Interview with Sandra de Lobel (Ghent Spotter)

This is an insight into one of our Ghent Spotters, Sandra de Lobel. Sandra describes herself as a “32 year ‘young – I still like to think :-)’ woman, living near the city centre of Ghent for quite some years now…” She’s studied communication & languages and is now working as a communication representative in a fashion company.

In this field she can combine two of her passions, communication and fashion! Like all of our Spotters she’s a fervent traveler, who likes her wining & dining and spending quality time with her friends. Once in a while she likes to experience some quality culture by visiting a ballet performance, modern dance, opera, theatre or a seeing a good movie.

How do like being a Spotter?
I love being a Spotter although I would like to have some more time doing it :-). As a spotter, I am always eager to find out about cool new places in Ghent! It’s striking to see how fast and how many new places have been opened but on the other hand it’s also sad to see some nice spots shutting down…

Sanne & Bart, the founders of Spotted by Locals do their utmost best to create a nice atmosphere among all spotters and have even organised a Spotters weekend in Amsterdam to strengthen the community! It just feels nice to be able to guide other people and it is always handy to have someone to turn to for great tips when visiting a city!

What do you know about Ghent that no tourist will know?
I guess not a lot of tourists will know this place, but it is right in the middle of the centre. It is called Parnassus and it is originally a church that now serves as a restaurant. It is lovely how they have rebuilt this place. Everyone is welcome and can enjoy a great meal at super-cheap prices. As an extra, you have the great architecture of the church to enjoy your lunch, quite special that is!

What is the most popular neighborhood to live in Ghent at this moment?
Truth is, Ghent has so many nice spots like Prinsenhof, Portus Ganda,…but de Brugse Poort area, where I live, is definitely becoming more and more popular and young couples and families are moving here. You can enjoy a winter walk in the nature park The Bourgoyen with kids, do some bird-spotting or simply go jogging and imagine yourself somewhere in South of France :-).

In the evenings, there is a park called Pierkespark where you have BBQ’s in summer and can enjoy a pasta or soup at the cultural hotspot Trafiek: a restaurant with rooms for rent to organise all kinds of culture events. More culture, stand-up comedy and music is to be seen in the centre De Vieze Gasten, just next to it. Here, I have enjoyed plenty of try-out performances by many artists. The atmosphere is really laid-back, really worth it!

Can you describe a perfect day in your city?
A perfect day in my city is not so hard to experience: it involves mainly doing nothing and just simply enjoying the atmosphere and strolling around. I am a big fan of bench-sitting and people-watching: it is free and the most fun thing to do!