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Silvesterclaus in Switzerland
While in Vienna, people walk pigs on a leash in the hope of bringing good luck for the coming year, in many Christian households in Germany the day is celebrated by pouring lead (Silvesterblei, Bleigiessen) into an old spoon over a flame and then dropping it into a bowl of cold water; the shape of the lead is used to predict the person’s luck for the coming year. If the lead is in the shape of a ball (der Ball), it will be lucky all year round, while the star (der Stern) represents alternating luck.
If Switzerland, then a New Year’s Eve cradle
The Silvesterklaus or New Year’s Eve cradle (Swiss German: Chlaus) means a man dressed up as St. Sylvester or a New Year’s Eve figure. In the Reformed canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, New Year’s Eve is still celebrated in this way.
History
St. New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, is actually commemorated twice in the world, once on 31 December according to the Gregorian calendar and once on 13 January according to the Julian calendar. On both days, the Silvesterkläuse dress up in strange costumes and go from house to house in small groups, ringing huge bells sewn on their backs and singing very slow-paced yodels to wish people a happy New Year. If 31 December or 13 January falls on a Sunday, the celebrations are held on the Saturday before.
Retrieved from
It is believed that the Chlausen festival is not of pagan origin, but can be traced back to a late medieval Advent tradition involving students from a monastic school. In the 15th century, when the celebrations became increasingly wild, erotic and carnival-like, the Catholic Church found this behaviour hardly appropriate for the Advent holy season, which in turn explains why the Chlausen tradition was moved from Advent to New Year’s Eve.
The tradition is first mentioned in 1663, when the church authorities objected to such noisy celebrations. In the Catholic semi-canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, some 18th century records state that participation in the ‘Chlausen’ tradition was punished with a heavy fine of five talers. Despite this, the tradition persisted in the Catholic semi-canton to a small extent until 1900, because it was more or less tacitly tolerated by the local district authorities. This was particularly the case in the border areas close to the Reformed Appenzell Ausserrhoden, for example in Haslen, surrounded on three sides by the villages of Hundwil, Stein, Teufen and Buehler Ausserrhoden, or in Gonten, near Urnäsch and Hundwil. Mixed groups were also formed, combining members of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden (this still happens occasionally), and there were sometimes isolated actors.
Today, the tradition is kept alive in the Protestant canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Three different types of Silvesterchläuse are distinguished: the Schöne (beautiful), the Schö-Wüeschte (beautiful-ugly) and the Wüeschte (ugly).
The Schöne-Beautiful are very ornate headgear compositions depicting scenes of peasant life, local customs and crafts, special buildings, sports or family life, which require hundreds of hours of intensive work. Their costumes resemble local folk costumes.
I wish you to all a jolly happy 2022! Cheers!
The Lord of the Snowdrop
Valentin Wijnen, the Belgian “galantophil”, has a unique collection of snowdrops, the largest and most diverse in Belgium. He has more than 650 named and about 150 unnamed snowdrops in his collection. This means that almost all 21 snowdrop species are represented in his garden, along with several groups of brand new snowdrops in yellow and green colours.
Walking in the Snowdrop Empire
The snow has already melted when we arrive in Hoeselt, in Februari, in the former French town. We’re welcomed by rain and gusty winds, – the valey of Haspengouw provides of the wet climate of the precipitation, -but when we see the Snowdrop man’s house, our bad mood have gone.
Above the gate there is an inscription, says: “Grakes Heredij.” The name initially suggests that Valentin chose an English-sounding name for his English garden from this side of the Channel, but when the Lord of Snowdrop rushes to our greeting, he quickly makes it clear to us that “Grakes” (Gerard) was his grandfather’s nickname, and that where snowdrop paradise is now, was a heredij. “Heredij,” in the local dialect, means “beautiful house, well organized garden. Like this one.” -he adds, with no small pride.
-“When snowdrops come out from under the snow, I’m still as impressed as I was when I was a child.”- That’s how Mr. Valentine starts the tour. And how his passion for snowdrops arose, he says: -“My parents and I lived near vicinity of a park belonging to a monastery. There was a lot of galanthus blooming,- that’s the botanical name for snowdrops,- well, one day I dug up a few and took them home. Of course, my parents weren’t happy, but when they saw that I just couldn’t get enough of seeing the flowers, they put up with it. And that love has been going on ever since.”- My youngest daughter and I then look stealthily at each other and find that when Mr. Valentin talks about his snowdrops, he behaves like a young man in love. One thing’s for sure, his enthusiasm is perceptible. -“Snowdrops are my muse, they are the best part of the spring.” –he continues.-” I can’t help but I have a strong, excited feeling every year when these flowers appear. It’s as if the arrival of spring is ringing bells to my ears. Besides, why else would they call them snowdrops? (In German they are called Schneeglöckhen, means: Snowbells)
As we walk through his empire, we soon find out that Valentine and his wife Melanie’s romantic garden is a work of art. Everything carefully designed, divided by theme or color, with historical and decorative elements made them individual. -“I prefer the English garden style.”- Valentine notes. -“I’ve been loyal to this from the beginning.” -Well, the result of his obsession became a magnificent garden that couldn’t be more perfect.
Mr Valentine then tells us all about snowdrops and his impressive collection during our walk. Some of them have their own tribes, such as Galanthus Melanie or Galanthus Jolie, which he named after his wife. Valentine’s Day, a Galanthus nivalis, is a type of snowdrop that was discovered by Mr Valentin’s wife in their garden on February 14, 2004. This variety is the first registered, reverse pokuliform snowdrop, which means that all six flower leaves are the same. This is the most treasured place in Mr Valentin’s garden, where the most valuable and rarest types of snowdrops can be found.
-“Of the approximately 6-7 snowdrop species included in my culture, you can see nearly 300 varieties, including several natural and garden hybrids. A lot of my own kind carry my salute to my grandfather on my behalf. Grake, whose real name was Gerard Schoefs and was a postman, but he is remembered by his beautiful garden by everyone.”-Valentine says.
The garden behind the house, where there is a gorgeous blue veranda and conservatory, complete with a few garden rooms, populated with sumptuous ornaments and antiques. The shelves, the boxes are packed with all sorts of blue decorative elements, and the many accolades, awards and diplomas are also kept here by Valentin.- “Blue dominates the conservatory!”-somebody says aloud.- “That’s because it fits the bluish-gray hue of the snowdrop leaves.” -answers Melanie.- In addition to snowdrops, Christroses, Crocuses and Muscari, they are present throughout the garden, carefully labelled for all species. The “galanthophile” Valentin, the enthusiastic snowdrop collector and identifier, then pulls out a mirror to examine the snowdrop bell just in front of us. -“Because it’s kind of powerful, it’s worthy of being in the best part of the garden, among the best group. It’s still one of our best Galanthus nivalis.”-judges he his hibrid.- “This became the Galanthus Valentin’s Day as the first pterugiformes Galanthus nivalis recognized by the Dutch KNBV (Koninklijke Nederlandse Bloembollen Vereniging) Committee. The term “pterugiform” refers to the flower anatomy in which the outer petals take the shape of the inner petals. If they’re exactly the same shape, we’re talking about “perfect” pterugiform snowdrops.” -The explanation is a little bit beyond us, but we nod fervently. As we leave the garden, we see real, fanatical “galanthophiles” slipping on their knees on the wet ground to photograph the flowers. At the back of the garden there is an authentic vegetable garden and a chicken-hen house, also with photogenic chickens.
And that’s when we get to the end of our walk, thanking Mr. Valentine and his entire family for coming with us, patiently answering our questions, and for naming the flowers to get to know the members of the family by name, who, as to the real celebrities, gave their names to some sort of snowdrops. Galanthus nivalis-hatch snowdrops “Melanie S” (after his wife Melanie), Galanthus elwesii -“Senne’s Sunrise” (after his son, whose name is Senne) is a magnificent snowdrop variety, a sign that it is relatively large in stature, with a stalk up to 20-25 centimeters in height. It sprouts as early as November, and sometimes begins to flourish at the end of December. Its leaves are wide, greyish green, and the outer side of the inner shroud leaves, depending on the variant, is green at the base and tip, or only at the tip, or green all the way through. Galanthus Elwesii, “Sweet Alice” (after her mother Alice) and Galanthus nivalis “Robert Wijnen” (after Valentine’s father). Finally Melanie offers us a delicious soup, with coffee and cake.
-“You always have to be sure of the style of the garden. And the most important thing is the harmony.” With this advice, says good bye Mr. Valentine. Well, I think he did it perfectly.
If you want to immerse yourself in a world that is still quite unknown in many parts of Europe and want to enchant in the realm of magnificent snowdrops, Valentin Wijnen’s garden is open to visitors, after prior arrangement!
SH’BAM dance the new rage
This week I discovered a new dance workout in my sport club. No one was interested in Zumba anymore, so that my club came up with a new dance workout the SH’BAM. It takes 45 minutes every Sunday. I’ll certainly participate on it!!
What is SH’BAM?
A fun-loving, insanely addictive dance workout. SH’BAM™ is an ego-free zone – no dance experience required. All you need is a playful attitude and a cheeky smile so forget being a wallflower – even if you walk in thinking you can’t, you’ll walk out knowing you can!
SH’BAM is available as either a 45 or 30-minute workout. It is also available in some clubs as a virtual workout. Connect with SH’BAM on Facebook.
Just getting started?
Absolutely anyone of any age or fitness level can SH’BAM. Your instructor will guide you through a series of simple yet sassy dance moves, all set to a party playlist
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SH’BAM
Where can I find a gym that has SH’BAM?
You can find a SH’BAM class near you.
Can’t find a class in your area? Try SH’BAM free* at home with LES MILLS on Demand.
Can I suggest a song?
Yes absolutely! Please visit our suggest a song page.
I’m pregnant. Can I still do SH’BAM?
Safety is our number one priority, so we recommend talking with your doctor or midwife who will advise you appropriately as they have the best knowledge of your medical history. Also, chat to your class instructor beforehand to let them know you’re pregnant. They’ll suggest some options for you throughout the class.
How many times a week should I do SH’BAM?
As many as you like! In fact, we’re pretty sure once you try your first class, you won’t want to stop.
I’ve never danced before, what if I can’t do the moves?
No sweat! The moves in SH’BAM are super simple so even the most inexperienced dancer will pick them up in no time. Your instructor is there to encourage and inspire so you can focus on having fun and letting go.
Germanize yourself for Xmas
Schmuck (Xmas decorations made of glass), Advent, Feuerbowlzange, (glogg or mulled wein), Orange punsch and Eggpunsch (eggnog), Bratwurst (fried saussage, the best one is from Nürnberg), Rehburger (minced deerburger), Steinpilz mit Sahne (champignons with cream sauce), Reibekuchen (grated and fried potato, Rötzli in Swiss)- but you can buy Salzkartoffeln, Bratkartoffeln, Kartoffelbrei, Kartoffelpuffer, Kartoffelklöße/-knödel, Kartoffelauflauf/-gratin, Kartoffelsalat, Kartoffelsuppe, Rösti, Ofenkartoffeln, Kroketten, Stampfkartoffeln, Kartoffelecken, Pellkartoffeln, Pommes frites, Petersilienkartoffeln, Rosmarinkartoffeln-boerenkool-cabbage, and smoked salmon. And I almost forgot from the list the iconic curry wurst-saussage. It is also among of the German popular culture. (The former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is still a noted fan of curry wurst. By tradition, every candidate for the mayor of Berlin is photographed at a curry wurst stand!)
From these names of foods and drinks I know that the advent is here! I’m sure from experience that the Germans are the biggest advent fans in the world! I didn’t like Christmas very much before I ‘d moved to Germany but here I “fell in love” with the advent season. Every year I really looking forward to it. According to the Advent calendar -which means usually at the end of November- I place a beautiful advent wreath on the table of our dining room. I try to buy a wreath with three violet or purple and one pink candle, and I know now that I must light the pink candle on the Third Sunday of Advent! You see I could get a bachelor degree from Advent knowledge. But advent also means of many different events such as markets, fairs, wine drinking and concerts! Among the most attractive events my favorites are the next:
Tollwood in München (the meaning of the word is mad dog)
“Cowboy boots instead of winter boots”- that’s the motto for this year’s Tollwood winter festival in Munich’s Theresien wiese, the huge area where Oktoberfest is held. Canadian contemporary circus group Cirque Éloize have brought their show “Saloon” to Europe for the first time: expect upbeat piano music, swinging saloon-doors, and stunning acrobatics, theatre and dance. The festival, which this year concentrates on “sustainable mobility”, tries to educate visitors about the advantages of carpooling, public transport and cycling. The festival includes stalls and food kiosks, and hundreds of artistic performances. Over 70 percent of the events are free, but tickets for the others can be bought online. (23 Nov-31 Dec)
Circus Krone (also in München) is Europe’s biggest circus opens for its winter season on Christmas Day. One of the few circuses to have its own permanent building, this Munich troupe is one of the best. Once an integral part of European entertainment, circuses of this quality are now few and far between. Although many are put off by these institutions, Circus Krone emphasizes the importance of treating their animals well. From breakdancing to trapezes, and llamas to lions, it certainly promises to be an impressive display. (25 Dec-31 January)
Chocolate festival in Thübingen, from 29 November-4 December
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you would be mad to miss Germany’s biggest chocolate festival at the beginning of December. Taking place in Tübingen’s old town, the festival brings together over 100 of the top international chocolatiers from all corners of the world. Across six days, you can sample chocolates from Africa, South America, Europe and more. Alternatively, you could sip on some of the best drinking chocolate around, or swat up on your choco-knowledge by attending courses and demonstrations. The festival also places a lot of emphasis on the chocolate-making process, promoting fair treatment of the 14 million people whose livelihoods depend on chocolate production.
Xmas garden Berlin: from 17 Nov-7 January
As the twilight falls, the magic begins” is the motto of the 2018 Christmas celebrations at the Berlin Botanical Gardens. The show includes a fairy tale landscape in which visitors can wander through one and a half kilometers of “breathtaking light shows, bright dream forests and magical light figures” far from the packed crowds of Berlin’s Christmas markets. At the end of the adventure, there are a variety of food stalls offering local culinary specialties, as well as fire pits to gather round. For the more athletic, there is also a 300-metre squared ice rink. Xmas market You can’t be in Germany in December without visiting a Christmas market, but the tricky part is choosing which one to visit.
Click here to see ten of Germany’s most unmissable Christmas markets, ranging from the über-traditional to the totally wacky.
Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve in the kitchen
The two great personalities of the French cinema who were both married to the Ukranian film director Roger Vadim and have had many love affairs also share the passion for excellent food.
“Le Bardot”
She was the sex symbol of the 60-s, brought up in a rich family but at age of 17 thanks to (later no thanks) her first husband, Roger Vadim, she turned her back on the life of the aristocrats and became a movie star. While it enabled her to become internationally famous, it also carried with it annoyances. It was not anything for her to have “fans” enter her house or wander around the grounds of her home in St Tropez (Cote D’Azur), the hopes of getting a glimpse of her or to take something that belonged to her. Paparazzi constantly hounded her with their cameras. People even have taken advantage of her generosity but in exchange for that they became openly agressive, (threw snowballs in her face, a nurse in a hospital attacked her with a fork, she still keeps the scars), so no wonder when at age of forthy she couldn’t stand the vexations anymore (committed suicides several times) left the spotlight and went on to become a leading spokesperson for animal rights. She started the “Foundation Brigitte Bardot” dedicated solely to that cause. She even donated her property in St. Tropez the “La Madrague” to the purpose. Her work in that realm is, perhaps, far greater than any film she could have made. 
As far as the food is concerned BB still likes cooking for herself, (at age of 78), and eats with great pleasure. In September when I tried to follow the footsteps of BB in St- Tropez I popped in her favourite restaurant, La Ponche in order to make pictures of the interieur and of the menu. Alongside the Mediterranean cuisine I found an amazing diversity of dishes from India, Thailand, Lebanon, Japan and Morocco as well but nobody could tell me what was or is BB’s favorite food. But later, in the tourist office I discovered an interesting issue of the local St-Tropez magazine and for my great joy the September issue was devoted to celebrities who have ever put their feet in the streets of St Tropez. Among others I’ve also found Brigitte Bardot’s favorite dish the Tabbouleh Salad. According to the paper the recipe and story was told by celebrity chef Frédéric van Coppernolle, whose grandmother cared and cooked for Bardot at her home in St.-Tropez.
In 1980 at age 15, Van Coppernolle (Belgian) was sent to live with his grandmother on Bardot’s estate while his parents were battling a terrible divorce. Bardot had already been a staunch animal rights advocate so she had been a vegetarian for long time. Van Coppernolle became his grandmother’s sous chef and helped her prep various vegetarian dishes such as onion tarts, ratatouille, pizzas and vegetable-and-cheese quiches for Bardot as well as feed Bardot’s 13 dogs and 40 cats special home cooked meals. His grandmother’s tabbouleh was a favorite of Bardot’s. They never corrected her by explaining it was actually a couscous because she was supposedly a bit feisty. Instead, they kept the peace and just let her call it tabbouleh! (Couscous is made of pasta, while tabbouleh is cracked bulgur wheat).
Since its ingredients are very similar to a traditional tabbouleh salad, I’m certain you could substitute bulgur for the couscous if you’d prefer not to eat pasta. Last week I tried out the salad at home and it was delicious!
Tabouleh
Ingredients: 2 cups fine bulgur, 2 cups boiling water, 1 bunch green onion, sliced finely, 1 medium onion, chopped finely, 1 bunch parsley, stems removed, chopped finely, 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped finely, 2 large tomatoes, chopped or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 lemons, juice of, 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce, salt and pepper, 1 dash cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions: Place bulgur in a large mixing bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff grains with a wooden spoon. Add onions, parsley, mint, and tomatoes and mix well. Finally, add the rest of the ingredients one at a time. Mix thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator and toss once again before serving.
Catherine Deneuve, “the most lovely woman in the world”
When BB met her ex-husband’s new girlfriend on the set of “La Bride Sur Le Cou” directed by him, the personality of Catherine Deneuve had also captured her:” …behind Vadim lingered a 17-year-old brunette who dressed like me had her hair made like me. Her name was Catherine Deneuve. She had a certain air of a namby-pamby, that was back then unbearable”.
Although raised Catholic, Catherine Deneuve began to defy convention at an early age. In 1961, the 17-year-old starlet, left home and moved in with Ukranian director Roger Vadim, who at 33 was twice divorced and almost twice her age. He was also her mentor, and directed her in Le vice et la vertu (1963). On June 18, 1963, she gave birth to their son, Christian Vadim, she was only 19. Within a month after that, the relationship was over and they broke off contact (he had five wives included Jane Fonda and four children, and died in 2000). After an other failure marriage to a British photographer Catherine Deneuve has shunned the idea of marriage ever since. But this didn’t mean that she got no tangled up in love affairs. Meanwhile she played a married woman who works as a part-time prostitute every afternoon in Luis Buñuel’s masterpiece (La belle de jour) she began an intense relationship with the world famous Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni. On May 28, 1972, she gave birth to the daughter of his (Chiara), at the age of 28. However the relationship with Mastroianni ended in 1975, but the two remained friends up until his death (from pancreatic cancer on December 19, 1996), with Deneuve present at his bedside.
Deneuve has had many magnificent works: Truffaut’s Last metro (1980), as a stage actress in Nazi-occupied Paris, was a career milestone and won her a César Award for Best Actress. Deneuve’s third foray into Hollywood came in 1983, when she starred in Tony Scott’s The hunger (1983) as a stylish, seductive bisexual vampire living in Manhattan who sets out in search of new blood. The film became a cult classic, and her erotic love scene with Susan Sarandon unintentionally made Deneuve a lesbian icon, so much that she would later have to threaten legal action to stop the lesbian magazine Curve from using “Deneuve” as the original title. In 1985, her status as a beauty icon was cemented when her profile was chosen as the model for Marianne, (BB was also) the symbol of the French Republic seen on French coins and stamps.
In private life the Grand Dame of French cinema prefers the French cuisine and eating well: “I could have never been a model in the way actresses today are expected to be; I have never been thin enough because I love a wonderful meal at the end of the day with a good burgundy. I try to be careful but I am not American- she told in an interview- so that I am not always worrying about calories and working out. I have no fear of aging until I am able to work. My mother turned 100 this year (in 2012). She lives alone in Paris; very independent and she is quite incredible. She has a very good head; she still plays bridge, she still wins. So longevity may be in my genes but I don’t know if I will live to be 100 because I have not had the same lifestyle as my mother (she has never smoked but I do)”. Catherine’s favorite:
Carbonnade with olivesThis beef stew is known for its Mediterranean touch, combination of olives, onions and bay leaves. Any olives would be a good choice here. As with most stews, the dish will taste even better a day after it’s made.
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 pounds beef flatiron or blade steaks, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices, about 3 inches wide, Salt and freshly ground pepper, 3 cups thickly sliced onions, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, chopped parsley, for garnish croquette, 12 black or green olives (be careful with the salt)
In an enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add one-third of it to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, (3 minutes per side). Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 2 more batches of meat, using the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add the onions to the casserole, cover and cook over low heat, stirring, until browned, 8 minutes. Stir in the flour until the onions are well-coated. Return the meat to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Add the thyme and bay leaves, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the beef is tender. Uncover and transfer the meat to a bowl. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened slightly. Discard the bay leaves. Return the meat to the casserole and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with boiled carrots and croquette or pommes duchesse.
Brusselicious, good enough to eat!
Gastronomic discoveries through the ages in Brussels
The thematic years create a buzz around Brussels as a destination with an unrivalled quality of life. After its stint as the capital of Fashion & Design in 2006 and folllowing hot on the heels of the Comic Strip in 2009, this year is the year of culinary delight. What better way of reinforcing its reputation as a friendly and creative region, both among the locals and the foreign visitors. Brusselicious, a name that is both funny and appetizing, immediately gives a taste of what lies ahead: the gastronomy of Belgium is delicious and irresistible. So good that you just want to take big bite out of it. It showcases produce and producers, talents and creativity, places and people. Highlights are the traditional recipes, food stalls, chocolate delights, forgotten and rediscovered vegetables, seafood, countless types of beer and other culinary specialities. But also the great chefs that take on the challenge of recreating traditional favorites with their own special slant and capable of conjuring up surprising flavours. On the markets and in star-studded restaurants or at street corners and in exceptional venues, in bistros and museums: I have found glorious food everywhere!
In the Museum Cinquantenaire
The enjoy your meal! Bon appetit!- exhibition is part of the Year of Gastronomy. Calling on the magnificient collection of the Cinquantenaire Museum, its aim was to show the major and minor discoveries that have over time greatly changed the way we look at food and meals today. It’s divided into seven thematic displays: sereals, dairy products, salt and spices, alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, spirit), sugar, hot drinks (tea, coffee and chocolate) and imported foods from the New World such as potato, tomato and bean. The goal is to have fun and be educational, rather than paint a complete picture. The exhibition takes advantage of the museum’s vast collections, from prehistorical time to modern. I picked up some favorite items from the collection:
Drinking cup
In ancient Greece, wine was drunk in company and on festive occasions. At first lovely discussions, songs and poetry recitals formed the entertainment. As the guests and hosts became drunk, they began to dance and play games. Drinking cups and wine containers were used in contests of dexterity and balance. They even mount goatskins filled with wine or amphorae, holding a full cup in one hand. They would also indulge in various erotic games or activities. Satyrs, the mythical companions of Dionysos, the God of Wine, parody the banquets activities. Their erect penises signal their unbridled sexuality, as does the fantastic phallusbird that one of them holds on a lead, crouched on his back.
Drinking horn from 6th or 7th century
The Merovingian glass drinking horn is an exceptional piece of the collection. For over half century, it belonged to a private person, a small boy discovered it in the attic of his grandfather, a Brussels solicitor. The drinking horn had probably been acquired on the occasion of a land purchase. The origin could be from the Merovingian necropolis in Anderlecht (Glass drinking horns from ancient times and the early middle ages are extremely rare).
Teacup and saucer from the 18th century
When making traditional tea, Tibetans use tea bricks made of powdered or compressed tea leaves. Bits are broken of and thrown into boiling water. The Tibetians drink up to 50 cups a day, generally from a simple bowl. The tipically shaped teacup was made for buddhist lamas, and it was made of transculent precious jade. The saucer is a small silvered dish on a high foot that has a shape of an lotus flower. The lotus symbolises purity.
Louis XV-style tripod chocolatiere
Discovered in Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors, chocolate was presented at the court of Charles V in 1528. It was then introduced to the Spanish Netherlands in the last decades of the 16th century, reaching France in 1615 and then the rest of Europe. Until the mid 19th century, chocolate remained an extremely expensive drink, which only the rich could afford. The containers used for its preparation were generally very similar in shape to those used for coffee. The only difference was the hole pierced in the lid, this was for the neck of the frother, a sort of wooden brush for whisking the boiling liquid until it had a smooth consistency.
Ice cream van Bij Joseph
Ice cream was rediscovered in Italy in the late 16th century, but only became popular during the second half of the 19th century. Around 1895, Van Gend the coachbuilders were renowed for the manufacture of coaches and vans of every kind. This displayed van is decorated with mirrors, paintings and sculptures-was made in their workshops. In the centre are two ice-cream churns minus their copper lids. The back of the van contains a Mazzoletti mechanical piano. The van is equipped with acetylene lighting which enable it to provide an evening service in the region of Leuven, Bruxelles, Wawre, Tirlemont and Liege.
Royal Museum of Fine Arts
I also visited the exhibition of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (located on Rue de la Régence). The participation of the museum in Brusselicious is designed to be different from that of the Cinquantenaire Museum. At the museum almost no chance has been made to the usual display of the permanent collection. But with a guide book, visitors can set off in search of works which are given a prominent display there. These works are signposted in the museum’s various rooms, with a small numbered sticker on which the Brusselicious logo is clearly recognisable.
Some items about food and drink: wine drinking is repeated theme in many “genre paintings” of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the small painting here, by Gabriel Metsu, 1667 Amsterdam depicts a young woman who is sitting in a chair close to a table on which are placed a plate, waffle and a bowl of poridge. A woman servant, to the left in the background, is entering with more delicacies. The young woman makes a gesture of refusal towards the man next to her who is holding a wine jug and trying to fill her glasses. She will not be swayed by his courtship.
Two wows in one summer in Europa
I am invited to two weddings (one in Italy and one in Belgium) this summer and apropos of these fascinating events I had some interesting thoughts what I would like to share with you
What to wear or get ready to look your best!
Whenever I open my wedding album I am still satisfied with my gown my then choise. I wore a white gown with blue flowers patterned leaves. I loved my dress very much not because I looked good in it but I think it reflected my personality.
I was very young (19 years young) in that time but I had already been aware of the fact that is really important what you wear in a big event, even if you are not the bride just a relative or guest because what will remain of the special occasion? The photographs. And you will eventually rely on them to remember the event, the people, how did they look like and later you share it with your family, friends, your children and as the years pass with the grandchildren. And people will judge you according to what they see.
In my opinion the best dress should celebrate your individual beauty, your stature, your style. And now don’t grunt out saying that there is no dress for you (because of this and that) there is a dress for every figure but the only way to find the one for yours is trying on lots and lots of different sytles. And don’t be afraid of the experiment. I followed this rule.
I did my wedding dress search with my mom. I had prepared her well in advance that I wanted a bohemian wedding dress or Midsummer night style fairy gown, like Titania’s in Shakespeare’s famous comedy but nothing traditional. “Don’t worry! –answered my mom because she had always loved shopping (so had I, running in family) but we were not prepared for that much fuss what we would go through. Two weeks before my wedding day we were really looking forward to the day when we would hit my hometown, Budapest and would start our shopping maze. And the day sat in. When in some hours later we had already checked all wedding departments, stores and by the way my mom started to develop a hatred toward shopping but when I was about trying on the dress number 52, we both knew that that was the right dress for me. Just as I knew about the guy I wanted to marry. I looked at myself in the mirror like Charlotte in the Sex and city and it hit me. I was a bride. Everything was perfect, the silhouette, the proportion of my body and of dress. My mom heaved a sigh of relief and was ready to pay but I stopped her with an exclaimation “but mom what about my head tiara?” She sunk in herself and was close to give up. She had just realized that I did not belong to those brides who dreamed of walking down the aisle wearing a headpiece or veil. I wanted something extravagant that defines my personality with panache and just a hint of coquetry. But when I told her about my ideas such as –„only a flower wreath would do the job for me”- because it is more unconventional, and little more surprising than the typical headpieces and veils, she started to itemize many dramatic, romantic, whimsical, or traditional veils what she had seen in wedding magazins, hats such as the Duchess of Windsor wore, blue straw halo-style hat trimmed with pink and blue coq feathers, or Rita Hayworth’s enormous cartwheel, and Grace Kelly’s a Juliet cap that matched the lace of her gown. But I was a rebel and stubborn, I told her I’d rather had a Dutch bonnet or a mob cap than a ridiculous veil. -“Yes sure with the clogs!”-quirked my mom with a sarcasm.
But I really meant that. I saw in a previous shop a Dutch bonnet with the same pattern and colour such as my dress. Unfortunatelly my mom was exhausted and she didn’t feel like going back to that certain shop so finally I had to give up. And guess what I wore? A veil with white flower tiara!!! Uhh I try to forget it…but in spite of this little mishap my wedding was an incredible experience, my only regret was that (not only the bridal veil) I loved my wedding dress very much so I wanted to wear it again and again. Since my wedding many years had passed but my husband and I have been several times bride and groom in Halloween-carnival time. And I am happy because I have two daugthers and when it will be their turns I hope they can get as much enjoyment as I did from this very special dress.
Everyone loves a party-the coctail hour
The key to a perfect wedding is sharing the experience with those who close to you. Many couples today are choosing to keep their weddings small and personal. But that doesn’t mean newlyweds have lost their will to party. To satisfy both impulses, some couples opt for a quiet wedding followed by a large reception closer to their home. So that will be the case of the couple, (our friends) whose wedding will be held in Belgium on 24 of September. They will get married near Brussels before 30 guests, then later 150 people are invited to their garden party’s. I am really looking forward to the feast because they are strict vegetarians. I hope their vendor knows the guests tastes.
However my younger brother’s wedding, who is going to tie the knot in Italy (on 29th of August in Positano, Amalfi island) will be a formal traditional wedding, with the wow in the little, picturesque church of Positano followed by the dinner but he will hold a post-wedding bash in Hungary, for guests from both families. We are excited because when you have a separate party it trends to less formal.
spajzgirl 