November 10th Tuesday Lunch

The Istas restaurant, adjoining the Hotel Sorret is long established and offers classic Belgian cuisine. Customer reviews rate it highly, and our own Ed Elly highly recommends it as well.

Once I have numbers we can sort out travel arrangements as public transport is not really the best option. I will take my car and I can take 6 extras so it will be just a matter of deciding on a pick point. Don't delay, let me know if you are coming as soon as you can so that I can confirm numbers.

Andy andygraham@bigpond.com

The venue: Restaurant Istas
652 Brusselsesteenweg,

Overijse-Jezus Eik, Exit 2 on the 411 (MAP)
Date: 10 November 2009 Time 12:30.

An American Style Coffee Shop in Bruges...Bean Around the World

A new 'American' coffee house has opened in Bruge. It's kind of a Studs thing, as back in 1999, Joe, who is Belgian, met an American named Oline, from Bakersfield California in Bruge. She loved Bruge so much she gave up the California weather to move to Belgium.
She evidently liked Joe a bit too, as they are now married and have a 20 month old son named Tristan.

Oline opened "Bean around the World" last Saturday, she wanted to give the Bruges people a taste of a real American coffee house.
They are trying to spoil their customers as best they can. There are free newspapers available (Flemish and American), free WiFi, and a computer available if you don't have your laptop with.

So if you are taking your visitors on the obligatory trip to Bruges for sightseeing, you might want to stop in, say hello, check your email, and get some local information about this wonderful Belgian city.

Bean around the World is located at Genthof 5, in Bruge , close to Jan van Eyckplein and is open 7 days a week. They have a group on facebook through which all the news on the coffee house can be checked out. Phone: 050 70 35 72

Octoberfest in Brussels

This year the Bayern representitives of the EU organised its traditional 'Oktoberfest' at Place Jourdan. As usual, this festival remains loyal to the famous München beer festival with October beer. A giant tent with 1500 seats and typical music was set up for the festival.

Thanks to President Andy for organising another a great event, enjoy the pictures....captions will be left off to protect the guilty party's.
What happens at STUDS.....stays at STUDS.

(click to enlarge)

Clijsters....the Belgian mommy, back in US Open finals!

It's too bad it had to end like this as Clijsters was kicking her rather large ass anyway.....but an all Belgian final didn't shake up as Caroline Wozniacki beat Yanina Wickmayer pretty easily.

Brian says goodbye to STUDS

A few pictures of a luncheon for Brian as he is heading back to the states and could not make the party hosted for the other five who were leaving this summer.
Good luck to Brian and Steph on re-entry.

Zinneke Parade in Brussels July 8th

The multicultural communities of Brussels come together in the middle of the city on this day of colourful, exuberant celebration of the Zinneke Parade. Around 4,000 participants converge in the main avenues of the city centre, creating a carnival atmosphere with brass bands, actors, dancers and musicians.

The Zinnodes, as the workshops are known, work hard for months following a preparatory stage of about a year and a half. With the input of thousands of volunteers the result is always varied and surprising, a delightful mixture of styles and genres in one happy street party.
Zinneke is also an artistic and social experiment which aims to combat inequality and to form a project in which everyone can participate.

Boulevard Anspach and main avenues of centre (Venue)
Main focus of Parade route is Boulevard Anspach
Website www.zinneke.org

WILKINSON AMERICAN MOVIE DAY

Starting on the 4th of July you can enjoy a number of Hollywood blockbusters being previewed in a Brussels cinema on Place du Brouckère. Viewers are also treated to an open-air concert by an American group on the evening of August 3rd, and the event closes with fireworks.

List of movies here