I love Belgians isn't a petition, it's just a site where you can post a funny pic or a message. So why don't we start wearing black, yellow, or red? And form random Belgian flags in the streets? :)
(Oh, and picture it off course, on your blog...)
Let's bypass the Antwerp Six introduction, as one needn't be a fashion historian to know that this city was built on fashion. Designers come out of Belgium with a certain confidence and willingness to take risks like a child from wonderfully supportive parents. Two full meandering days in this small city is enough to get a taste of the smorgasbord of local shop options Antwerp has to offer: from well-organized vintage to recently-graduated designer startup boutiques to established heavy-hitters of Belgian descent. Antwerp's Fashion District is densely populated with shops of all stripes, so it's best explored on foot. With high-street stores like H&M and international luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci all around, we've selected some of the best, distinctively Antwerpen spots in our first of two loving looks at this shop-hopping city.
Walter
One third of the Antwerp Six, Dirk Van Saene and Walter Van Beirendonck opened this huge, airy shop that houses a carefully edited méange of their namesake lines, labels from some of their countrymen, like Christian Wijnants and Bruno Pieters, new undiscovered lines, all displayed atop a selection of modern furniture.
St. Antoniusstraat 12
tel. +32 (0)3 213 26 44
Alex Schrijvers
This Royal Academy grad handmakes classic and innovative built-to-last bags upstairs with Australian, Italian, and fish leathers, and he'll make you an espresso, too, if you ask nicely.
Everdijstraat 8
tel. +32 (0) 479 71 21 02
Labels Inc
Think of this as the Century 21 of Belgian designer clothes, without the stifling crowd or maddeningly constant loudspeaker announcements. Get past seasons' Stephan Schneider, Christian Wijnants, Bernhard Willhelm, Dries Van Noten, Maison Martin Margiela, and Ann Demeulemeester, along with a selection of consignment vintage designer shoes.
Aalmoezenierstraat 4
tel. +32 (0)3 232 60 56
Bonaventura
Experience reverse sticker-shock at this tiny consignment handbag and accessory shop. There are very few designer names here, save for a Pierre Cardin clutch or two, but who needs 'em when you can get on-trend grass-green leather purses, taupe suede and tweed totes and '80s backpacks for around €5 apiece. Aalmoezenierstraat 38
tel. +32 (0) 479 26 85 47
by Angela Gaimari
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This PodGuide takes you on a tour around Ghent (Belgium), a tour specked with historical data on the beautiful monuments of this city.
Download as enhanced podcast for your ipod.]]>
My husband Andrew and I had been missing sushi since we first moved here from Canada. We finally decided to risk a sushi experiment in Brussels and ended up at Yamayu Santatsu in Ixelles. It seemed to have good reviews on-line so we decided to give it a try. When we stepped inside we found a warren of tables and a long counter with stools and lots of Japanese people. It was a very good sign. We were directed to the top floor, to a more open room with many more non-Asian faces than downstairs.
We dove in and ordered sushi, maki and tempura. It was very good, except for one thing... the wasabi.
Anyone that knows me knows I love spicy food - the hotter the better. My best friend is the chili pepper and my spice drawer contains many variations of dried chili and cayenne. Wasabi, to me, is not the same. People claim it is hot, which I guess it is. But it's a different form of hot than chili and not one I enjoy as much.
In all of my other sushi experiences the wasabi was served on the side and you could add as much or as little as you liked. Our sushi that night was like Russian Sushi Roulette - Some pieces were fine, but some had so much wasabi hiding under the fish, it felt like your nose was on fire. I had one piece that I thought would be my downfall. It didn't burn my mouth the way chili does. This burn was all in my nose. I couldn't inhale or exhale without singing nose hairs. My eyes were watering as Andrew looked on in horror.
"If you find it this hot, it's going to kill me," he stammered.
Well, it didn't kill either of us. In fact, out of all the sushi we had (which was quite a pile) we only had about two pieces each that were overloaded with wasabi.
After we finished our food and were sitting finishing our drinks, I became mesmerized by a woman who was disassembling every piece of her sushi with her chopsticks. She would soak her fish in soy sauce and then scrape all of the wasabi off of her rice. It made me chuckle. If you can't take the wasabi, stay out of the sushi kitchen.
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Ok, this might sound like the most classic place to send people to. But it is definitely a must see these days. The Atomium was made for the world exhibition Expo 58. It wasn't meant to stay so long, but somewhere they decided to leave it there (or maybe they just forgot to take it away)
It all stayed like in 58, and therefore, 40 years later, it must have been like one of those strange time capsules the people in Lost found on their island...
Luckily they decided to renovate the building and pump up the furniture by using Vitra inside.
I recently had the luck to be inside many of the several globes (even the fancy restaurant on the top) and it is definitely worth a visit.
Read the wikipedia entry for detailed info, or visit their own site for pictures and Expo 58
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