Recommend April 2012 - (Page 27)

hours away by train. (As a matter of fact, some wags have been heard to mutter that the best thing about Paris is its proximity to Brussels.) It’s also mercifully short of Berlin’s self-importance and the rudeness of Rome. And when it comes to party time, even The Guardian of London—a city that for years epitomized Europe’s nightlife—threw in the towel, recently declaring flat out that Brussels “now leads the way on the European party scene.” There are events planned in the most unlikely settings, like Dinosaur Dinners at the Brussels Museum of Natural Science where diners will enjoy their meals among skeletons from the great lizards. Brusselicious will culminate Sept. 6-9 when a large banquet is planned around hundreds of exhibits of food demonstrations and tasting parties, while simultaneously showcasing the best products from the city’s fabled beer breweries, chocolatiers, bakeries and restaurants. The event is free. brusselicious Parties, landmarks and lifestyle notwithstanding, Brussels has embarked on a year-long plan to attract gourmands with a program labeled “Brusselicious” that promises to shine a brilliant gastronomical spotlight on the city. This is a place that traditionally has shown pride in its food to the point where locals invariably point out that Brussels offers mouth-watering delights that rival anything concocted on the French side of the border, with German-sized quantities to boot. And while Brusselian food is often a mere footnote in the vast European menu, dishes emanating from its kitchens are imaginative, delightful and vast. Organized by the Tourist Office for Flanders, the festival spans nearly 12 months of adventures to sate most appetites and send gourmands into fits of ecstasy. There are chocolate samplings, beer fests, food demonstrations, gastronomical fairs and loads of events tailored exclusively for visiting food lovers. Brusselicious shows signs of becoming an event where the toque might become the city’s symbol and forever alter the misguided impression that Brussels food is nothing but waffles, chocolate and unusual beers. An unusual treat is its cherry beer, a brew that tastes suspiciously like carbonated Vick’s Formula 44. Liliane Opsomer, deputy director and media relations for the Tourist Office for Flanders, explains that Brusselicious’ aim is to “bring innovative and creative cuisine to the forefront by using traditional methods and local produce to create great food.” The city’s most celebrated chefs will perform their magic throughout the year in practically every corner of the city—from Michelin-starred restaurants to markets, from obscure bistros to parks and even on street corners. Those coming to Brussels to experience tastebud-tingling encounters will find that the city indeed is ringing the meal bell with unprecedented passion. What are some of the events that constitute Brusselicious? Twenty hotels have already eagerly jumped on the chuck wagon to underline “Brusselicious Breakfasts,” a year-long program celebrating the best in pastries, cheeses, breads and produce grown in the greater Brussels area. Frietkot Walk guides visitors to the city’s renowned fried potato stalls (frite stalls) where Brussels’ famous French fries are traditionally garnished with mayonnaise. Information for the walk may be obtained through the Visit Flanders Information Centers set in strategic locations. This is a whimsical adventure where visitors watch French fry chefs demonstrating the art’s finer touches while sampling different variation of frites. The Tram Experience (75 euros pp) has a daily 2-hour train ride through Brussels. A stylish train carrying up to 34 food lovers rolls along the rails at twilight as riders feast on creations from Brussels’ Michelin-rated chefs who alternate cooking during the tour. From April to September, an exhibit of 35 large sculptures paying homage to Belgian food and drink will be on display in Brussels Park. Labeled “Brusselicious XXL,” the exhibit depicts foods like mussels, Brussels sprouts, chocolate and even beer. after the feast, a nap Booking passage to Brussels offers endless variety and possibilities for travel agents who will find hotels to fit most budgets, ranging from the humble to the sublime. One of the city’s optimum accommodations is the elegant, 267-room Royal Windsor Hotel, a member of the well-regarded Warwick International collection (from approximately $184 per night dbl to about $438 for small suites). Like Brussels, the Royal Windsor sits in a great location: just steps away from the fabled and historic Grand Place, the fairyland heart of the city. The hotel is popular with visiting Americans who find its excellent location to be a convenient point from where to begin exploring Brussels. According to Rida Laschan, one of the managers, “At any given time, approximately 20 percent of our guests are from the U.S.” The hotel unveiled a 4,300-sq.-ft. Grand Place Suite favored by diplomats and its 2-night Romance package ($750 per night) has proven to be highly popular. It includes transportation to and from the airport in a Maserati, champagne upon arrival, free access to the spa, day excursions to Ghent or Bruges, breakfasts and even rose petals on the bed. Odette en Ville (from about $350 per night dbl), meanwhile, is a charming 8-room hotel at the end of the Avenue Louise, a chic shopping street, where guests will enjoy seclusion and privacy in a remodeled hostelry that looks like it belongs to another, more elegant age. package it It’s not easy to find tours exclusively featuring Brussels, since U.S. tour operators generally offer the city only as part of packages that take in other and more popular northern European destinations. One of the exceptions is Kensington Tours. Its 4-day Brussels Discovery tour (from $1,272 pp dbl, plus air and meals) not only showcases the city’s principal highlights, but may also be customized to the client’s wishes. Accommodations are in the Hilton Brussels City, ideally located near the city center, from where visitors may walk to the old city’s principal sites and may have the opportunity to take part in some of the Brusselicious events. The last day of the tour is spent touring Ghent and Bruges, two of Belgium’s most fabled tourist centers, but Kensington gives clients the option of spending the entire duration of the tour in Brussels. n Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Flanders Travel Planner (September 2011) contact information Kensington Tours: (888) 903-2001; kensingtontours.com/agents Odette en Ville: chez-odette.com Royal Windsor Hotel: royalwindsorbrussels.com Tourist Office for Flanders: (212) 584-2336; visitflanders.us or visitflanders.us/trade/agent-offers april 2012 25 http://www.recommend.com http://www.kensingtontours.com/agents http://www.chez-odette.com http://www.royalwindsorbrussels.com http://www.visitflanders.us http://www.visitflanders.us/trade/agent-offers

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend April 2012

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Provenance Hotels
Tour Talk: Trafalgar
Sailing the Galapagos Islands
Now Sapphire
Paradisus Playa del Carmen
Treat Yourself to Brussels
Panama Specialist Program
New Zealand
Turkish Delights
Women Wellness Retreats
The Still-Single Mingle in Vegas
Club Med Sandpiper, Florida
Hawaii: Escaping to the Islands

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