A little touch of Korea has arrived on the North Shore with Ilseon Baek’s Hangawi. Try the haemooljungal (spicy cow’s tripe with vegetable casserole) for bulking up or the samkeitang (chicken ginseng soup) to feel in ruddy good health just sitting there. But the essential ingredient of Korean cooking is kim chi - a fiery composition of fermented Chinese cabbage with cayenne pepper, chili and buckets of garlic and oh, some horseradish, cucumber and anything else the chef feels like adding on that particular day. Whatever form you find it, try it. Expect to pay around $20 (£8) and bring your own booze.
Cirque du Soleil - Dralion
November 13, 2008 — newageguyzThe colourful world-renowned Cirque du Soleil returns with a new production ‘Dralion’, whose title is inspired by the legendary half-dragon, half-lion Chinese creature. The dragon represents the East, while the lion symbolises the West and the show is inspired by Eastern philosophy. Once again, this is a world inhabited by magic and circus arts. Featuring 54 artists from all over the globe, expect truly remarkable acrobatics, music and theatre.
You II
November 3, 2008 — newageguyzAmsterdam’s first official woman’s disco has just opened its doors. No longer destined to hop from one location to another, lesbians of all persuasions now have one dancing hot spot, where they can go to enjoy long cosy social evenings to a house and disco beat. Boys are also allowed, but only if accompanied by a woman.
Toraya
November 1, 2008 — newageguyzThe high proportion of Japanese customers at the Paris branch of the Tokyo supplier of cakes to the Imperial Palace is a good reflection of the quality and authenticity of the teas and cakes on offer. Its recent bold redecoration by French architect Sylvain Dubuisson won’t be to everyone’s taste (pale wood panelling on walls and ceiling, with designer leather chairs in beige and orange), but the teas cancel any doubts about the setting. Don’t miss the sublime, soul-warming ‘gyokuro’, which, like the other teas on offer, you can also buy in packets to take away. A menu of sweet delicacies includes red bean cakes and jellies, and ‘abekawa-mochi ‘ - deliciously chewy rice cakes dusted with soya flour - all served, like the tea, on exquisitely elegant Japanese tableware.
Foire de Paris
October 29, 2008 — newageguyzThis giant fair is a sort of cross between the Ideal Home exhibition and the Food & Wine fair. It also includes sport, leisure and environment sections, plus the Concours Lépine, devoted to often crazy, but sometimes inspired inventions.
Parcours chanté
October 28, 2008 — newageguyzThe genteel environs of Le Botanique play host to a celebration of Francophone culture for three weeks in March. The bill, which features 30 different acts, caters for very eclectic tastes. Highlights include the sparse folk-rock of Senegalese protest singer El Hadj N’Diaye, the blues of Boubakar Traoré from Mali, the techno of French group Bosco and the electro-Arabic marriage arranged by Tunisian chanteuse Amina. Indigenous Belgian talent is also well-represented with Daniel Hélin, William Dunker, Marc Morgan and Vive La Fête.
