A!

This is a perfect example of a lazy post. Why? Because I was looking for an excuse to post a photo.
This photo was taken from my car, as I approached the Cathedral and Groenplaats and the only reason I like it, is because of the tram lines and the geometric pattern they describe against the clouds, as the tram turns right to head into the centre.

To the left, you can make out the spire of Antwerp cathedral, the nave stretches out to its right (see building in centre of photo).

As I regularly work for the tourist office, and am even featured on one of their websites as an expat living in the city, I never eschew an opportunity for some blatant promotion. And since Lonely Planet recently voted Antwerp as one of the ten cities you must absolutely visit, here is their take on --A--.

"Even the New York Times agrees – Antwerp (Antwerpen in Flemish, Anvers in French) is Europe’s place to be. Appreciated by mode moguls, club queens, art lovers and diamond dealers, Belgium’s capital of cool and the country’s second-biggest city once again revels in fame and fortune.

Antwerp has a rollcall of drawing cards. Start with its manageable size and timeless quality. The old city centre, built around the country’s most impressive cathedral, is as beautiful and intimate as it was centuries ago. Tucked away in cobbled lanes and backstreets are thousands of restaurants and bars, antique shops, art galleries, exclusive chocolate out­lets, designer boutiques and diamond shops where Antwerpenaars enjoy spending money.

The whole city is something of an architectural museum, from the medieval riverside fortress to modern waterfront creations and the famous Cogels-Osylei, where architects ran riot. Most distinctive is its Gothic and Flemish baroque architecture; it was the home of Pieter Paul Rubens, northern Europe’s greatest baroque artist. A visit to his home and studio in the city centre gives fabulous insight into the painter’s personal life, after which you can track down some of his most acclaimed works in churches and museums dotted around the city.

Antwerp’s role as a celebrated fashion hub means it’s a magnet for shoppers. For a city of its size, it boasts an astonishing number of world-acclaimed fashion designers and many have set up boutiques here. Designer-led stores buzz with shoppers looking for the latest in hip clothing and accessories.

On the backbone of the fashion and growing gay scenes, Antwerp’s club culture has expanded. The city runs on party time. Club extravaganzas burst out in summer and the nightly scene in the regenerated docklands to the north and south of town beat to the coolest vibes.

It doesn’t end there. The world’s largest diamond-cutting industry operates behind discreet façades in the Jewish neighbourhood. In the sailors’ quarter just north of the city centre, bored women sit framed in red lights while itinerant Philippino, Sri Lankan and East European seaman wander the seedy streets. Turkish, African and Chinese communities live northwest of Franklin Rooseveltplaats, ultratrendy style victims have taken over the fashion district, and businessmen and upper-class Flemish hang out around Koning Albertpark.

Cosmopolitan, confident and full of contrasts…Antwerp’s an essential stop on your Belgium itinerary."

So go ahead and visit. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Ode to a pie

I don't know what it is about Melton Mowbray pork pies, but they just hit the right spot for me. If you asked me when I had one for the first time, I wouldn't even be able to tell you. Probably in the days that Marks & Spencer's still believed in having stores on the continent and I was a lot younger.

On the whole, you could say that they do not exactly look attractive. They weigh a tonne, are brown-crusted and are baked without a hoop. The meat inside is grey, rather than pink as it is uncured and only chopped pork is used. Did I forget to mention that they are coated with a lining of gelatin?

A classic case of deceptive appearances, because once you slice a sliver out of the pie, and taste it, you will be overcome by the seasoned taste of pork in its rich crust. In fact, I have to restrain myself from straying near the fridge once I have opened one, which is why I usually only buy one large one, and not the bitesize miniature ones.

Anyway, all of the above has just one aim: to remind me that you need to look beyond appearances to find the soulmate within. A very valuable lesson.

A glimpse of Christmas

Yesterday I had a short but sweet run-in with Nigella. Her newest book that is. As a detractor of this book's cover, I now have to fess up that this book is the splendour of Christmas on paper.

My SO bought me said book as a Christmas gift, which is why, for the present, I am reduced to blogging about it, instead of devouring it from cover to cover. The food looks scrumptious, and though many of the recipes are familiar (rocky road bars, the Christmas ham, the Parma ham parcels, the choco pots, in fact I am told that almost half of the recipes have been sourced from her other books with a few new ingredients) to avid readers of her penmanship, they do work very well for the festive season. And at least, you now have a Christmas recipe compendium for the years to come. May I just say that Christmas has never been so luscious. And add that several of the recipes do not even require Christmas as an excuse?

Other things that stand out: the use of faux deer (yes, I too worship at the altar of kitsch), pretty ribbons, a lot of red, silky dressing gowns, some good styling and a recipe entitled girdlebuster pie. Instead of calling it a cookbook, they should push it as a night-table book for gluttons such as myself.

Expect a post on gammon soon (how can I resist the challenge?) and if you're up for the whole Nigella experience, then invest in this month's Red Magazine, which has the Domestic Goddess herself as guest editor. I am told that a 5-episode series is scheduled on BBC sometime in the next month.

This Christmas, you too will be Nigella'ed!

Back to basics!

As promised, a slight change of wallpaper and content on this blog.

Over the past weeks I have come to realise that food was definitely taking the upper hand in my posts, which is why I chose to focus on that theme and to apply it as the fil rouge in my blog posts.

So back to basics it is: good food (tonight's toast with smoked mackerel paté courtesy of the goddess herself), good wine (a delicate Riesling), good ingredients (fantastic pumpkin seed and sunflower seed bread), and some good company (that would be you!) make for an excellent dinner party.

Consider Lula bites to be just that: an enjoyable dinner party with a bunch of good friends.

So pull up a chair and partake in some of the fun. And do share. It makes life infinitely more interesting, don't you think?

PS - readers who are interested in gay content, drop me a line with your e-mail address and I will forward you the link to my other domain, which is of a more adult nature

Changes in the pipeline

I've come to the conclusion in the past weeks that this blog is a little bit too much of everything and not a lot of something.

In that sense, I think it's time to let the domestic demi-goddess of the leash and give her her own space to ramble, while reserving the 'gayelle' aspect of my blog for another space.

Keep coming back for more developments as Suburban Mum helps me split my personality in two over the next few weeks...

As for NaBloPoMo: yes, yes, I know, I forgot to post yesterday, but frankly after the whole Obama hysteria, I was somewhat uninspired to write anything except a post on my lack of inspiration. That would have been caving in to the desire to write anything.

So there you have it...

Yes, we can!

This morning at 6 a.m. I was fortunate enough to catch Barack Obama's first speech as president-elect of the United States.

What can I say? Such hope expressed in his words, but can he deliver and worse yet, can the haters set aside their griefs to help rebuild the US? Visions of Martin Luther King as I write this. Another age, another era even.

200 years of Afro-American presence on US soil and today one man steps forward to lead his nation.

I leave you on a humorous note: because in these dour days, where the "progressive" folks of California actually struck down gay marriage, thus leaving such honourable people as Phyllis Lyon in the cold, yes we can! It will take a lot of money and effort to launch another effort. But you should always look on the bright side of life!

Knock, knock, knockin' on history's door

Whichever way you slice it, this is an election of firsts: first woman to run for president, first woman vice-president who is dumber than a post, oldest president in office, and... breath-takingly, first black president in office.

So as we all turn our eyes to the United (swing) States tonight and wait with bated breath to see whether Americans will really put their vote where their mouth is, I just want to express my fervent hope that the candidate of the day will indeed be Barack Obama.

Finally, the reign of shrub comes to an end. Will tomorrow dawn on hope?

PS You may have noted that I am somewhat more assiduous than usual about updating this blog. It's all in the spirit of nablopomo.

Arrrr! This one's for Fero

Leave it to Agent Provocateur to know what a real woman looks like. *walks over to a corner and promptly melts into a puddle*. I have always had a girl crush of magnanimous proportions on the lovely Helena Christensen. What's not to love? Danish, gorgeous, intelligent, photographer, dated Michael Hutchence, has a kid of her own and designs a range of bio cotton clothes for kids, which my daughter positively loves.

And now the Brit lingerie brand has kitted her out in some pirate gear with the obligatory corsetry here and there. Yum.

Feast your eyes, me hearteys;-) I'd gladly unleash my inner buccaneer for this one.

Promoting a friend

Belgitude at its best: Garage Sauvage's "Tattooed Eyeball"

Dinner anyone?

Yes, this family has been known to have sticks for dinner.

No, seriously, in my effort to work through the list of forgotten vegetables, here is salsify. 45 minutes' labour later, let's hope it's good.

This was the halfway stage: