One of the best things to do in Europe during the Summer, besides tanning under the sun, is to make sure you do not miss what’s going on in the upcoming Fall/Winter fashion trends. While you were chilling out, many magazine editors, photographers, models, stage setters and style experts have been working extremely hard for to give you the right feel of what should be the next new look.

My advice is that you start by buying some heavy magazines along with your morning espresso. Those of you traveling by jet can shed the extra weight (and not get into trouble with your baggage allowance) by tearing the pages you are most attracted to for later. Your next shopping is about the how you want to be renewed in your life, children, and home.

This is the reason why in Porto Cervo, Capri, Montecarlo, and Ibiza, you’ll find the latest in fashion, luxury and home design before it appears in the large cities like New York, Paris or London. Don’t be lazy.  “Oh, I do not feel like working now. I am on vacation and for nothing in the world I am going to try on heavy clothes and boots”especially as I will only use them in November and December in the snow. I have all the time on the world!”

Wrong! If you want that powerful feeling of being a trendsetter, style dictator, a glamour enchanter, a global Bohemian example of nonchalant understatements such as: “Oh, I just got those boots on my way to the beach before my flight. The kids ski outfits? I bought those in Capri, I am too busy now to shop.” These are the places and time of the season you should shop.

And while your friends in New York or London are trying to find last month’s sold out edition of Vogue Italia where the fashion trend is ‘black mourning‘, you’ll be peacefully having breakfast at Tiffany with your LTB (little black dress)  bought last month in Anacapri. “Gosh, it was such a long time ago that you have a feeling you’ve had it for years!”

One of most luxurious boutiques in Italy believe it or not, is in Anacapri. Founded right after the war by Tonino Cacace’s mother a daughter of second generation hotelliers. Although the only shop, at that time  in Anacapri it was very much visited due to its privileged location near the magnificent Greek Villa San Michele a place of great of magnetic attraction belonging to a well-known Swedish  physician, author and humanist ( 1857-1949 and to be lover of the queen of Sweden) Axel Munthe.

In 1950 the boutique was moved to a different location and to today’s size of 1,200 square meters by a visionary man called Mario Cacce, whose passionate encounter with Rita resulted in a marriage and a long lifetime partnership. One of the offsprings of such union, after ten years was the Europa Palace Hotel adjacent to the boutique, transformed  by their son, the entrepreneur Tonino Cacace into a five stars luxury hotel, the Capri Palace Hotel & Spa.

As I enter the Mariorita boutique after a long day at sea in the hotel’s  Capricorn boat , I notice the existence of different departments: mens, womans, sea and luxury. I am told that the amazing selection of its products is personally chosen by the owner himself, well- known to be an elegant man with a touch of personal Italian classic-casual style. At his right arm is a smart, quick young lady named Valentina Prezioso. Her surname already states it: ‘precious’  and preciosity is what Valentina is able to bring after her precious sourcing to the boutique.

Most of the fashion, luxury and home accessories items are exclusive to the Mariorita boutique. More important certain brand launch their products in anteprima, (beforehand) at the Annacapri boutique before any other  in Italy and sometimes due to the staff excellent relationship with the brands and the boutique exclusive elite clientele , worldwide.

This is the reason why I decided pick through my camera macro lens, a few of the items around the several department including the kids boutique, Aquamarina and the Pop Gallery so that you can enjoy the ride and visit with me.

The Man’s department holds Versace Collection, Hugo Boss, Armani Collezioni, Armani Jeans, EA7, Ice Iceberg, Tru-Trussardi, Trussardi Jeans, Maserati and Paul & Shark. My favorite are the Maserati leather jackets–sexy, very, extremely sexy . (Photo below left)

The women’s department also carrirs mostly Made-in-Italy exclusives with brands such as Armani Collezioni, M Missoni (my favorite black and white–see photo below far left),  Armani Jeans, EA7, Ice Iceberg with funny Walt Disney striped icons, and wonderful ski outfits in fluorescent lilac. Swarovski crystal engravings and fur, very dans-le-vent this winter, Tru-Trussardi, Trussardi-Jeans, Valentino Roma by the ” The Sheik of Chic’s” new creative director Alessandra Facchinetti, the collection though, with a lot of white lace and black velvet remains still very Valentino.

In the Sea department we have the Milanese brand Miss Bikini, the Israeli Gottex, Chloè, Atlantique, Vilebrequin for both fathers and sons.

The luxury department, founded in 2007, englobes stunning hand picked pieces most of which are limited editions.

The Bentley pens are one of example. The prestigious house offers the possibility of engraving the number of one’s Bentley engine in the roller or ink pen. Tibaldi Da Vinci Code Limited edition, is an opulent and precious work of art engraved with high precision on yellow gold and a touch of intrigue reproducing Leonardo Da Vinci’s Man Vetruvio, a series of the movie ’s sites, several codes and symbols.

Deciphering the code formed by letters and symbols decorating the pens cap will result in the combination of  the two words that in history consent the opening of the Cryptex. It’s price is 17,798 euros in case you decide to keep yourself busy. The boutique is the first global retail representative also from Tibaldi Giorgio Armani’s pen collection as well.

Another very special item, is the woman’s wrist watch from Chopard in white  gold and 1.58 karats of diamonds with a mother-of-pearl background belonging to the ‘Happy Spirit’ Collection the bracelet in satin or leather, the color you pick up. It’s price is 19,000,00 euros. Among the jewellery  Chopard introduced this year, for the first time in the market, leather line of handbags which in already a few months a high success. Mariorita is among the few worldwide stores to carry the 2009 collection in avant-premiere.

Among many types of jewelry, my favorite is the local Gioielli Di Luca.  Hand crafted and encrusted with cameos, corals, and precious woods. The owner, Gino Di Luca, is the president of Oro Mare association of jewelers and coral and cameos handicrafts.

Cartujano, a company from the Italian region of Puglia, specializes in leather accessories dedicated to smokers. Cigar pocket humidors made out of Cedar wood, portable pen, ties and individual watches cases luxurious for your elegantissmo man.

Memento, an Italian company specialized in home accessories, mainly vases and ashtrays.  They are produced out of glass and covered with a hand crafted embroidery of resin. Contemporary and decorative at the same time.

Carlo Moretti excellent maestro in craftsmanship of  hand-blown Glass from Murano. In exclusivity for the L’Olivo restaurant at the Capri Palace Hotel and designed by Tonino Cacace himself, dedicate a special collection of tableware and glasses. At the boutique, the client has a choice of having its name engraved or pick a  exclusive custom designed color also signed by Cacace.

Jewels Sandals by  Enrico Lugani, can be ordered and produced in nothing less than two weeks  after expressly picking the semi precious stones,  model, size, color with personalized name  of you man on the hill or a phrase such as: ” You can step on me dear whenever you wan my dear… always yours ” .  The box comes in black velvet and the lock in Swarovski  crystals as if it were a jewelry case. ( Picture above)

The Pop gallery, the most recent inaugurated this season and latest grand passion of Tonino Cacace. It involves a sponsored space with works of pop art mainly from artists and craftsmen of the Italian region of Campania. All the exhibits are the result of a thorough search of talented and gifted individuals with personal and original inventive creativity.

Aquamarina is the children’s boutique. The most successful of all featuring blue wood floors and a cloudy light blue ceiling makes you feel like Alice in Wonderland — what a trip!

Even with the current world economic and financial crisis, it looks like parents still need to spend time with their children–especially in Italy and worldwide.

The Made-in-Italy brands including Armani, Dolce & Gabbana Junior, Dolce & Gabbana shoes, Dior, Ferrari, Iceberg, Miss Bikini, and Vilebrequin are to die for. Cashmere sweaters with flowers and striped cotton Doppio Petto ( double breasted) for small and Junior boys nurture you a fantasy of acquiring immediate parenthood.

Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy: D&G baby sneakers, Baby Dior wool small pink dress for little princesses and at last…

The motto on an Armani baby girl penguin sweatshirt: “I want to become an Eagle”  …

I have nothing else to add..

And enjoy the rest through the view of my camera lens!

In Florence for the day, I must stop to one of my favorite places. The Oficina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in via della Scala. Now a museum with its shop, there are no such places in the world as this one. As mentioned many times before, when I did past life regression I found out I was an assistant of a Medieval alchemist such as Merlin, possibly himself, therefore this place, every time I come, gives me a warm and familiar feeling of coming back home.

If you wish to take me seriously fine, and if you can’t, just accept my invitation and ‘travel’ with me in the realms of this life entering the doors of this ‘ magical ‘ old  pharmacy . Entering the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is like walking into a foreigner’s vision of Italy: fresco ceilings, bronzed angels, stirrings of a violin concerto and rows of soaps and elixirs stacked neatly in glass cases.

This artisanal perfumery, which has produced fragrances since 1400 and opened to the public in 1612, sells a seductive mix of handmade fragrance, cosmetics and herbal remedies, old perfume bottles and old scents  whose  intact secret formulae have been kept secret through centuries.

In 1200 located next to Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. Founded by Dominican friars shortly after 1221. the year of their arrival in Florence, the pharmacy used medicinal herbs grown in the monastic gardens to take medications, balms and pomades fro the monk’s infirmary.

In 1600 when the news of the quality of the products produced by the pharmacy reached the outside world, it was decided to open to the public. Thus in 1612, Father Angiolo Marchissi was appointed head of the title of His Royal Highness’ Foundry (Fonderia di sua Altezza Reale). In 1700 thanks to the excellence of the formulae developed by the apothecary fathers, during the 18th century the fame of the pharmacy spread across national borders to reach such distant lands as Russia, the Indies and even China.

In 1800 following the confiscation of the church’s assets by the Italian government, in 1866 the company became a state owned enterprise. Later however it was ceded to Cesare Augusto Stefani, the nephew of the last monastic director, whose family acquired the name, the goodwill and the assets of the company and has since run the business for over four generations. With Eugenio Alphandery at the helm, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella both perpetuates and renews the ancient traditions of herbal care.

Using only natural raw materials of the highest quality and continuing to follow the ancient procedures originated by the Founding Fathers, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella focuses exclusively on the herbalist’s art, basing all its preparation on traditional herbs and oils of natural origin. The vast majority of the medical herbs used in its products are grown locally on the hills around Florence. Furthermore, none of it products are tested on animals.

Each  product tells a story. For example the precious Aqua della Regina perfume was originally created for Caterina de’ Medici, the queen of France,who made it popular throughout France,while the perfume produced by Giovanni Paolo Feminis, who moved Cologne in Germany in 1725, was named Eau De Cologne in honor of the city in which its producer lived.

What is even more interesting, while I stroll with my camera exploring ceilings with renaissance painted figures that have seen many important people passing by and Neogothic style cabinets  carrying displaying bottles of Liquore Mediceo,  Alkermes, Elisisr di China, Aceto dei Sette Ladri (smelling salts) and Aqua di Santa Maria  Novella (for controlling hysterics). This latter product was produced using a local herb recognized for its calming properties. in the sales room are filled with

The perfumes include a whole series of Eau de Colognes, essences and triple extracts ranging from the sweetest Iris, Rose and Gardenia scents to the more astringent Verbena and Vetiver oils or the delightful Aqua di Sicilia. The essences are also used in the production of  soaps which are left to mature in specially ventilated storage facilities as well as a range of  face and body creams which include an Almond paste , great for parched hands Polvere per bianchire le carni (an exfoliating powder), a cleansing milk and a tonic. The Officina produces also reconstructing shampoos and conditioners.

On my way to last room the Old Apothecary, now a herbalist shop I ask the sails person an old woman with a very bored look in her face what was exactly I was smelling around those walls, she answers me adding irony  in her face ” 500 years of aromas” I then realize without her kind help that they are Santa Maria Novella’s Pot Pourri- one of the company’s distinguishing products-is a mix of herbs and flowers from the Florentine hills, left to macerate in Impruneta terracotta Jars (orci). Once the real and proper heart of the company’s production facilities.

Next to it the Green Roomused until 1700 for serving the pharmacy ’s specialty: a mixture of Alkermes, China Impruneta and chocolate syrup an extremely fashionably drink at the time. The museum is stored in the Old Laboratories and Storerooms of Officina Profumo di Santa Maria Novella’s. Created with the aim of giving a new lease of life to the machinery as well as the precious glassware,antique ceramics and historic copper and bronze utensils which the company has gelously guarded throughout the troubled events of the centuries.

I decide to sit down, my hands full of  different overlapped creams, Eau de Colognes and  perfumes I stop a minute to reflect…All traditions have a history and few are the ones who have been able to keep them secretly intact and  religiously confirmed by the written word like the Officina . The original texts are luckily offered to us the visitors who have the chance of examine at our easy the details of what was kept once in the Sacristy together with a treasure chest and new specialist volumes.

Finally the aromatic garden is a perfect place for a peaceful reflection, an oasis which seems to have remained untouched for centuries. The aim of the museum is not only to inform those who normally use Officina di Santa Maria Novella products of the way in which they are prepared, but also to anyone wishing to view the magnificent history and superb craft of this pharmacy. Projected towards the future, but nevertheless conscious of the past.

Joelle’s Tips:

The pharmacy:

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA FLORENCE
Via della Scala, 16
011.39.055/216276

The products:

My favourite unissex : Aqua di Cologna Melograno Room essence :Carnation

Now luckily all exclusive Oficina Profumo di Santa Maria Novella products and other traditional European brands are imported and available for purchase on line and at their elegant showrooms in United States thanks to American company Lafco.

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA NEW YORK
285 Lafayette Street
+1 212.925.0001

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA LOS ANGELES
8411 Melrose Place
+ 1 323.651.3754

Every time I spend a few days in Brussels I like to pay a quick visit to the man,  the artist , the genius , that created impressive flower arrangements at my sister’ wedding in the beautiful Chateau Saint’ Anne.

And what is most incredible is that the storefront of his is floral emporium feels like a breath of fresh — and beautifully perfumed — air.

Once called “La Chemiserie Niguet”  the shop was designed by the master architect Paul Hankar at the beginning of this century, is without any doubt one of the most out- standing  jewels of Art Nouveau in the city with an elegant , austere and exotic paradoxical  touch of Japonisme.

This man, also a master of a kind, is called Daniel Ost and is considered by many as the world’s foremost floral designer and sculptor. Daniel has the unique ability to envision life through flowers and creates absolute beauty through his passion and art. He has fashioned his own world of astonishing floral designs, which have earned him a devoted international clientele.

Recently the art and fashion worlds have also become acquainted with the 53-year-old floral designer: he created the arrangements for the opening of the Palazzo Grassi museum in Venice two years ago and erected a wall of pink dahlias, gerberas, hydrangeas and lisianthuses as the backdrop to Dries Van Noten’s spring 2007 collection. A couple of seasons later, flowers of all shapes and colors bloomed in almost every major collection.

Many of Ost’s best creations are included in the books “Leafing Through Flowers” , ” Transparent“  “Invitations” . This modern-day Belgian has inverted the old masters’ logic. These arrangements seem impossible, and yet they actually did exist.

Daniel Ost is more famous in Japan than anywhere else in the world, as Ikebana, Japanese flower arranging, is a well-established art form there. “There, flowers are connected with spirituality,” he has been nicknamed  “The Bridge  “for his ability to blend Eastern and Western influences.

“In the West we use them in a purely decorative way, but in Japan they work with the flower’s soul to express not just beauty but ideas like death.” Still, he hasn’t been ignored by his countrymen.

Within five years of opening his shop in Sint-Niklaas in 1985, he was receiving orders from the Belgian Royal Family, in 2005 he opened his second shop in Brussels and it has received wide critical acclaim and has been highly successful.

The process of decay interests Ost. “I’ve always wanted to show flowers in their optimum moment, but now that I’m older, I also want to explore the beauty of dying,” he says. As if to balance this somber impulse, Ost occasionally designs lush landscapes. “I like gardens because they’re about growing rather than cutting.”

His wormlike rows of bushes, winding pathways and large branch configurations that sprout from ponds are as dramatic as his more intimate pieces, but Ost insists that they are merely a side interest. “I only do them in places I like and for people I like.”

His artistry is in demand by royalty, celebrities, and corporations and his installations, which last only a few days, are extremely costly, but the artistic value is absolutely priceless.

To experience the Floral World according to Daniel Ost is like stepping into another world highlighted by the finest colors, designs and floral smells.

Over the past 30 years Daniel Ost has cemented his reputation as being the maestro in creating simple elegance and is in demand on the lecture circuit throughout the world to share and show his floral vision.

As he recently told to Arnmand  Limnader a reporter from the new York Times section Style, and published: June 22, 2008 “I make things very hard for myself because everything I do must be professionally perfect,” says Ost.

This man who has been known to travel 900 kilometers to collect the materials for one bouquet whose creations involve an ephemeral balance of beauty, spirituality and ingenuity, should one thinking of him  as just man, an artist a genius or a sculptor ?

Joelle’s Tips:

The Floral Designer:

The Source:

Bouquets Photos Credits: Courtesy of Daniel Ost

Antiques, fashion or design every small , medium and large shop in Brussels has a story to be told. Rather than offering you a traditional shopping guide, ( there are plenty of excellent ones in the market,)

I have picked a selection of my favorites shops, not only because of their special and selected merchandise of which by the way I have had an immense pleasure to portrait in this post ( being a luxury global brand nowadays is very common)

but because of the  stories behind the mysterious windows panes who at times reflect the owner’s lifestyles, interests, and local architect’s insights on modern Bruxellois living,  all displaying the uniqueness of some of the city most hidden treasures,

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L’Ecuyer

This  traditional gallery at Avenue Louise formerly  founded in 1945 at rue de l’Ecuyer is since 1952, directed by Gilbert Winans, known himself as the ” L’ Ecuyer” ( The Horseman).

This same gallery, has witnessed timelessly  the evolution of world of antiques dealers and the fashionable trends of world collectors. Always faithful of his clientele’s taste , he could bring Charles the Xth and Napoleon III to Art Nouveau and the Scandinavian design.

From beautiful blue and pastel colored Opalines to Belle Epoque glass vases of artists such as Galle,Daum, Gruber,up to material works of Samuel Herman for Val Saint Lambert .

Since always,” L’Ecuyer” has been  proposing antique jewelry but also and mostly he has defended that Art Nouveau, from contemporary Scandinavian, English,(Grima)  creation

It’s s a rainy day, I rush into the entrance door of the legendary shop, monsieur Gilbert himself opens the door for me, after turning a key lock four times to the left. “ Malmoiselle bonjour” he adds ‘ my assistant will take care of you”.

I introduce myself, ask if I can take a few pictures of his stunning collection of art pieces, furniture and interesting assemblages while I show him my press and business card ” New York! Oh I love that city – he says with a large but nostalgic smile” I used to go there several times a year with my partner and companion, you know I used to design several pieces to Asprey and other important houses over there!”

He really seems a very interesting person, while I look around in this old glamour gallery, I learn that the owner apart from launching Belgian artists in all forms of the beginning of the century, he designs all sorts of artifacts himself with such a joy and creativity.

bjects and vases with sensuous lines and subtle light, jewelry that carry feminine figures and curly hair, fluent dresses and attitudes, some having geometric precious  details in blue Agathe stones, a flair of Japonism and several colorful papier marche collages bottles, chairs and art works he created all along these years  of which he is very proud of.

Gilbert Winhams  is showing obvious  sympathy towards my curious interest in sneaking behind a semi – open door leading to an office with several books and a beautiful  Art Nouveau stained glass roof.

” With another large smile Monsieur Gilbert who at the age of 81 still travels all over Europe to source unmistakably original and rare objects asks me with a lecturing almost defying tone :

” I am sure you have heard about our  Belgian painter, architect and interior designer, Henry Van de  Velde ?  “Together with Victor Horta he could be considered one of the main founders and representatives of Art Nouveau in Belgium.” He says

I must tell you that he like many of all artist from which you see the art works in this gallery, were all my personal friends. ” While he talks to me I see him bending under a small table from where he lifts up quickly with the help of his assistant the gracious and very polite Sylvie, a very sexy vintage brown leather Louis Vuitton suitcase with a silver and worn-out buckle.

“  Van de Velde spent the most important part of his career in Germany and had a decisive influence on German architecture and design at the beginning of the 20th century.” he tells me while he ask me to follow him with his hand. A set of hundreds of black and white old portraits of Van Der Velde all dedicated, signed and written at the back with sketches for his long time friend Gilbert.

Sylvie Gilbert assistant smiles at the secret revelation, a cute black cat and a catwalk of sculptures made of stone and clay in the pretty garden behind a luminous window smile as well conspiring silently with those never shared secrets and legendary personalities breathing through the walls of this eclectic gallery.

Essentiel

The dynamic spirit of this 100% Belgian brand caught my attention through their flagship store while walking in the direction of the Toison D’Or for a gauffre and a hot choccolate.

Typical of the 90ties concept store, you can easily browse and find behind a glazed made- in- China  Sang -de -Bouf vase, the scarf you’ ve been searching forever to give your boyfriend.

You find yourself diving unconsciously into one of the last uber books with the title of nothing less than ” Dark Nostalgia” realizing it was your next aspirational design style for your grandmother’s apartment but you did not know it yet.

Cute, expensive bright colored leather helmets for your son’s bike  week-end escapades in Knokke le Zoute.

Fancy sneakers and the last high-tech device which are powerful headphones preciously packed in white and yellow boxes probably as trendy as the phones themselves will tempt you almost viciously while ‘ I am not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance’ from the Black kids plays its tune through white and micro Bose speakers strategically placed in throughout the store alley.

Essentiel is  a line created in 1999 by Esfandiar Eghtessadi ( Nicole Codine’s son) who grew up in fashion.

Among the Zebrano wood shelves, animal prints and Deco Golden Palm trees sculptures suggesting a blending atmosphere between 1930 African Decadence  and Miami modern shabbiness, you soon realize that  glamour and femininity in the couple creation go hand in hand with comfort .

This balance is mainly inspired by the complicity of the creator Esfandiar and his wife Inge Onsea. Essentiel offers a range of clothing which can be worn and combined to the infinite, a line that fits to all moods shifting with great ease from relaxed style to a more sophisticated one.

The brand also offers a collection for girls 4 to 16 years old mischievous and charming at the upper floor of this  impressive flagship at  Avenue Louise. The Brussels  flagship opened two years ago by the couple, hired Belgian architects Estelle and Florent .

The brand is success story par excellence: Esfandiar Eghtessadi and Inge Onsea started with just a few T-shirts, and now seven years later, Essentiel is a beloved staple of multi-brand boutiques in Belgium.The brand is sold in ten exclusive stores as well.

Flamant

With a very precise sense of fine works, Flamant Home Interiors has invented a concept that is both simple and ingenious: the revival of handicraft furniture and old objects adapted to the needs of today. Furniture that seems to have existed forever and which passes from one generation to the next.

In Paris, Hamburg, Brussels and Antwerp, and more or less everywhere in the world, Flamant Home Interiors has installed a “Bourgeois-Bohemian” art of living, a blend of nonconformity and elegance, tradition and cool. Its main quality: knowing how to make unconventional use of even the most conventional things.

Oblivious of fashionable trends or systems of every kind, in search of perfection, Flamant provides a resolutely modern vision of decoration, incorporating comfort, elegance and originality. Consequently, the border between past and present becomes decidedly blurred. The Sablon Shop presents  interiors of discrete luxury, of intimate charm, in which family furniture, curiosities and contemporary armchairs share the space with the glossy leather of elegant sofas and interiors.

More than a style, a life style as well, at ease in a loft in New York, an apartment in Paris, a chalet in Megève, a bastide in the South of France, a little house by the seaside. It has to be said that, at Flamant, we have a taste for lived-in houses. the crudeness of trade furniture making the best of the juxtaposition of yesterday’s and today’s styles.

Vitra Point

Is a stunning high ceiling  space, truly among my favorites in the city, housing Vitra furniture collection and reflecting it’s  innovative philosophy. This showroom is located in the heart of Brussesl in the most prestigious place called the ” Sablon” and today on the window it is written” We at Vitra like elephants”  I find this teser ther perfect excuse to check the place out an it’s reading about the mentioned wild animals.

Opened in 2006,the 500 square meters is given over to a comprehensive collection magnificently displayed  on the walls  which includes 20 the century re-editions of design classics.

It’s so overwhelming to walk under very bright lights surrounded by Charles and Ray Eames black leather office chairs neatly assembled over a Jasper Morrison’s ‘Ply’  wood table.

Frank Gehry , Verner Panton heart and cone chairs majestically suspended in the air over a long and a short  George Nelson ’s  cute and multicolored ‘ Marshmellow’s ’sofas ,Ron Arad  ‘Bad Tempered ‘ Chair.

The shop owner sitting on a white ‘Wire’ chair checking a price on his computer invites me to explore all rooms of the store authorizing me to take as many pictures as I wish.

But my first wish is to ‘ chase’ Charles and ray  Eames plywood elephant designed by Eames, 1945. I want to give it to a special sweetheart.  (Check it out, in the picture above) it’s so cute! After that I can shoot with my camera lens everywhere I look

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Argentinian Emilio Ambaz, Iraky Zaha Hadid, Japanese Tadao Ando, Porugues Alvaro Siza and Alberto Antonio Citterio from Italy, among many others furnish this spectacular showroom with beautiful colors, photographs but most of all a  precious miniature  collection , perfect for gifts to complete the range.

The miniatures collection present the most important classics of modern furniture history in miniature scale of 1:6. their construction, materials and colors correspond to the historical Vitra design museum collection original, right down to the last detail. Because they are so true to the originals, the miniatures are not only valuable collector’s items, but also ideal illustrative materials for universities, colleges of design and architects. the miniature collection is unique worldwide. for each miniature there is a license agreement with the designer or his heirs.

Ritual Gallery

Africa is at the crossing of the oldest cultures and traditions. The fascinating symbolism and variety of its different type of ceremonies, the intensity of some of its tribal rituals, highlights with sometimes the most unexpected turn, the richness and depth of their values and beliefs. African Tribal Art is considered as the witness of these beliefs, some masterpieces even being the center point of the ceremonies. These objects have a story to tell, a story of a ritual or a celebration.

The spirit injected in the creation of these objects, the energy contained within them, make African Tribal Art one of the finest and most sought art in the world today and allow its dignified place on the great board of human art. Among all forms of art this is by far one of my favorites ever. Every time I am in the city I like to stop by at the gallery and check the present exhibitions.

The 2R Ritual Gallery exposes African Tribal Art objects or collections at the heart of Brussels. Moreover, it also centralizes information in this domain still fairly unknown around the globe, domain in which even the most passionate collectors often have serious difficulties to trace objects or collections.

The two passionate and experimented art dealers and galley owners, Renaud Riley and Roger Bourahimou define themselves as experts and consultants, helping art collectors and amateurs as well as investors to find the object they are looking for with all the guaranties of authenticity and price estimate.

Francis Jassens Van der Maelen

Founded in 1978, this  gallery of Francis Janssens van der Maelen with beautiful interiors is installed in the « Grand Sablon » in Brussels, place privileged and renowned for the trade of art. Specialized in antique silverware and objects of art, this antique dealer proposes a very beautiful selection of European decorative silver of the 18th and 19th centuries, and from Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.

These objects wear, mainly, marks of France, Belgium, England, Russia…, as well as those of the best silversmiths recognized for their perfect mastery of this art so noble.   Some statuettes in terra-cotta and bronze, pieces in porcelain and ceramic, pictures of high quality are also shown to the amateurs. Francis Janssens van der Maelen is a member of the « French Syndicate of the Antique Dealers » and of the « Royal Chamber of the Antique Dealers of Belgium ».

Ut Pictura Musica

In the heart of the historic  place the Sablon, sit comfortably in style and listen to your favorite classics admiring the beautiful view overlooking the large windows of this very cozy music shop.

If you are lucky enough to meet with the owner, you will have the music counseling, and a VIP concierge service for  any reservation to  in-house or public classical music concert in the country. Wow!

Senteures D’ Ailleurs:

This absolutely impressive and very selective boutique, is situated at 94, Avenue Louise is a different type of space: it has bridged the gap between a straightforward perfume store and the so called concept store so popular now. The idea is to be neither of these two but instead to create an ambiance which simply visually matches the refinement of the products it houses.

The boutique is comprised of two worlds: home fragrances, perfumes and skincare, all openly displayed on beautifully lit shelves.

When first entering this vast and rich world, the choice can seem overwhelming. That’s why I advise you to let yourself be guided by their team of experts who are all trained as noses to help you discover your dream fragrance. It’s a must, trust me!

Joelle’s Tips:

Art and Antiques :

l’Ecuyer: Avenue Louise 187,B Bruxelles /Tel: + 32 2 648 0684 / Fax: +32 2 647 3564 / e.mail:galerieecuyer@yahoo.com

2R Ritual Gallery: Rue van Moer 2 / 1000 Bruxelles  / info@2r-ritualgallery.com / Tel : +32 479 50 43 90

Francis Janseens van der Maelens Grand Sablon ,Rue Ernest Allard 23  1000 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 502 71 80 ,Fax:     +32 2 502 87 03 ,Email:   Jvdm@fineartsilver.com

Sablon Antique market : Well-heeled locals spend their weekends browsing pristine antiques on Place du Grand Sablon. The shops around the square are best for African antiques and exquisite chocolates. The square’s many cafés are perfect for people-watching on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Young Gallery : Pascal Young opened his first gallery in June 2000, presenting a collection of photographs chosen for their formal and contemporary spirit. Conrad Hotel 1050 Bruxelles

Belgian Fashion :

Essentiel : Avenue Louise 66 Tel +32 2 513 1891 / info@essentiel.be

Chine: Avenue Louise 82/84 1050 Bruxelles Tel + 32 2 512 4 52

Francis Ferent:Galerie Louise 49-50 – 1050 Brussels /+32 2 511.83.87/ ferent.galerie@skynet.be

Olivier Strelli: 72, Avenue Louise, 1050 Bruxelles / = 32 2 512 5607

The Brussels fashion scene has established its headquarters in another part of the city: the rue Antoine
Dansaert (in the city centre)  district, at a stone’s throw from the Grand Place. It is the hotspot for mostly young creators and avant-garde new Belgian designers. Around the rue  discover several upcoming designers such as Conni Kaminski (draped ensembles for men and women), Y-dress? (convertible clothes for city nomads), Le Fabuleux Marcel de Bruxelles (easywear anywhere check the website it’s fabulous), and Christa Reniers (contemporary jewellery). One of the first fashion shops  that opened in rue Antoine Dansaert and in doing so boosted the image of the district is Rue Blanche (sophisticated fits and prints), which has in the meanwhile become one of the classic brands  in the Belgian fashion scene.

Design :

Vitra Point 35 place du Grand Sablon / Grote Zavel 1000 Bruxelles / Tel + 32 2 242 0202 / Fax + 32 241 0101

Flamant:    Place du Grand Sablon 36, 1000 – Brussels – BelgiumTel.: +32 54 41 54 7/ Fax.: +32 54 41 93 22 6969

Other Goodies:

Senteur D’ Alilleurs :Avenue Louise 94, 1050 Bruxelles Tel: +32 2 511 6969

Ut Pictura Musica: Rue Bodenbroek, 8  1000 Brussels – Tel  +32 (0)2 256 77 32 / Email utpicturamusica@fugalibera.com Classical music Cd in a wonderful interiors.

Sablon Shops

Eat, drink  while you shop:

Il Giusto Flamant Italian  menu very  casual / Place du Grand Sablon 36, 1000 – Brussels – Belgium
Tel-fax: +32 2 514 47 17 – ilgusto@flamant.com

Au Vieux Saint Martin : ( my favourire Brasserie ever, check the filet Americain and french fries ) 38, Place du Grand Sablon 1000 Brussels Tel + 32 2 -512.64.76

Le Perroquet: Very cute for L’ Aperitif!  31, Rue Watteau 1000 Bruxelles Tel : 32 202-512.99.22

Et qui va promener le Chien ? Best location for your antiques galleries shopping the feeling is that you are in a middle of a garden in the hrest of the city. Rue de Rollobeek 2, Brussels, 1000 / Tel: +32 25032304

” Perfection in not of this world, they say. Perhaps not, yet that is what we aim for, because my very raison d’etre is to offer you a dream”

Pierre Marcolini

This beautiful sentence is what I am reading on smartly designed catalogue and whose art direction is signed  Yann Pennor’s.

I am at  the Marcolini flagship at the legendary place du grand Sablon waiting to meet Brussels-based Maitre Chocolatier Pierre Marcolini for an interview. The comfortable and sober living room room with black furniture and white walls is at the last floor of a magnificent turn- of- the-century landmark building.

” Mr Marcolini will be delayed a few more minutes … Please be kind to be patient, he just called to excuse himself as he is on his way from the Paris Chocolate Show. In the meantime, may I offer you a petite degustation while you are waiting and I guess,  you ‘d wish to have an expresso as well?” says a handsome  assistant dressed with a long black apron over an impeccable white tailored shirt in extremely attentive manners.

Of course, thank you. ” Traveling around the world to meet producers who are passionate about their work is both duty and pleasure.They let me discover even rarer and more precious beans which, reverently processed in one workshop, yield couverture chocolate that is more delicate and harmonious, more intense and therefore more alive!

“While still reading the interesting statement in the catalog, a blond saleswoman probably in her twenties, arrives in a brown uniform from downstairs with a silver tray containing several  chocolate carres in slightly different tones but basically all looking all similar.  “Please let me know when we can start ” the young lady says with a smile that  enlighten her traits.

The 28″ by 28″ squares have names of spices written on them in white and in French of course, Caradamone, Canelle,  Poivre Vanille, Saffran, Mouscade,  Gengibre.

“They are called Saveus du Monde-epices ( taste of the world- spiced)” – I am told -” Monsieur Marcolini says that they are a delicate pacifist army against the tyranny of everything heavy and massive” As I am preparing myself,  water in the mouth, to try the first  weapon,  I am invited  like a child apparently  to discover in those small and delicate pieces the taste, flavor and texture of certain distant lands.

I learn through my degustation that, Pierre Marcolini is uncompromising when it comes to choosing the raw materials for his products. With a dark assortment of chocolate of 72% cocoa content, single origin beans from selected plantations in different part of the world  and their complex chemistry of the chocolate transcendence differs from one region to another.

Subtle bitterness and fresh fruit flavors from Ecuador, slightly bitter and a delicate Amber aroma from Bahia , powerful aromas of a rebellious Ghana, deep bitterness aroma of spices from Trinidad , peppers and fruits from Java, typical bitterness of fine cocoa , red and yellow fruits from Madagascar, delicate acidity and floral aroma from Venezuela.

I slightly close my eyes imagining the sun striking those fields against the grey rainy day overlooking the window view of Brussels’s Grand Place du Sablon.

Definitely voluptuous and sensually addictive these small delights have a long journey before they are finally appreciated and consumed in elegant flagships across the world’s main urban centers such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Giza, New York, Paris, Dar Al Wadi and London.

And there he is, the Lyon 1995 World Champion Pastry arriving in a rush carrying a black duffel bag preoccupied with his slight delay. He is wearing loose black trousers and a white chef uniform. He is handsome and in his 40 ths. He warns me that he only can allow me only a few minutes as someone told him that I am a French reporter that came to write about Belgian chocolate makers for a local regional newspaper.

I smile amused presenting myself, I explain that there was certainly a misunderstanding, as  I am not a reporter, nor I am French. I don’t write for a local regional newspaper and he, Pierre Marcolini is the one-and- only chocolatier I chose to interview in my worldwide on- line publication featuring  the city of Brussels as a 2009 December edition.

We are now both laugh , relaxed and at ease with the incident,  and my first question while I furtively taste a small ‘ Plaisir d’ Enfance‘ ( childhood pleasure)  is about the Brussels-based luxury chocolate maker strategic partnership with Nestle.Marcolini, now sitting comfortably in a black leather armchair and feeling -at-home confides me visibly satisfied that the partnership will allow Nestlé to benefit from the know-how and artistic talent of one of the world’s leading luxury chocolate makers, while the maison Marcolini will gain access to Nestlé’s global experience

. Pierre Marcolini will provide inspiration for future Nestlé chocolate ranges, while Nestlé will help Pierre Marcolini expand his network of boutiques across the world. He also makes sure to tell me that he will  continue to lead his company as an independent and autonomous operation, and Nestlé will join its board.

I sip my Expresso, we have been chatting for more than half hour, he  has been telling  me that he has recently designed a selection of a few pralines for the Nespresso company under their own brand  (Nespresso is owned by Nestle) which took them a harsh work that lasted several months but at last they are finally distributed in France and Switzerland,  soon in Brussels as well.

The few minutes Pierre Marcolini had  reserved for our interview now passed the hour.

I decide to ask him two  last tricky questions: Would there be anything he would bring back in return of his glorious success as one of the world leading chocolatiers to those illiterate and simple plantation people from where , as a conquistador he purchases row beans in their most natural state and magically infuses them through a sophisticated process of several steps.

The Chocolatier supervises himself until they are like wizard ’s magic transformed into luxurious and edible small jewels that lift  the senses of a privileged population that is from another part of the globe.He pause for a while, probably to better answer my question, he then moved, talks to me about  and the different  human experiences  him and ex-wife, mother of their only son, founder of the Maison Marcolini and still today his friend and business partner, encountered during their several trips  together or separated in those distant lands.

His partnership for example with Clara Echevaria, the Mexican grower who has been fighting for years to protect her exceptional bean, the “Porcelana”, (porcelain) from extinction, bears testimony to his commitment to following a fair trade policy.

This alliance between the best beans and a Master of Chocolate has created an exceptional product, a vintage: the “Limited Edition Chocolate Square²” chocolate bar. In Bahia, in the North of  Brasil,  a couple, husband and wife  plantation producers were flown to Brussels to actually witness the transformation  of their beans into Marcolini’s chocolate production.

The manufacturing process begins with roasting the beans to remove any residual humidity and to increase the aroma. The beans are then crushed and the mass that emerges is divided into minuscule particles, which are then ground. This is when the chocolate-making process begins: cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar and fresh vanilla from Tahiti. Thus Pierre Marcolini continues the traditions of the “inventors” of chocolate, constantly seeking new flavors!

Pierre Marcolini has not limited himself solely to chocolate of course. he creates desserts, biscuits, ice creams and sorbets to the rhythm of the seasons and his inspiration. Inspired by gastronomic trends that he discovers during his visits around the world, he invents, designs and develops superb creations, which have already earned him an outstanding reputation (l’Envol, Aurore, Arriba, ).

And while these classics are the translation of his talents as a chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini still knows how to transform the most wonderful ingredients to recreate the links with the great confectionery classics. A range of Eclairs, a timeless classic of patisserie is waiting to be discovered.

Not satisfied with bringing back the best beans in the world to his ateliers in Brussels, this alchemist then subtly blends the beans from the different regions and works with original aromas to create un-equalled flavours: Ganaches made with teas from around the world, Origin “Crus” chocolate bars.

The advantage of creating your own coating is undeniable: real products, rigorously selected ingredients that enhance each of the specialties with their specific flavors to create chocolates that are always different, always original, sometimes audacious, and that remind us of the best “Grand Cru” wines.

Pierre Marcolini manufactures his grand cru chocolate himself (coating) using cocoa beans that he selects personally. He is among the last five craftsmen working this way in Europe. But Pierre Marcolini is also and above all a humanist, both in the way he manages his company and in his commitment to supporting small top quality growers.

It’s getting dark, I am in a rush now, Pierre Marcolini goes down the modernly glamourous stairs of the Sablon luxurious flagship, surrounded with velvet curtains, white Phalaenopsis orchids and impressive chandeliers. I perceive him whispering in the blond lady’s years.

A few minutes later I am handed  an Ecrin Noir (a black round gift box) with a selection of chocolate personally picked by mr .Marcolini himself as well a  stunning black art book on his life’s and work inspirations, architecture , painting and poetry. The beautiful book is called Eclats (  glimpse of splendor).

With no more words to be added I will, inspired by such Art and Poetry  do my best as well to picture the true dream.”

Inspired from Hans Sachs ‘Les Maitres Chanteurs‘ ( The Mastersingers)

Joelle’s Tips:

The Chocolate flagship Pierre Marcolini: Rue des Mimnimes, 1 Place du Grand Sablon-1000 Bruxelles/ Tel :32 2 514 1206 sablon@marcolini.be

The Manifacture: Place du Grand Sablon, 39 1000 Bruxelles / tel +32 513 1783/ manifacture.sablo@marcolini.be

The movie :  Carre 2 Chocolat (Absolutely beautiful)

Photos credits of coffe in cup and coffe bags:   courtesy Nespresso  / Plantations, cocoa beans and Pierre Marcolini in Cuba: Tawao

Arief Priyono, Antara for The  Jakarta Globe, La Libre Be./  Vanilla Sticks : Zester Daily

Grande Place

In the 10th century, the Duke of Lower Lotharingia constructed a fort on Saint-Géry Island, the point at which the Senne river became navigable.

This was the seed of what would become Brussels. By the end of the 11th century, an open-air marketplace was set up on a dried-out marsh near the fort that was surrounded by sandbanks. The market was called the Nedermerckt, or Lower Market.

The market likely developed around the same time as the commercial development of Brussels. A document from 1174 mentions a lower market (forum inferius) not far from the port on the Senne river. The market was well situated along the Steenweg (Causeway), an important commercial road which connected the prosperous regions of the Rhineland and the County of Flanders.

At the beginning of the 13th century, three indoor markets were built on the northern edge of the Grand Place; a meat market, a bread market and a cloth market. These buildings, which belonged to the Duke of Brabant, allowed the wares to be showcased even in bad weather, but also allowed the Dukes to keep track of the storage and sale of goods, in order to collect taxes. Other buildings, made of wood or stone, enclosed the Grand Place.

Improvements to the Grand Place from the 14th century onwards would mark the rise in importance of local merchants and tradesmen relative to the nobility. Short on money, the Duke transferred control of mills and commerce to the local authorities. The city of Brussels, as with the neighboring cities of Mechelen and Leuven constructed a large indoor cloth market to the south of the square.

At this point, the square was still haphazardly laid out, and the buildings along the edges had a motley tangle of gardens and irregular additions. The city expropriated a and demolished number of buildings that clogged the Grand Place, and formally defined the edges of the square.

The Brussels Town Hall stands 96 metres tall and is capped by a 3 metre statue of Saint Michael slaying a demon. The Brussels City Hall was built on the south side of the square in stages between 1401 and 1455, and made the Grand Place the seat of municipal power.

To counter this symbol of municipal power, from 1504 to 1536 the Duke of Brabant built a large building across from the city hall as symbol of ducal power. It was built on the site of the first cloth and bread markets, which were no longer in use, and it became known as the King’s House , although no king has ever lived there.

It is currently known as the Maison du roi (King’s House) in French, though in Dutch it continues to be called the Broodhuis (Breadhouse), after the market whose place it took. Wealthy merchants and the increasingly powerful guilds of Brussels built houses around the edge of the square.

On August 13, 1695, a 70,000-strong French army under Marshal François de Neufville, Duke of Villeroy began a bombardment of Brussels in an effort to draw the League of Augsburg’s forces away from their siege on French-held Namur in what is now southern Belgium.

The French launched a massive bombardment of the mostly defenseless city center with cannons and mortars, setting it on fire and flattening the majority of the Grand Place and the surrounding city. Only the stone shell of the town hall and a few fragments of other buildings remained standing. That the town hall survived at all is ironic, as it was the principal target of the artillery fire.

The square was rebuilt in the following four years by the city’s guilds. Their efforts were regulated by the city counselors and the Governor of Brussels, who required that their plans be submitted to the authorities for their approval. This helped to deliver a remarkably harmonious layout for the rebuilt Grand Place, despite the ostensibly clashing combination of Gothic, Baroque and Louis XIV styles.

In the late 18th century, revolutionaries sacked the Grand Place, destroying statues of nobility and symbols of Christianity .The guildhalls were seized by the state and sold.

The buildings were neglected and left in poor condition, with their façades painted, stuccoed and damaged by pollution. In the late 19th century, mayor Charles Buls had the Grand Place returned to its former splendor, with buildings being reconstructed or restored.

The Grand Place continued to serve as a market until November 19, 1959, and it is still called the Grote Markt or Great Market in Dutch. Neighboring streets still reflect the area’s origins, named after the sellers of butter, cheese, herring, coal and so on. The Grand Place was named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998. One of the houses was owned by the brewers’ guild, and is now the home of a brewers’ museum.

N. Toebac Real Belgian Lace

Brussels lace has always been a a synonym of quality and exclusivity. Nicole Toebac shop at the Grand Place is  a family business who grew in three generation to the most important distributor of real handmade Belgian lace.

They  are specialized in Renaissance and Princess lace.They proud ourselves for employing the best lace-makers in the country and using the finest materials. Their lace is made in the traditional way as it was one hundred years ago. The shop is a must!

Museum of Costume & Lace

Four opulent-looking houses and an old warehouse built in the late 17th-early 18th century were rehabilitated so that the delicate materials preserved in this museum could be nestled in a delightful setting.

Many fashion accessories, embroideries and original documents, as well as an impressive variety of middle-class outfits designed between the 17th century and today are a major part of the museum’s treasures, and high-quality temporary exhibitions do a brilliant job of highlighting them.

Additionally, the museum also pays tribute to lace, the production of which forms an integral part of Brussels’ heritage. From its development in the 17th century to the late 19th century, this precious fabric experienced a long golden age. The use of lace fell into disfavor during modern times and is now considered a work of art.

Biscuiterie Dandoy

Set in the heart of Brussels just between the Grand Place and the bourse ,the family-owned business has perpetuated a unique craftsmanship in the production of many traditional Belgian and Brussels specialties for almost two centuries.

Based on original recipes Dandoy biscuits are prepared by hand in the firm’s own workshop , with natural ingredients. Dandoy’s most famous specialties include the Pain a la Greque,

the speculaas, the almond bread, and several kinds of Macaroons. Go for it!

La Maison du Cygne restaurant

A true gastronomic and cultural gem, and quoted by Zagat as top Europe Restaurants , this 17th century house offers its guests a unique atmosphere in the very heart of Brussels and one of the most beautiful squares in the world.

In the great French tradition, the Maison du Cygne boasts some of the best cuisine in Brussels, acclaimed by critics and connoisseurs alike.

Under the watchful eye of Michel Verdoodt, Restaurant Manager, and his team, you can enjoy innovative yet authentic cuisine brilliantly masterminded by Donald Loriaux, 4th at the Bocuse d’Or.
To accompany your meal, the Maison du Cygne has an impressive cellar of over 20,000 bottles including some of the finest wines available.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels met here twice a week in 1848, but the clientèle now is mostly expense account, which may or may not support their manifesto.  The main dining room, on the first floor, is paneled in old wood etc.  The tables are well spaced and it is quiet.  The ground floor is a tavern and light lunch place and can be a private salon at night.

Le Roy d’Espagne cafe

Built in 1697, was originally the House of the Baker’s guild. The name is due to the bust of Charles II which decorates the façade on the  second floor.

In 1697 Charles II was the King of Spain and the sovereign of the
Southern Netherlands, which included the present day Belgium. On the ground floor, above the entrance, watches Saint-Aubertus, the Patron Saint of the  bakers.

The house, which suffered much damage during the French Revolution, was renovated to its original state in 1902 under the impulse of the Mayor of Brussels, Charles Buls. After having been a café and a hardware store of which  the first balcony remains, the house regained its vocation as a café in 1952.

Marche des erbes

In 1836, the young architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer, born in the Netherlands in 1811, had the idea to construct a covered gallery of more than 200 meters that would directly link the “Marché aux Herbes” (herbs market) to the “Montagne aux Herbes Potagères” (vegetables market), by demolishing a number of sordid alleys in which the bourgeoisie did not dare to come.

It took nine years before the administrative and financial formalities required to proceed with the numerous expropriations were completed. The construction of the building itself lasted one year and a half. These expropriations provoked a lot of complaints and even a few tragedies.

An old lady of rich descent that lived in the “Maison des Orfèvres” (goldsmith house), at the present entrance in the Rue du Marché aux Herbes, died of panic and anger when the bailiff came to announce her that her house was to be demolished shortly.

What remains of this house is the ancient motto : “Omnibus Omnia” (all for all). Mister Paneel, a barber by trade, obstinately refused to leave and preferred cutting his throat with a razor blade rather than watching his houses being destroyed.

When the construction was already in an advanced phase, the first stone was laid with a golden trowel by King Leopold the First, accompanied by his two sons.

At the meeting of the board of the company on the 4th of December 1846, the names of the three parts of the new gallery, to pay homage to the royal family, were agreed upon :

The Galerie du Roi (the King’s gallery) to the east of the Rue des Bouchers, ( Butcher’s street) the Galerie de la Reine (the Queen’s gallery) to the west, and the Galerie du Prince (the prince’s gallery),  a 54 meter long gallery that links the Galerie du Roi to the Rue des Dominicains In October 1965, the building, originally called “Passage Saint-Hubert“, received its present name “Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert”.

The narrow street connecting the two alleys already existed in the 13th century, but it was called “Bogart” or “Bomgaard” (orchard street). The name of Saint-Hubert appears in 1685 , because of a cabaret dedicated to this Saint. The cabaret was very often visited by the “échoppiers” (stall keepers) of the nearby Marché aux Herbes. During the French regime, it was called “Rue du Chasseur” (hunter street).

In the middle of the 19th century, the Saint-Hubert Galleries were the longest, highest (8 meters), best decorated and best lit galleries in the world, thanks to the enormous glass roof which is 200 meters long. From the day of their inauguration, these galleries have been highly successful and entertaining. Later on, the luxurious specialized shops added their part to this success. The “exterior” terraces of the cafés, cake shops and ice cream sellers attracted a smart public that came there to forget the humid Belgian climate for a few hours.

Taverne du Passage

During the years, the Passage Saint-Hubert became a literary centre, where one could meet famous French writers such as Baudelaire, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Apollinaire or Verlaine in the “Café de la Renaissance” (the present “Taverne du Passage“), which was the meeting place of the Artistic et Literary Circle. Nowadays, the galleries still are an important commercial centre for luxury goods in an old-fashioned environment that was recently restored with a lot of care.

Nehaus

Among the remarkable shops, there is the number 23 of the Galerie de la Reine, where the Swiss Jean Neuhaus installed a confectioner’s shop in 1857. Neuhaus was specialized in making cough bonbons, marshmallows and liquorice for stomach pain.

His son Frédéric made delicacies such as chocolates filled with vanilla. In 1912, Jean Neuhaus introduced a number of novelties, such as chocolates filled with fruits, crushed nuts paste, various sorts of creams and even liquors.

He called them “pralines“, because their form looked like the grilled nuts covered with sugar of the Marquis of Praslin. One fine day, his wife came up with the idea of putting the pralines carefully in a little cardboard box, because she was tired of serving them in a paper wrapper. They called this cardboard box a “ballotin“.

Theatre of Saint-Hubert

Cultural life was present in the galleries as well. In the Galerie du Roi number 32, one can still find the Theatre of Saint-Hubert Galleries, that was conceived by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer himself and inaugurated on the 7th of June 1847. Originally it was used for comedy, drama and vaudeville. In fact, the City Council of Brussels had forbidden singing or music, in order to prevent it from competing with the “Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie“.The Vaudeville was recently restored and is now used again as theater and reception room.

Delvaux

Since the beginning of the previous century, number 31 has housed the renowned Belgian leather shop Delvaux,

creator and manufacturer of the most refined traveling-bags, trunks, handkerchiefs, purses, and various leather objects.

Petite Rue des Bouchers

Already in 1366, this street was mentioned as “Cleyn Vleeshouversstraete“. However, in the 17th century, it was named “Crantje Straetje” (tap street). In the 17th century it was sometimes called “Rue du Cornet” as well.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a lot of tripe butchers came to this street, after a prefecture’s order of the year X (revolutionary calendar) had expelled them out of the “Marché aux Tripes” (the tripe market, which became an extension of the herbs market).

The street still has today about twelve houses dating from the 17th and 18th century. During the “Belle Époque” (Edwardian era), the street sheltered more small music-halls than restaurants. On the first floor of number 30, there was the jazz-club “La Rose Noire”, where Jacques Brel, the famous Belgian singer, had his first successes in 1953. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, this successful cabaret had to close its doors in 1961. The building was bought by the restaurant “Les Armes de Bruxelles” in 1963 and was used as the restaurant’s kitchen the next year.

Les Armes de Bruxelles Restaurant

A Brussels institution since it opened in 1921, this family-owned establishment offers gracious, rather formal service, combined with a casual, relaxed ambience.

It’s an excellent place for your introduction to Belgian cooking, since it combines traditional cuisine with great quality, and offers just about every regional specialty you can think of (including mussels in every conceivable style). You can sample anything from an excellent beef stewed in beer to a delicious waterzooï to a steak with pepper-and-cream sauce, all at reasonable prices

Scheltema Restaurant ( my favorite!)

Located in the historic centre of Brussels just a few steps away from the Grand Place, the Scheltema has been an institution in the Ilot Sacré area since 1972.

The establishment is known for its seafood specialties and its turn of the century pub ambiance, which combine to make the Scheltema one of the most prestigious restaurants in Brussels. Et Voila Creme Brule!

Joelle’s Tips:

The restaurants :

La Maison du Cygne Rue Charles Buls 2Brussels, Belgium 1000 / Phone: +322-511-8244
Fax: +32 2 514-3148

Aux Armes de Bruxelles: Traditional Belgian  Rue des Bouchers 13 Bruxelles / +322 511-55-98

Scheltema : Sea food Specialties  Rue des Dominicains 7 1000 Brussel / Phone : +32 2 512.20.84

Chez Leon : Belgian Cuisine  Rue des Bouchers 18 /Bruxelles 1000 /+32 2 511.14.15

The Cafes: 

Le Roy d’Espagne Grand’Place 1 B-1000 Brussels / Phone : +32 2 513 08 07 fax : +32 2 513 11 27  info@roydespagne.be

La Taverne du Passage : Cuisine Belgian  Galerie de la Reine 30  100 Bruxelles / Phone + 32 2 512-37-32

The Shops:

N. Toebac: Belgian Lace 10, Rue Charles Buls  1000 Bruxelles / Phone : + 3202 5120941 Fax : +32 2 5020481  E-mail : info@nicoletoebac

Delicacies:

Biscuiterie Dandoy : Rue au Beurre 31 1000 Bruxelles

Neuhaus: Galerie de la Reine 25  1000 Bruxelles

Delvaux: Galerie de la Reine 31 Phone +32 02512-71-98

The Museum:

Musee du costume et de la Dentelle Rue de la Violette 6 Phone +32 2  213 44 50

The source: Commune libre de l’Ilot Sacre / Fodors Guide of Brussels

Photo credits: Courtesy of Charles le Brusseler / Renato Serra for Commune libre de l’Ilot Sacre /

Used with the permission of www.hotels-belgium , www.trabel.com & www.arakea.com’. Alle rights reserved

Judaism is not just a set of beliefs about G-d, man and the universe.

Judaism is a comprehensive way of life, filled with rules and practices that affect every aspect of life: What you do when you wake up in the morning, what you can and cannot eat, what you can and cannot wear, how to groom yourself, how to conduct business,

who you can marry, how to observe the holidays and Shabbat, and perhaps most important, how to treat G-d, other people, and animals.

This set of rules and practices is known as Halakhah.

The word “Halakhah” is usually translated as “Jewish Law,” although a more literal (and more appropriate) translation might be “the path that one walks.” The word is derived from the Hebrew root Hei-Lamed-Kaf, meaning to go, to walk or to travel.

Halakhah comes from three sources: from the Torah, from laws instituted by the rabbis and from long-standing customs.

Halakhah from any of these sources can be referred to as a Mitzvah (commandment; plural: Mitzvot). The word “Mitzvah” is also commonly used in a casual way to refer to any good deed.

Because of this imprecise usage, sophisticated Halakhic discussions are careful to identify Mitzvot as being Mitzvot d’Oraita (an Aramaic word meaning “from the Torah“) or Mitzvot d’Rabbanan (Aramaic for “from the rabbis”).

A Mitzvah that arises from custom is referred to as a Minhag. Mitzvot from all three of these sources are binding, though there are differences in the way they are applied. The term Mitzvah has also come to express an act of human kindness and Tzedaka. (Charity)

According to the teachings of Judaism, all moral laws are, or are derived from, divine commandments. The opinions of the Talmudic rabbis are divided between those who seek the purpose of the Mitzvot and those who do not question them.

The latter argue that if the reason for each Mitzvah could be determined, people might try to achieve what they see as the purpose of the Mitzvah, without actually performing the Mitzvah itself.

The Rabbis came to assume that the Law comprised 618 commandments. According to Rabbi Simlai, as quoted in the Talmud, this enumeration of 618 commandments was representative of the following.

“  365 negative commandments like the number of days in the solar year, and 248 positive commandments corresponding to a person’s limbs”

Inspired by the the Rabbinical Mitzvots,  Moshe Mizrahi and Eitan Nissanian of MDM Judaica created exclusive one of a kind art pieces allowing every Jew in the world to remember and practice freely in their own homes the rituals present in the Talmudic teachings.

Among the 630 Mitzvots, I have chosen to enumerate a few basic ones to give you a good idea of what it takes today, to understand the basic principles of Jewish Faith the how the inherited knowledge from past generations is manifested through simple and sometimes more complex rituals.

And the greatest privilege for me is to illustrate in this case, the needed basic tools through beautiful uniquely precious works of art described below each Miztvah each one of a kind and all created with love and devoted care. And the Mitzvoths are:

And the  Mitvots are: Put a Mezuzah at the door frame of your home,

Below a collector’s case in Silver and wood inlay  a small key for Parnassa is hidden inside

To recite a blessing for each enjoyment ,

This hand painted illustration on parchment is from the beautiful Book of Perek Shira ( The song of creation) by Rabbi Eliezer.

To ritually wash the hands before eating ,

I am holding a gorgeous embossed and engraved silver Mayyim Acharonim in my hand.

Very good to put in my suitcase on my travels throughout the world.

To prepare lights in advance of Shabbat

A portable gold prayer book, scribed with Kosher Ink and hand sown with 24 k gold thread

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7tLqMOXSPm8/Rf_wuENDL4I/AAAAAAAAAYo/6iTDDR1gFxA/s400/dubrov.jpeg

To recite the Hallel psalms on holy days,

To light the Hanukkah lights,

I have displayed on a table in front of an 18th century Venetian mirror in my bedroom two beautiful examples of Menoras.

The first is a collectible,  25 years old in pure Silver.

It carries a small doors with a silver tray for an incorporated driedel game, a small drawer for the extra candles , and containers for the oil.

The second is a replica of an old Moroccan tradition of inlay .

To read the Scroll of Esther on Purim

This 9 meters (27′ length and 2′ wide) Kosher Meguilhat Esther is entirely hand painted and scribed by expert artisans in Israel. It took more than three years to be crafted. At the left hand-side a scroll of Esther case in silver inlay and the shape of a Castle.  The silver inlay representation of the brave chevalier Mordechai  riding a horse lays on the left at the bottom of the castle’s door.

Observe Jewish Holidays: Rosh Hashana

A very rare serving plate made in silver and gold with  hand painted in porcelain plates  for the Simanim (symbolic foods) .

Blessings are engraved all around the pedestal

and two drawers on the side contain the instruments to work on the dishes

Keep  Shabbat ( Kiddush)

Sheva Brachot/ Brit/ Bar-Mitzva /  7 Blessing Cup. First of it’s kind. It is all engraved by hand with a magnifying glass.

Pure Silver inlay with 24 karat Gold. Includes the engraving of all Seven blessings.

A flower ruby encrusted in gold wine leaves on a Spice container for Havdalah. Another silver Spice Box. Wood inlay. Both Collector’s items

Keep Shabbat ( Havdalah)

One of the richest works of MDM. a pyramid Havdalah set. Made of white and red Afghan onyx and or-moulu silver and enamel

A kiddush cup and a spice box are part of this magnificent set

Another spectacular, Havdalah Set.  It is completely hand made.

3-D engraving in silver gold plate. Unique enamel color. All stones are pure-quality rubies.

The or-moulu tray has  a beautiful representation of the Shabbat ceremony in a Jewish household, blessings engraved on the borders.

These seven rabbinical commandments are treated like Biblical commandments insofar as, prior to the performance of each, a benediction is recited.

“Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the universe, Who has commanded us …”

Joelle’s Tips:

Several pieces like the ” Flower of Mitzvots ” and the Piano of Mitzvots” have  all year round  Mitzvots incorporated. Some are pieces like  inspired in the Spanish Marranos where they are hidden like the telephone Havdallah set

All hand painted illustrations as well as the Judaica works of art are from the Jerusalem private collection of MDM.

They can be made to order if not available in stock, price is on demand and can be delivered personally to your home.

MDM : Original Judaica on Parchment and Silver

Contact Info in the US :  Eitan Nissanian eitan126@yahoo.com  / Tel +1( 718) 544-0180 / cell +1 ( 917) 582 57 51 /(646) 270-0680

Rabbis photo Copyrights : common  writes / Wikipedia

Photo wedding copyrights :

In 15 days is the Jewish holiday of Passover. ( Hebrew: Pessah)

The miracle of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt is perpetuated in Jewish tradition of the holiday of Pessah.

The holiday symbolizes the release from slavery and the gift of freedom, the journey from Egypt to the land of Israel.

The core of the holiday is the “Seder night”, during which the story of the Exodus is told as it was written in the “Pessah Haggadah”.

During the eight days of the holiday, it is forbidden to eat leavened bread and most baked goods, for the Torah commanded Jews to eat only Matza, which is unleavened bread, during Pessah.

In Jewish communities the holiday was celebrated according to all the laws and several important folklore symbols were added to it, which made the holiday very special.

On my trip to Europe, a gentleman called Eitan with a strong Israeli accent calls me on the phone.  ” Miss Joelle? My name is Eitan and I would like to introduce you to MDM, we have one of a kind line of Judaica from Israel, the- kind of- things- I- assure -you will like.

” Busy with the Brussels edition at that time , my answer was ” And Mr Eitan, how exactly would you know about  the kind of ‘ stuff’ I’d like?”

Eitan who I was referred to by an  Israeli architect living in New York who happens to know me well and  my taste for luxury and impeccable craftsmanship,  promised to say no more words until I saw some pictures of the pieces and met personally his associate Moshe Mizrahi who lived in Jerusalem.

They would both come to New York before Pessah and I will be presented ” G-D willing to some pieces of the  valuable collection, mostly in 22k in silver, 24k gold and  semi precious stones ” Wow!

In the meantime, on my arrival to New York, the countdown is approaching and as the Jewish world bravely confronts the great holiday of Pessah myriad preparatory requirements. Among them is the pre-Pessah  ritual in Jewish households of house-cleaning frenzy overwhelming  families.

I too do my part, carefully cleaning and dusting inside out closets, kitchen shelves, cupboards,  fridge and freezer for the legendary eradication of the so called Chamez. This specific  eradication  (“leavening”) refers either to a grain product that is already fermented ( yeast breads, certain types of cake, and most alcoholic beverages), or to a substance that can cause fermentation (yeast, sourdough or high fructose corn syrup -

Believe it or not, no matter how many year have passed every Jew has never total certainty about what he should keep and what he should put away during this frenetic cleaning.

The consumption of Chametz is forbidden during Passover in most Jewish traditions. According to Halakha, the ownership of Chametz is also proscribed from the house. It is the symbolic drive to put everything in the house in its proper place, shiny, spotless and dusted. Mine is ready. I can now receive the  ” Jerusalem boys” .

Eitan, announces his arrival in the city on an e-mail.  Before we talk further I ask if he and his partner can bring along  some of the impressive Seder Plates I saw in the pictures as well a selection of their valuable hand written , and marvelously  hand-painted painted  leather Haggadots .

Since the holiday is approaching the traditional table full of symbols has to be set in place ; nothing better than  finding some inspiration from Jerusalem experts coming to the Big Apple just to be at my total service in my own house!

The two men dressed in dark, are at my do0rway with a bunch of dark suitcases, one of them is wearing a formal hat that goes perfectly well with his dark beard.

” Joel? This is a name of a man! ” – he says- Your name in Israel is Yael!  Shalom Miss Yael, my name is Moshe Mizrahi, nice to meet you I am Argentinian of origin, could you please tell me where my assistant Eitan can leave the content of these suitcases, as you see the Seder Plate I have brought for you to see weights 20 kilos.

The beautiful pieces come out from the suitcases  one after the other in a Houdini manner and then carefully mounted over a wooden table in my living room facing Central Park.

Six ormolu silver cups are placed on top of a tray placed over a box with  six small silver inlaid gate doors . Behind beautiful hand painted scenes of the Seder ritual and a three shelves container for the three Matzot kept for later blessings.

Semi precious stones and Hebrew letters engravings embellish the composition of the piece. A  majestic Kiddush silver and  24 k gold goblet, is reserved for  the prophet Eliahu Hannabi possible appearance at the family dinner .

You see Miss Yael, a Seder table must look precious..it is traditional of Jewish families to gather on the first night of Pessah (first two nights in communities outside the land of Israel) for the special dinner, called a Seder (derived from the Hebrew word for “order”, referring to the very specific order of the ritual).

The table must be set with the finest china and silverware to reflect the importance of the meal.

During this meal, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a special text called the Haggadah. Four cups of wine are consumed at various stages in the narrative.

The Haggadah divides the night’s procedure into 15 parts: Kadeish – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine , Urchatz - the washing of the hands – without blessing, Karpas - dipping of the karpas in salt water, Yachatz - breaking the middle Matzo; the larger piece becomes the Afikoman which is eaten later during the ritual of Tzafun, Maggid - retelling the Passover story, including the recital of  “the four questions” and drinking of the second cup of wine,

Rachtzah - second washing of the hands – with blessing , Motzi - traditional blessing before eating bread products, Matzo – blessing before eating Matzo. Maror - eating of the maror, Koreich – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror,  Shulchan oreich – lit. “set table”—the serving of the holiday meal, Tzafun - eating of the afikoman, Bareich – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine, Hallel - recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine, Nirtzah – conclusion

Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nissan (equivalent to March and April in Gregorian calendar), the first month of the Hebrew calendar’s festival year according to the Hebrew Bible. In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that YHWH inflicted ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Hebrew slaves, with the tenth plague being the killing of all of the firstborn, from the Pharaoh’s son to the firstborn of the dungeon captive, to the firstborn of cattle.

The Hebrews were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord passed over these homes, hence the term “passover”. When Pharaoh freed the Hebrews, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise.

In commemoration, for the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten, for which reason it is called “The Festival of the Unleavened Bread”. Matza (unleavened bread) is the primary symbol of the holiday. This bread that is flat and un-risen is called Matzo.

The Seder is replete with questions, answers, and unusual practices (the recital of Kiddush which is not immediately followed by the blessing over bread, which is the traditional procedure for all other holiday meals) to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children at the table.

The children are also rewarded with nuts and candies when they ask questions and participate in the discussion of the Exodus and its aftermath. Likewise, they are encouraged to search for the afikoman, the piece of matzo which is the last thing eaten at the Seder. Audience participation and interaction is the rule, and many families’ Seders last long into the night with animated discussions and much singing.

The Seder concludes with additional songs of praise and faith printed in the Haggadah, including Chad Gadya (“One Kid Goat”).

The Haggadah ( “telling”) is a Jewish religious text that sets out the order of the Passover Seder.  As Moshe explains the different stories I contemplate speechless the MDM Haggadots . Fully hand-painted, scribed with Kosher ink on carefully selected parchment  they are sown by pairs to another with blue silk thread and gold. Mostly, Eitan tells me, take up to 4 years to be completed.

Reading the Haggadah is a fulfillment of the scriptural commandment to each Jew to “tell your son” about the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus in the Torah.

Beginning on the second night of Passover, the 16th day of Nissan Jews begin the practice of the Counting of the Omer, a nightly reminder of the approach of the holiday of Shavuot 50 days hence.

Each night after the evening prayer service, men and women recite a special blessing and then enumerate the day of the Omer. Moshe and Eitan very proudly showcase a spectacular piece in massive silver with a beautiful enamel clock and suggestive prayers describing the different stories related to the 49 days of the Omer counting.

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, a sheaf of new-cut barley was presented before the altar on the second day of Unleavened Bread. Since the destruction of the Temple, this offering is brought in word rather than deed. One explanation for the Counting of the Omer is that it shows the connection between Passover and Shavuot.

The physical freedom that the Hebrews achieved at the Exodus from Egypt was only the beginning of a process that climaxed with the spiritual freedom they gained at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Another explanation is that the newborn nation which emerged after the Exodus needed time to learn their new responsibilities vis-a-vis Torah and mitzvot before accepting God’s law. The distinction between the Omer offering—a measure of barley, typically animal fodder—and the Shavuot offering—two loaves of wheat bread, human food—symbolizes the transition process.

Joelle’s Tips:

All hand painted illustrations as well as the Judaica object d’ art are from the Jeruslame private collection of MDM.

They can be made to order if not available in stock, price is on demand and can be delivered personally to your home.

MDM : Original Judaica on Parchment and Silver

Contact Info in the US :  Eitan Nissanian eitan126@yahoo.com  / Tel +1( 718) 544-0180 / cell +1 ( 917) 582 57 51 / (646) 270-0680

Desert photo Copyrights : common  writes / Wikipedia

“Its pillars he made of silver, its couch of gold, its curtain of purple, its interior inlaid with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.”

Shir-Ha-Hashrim – Song of Songs Chapter 3

Once upon a time a young Jewish boy who lived in a modest neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina with four sisters, four brothers and his parents  had a great dream.

At only seven years of age, on his night prayers Moshe Mizrahi that was his name, only had one wish… to be offered one day the opportunity to ‘ make beautiful things”.

He had no idea what these beautiful things would be, but he knew for a fact that they would be one of a kind in the whole world.

At the age  18 he flies to New York and attends a Yeshiva school in Brooklyn.

As a good scholar Moshe learns in depth the religious teachings of his ancestors, the Hebrew alphabet and calligraphy , the scriptures in which valuable Jewish  laws and ancient traditions have been meticulously kept and perpetuated throughout generations since the old testament times.

After the Yeshiva studies in Brooklyn, the scholar first trip to the promised land offers a promising future and a promised wife who wisely invites the young graduate, now her fiancee, to ” stay “  a while longer in Jerusalem and study some more Torah.

And it’s near the traditional neighborhood of Mea Shearim in the heart of the old city that Moshe’s  prolonged stay makes of him a great husband as well as one of the most renowned scribes in all Israel . (Estimated worldwide  only about 300)

The day becomes busy as early as 6 AM, and like Moses the first scribe, with impeccable precision Moshe scribes, sacred texts on Torahs, Tefillins, Mezuzahs, Haggadas and Megillahs , attends three times a day Shul and  in the evening enjoys being a father of his three young children.

His responsibilities grow with the age as it is important to acknowledge that Jewish law dictates that every Torah, the holiest of all Jewish books, should be meticulously written out by hand rather than mechanically reproduced.

He understands that the writing of a single Torah, can take up to one year and cost a synagogue very high sums. This is because as everything in Judaism, It must be created according to strict rules.

Moshe knows that a scribe can make no mistakes in a Torah or  in any other holy scripture as  they are carefully proofread after completion. Considered a living document,  the Torah and other important scriptures,  must be made entirely of natural materials.

That means using kosher ink, made from the crushed outer bark of a wasp’s nest, a quill made from a turkey or goose feather, and cloth made from a calf killed for food.

With the years slowly Moshe gets acquainted with those precious rules, along with writing letters out by hand in a calligraphic style identified as Spanish , sometimes a painstakingly long process, he also learns how to meticulously select individual parchment sheets by color,  density, texture and size for his different works.

He then cuts , collects and separate the sheets in groups depending on the  different manuscripts,  wears white gloves while working so that the oils of his skin don’t get on the parchment, and finally seals the completed and carefully revised  work with  perfumed natural Israeli beeswax.

During the time of apprentice of the secular techniques several Jewish artists immigrated in Israel from different countries approach our scribe  with beautiful illustrations and art works to be incorporated as per their suggestion into his sacred manuscripts.

Moshe agrees with the new experience proposal and after about 6 months, the first prototype comes out.  The content , very precious in Jewish faith, is called in Hebrew Shir ha-Shirim (Song of Songs) a book of the Hebrew Bible—one of the five Megillot (scrolls) also known as the Song of Solomon, or  Canticles.

The protagonists are a woman and a man, and the poem suggests movement from courtship to consummation. Additionally, the Song includes a chorus, the “daughters of Jerusalem.“With no explicitly religious content, the Song is often interpreted as an allegorical representation of the relationship of God and Israel, as husband and wife.

According to Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, it is read on the Sabbath that falls during the intermediate days of Passover. In the Sephardi community it is recited every Friday night.

We are in the 70s,  and  a wealthy Jewish  collector of Judaica calls Moshe on the phone to Jerusalem and flies him over to ” check” upon a Torah he recently purchased. Very happy with the result the collector and Moshe become good friends and apart from selling his first Shir Hashrim he comes back with a list of made- to- order commissions with the Jewish holidays as theme.

Very quickly, encouraged by the unexpected endorsement from his wealthy new client, Moshe gathers around himself in Israel, a valuable community of devoted artists who anxiously waited for his return from the States.

Some of those were just starting their career , some others were famous including Yuri Haissman an extremely respected painter and sculptor of that time.

A large number of artistic creations are set in production as a result of a collaborative and integrated efforts among those artists and Moshe’s creative vision and initial capital.

In a few months,  top of the line Russian silversmiths , engravers from Poland, Armenian jewelers, and Moroccan painters become part of Moshe’s daily routine. Some of them live in the North near  the Golan others in the  Neve Tzedek neighborhood of Tel Aviv, others in the Negev desert region.

Moshe is not afraid to enterprise long driving journeys across the stunning Israeli landscape to supervise the different stages of each of his ” mission-impossible creations ” whose process will take 18 months  to  sometimes 4 years of a devoted and persevering attention to detail.

And  from a distant passion of a young boy’s visionary dream in Argentina,  a new brand was born in Israel that will reveal masterpieces of art  and crafts for more than 40 years to present times,  simply signed with three small initials :  MDM.

(To be continued)

Joelle’s Tips:

Photo credit Armenian Jewish Silversmith : Chayas. com / and Photo of Mr Curtis  courtesy Society of American Silversmiths

All hand painted illustrations as well as the Judaica objects d’ art are from the Jerusalem private collection of MDM.

They can be made to order if not available in stock, price is on demand and can be delivered personally to your home.

MDM : Original Judaica on Parchment and Silver

Contact Info in the US :  Eitan Nissanian eitan126@yahoo.com  / Tel +1( 718) 544-0180 / cell +1 ( 917) 582 57 51 / (646) 270-0680

Desert photo Copyrights : common  writes / Wikipedia. The image has been released into the public domain by its author, Roybb95.