A lot of people, in town, came up with an idea of organizing stuff for their own pleasure and for their friends. “Friends” being a loose term here, as most of the time is open door to anyone interested.

That’s how the Bed and Breakfast started: a loft share by 5 people who love music and wish to have some concerts at their vey nice place. So they’re just doing it and it works perfectly. The place is huge enough to welcome up to 100 people, the bar is cheap and the venue is close to the metro station Clemenceau, which make it very convenient to go to even if this neighborhood is not known for its nightlife!

It’s very exciting and nice to show up in a private place, to ring at the door, and to walk trough this long corridor to arrive at the back of the house… 

The Bed and breakfast offers the opportunity to meet new people and to discover a lot of different kind of music, experimental most of the time! 

It seems that the name comes from the fact that for the night birds spending there the whole night, a breakfast is organised in the early morning! 

I think this address is worth the visit, even if you’re not sure you’ll appreciate the music, as it gives the opportunity to meet young and creative people and to have an overview of the underground scene of Brussels.

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The Bed & Breakfast | Festivals & events | Entrance € 5.00
Rue Jorez, 39 | The West
Various, check website

It seems that almost every important thinker, philosopher and writer has passed through Brussels at some point: Victor Hugo, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Karl Marx to name a few. Erasmus, the Dutch Renaissance thinker and humanist, who went on to found a highly popular student exchange programme, lived in Anderlecht for a few months on his way to France.

At the time, Anderlecht was a thriving cultural hotspot and an important seat of learning. These days, it is a quiet neighborhood in the West of Brussels, often overlooked by tourists and locals alike. That’s a shame, though. The house where Erasmus stayed is now a fascinating museum, full of old manuscripts and artifacts that document his work, humanist learning and the general atmosphere of the period. 

When I went, I was almost alone in the museum and had the elusive Brussels sun shone, I would have lingered to enjoy the medieval herb garden in the courtyard. Even with the rain, it was a great experience. 

The entrance ticket also grants you entry to the nearby Béguinage, which is definitely worth a visit. I took advantage of being in Anderlecht to have a look around the area and there are some interesting old streets and traditional bars.

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Maison d’Érasme | Art & culture | Entrance € 1.25
Rue du Chapitre 31 | The West | +3225211383
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 17:00

The first time I went to a Strictly Niceness party was the beginning of a new era.

I like to funk, I like to groove, I like to hip and to hop, I like to shake my body all night long. If you could say the same, we should meet on the dance floor of the Strictly Niceness parties.

How to explain the feeling?

The music: the DJ set (DJ Kwak and Dobbs) is a non stop pleasure for your ears. And your brain will not understand why the rest of the body is no longer under your control.

This year a new floor is welcoming 2 other DJ’s who will mix only Vinyls!

The people, looking at them is pleasure for your eyes. And your mouth will not understand why you have this endless smile on your face.

The combination of energy of everything (music, atmosphere, good DJ, nice people, nice location La Bodega) is a pleasure for your heart. And your soul will not understand why you feel so full of energy for the rest of the week.

I can add much more. But if you don’t experience it, you won’t believe me.

You can have an idea of the music at the parties, if you listen the radio show Back To Niceness.

See you on the dance floor!

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Strictly Niceness | Bars, Music | Before midnight € 6
La Bodega – rue de Birmingham 30 | The West
Monthly (2nd Sat of the month) from 22:00

Because I live in Ixelles, I don’t often go to Anderlecht. For many people, including myself, it’s too far, too crowded, nothing to see, not hype, not green, etc…

Of course, this is not true and Anderlecht has much more to offer than a famous soccer club or a big university’s hospital!

One day, I was there, walking on the street. My phone rings, and I started a long conversation, and started to not really follow my way. So here I am, walking and talking at the same time, from one street to another in this unknown neighbourhood.

Then, without really realizing, I passed what looked to me like a house from the middle ages, not to say a farm. Still talking on the phone, I entered and discovered a peaceful and magical garden.

It was not long before I decided to stop the conversation in order to make the most of this quiet and unexpected moment….

Where was I? I couldn’t say at first: it sounds to me that I did a travel to the past. In fact I was in the philosophical garden of the Erasmus House.

If you are looking for a quiet and easy to reach garden (5 minutes walk from the metro station St Guidon) where you can sometimes have the illusion that you’re alone in the city, pay a visit to this place: you will surely find some kind of serenity….

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Erasmus House | Relaxing | Entrance museum € 1.25
Rue du Chapitre, 31 | The West
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 17:00

Let’s go for a walk! We have more than 60 kilometers to discover around Brussels.

Don’t worry: we do not have to do it at once, the Green Belt is divided into 7 districts of 5 to 10 kilometers.

It’s a perfect way to discover the city: not from downtown and all its monuments and building, but via a circle around town. Each part shows a different face and the walker can have an idea of the numerous little villages that form today the Capital of Europe.

From the Soignies Forest to the Pajottenland (which inspires Brueghel the Elder), from the Canal’s banks to the (now underground) Senne river… A multitude of houses, farms, fields, foothpath, natural parks will be on your road.

Look at the map in the website of Bruxelles Environment and start walking!!

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Promenade verte | Relaxing | Free
Brussels | The West
24 hours daily

So here I am again with one of my woman’s secrets… you already know one of my preferred address for dresses (Look 50 – see my Look 50 article). But a dress is not enough…. we need shoes, of course, but also some underwear and accessories…

Maxie is one of the places I use to go to find nice and cheap necklaces, etc…

They have several shops in Belgium. In Brussels, you may be tempted to go to the one near Sainte Catherine’s place, more central than the one in Anderlecht, but I would advise you to go to Anderlecht anyway.

In Sainte Catherine’s it’s a nice and cheap shop but you will not understand what I’m talking about before being at the one of rue Wayez; it’s bigger, more choices, nice staff helping you to find the bra in your size (what a nightmare in general: or you go to big cheap shops with no one to help you, or you go to those nice boutiques, you’ll have advice, but for a maximum price).

I also like to walk around rue Wayez and its shops… & of course while shopping in the area, you can always take the time to relax at Erasmus Garden (see the Erasmus Garden article).

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Maxie | Shopping | Accessories from € 3.00
149, Wayezstraat | The West | +3225225845
Mon – Sat 09:30 – 18:30