barefootinluxembourg

Bee Famous: Tasty, Affordable and Organic Wine Available at Auchan’s

~ Jenni Laiho ~ Leave a comment

As autumn is approaching, Barefoot in Luxembourg was invited for a wine tasting at Beef-Bar at Auchan’s to have a sneak peak of the shop’s new wine season range. “Foire Aux Vins” is in fact an annual event taking place in September ( this year from September 20th to October 3rd) in several supermarkets in Luxembourg, including Auchan, where winemakers introduce new wines and also offer special deals for products already on the shelves. You can check out Auchan’s website for more information about products and discounts.

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I had a pleasure to get to know Bee Famous, an organic wine brand from South France. I have shared my impressions below.

 

White wines:
Bee Famous Organic Cévennes

  • Fresh and fruity
  • Excellent choice with spicy and Asian food

Bee Famous Organic Chardonnay

  • Very rounded, well structured, crispy
  • Goes well with grilled fish, and sushi

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Bee Famous Organic Viognier

  • Rounded, easy to drink
  • Great for appetzers and cheese

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Bee Famous Organic Sauvignon

  • crispy, quite strong after-taste of blackcurrant
  • To be paired with goat cheese salad or appetizers

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Red wines:
Bee Famous Organic Syrah

  • Fruity, spicy
  • Try it with mediterranean or oriental food, mild cheese or drink it as aperitif

Bee Famous Organic 2015 Cevennes

  • Complex, fruity, spicy, hint of pepper
  • Herbs of Provence
  • Perfect form meat dishes, especially pork and chicken

Bee Famous Organic AOP Costières de Nime Sans Sulfites

  • No sulfites; this wine is recommended to be drank within 1-2 years
  • Try with pork, paella or Mediterranean cuisine

Bee Famous Côtes du Rhône 2016

  • Round, long, well structured
  • Serve it with a selection of chacuterie or other meat dishes

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Bee Famous Côtes du Rhône Plain de Dieu

  • Plain, easy
  • Goes well with chocolate dessert, meat, lamb, pork, steaks

Bee Famous Organic Languedoc Rouge 2013

  • Elegant, silky structure
  • Great with ratatouille

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Barefoot in Luxembourg meets People: Lena

~ Corie Bratter ~ Leave a comment

 

Wednesday is Barefoot in Luxembourg meets People day!

Today we have the great chance to present you Lena. I met her through her Crème de la Crème group and I have been truly taken away by her vitality and capability to talk about politics, religion and Kim Kardashian in the same forum.
But I don’t want to spoil the surprise, read her interview to discover more – and maybe be part of it!

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Hello and welcome at Barefoot in Luxembourg for a new episode of our series “Barefoot in Luxembourg meets people”, thank you for joining.

Go ahead and tell us more about yourself!

My name is Lena Baraka. I am British-Sudanese and moved from the UK to Luxembourg 3 years ago with my Luxembourgish husband who was working in London when we met.

I was seven months pregnant when we arrived and had just started my maternity leave after leaving my post as a dentist in London. Work took a backseat as I quickly became involved with mums’ clubs and various activities in Luxembourg. Brunches, Lunches and workshops took over my life and from a social aspect, it was a good thing. If you’re a mum and new to Luxembourg, you’ve definitely come to the right place.  I never got the chance to feel homesick or depressed until I received a letter from the medical governing body informing me that to be able to become registered as a dentist here, I had to speak fluent French, Luxembourgish or German! So, I cried for a whole week. I complained to my husband nonstop and to everyone who was prepared to listen. I realized soon after that I needed to make a choice. Complaining was not going to get me anywhere. So, I started with French classes and told myself that this was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I could take some time off my career to learn a new language and pursue other interests whilst taking care of my newborn.  I felt very blessed as I was in a position where I didn’t really need to work and my husband fully supported me.

Looking back, I have to admit that it wasn’t the easiest challenge. You need a lot of focus, determination and a desire to immerse yourself in the French culture, and I didn’t have that. French didn’t really come that naturally to me as all my friends conversed in English. All my husband’s Lux and French friends wanted to talk to me in English apart from the occasional one off where someone chose to humour me. It was also mainly my fault. I was very reluctant to speak as I felt my real social side and true character could never truly come across or be conveyed in a foreign language so instead, I embraced that fact that English was the preferred language of choice by all! As for my husband and I, we got so used to communicating in English despite his best efforts to try to use his French to improve mine! I was lucky to have some amazing and inspirational teachers that kept me going and kept motivating me until the end. Thank you F & C. I start my job as a general dentist in Hesperange as of next month! Come find me!

Looks like it was a very challenging journey – I have been in Luxembourg for 10 years and  I still cannot speak French at professional level, so this is really impressive to me 🙂 Now can you tell Barefoot in Luxembourg readers a bit more about your Crème de la Crème project we anticipated in the introduction?

So between my duties as a new mother, a French student and a budding makeup artist, I started a new group on Facebook called Crème de la Crème. I’ve always felt blessed and thankful to have the valuable gift of friendship from some wonderful, talented and inspirational women around me.  I thought to myself one day, why not share this gift and create a group that connects these women?

As word slowly spread, the group demographic started to diversify to include women from all over the world. These strong, independent, well travelled and cultured women were more than happy to share honest tips on all walks of life. Questions came rolling in and recommendations followed. The Facebook group felt like a “trip advisor” for life and popular topics included health, beauty products, diet, travel, food, movies, arts and even branched further to offer advice on love and relationships. We waved goodbye to the dull and impersonal manner of receiving reviews online and openly welcomed this new and exciting format of delivery through ‘girl talk’! What started with 20 of my close girlfriends chatting is now host to around 4000 ladies and we are continually growing.

I am part of it, so I can really say this is amazing. So why ladies in Luxembourg should be interested in Crème de la Crème ?

Simply because it is fun! We are a support network for women worldwide, but at the same time we discuss everything and nothing is off limits. We had our first social event at the beginning of October and 30 awesome women came and showed their support and willingness to connect and socialize. It really was a huge success and I have Siobhain Engman, a fellow Crème lady who took charge of organizing the entire event to thank.

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We are currently promoting our next Christmas Ladies night which will take place at Barrels Bar in December. Feel free to come along and mingle, the more the merrier!

It is definitely on my agenda! What are then the best three things about Crème de la Crème and what do you personally enjoy most about that?

Connecting with other likeminded women

Getting on the spot advice on pretty much anything! Bye bye google!!!

Expanding your horizons and learning about different cultures.

Coming back to your Luxembourg background, you already said above you have been here for 3 years. What is your most beloved place in the city?

I love the Grund. Never get bored of walking around and taking in the views.

What is your favorite restaurant in Luxembourg?

Too many to mention. Batucada, Hitch because who doesn’t love a good burger, Sobogusto, Toit pour toi.

What is your preferred night-life spot in Luxembourg?

Not much of a night-life party person anymore! I like The Tube bar though for a piece of England with me.

What do you like about Luxembourg life?

I like the simplicity of life here. Granted having a husband from Luxembourg has been really useful especially when dealing with administrational matters, receiving official letters, bills (even in English I pretend not to understand now lol). Schools are great, it is safe, perfect for families, you have parks everywhere, you are well connected to some of the best European capitals and cities, you arrive everywhere in 5 minutes. It also has a great artistic scene, theatre, festivals, concerts but you have to stay informed. Events don’t come jumping right at you but if you look, you find. The fact that it is a small country as well is a huge advantage for entrepreneurs and new business ventures. The competition is not as stiff so you have more room to shine and stand out.

What do you miss here and you would like to change or improve?

I miss Starbucks and Nando’s! I would change nothing.

I also definitely would love to have Nando’s in Luxembourg! What is the best place you visited in a range of 200 km from the city and that you would suggest for a daily trip?

Antwerp! But you have to come back with a ring! 🙂

And lastly, to conclude, what is the best adjective to describe Luxembourg? 

Classic.

Meet Lena and the other Crème de la Crème ladies (including me!) in the Crème de la Crème Facebook group. I can ensure this is addictive! 

What to do – A girls night out in Luxembourg

~ Corie Bratter ~ Leave a comment

My favorite topic, today! Yeah!

So, where do you spend a girls only night in Luxembourg?

A posh night out

Do you know? Dressing up, high-heels, hours on the phone to check each others’ outfit. Whenever you are in your 20s or in your 40s, I am sure, you can relate and you like having a “Sex and the City” time with your girlfriends each and every time.

My favorite places in the city for a high-end girls night out are:

Where to start the night:

  • Le Sud: one of the best terrace in Luxembourg. Amazing service, great choice of drinks, free finger food and complementary tapas platters. If you want to reserve a dinner at the restaurant for a romantic night with your man, nothing forbid you to visit the bar with your BFFs.

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  • Le Royal Piano Bar: since the renovation, finally Le Royal has a modern and trendy attire, ready to welcome your Loubi and enchant you with sweet and sour tastes. Among a wide selection of wines, they offer as well cocktails and various sweet and salted platters to accompany your aperitif.

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Where to have dinner:

  • Brasserie Mansfeld: formal, but in a cool way, the best things about Mansfeld are the refined kitchen, the sophisticated menu choices and the cosmopolitan atmosphere. Enjoy the terrace during the warm evening and go for an oyster platter or the Chateaubriand to share when in doubt.

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  • La Boqueria: everything says luxury in this modern and eclectic Spanish restaurant in Kirchberg, but the greatest thing is that the food is as well as delicious. Whenever you decide to dine at the Tapas stage upstairs or at the restaurant (highly recommended), they will be able to delight your palate with intense suggestions (don’t miss the crema catalana to conclude your meal!).

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Where to end up the night:

  • Octans: a posh gem hidden in the Old Town street, Octans welcome you in a jazzy and luxury dark atmosphere. The perfect place to enjoy a well-prepared cocktail: you can go classic or ask for a suggestion. The barmen will definitely be able to surprise you and your girlfriends with amazing preparations. Check out their Facebook page to get more info: from time to time they organize special evenings with dress-up code or live music that are a perfect occasion for a night out with girls!

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  • Boos Beach Club: another old good favorite in Luxembourg that changed completely its style – for better! – after the recent renovation. A Los Angeles resembling decor, lights, stylish barmen and barmaids and a great level of service, the Boos is no more a place for kids. Reserve a table in the VIP area to enjoy the last part of the night as a princess together with your girlfriends. Amazing music and good-looking guests 🙂

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Mid-Budget

Where to start the night:

  • Dipso the wine republic: the only negative point about Dipso is that you might end up queuing to get a table during pick hours. Everything else, it makes it just one of the best places in town for after-work hours. Cool atmosphere, kind service, wide choice of wines, delicious food platters to share and a very fair bill to conclude. Perfect for absorbing chats with your girlfriends – and if you are single, watch out, great place as well for men spotting 😛

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  • Café-Torino: recently opened in the “quiet” area of the city center, just few steps from LV boutique, Cafe’ Torino has already jumped in my personal preferences for happy hour. The reasons? An outstanding service, the delicious free platter for the aperitif and the great choice of Italian wines and cocktails prepared by Elio. Take advantages of the sunny days to seat on the terrace.

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Where to have dinner:

  • Beim Siggy: the amazing view should be alone a reason to visit Beim Siggy. But, next to that, you have a tasty and various brasserie French cuisine, with Luxembourgish influences, a refreshing service and a wine list among the best in town for quality/price.

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  • Mamacita: the greatest place in town to spice up your night, Mamacita is just perfect if you want to have some good food to accompany your tequila shots. For a loud night with your girl squads, this is indeed a very recommended place and you are just close to the Luxembourg movida.

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Where to end up your night:

  • Goten: my long-time favorite bar in Luxembourg, it is a place not to miss in whatsoever celebration in town. Strategically located in the middle of “where everything happens” in Luxembourg, offer you a smiling service, heated benches on the outdoor terrace and the best Gin selection in Luxembourg. Get ready for a people watching 🙂

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  • Café’ Des Capucins: located in a cozy courtyard in the very city centre, Cafe’ Des Capucins offers you a cosmopolitan background to enjoy your evening with the girls out of the chaos of the Old Town. A lovely heated terrace, a modern interior design, a great choice of cocktails and gins and nice people around. Watch our their FB page for events, while the atmosphere could be quite calm some days, on Wednesday and Friday night, the evenings are inflamed by cool DJs and you can let your hair down and dance.

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On a Budget/ Informal

Where to start the night:

  • Paname: with a very fresh and young ambiance and glasses of wine starting from 4.5 euro, the new Paname bar, in the station area, is a lovely place to get into the night. Professionals just out of works are mixed with local people. The atmosphere can be busy, but the amazing cocktails are worth a try – and in the confusion, it is definitely easier getting to know new people.

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  • Barrels: the elder brother of the Hitch proposes a classier atmosphere, an older guest list, a reasonable and wide choice of wines and platters to share with your girlfriends. A fair alternative if you dont’ want to have a proper dinner or if you want to nibble something and have a chat before going out, just few steps from the city centre and with the Glacis in front where you can park your car easily.

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Where to have dinner

  • I Quattro Mori: a bit out of the usual “going out area”, in the Hollerich neighborhood, I Quattro Mori is definitely one of the best Italian restaurant in town for Italian people. The food offer is various: from tasty pizza to amazing fish courses prepared in pure Sardinia style. The location is tiny, minimal and very cozy, perfect to share a bottle of Vermentino with your girlfriends before going out.

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  • Bosso: if you want to be in a party atmosphere already at dinner time, there is no better place than Bosso, in the fairy tale settings of Grund. The place is very warm and characteristic, the service smiling and informal and the cuisine offers several different alternatives, including vegetarian. Prices, above all, are among the fairest in town, for the quality of what you get and over the week-end you might want to stop after eating for a couple of shots as well. Lastly, during the warm season, enjoy its lovely terrace.

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Where to end up your night:

  • Rotondes: The Rotondes is the first reason because I miss living in Bonnevoie. It was so nice stepping out from my flat and getting there in less than 2 minutes! Still – if you are looking for an informal place where to have a chat or some dance moves with your besties I would definitely recommend not to miss it. Casual, with a great service and a terrace that is worth alone the visit, Rotondes is my favorite place for a low key date. And they have so  many events in the calendar – check our their FB page to learn about DJ sets and live music nights. Bonus point: the photo-booth at the entrance where to take some paper memories of your girls night out.

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  • Rocas: if you don’t want to dress up for your night out and you don’t care about fancy cocktail glasses, but just about good music and enjoying your time, Rocas is the place to be. Two floors with different music over week-ends and special events during the week, including quiz night and live session, small prices and a very informal atmosphere.

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What are your favorite places for a girls night out in Luxembourg? Add yours in the comment!

 

 

Barefoot in Luxembourg meets People: Marina

~ Corie Bratter ~ Leave a comment

Wednesday is the day of Barefoot in Luxembourg meets People once again. Today we get the chance to learn more about Marina, a creative radio presenter.

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Good Morning Marina and welcome on Barefoot in Luxembourg, glad to have you on board for this episode.

Can you introduce you briefly: Who are you?  What are you doing here?

Hi! So, I was born and raised in London, I then moved to Shanghai for a job opportunity when I graduated University. I spent 3 years living as an expat there, where I met my now fiance who is Luxembourgish. Since then, we’ve both moved to Luxembourg and I work as a freelance journalist and radio presenter for ARA City Radio.

Can you tell Barefoot in Luxembourg readers a bit more about your work at the radio?

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about radio is the connection that you make with people. There’s no preconceived notion of who or what someone is, because you cannot see the other person. When people text or call into my show, I get so excited, it’s like we’re connecting over the airwaves! Another aspect of my job which I really enjoy is my podcast series called How I Got Here, where I interview successful people in Luxembourg about their stories.

What are the three things you are enjoying most this project?

Probably the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. From the start, I had stated that success is defined so differently for everyone so I’ve interviewed people from Grammy award winner Gast Waltzing to a lovely girl named Silla who has grown up as an orphan in Tanzania.

When we record the podcasts, I’m alone with them in the recording studio. It’s very intimate and also very real. It’s a genuine conversation. As we start to talk the interviewees start to relax and before you know it we are going into topics which they perhaps wouldn’t have thought they would be sharing! The most interesting part is that I get to make the connection between all these successful people. What is it that has made them all successful? Is it something that they all have or has it been different things that led them all to success? That’s what drives my work.

Coming back to your Luxembourg background, you told us already you have been here for a bit more than one year. What is your most beloved place in the city?

There’s a second-hand bookshop next to the Bourglinster castle. It’s one of my favorite hidden gems. They still charge books by weight, it’s the perfect Sunday afternoon activity!

What is your favorite restaurant in Luxembourg?

The food here in Luxembourg is so delicious, it’s really quite hard to choose just one!! Toit pour toi if there’s a nice occasion. But I must tell you a funny story about my favorite restaurant. When I first came to Luxembourg, my fiance had been abroad for over 15 years so he didn’t know many restaurants. So he kept taking me to Brideler Stuff every Sunday. I used to complain every week, it was so dated and the average age of the customers was around 75. But now, when I’ve had a long week and I need to relax, I think to go there. Somehow the combination of the chalet style decor and the traditional Luxembourgish food has become my kind of ‘comfort’ too.

What is your preferred night-life spot in Luxembourg?

I like catching up with friends over a few glasses of wine at Barrels.

What do you like about Luxembourg life?

I think it pushes you. It’s less developed than London so there’s a lot of opportunity to create many things and to really innovate. There are so many opportunities to explore things that you enjoy and discover new people too. It’s small enough that you can spread the word quickly and big enough that you will have many people interested. In other words, it requires you to step outside of yourself and what you know to go and discover. If you come to Luxembourg and complain that it is boring, I think that says more about you than the country.

What do you miss here and you would like to change or improve?

I must say, I miss decent customer service. That’s something that I would love to see improve over the next few years. We like to connect with people when we buy something from their shop, otherwise I would have stayed at home and shopped online. I hope we can recognize this and do something about it. I love to support local businesses and physical stores but we need them to provide us with the advantage that online retailers can’t, that’s physical customer service.

What is the best place you visited in a range of 200 km from the city and that you would suggest for a daily trip?

I really enjoyed visiting the lake in the North of the country, in the summer.  It’s a beautiful place to escape to.

What is the best adjective to describe Luxembourg?

Quaint.

You can follow Marina on a regular basis on Radio Ara podcasts.

 

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Jenni’s Corner: Meet the Start-Up Company Blueberry & Pie

~ Jenni Laiho ~ Leave a comment


 Today Jenni meets Tuire and Wojtek, the creators of brand new children’s book Message in a Bottle.

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Can you tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you and what are you doing here?

Tuire, 24,  and Wojtek, 39, are the founders of a  book publishing start-up company Blueberry & Pie which creates books with a customized message for children.

Finnish born Tuire, is the CEO and the Illustrator of the company while Polish Wojtek is taking care of the finance even though they both admit being equally involved in the company’s daily operations and developing and executing its business strategy.

The company was founded 1 year ago when Wojtek had made redundant at Skype and Tuire had just finished her studies in in Belgium. They both were looking for something to do and the idea of an own publishing company was born as a result of combining their skills, passion and interest towards illustration and entrepreneurship. Creating books had been on their mind already for some time and once the opportunity came, they didn’t hesitate to grip it.

Can you tell Barefoot in Luxembourg readers a bit more about your book project?

Blueberry & Pie’s first book Message in a Bottle was launched on 26th of August, 2016 and it is a story of Scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper bird Kiki who finds a message in the bottle and decides to deliver it to the intended person. She can only see the first name of the person in the beginning of her trip but on her way from Hawaii to the final destination she discovers parts of the message once it is fully revealed in the last page of the book. The adventure takes Kiki from the tropical Hawaii to cold North America all the way to sunny South America until she makes her way to Europe. During her journey she discovers local animals who help her to reach her goal: “ The story isn’t only educational from the geographical point of view but also teaches kids that everything is possible with the help of others”, Tuire summarizes. The animals that Kiki meets have been selected with the help of biologists in order to provide a realistic picture of their habitat. “I hate when polar bears are placed on South Pole or penguins in the North Pole” she adds referring to false presentation of many animals’ geographical home in some children’s books or cartoons.

The idea with the personalized message is that each person ordering the book writes the final message by themselves and thus making it very unique and fitting to the occasion no matter if it is a birthday, Christmas or a get-well present. This is possible because the books are printed only on demand and hence the buyer can really customize the message he or she wants to communicate to the child.  It could simply be a greeting from an uncle but also a special memory from last summer written down by the grandparents.

Why people in Luxembourg should be attracted by your project?

Luxembourg is full of expats and other international people who are constantly looking for unique presents for the birthday of their friends’ kids, baby showers or baptisms. Children living in Luxembourg also learn English already from very early age so this could be also one way to enhance their learning process.

What have been the biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge was just to get started. Neither Tuire nor Wojtek had any idea how to start a business and how much work it would require. They didn’t know anything about publishing nor had any contacts in the field, which made the beginning even harder: “ Publishing industry is a very closed field and without contacts or proven reputation, nobody takes you seriously” Tuire elaborates referring to the process of finding the right people to work with.

“We were also struggling to find the exact storyline that we were satisfied with” Vojtech adds.

Both agree that the most rewarding thing is just to see the book becoming true and see that the hard work has paid off.

What are your future plans?

“We want to make a series of books where Kiki goes on adventure in different continents. For example, a story where the journey starts from Australia and takes a round in Asia before finishing in Europe. In this way, a family with several kids could have same book with different stories” the business partners explain.

This is, however, a long-term goal and at the moment all focus and effort is being directed to make the first story available.

Coming back to your Luxembourg background, how long have you been living in Luxembourg?

It has been 4 years since Tuire first came to Luxembourg as an au pair and 7 years since Wojtek began his work at Skype.

What is your favorite place in the city?

Tuire and her inner child like the park in the city center where you can find the big wooden ship made for kids.  Wojtek in turn prefers the Grund area.

What is your favorite restaurant in Luxembourg?

Both of them are big fans of sushi and gladly eat out food that isn’t easy to make at home Kamakura is the favorite sushi restaurant in Wojtek’s opinion while Tuire likes Yamayu Santatsu: “the name that I can never pronounce” she admits.

What is your preferred night-life spot in Luxembourg?

As a beer fan, Wojtek enjoys BBC or the Big Beer Company due to their big selection of beer but Tuire rather stays home zipping whiskey and reading Donald Duck cartoons.They both admit not being very big night owls.

What do you like about Luxembourg life?

Tuire praises nature, especially Mullerthal region and its endless hiking paths. Wojtek follows the same truck of his colleague and likes the combination of easily accessible nature but also international atmosphere of the country.

What do you miss here and you would like to change or improve?

Tuire finds it hard to connect with Luxembourgish people: “ they have their own interesting culture but it’s really hard to get in to that”. Wojteck points out Luxembourg being rather homogeneous group of people when it comes to professionalism: “Most people are working in banking or financial industry and it would be nice to have more variety”

What is the best place you visited in a range of 200 km from the city and that you would suggest for a daily trip?

“Berdorf is definitely worth of visiting; it has beautiful cliffs, offers a possibility for climbing and they call it the Little Switzerland” Tuire recommends as a nature loving person.

How would you describe Luxembourg in three adjectives?

Luxembourg is rich, green and international for Tuire.
Wojteck finds it charming, advanced and open.

Message in a bottle is available for purchase on their website https://www.messageinabottlebook.co.uk at the price of 26 EUR.

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CinEast: a preview

~ Corie Bratter ~ 3 Comments

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Yesterday I was invited to the press conference of Cineast, the festival of movie from East and Central Europe that will take place in Luxembourg from 6 to 23 October.

This was a really interesting opportunity to learn more about the festival and, above all, about its events! (wow!, more things to do in Luxembourg).

Cineast got now to its 9th edition and counted 10,000 participants in total between screenings and events connected.

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Regarding the movies proposed, its distinctive characteristic is to show a quality program, most composed by movies that had very much success at international film festival (Berlin, Locarno, Sundance), but are less accessible to people in Luxembourg. The idea is also to attract not only movie lovers, but also young people, through as said a series of events, including concerts and gastronomical nights.

Under a cultural point of view, it will be an interactive way to learn about another face of our international population. The festival does not want to appear as a political manifesto, but for sure most of the movies have some political values and touch actual themes. It will be the case as well of the main event connected to the festival, the photography exhibition at Neimenster entitled “Away from Home”, that really should not be missed.

There will be an official competition with 8 recent movies, including the Polish Hristo that will be presented in Warsaw the week ahead the festival, Dogs, that was presented in Cannes, and the sarcastic Kill on Wheels, the only comedy among the movies in the competition, which has a very strong Tarantino accent.

60 long movies and 40 short films are then included in the program, documentary, classic and award-winners. Godless, for example, has been awarded in Locarno and is a pretty tough movie about a home nurse who is trafficking the ID cards of her patients. The last family was acclaimed in Cannes and United States of Love in Berlin, while It’s not the time of my life is a very raw movie on budget that shows the life of its maker. I Olga will tell us the story of the last woman to be executed in Poland and All these sleepless nights will take us through the lascivious life of two youngsters during Warsaw nights.

Movies will be shown in the city – mainly at Cinematique and Neimenster – as well as around the country (Esch, Mersch, Vianden, Mondorf, etc..)

You can find the complete program of the screenings here:

Cineast Programme

As said, Cineast is not only movies, but there will be also plenty of events, some strictly related to the movies, as debates and public interviews, some more on the party side – as reminded during the press conference indeed, the most important art is the art of partying 🙂

Take your agenda and note down:

On October 8th, Toporkestra (a gipsy band) will perform at Melusina, followed by a Balkan party.

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On October 13th, Rotondes will welcome an Eastalgia party, with food, music and quiz inspired by the times when Eastern European countries were part of the communist bloc.

On October 15th, All sleepless nights will be followed by a Warsaw-style party at Rocas.

Last but not least, the closing event, on October 22nd, at Sang & Klang in Pfaffenthal, with Balkan music and live DJ set.

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There will be two silent movie projection, with live soundtrack: on October 14th The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a classic Polish movie, at Cinemateque, and on October 20th, a Slovak night at Neimenster, followed by a jazz jam session.

Details about the events can be found here:

Cineast Events

I will be attending most of the events as they really look amazing, so I hope to see some of you there!

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Barefoot in Luxembourg meets People: The Brunettes

~ Corie Bratter ~ 1 Comment

A brand new chapter of our series Barefoot in Luxembourg meets people starts this September. Today we have the pleasure to meet Emilie & Emilie, The Brunettes.

Ready?

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Girls, let’s kick it off: Who are you? What are you doing here?

We are Emilie and Emilie and we are DJing under the name The Brunettes!

Can you tell Barefoot in Luxembourg followers a bit more about The Brunettes?

We are really cool mums because we are DJs! We work in marketing and communication here in Luxembourg. Friend of us challenged us to DJ at a party at the Buvette Rotondes and we agreed. The following day, people kept asking us to be part of their events. This is how we ended playing at the Urban bar on the 23rd of June, at the Jakob’s for MixInLux’s 1st anniversary party, at Hollerich for the Marx and Mama Loves You,…

Wow, that’s impressive! So why do you think The Brunettes are different from other djs on the Luxembourg scene?

We definitely are funnier, real party girls. We like to play upbeat tunes, the ones you can dance to.

Having been to your DJ set I can ensure this is true 🙂 Now, coming back to your Luxembourg background, how long have you been living in Luxembourg?

Emilie 1: I come from Paris and I moved here nearly 6 years ago.

Emilie 2: I am almost a local, I am from Metz and I moved here 5 years ago.

What is your most beloved place in the city?

Emilie 1: I love the Mudam because I am a big fan of their musical choices on Wednesdays and the variety of their exhibitions.

Emilie 2: I really like what is happening in Belval. The university, the new shops and restaurants are turning the place into the most awesome and multicultural environment.

What is your favourite restaurant in Luxembourg?

Emilie 1 and 2: We love Ukulele because we love authentic thai food, cashew nut chicken for Emilie 1 and a good old green curry for Emilie 2.

What is your preferred night-life spot in Luxembourg?

Emilie 1: I often hop by the Steiler on Friday evenings: This place is crazy and I think people over there are really interesting. There always are nice people to meet there.

Emilie 2: Definitely the Buvette Rotondes: It is a great place, there is always something cool happening and we always are extremely well welcomed.

What do you like about Luxembourg life?

Both Emilies: We feel privileged in Luxembourg for the multicultural life, and being able to meet so many people form different horizons. The cultural life is bustling and dynamic.

What do you miss here and you would like to change or improve?

Both Emilies: It would be quite cool to have more little shops life Leif and Beetles and Bugs or Stitch or Honey Mustard. We’d love to see all the new designers get a chance to really bloom too!

What is the best place you visited in a range of 200 km from the city and that you would suggest for a daily trip?

Both Emilies: Reims and the whole Champagne area. Take a tour in one of the houses of Champagne. People working there are the most passionate ambassadors of their products!

What is the best adjective to describe Luxembourg?

Emilie 1: Surprising

Emilie 2: Bustling

Just like us!…

Follow The Brunettes Facebook page in order to be updated on their next DJ sets!

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A gastronomique adventure: Ma Langue Sourit, Moutfort, Luxembourg

~ Corie Bratter ~ 1 Comment

Couple of weeks ago, my partner in crime Kochi invited me out for dinner to try Ma Langue Sourit, the one-star Michelin restaurant located in Moutfort, just 15 minutes driving from the city centre.

I have been there ages ago, at the beginning of my adventure in Luxembourg, and I had lovely memories. Unfortunately we always end up choosing places around the city recently when dining out, so I did not have the occasion to visit it again. With my mood not among the stars and a lot of thoughts going in my mind, it was indeed great leaving the city for one night and I should do it more often.

We got there around 8ish, during a pleasant evening, and we were accommodated on the outdoor terrace. Only another couple was seated already – it was during the France – Germany match for European Cup, and probably most of the people in Luxembourg were in front of a screen.

The terrace ambience is lovely. Woods all around, very cared settings, you forget for a short while where you are. We started with a pink champagne aperitif that was accompanied by a delicious platter of small appetizers. The fried quail egg enrolled in wasabi powder was definitely my favourite, but all the others were pretty tasty as well.

We moved in, in the cosy dining room, where we went for the 6 courses tasting menu with wine pairing. We only asked to change the dessert with the cheese – as both me and Kochi are not very much for sweets stuff (you seen us, right? 😛 )

The menu was all amazing: foie gras as amuse bouche, marinated sea bass, lobster and potatoes, white fish with coco sauce, lemon and herbs sorbet, duck, poached egg as pre-dessert (as we went for an all salted menu), cheese trolley. With the coffee with had an ice cream with strawberry and meringue and some mignardises.

On the wine side, we had 4 glasses of white wine and two glasses of red. The nice part of the story was that the sommelier was leaving us guessing the wine before coming back with detailed indications – we did not bad, thanks to Kochi’s professional skills. I did my dirty job guessing right the one from Bourgogne – playing at home.

Enjoy the pictures of the dinner followed by my general impressions about Ma Langue Sourit and our time there.

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Things I loved about Ma Langue Sourit:

– The ambience: you don’t have to travel 250 km to find a relaxed and quiet environment, cared in details and never boring. Enjoy the terrace for the aperitif and coffee, admire the bold coloured paintings on the walls, sit down and leave behind all the issues.
– The service: if your idea about a Michelin-star restaurant it is still about old fashioned penguins, silver trolleys and white gloves, forget about it. Ma Langue Sourit is the perfect example of how the service in a high-end restaurant could be kinda informal but still polite and rigorous. Dishes are explained in details, questions replied with no hesitation, but still you can have your laugh with the sommelier or the waiter. We were the last one to remain in the house, still enjoying our ciggy after coffee on the terrace and we never felt the pressure to leave.
– The Food: ca va sans dire. Ma Langue Sourit could teach some chefs that, to be gastronomique and contemporary, you don’t have to cook gold foil or have your dish served in a space shuttle. Very traditional ingredients here are presented in a sophisticated yet innovative way, surprising your palate with unexpected combinations and warm aromas. My favourite numbers were definitely the marinated sea bass, the herbs sorbet and the poached egg

Things I liked a bit less about Ma Langue Sourit:

– It is very difficult for me to find something I didn’t like, as I enjoyed very much this special night. If only I have to find an element to improve, I would say that, when going for the tasting menu, portions should be much limited. I enjoyed the food and I was feeling quite fine at the very end, but eating the last dishes I was feeling doing it only because I needed to, while my stomach was begging for mercy.

In conclusion: Ma Langue Sourit is a paradise for food lovers. You get here an inventive and captivating refined French cuisine, the perfect service and a lovely environment just few minutes from the city centre. Perfect for special celebrations and romantic tete-a-tete.

 

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J°pour Pure Program – Review

~ Corie Bratter ~ Leave a comment

If you are following my Instagram account, you already know last week, before my parents came to visit, I tried J°pour pure program – a 3 days cleansing plan in a box from J°pour, a new local brand that opened a cozy bar in Kirchberg – just next to Mamma Bianca restaurant – that proposes cold-pressed juices, superfood smoothies, bowls, chia puddings, kale and superfood salads, organic coffee and tea, gluten-free muffins, power balls, avocado toasts and much more.


I was really interested to try a cleansing program as it happens, above all after periods when I have a lot of meals out, to feel in the needs of restarting my body. I tend to eat pretty clean when I am at home (not often, but still), but sometimes I am too lazy to prepare smoothies or to keep up with the good quantities – I end up having half cucumber, half pack of kale, a dry lemon, rotten strawberry and much more in the fridge for ages… Other detox programs I tried in the past did not convince me very much – as not very natural  and forcing my body too much.

After having a chat with Alessandra, J°pour brand manager, I was really curious to try their products, as juices in their boxes are cold-pressed and products are mainly coming from a local farmer near Trier. J°pour juices  are prepared on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so I planned my pick-up for last Wednesday – but you can have them delivered at your place or office, if you prefer.

The program basically substitutes for 1 to max 5 days your daily meals with the cold-pressed juices. You have 6 cold-pressed juices to drink each 2 – 3 hours. You should respect the order of juices in the plan – really easy to do as you have numbers on the bottles – and conclude always with the protein one.

My first day was the most difficult one: at the beginning I was a bit scared by the green color of the bottles, but juices were good and tasty. At the same time, at the end of the day, I was a bit hungry. I was couple of times about to open the fridge and having a small piece of turkey breast – I realized later, not because I was really starving but because I was missing the feeling of chewing . I resisted, but it was not very easy to go to sleep 😛

When I woke up the second day, I was glad to have stick to the program. I felt my belly empty and flat but at the same time my skin was soft and glowing. Second day was easy and straight-forward: I had one juice every two hours and half circa and even if at lunch time I went to supermarket to have some grocery shopping, I did not feel the urge of putting in the trolley something greasy to eat in the car – yes, I know, I am usually really bad at it. At the end of the day, I was feeling a bit tired and I went to bed earlier than usual after having had my last juice, but I was not hungry all.

Third day I woke up really energized – my body was feeling lean and I could fit perfectly jeans I normally avoided. I had great skin and hair and I was not feeling like eating at all. I had to cook for a friends’ dinner and while normally I tend to try the food, I totally avoided it. During the afternoon I did several tasks at home, went again to the supermarket, ironed and I totally forgot two of my six juices. My stomach was still feeling empty from the previous one and I was full of energies. When I had the fourth juice of the day, while the first day I was swallowing it like last bottle of water in the desert, I enjoyed it slowly and I took almost half an hour to get to the end..

My impressions about J°pour pure program:

  • I have to admit I am super happy about the program and its results. I felt I lost the bloating and my body was feeling renewed.
  • Compared to other detox programs I tried in the past that requested an extra care in the skin and hair, as making them dull and super dry, J°pour pure program improved also my skin condition – I have very dry and sensitive skin – and after three days I was feeling glowing.
  • The only hard day is the first one – you should prepare yourself in the days before starting the program reducing your meals and having liquid options instead like I did.
  • Following days are definitely easier and I could have continued the program for other two days for sure.
  • As I am working at the office, for me it was really easy to take the bottles with me and having them during the day, without the need to prepare shakes or to cook anything.
  • The glass bottles of the J°pour juices can be used again – I just put them in the dishwasher and they are ready to take away your homemade smoothies – or to be used for flowers 🙂 No silly plastic around.
  • Juices were pretty good to taste and totally vegan. My favourite one was the Cinamilk, the one for the evening. I could have it each and every night! It is delicious!
  • If I have to find a negative point in the program, I am used to go to the gym each and every morning at 6.30 am, having 1 hour cardio followed by 20 minutes sauna and during the program I was really not feeling like doing it – I started back straight at the end of the three days. But if you check on J°pour website, you will definitely find other cleansing program suggested for people who want to maintain a very active lifestyle. I have to say, except the gym, I did everything I was used to do – work, shopping, driving, errands, homeworks, and I was feeling refreshed and energetic.

In conclusion: I would definitely do J°pour pure program again. I think it is super good if you want to re-establish your body balance after an overindulging period or to prepare it before a special occasion or holidays. I tend always to starve the days before a wedding invitation or before leaving for the beach, for example, arriving at the D day with dull skin and in a very passive-aggressive mood. With J°pour cleansing program, I have find definitely my healthy solution. I cannot wait to have it again before leaving for next weeding season 🙂

Family Sunday lunch at Le Sud, Luxembourg city

~ Corie Bratter ~ 5 Comments

Thanks to the Monday off for public holiday, my parents, my sister and my brother-in-law came to visit us for a short break. Except for the weather, that has been truly cold and grey, they have been some funny and intense days.

As soon as my parents confirmed their visit, I booked our Sunday lunch at my favourite place in the City, Le Sud in Clausen. If you are following my blog, you know I am not very easy in “the best” judgement. I tend to be very prudent – in one sense or in the other. Anyway – if people ask me what is my preferred place in the city, among those I have tried, I would definitely say Le Sud – for a combination of unique factors. I love their sophisticated French cuisine – nothing too extravagant, but these classic numbers with a unique style. I love their service – if you are a regular or a new comers you are always welcome with a smile. I love the settings of the restaurant – again, this French style combined with the featuring of the old beer factory in Clausen. Bonus point: the terrace and the bar upstairs, where you can have your aperitif or after-work drinks to launch or conclude your night.

Last Sunday, we got to the restaurant around 12.30 and were welcomed at the wardrobe on the ground floor. We moved upstairs and we were assigned a lovely table near the windows – from one of them you can clearly see the Cathedral top. A copy of the menu, without the prices as for my request, was placed on the table. On Sunday you have a fixed menu option, with one amuse-bouche, one starter, a choice between two mains, cheese selection and dessert.

We had a pleasant glass of cremant to start, followed by a creamy egg with truffle bread and then by a salmon tartare. As main I went for the tuna fish – while most of my family decided for the lamb -, cheese trolley and a delicious chocolate macaron with pear sorbet. We accompanied the lunch with a bottle of Saint-Aubin, the boys had as well a glass of red with the meat, and finally another glass of red with the cheese. We went upstairs for our coffee that was served with a lovely selection of sweets.

Scroll after the picture for my impressions.




Things I loved about Le Sud:

  • This was my first time at Le Sud for lunch and I was not deluded. The ambience is relaxed but animated and you don’t feel the urge to dress up like in the evening. On the other side, the service and the kitchen are at the same level: outstanding.
  • Food is just perfect to me: you must like the tasty atmosphere of French cuisine, truffle, cheese… If you are looking for a light hipster option, Le Sud is not for your. It is very baroque in all its details and this is one of the reasons because I love it.
  • We have been guided through our lunch menu in the details. My sister asked for having her tuna fish well-done as she doesn’t like it raw and she has been proposed an alternative. We were given perfect timing in-betweens dishes and wines suggestions have been great.
  • The menu itself is a “simple” 54 euro for Sunday lunch – considering we have spent the same amount in lower level packed touristic places in the city centre where only regulars are treated well and for the same price you get one starter and one overcooked main. Definitely to me a perfect combination quality price.

Things I did not like about Le Sud:

  • I definitely don’t like I cannot afford going there each and every Sunday and each and every week end, as I would love to 🙂 Seriously, it is really hard for me to find a negative point – there are no. I would like people to visit their terrace bar more – you are not obliged to stay for the meal and the price is not different from other poshy bars in the city centre – plus a better service. It would be nice to see it a bit more crowded.

To conclude: while for dinner I reserve Le Sud for a date night or a special celebration, on Sunday lunch it is perfect for family gathering and sophisticated friends’ meal. Quality is exceptional, service amazing and you are in one of the most amazing restaurant rooms in the city centre. Totally worth the price.