Window Shopping (Weekend Edition)

Brussels: Rue Blaes, Roberto Barr Papier Mache sculptures


Brussels: Sablon, Anne-Claire Petit knitted toys

Bonus: The artist at work in his atelier - Roberto Barr, 41 rue Blaes, Brussels

Window Shopping (Brussels)

All these wonderful antique/junk stores are on Rue Blaes, which runs from the Sablon (chi-chi) to the Marolles (traditionally the downtrodden part of Brussels). You can find everything you ever searched for and a lot you didn't know you wanted: art nouveau to art deco; MCM, retro and space age chic; made to measure furniture to custom leather handbags; old school chairs and even a working carousel!

Paris (and Brussels): 5 Days, 500 shots

I was amazed when I uploaded the photos of the Thanksgiving weekend trip to Paris and BXL to find out I'd taken 167 shots on the iPhone and 333 on my fantastic Canon EOS Rebel. After I'd removed the accidently taken shots of my shoes I was left with a round 500 images of the two European capitals. Some of them I've posted via my twitter account and a lot more will go up on flickr over the next few days but here - just for the flavour, so to speak - is un petit tour...


Paris: Mademoiselles in the Jardin des Tuileries


Paris: "Big Girls" in Montmartre


Paris: Job Opportunities


Paris: From Pont de l'Alma to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur


Brussels: Plaisirs d'hiver/Winter Pret - real genever or Peket


Brussels: surreality à pied

and finally....


Brussels: The Guy tries to comprehend the city's Xmas Decorations

Ceci n'est pas un musée

Well not quite yet anyway but in six short weeks the long awaited Magritte Museum will open in Brussels. In somewhat surreal fashion the website is still under construction but there is a link to this fantastic video that shows the stately Beaux-Arts Museum as well as the virtual Magritte Museum.
Visitors to The Cool House may get a clue how much I love Magritte's art, and I've been to many retrospectives that brought together paintings from all over the world but this museum will house the largest single collection of his work - more than 170 paintings - as well as letters, photographs and films.

The Musée Magritte Museum opens June 2 2009 in the former Hotel Altenloh, a neo-classical building on Place Royale, Brussels. Tickets can be reserved now: by email or phone: +32 (0)2/508 33 33.

I'll be there as soon as possible.

Schmapped again

I've been Schmapped again, this time for the Brussels edition. It's great that my considerable ahem photographic skills are once again recognized, though I can't think why they didnit choose this one entitled "Man with Cell Phone and Strange Blue Dot"



or even this piece of art, "Girl with Cell Phone and Shopping Bag"



at least this one is in focus (almost)



Surreal Spring time on the Place St Catherine/Sint-Katelijneplaats, Brussels, May 2007.