Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Exquisa in Hasselt Hopes to Re-Open


Although Stephie and Yanaïka did not win "Mijn Restaurant" and the keys to keep Exquisa open, they have definitely not given up. A group of people are looking at possibilities to re-open the restaurant.

So great is the public interest that people are raising money to help the girls.

Binnenkort toch 'ons restaurant'?
En dan dé hamvraag: Gaat Exquisa terug open? De onderhandelingen zijn volop aan de gang. De huisbaas, de bank, de boekhouder en wijzelf proberen samen tot een oplossing te komen. Tot en met zondag zal Exquisa zeker gesloten blijven. Vanaf volgende week kunnen we jullie definitief uitsluitsel geven over de toekomst van het restaurant. Deze week gaan we eerst genieten van wat rust in Barcelona, samen met ons team. Een tafel reserveren is de volgende dagen niet mogelijk. Hou zeker onze website in het oog, daar zal op verschijnen wat er beslist wordt en natuurlijk vanaf wanneer jullie opnieuw kunnen reserveren.

Exquisa op eigen benen
Ondertussen horen we dat mensen spontaan acties opzetten om geld in te zamelen zodat wij ons restaurant over kunnen nemen. We ontvangen mails met de vraag om een rekeningnummer te openen of een benefiet te organiseren. Het lot van Exquisa laat een grote groep mensen niet onberoerd. Maar dat lot ligt nu in onze eigen handen. We zijn iedereen al enorm dankbaar voor de vele sms'jes en telefoontjes. Het is aan ons om te bewijzen dat we ook na 'Mijn Restaurant' in staat zijn om Exquisa verder de juiste richting in te duwen.

Visit the Exquisa website

Run the Brussels Marathon or Half-Marathon

The 2008 edition of the Brussels Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 5 October. One of Europe's most beautiful marathons starts at the Cinquantenaire Park and finishes on the historic Grand-Place going through Brussels-Centre, Watermaal-Bosvoorde, Oudergem, Tervuren, Sint-Pieters-Woluwe and Etterbeek. I ran the 20km twice in 1984 and 1985 so can recommend it.

Discover the heart of Brussels with its green belt and register now via www.brusselsmarathon.be. This year, 10,000 participants are expected.

Would you like to stay a few days in Brussels? You will find ING's hotel promotion in cooperation with Holiday Inn Express on their website or book all your travel requirements on EuroTravel the one-stop site for travel to and within Europe.

Programme Sunday 5 October:
9 am: Brussels Marathon
9.30 am: Brussels Mini-Marathon 4 km
10.30 am: Brussels Half Marathon
See you in Brussels on Sunday 5 October!

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Limburg Events 31 May and 1 June

Hasselt: live music 31 May from 20.00 and 1 June from 16.00, 28 stages with 45 groups/artistes, www.cultuurweb.be

Maasmechelen: Kleurrijk, 31 May 14.00-21.00 on Valkeniersplein, free entry
multicultural dance and music groups
workshops such as playing a Didgeridoo, street theatre and children's entertainment including a Cuban festival
hapjes & drankjes (food & drink) in an exotic atmosphere
www.maasmechelen.be

Zonhoven: Tirolermusic with Drauf und Drau
31 May 19.30 doors open, 20.30 start, Parochiezaal, Heikensstraat, Halveweg, 3 € entry
hot dogs & bratworst for sale

Blog: Living in Belgium

Friday, May 30, 2008

Leuven Win "Mijn Restaurant" Final

A media frenzy supported the Hasselt girls Yanaïka and Stephie in the final of "Mijn Restaurant", the VTM programme in which people are given a place to turn into a restaurant from scratch and compete against others.

Yanaïka and Stephie opened "Exquisa" in Hasselt, specialising in dishes from the humble potato. Limburg Governor Steve Stevaerts supported their bid and counted on traditional Limburg solidarity to carrying them through as winners.

They competed against Brussels residents mother Micheline and son Jelle in "d Hogeschool" in Leuven. His Paling in 't Groen or Eels in Green Herbs sauce has become legendary and one critic said that Jelle has the makings of a chef with stars.

Still Micheline and Jelle were the underdogs against the local support from the Hasselt population and whilst Oud-Rekem were asking for votes in the "prettiest village in Vlaanderen" competition, they also supported Exquisa.

Oud-Rekem won and celebrated last night. Limburg hoped for a double whammy but Leuven won meaning Micheline and Jelle keep the keys to their restaurant while Yanaïka and Stephie lose theirs. They said,'Het is alsof je je huis moet afgeven'

It is good news for Micheline and Jelle but bad news for the eels!

Today it was revealed on the radio that the regional newspaper Het Belang Van Limburg had published an ad yesterday asking people to vote for Exquisa but had inadvertently given the SMS number to vote for Leuven. Local residents are now calling for the newspaper to buy the restaurants for the girls who they feel were the real winners.

There are rumours that local businesspeople are interested in buying Exquisa for the girls whose success has brought advance dinner bookings up to August. We'll see what happens.


Blog: Living in Belgium

Oud-Rekem Voted Prettiest Village in Vlaanderen

Oud-Rekem (Limburg) won the competition against the finalists De Haan, Deurle, Kasterlee en Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Lombeek with 32,274 votes of 91,030 overall. There were originally 15 nominations and voting lasted for six weeks.




Limburg Governor Steve Stevaert backed Oud-Rekem with 300,000 fliers in postboxes all over Limburg hoping for the traditional Limburg solidarity.

Last night the 500 residents of the pretty village were invaded by 4,000 people celebrating. My friend lives in the village and did not want people to vote for the very reason that they enjoy the quiet stillness and do not want to be invaded by visitors, however good that is for the local tourist industry whose representative said,
"Dat is net een van de charmes van Oud-Rekem. We gaan er geen turbo op plaatsen om een toeristiche boom te forceren. Alles moet geleidelijk gaan."



Someone posted this comment in dialect on the Het Belang Van Limburg site:
Limburg, Limburg allein , dao geit niks bove , zoe ès ers mèr ein! Jao dat ès Limburg, Limburg allein, dao geit niks bove, zoe ès ers mèr ein! Dat benkse aan de Maaskant, jao dat zit miech nog in het blood, dat bènkse aan de maaskant, jao iech weit het nog good! Rekem, proficiat, allures van un echte stad, dao boe iech (nit :p) gebore bin en boe iech alle luijkes kin! Rekem, geschiedenis, zoe riek dat ès toch nit mis, ''t kestiel dat ès os monumeent, het ès zoe wiet en breid bekind! Iech haw van Rèkem dao langs de knaal, dao zien de luijkes zoe loyaal, dao ès ers nörrges valse sjien, jao dao kin iech toch m''n eige zien! EEN DIKKE PROFICIAT AAN IEDEREEN!!! Limburg boven! Laoneke boven! Rekem boven!

- Dominique Terwingen, Neerharen-Lanaken.

Listen to the song of Oud-Rekem: 'Ich haw van Rèkem' met Juulke en Erik 1


and film of Oud-Rekem from the air:


and the Kasteel D'Aspremont-Lynden:


Visit the Oud-Rekem official site and download the 'Ich haw van Rèkem' song.

Blog: Living in Belgium

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Go Look for the Sun with Brussels Airlines

When the sun moves away after the summer, you can still find it elsewhere: down South! Eg. Nice, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca…with flights from the UK and Brussels.

Join Brussels Airlines this Thursday evening to book a flight to the Mediterranean in the autumn: from €49,99 one-way, all-in and make sure you keep your tan all year round.

* When to fly? Between 01/10/08 and 31/12/08
* When to book? This Thursday May 22th between 6PM and midnight
* Privilege: earn miles with every flight you book!
* Save time: use the online check-in from home, accessible 24h before departure
* Want more? Choose b.flex economy+ for a delicious meal on-board & more flexibility!

Hotel deals
Book your hotel and save €30. Special discount valid for bookings made between 21/05/08 and 31/5/08. Travel before 31/12/08. To claim, enter the code MAY30 when the hotel pricing summary is displayed, by clicking "I have a voucher". Offer only through bookings via the Brussels Airlines website. Only valid on E-special rate hotels.

EuroTravel the one-stop site for travel to and within Europe

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Which is the Prettiest Village in Flanders?


Wat is het mooiste dorp van Vlaanderen? Voting takes place online from 19 April to 28 May at www.mooistedorp.be. The short list comprises 15 villages, 3 per province. Here in Limburg we have nominations for Gors-Op-Leeuw, Oud-Rekem and Kanne. Oud-Rekem was chosen as the prettiest village in Limburg and as Limburg is generally considered to be the most beautiful province in Vlaanderen, could we safely say that Oud-Rekem will win overall?