Mozaik Creations

The place to come for cards and stationery. The cards are hip and cute with lots of other gift ideas to boot. Mozaik will personalize albums which make a great gift and have many baby books, livres d'or (guest books) and fun photo albums and calendars. A new product that seem to have caught on evidenced their appearance on store windows and displays are the wall decals shown in the picture. They're a great way to jazz up a room and are temporary so they don't spoil the paint. They began by carrying the brand le Pré d' eau
www.le-pre-deau.com but are now making their own. Many of their cards come from France as well as the fun prints my favorite of which are the Mini Labo from France www.minilabo.fr They also make darling plush toys. I look forward to special occasions which necessitates me buying a greeting card and of course a trip to Mozaik Creations.
www.mozaik-creations.com

Dédée K.

In the parvis of Trinity church at the end of Rue du Bailli Dédée K. my favorite jewelry store to hang out and browse because everything is displayed on tables and the customer is encouraged to handle the merchandise before buying. You don't have to wait for the salesclerk and then wrestle your way through French to look at any of the stylish braclets, necklaces or earrings. It's amazing that beautiful €180 necklaces are sitting out and until recently there was no security system at the door. Let me tell you that Dédée's son who regularly is slumped behind the caisse would not have done much to protect the inventory. Within this equal opportunity atmosphere Dédée shows off her fantastic taste in costume jewelry with most of her peices in the €30-€100 range.
www.dedeek.be

Zao

Zao is one of my favorite places to buy gifts and things for Lu. There's an excellent selection of stylish baby clothes, toys and bedding from France. They also carry the anne-claire petit line of stuffed toys from Holland. www.anneclairepetit.nl Many of the items are Asian inspired and range from candles and perfumes, notebooks, quilts and tea sets. You'd be hard pressed to leave this place without a little treasure to take home. I can't walk past the display window without stopping for a browse. I recently checked out the jewelry display case and found some unique, handmade items. Also they carry the line of French baby dolls, Petitcollin www.petitcollin.com The friendly saleswomen will wrap anything you buy so I even ask them to wrap gifts I buy for myself. It makes the experience all that much more special.

http://www.zaodeco.be/

Ten Bosch Park

Just off the posh square where a memorial to the Armenian genocide of 1915 stands soberly erect the Ten Bosch is a lovely neighborhood park with quiet niches and jungle gym enjoyment for the little ones. The greenery is meticulously manicured and the variety of textures and colors is genius. On a mid-October day I could see blooming flowers and autumnal leaves. The path through the park wanders amid lazy ponds and interestingly twisted trees. Generally a weekly mid-day visit finds a motley crew of old men drinking pounders of Jupiler, sophisticatedly clad old ladies walking their pedigreed pooches, and mothers or grandparents sidling along with toddlers between their legs. The park packs out on a sunny Saturday or Sunday, but you still can find a bit of solitude save the excited cheers of boys playing soccer on the hidden, cyclone fence enclosed pitch.

Exki

Another chain of Belgian imaginative cafés are the natural, fresh, ready Exki establishments. All the food is pre-prepared and is available for take-away or eat in (at an additional cost). They also focus on bio (the European version of organic), and everything down to the obligatory square of chocolate which accompanies the café is certified organic. The faire ranges from pasta salads, sandwiches on crispy baguette, pastillas and quiche. The coffee is wonderful and they even have some varieties flavored with syrups. I always like indulging in a dessert, since the variety of pot au crèmes are perfect portions of sweet to accompany a cappuccino. The place is incredibly popular on a weekday lunchtime, interestingly the time they decide to fill the self-serve case.
http://www.exki.be/

Frederic Blondeel

Frederic Blondeel wins the prize for the most creative chocolate combinations. The cafe is the perfect stop for a coffee&chocolate boost after a day of shopping or sightseeing downtown. It's located at the old quay near St. Catherine's cathedral amid the neon flashing fish restaurants. I love this area for its combination of gritty city ambiance - there is still an old pissor next to the church - and refinement - you can get a plate of oysters with a champagne chaser right across the square. Frederic Blondeel was given high marks in the Bulletin chocolate competition this year for his unique chocolate flavors. I especially liked the cardamom and milk chocolate and the Szechwan chili was good too, but the fresh mint topped them all - hard to find in Belgium. I've noticed that the flavors change periodically so you can't always find your favorites. Frederic Blondeel has fresh roasted coffees which are served with a praline or two on the side. The ice cream also is a treat. Kevin's mom declared it the best she's ever tasted. I love the decor as well, minimalism is punctuated with beams and flourishes from Indonesia. This is becoming a stop on our visitor tour of Brussels, because although Frederic Blondeel isn't traditional Bruxelles he's an example of how some Belgians are taking a classic idea and refining it with a modern twist.



http://www.frederic-blondeel.be/

Gaudron

On Place Brugmann at the end of Avenue Louis Lepoutre the atmosphere feels more Parisien than Bruxellois. Kevin and I love heading down to Brugmann on a weekend to soak in the European atmosphere. There's great shopping, a wine bar and plenty of choices to sit for a cappucino and croissant. My favorite café hands down is Gaudron. Open for breakfast, lunch and teatime, it's part traiteur, part bakery and part greengrocer. They offer a wide variety of gourmet goods from around Europe and often are sampling their products. The service is excellent with an army of wait staff to satisfy your every whim. On a lovely summer day, Kevin and I went there for afternoon coffee and I ordered the blueberry tartlet which was the best tarte I'd ever tasted. If you're pressed for what to have for dinner, you can order at the counter for take-away until 8pm.


http://www.gaudron.be/