Le Corto is a student bar/ café near ULB and the Ixelles cemetery. Its slightly kitsch, but cozy interior is inspired by the world of the comics, i.e. Corto Maltese. Drinks are original and at a reasonable price. You can enjoy for example a submarine, a shot of strong drink (possibly rum) immersed in a bigger glass of beer. Or a delicious kir, a mix of white wine and cassis syrup. The bar has kept its appearance since the eighties. On Saturdays, it can be booked for private events. Take a look at their site, it's unique...
I just hope I won't be sued for this article... Place Keym in Watermael-Boitsfort. I don't know what the architects were thinking. It's a horrendous agglomeration of Communist -looking apartment buildings and some desolate trees. Mostly frequented by sad old people and noisy children. An apotheosis of kitsch. I didn't even bother to take some pictures with my camera, I just downloaded some stock pictures so you know why it's best to avoid this place:-) Feel free to give me counter-arguments if you dare (in the comment section below). Cheers.
I discovered Luis' mind-blowing massages a few years ago and I can say that they became addictive. They are by far the best massages I have ever experienced. Better even than the ayurvedic massages I was given in India. Luis' massages are adapted to body type and specific problems. He calls his technique mind-body integrative. As far as I could tell, he stretches the fascia, that is the soft tissue surrounding the muscles throughout the body, thus releasing tensions and stress. Don't make big plans after his massage though. You will need to take a nap, as his treatments have a strong detoxifying effect. P.S. This is not an ad. Luis became a good friend and I would like to share this privilege with you.
You can find him at this address: 23, rue de Florence 1050 Brussels
"Guilt is always beyond doubt". Music sounds from an 80's cassette player. At a table, some young people are playing cards in the semi-darkness. On the wall behind them, the first page of Kafka's "Metamorphosis" and a portrait of the famous writer from Prague are displayed. Drinks are cheap, nobody is trying to prove anything, nobody judges anybody. Mainly students. Probably aspiring artists among them. Ah yes, and they sometimes organise great concerts. I just realised I haven't set foot in there for a while:-)
Set in the former Palais du Vin, gorgeous Art Nouveau building from the late 19th-early 20th century, this market is a charming way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning shopping for organic groceries. You can combine this with a visit of the Marolles and the Sablon, both only a few steps away. The salespeople are patient and friendly. The market offers a wide range of fruit and vegetables, milk products, cereals and wines. For meat lovers, the offer is sparse though. The building also hosts Les Ateliers des Tanneurs, dealing with social reinsertion and encouraging local economies.
Discovering Cinematek was one of the great epiphanies I had in Brussels.
Here, the avid cinephile can watch movies since the beginning of cinema, even silent ones, with a piano accompaniment. I shed many tears watching Lars von Trier's "Breaking the Waves", admired Anna Karina's beauty in "Vivre sa vie" or Greta Garbo's expressiveness in the memorable "Kiss". For only 3 euros you can enjoy an unforgettable experience. For connoisseurs, here is a very insightful excerpt from "Vivre sa vie".
