Buying Local

Despite the fact that my house feels like more of a "fixer upper" the longer we live here (it doesn't help that I am completely neurotic about house stuff...) I love our location and our neighborhood. I am super close to public transportation, the boys' school is a 5 minute stroll from my house and we have a wonderful "town square" as I call it, a similar 5 minute stroll away. I am totally charmed by our little neighborhood square. It reminds of me of a little town out of a Gilmore Girls episode. There is a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker (ok, so not really, but there is a locksmith...) a hair salon, a barber, a couple of clothing stores, a laundromat, a florist, a Chinese resturant (?!), a pharmacie/apotheek (think store-sized Clarins counter), and a small little neighborhood market. All of these stores form a circle around a beautiful Catholic church, whose bells gong regularly. On Wednesday mornings there is a local market, with other vendors that come to the town square. In Brussels, my neighborhood is not unique, as is it my understanding that most neighborhoods have their own little markets and shops as well.

This afternoon we took a stroll to the town square. We waved to the florist, talked briefly with the barber (who has cut both of the boys hair and loves my dimples), made an appointment to have my hair cut next week at the salon, bought some fruits and veggies and some local candy from the market, picked up a fresh baguette and apple tart from the bakery, and purchased some chicken from the butcher for dinner. Although in some cases the prices are a little higher, and to feed my family completely I need to supplement my trips to the town market and butcher, I find a great sense of satisfaction shopping in these stores. I love that everything is so fresh and I am supporting my local neighborhood. I love that everytime I go into the store there is the shop keeper himself. The baker that made the goods I am buying, the butcher that cut the meat, the family that is trying to survive by running the town market. And even though I can hardly communicate with them verbally, I can feel their appreciation for stopping in and purchasing their goods. There are many things that Belgium does wrong (like the fact that it takes 6 weeks to get a phone and internet connection) but easy access to fresh, local food in small shops is something they definitely have right.