concluded 2011 freaking out, ready to rush to the ER. But you see I had two doctors around me (well I suppose it would be more correct to say one doctor as the other wasn't taking me seriously at all) and they said I could actually drink - so that is what I diligently did. 

From the random memories I have, I recall refusing a wedding proposal from a German-born, Trinidad-resident woman who tried to sell me her (fake) brother who "didn't like pussy" but had 50 fat cows back in Calcutta. 50 cows only? I was outraged. I was told that this was the very best I could get as I am a short woman. I am sure Ganesh will punish them. 

I also remember an deep conversation on Indian underwear and tantric sex (the auntie of my friend highly recommended it - she was supposed to remain in India 4 weeks and left after 5 months after meeting this talented Indian boyfriend Mr. Tantric-Techniques-Expert). 

Well if you were wondering there is no particularly big Indian community in Belgium, but this was a Bollywood party. And I was dressed as a Rajasthan girl with an oversize, smelly, white sheep fur and Botox style lips.  India, incredible India.

Is there any Indian remedy against New Year's hangover?

Photo by Bruxpat: holy Indian cow, Rajasthan, 2010

Proust Remixed - Meet Mr. AG

PROUST REMIXED

Bruxpat presents the famous Proust Questionnaire 

(with a Brussels twist)

Name: Alain G.

Background: 45ish gent of French nationality, never lived in la douce France, born in Germany and moved to Brussels in the parents suitcase and between European Schools before the age of 10. Married Dutch girl of Indonesian origin who happened to be in the same school and later university; got 2 daughters. A non man’s world I try to forget by researching and teaching on negotiations in the EU. Live in Tervuren, where you can speak English at the ‘commune’ but not French, unless you say you’re French and not Belgian, love it.

Confessions questions Alain G.'s Answers Your favorite virtue Wisdom. The wise uses knowledge from his/her ability to see, listen, and understand, in order to act rightly for the Good. Your favorite qualities in a man. Faithful, funny, empathetical, household tasked, charming, good dad. Your favorite qualities in a woman. Emotional intelligence, grace, intuition, humor, attraction, caring. Your chief characteristic Absent minded (a spinning head up in the clouds) What you appreciate the most in your friends Simply being there when needed, without asking a lengthy list of questions -) Your main fault Procrastination (1), but hey, what’s the point of planning to do something if you already fully know what it’s going to be? said Picasso. Then obviously, (2) liking too much to have the final say. Your favourite occupation. Playing with software algorithms on a Mac, barefooted, with illy coffee around, listening to loud indie rock music. Your idea of happiness Based on Bhutan's Gross National Happiness Buddhist idea - living harmoniously material and spiritual development through a few specific assets: Physical and mental health; no solitude (social/community integration); cultural and spiritual vitality; rich education; prosperous living standards; good governance of the political system; and ecological sustainability. Your idea of misery. Consciously committing suicide to escape a life you cannot stand. If not yourself, who would you be? Steve Wozniak, an engineer who crafted a wooden box with a keyboard and an operating system, which later became the first Apple computer. He then preferred organizing rock festivals, and first use its 'blue box' to call the Pope faking Henry Kissinger. Still 'free' as we speak. Where would you like to live if you weren’t in Brussels? In Tibet (free however). Your favorite flower. A lotus, also because of its symbolism of the floating and expansion of the mind. Your favorite area in Brussels Forêt de Soignes - Arboretum Your favorite place to hang out in Brussels Delirium café Your favorite EU Commissioner. Viviane Reding, for generally standing up against her peers and Member States to defend 'her' dossier or a cause. Your favorite place to get lunch in Brussels A brunch on Sunday @ Cook & Book. Your favorite season in Brussels. Spring, the first days to enjoy riding on my VESPA again. Your heroes in real life. Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Mandela. Your favorite heroines in real life. My two daughters What characters in history do you most dislike. Stalin, Pol Pot, Judas (?) Your heroines in World history Marie Curie, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Queen Victoria, Hatshepsut (Lady Pharaoh) Your favorite food and drink. Sashimis (fugu and akami); Fresh raspberry juice. Your favorite names. Eve What I hate the most. Children dying of hunger The Brussels-based event I admire the most The Marché du midi, Sundays. The European reform I admire the most The European Coal and Steel Community Treaty, the mother of all peaces. The natural talent I'd like to be gifted with Soothsaying. How I wish to die Holding my beloved ones in my arms. What is your present state of mind. Rebellious For what fault have you most toleration? Lying to someone for his/her own good. Your favorite motto. To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy (Hippocrates).
If you have never heard of the Proust questionnaire please click here

 

“Lost in Receptions”

By guest blogger LaFritte.

For everyone I know the end of the year is an incredibly busy period. I wonder why? It’s not that Christmas changes the date every year like the Ramadan does, according to the moon or other sorts of natural laws.

Photo found here

No, as far as I remember it has ALWAYS BEEN ON THE 24.12, no day earlier, no day later. Which means that even with half a brain we should be able to plan ahead, right, instead of moving everything to the last minute? So, why is it then that everybody is running around like a lunatic, obsessed with “finishing things” like reports, position papers, projects etc. before the holiday season as if some kind of apocalypse swept all world population away on 24 of December?

Apart from being a month of reasonably contemplative time, December is also excelling in social and professional buzz: a sheer endless number of conferences, workshops, meetings, committees and subgroups, expert groups, followed by working breakfasts, working lunches and receptions. Some of you might be fond of all those gatherings and attend voluntarily; others need to by obligation, duty or pure desperation.

For all those falling into the second category (including me) I have prepared a little survival kit that might help in making this period a little more enjoyable.

1.   When coming to a seated dinner, make wise decisions beforehand. Observe quickly and listen carefully, who looks likeable, fun and capable of speaking your language? Choose an open position at a table. Never let yourself get squeezed in between old Portuguese, Greek or Spanish guys– unless you speak their language. Evidence based experience has shown that their English is crap and you will be suffering the whole evening by listening to stories you don’t understand

2.   If you have difficulties retaining the names of your interlocutors, try making memory hooks. Brian (the bright guy with the  ...) Sarah ( talked bullshit like Sarah Palin)

Robin (..Who robbed me my time) etc.

3.   For conferences: Learn the Japanese technique of mini-sleeps while staying awake.

4.   If there is Internet where you are, you are saved. If not, always have a scrapbook with you. Maybe the idea of a bestselling novel will come right after the moment this old man next to you had fallen asleep in his chair.

5.   If you exchange business cards, and the conversation was good always scribble on the back of the card the date and something that will remind you of the person. It will be much easier to catch up afterwards.

6.   Learn how to escape. There is a time and moment and you will know it.

7.   Learn how to tell jokes

8.  Drink some alcohol and relax. The others at the reception are as lost as you are and need to warm up as well.

9.    Always have chewing gum with you and a spray deo in your bag. You don’t want to shy away people with your bad odor, do you?( unless this is a strategy to keep people away from you)

    10. Experiment, be genuinely interested:  most people are

happy not to talk about work at receptions so don’t bore your counterparts with the directive on low voltage standardization.

11. Don’t whine. Stand up and speak up, ask questions, the

bold ones and the ones nobody would dare to ask. People will be relieved somebody gets out there. You will definitely have interesting discussions afterwards and who knows maybe find out that the workshop you are at is finally not as dull as you thought.

12. See it strategically: how many breakfasts, lunches or dinners have you saved by attending all of those meetings in one month?

LaFritte is a blogger for Bruxpat. Conceived somewhere in the East-south, born somewhere in Eastern Europe, raised in the middle of Central Europe, she stranded on the Western shore of this continent a couple of years ago. She loves Belgian imperfections, the fact that everybody seem to be permanently stuck in an identity crisis, creative chaos and the rare sunny spells that occasionally fall on this country.  When this happens Brussels transforms itself completely turning into one of the most vibrant places - which reminds her why she is still living here. 

Street Style... around Brugman

Gorgeous style, fancy people on a sunny Sunday around Brugman...

All photos by Bruxpat

ABC of home decor (Belgian Style)

 

To put it simply, when it comes to interior design, Belgians do it better. I have already written about Michel Lambrecht, now is time to introduce another Belgian Flemish fellow: Alex Vervoordt. If you haven't heard of him next time you are in Filigranes have a look at the interior designer book shelve, you will be surprised by the number of books you will find.....

A.V. is one of the world's most famous antiques dealers, collectors and interior designers based in Antwerp. Indeed he is so famous that any discussion of Belgian interior design starts and ends with his name.

He designed super residences for the world billionaires. Yet to me his style seems to be little focused on opulence and more hooked on simple, every day objects, fabrics and materials. Architectural Digest defined him as  someone who "embraces an aesthetic that is remarkably accessible". 

A.V. operates from Kanaal a former distillery complex and from the magnificent Castle of ‘s-Gravenwezel.

Currently there are a number of winter exhibitions in Kanaal till the end of the year. Otherwise, you can visit him in Brussels at the BRAFA (21-29 January 2012) or in Maastricht at the TEFAF (16-25 March 2012) or again in Brussels at the Art Brussel (19-22 April 2012).

All photos comes from Google images. More pictures can be found on A.V. website

The Fogs of Schuman…(part I)

By guest blogger The Charbonnier.

Brussels is certainly not known from its blue skies. However, I am sure that many of you already noticed how the surroundings of Round-point Schuman are often submerged by a sort of esoteric fog. 

Whether this is the fog of the ideas of the European project or just a peculiar meteorological phenomenon created by the boiling grey matters of the EU officials, this is still unknown. 

As a matter of fact, like in a mystery comics, in certain days, one can see emerging from the dark the shades of the EU drones. 

They are normally of three types, although careful observers are ready to swear that they are much more. In this first episode of “Fogs of Schuman”, we will be looking at the EC android official 1.0. 

This is an EC career robot. It is an old-type of electro-mechanic drone. It is constantly focused on processes and never on substance. Its obsolete software allows only a very slow processing of information solely aiming at achieving prestigious posts. Nonetheless, due to the same old electronic, this common humanoid is incapable to define what “prestigious” means and why these posts are so badly wanted. 

For this very reason, you can see them roaming around Schuman area normally walking fast, carrying their smart phones toward unknown destinations. If you succeed to stop their run and ask where are they going, the answer will always be: “To the Cabinet”.

The Charbonnier is the most mysterious blogger of this community… No name, no references, no clues …

Photo by  John Drink Doe