Er is de afgelopen weken veel geschreven over Caroline Pauwels. Het toont wat een dame Caroline was, en hoe ze me iedereen een band had.

Caroline was een kennis voor me. Heb ze gekend als lid van de Raad van Bestuur van de VRT en we kwamen mekaar af en toe tegen in haar geliefde Brussel. Sinds ik naar Genève verhuisde kwam ik ze eerder tegen in de wandelgangen van Facebook of bij de Raad van Toezicht van de Erasmus Hogeschool.

Sinds haar heengaan, heb ik me wat dieper gestort op haar boeken. “Ode aan de Verwondering” had ik eerder al gelezen en heb ik zowel in zakformaat als in de editie geïllustreerd met tekeningen en gedichten van Gerda Dendooven en Bart Moeyaert. Ik heb net “Ronduit. Overpeinzingen van een Possibilist” gelezen. Hoewel samengesteld door Frank Van Laeken en Peter Van Rompaey, leek het alsof ik haar stem hoorde doorheen het boek. Puik werk van iedereen die bij dit schrijven betrokken was.

En ik heb veel aantekeningen in het boek gemaakt.

Over hoe zowel werk als privé bij me centraal staan:

“Professioneel en privé lopen bij me vaak door elkaar. Ik vind een-op-een gesprekken heel verrijkend maar kan ook genieten van een intens gesprek met vele mensen samen.”

Over waarom ik me inzet voor oplossingsgerichte journalistiek bij het Constructive Institute in Denemarken:

“Twijfel is ook in de journalistiek een noodzakelijk vertrekpunt, alleen wordt dat jammer genoeg vaak vertaald door een ‘ja’- en een ‘neen’ mening aan het woord laten. Woord-wederwoord. Dat is niet voldoende. Ik voel een grote nood aan oplossingsgerichte berichtgeving. Slecht nieuws verkoopt, dat begrijp ik nog, maar ik wil ook weten wat er goed gaat, wat er werkt, welke voorbeelden navolging verdienen. Daarvoor hoef je niet je kritische zin op te offeren. Migranten die zich goed hebben geïntegreerd en die een fijne job hebben: waarom lees je daar zo zelden over? Die verhalen lijken zeldzaam, maar zijn het niet.”

Over in het leven staan:

“Volgens de Nederlandse filosoof Joep Dohmen gaat ‘levenskunst’ over de vraag hoe je moet leven, waarbij het accent afwisselend kan liggen op ‘HOE moet je leven’ (het proces van zelfsturing), ‘hoe MOET je leven’ (de aard van het goede leven) en ‘hoe moet JIJ leven’ (je verhouding tot de anderen).”

Categorieën:Uncategorized

getagged:bart moeyaert, caroline pauwels, ode aan de verwondering, ronduit

Switzerland & Italy restaurant Top 5 – edition 2022

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op september 3, 2022

My more successful blog posts are the ones on food. This Brussels Restaurants – Edition 2022 was picked up largely. I planned a similar one on my favourite European ones. But then my husband Filip planned the summer holidays in Switzerland and Italy, and I suddenly had the challenge of limiting a European Restaurants post to only five. So, I decided to do a special edition on just this summer trip.

Filip hates to go for last-minute reservations. And he is right; the better restaurants are often fully booked. This free Michelin app proved to be a good guide. I advise you to book in advance and to plan your restaurant visits as carefully as your actual trip.

The Japanese by the Chedi, Gütsch

The Chedi is a lovely hotel in Andermath. Very expensive during the winter ski season but affordable during the summer low season. The hotel has a Swiss-Asian touch. Anything from Switzerland is matched by something similar from Asia. You can have a cocktail the Swiss version or the Asian version. And in your room, tables are low, or chabudai as they call them in Japan.

Upon arrival, we had lunch in The Japanese, which is not in the hotel itself, but in a chalet in the mountains. You must take the cable car Andermath – Gütsch, which is a lovely experience. Although we were amidst the heatwave, the temperature fell considerably, and to lunch outside, a fleece was more than welcome.

We opted for the Shidashi Bento, which gave a very good impression of the the kitchen has to offer. Sushi, sashimi, dashi, tempura, … Just delicious. We had planned to go for wine, but the maître pushed us to go for sake. Before choosing a glass of sake, he offered a tasting. Not going for the traditional wines became recurrent on this trip.

7132 Silver, Vals

Ever since we moved to Switzerland, enjoying the 7132 Vals Therme was on our bucket list. This Zumthor architecture is a must-see. We combined the wellness with a hotel stay and by coincidence the hotel has a very nice two-star Michelin restaurant. That’s how everything falls in place during the holidays.

These simple ingredients turned into excellent dishes. Was flabbergasted by a simple “céleri rave I betterave rouge I poivre noir”. Two Michelin star restaurants often opt for simple ingredients but bring them back in their purest form, letting you rediscover the actual taste of a product.

Very original was their drinks pairing. The option was alcoholic or non-alcoholic, but choosing alcoholic didn’t mean you got wine. It was a mix of wines but also, in the restaurant, brewed new drinks. Daring. To be honest, we were a bit confused, but definitely open.

Filip & Jean Philip
Vals signifie la tranquillité, ici vous pouvez échapper de la vie quotidienne. Nous voulons refléter la sérénité de Vals dans notre restaurant, non seulement dans nos mets mais aussi personellement à votre table. Ainsi, nous utilisons de nombreux produits provenant de paysans directement de notre village. Lorsque la nature le permet, nous sortons nous-mêmes pour ceuillir des herbes, des baies ou des champignons dans ce paysage spectaculaire. Toutefois, nous restons ouverts aux nouvelles idées et sommes inspires par les produits du monde entire. Détendez-vous et nous vous guiderons à travers notre menu.

Harry’s Piccolo, Trieste

We had never been to Trieste before, but heading from Corvara in Badia to Venice, we made a detour via Trieste. It’s a beautiful city. Not too touristic and interesting if you want to dig into the history of the Habsburgers.

The Grand Hotel Duche d’Aosta is located at the majestic Piazza Unita d’Italia. Harry’s Bar is a nice place to go for apero and to be seen. But it also houses Harry’s Piccolo restaurant. Not sure what the ‘piccolo’ stands for in this exquisite restaurant.

One of their menus, ‘Interactions’ is created by both executive chefs Matteo Metullio and Davide De Pra and presented as both chefs flirting with one another. There are a lot of egos in the restaurant world, so I’m totally in favour of more flirting in that world.

Talking to chef Matteo afterwards we said that Glam in Venice would be the next stop.

Glam, Venice

So Matteo must have rung Glam because when we arrived there, the glass of champagne was on the house, because they were advised by Matteo to treat these two gentlemen well. And they did. The menu grew XXL as we go plenty of additional dishes served to try. Complimentary.

The restaurant is situated in Palazzo Venart and was created by Enrico Bartolini, who has a series of restaurants. We were welcomed by the resident chef Donato Ascani, who takes care of Bartolini’s legacy excellently. A rising star himself, for sure.

The restaurant only has six tables, so we were twelve people in the room, looking on an inside garden of the hotel. The place is clearly appreciated by foodies. There were Australians, Chinese and British at the neighboring tables. We met half of them again at another restaurant we were at the following day.

Aalto, Milan

On our last night of the trip, we went to Aalto and had agreed we would go à la carte. Just to have a taste. Although the menus at these restaurants serve small portions, in the end you eat many portions, and too much of their homemade bread. But the menu at Aalto was so tempting that we couldn’t resist.

Aalto promotes itself as a boundless cuisine. Chef Takeshi Iwai was born in Japan but went into training in some of the best restaurants in Italy. Today he “plays” with both cultures. He serves you spaghetti which isn’t spaghetti but tsukemen or ramen. Or what about oyster ice cream? Don’t try this at home, as you need the hands of a master like Iwai. Unexpectedly and not anticipated, this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

I am in Milan at least once per year, so this is a place I want to come back to.

bonus

A top five, but there was so much more. Restaurants don’t have to be expensive to be good. Expensive restaurants can be cheap, and cheap restaurants can be top.

One of my favourite wine merchants is Herman Wines, which were awarded the best family restaurant in Holland. Family companies do an amazing job, as proved by the two following (bonus) restaurants.

Away from the crowd and with no terrace is Hostaria da Franz in Venice. Frederika, Ignace, Filip and I booked there last minute as we both appeared to be in town for the Biennale. Excellent cooking and wine proposed by the son of the owners, who came back to his family restaurant after he was told in a five-star London restaurant to serve smaller glasses of wine. A trend I dislike!

Le Perla in Corvara di Badia is a family hotel and restaurant. Pleasant staff, and the boss coming to say you good morning and good evening every day. We had to book ‘half pension’, which feels out of date, but which is a good choice. Good food at a very decent price. Could spend a month in that hotel and write my next book there.

Categorieën:creativity, food, restaurants, tourism, travel

getagged:7132 Silver, aalto, andermath, chedi, corvar di badia, glam, grand hotel duché d'aosta, harry's piccolo, herman wines, hostaria da franz, la perla, mila, palazzo venare, Therme1732, trieste, vals, venice

self-help books

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op augustus 13, 2022

I have read my fair share of self-help books. Two shelves, three shelves, maybe more. I don’t know because, in the end, I tend to throw them away. These days, I avoid that corner of the bookshop. Been there, done that, read that. But at Armani Libri in Milan, amidst the books on fashion, architecture, and design, this “The Monocle Compendium. Fifty ideas to improve your life.” lured me. Bought a copy for myself and one to give away.

This book is different. Self-help is not about getting out of that disastrous state. Or about how to cope with someone in such a state. It’s about “ageing disgracefully”, “the scent of the season”, “how water shapes a city”, “wine for any occasion”, “why keep a diary”, … In other words, about the good life. This compendium is inspiring. It’s witty, diverse, and global. The perfect summer read to be accompanied by a Negroni, or Milano-Torino, near your local swimming pool, or ‘badi’ as Monocle founder, editorial director and chairman Tyler Brûlé describes it so beautifully in tip number 49.

In my online but private Day One diary I have a section “Beautiful Words” where I copy book fragments that I want to reread from time to time. Have pasted them for you here.

on photography
But today there might be darker pressures at work on our psyches than mere curiosity. Aside from photographing our food, drinks, holidays and partners, we’ve also turned the lens on ourselves. The selfie seems like a symptom of modern narcissism. Combine that with social media – somewhere to publish these images and judge those of others – and something more toxic is happening. Taking photos has become part of a craving for attention and validation from the outside world, often strangers behind other screens. In turn, the curiosity of what something will look like when snapped has started to feel like it’s being replaced by a requirement to photograph things to reaffirm our very existence.

about love
We live in the age of excess. Excessive consumption, excitement and narcissism decline social media. When we fall in love it feels as though we lose our free will. But better that than being the charioteer who trots sensibly through life with his well-behaved horse, never experiencing love. For love needs the stubborn pony that “violently and in wild leaps” races towards the beloved.

on writing postcards versus instant messaging
Postcards are falling out of favour. Social media and digital messaging have taken their toll. How can the clunky, laborious process of selecting a postcard, writing it by hand, finding a stamp and somewhere to post it compete with the immediacy of a picture crossing continents from device to device in milliseconds? I’m not here to mourn the decline of postcard use. Mass media evolves over time and, as individuals, there’s not a great deal we can do about it. From our current perspective, it is easy to see postcards as a quaint, semi-redundant technology – spidery handwriting on one side and, on the other, their peculiar iconography of one-eared donkeys, thatched cottages, flamenco girls and sunsets, red-sweltered schoolboys on clifftops, cathedral car parks and caravan sites, all beneath impossible blue skies

Categorieën:Uncategorized

getagged:armani libri, monocle, self-help books, tyler brule

why disconnect?

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op juli 30, 2022

En réalité on dirait qu’il y a deux hommes en moi qui se disputent sans cesse: un homme du Nord, féru d’ordre et de discipline, et un homme du Sud couché dans son hamac sous un figuier, tandis que la Méditerranée vient lécher la rive à ses pieds.
by Georges Simenon, “Des Traces de Pas”

Simenon captures it well. We need to work, but we also need to have time off. So it’s the topic of many a conversations these days, when we all prepare for our holidays, which for many is already stress in itself. The mailbox must be empty before we put on our out-of-office. As a result some others get loads of new messages in their inbox.

During my last business trip to Dubrovnik Bakel, Ken and I discussed our coming vacation plans over lunch. It didn’t take long before the conversation lead to how we manage work when we are out of the office. Ken is okay to take the occasional call between a museum visit and a lunch. Bakel advises to task your executive assistant or a direct report to flag emails that need attention red. Another colleague of mine throws all the office apps off her phone. Many more tips can be found on the internet and in specialized magazines.

We all deserve time off. We need to charge our batteries. But for me a hard diving line between work and holidays, or between our professional and private lives for that matter is not what works for me. I am currently on holidays – travelling Switzerland and Italy – and I don’t mind reading my emails. First, the flow of mails is much lower these days and second, I just don’t like to come back to the office with a heap of mails awaiting me.

Perhaps I am fortunate that I don’t have to work because I’m passionate about most of the things I do. And I learned to surround myself with strong people. I invest plenty of energy in creating a team, which is hard work, but then all the rest is easy. Just need to stick to my leadership mantra to empower and coach the individuals in the group.

I don’t need a hard cut between office hours and family hours. I am happy to do some work when off. And I don’t feel guilty to have some quality when I’m supposed to be focusing on work. What is wrong with reading a few pages of the book I’m immersed in during office hours or to go and see a selection of paintings when I’m around on a business trip? The core question is, what is keeping our energy levels up? What is charging our batteries and where we find inspiration? I have solved many, many work related problems while driving to my holiday destination and I didn’t charge my boss extra for that.

It is not about disconnecting during the holidays but about being able to switch off, at all times, also during office hours.

It is therefore weird that some consider themselves a different person at home or when in the office. In my case Jean Philip (also know as JP in the office) is the same person at each hour of the day. True, role and organization may vary, but the person remains the same. So for me it’s not about switching on and off, it’s about being aware what drives me. I pull energy in writing this blog (sort of work) but also in closing this laptop and going down to this wonderful hotel for diner.

Categorieën:art, management, me, me, myself and I, quote unquote, travel

getagged:disconnect, management, vals, work

culinary Athens

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op april 19, 2022

Not many people know I have a past with Greece. After studying Ancient Greek in college, I opted to study interpreting English and Modern Greek. Greece joined the European Union in 1981, so working for the European Parliament seemed like a good career path. It turned out differently, and media became my true passion. Having been in this beautiful country often at the time, I didn’t come back for more than twenty years. Last November, I visited the public broadcaster ERT, fell in love again with Athens and decided to come back with Filip. This Easter was good timing. I have a good marriage: we are foodies and fond of a nice hotel. Restaurants are booked well in advance and doing so is part of the pleasure. Take this as advice: word of mouth makes that the better dining tables are rarely available for last-minute bookings.

The old taverna of Psarras

Tourists are back in numbers, but the Greek mentality of honestly being kind to people doesn’t make you feel trapped as a tourist. Even in the Plaka neighbourhood, most restaurants serve you decent food. One restaurant there stands out. Last November, my colleague Beatriz took me there, and I wanted to return. For traditional Greek food, The Old Taverna of Psarras is the place to be. Mezedes, lamb, grilled fish, moussaka, … it’s on the menu and delicious. The restaurant is split between four tiny houses, but the outside terrace connects it.

Spondi

A good app for selecting the better restaurants in town is Guide Michelin. It’s the online version of the red books we used to carry with us. So far, none of the ones we picked from the app disappointed us. Styles and tastes may differ, but quality prevails everywhere. Spondi is rated two stars and is situated in Pangrati, one of the more authentic districts. If you want to meet the local crowd, the bars at the Varnava square are the place to be. Most guests in the restaurant were tourists going for a culinary adventure. The Foie Gras, Elderberry Mandarin Pepper & Flowers and the Canelé, Rum & Smoked Vanilla were a fantastic combination of flavours. My opinion is that two-star restaurants are lost compared to a one-star Michelin (talented) and a three-star (a chef who masters food innovation). The stress of losing a second star or not reaching a third is higher than when you lose your one star. It was great to have a printed menu to consult what we were eating. It’s sometimes hard to hear a non-native English speaker explain the dish.

CTC urban gastronomy

We like it when the staff is relaxed and spontaneous when you visit. For me, it’s a reflection of how the chef manages the house. CTC was a discovery in Athens. The restaurant recently moved to a new location, and the interior design is simple yet perfect. We need to come back for the food and dine at the terrace, which is just stunning—no views of the Acropolis but a private garden in the city centre. CTC Voyage is an 11-course tasting menu at a reasonable price. Local, fresh food but reinvented, staff carefully explaining what you eat. If you must pick just one restaurant from this blog post, this is the one!

Varoulko

A 15-minute taxi drive from Athens is the port of Piraeus, which hosts several seafood restaurants. As we love fish, this slight detour was planned. Chef Lefteris Lazarou used to work with his father in ship kitchens. Now, he has this fancy restaurant Varoulko with a view of the harbour. Currently, the food he serves is probably no longer the simple food he used to serve to the sailors. Although some of the dishes were great, it was too much of the same. The excellent veggie cremes he created come back to accompany all of the fresh fish catch course they had recommended. Not sure if this was not our taste or just one many restaurants too much …

lunch

Lunch is often undervalued when travelling. You go to the gym, eat a late breakfast, read the newspapers, and then rush to the museums or galleries before checking the local shops. Then, lunch is something that happens along the road. Wrongly so, and that’s why Filip and I are trying to change our habits. Why is gastronomy associated with the evening and not noon? We still have a way to go, but we are making progress.

The Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation is a marvellous small museum in Athens with an astonishing collection. There is a welcoming interior garden on the first floor where healthy, light snacks and salads are served. Or where you can have a coffee and cake. We also appreciated Aneton. We opted for small but healthy dishes: cabbage with quinoa, cuttlefish, … and a Route Gris orange wine from Thessaloniki.

Greek wines

A final note on Greek wines. We’re not experts here, but it is a pleasure to discover new grapes. Filip prefers white wines; I like both white and red. Some white wines are a bit too sweat for my taste. We, therefore, often opted for the Santorini wines. The volcanic soil makes them mineral.

We’ll be back. There is more to discover, and we’ll take more extensive notes on the wines.

Categorieën:food, restaurants, tourism, travel

getagged:aneton, athens, ctc, food, goulandris foundation, greece, spondi, the old taverna of psarras, varoulko

Herwig Van Hove

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op april 9, 2022

Ik ken Herwig Van Hove. Van televisie. Nog voor ik iets te betekenen had bij Eén, maakte Herwig samen met Felice (wijlen Dre Steemans) “1000 seconden”. Het staat in mijn geheugen gegrift en het was een soort “Dagelijkse Kost ” avant la lettre. Maar ik heb hem ook een aantal keren in het echte, niet groot scherm-leven, mogen ontmoeten. De laatste keer was dat bij een rijkgevulde tafel bij Mie en Jean-Luc. Mie stond in voor het eten, Jean-Luc voor het leeghalen van zijn wijnkelder.

Nu ik niet langer in Vlaanderen woon, heb ik moeite met het uit mekaar halen van al die BV’s du jour, maar ik ken net zo goed begrijpen dat de namen Herwig en Dre bij velen niet langer een belletje doen rinkelen. Maar geloof me vrij, ze hebben televisie-geschiedenis geschreven.

Herwig heeft karakter. Daardoor bots het vaker dan nodig, maar ik hou van mensen met stamina. Ik vorm geen goed team met mensen die me naar de mond praten.

Van Hove heeft een nieuw boek uit, “Het Laatste Woord, een autobiografisch kookboek”. Zijn memoires tussen de gerechten geven een goed inzicht in het wie en het waarom van Herwig Van Hove, maar de stijl smaakt me niet altijd en is soms ronduit oubollig. Ik vel hier geen oordeel: geboren in 1939 is hij van een andere generatie met een ander waardenpatroon. Sommige passages over nonnen en jonge knapen en wat er tussen de lakens gebeurt vind ik gewoon te beschamend om hier te citeren.

Het is een feit dat we de echte band met voedsel verloren hebben. Dat heb ik geleerd van Michael Pollan, wiens boek “Food rules” mijn all time voedselbijbel blijft. Van Hove zegt hetzelfde, maar op zijn manier. Hij is een chemicus en dat maakt dat hij voedsel op een rationele manier bekijkt. Rationeel, maar tegelijk vanuit zijn Van Hove buik.

Van Hove is old school, en een tikkeltje narcistisch, maar zo is grootmoeders keuken. En die keuken blijft vooralsnog de beste en de meest gezonde.

Categorieën:Uncategorized

getagged:eten, food rules, herwig van hove, het laatste woord, michael pollan

The Power of the Dog left me speechless

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op maart 12, 2022

I watched The Power of the Dog, not really knowing what I was seeing. A paper flower put to fire, the relentless time it takes to tie a rope, two adult brothers still sleeping together in their childhood bedroom, … But director Jane Campion made the images so beautiful you are glued to the screen.

I felt there was a lot to read between the lines. A lot that was not being said. The decoding took me some time, but Boy/Mr it left me speechless. Campion said she had read the book, with not intention to turn this 1967 Thomas Savage novel into a film. But it haunted her and she had no other choice than to adopt it to a movie. As a viewer, I had the same feeling. This will chase me for a long time and I may have to read the book for a new interpretation.

This is a Benedict Cumberbatch as we have never seem him before; and what a discovery Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Categorieën:art, books, waow

getagged:film, Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog, Thomas Savage

Brussels restaurant Top 5 (edition 2022)

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op februari 6, 2022

My last review of my favourite restaurants in Brussels dates back from 2012. Time for an update. I promise to review this list on an annual basis from now on.

We love traveling, my husband and I. Good hotels and great food are part of the journey. In Brussels, where we have a home, no need to find lodging and plenty of time to explore (new) restaurants. What do we like? We love healthy food; it can be innovative but preferably not too sophisticated. The setting is important, as is staff. It’s great to have an informal exchange. And we try to build a relationship: have a chat with the chef, the sommelier, the owner. We appreciate it, if on a next visit , they know how we are and build on our preferences.

La Belle Maraichère

La Belle Maraichère is not new. It opened in 1973. The then founder, now in his eighties, is still on site on a daily basis, and he is in charge. That is proof of quality. Great staff. In the lovely downtown Dansaert neighbourhood this restaurant remains privately owned compared to many of the other that are part of a chain. Mainly fish on the menu, some meat. Try their croquettes de crevettes, sôle meunière or bouillabaisse. Watch the paintings, all depicting the neighbourhood, that has changed considerably over the years.

Worth mentioning nearby in the Galerie de la Reine are Aux Armes de Bruxelles and recently reopened La Taverne du Passage. The last in art deco style was beautifully renovated.

La Villa Lorraine, Lounge Bar

Yves Mattagne is one of the top names in Brussels. He had several restaurants and projects in town, the Sea Grill – now closed – being one of the top addresses at the time. Mattagne now took over La Villa Lorraine, which is another classic name in the Belgian capital. We haven’t been in the restaurant but visited the Lounge Bar, which has an amazing decor. It could be Shanghai! The waiters make you feel welcome in a very informal way. The menu is inspired by the many travels Mattagne did. Sharing food is the norm here.

Vertige

Previously run by Sang Hoon Degeimbre from L’Air du Temps, San became Vertige, run by the young chef Kevin Perlot. He shouldn’t shy away from his master Degeimbre. This is one of the top addresses down town. The restaurant is in a small house, two floors, not more than 15 tables and some places at the bar, where Perlot cooks. Over the last few years Filip and I tried to explore restaurants placing vegetables at the heart of the menu. Here you can choose for a vegetable-only menu, or a discovery-one with a small piece of meat and fish. Perlot loves bio wines. When staff overhear you speaking in Flemish, they switch to my native language. That’s what I mean about being approached in a personal way.

Amen

Pascal De Valkeneer is the chef of the 2* Michelin Le Chalet de la Forêt. Have been there on a number of occasions. Great food, but too expensive and staff isn’t multi language. I don’t make this an issue but I always test if in Brussels staff can welcome me in Flemish. I just hate it when the entire table is speaking Flemish and the waiters just neglect it. Especially when you are in a +2* Michelin. But De Valkeneer has a side address Amen and often these secondary projects combine the best. This is a neighbourhood restaurant. Go for a walk before after lunch/diner and in summer book a table outside.

Fico

Finally an Italian – apologies Sicilian – restaurant couldn’t be off this Top 5. There are many Italian restaurants in Brussels, as everywhere globally. Fico is family of Senza Nome, not as a side project. The outspoken lady who started this osteria has family ties with Giovanni Bruno. This is a no nonsense place and we love it. Great wine list!

Categorieën:brussels, food, restaurants, tourism, travel

getagged:amen, fico, la belle maraichere, vertige, villa lorraine

coaching Justine

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op januari 30, 2022

Justine Hutteau is the founder of the French ecological cosmetics brand Respire. The company started small, with just one product a few years ago, but now has grown successfully. Justine not only co-owns the business, she is also the face of the company. She has more than half a million followers on her social media accounts. Call her an influencer, or even a celebrity.

I started coaching her two years ago, when the company kicked off and Justine had to adapt to her new status as an entrepreneur and a well known face. A coaching relationship is a private contract but I can disclose some of it, as Justine talks about it in her recently published book “Rêver, over, se dépasser”.

She writes about being attacked on social media:

Lorsque l’on s’affiche publiquement, que l’on se montre et que l’on assume, on peut se retrouver confronté à des personnes malveillantes qui n’hésitent pas à essayer de faire mal aux autres. Il m’est ainsi arrivé à plusieurs reprises de recevoir des messages extrêmement violent envers moi, envers Respire, de devoir répondre à des arguments infondés, à des détracteurs qui ne cherchent ni à comprendre ni à discuter.
J’ai du me créer une carapace. Mon coach, Jean Philip De Tender m’a beaucoup aidée à me détacher du regard et du jugement des personnes malveillantes, et à me concentrer sur les retours valorisants, qui m’aident quotidiennement à avancer et m’apportent du soutien.

The approach of the INSEAD coaching certificate is that as a coach you bring as much in the coaching relationship as you get out of it. What you have experienced as a person (the coach) can resonate in the reflections of the person being coached. I have worked my entire life in in media, mostly in senior positions which means I have been close with many celebrities and have seen their ups and downs. Media, as any creative business, is a peoples business and tends to attract those who can move from a mountain to a valley in just one day.

In the sessions with Justine we discussed person, role and organisation:

Lors de nos séances, Justine et moi discutons souvent de la personne, du rôle et de l’organisation. Il n’y a qu’une personne, mais plusieurs rôles dans plusieurs organisations. Justine est cofondatrice de Respire et partenaire de Thomas en tant qu’associée. Justine est la fille de set parents et la soeur de sa soeur. Elle est aussi l’amie de ses amis, et la patronne de ses subordonnés directs. Et nous pourrions continuer. Justine est toujours Justine, mais la manière dont elle assume un rôle dépend de chaque organisation. Lors d’une mauvaise journée, elle peut être grincheuse avec son équipe ou en retard pour le dîner avec sa soeur. Pour elle, assumer tous ces rôles dans toutes ces organisations, eh bien … c’est compliqué de temps en temps. C’est probablement pour cela que Justine a frappé à ma porte au départ, pour que je l’aide à trouver des solutions à cette situation.

It is great to see how both Justine and Repire are thriving. An her book is full of energy and inspiration.

Justine Hutteau, “Rêver, oser, se dépasser. 10 clés pour prendre confiance en soi et passer à l’action!”, Marabout, 2021.

Categorieën:Uncategorized

life of David Hockney

everyone and everything is a story

Geplaatst op januari 6, 2022

When a gallery owner who was organising a group show asked the artists to reveal the source of their inspiration, David wrote: “I paint what I like, when I like, and where I like”.

Over the holidays my husband and I had the chance to visit two David Hockney exhibitions, one at Bozar in Brussels and the other at Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. No way denying the importance of this 84 year old lad. A living legend. Bozar was a mix of his earlier works, some of which were new to me, and a selection of his recent “Normandy 2021” spring iPad prints. The Orangerie solely focused on “A Year in Normandy”. During the pandemic Hockney has been painting the surroundings of his Normandy home. The difference between the Brussels and Paris exhibit was that the Orangerie depicted the paintings in a flow, as if it were just one work, like the tapestry of Bayeux or a Japanese print roll, both of which inspired Hockney. The Paris paper was breathtaking!

Being a young gay men in the 80s I found inspiration in books (Stephen Spender, David Leavitt, Hervé Guibert, …) and visual art (Mapplethorpe, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, …). Even today, thirty years later, they are close to my heart, because as gay artists they gave me a lot of inspiration.

This is a novel. All facts are true, but I have imagined feelings, thoughts, and dialogue. I used intuition and deduction rather than actual invention. I sought coherence and connected pieces of Hockney’s life puzzle from what I found in many sources – autobiographies, biographies, interviews, essays, films, and articles. This portrait reflects my vision of David Hockney, even if it was he, his work, his words that inspired me. I hope the artist will consider this an homage.

Besides the catalogues of both exhibitions I bought the biography “Life of David Hockney” by Catherine Cusset. I love reading (auto)biographies and memoires, but Cusset took the genre into a new direction. I felt like David was the protagonist of a novel written by someone else. I have never met Hockney, but Cusset made me feel Mr Hockney like someone I knew very well. And his paintings are clearly a memory of his life. This book felt like some paintings coming to life.

He had begun another double portrait, of Ossie and Celia, who had just got married because Celia was pregnant. It would be their wedding present. Ossie is sitting on a modern chair in a nonchalant pose, his cat on his lap, while Celia is standing next to the open window in a long, dark dress, her hand on her waist thickened by her pregnancy, next to a bouquet of white lilies. The phone on the right is white, too, as is the balustrade of the balcony and the cat, and all that white infuses the painting with a softness, refecting that of Celia. David wasn’t able to paint Ossie’s feet and hid them the plush of the rug. He also had trouble with Ossie’s head. He kept doing it over without being satisfied, probably he wasn’t satisfied with Ossie himself, who was taking more and more drugs, becoming increasingly unstable and was treating Celia badly.

Loved the way how Cusset is reinventing biographies. And apart from getting context in and understanding about the artist, I had the feeling I got to learn to know the person David better. Family seems to be very important for Hockney. Family being his actual family, his gay friends and his sex dates. Worth considering his views on (open) relationships:

Gregory didn’t like the new arrangement, and David had to remind him that they had an open relationship, which Gregory couldn’t deny since he had taken advantage of it. “But not at home, not under your nose!” his lover exclaimed. “It doesn’t make any difference”, David replied, somewhat dishonestly. But he was sincere when he begged Gregory to accept a situation that in no way diminished the strength of their bond. He loved him, they worked together, the were both travelling on the same path, pointing to the same future, a future that was indeed assured them by the pact they had made, basing their relationship on a more solid foundation than carnal desire.

“Life of David Hockney”, Other Press or “Vie de David Hockney”, Gallimard by Catherine Cusset.

Categorieën:Uncategorized

getagged:catherine cusset, david hockney

Geplaatst op september 25, 2022

Geplaatst op september 3, 2022

The Japanese by the Chedi, Gütsch

7132 Silver, Vals

Harry’s Piccolo, Trieste

Glam, Venice

Aalto, Milan

bonus

Geplaatst op augustus 13, 2022

Geplaatst op juli 30, 2022

Geplaatst op april 19, 2022

The old taverna of Psarras

Spondi

CTC urban gastronomy

Varoulko

lunch

Greek wines

Geplaatst op april 9, 2022

Geplaatst op maart 12, 2022

Geplaatst op februari 6, 2022

La Belle Maraichère

La Villa Lorraine, Lounge Bar

Vertige

Amen

Fico

Geplaatst op januari 30, 2022

Geplaatst op januari 6, 2022