Somehow I think even I would prefer M_Kingdom in anything vs. Degas in his "gigolo" outfit but to each their own, I suppose.

Thanks for posting the report. I notice a great deal of the jealousy seems to be coming from those who love to name drop but you do it so much more believably than they do..because you actually WENT there!

Conde Nast Traveler's November issue has quite an interesting article regarding Antwerp.

Just finished reading the article, came on line and here we are!!! MK2's Antwerp's thread.

What exactly does "people fancied themselves" mean in the context of a train ride? Were they indulging in solo activities of a sort that should not be made public, or were you reading their minds to ascertain their egotism quotient?

Anyway, on my visits to Antwerp I've enjoyed visiting its smaller museums, such as the Mayer van den Bergh, the Plantin-Moretus, and the Rockox House, as well as the Museum of Fine Arts and the Maritime Museum. And there are several good northern baroque churches. But I feel like such a philistine -- I neglected to shop for clothes.

anyone ever been to dinner at the velvet lounge? i'm going in a couple of weeks (staying at de witte lelie)so any recent recommendations welcome. i'm interested in any bars with cool bands or other live music, any good restaurants, and also if anyone knows if the prices at dries are much less than london ;-) cheers

Dries van Noten is around ten per cent cheaper, but that's not the point. They carry stock that you can't get anywhere in London, and of course shopping there is in itself a fabulous experience.

the comment about tealights in the room made me remember a rather "uplifting" experience at my hotel in london. I like tea lights and burn them at night when I'm in bed or when I meditate so I took some to London with me. I have a neat little holder that is "safe". I had a candel lit and was sitting at the desk doing postcards and all of a sudden I head a sound like "woosh" and felt the heat. The bag I had my post cards in had fallen over into the flame of the tea light and had just gone up in flames. Well, it was a mad , mad, mad, mad, world..I kind of did spin arounds for a few seconds, in a total panic wondering what the heck to do so I wouldn't burn the whole place down. Finally dashed into the bathroom and got some water in the waste basket and brushed the burning bag off the desk into the waste basket. There was glass over the desk top that goodness. Well, that was it for me with the tea lights...Headline..American idiot burns down hotel..Lancaster Terrace tube stop closed so hotel could be evacuated. Film at 11:00.

Oh crefloors - to to funny!!! Well I know it wasn't at the time of course but just reading about your near diaster had me in stiches. Sounds like something I would do.
Have a good day!

Topping for Cigale.

Thank you so much. I loved your description of the shops.

ladbroke; the Velvet Lounge is nice if you like red velvet loungy sort of places. Food is alright.

My favorite in Antwerp is Pazzo, Oude Leeuwenrui. They have a bar upstairs too, but are closed Sat and Sun. Great pasta with truffles.

Don't know about live music.

Ask the owner of the Witte Lelie about restaurants. She knows the best places!

What's the restaurant that's a little further down Nationale Straat near to Dries van Noten?

That looked rather grand, but sadly was closed during my stay there.

Maybe the Brasserie Nationale? That is part of the fashion museum. Nice for lunch.

That sounds a suitably grand name. I will be returning to Antwerp to purchase pieces for my spring/summer wardrobe in, er, the springtime!

m_kingdom2-

Did you return to Antwerp for more shopping this Spring (as you said in your last post)?

I will be in Antwerp next week for an afternoon, and just reading up on shops. Sound like Verso is a must!

I'm not m_k2, but I didn't think that Verso was terribly special.

But granted, I was only in there for about ten minutes.

If you've the time, pick up the guide that's specifically devoted to fashion at the Antwerp TI by the train station. The cover is red and the front has the letter "a" in lowercase (in b&w, if memory serves). I bought a copy home to read but it's been languishing on the bookshelf.

It's the second book in the second row:

http://www.visitantwerpen.be/brochures_uk.html

The letter "a" is in white, but you see the letters f and w (?) in the background in black.

yk; the more interesting shops are in the Kammenstraat, Nationale Straat, Lombardenvest. Well-known labels like Hermes can be found in the Schuttershof Straat, and Huidevetterstraat.
Opposite Verso there's a new Flamant shop; interiors, and also a restaurant.
All these shops are easy walking distance from each other.
Have fun in Antwerp!

What's Flamant?

It sounds familiar.

Thanks, tulips. Will check those out!

111op, Flamant is an upscale home interior shop. They have shops in all major Belgian cities and are now spreading abroad as well. Their newest thing is to create a restaurant inside their shops.
See http://www.flamant.com