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As already mentioned by The Lobby in June (see Pirates could secure two seats in new European Parliament) the Swedish Pirate Party has secured another seat in the European Parliament following the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
Amelia Andersdotter, 22, is on her way to Brussels, thanks to the Lisbon Treaty, perhaps ironically, a Treaty she is personally not in favour of. But as she says herself in an interview with Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter, “if it now has to enter into force, it’s good that the Pirate Party gains another seat…[as] two people can perform double the amount of work” (free translation).
She effectively becomes the European Parliament’s youngest MEP.
Well done, say we at The Lobby!
- Emil
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Yes? Good. So do some of us at The Lobby, and we thought we should share a little known (?) secret with you. Namely the RestoPass, available in – hold on to your hats – Brussels and Singapore!
The idea is as simple and clean as a well prepared gazpacho; buy the pass for €35 (at Fnac, Filigranes, Sterling Books and Waterstones for instance) and get 30% off the bill at each first visit in each of the 30 selected restaurants all across Brussels. Yes, the offer is for the whole table! If you do the maths this pass is worth €1500 in total…
The 30 selected restaurants include classics such as Belgo-Belge, Asian gems such as Blue Elephant and Le IIème Element, and more trendy spots such as Rouge Tomate, Sépia, La Quincaillerie, Cospaia and La Manufacture.
If you’re into food and restaurants, this is the pass to get.
- Emil
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Apologetic bus in Brussels (image by The Lobby)
Surely, you’ve come across sad, or rather, apologetic buses in Brussels. No?
Well The Lobby has and we’re rather perplexed by these apologetic buses. What are they sorry about/for; standing still? Polluting the Brussels air? Not being cleaned regularly?
Or is it simply that they are presently ‘not in service’?
- Emil
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According to a study released recently by the Brussels Studies think tank, Brussels sees its expats as a ‘separate community’.
Being an expat myself, who came to Brussels, not by choice or to improve my knowledge of Belgian beers, but mainly motivated by professional opportunities; this study comes as no surprise. Indeed, after three years in this ‘separate community’, I fully understand the feeling of the Bruxellois who consider us as a sort of high-salaried and over-graduated ‘caste’ with its own codes, language, rituals, and even district.
If you want to experience “EU-land”, there is no better place than Place du Luxembourg on a Thursday evening around 7pm. This square, located a stone’s throw from the European Parliament in the very heart of the EU district; encapsulates the EU expat community. Young, good looking MEP assistants chatting with handsome and ambitious consultants (absolutely! – Ed.) while enjoying a couple of beers, switching from English to Polish, from French to Spanish; laughing and yelling about the latest rumour on the new Commissioner for Environment.
If you come from outside EU-land, you might not understand a single word of the conversation. I sometimes have the impression that the EU expat community is constantly living a second “Erasmus” exchange, with the difference that more money is involved.
English, or better said “Brussels jargon”, is the common language of expats. The EU-district is its working area, Ixelles, Etterbeek, Uccle, and Bruxelles-Ville are the places where the majority of expats live. You will rarely find an EU expat living in Scharbeek or Jette. EU Expats even have their bars and restaurants which they like to frequent on an almost daily basis, and there is even sports competitions organised between various groups of expats.
Then again, opportunities to meet Belgian people, except your local baker or the cashier in Delhaize, are rare. What a pleasure it is then for me when my Belgian uncle invites me for a Sunday lunch in Ganshoren. I enjoy the conversion with my cousins, about the bars and shops I have never even heard of, and truly realise that I am living in Belgium.
- Denis
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Today’s Financial Times reports on how the current financial crisis is affecting Spanish regions and regionalism in general. Viewed from Brussels, where both the European Commission and the Parliament have a vested interest in ensuring that European legislation is made in one place (i.e. Brussels), you could be forgiven for thinking that regionalism was a quaint relic of a distant past.
Up until recently this was very much not the case. The Scottish National Party had just won power in their (regional) Parliament in Scotland, the Basque terrorists ETA continue to plant bombs in Spanish coastal resorts, and Belgium was in danger of being torn asunder by its perennial north-south divide. In the Balkans the newly independent states of Kosovo and Montenegro demonstrate that similar regional aspirations have led successfully to self-determination (although Kosovo is still very much a work in progress).
This apparently contradictory trend of both centralisation towards Brussels and devolution towards the regions looked to be the way forward – until along comes the biggest financial meltdown since the 1930s. Now it’s all about strength in numbers. Catalonia is relying on handouts from the Spanish government in Madrid, Bretons are happy to stick the Gwenn-ha-du flag on their car and leave it at that, and the once proudly independent Iceland, though a country in its own right since breaking with Denmark in 1944, has come running to the EU searching for economic sanctuary.
So has regionalism within Europe had its day? Possibly, and though no doubt ETA and some patriotic kilt-wearing Scots may think differently, what the recent crisis has shown us is the pretty straightforward maxim that, when times are tough, larger countries fare better than smaller countries. Perhaps a lesson for the Commonwealth of Independent States, which in the same week appears to be breaking apart at the seams. They would do well to heed the lessons on their western border.
- Rob
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Inside Bacchus' palace (image via Oeno tk website)
Next time you are strolling along Rue du Bailli follow it to the end where you will be faced with the impressive Sainte Trinité Church. The church is in itself a sight worthy of a visit, but what is hiding behind it, on Rue Africaine 29-31, is probably Brussels’ finest wine offering.
The Oeno tk, is a small, very welcoming, wine bar with a fabulous selection of wines, ranging from the lesser known and affordable (try the Trentham, 100% petit verdot, from Australia) to the better known and less affordable (enjoy a bottle of Cristal champagne on the terrace).
What is so refreshing about the Oeno tk is that it is not snobby, since it seems the owner, Greg, from the start took the line that wine is for everyone’s enjoyment, not just wine connoisseurs. If you don’t know anything about wine, just ask! Greg and his colleagues will help you find a wine that is good for you, both in taste and price. There is also a plethora of nice cheeses (The Lobby can particularly recommend the fresh cheese with truffle oil!) and cold cuts to nibble on while enjoying your wine, be it red, white, sparkling or rosé.
And there’s more! The Oeno tk can also host your wine tasting evenings, complete with a very knowledgeable sommelier who will tell you all you need to know about the wine you are drinking. The Lobby organised a blind wine tasting last year at the Oeno tk, which was based around the idea of pitting four ‘new world’ wines against four ‘old world’ wines – it was an absolute success, well worth organising, and very much appreciated by the 16 participants.
A word of warning however – if for some reason you are lucky enough to be allowed to stay after hours with Greg, his staff, and friends, be prepared for a serious assault on your taste buds, as some pretty fantastic bottles can be uncorked…
- Emil
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4 August 2009, Mi Tango restaurant - can you spot The Lobby in this photo?
If you are looking for a nice restaurant and have grown tired with the crowd of the city centre, Place du Luxembourg, or Place St. Boniface, The Lobby can wholeheartedly recommend you to make a little detour to the Argentinean Restaurant Mi Tango on Rue du Spa.
As soon as the sun breaks up the clouds above the Brussels skyline, they move all their furniture outside and the well-humoured staff will serve your table with that oh-so relaxed South American vibe.
The meat is imported from Argentina, known for its tender and succulent meat often hung for months, the secret to which are the vast rolling fields in which the cows roam freely. Just like in Argentina, the meat comes straight from the “asado” (barbecue) and is served with Chimichurri, a delicious herb sauce used both as a marinade and as a dressing sauce. Mi Tango also has an excellent wine selection (try the Malbec!), and for non-meat lovers they serve fabulous stuffed pastas and salads.
Apart from the quality food, what Mi Tango has which so many other restaurants in Brussels don’t is a warm welcome. The staff enjoy making you feel at home and genuinely care about the food they serve. They will vacate nearby tables in order for you to sit more comfortably without you even having to ask for it. And if you are unable to finish your plate and ask for a doggy-bag, you will not be confronted with the rolling eyes you get in so many other Brussels restaurants. (Really, what happened to “le client est roi”?).
Yesterday, whilst the Lobby was soaking up the sun, our waiter slipped and one of the dishes fell on the floor. After a wry smile, our order went back to the kitchen where they started again from scratch, and we were compensated for the extra waiting time with some delicious bruscetta offered by the house. To finish your dinner in style, try the excellent homemade tiramisu (big enough for two in the event of a romantic dinner) or with some traditional Argentinean Dulce de Leche pancakes. You could be forgiven for thinking you were having dinner in a Buenos Aires barrio…!
- Lieneke
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It’s quiet. Too quiet. There are fewer buses. There are no queues at the sandwich joints on the Rue du Luxembourg. Tumbleweed can be seen blowing through the buildings of the European Parliament and the Berlaymont. You can walk over Rue Belliard against the red man because there is no traffic. The Indian takeaway across the road has gone on holiday – for six weeks!
If only everywhere was like this. When The Lobby goes to London this evening it will be met with the well-known hustle and bustle of a city that doesn’t so much sleep as one that never goes on holiday. In London August will be indistinguishable from September, which in turn will be the same as November, March, and June – and always has been and always will be.
Brussels, however, is different. It is as if the whole city has breathed its last and keeled over. The shops are still here. Some of the bars are still open. But the atmosphere, the hubbub, has left the building. Out of offices now spam my inbox. People are “not contactable”, have “no access to emails”, and ask you “in urgent matters” to contact their secretary (do secretaries never go on holiday?)
This year though the silence is masking what is still to come. Autumn will see the probable ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, set to fundamentally change how EU policy is agreed, and ushering in a new EU President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs. In the institutions, a new Commission will take to the boards on 1 November, and a new Parliament will get down to business and fight its corner in relation to its two rivals.
As if that wasn’t enough, December sees a historic climate change summit take place in Copenhagen which will – and must – decide on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, whilst at the same time the EU economy continues to flounder, particularly in the east. Meanwhile, a new global order flexes its muscles as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) begin to bang on the door of western hegemony.
Hard though it is to believe for those of us left in Brussels during these summer months, the EU finds itself on a precipice entirely of its own making. To jump? Or to retrace our steps? The next few months will dictate how the EU will look like in ten, twenty, nay fifty years time.
Meanwhile the sun is shining, the policy paper trail has momentarily subsided – so let’s step outside and enjoy it while it lasts.
- Rob
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The quiet (and hopefully sunny?) month of August is about to begin, and for those of us who are going to be stuck in Brussels, The Lobby has looked for “things to do” during this lazy period.
Here is our (non exhaustive) programme:
Looking for the eclectic combination of playa, mojitos, old industrial buildings, and a sunset on a canal? Try Bruxelles les bains.
Looking for the best after-work event on a Friday evening? Try the Apéros Urbains.
Looking to stage-dive at a wild rock and electro music festival? Get your ticket for Pukkelpop.
Looking to listen to classical music in a Church or at the Conservatory? Go to the Festival Midis-Minimes.
Looking for a diverse programme of concerts, theatre, street activities, and shows for children? Try the Brussels Summer Festival.
Willing to go roller-skating and do some sports? Try the Roller Parade on a Friday night.
Looking for quality art-house movies? Try the Cinéma festival Ecran total at Cinéma Arenberg – A great programme including Paul Newman, Keiichi Hara, Jean-Pierre Melville, and many other known and lesser-known directors.
What? You’ve never gone to watch a movie in a disused station, a warehouse, or an old industrial city? Try the PleinOPENair.
These are just a few suggestions! Can you have fun in Brussels in August? Yes you can!
- Maxime
Belgian media reported today that 12 more streets surrounding the Grand Place will be closed to cars by the end of this year, thereby making the historic city centre completely car free! Perhaps the mass installation of rental bikes, or Villos, all around the city should have alerted us that change was in the air?
While The Lobby is excited about the rise of this new and greener transport option, we were astonished to see that several stations were installed, removed and installed again. At first the Lobby thought that someone had paid attention, and was replacing the units to ensure credit cards access – yet, on closer investigation we found that it is still impossible to rent a bike at some of the cities’ most touristy thoroughfares (!) Another example of a Belgian-ism?
Anyway, we here at The Lobby love the few days a year that Brussels is completely car free – people get out, run, skate or bike taking over the streets with large grins, citizens taking back their city. Let’s hope this move will bring a little more joy to Brussels or at least to those who already have a Villo pass…
- Lieneke
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