Stepping it out in cold Brussels

The past few weeks has been colder than usual in Brussels.  If I closed my eyes, I could have easily been at my parents home in the US-Canada border.  I haven't lived in Upstate NY since college and needless to say, I do not miss the winters. To run a spring marathon means that you have to deal with adverse weather, especially in the beginning of training, which can be challenging.  It also does not help that I despise treadmills therefore indoor running is not an option.
Additionally, I've declare that running my personal record in Madrid this spring is not an option.  As I run, I visualize a big 4:20 flashing through the finish line.  I picture myself drinking bottles upon bottles of cava to celebrate such accomplishment.  I found myself having these fantasies, freezing in my apartment as the central heating broke in our building.  That made it even harder to get out there for a run. Although some days I was lazy during this period, I must say that I stuck to 80% of the schedule during the last few weeks.  I layered appopiately, although I looked like a Latina Rainbow Brite with all my mismatched ear warmers, fleeces, and gloves. 

The start of a very cold week

The snow and ice were a challenge and I am still surprised that I did not take a fall.  I was happy to run around the Lakes of Ixelles as the trails were clean.  I was also surprised that the trails behind my job in Diegem were also cleaned up.  Te rest of the city not quite so. Unlike Upstate NY, Brussels doesn't quite prepare itself for incliment weather. In their defense, this period of snow and freezing temperatures is not as common.
Slowly the city has been warming up this week. Amazing what 10 extra degrees Fahrenheit.  This morning began with showers but I was relieved that it was mild and dry by lunchtime.  I took the opportunity to run 5 miles and the unexpected happened, the sun came out.  Mild weather in the high 40's (Fahrenheit) with sun felt glorious after running in freezing temperatures. Hopefully the Groundhog is not applicable to Belgium and this is the last we see of this awful weather.

Adventures in True Love

Even in Belgium it is impossible to escape Valentine's Day.  This country has also succumbed to it with every chocolate shop lined up with little heart boxes and restaurants advertising their Valentine's Day menu.   I am a believer in Love but as I have said in my previous two Valentine's Day posts, I believe that we should show our love to those who makes us happy every day.  It doesn't need to be a grand gesture.  Maybe a home cooked meal or a simple favor.  Sometimes we obsess about being single when we receive so many different forms of love in our life.

A little Valentine's Day treat from Jessica's True Love Cupcakes

Recovering from a broken heart brought me to Belgium the first time. Love brought me back a second time around.  That love did not survive but I will never regret returning for it.  I left Brussels for Miami last summer and there I lived a short yet amazing romance.  Although my heart was broken shortly upon my return, I am happy that my heart still has the ability to feel this way. In the beginning it was difficult to accept the end, but recently I have come to cherish those brief moments we had and welcomed happiness into my life. Happiness in the form of cherishing all the blessings I have in my life.
I believe love is infinite. We chose how much we want to give.  When things don't end up the way you want them to be, it is easy to swear off that feeling.  When I feel this way, I remind myself that success is achieved rarely without risks.  Those are the moments when we first meet someone who completely takes our breath away and then we get a wave of uncertainty because of the pain we have been through in the past.  We start thinking of the future instead of living in that moment. I recently had that brief moment of bliss when meeting someone for the first time.  Everything in me brightened up when we were introduced.  I savored the present by listening to his voice and looking into his eyes.  Since then we have met a few times. His kindness, eyes, and laughter give me a perpetual smile.  I just want to stay in this present moment.  That feeling for me is all worth the risk.  Wishing you an amazing Valentines Day. Call a friend, parent, or significant other and tell them how much you love them. 

Another Puertorriqueño in Brussels..... review of the Gabriel Rios concert

While meeting Flemish people in Belgium, I am always asked where I am from.  When I say I grew up in Puerto Rico,  the answer I always get is: "so do you know Gabriel Rios?".  I had no idea who this guy was until I arrived in Belgium but I could not be happier to have discovered this great performer.  My curiosity was sparked as I found out he had moved to Belgium from Puerto Rico when he was only eighteen years old.  Since then, he has been making music in Belgium and gathering a huge following in Flanders and Holland.  When I went to You Tube to see what the fuss was all about, I was very impressed on how he managed the Latin, Belgian, and American elements into his music.  The more time I spend here in Belgium, the more I can relate.
When I saw he was performing at the Ancienne Belgique (AB), I had to recruit my friends, to include a fellow Boricua who is living in Holland to check him out.  I had been listening to his first two albums, Angelhead and Ghostboy frequently on my way to work.  I must admit that I love his songs in Spanish more than the ones in English, especially "Tu no me quieres" and "Las Calaveras". 

Gabriel Rios at the Ancienne Belgique, February 3rd, 2012

One of the things that I enjoy about the AB is the intimate setting and superb acoustics. Due to the snowstorm that hit just a few hours before the concert, it was not as packed although it was sold out.  Even my compatriot from Holland was not able to make it due to the foul weather. Even with the challenges of the snow, there was a great crowd.  Gabriel arrived on time and delivered a spectacular extended set of songs.  I also loved the style of the concert, he even brought a cello player to accompany him in a few songs.
He focused mostly on his new record, The Dangerous Return and other songs he was working on.  His voice is spectacular and has this amazing presence on stage.  What I admired most was the chemistry between the musicians in his band.   I was impressed with the eye contact they had almost each other while they played and how it looked like they were having the time of their lives playing.  I was a saddened by the fact that he did not play that many songs in Spanish but he did a few I was not familiar with and his range is even more moving in Spanish.
Compared to other nationalities, there are not that many Puertoricans in Belgium so it was refreshing to see that uno de nosotros is making us proud here in Belgium.  I am happy that I had the opportunity to witness such a lively and moving concert from one of my compatriots and his amazing band.  Looking forward to seeing him in the future.

Adventures in London Running

One of the best ways to discover a city is by running.  I try the best I can to go for runs while traveling. During a long weekend trip to London, I had the opportunity to go for two runs in two beautiful parks.  The first run was on a Saturday morning at Hampstead Heath park.  The park has great trails with some challenging hills.  We ran four quality miles around the park. For a Saturday morning there were a lot of people, many walking their beautiful dogs.  As I ran, I imagined how beautiful this place must be in the summer.  I was also told by my friend that there is a pond open for swimming in the summer, which can be great for those who are training for Triathlons.
The following day, I joined my friend Lida for a long run (15k) at Regent's Park.  I met Lida when we ran the Amsterdam marathon in 2010.  She currently lives in London and has managed to run almost 50 marathons since 2006!  She is set to run her 50th marathon in her hometown of Prague (we ran Prague together last year) this spring.  Given her passion for running, I knew that she would be the source for great running places in London. 

I truly enjoyed our long run at Regent's Park starting with The Hub, an area in the middle of the park with changing rooms, lockers, and showers.  I wish more parks had facilities like this as it makes runners more flexible with their schedules and valuables.  The park is lively on a Sunday afternoon:  the grounds are covered with guys (some very good looking) playing rugby, soccer, and to my amazement American football!  We ran through the gardens, some of which still had flowers. As we went through the trails, we were also able to catch glimpses of the London Zoo. I envied the water fountains along the road as I only wish that Brussels had the same.

After our run we rewarded ourselves with lunch at Carnaby street and talked about  the upcoming Madrid marathon which she will run as well.  It was great to get feedback and pointers from someone who has ran so many marathons.  I believe her best quality is her love for running which proves that running is not a chore or something you have to do, but something we can all truly enjoy.

Adventures in London

Usually my adventures in other lands involve friends who I have met in Brussels and move on to other (and sometimes more glamorous) lands.  This past weekend, I headed to London to visit my friend Marissa who I met while we were graduate students in Brussels.  Being my third time in London, I have already seen London Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, and Wicked on West End.  This time, I craved to discover local neighborhoods.  There were many highlights of the trip but there is only so much space to talk about my favorite ones.


Tasting at market



My friend lives in the Hampstead neighborhood in the north London.  The area is surrounded by beautiful homes, interesting shops, and restaurants.  One thing I always do on my trips to London is an Indian meal.  On Friday night, we went to Paradise Hampstead for an Indian dinner.  The restaurant was very cozy, food was delicious,  great service, ending dinner with amaretto and limoncello on the house. 



Market Indulgence



The following day, Marissa took me to their neighborhood park, Hampstead Heath , for a run. The park is beautiful and we managed to do a nice four mile run around the park.  I loved running through the ponds and I could only imagine how much more beautiful it is in the summertime.  As an animal lover, I loved running by all the beautiful dogs on their morning walks.  The hills were challenging but it was a great way to get the day started as our next stop was the Broadway Market. This market, located between East End street between the Regent’s Canal and London Fields was the perfect stop after a run because the food possibilities were endless.  We finally settled for falafel wraps and shared a slice of organic carrot cake and mini cupcakes for dessert.  I loved the local feel of the market. Despite the cold weather, the atmosphere was very lively with live music from street performers and a diverse set of people shopping, eating and drinking.

My piece of local Islington art

We continued on to the Islington, a neighborhood in central London.  We walked around the stands along the alleys filled with antique art and jewelry.  I was taken by the lovely vintage shops (I wish I could have won my scratch off lottery ticket I bought at Tesco so I could afford some of the dresses!).  After walking all day through the markets and window shopping, we met up with a friend to do another culinary must  experience in London: the Gastropub.  We went to the Horseshoe Pub Hampstead for dinner and drinks and the bartender gave me stouts to sample before I made my choice.  Although my fish and chips was good, the toasts with anchovies and Parmesan custard stole the show. Great service: when the waiter couldn't find amaretto for my apres dinner drink, he went downstairs to the cellar to find it for me. 

No trip to London complete without fish and chips

On my final day in London, I did a little shopping.  Again, if I could have only won the lottery!  I went to Liberty to pick up some products for my friend and I was overwhelmed with all the beautiful things it had to offer.  My favorite was the stationery section, filled with intricately designed handcrafted cards and journals. But the highlight of my shopping trip was buying perfume at Jo Malone.  When I could not decide which fragrance to get, the shop assistant gave me a hand massage with both of the fragrances I was debating on.  I did not want it to end!  Altogether, the service in London is very good.

Although I enjoyed my first two times in London, it still had not achieved "favorite"status for me.  Third time is a charm! Now I feel there is no excuse not to go to London from Brussels. Two hours and 88 EUR Eurostar train ride later, you can be in a totally different atmosphere.  This weekend escape offered everything: food, atmosphere, shopping, and great running. 

2012, year of trying new things in Brussels: La Britannique

One of my goals is to try new things this year.  After five years of living in Belgium, I have grown accustomed to the places I have grown to love, missing out on great things to see and do in this country. I am determined to get out beyond my southern Ixelles neighborhood I love so much.  When I saw the brunch concept of La Britannique, a popular catering company in Brussels, I knew I had to take part of this.  Every weekend there is a different theme and spaces a very limited as there is one table which serves around 15 people.  I asked my friend Jane, of Best of Brussels to join me as the theme of the brunch was "American Classics". 

Pumpkin Bread

When we arrived to La Britannique, I automatically loved the atmosphere.  The brunch takes place in a small dining room next to the kitchen of the catering company.  We were surrounded by hundreds of cooking books, glasses, and bottles of wine.  We were the first to arrive and were greeted by Alex, the owner of La Britannique who walked us through the menu of homemade pumpkin bread, cheese plate, blueberry pancakes, maple tarts, sausages, and my favorite, eggs Benedict.  As we sipped on Alex's take of the mimosa: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and cava, we were excited to taste all the yummy things that were being offered.

Cheese Plate

As more guests began to arrive, I was impressed with the diverse group and was great to meet interesting people in a relaxed environment.  Alex and his staff brought the dishes fresh from the stove/oven to us, so everything had a very fresh flavor.  Refills of juice, coffee, and water were always at hand, which is a luxury here in Brussels.

Eggs Benedict

We began our feast with pumpkin bread, warm from the oven.  The bread had a great texture, topped with caramelized pumpkin seeds, delicious and probably my favorite part of the menu.  My second favorite were the eggs Benedict,  poached eggs over homemade English muffins with candied bacon and homemade hollandaise sauce.  Everything on the menu was delicious but I had to play favorites with these two.
We agreed our favorite part of the experience is having such a personal experience with the chef.  In addition to meeting nice and interesting people it was great to be in a welcoming environment with delicious and fresh food.  I look forward to returning to taste what La Britannique cooks next.

Adventures in Cupcake Baking



We all begin the new year with different goals. Some we stick to and some we're done with after the second week. Two of my goals are quite contradictory but they seem to be working so far: expand my cupcakery and run a sub 4:30 marathon. Although I am not much into sweets, I love to bake. There is something about the process, experimentation, and finally, the happiness of people who love my baked goods. This made me create a little home based cupcakery called Jessica’s True Love. My intent is not to become rich from this endeavor but it is a great way to channel my creative side given my technical day jobs. There are also some perks: during the quality control process, I get to taste my little creations. This is when I realize my running goal comes in handy in order not to expand my waistline.



Savory Experiment:  Mini Cornbread with Roasted Red Peppers topped with Fromage Frais

Chocolate Filled with Passion Fruit Curd (some sans buttercream.... to fufill those with resolutions)

During the winter break at my hometown in Upstate, NY, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen where my cooking skills developed as a teenager. My mom and my cousin gave me a hand with the baking and plenty of relatives were able to be my taste test my cupcakes and give feedback. Another highlight of being home is the variety at supermarkets (specifically my favorite place, Wegmans) with ingredients and products at great prices which allowed me to experiment with tropical fruit such as guava and passion fruit and gluten-free flour.


During this experimentation process, I decided to share all of my new findings with my friends by having a "start the new year with a cupcake apero" upon my return to Brussels. What better taste testers than your friends? I must admit was not ready for the overwhelming response of people who RSVP’d but as the Marine I am, I rose to the challenge. I decided to put all my experimentation on the table and have my friends decide. The experiments ranged from savory zucchini with Gruyere and bacon to mini cheesecakes with speculoos frosting. As I baked, random waves of inspiration such as guava cream cheese filling I added to my vanilla cupcakes or a chocolate orange ganache. The ganache reminded me to one of my favorite Belgian chocolate treats: the orangettes. I actually ended up making home-made truffles with the leftover ganache. 

Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes and Mini Cheesecakes with Speculoos Crust



Two days of baking and over two hundred cupcakes later, I was ready to share my ideas with my very diverse set of friends. I was overwhelmed and humbled by all the compliments and feedback. It gave me the confidence to continue to promote my little endeavor of love. I think there is something about the creative process when nothing is expected in return which makes me take more creative risks. I am happy to have a group of friends who support True Love and I look forward to making more people happy with my treats in 2012.