"Hotel Verhagen, Ghent, Belgium Centrally located, the sumptuous Hôtel Verhaegen is a mine of local history. Formerlya private mansion inhabited by barons and counts, the five room hotel has been carefully restored by its current owners, a pair of interior designers. Original details include ornate fireplaces and canvases by the 18th century Ghent painter Pieter Norbert van Reijsschoot. This appeared in the September/October 2010 issue."

"Happy Hour Brilliance in One of Belgium’s Lesser Known Cities Poor Ghent often gets overlooked, thanks in large part to nearby Bruges. For some reason Bruges has always been labeled as the pretty one, or the one most likely to succeed. What most visitors don’t realize is that Ghent also enjoys many of the same features that have made Bruges so famous. One of my favorite things to do in Ghent is to enjoy evening drinks with friends alongside the canals. Flemish design is easy to spot, the gables and unique style giving it away every time. Ghent looks more like Amsterdam than a Belgian city and it’s easy to lose oneself in the romance that waterside views necessarily evoke. For a great drink head to any of the canal side restaurants and order the only beer made locally, Gruut. The brewster, Annick De Splenter, spent years researching medieval methods of creating gruut beer that is made without hops and has created a delicious line of beers that are true to the history of the region and of course taste amazing."

"Belgian Chocolates Chocolate seems to be a Belgian obsession and many areas of the country have their own specialties and unique approaches to this popular sweet. Ghent is no different and I found a wide variety of chocolates from the traditional to the modern. My favorite chocolate shop was Van Hecke’s, operating for more than 70 years through three generations of chocolatiers. Pralines are their specialty, but they have a wide range of chocolate to suit most tastes. My favorite was a chocolate coated with a thin layer of sugar adding crunch and texture to the bite."

"Lobster Six Ways As Canadian expat in Belgium, one thing I miss is the sea (and good lobster), so when I saw "Lobster Six Ways" on the menu at the House of Eliott in Ghent, I had to try it. Far from the traditional 'crack it open and dig in' style lobster I was used to, this was still a wonderful meal. The varieties included a curry lobster and a more traditional herb and garlic sauce. Even if lobster isn't your thing, this quirky restaurant is worth visiting. It's a bit like dining in your crazy Aunt Nelly's attic. The homage to Coco Chanel in the lady's room is worth the trip on its own."

"Waterzooi, Ghent, Belgium Waterzooi (VAT-ter-zo-ey) is a traditional Flemishstew made with chicken, vegetables, cream, and eggyolks. (In years past, chicken was omitted in favor offish plucked from the city’s waterways.) In the trendyPatershol quarter, order a much-lauded version ofwaterzooi at Bij den Wijzen en den Zot, a restauranthoused in a guildhall built in the 16th century. This appeared in the September/October 2010 issue."

"Waffles in Belgium I’m a weird guy, so when I tell people I enjoy eating foods named for destinations most people don’t even bat an eye. Sometimes the food is great, sometimes it’s not, but one of my favorite eponymous culinary delights is the Belgian waffle. Before my first trip to Belgium I thought that surely this was an American creation, there’s no way waffles are that popular in Belgium. And I was horribly, horribly wrong. Waffles aren’t just found in Belgium, they’re everywhere. Granted this is probably in part due to the tourist trade, but it’s also a part of the Belgian culinary culture. There are many variations of this doughy treat, but two kinds in particular are found throughout the country. The Brussels waffle is most similar to what we enjoy here in the U.S. It’s a light, deceptively so, dough cooked into a rectangular shape featuring large pockets. My favorite though was the Liège waffle, something I had never even heard of before my trip to Belgium. What makes the Liège version different is that it’s richer, denser and sweeter than the Brussels variety. It’s also in a less uniform shape and when topped with Nutella makes for a delicious snack or dessert. Waffles are found everywhere from food trucks to sit down restaurants, but one of my favorite places to enjoy waffles is at the Etablissement Max in Ghent. Located near St. Bavo Cathedral, the brasserie-style restaurant is a delicious and traditional take on this tasty snack, dessert or even meal."

"Eating Local in Ghent Housed in the old meat market is an innovative shop and cafe, the Het Groot Vleeshuis. Here visitors can sample a variety of Ghent and Flemish foods, learning about the region along the way. One of the highlights of the restaurant is the famous Ganda Ham. Ganda (an archaic term for Ghent) hams are dry cured and aged for anywhere from nine to fourteen months. The taste is a little salty but otherwise mild. I was surprised at the distinct differences between the longer aged hams and found a little bit of perfection when they were paired with a spicy Ghent mustard."

"Jenever - The Flemish liquor Jenever is a juniper flavored liquor from which gin evolved. Today it’s only made in the Netherlands and Belgium and is a strong and popular drink. While the straight stuff may be a bit harsh, jenever bars also feature a wide range of flavored shots from mango to vanilla and everything in between. In Ghent the place to go is ‘t Dreupelkot, run by the usualy grumpy proprieter Pol. The drink is served in tall shot glasses and is a great way to start an evening or just spend some time chatting with friends."

"Ghent's Lovely Fine Art Museum Art-lovers should not miss the Museum of Fine Arts (Museum voor Schone Kunsten) or MSK, in Ghent, Belgium. This bite-sized museum offers a great overview of of European art, particularly Belgian, from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Currently, the MSK is undertaking the restoration of Ghent’s most famous artwork, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, by the Van Eyck brothers. Visitors can watch the entire process as it takes place behind glass. The architecture of the building is as lovely as the art contained inside, as seen in the photo above. The Mub’art Brasserie has a lovely terrace and is a great place for a bite to eat when you tire of admiring the art."

"Ghent's Design Museum If you like your art to have practical purposes, don't miss Ghent's lovely Design Museum. Here you will find decorative arts such as furnishings, appliances and dishware from Belgium's design history. The museum is inside the 18th century Hotel de Coninck, once owned by a wealthy Flemish family. One section of the museum is preserved as it was during this period. A new and modern section of the museum houses functional art from other periods, including Belgium's most famous design era - the Art Nouveau period. For more information on Ghent's Art Museums: http://cheeseweb.eu/2012/08/art-museums-ghent-belgium/"

"Modern Design meets Traditional Architecture The new and high-tech city museum of Ghent is well worth a visit. Interactive exhibits make the museum fun for all ages, but it's the contrast of modern and ancient that is truly unique. The STAM is located on the larger Bijloke site. Now a haven for culture, not far from Ghent’s historic centre, the Bijloke was once an abbey, convent and hospital. Highlights of the museum include: donning booties so you can stand on a giant map of Ghent, the restored vaulted ceilings of the medieval refectory and the exhibition on Ghent's most famous work of art, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Kids will enjoy the giant Lego table with models of Ghent's famous bell-towers."

"The Only Brewery in Ghent Belgium is known for a lot of things and fine beer is near the top of that list. Given how popular beer is I was surprised to learn that there’s only one operating brewery in Ghent itself, but what a brewery it is. The Gruut Brewery is relatively new, but it has quickly become a culinary staple. The brewster, Annick De Splenter, spent years researching medieval methods of creating gruut beer that is made without hops and has created a delicious line of beers that are true to the history of the region and of course taste amazing."

"Gravensteen Fortress Going here and seeing all the instruments of torture really sent shivers down my spine. Very cool to see but in a really creepy way, like the Human Body Exhibit :). From the top you get very nice views of Gent. Worth a visit if you are in Gent."