New York: the holy grail of city trips, 15 must do’s

Last night I didn’t sleep well. This has been the case for a few nights in a row now. So I am feeling kind of jet lagged. With that snoozing feeling in my head, I need to bring you with me to another continent.
We have mentioned the city of cities; let’s take a first dive into it. Season or not, New York is always calling!

I remember the sweet jet lag feeling of my first time in New York. Half a day of walking around, while on transit to Peru: spotting squirrels in Central Park while enjoying a picnic next to a guy playing the sax, and having a glass of champagne on the rooftop of MoMa surrounded by Jeff Koons’ colorful artwork. It was magical!

I have been there a few times ever since, for long weekends mainly, and would like to share my top 15 things to do with you:

1. Have a morning run in Central Park with so many others. Enjoy the view.
2. Attend a musical on Broadway (Priscilla Queen of the Desert made me laugh the most), grab a grapefruit cosmopolitan at the W before the show, and some seafood. Stand in the middle of Times Square; imagine a flash mob on Happy by Pharell Williams.
3. Shopping on Fifth Avenue, especially the dress section on one of the top floors at Saks with affordable less known designers; in the land of the proms you can find so many more dresses as in Europe.
4. Cocktails in Chinatown in l’Apotheke. You will think you are in the wrong place, until you find the entrance. The pharmacists white coated barmen make the best cocktails I have ever tasted, with all kinds of spices, in a very cool setting.
5. Walk around in the Village, and enjoy a Magnolia Bakery cupcake. Feel like home.
6. Go see the Egyptian section of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, admire a small temple surrounded by statues and water in a glass part of the museum with views over Central Park. Feel old and new’s harmony. Image the yearly Met Ball in that setting.
7. Attend an evening at the New York Comedy Club, a small place, where the intimidating tattooed bouncer is one of the talented people to take the mic and surprise you; tears of laughter will roll down your cheeks. If you go there as a couple, better make sure you are a couple on facebook too or at least say so to the one who will ask.
8. If you are female and alone, take the Sex and the City bus tour: it is also good for a two-hour laugh and discovery of some fun places including Samantha’s sex-shop and a cosmo at one of the girls bars. But do not forget to take earplugs with you; groupies can make them burst whenever they imagine to have spotted Mister Big.
9. Dress up for a magical night at the Metropolitan Opera. The beauty of the welcoming stairs and lights will silence you before the start of the enchanting voices.
10. Discover the little jewelry stands in the Guggenheim museum, I am still dreaming about Elena Berg’s pearls I saw there in 2011. Besides, the architecture of the building alone is already worth the visit.
11. Admire the view over the city from the Empire State Building, or from Rockefeller if the cue is too big. In the winter, jump on the occasion to go ice-skating in front of that building.
12. Have lunch in one of the many great places in the Village, such as August, or Pastis NY in the Meatpacking district (if so, take a detour on Highline Park), or Eataly in Upper Midtown, or the Boathouse in Central Park where you can watch the little brides in a fancy setting.
13. Have diner in one of the many trendy restaurants in the Village, such as Indochine, Sant Ambroues where you might even dine next to celebs, Babbo, the French culinary institute, or others. We will cover that more in detail on another day.
14. Attend a cool small scale concert in the Bowery Ballroom, after having waited with a cocktail at the bar in the cellar. I discovered the Pierces there, great band, great show!
15. Take the boat to Ellis Island, feel the wind, imagine the history, admire the view.

There will be much more to cover later, as you can imagine. For now, these are already some basics to start with, in case you are planning on leaving soon and spending a few well-filled days in the Big Apple.

Cheers!

DayDreaming of Waterlilies

It is a rainy day outside, the sun packed his bag to focus on Majorelle’s garden, and I find myself in front of one of my favorite books, dreaming about Lilies: Monet’s Water Lilies by Charles F. Stuckey. I inherited that picture book from my grandparents, and it never fails to make me smile. It is always there, one a small wooden and white corner table, in my living room. As I type this, a smile comes up, together with the first big sunshine of the day.

The book starts with a quote by Claude Monet himself: ‘Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.’

He is my all-time favorite painter. And his water lilies are my all-time favorite paintings. I did not yet have the pleasure of walking around in the Giverny gardens in France, but I did have the privilege to admire his impressionist masterpieces in some of the finest art museums. While I loved the experience in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Arts, it is the Orangerie in Paris that has my heart. The beautiful setting in the Tuileries Garden really does his paintings justice. Go there on a not to crowded day, sit down, and try to admire every detail.

It would be impossible to copy, perfection cannot be copied. But whenever I see lilies, I just need to photograph them, unleash filters on the pictures, play with them, enhance the colors, and try to get close to the memory of Monet’s lilies and the feeling of beauty, pleasure, and peace they gave me. Hence the choice of this particular photograph to welcome you on top of my blog. This is the closest I came to what you can call my ‘Madeleines de Proust’. What is yours?

Have a beautiful day!

Marrakesh: where Aladdin dines in New York and wakes up in an Orient palace

Sure, New York is always the dream. We will cover that in detail more than once. Right now, the heat is coming up and it is not the best season to discover the city of cities. If you have to take the heat now, better do it well and go for African heat. And where better to start than in Marrakesh? An enchanting city full of ancient treasures and dreams, combined with ultra-trendy and chique hotspots. A city that has it all!

As a big fan of history, this city had the same attraction on me as Rome, Granada and Istanbul. And it did not let me down. You have beautiful 1001 nights palaces – favorite: la Bahia, the superb quran school Medersa Ben Youssef, lots of authentic and less authentic but still very beautiful Riads – do not sleep at a hotel except la Mamounia if you want to bathe in luxury – choose one of these small jewels in the old city center, the biggest market place in Africa: Jemaa el Fna which is very impressive at night, and so many more treasures to discover and visit.

My favorite place in Marrakesh is a bit less ancient: the gardens of the French painter Majorelle and with it the house that used to be inhabited by Yves Saint Laurent. The beauty of that place is indescribable. Even overcrowded with tourists in the middle of the day, it brings you immense inner peace. All magic: the waterlilies, all the special plants and trees, the patios, the turtles bathing in the sun and moving slowly, but especially the colors of the buildings amid all this natural healthy green: bright yellow and Yves Klein blue. The most beautiful, inspiring and calming color. Go around, slowly. And start over. Even more slowly. Discover all the tiny details and enjoy the beauty.

At one point, you will get hungry. Time to move. While there are great dinner places for foodies in the old city center with the best tagines and couscous or lunch places with great food and view such as the Café des Epices, there is a complete different world lying at the edge of it and waiting for you to discover. Last time, I had the great luck to sit next to a gentleman bonvivant from Brussels, who used to own a Riad in Marrakesh. He gave me some great recommendations for trendy bars and restaurants to try. My big favorite was le Comptoir Darna: a fabulous trendy dark setting with the best cocktails (try basil mojito) and excellent food. I spent the evening of my 32nd birthday there, and it was a night to remember. Another hotspot, where you can go celeb spotting during the film festival or outside even, is the Bo-Zin. This trendy place has it all: an excellent and pricy menu, delicious cocktails or champagne if you prefer of course, the New York rooftop setting on the ground floor, which turns into a party floor with a flashy bar at one point of the evening. Suit up, and enjoy the evening.The contrast with the historic visits of the day will blow you away.

Enough dreaming for one day, before I turn the connections site on and start booking. There are still many other places to discover and talk about first, before revisiting this enchanting city and sharing more of these discoveries with you. As always, if you plan on going and need more tips: do not hesitate to contact me before jumping on your flying carpet to the tantalizing Orient!

London visits Antwerp

Yesterday my friend from London came over to work and to pay me a visit. It was grand as always! Every couple of months I get to spend time with her in London, or she comes and visits me in Antwerp. When in London, she always finds new places for us to discover. Last time I went there, we walked around Greenwich. My favorite part was the arty Greenwich market inside a historic setting. It was full of little and usually affordable art treasures, such as card decorations, papercurpaintings, handmade hats, special leather shoes, ‘I love my humans’ cupboards and much more. Definitely recommend it, especially for a rainy day, and add lunch to it, it has delicious Boqueria-style food corners. We went around the area and ended the day with a beautiful sunset in Grove Park, a great view on the city and river banks, a special mist, and park officers pushing us out after closing time.

The time before, she took me to hipster-town: Shoreditch. We went to shop in the boxpark, which is a combination of crazy and beautiful things sold by crazy hipster people in containers. Loved it. We walked around the area; saw great artwork on the walls, including graffiti, a lot of cool people, couches full of flashy pink and yellow animals, and much more. We stopped at cute coffee places and ended the day in a splendid cocktail bar & restaurant in Islington: Zilouf. The interior is beautiful, white combined with wood and old and new furniture. And happy hour seems to last forever in their couches. It was one of my favorite days in London.
Well, more tips about London later. With Lena’s help, we will have plenty to cover!

Yesterday she and I had to work, but we took enough breaks to enjoy our time together. She brought me a new smoothie shaker, and we had some creative try-out time with it. Then at lunchtime we went to eat at the Vitrin, the place to be in the South of Antwerp, again for hipsters mainly. We had a healthy lunch on the sunny terrace. Then back to work, waiting for the afternoon break, which we spent at a deliciously cute little place which is called Starfish and Coffee. The house cat was waiting for us in an old couch of the stylishly refurbished living room. We tried all kind of healthy summer teas and beverages, and allowed us to split one chocolate and berries muffin. After a few more mails, we walked from the south to the north, to a fantastic restaurant in a multicultural neighborhood: Brasserie Duval. The young owner is also your waiter, and he explains everything with such a passion!: inspiring. He can tell you a story about every wine. Next week he will leave on a trip east to discover some new additions to his special selection. The food was fresh and delicious, and the presentation candy for the eye. The whole interior is very classy and trendy, a lot of white and wood with eye-catching lights and custom made hangers. We finished the evening with a glass of homemade limoncello, and Johan at our table. Friendly, delicious, trendy and beautiful: happy discovery!

Today I am already very much looking forward to the next city-meeting!

A perfect night out in Leuven

Yesterday evening was one of those evenings when you just stop thinking, and enjoy life with every fiber of your body. The beautiful glowing and sunny fall of the day lightened up the welcoming small canals and the inspiring old stones of the inner city. The city town hall bathed like a Gothic cathedral in the sun, and I almost had to agree that it was the most beautiful town hall I had ever seen. Standing still in the middle of these buildings, observing the facades, some of the hidden treasures revealed themselves: small castle towers, golden figures, ancient inscriptions, a boat surfing on a roof and more. Just go and see for yourself. Feel free to share your discoveries with us.

We continued our walk through the Muntststraat, very cozy full of little restaurants with terraces full of smiles. And at a corner, we arrived at the fabulous Kokoon. It is a small trendy restaurant, where reservations are necessary except for the terrace. You just need to be lucky, and we were. My man, who is from Leuven, had picked this place. Great choice! The menu is quite elaborated, with a mix of traditional western and Asian dishes, but revisited by the chef. It was simply delicious.

With those subtle tastes still hanging around our palate, we drove off to the concert hall of Leuven: het Depot. A last minute announcement had been made that day, and a friend of mine was so great as to put us on the list of the event: Gabriel Rios was doing an intimate try-out in preparation of the upcoming festival season. The gig included known, less known and new songs. Fast and slow, old and new, English and Spanish, velvet poetry and sexy Latin bounces, classic instruments and modern music, Norah Jones and Enrique Iglesias, powerful and intimate, it had it all. The kind of beautiful that gives you shiverings, especially in the arms of your love. Thank you Gabriel. The most striking about this artist was his charisma, his voice, and his spontaneity. If you attend one of the summer festivals where he performs, do not miss him! He will also be joining Stromae at a few of his concerts.

Past eleven, the sky was still glowing with an enchanting kind of blue.

Favorite trendy restaurants in Antwerp

Planning a citytrip is also planning great culinary experiences. Let me start with the city I know best, my hometown: Antwerp. Belgium is a great little country for foodies, and Antwerp is definitely the city for all types of tongues and eyes. Because yes, you do also eat with your eyes. That’s why my top 10 list will only include places that offer succulent food, a magnificent interior, and a special kind of atmosphere:

1. Le John: beautiful trendy and minimalistic, in an old school, small menu with divine fresh tastes, truffles always a good option, cosy lounge bar upstairs with cocktails, cigars and excellent whiskeys, a wonderful experience for your senses!
2. Pazzo: it might not exist for long anymore as the brilliant chef is unfortunately thinking about selling the place, but still worth a visit. Excellent food combined with a brilliant wine cellar and a trendy bar upstairs.
3. Het Pomphuis: a splendid setting at the riverbank in an old pump house as the name says it, a building full of history. It is quite a posh place, with excellent food and very special surroundings.
4. Roji: my favorite sushi place in Antwerp, in a cellar hidden in the old city center. The interior was created by the famous antiquair Axel Vervoordt. The fire place makes it extra special, even in the summer.
5. Umami: Asian and a bit overpriced food, in a setting and with visitors that could be found in Sex and the City. Flashy and trendy.
6. Galliano: a new Italian restaurant that opened the doors in the Trendy Zuid of Antwerp, a red brick industrial loft atmosphere, with benches to share, and fresh fish tanks. Also nice to have a cocktail at the counter and observe the scene.
7. A l’Infintiste: a very small corner place, that serves a limited amount of tables with the same exquisite menu. One chef who creates masterworks in silence in front of your eyes. You are your own waiter, poor your own wine, and make your own bill.
8. Felix Pakhuis: a beautiful patchwork of furniture in an old warehouse, bricks, white walls, black wires of light dropping down the bar, and great not too complicated food. Also excellent for a lunch on the sunny terrace with view on the small St.Tropez harbor.
9. l’Epicerie du Cirque: Rather small, less is more, hidden in one of the most trendy streets of Antwerp. Serves amazing food to a stylish crowd.
10. Bien Soigne: by the owner of the much regretted ‘Il macho’, an excellent lunch address to try out.

Enjoy! Pick the best, and come back for the others. If you need more places, I have a whole list of other possibilities Antwerp has to offer, including a list of still to-do’s..

Writing about food makes me longing for some. I will go and look up a nice place in Leuven for tonight, as I am in that city to attend a preview showcase of Gabriel Rios, very excited! If you have any special place to recommend, feel free to shout out.

Basics to plan a trendy, tasty and exciting citytrip

You have to love planning the perfect trip! Traveling is one of my favorite things in the world. Every time a plane flies over, I have to look up. And every time I wish a little basket would roll down to pick me up and pull me inside the flying carpet on the way to an undiscovered new world. At least undiscovered by me. The moment when you leave a new airport, and start discovering the tiny bits the road of a new land has to offer to your eyes, before reaching your first destination is magic.

While I am not traveling this month, I jumped on the occasion to help family and friends to plan their trips. Let me share some of my planning tips with you.

•  Start by asking people you know who already went there or who live(d) in the place you visited. Make sure they have the same taste as you, or look for the same style of place that you have in mind.

• Then I use a few sites, which almost never let me down, to find other trendy and beautiful new spots:

            http://www.tablethotels.com/
            http://www.connections.be/home-nl.html
            http://www.holidaypirates.com/
            http://petitepassport.com/
            http://www.cool-cities.com/

• Cross-check the things that jumped at your face with some regular travel guides, and the opinion of other travelers on sites such as Tripadvisor.

• Take a map, organize your days efficiently by preparing your ‘best of’ per area. Make reservations if needed. Buy tickets in advance whenever you can to avoid cues. And leave enough room for improvisation, adventure and discovery. Or crazy places to do some romantic or exciting couple stuff :-).

I would love to talk more about travel, and start talking to you about Paris, London, New York, Barcelona, Budapest, Copenhagen, Saint Petersburg, and so many other incredible cities to get started with, but that will be for another day…

Tonight, I will not go out. I will stay at home, with my 2 fluffy British longhair cats Mars and Loki, a huge bowl of fresh fruit, and Eat Pray Love. I saw that movie 2 years ago, and it was as if it had been written and filmed for me. I am sure you experienced that feeling too once. Starting to write here made me think of that amazing movie. A must watch, and great way to start our journey together. With or without a glass of beautiful red wine.

the start of nspirelife

Lately, I have changed my life completely. I went from 24/7 manager to creative life explorer.

While I am exploring new routes, and searching for ‘the meaning of life’, I would love to take you with me.
One thing I know about, and love, is beauty. Beauty always brightens up your day. Whether it is a beautiful book, an art piece, a landscape, a photography, a building, a dress, a salad, or a smile, it makes you feel happy.
Hence, I plan to share my best and latest findings with you, on all these topics. From Antwerp. A city that has all of that to offer. And from the world. A place that hides so many treasures, waiting for us to discover.

Instead of looking for a deeper purpose for life, let’s start by enjoying our stay here and try to live in the moment. Happiness is now. It’s around you. In your eyes, and the eyes surrounding you. Love.