Outstanding in the Field

A traveling restaurant.  On tour.  With events throughout North America and Europe. With one ginormous table.  One incredibly setting -  a field,  mountains, seaside, or river.  All about celebrating community through food - locally cultivated, locally created food. 

Goodness.

Our mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food,
and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.
Join us in the field for an amazing dining experience. - outstanding in the field

Follow the big white bus *here*.

domani l'Italia!

To Florence @ 4:00 am, 16 July, 2011 -  an ungodly hour to anyone - 'cept anyone that hasn't been to Florence, Italy. Or anyone that hasn't been to Florence in over 20 years, when you fell in love with both the man you'd marry and a country that made you swoon.

Since our two weeks in Brussels, we've had a lovely and short and fully loaded, three day stint in Paris.  We've been back in Brussels for the work week.  And tomorrow we leave for our official vacation.  Four years ago we took the family to the Amalfi coast, seaside lovers that we are.  This time we will be staying at an agriturismo,  a villa in Fiesole, that is known for it's Chianti and bold reds and spectacular views of the Arno river valley.

"Will we have to work on the farm?"

"Only if you're lucky."

Demain, Paris (avec les enfants)

And we're off to the City of Light tomorrow.  A quick visit, that will include something for the young folk (tourist-trap nation, I'm sure) and something for us (underground, secret awesomeness).

Maybe a picnic with the padlocks ("love locks") on Pont Des Arts.....

Or maybe a lot of oohing and ahhing while we pass by Notre Dame with a trip on the Seine.

and then a stroll through the Marais to Place de Vosges - 

And all those historic, ancient, fire-hazard-y restaurants that I love so much....

One thing you can bank on: we will walk, we will eat, we will drink, and we WILL take it all in.

Going Dutch (at the Beach)

  We've had unusually warm and sunny weather this trip.  Brussels is positively summer-like.  And so with that, we headed out to the beach last weekend.  Took the train up to Knokke-Heist, a small, resort-y stretch of beach, close to the Netherlands.

It was also like stepping back into time.  Very 70's, very blonde, very Charlie's Angels or Starsky and Hutch.  Loads of shorty-shorts, retro swimwear, and polyester or nylon.  Not unlike this.  I tried so hard to grab a couple of photos of these adorable little speedo-ed kids but it was hard.  Also, bordered on the very creepy.

We prepared for cold, dreary seaside weather.  It wasn't.

And the sea was warm.  We all went in, even rode some waves.  Dutch style.

Le marché de Place du Châtelain, Bruxelles

Every Wednesday afternoon, rain or shine, from 1 to 7:30pm, there's an outdoor market where you will find everything from flowers, olives, dried meats from cypress, quiche, pastry, loads of wine, and a amazing variety of homemade ethnic food (Thai, Moroccan, Vietnamese, etc.) all in a gorgeous setting.  Just outside of Brussels (like a kilometer) Rue du Châtelain is a small, little road lined with awesome little bistros, homes, and outdoor cafes.

This weekly market is one of the reasons I love Brussels.

Everything, from the artichokes that are the size of my daughter's skull to the small, juicy strawberries to the people to the animated conversations to the outdoor sophistication.  No fried dough here.  No.  Just a bunch of Bruxellois and me, in my glory.

When we arrived, I finally embraced the good fortune we have of being here as a family.  I could go all nonchalant, like none of it's a big deal, been here before or ho-hum or even cynical but the fact is, I'm elated.  I'm over-the-moon with joy that my family and I are getting another piece of European action.

And more importantly, that I get another chance to take a bunch of stealth photos of what I find beautiful here.

Un Mois en Europe

Aaaaand we're off.  Heading back to Brussels with trips to London, Paris, Frankfurt, and maybe Zurich, ending with a sweet week in Florence. Four years ago we spent nearly two months in Brussels.  Last year, it was just a week.  I think a month will do us just fine.

I'll try to keep blogging....mostly with those random finds, discoveries, and oddities I come across.  The kids are older now, so I'm expecting it'll be a little easier - but then, that's probably a mistake.

A bientôt.

Visit Ruschmeyer's - but don't tell anyone

A camp. A commune. A seaside retreat. Perfectly nostalgic and comfortable. And pleasing to the eye. On the end of Long Island. Montauk. But please keep it a secret.  (shhhhh....it's ruschmeyer's)

image | joe termini

image | joe termini

image | joe termini

image | ruschmeyer's

image | ruschmeyer's

image | ruschmeyer's

Mer du Nord - Brussels

I'll take an open air seafood stand, with a glass of white wine while standing shoulder to shoulder with some other fish head any day - just as long as you don't try to talk to me.  Because all I can really do is slurp, sip, nod, and smile.  And maybe mumble 'très bien'. 


Mer du Nord - de Nordzee
45, Rue Sainte Catherine, Brussels 1000, Belgium

(all images from Mer du Nord capturing some of that authentically Belgian ruggedness )

"The Mer du Nord is not exactly a cafe, but a stop-off here should be obligatory for everyone visiting Brussels. The Mer du Nord is actually a fishmongers, but over the last few years it has set up a pavement bar which serves glasses of crisp chilled white wine and champagne, delicious bowls of fish soup, shucked oysters and a tapas-like selection of scallops, tuna, swordfish and plump prawns cooked fresh à la plancha right in front of you" - Nordzee-La Mer du Nord

Les Maisons en Europe

Brussels

Amsterdam

London

Berlin

Switzerland

Florence

Paris

We are heading back for month of July this summer. Kids aren't so thrilled, but what do they know.  They know exactly nothing, that's what they know.  Actually, they know that the yogurt tastes way better in Belgium.  And they know that it's rainy and cold in July.  Aaaaaand they know that if you don't watch your step, you'll probably step in dog poo.  But maybe with more travel, we can be sure to show them clean sidewalks (London), yucky yogurt (Italy), and sparkling weather (Paris).