All posts filed under: Brussels

Eat with hands and heart-a life inspiration day

Toukoul is a remarkable restaurant in Brussels, in an amazing warm interior serving unknown Ethiopian food.  Deco-wise they found a nice blend between a contemporary, cosmpolitan style and some bold authentic features like the entire wooden wall, constructed out of rough basic beams or some original used nature elements like the stone-turned-washbowl. The staff looks beautiful (yes, that’s the word), and they are absolutely one of the most friendly I’ve ever met in resto business. The cocktails mixed by the guy who worked at the legendary bar l’Archiduc’and the regular music bands that play, add to the vibrant atmosphere. The food? Ah!Something special, indeed…  First you get a mini hot towel to wash your hands and you choose one dish (or some of the typical Ethiopian suggestions).  The dishes arrive in bowls, a silver large plate is set on the table with inside an XL but light pancake. The different dishes are put on the plate on the pancake. No silverware, you use your hands or a small, rolled pancake that’s on the side and serves as …

The social hair cut-a life inspiration day

Walking in Brussels, and waiting for my friend Bernard, my eye caught this quite extra ordinary hair salon, on Place St Cathérine. Evening wise, the salon was nearly closed, no customers, still some freshly cut hair left on the floor, and a blue-ish light in the 99% white space.Placing the clients around each other increases the social contact between them, people who wait and the different hairdressers.The concept is by Danny Venlet, not the guy on the picture underneath… He’s not the hairdresser either, but as the picture was in the window, and I liked it, here it is. savaganbrusselsplace sainte-catherine 451000 brusselst +32(0)2 502 60 00savagan@me.com

La maison under attack follow up- a life inspiration day

“Les graffeurs en guerre contre les marques?”    Today I passed the unfortunate MMM store in Brussels myself, and I must say; the sight is on one hand very aggressive (even more chocking in real life), on the other hand very powerful, a strong statement of a monopoly, self conscious artist. In the air: many speculations on who was the artist/guerilla behind this one. The name that circulated the most was Kidult. And it seems it has been confirmed! Log in to his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kidult/201845136526414. Street art magazines asked themselves: “After Yves Saint Laurent, Colette, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, agnès b., Louis Vuitton or Hermès, who will be the next victim?” Today we know! “Graffiti cannot be commercialized” is what Kidult has to say. Video about his work:  KIDULT Illegalize Graffiti par le-pere-de-colombe Tx Bernard* for your hot tip. *Bernard Pollet is the owner of the small but very interesting Gallery Gaggarin in Brussels. http://www.gaggarin.com)

Sun for Flamingo-An inspiration story-day 111.2

Not a review about the latest bar concept of Brussels bar guru Frédéric Nicolay that’s been open since June 2012, but a small post about the amazing idea of putting reflecting mirrors on top of a neighbors roof, to reflect sun rays to their terrace. I just love it, and when I last landed there for a quick lunch, I could see it actually works! Natural light is been caught by twenty something mirrored dishes, turned towards the sun. Subtile but once you noticed you keep on looking. Bar Flamingo is situated in the Alhambrawijk, on the corner the Lakenstraat opposite the KVS. Try to visit on a sunny day, seek some (reflected) sun and admire at the same time this genius innovative mirror composition, that even looks like a work of art on the omnipresent satellite dishes. Flamingo 169, Lakenstraat Brussels