A Sunday in the Park

A few weeks ago we enjoyed a lovely Sunday afternoon in Auderghem. We bicycled along the bike trail on Sovereign across from Val Duchesse. We played a round of putt-putt golf with Elisabeth and Kate. Afterwards we walked to the lake. It was a picturesque afternoon with swans swimming under weeping willow trees, families picnicing on the shore, and rowboats in the lake. Rich and Elisabeth rowed us around the lake. It reminded me of the French Post-Impressionist painter Georges Seurat's A Sunday in the Park.

After venturing onto the lake, we sat at a table at the Brasserie des Etangs Mellaerts. I enjoyed a Lemon Spa (i.e. Sprite in Belgium) and Rich enjoyed a local beer. The girls played on the playground behind the restaurant. Most families were enjoying a late 3-4 hour lunch.

Brasserie des Etangs Mellaerts

Bld Souverain 275 Vorstlaan

1150 Woluwe-St. Lambert

Belgians seem to have a great life and enjoy themselves. Often restaurants are near playgrounds. The parents sit, smoke and drink while the children play on the playground, ride ponies, and jump in moon bounces.

Rich and I discussed the possibility of opening something similar in Virginia along the bike trail. But, we're not sure it would work: Americans just don't sit and enjoy a 3-4 hour meal that often. Plus, we would have a difficult time matching the quality of French cuisine in Belgium. If only we could take another year off at the Cordon Bleu in Paris....