olivier theyskens | cheriecity.co.uk

Brussels

How to Spend a Wonderful Weekend in Brussels

May 3, 2016 by cheriecity

Brussels is a destination that really surprised me when we visited recently. My initial impression was that it was mostly a connection city for travelling to Bruges or Ghent and must be super-serious and business-like as the centre of the European Union.

Of course, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Firstly, the Belgian capital city wins points for its enthusiasm for chocolate, waffles and really good beer, but after spending some time there, I was also charmed by its history, grandeur and friendly culture.

Our visit came at a time of intensity in Brussels and fortunately we were back in London before the devastating attacks. During our stay, there was a reassuringly strong security presence on the streets and the weekend revelry carried on in a fun, good-natured way.

The Hotel

We were kindly invited by Accor Hotels for this weekend city break in Brussels and we had the most fantastic time exploring the city. Our base for two nights was the shiny new four-star Mercure Brussels Centre Midi, located conveniently close to the Eurostar terminal at Gare du Midi and a short 15-minute walk into the heart of Brussels. While I always plan my Eurostar departure meticulously, I’ve been known to scramble like a madwoman to make the train back home with mere minutes to spare, so I found the hotel’s location handy for that last-minute dash.

The Mercure Brussels Centre Midi is contemporary and sleek with stylish interiors. We found our Double Room very comfortable with a plush bed, large LCD TV, tea and coffee facilities and a spacious, modern bathroom.

A special perk of staying there is the relaxing spa with a well-maintained sauna, steam room and whirlpool. It was the perfect way to unwind after a day of sightseeing before heading out to dinner.

Breakfast is also a real treat with everything you could possibly want for breakfast, including hot dishes, smoked salmon, mini pastries, freshly-baked waffles, crepes, charcuterie, Continental cheese and squeeze-your-own orange juice. There’s even a slab of Belgian chocolate to be cracked with a hammer, if you want to start the day on a sugar high – you’re on holiday, after all!

There are so many things to see and do in Brussels and there are still a number of sights and neighbourhoods still on my list, but here are some of the highlights of our weekend trip…

The Grand Place & Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

The most iconic spot in Brussels is the Grand Place (Grote Markt), a majestic square lined with exquisite gold-embellished guildhalls dating mostly from the late 17th century. The UNESCO World Heritage Site houses the city’s Town Hall and the Museum of Brussels and in August, the centre becomes a spectacular Flower Carpet.

Just off the Grand Place is the beautiful Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert – an elegant shopping arcade filled with designer boutiques, cafes and plenty of chocolate shops. For unique gifts, check out the charming Belgian lace and Italian glove stores and be tempted by the tantalising window displays at artisan chocolatiers Pierre Marcolini and Mary.

Manneken Pis

One character you won’t be able to miss in Brussels is local hero the Mannekin Pis (‘the little pissing boy’). You can find him relieving himself in front of a crowd in the centre of old Brussels and every day he wears a different outfit.

Poechenellekelder bar is just opposite the statue, serving Belgian beers in horn glasses with meat and cheese plates, so it’s a great spot to have fun.

Museum of Costume and Lace

Brussels has been world-renowned for its unique hand-made lace since the 15th century and the Museum of Costume and Lace pays tribute to this traditional craft.

We visited for the Crinolines and Cie exhibition, which featured two floors of exquisite costumes, including an ethereal, contemporary crinoline by the talented Belgian designer Olivier Theyskens.

The Atomium

It’s worth venturing out of the centre of Brussels to visit The Atomium in the north of the city. We took the Hop On Hop Off Bus straight there and marvelled at the stunning Laeken Estate with its Royal Palace, Royal Greenhouses, Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower.

The striking building was originally constructed for Expo 58 and the top sphere offers panoramic views over Brussels (not for us, sadly, as access was restricted due to a national football match).

Palais des Beaux-Arts

A must-see for art lovers is the impressive Palais des Beaux-Arts (also known as BOZAR) in the museum district. It hosts an overwhelming number of exhibitions, but we only had time to see Theo Van Doesburg (running until 29th May).

It was an extensive survey of the works of the lesser-known co-founder of the art movement De Stijl, alongside key pieces by his contemporaries Piet Mondrian and Bart van der Leck, the Dadaists and the later Bauhaus architects. I really loved this multi-disciplinary arts centre and will definitely be keeping an eye on future exhibitions for an excuse to return.

Waffles, chocolate and cake…

The place to indulge your waffle craving in Brussels is the original Maison Dandoy tearoom on Rue au Beurre, just off the Grand Place. Established in 1829 by young baker Jean-Baptiste Dandoy, this historic maison is famous for its hand-made speculoos biscuits, but we were in the mood for a delicious Brussels waffle smothered in rich chocolate with a pot of Chantilly cream (there’s also a choice of the sweeter Liège waffle).

A real highlight of our trip was afternoon tea and cake at Meert in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. This bijou patisserie and tea room is absolutely dreamy with marble counters, sumptuous red velvet banquets and an unbelievable selection of meticulously-crafted cakes.

It’s all about the small details at Meert, from the charming and elegant service to the monogrammed china – and of course, the cakes are out of this world.

We always manage to find the hipster neighbourhood in every city we visit and I wish we’d had more time to stroll around Sainte Catherine, home of the wonderful Chicago Cafe. With just a few hours before taking the Eurostar home, we popped by for one last waffle, topped with molten chocolate and sliced fruit.

If you have more time to enjoy a leisurely lunch or brunch, there is a tempting menu of enormous gourmet salads, tartines, croques, quesadillas and burgers. It’s super-friendly for kids too!

Dinner at L’Escale

For the two nights, Mercure kindly booked us in for dinner at L’Escale, a wonderful local brasserie just a short walk away – it’s quite the hidden gem (and is recommended by Guardian). We enjoyed Belgian specialities such as Beef Carbonade, Waterzooi (a rich, creamy chicken stew), shrimp croquettes, fried Brie wedges, Flemish meatballs and rotisserie chicken.

The food was so delicious and comforting and the portion sizes were hefty, to say the least. It’s perfect if you want to try authentic Belgian dishes in a friendly, neighbourhood setting – the staff take good care of you too.

Brussels is a city that seeks to impress and we were thoroughly charmed by its beautiful sights and cool culture. It certainly leaves you wanting more – I can’t wait to return to explore the neighbourhoods of Ixelles and Louise, visit more museums and discover more of its eateries.

Exploring the city was made so much easier with the fantastic Brussels Card. There are so many museums, attractions and tours to experience with this card and you can use it for 24hrs, 48 hrs or even 72 hrs. Just be sure to carefully examine the opening times in the handy booklet, as many Brussels museums can be closed on Mondays.

For more information and booking, visit: www.all.accor.com

All photos by Chérie City

Thank you to Accor Hotels, Visit Brussels and L’Escale for making this trip possible

Designers, Fashion

Who Will Replace John Galliano at Dior?

March 1, 2011 by cheriecity

The whole sour affair surrounding John Galliano and his subsequent expulsion from Dior has left us heartbroken and disappointed to see a dark, unpalatable side of the legendary master of couture.

The wounds are still fresh and Galliano’s financial involvement with LVMH is complex to say the least, but business must continue and a successor found.

So who could possibly replace John Galliano at the helm of Dior? Will the new designer take the maison in a completely new direction or look to the archives the restore a sense of stability? Take a look at the closest contenders…

Mutterings in fashion circles suggest that Italian designer Riccardo Tisci will make the move from fellow LVMH brand Givenchy. During his five years with Givenchy, Tisci has transformed it into a youthful, desirable brand with his dark, rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic.

The move would mirror Galliano’s own sidestep from Givenchy to Dior and although Tisci has made Givenchy his own, the cachet of Dior may prove an alluring option.

Alber Elbaz has also been named as a potential replacement and with his amiable nature and reverence to Lanvin’s heritage, he would be a desirable choice. But would Elbaz want or need to leave Lanvin while at the height of his career?

Olivier Theyskens charmed critics with his demi-couture at Rochas and developed a more wearable aesthetic at Nina Ricci. Fashion editors have been going mad for his sleek tailoring at Theory, but it’s possible that he’d jack in bon chic for a more creative role in the blink of an eye.

However, Theyskens’ anti-capitalist philosophy may constantly be at odds with Dior’s courting of a more trashing monogram-mad market, which defines most of the brand’s sales. He’s turned the job down twice already, but the current crisis could mean a more attractive offer from Dior.

Ironically, Anna Wintour recently claimed that the Rodarte sisters had the ‘Imagination and originality to be in the same spirit as a John [Galliano] or an Alexander.’ Now it could be time to put La Wintour’s prophecy to the test.

Kate and Laura Mulleavy have the gothic, theatrical sensibilities to continue Dior’s otherworldly aesthetic, but it’s questionable whether they would fit the corporate LVMH mould.

Other potential candidates are said to be from the LVMH stable – Phoebe Philo of Céline and the group’s golden boy Marc Jacobs.

Phoebe Philo’s minimalist-luxe vision for Céline is worlds apart from the playful decadence of Dior and would Marc Jacobs really leave Louis Vuitton, which seems to run perfectly in tandem with his eponymous label?

Who do you think will succeed John Galliano at Dior? Will Dior play it safe or take a chance on a younger designer?

Art, France, Paris, Shopping, Stores

Left Bank Book Boutique: Assouline

December 23, 2009 by cheriecity

Taschen and Phaidon are usually my go-to publishers for beautiful coffee table and reference books, but having revisited the Assouline boutique on the Left Bank, I think I’ve changed allegiance.

While Taschen’s Left Bank store is sleek and ordered, with books uniformly displayed, Assouline has a thrown together, boudoir atmosphere, with scented candles and stationery.

I love the seductive red and black walls and creaky old wooden floor and especially the cushioned reading den at the back of the store. Even though we were the only ones in the store, no one came out to pounce on us, so we had free reign to grab, flick and click away. A member of staff did pop her head round the door when I accidentally knocked over a candle, at which point we decided to scuttle away.

assouline-shop

Assouline have the most amazing selection of notebooks and diaries – my personal favourite being a collection of pastel pink and blue, leather-bound journals featuring Marie-Antoinette’s crest in candy pink…sooo pretty! Of course, Steven was more into the skull and cross-bones notebooks, which are also pretty cool. Would it be really loathsome to have his ‘n’ notebooks, I wonder?

As you probably already know, Assouline are behind those slender white hardbacks featuring beautiful photography and the biography of iconic designers like Christian Dior, Marc Jacobs and Yohji Yamamoto. Their fashion catalogue is really strong, but there are more unusual, specialised titles paying homage to the allure of geishas, bikinis, wasps (American women, not the insects) and…the cigarette.

I could have bought the whole store, but I thought this was one of the best finds, the American Fashion Cookbook, edited by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

American Fashion Cookbook

But don’t worry, there’s more than salad on the menu with gastro concoctions such as Isaac Mizrahi’s Truffle Spaghetti, Tory Burch’s Andalucian Gazpacho, Diane Von Furstenberg’s Saturday Night Chicken and a secret pot roast recipe courtesy of Michael Kors’ Grandma Bea.

The cookbook is illustrated with fashion drawings as delectable as the recipes and the foreword is writen by none other than America’s own slightly shonky domestic goddess Martha Stewart.

Not only does the book offer an insight into American designers’ dinner party dishes, comfort food and indulgent desserts, it is an initiative from the fashion council to promote healthy eating, or where models are concerned, just eating in general.

DVF chicken

But, the most covetable Assouline hardback is yet to come in the new year – Olivier Theyskens: The Other Side of the Picture. Since finishing his spell as Creative Director at Nina Ricci, Theyskens has been quietly scribbling and editing away and the result is a view on his work so far, documented with beautiful images of his catwalk shows and backstage, captured by photographer Julien Claessens.

At a pricey £80, it’s one of those ‘work of art’ books that you just pray will be marked down in the Borders Foyles sale. Those days could be a long time coming, so if you’re planning a Spring trip to Paris, you could just find a comfy spot in the corner sofas of Assouline (and be left with enough cash for a Marie-Antoinette notebook).

Assouline, 35 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris