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Cook & Book is an amazing new concept of nine very classy bookshops all grouped together where each runs its own specific theme. The novelty is that they are at the same time restaurants where one could come for a simple drink or enjoy a full meal while browsing for his favorite books. There are sections dedicated to travel, comics, personal development, literature, print media, children’s books, contemporary art, classical music and jazz, and there’s also a particularly attractive section given over to works in English.

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Left side of the Cook & Book restaurant and bookshops

Entering

Right side of the Cook & Book restaurant/bookshops

The French bookshop looks like a Left Bank café, with old books suspended from the ceiling.

Tables in the back where you can enjoy a meal or a drink

View of both the restaurant and book section

All the bookstores are linked and one can go from theme to theme

The interiors are designed to reflect the books on sale as recipe books are displayed in an Italian-style trattoria with an open kitchen, tiled floor and Fiat 600 parked next to the counter.

Food and drinks are available in all nine bookstores

The comfortable English bookshop occupies a carpeted room with eccentric armchairs and lamps decorated with Union Jack flags.

Home improvement and gardening part

Classical music and jazz themed bookstore

For the travel bookshop, the designers have reproduced an American lunchroom adding lampshades made from Warhol-style Campbell soup cans.

Replica aluminum caravan

People can even go inside to enjoy a meal

A single table is inside where a maximum of four people can enjoy one of the most eccentric eating experiences in Brussels.

Comic strip bookstore

The largest restaurant section of all the bookstores is just after

Literature bookstore

Contemporary Art

On my way out…

Open seven days days a week from early 08:00 until 22:00, Thursday 00:00 and Sundays 20:00.

Tags: bookshop, Cook & Book, Restaurant, woluwe-saint-lambert

Stoemp avec saucisse or in English Stoemp with sausages is a Traditional Belgian dish made of mashed potato mixed with vegetables (the Stoemp portion) and served in this case with Belgian sausages. Quite a few different variations exist as it could be served with many kids of meat: Chicken, Duck, Rabbit, Carbonnade, steak, Pork cutlet or mixed with bacon. The version with Saussages is typically from Brussels but each has his favorite.

Photo of a Stoemp with sausages served in a Belgian restaurant

Here are the ingredients for a Stoemp:

• finely cut bacon cooked in some butter
• 4 potatoes
• 1 Carrot
• 1 chopped leek
• 2oz of butter
• Salt and pepper
• Meat of your choice

Tags: belgian food, brussels, bruxelles, stoemp

The Brussels Jazz Marathon 2008 just ended this week-end for its 13th consecutive edition. 125 concerts were spread out from Friday to Sunday through outdoor stages for the biggest venues and the remaining larger portion indoors of around 50 bars, pubs and cafés of Brussels. And best of All it’s once again 100% FREE… Here are some pictures of Saturday’s evening.

Horse pulled buggy behind the Bourse

Place Sainte-Catherine

Marc Lelangue Trio

Rene Stock

The crowd gathered Place Sainte-Catherine

Soulstorm

Some of the many joyful Jazz festival goers

At the Grand Place the Laurent Doumont Soul Band

View of the Grand Place and its Brussels Jazz Marathon stage

Here come the horns

Pleased public

Place du Sablon with The Night Crowd Blues Band

The crowd at Place du Sablon

Tropa bar with Leo and the lunar tiki

Arriving at the Live Music Cafe

Featuring Kalema and K-Tribe

Pure Bar with K-Bonus

More of Léo and the Lunar Tiki’s at The Tropa Disco Bar

Tags: brussels, Brussels Jazz Marathon, bruxelles

The Café Metropole is the bar and restaurant of the prestigious Hotel of the same name. Superbly decorated it is the last 19th century French Renaissance-style Hotel to have survived in Brussels. The magnificent terrace is heated during the winter but it’s inside that you can really experience the luxurious decor.

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The entrance of the Metropole hotel and the Cafe Metropole terrace behind it

The terrace itself from the other side

Well dressed waiters provide table service

The posh view sitting inside the Café Metropole from one corner

My choice from the six page menu arrived

Crystal chandeliers and high-ceilings are all part of the luxurious decor

Marble fireplace and bar in the back

View from the bar this time

Tags: bars, brussels, bruxelles, cafe, cafe metropole, hotel metropole

The Pavillon du Bonheur Provisoire is 600 meters cube temporary building that’s entirely made out of empty Jupiler cases of beer, 33 000 to be exact. The Pavilion of Temporary Happiness is an extension of the Atomium’s Expo 58 and holds an exhibition about the history of the World’s Fairs. To complete this giant Lego-like block structure it took 19 workers nonetheless a combined total of 3900 hours to assemble.

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Before entering Pavillon du Bonheur Provisoire

Photos from inside the Pavilion of Temporary Happiness

The Pavillon du Bonheur Provisoire has also a backyard

Tags: Atomium, brussels, bruxelles, Pavilion of Temporary Happiness, Pavillon du Bonheur Provisoire