The Midi Market in Brussels was loud, huge and incredibly diverse, selling everything from fruit and veggies to shoes and nail polish! It’s as if WalMart exploded onto the streets.
The Liege train station was modern, sleek, and bright thanks to architect Santiago Calatrava. So different from the feeling that many other European train stations evoke.
My quest to learn about and taste artisanal recipes and local delicacies led me around little river towns and valleys stopping at farms along the way to get a complete taste of Wallonia’s food scene.
One of my favorite things to do in Belgium is to find local experiences – like eating with locals in their home via Bookalokal . I attended a Beer and Food dinner in Brussels which not only was filling, but it was also a fun way to bring a thriving expat community together with locals and travelers.
Many people say the best chocolate in the world comes from Belgium. I felt I needed to conduct my own research; after all, as a travel writer I must really dig into a story, check the facts, ensure my readers are getting the full truth!
The first thing I learned is beer in Belgium is like wine in France; it’s complicated, educational, and serious…oh….and fun.
I was excited to do my share of tastings of Belgian waffles, but I quickly learned when it came to Belgian waffles – it’s complicated.
One of my good friends & former Brussels expat, Alison, spent years researching the Brussels food scene – including waffles! She wrote a guide to the best food in Brussels – a must have item if you are traveling to the region!
The Foodie Guide to Brussels: Local Tips for Restaurants, Shops, Hotels, and Activities
Do you love going off the beaten path when you travel? Me too! Head on over to my gallery and check out my untouristed Belgium Pictures.
“Don’t bring anything and don’t show up early unless you want to cook.” These were the only real rules I received after I booked my bookalokal Beer and Food group dinner in Brussels. Evelyn, our hostess, welcomed us at the door. My stomach woke up as I smelled the aroma of a big dinner cooking […]
I read the itinerary as if it were a theater program – the show was all about how 3 women and two tour guides were on a quest to learn about and taste artisanal recipes and local delicacies of Wallonia. They would wind around the little river towns and valleys stopping at farms along the […]
The first time I passed through the Liege train station, I was stunned. I looked out my train window and saw curved iron beams, symmetry, and bright sunlight – unlike any train station in Europe I had ever been to. But this was not a planned stop for me, so we pulled away as I […]
We sped off from the Festival of Slow and drove a long day through 3 countries – the UK, France, and Belgium. We were invited to stay with my friends Alison and Andrew from the Expat blog Cheeseweb in Brussels that night. Boy oh boy did they put on a big welcome for us! First […]
Why did I go to Brussels this summer? Was it the beer, chocolate, frites or waffles? No. Was it the history? No. The architecture? No.It was for those three furballs above… Briefcase to Backpack just covered how to travel with pets…but I was actually traveling to take care of pets. As you would expect, I […]
Back when I had a kitchen, I owned a waffle maker. Waffles have made it into American kitchen culture, but do you know where they originated? The tiny country of Belgium; hence the beloved Belgian waffle. When I traveled to Belgium this summer I was excited to do my share of tastings of Belgian waffles, […]
The night before I left for Europe, I went out with my friend Miles to have a beer. We went to a little dive bar on the Upper West Side in NYC, sat at the bar, and each had a pint of Stella Artois. The bill was $7 each plus a $1 tip – $8 […]
“You must go to Brugge.” “Have you been to Brugge?” “You can’t miss seeing Brugge!” These were the reactions I received after telling people I was spending August in Belgium house-sitting. It seemed that in Belgium, all roads led to Brugge, the little Unesco World Heritage town known for it’s medieval, historic architecture and maze […]
I looked through the freshly cleaned glass devoid of fingerprints and surveyed my choices. Dark, milk, nuts, liquor, and fruit; this was my lineup of choices at the Godiva chocolate shop in the Grand Place of Brussels. I looked at my watch and hesitantly pointed to a dark one. The sophisticated looking man carefully picked […]
I adore markets; they are my single favorite place in any country or city to photograph, visit, interact, and write about. By going to the market, you experience the culture and commerce of a country. When I was told about the Sunday Midi Market in Brussels, it was #1 on my list of places to […]
