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A watercolour illustation of a mouth, inside is a gold ball and colour is rising that looks like a sunrise.

Flenglish – Morning

In an attempt to learn more Flemish, I asked my in-laws to give me their favourite Flemish sayings and I would illustrate them as I go. It's a sporadic project that I'm going to share with you as I go. This is from my father-in-law, Michel: "de ochtendstond heeft goud in de mond"Flemish saying "the morning has ...

Closeup of watercolor pate

Flenglish: Bourgondier

My husband has started a side-business making #pateforthepeople! He's selling his handmade pâtés, inspired by Belgian tradition, at the 124 Street Grand Market in Edmonton, Alberta. Check out his website, bourgondier.ca, to see the market schedule and learn more about his pâtés. I'll also be there, sending out smiles, ...

Grid collage of portraits of women I think are hele grote madams.

Flenglish: To be a Large Woman

In Belgium there is a term for a "larger than life" woman. She does what she pleases, she's confident, and people respect her. She's a hele grote madam. I'm due for another Flenglish lesson, where I explain some cool things I've learned from the Flemish language and applied them to my english vocabulary. The first time I ...

Grote Markt, Leuven during Christmas

Urban Dictionary – Flemish Party Slang

Over Christmas, Billy and I went over to Belgium to spend the holidays with our family on the other side of the pond. During numerous nights out, I asked some of his friends what are some nightlife slang words in Flemish, or Vlaams. All of them were eager to share - it seems they are enthusiastic about my Vlaams studies. ...

Eat and Learn Flemish – Pannenkoeken

I'm studying Flemish again. I'll admit that I have struggled to stay focused on my goal to learn and speak Flemish over the past two years. I'm happy to report that today marks my fourth week of dedicating 90 minutes/week to my studies. Billy also suggested that on Mondays we will only speak Flemish in the house. So tonight ...

Cyclo-Cross: My New Sport Obsession

It's cold, wet, and muddy. I'm standing on the sidelines of a bike track with a beer and a cone of fries. Then suddenly a pack of racers, covered head to toe in mud whip by me, with muscles bulging out of their spandex suits and a fierce look in their eye. Within 10 minutes being a newbie cyclocross spectator I was ...

Wine: Your First Sip Towards Expert

[caption id="attachment_1507" align="aligncenter" width="660"] A glass of Rosé in France. Photo complements of JDR[/caption] You’ve just been handed a glass of wine at a fancy vineyard on your trip abroad. You can’t wait to wrap your lips around the glass and taste that liquid gold dance over your taste buds and tease ...