Summer shopping

Hurray, hurray, it’s a holi-holiday! But while the sun seems to have forgotten about Brussels, we haven’t. Here are some great shops to prepare for a sunny holiday abroad or a perfect summer in the city.

Mexigo
Holidays are all about food. The further you travel, the more exotic and tasty it gets...which makes it difficult to rustle up an authentic meal once you get back home, as not all ingredients are readily available. If spicy Mexican food or American processed treats are high on your list of cravings, MexiGo is the place to be. Located in a quiet area behind the Elsene/Ixelles cemetery, it’s a treasure for Mexican salsa, beans, and spices, but also American (and thus colourful and sweet) breakfast cereals, instant cake mixes, and lemonades. Choosing is difficult, especially when the shop smells of freshly baked empanadas. Add some guacamole, cactus salad, and a Mexican beer (or a Margarita) and you’ll forget you’re in Brussels in no time. For a lazy holiday feel, order some fresh food via phone or online, and get it delivered at home.
> rue François Donsstraat 47, Elsene/Ixelles, 
di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa 11.45 > 20.00, 02-649.23.83, www.mexigo.be

Maison Lanssens
Every neighbourhood in Brussels claims to have the best butcher in town, but there’s one in Etterbeek, renowned beyond communal borders: Maison Lanssens. It all started in 1952, when Julien Lanssens took over a small butcher shop on Tongerenstraat/rue des Tongres. The business is now run by his son, Jean-Marie, who made the shop a preferred spot for BBQ lovers. Reason number one is the large range of sausages, spiced with coriander or ginger, or flavoured with Chimay cheese, olives, or pepper. There are over twenty options to choose from, which explains the often very long queue. If you can’t take your pick, go for the assorted sausages on a stick. And while you’re there, they also have some excellent Irish, Argentinian, and Charolais steak. Paradise for meat lovers.
> Tongerenstraat 67 rue des Tongres, Etterbeek, di/ma/Tu > ve/vr/Fr 
9.30 > 18.30, za/sa/Sa 9 > 18.00, 02-733.04.36, www.maisonlanssens.be

Joli Mai
This new book shop in the shadow of the Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles town hall first saw daylight a couple of weeks ago. It got its name from France’s month of revolution in 1968, but this doesn’t mean you’ll only find revolutionary literature on the shelves. Joli Mai wants to be a general book store, with among others literature, poetry, books about human interest and art, and children’s literature. The shop stocks some great editors, including their partners Aden and Livres & Création. Books come in French, English, and Dutch or without any text at all. The book shop plans all sorts of literary events and on Mondays, Joli Mai is open until 10 pm. Grab a book, and find a seat at nearby beer bar Moeder Lambic (reading and drinking geuze/gueuse go very well together, we think) or discover La Britannique’s new tapas place called Brixtos.
> avenue Paul Dejaerlaan 29, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles

Alice Délice
French kitchen utensil shop Alice Délice found its way to shopping mall City 2 (on the top floor). Great news for those looking for clever accessories to make cooking easy. You’ll find anything from ice cube makers to a sturdy KitchenAid. We loved the corner with everything you could possibly need to make and serve salads, the ultimate summer food. Bowls, serving spoons, dressing shakers, and lots of herbs and spices. You’ll need to find the fresh ingredients somewhere else though, but check the multi-lingual cook book section for inspiration. Alice Délice also stocks everything to make and bake desserts. And as kitchens unfortunately tend to get dirty after a cooking session, there’s a whole lot of brushes, sponges, and gloves to help you with the clean-up.
> City 2, Brussel/Bruxelles, ma/lu/Mo > za/sa/Sa 10 > 20.00, 02-218.89.57, www.alicedelice.com

Autour du Monde
Trends come and go, but some summer items never go out of style. Take the Bensimon canvas shoes for instance. They’ve been around for years, and keep making their reappearance every summer. The trainers were created by French designer Serge Bensimon, and exist in all colours, with laces or without, for men, women, and kids. You can find them at Bensimon’s concept store Autour du Monde, on Naamsestraat/rue de Namur. Ever since they were introduced in the United States, the popularity of these shoes has grown even more. Among the famous fans are actresses Liv Tyler and Natalie Portman. And if we are to believe Wikipedia, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, loves them too.
> Naamsestraat 70 rue du Namur, Brussel/Bruxelles, 
ma/lu/Mo > za/sa/Sa 10 > 18.30, 02-503.55.92, www.bensimon.com

The Grasshopper
The Grasshopper probably is Brussels’s best-known toy shop. There are a couple of reasons for this: its central location, stunning and listed building, enormous range of items and on-trend window display. It’s very hard to resist the sight of two Monchhichis having a picnic, don’t you agree? Needless to say, the shop has got everything and more to keep your little ones happy during the summer months: from a skipping-rope to a brightly coloured kite, a diabolo, or a wooden bike. Check the tableware too, if your kids don’t seem too keen on vegetables. A plate with a pink Barbapapa or green dinosaur might just be the perfect bribe to make them eat their greens.
> Grasmarkt 39-43 rue du Marché aux Herbes, 
Brussel/Bruxelles, 10 > 19.00, 02-511.96.22, 
www.thegrasshopper.be