October 2013 Thanksgiving Dinner Dates to Remember American Expat Finances A Guided Visit to the Mont-de-Piété Fashion Museum Anniversary Visit Pioneers' Dinner Joint ACB & AmCham Belgium Halloween Party Final Friday Cocktails A Guided Visit to the Rogier van der Weyden Exhibition Moving Irving Berlin's Piano Introducing - The Sheraton Brussels Hotel Save these Dates Brewery Visit "Nuts!" Night, Monday, December 16 Community News Ghent International Film Festival ATC's 12 Angry Men Return to Top Thanksgiving Dinner Join the ACB for one of its most popular social events – a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of roast turkey with all the trimmings, followed by an assortment of real American pies. This very American event will be held on Thanksgiving Day itself, Thursday, November 28, at 7:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in Brussels. Whole turkeys are carved and served family-style at tables for eight. It’s just like home, only better, because someone else does the cooking. The menu is: Apéritif **** New England clam chowder **** Turkey with stuffing Mashed potatoes & gravy Sweet potatoes Green beans with mushrooms Corn pudding Beets Cranberry jelly **** Pecan pie Mince pie Apple pie Pumpkin pie Event Details: Place: Sheraton Brussels Hotel, Horizon Room (30th floor), Place Rogier 3, 1210 Brussels (St.-Josse-ten-Noode) Date: Thursday, November 28 Time: 7:00 p.m. Price: €70 for ACB members (includes apéritif, one-half bottle of house wine, soft drinks, and mineral water); €80 for non-members. €38 for children under 12. Public transportation: Metro lines 2, 3, 4, 6: Rogier Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Friday, November 22 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online at www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Thanksgiving” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Friday, November 22. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Register - Thanksgiving Dinner Return to Top Dates to Remember Wednesday, October 2: Joint Gala Dinner for Ambassador Denise Bauer with AmCham Belgium at the Steigenberger Grandhotel, Brussels Thursday, October 10: Dunhill International Financial Planners seminar, Brussels Tuesday, October 15: Guided visit to the Mont-de-Piété pawnshop and auction rooms, Brussels Saturday, October 26: Guided visit to Antwerp’s Fashion Museum (MoMu) Monday, October 28: Pioneers’ Dinner at Château Sainte-Anne, Auderghem Wednesday, October 30: Halloween Party with AmCham Belgium at the Renaissance Brussels Hotel November: A guided visit to a Belgian brewery Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving dinner at the Sheraton Brussels Hotel Friday, November 29: Final Friday Cocktails at Le Méridien Brussels Sunday, December 1: Guided visit to the Rogier van der Weyden exhibition, Brussels Monday, December 16: The ACB’s “Nuts” Night black-tie gala dinner-dance, Brussels Return to Top American Expat Finances Dunhill International Financial Planners will hold a complimentary seminar on how Americans living overseas can deal with the ever-changing regulatory environment and the resulting financial challenges. Dunhill Financial will explain these changes and offer the best solutions to tackle the new regulations. This event is co-sponsored by the American Club of Brussels. Deloitte will assist to give its perspective, and the authors of Retiring in Belgium: A Guide for Expats will present some aspects of preparing for retirement. Event Details: Place: Le Méridien Brussels, Carrefour de l’Europe 3, 1000 Brussels Date: Thursday, October 10 Time: Reception at 6:00 p.m., presentation at 6:30 p.m. Price: Free Public transportation: Walking distance from Gare Centrale/Centraal Station Sign up: http://www.dunhillfinancial.be/events.html Return to Top A Guided Visit to the Mont-de-Piété Join us on Tuesday, October 15, for a guided visit to a venerable and little-known Belgian institution: the Mont-de-Piété, the only remaining official pawnbroker in this country. It is often a depot for amazing finds in estate jewelry, art, and much more. Pawnbroking started legally in Italy in the 15th century when an Italian monk, Barnabé de Terni, created a charitable institution in Perouse in 1462 which would lend money to the poor in return for a pledge. The Mont-de-Piété in Brussels was opened in 1618 under the reign of Archdukes Albert and Isabella, but today’s neo-classical building dates from 1862. It is the oldest official financial institution in Belgium. Our guide will explain the history and purpose of the institution, and we will visit the building which includes an interior garden with a lovely pool and the remains of a Capuchin convent. After the visit, which lasts about 1½ hours, you are free to have lunch on your own at any of the many restaurants in the Marolles area and then return to the Mont-de-Piété for the auction at 1:00 p.m. Please note that this visit is limited to 25 people. Event Details: Place: Mont-de-Piété, Rue Saint-Ghislain 21, 1000 Brussels Date: Tuesday, October 15 Time: 10:00 a.m. Price: €10 for ACB members, €15 for non-members Public transportation: Buses 27, 48: Blaes; buses 34, 95, 96: Grand’Sablon Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Friday, October 11 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online at www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Mont-de-Piete” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Friday, October 11. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Register - Mont-de-Piété Return to Top Fashion Museum Anniversary Visit Come on up to Antwerp for a guided visit of the exhibition “50 Years: Antwerp Fashion Department.” This exhibit is one of the many projects organized by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp to celebrate its 350th anniversary. The exhibition highlights various aspects of the academy’s fashion education during its first 50 years, including the unique fashion program that encourages students to reach their utmost potential and to develop a distinctive artistic signature. The exhibition also illustrates the diverse careers of the Academy’s alumni, and how this program has left a significant mark on the international fashion world. Special attention is paid to the “Antwerp Six” designers, including Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, and Dries Van Noten. After the tour we will take a short, informal stroll around the fashion district, followed by lunch at an as yet undisclosed location. Don’t worry, Shopaholics, there will be plenty of time for browsing and buying. Event Details: Place: Fashion Museum Province of Antwerp (MoMu), Nationalestraat 28, 2000 Antwerp Date: Saturday, October 26 Time: 10:30 a.m. Price: To be confirmed Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Wednesday, October 23 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online via http://www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Antwerp” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Wednesday, October 23. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Return to Top Pioneers’ Dinner The Pioneers’ Club of Brussels will hold its next black-tie dinner at the Château Sainte-Anne on the evening of Monday, October 28. We are proud to have as our guest of honor a retired Belgian ambassador, the Honorable Pierre Colot, who will give a short presentation entitled “Radical Islam is not Islam.” Ambassador Colot has a major international reputation and remains active in his pursuit of a variety of interests, including current affairs and theology. He has served Belgium in a long list of locations, including Washington, D.C., Kiev, as well as various assignments in the Middle East, all of which have given him an in-depth knowledge of the dynamics of these countries. Our formal dinner will begin with an apéritif, followed by a full-course meal (menu to be announced), and conclude with coffee and tea in the adjacent bar. This is always a fun and informative evening, and we look forward to seeing friends new and old at this magnificent venue. Event Details: Date: Monday, October 28 Place: Château Sainte-Anne, Rue du Vieux Moulin 103, 1160 Brussels (Auderghem) Time: Drinks at 7:30 p.m., dinner at 8:00 p.m. Price: €70 for ACB members and their guests Dress code: Black-tie for men; formal attire (long or short) for women Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Wednesday, October 23 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online via http://www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Pioneers” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Wednesday, October 23. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Register - Pioneers' Dinner Return to Top Joint ACB & AmCham Belgium Halloween Party The American Club of Brussels and AmCham Belgium invite you to celebrate Halloween a day early this year – on Wednesday, October 30. Please join us for this annual celebration. Costumes are encouraged. There will be snacks, a cash bar, and prizes for the best female and best male costume, so be sure to come in your most creative Halloween attire. There will be lots of young professionals present, thanks to our collaboration with the Australia Society, InterNations, and the Irish Club of Belgium. This is an ideal opportunity to network and meet new people in an enjoyable way. Event Details: Place: Renaissance Brussels Hotel, Rue du Parnasse 19, 1050 Brussels (Ixelles) Date: Wednesday, October 30 Time: 6:30 p.m. Price: €10 Public transportation: Walking distance from Place du Luxembourg Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Monday, October 28 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online at http://www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Halloween” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Monday, October 28. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Register - Halloween Party Return to Top Final Friday Cocktails Friday, November 29 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Le Méridien Brussels Carrefour de l’Europe 3 1000 Brussels The American Club of Brussels is happy to welcome our friends from Brussels British Network The Canadian Club of Belgium InterNations - American Network The Irish Club of Belgium And anyone else who would like to join us... Cash bar open to all. No reservation is required. The American Club of Brussels Wants You Would you like to have fun, make new contacts and help the Club? Then become a "Meet and Greet" host at our monthly Final Friday Cocktails. No experience necessary. Your job definition is to greet attendees and ensure that people feel welcome and meet other people. Your Club runs on volunteer power, so please volunteer for this essential task. Contact Brian Dunhill at bdunhill@gmail.com for further information. Return to Top A Guided Visit to the Rogier van der Weyden Exhibition Join us on Sunday, December 1 for a guided visit of the exhibition, “The Heritage of Rogier van der Weyden: Painting in Brussels 1450-1520.” The Royal Museums of Fine Arts are organizing an exhibition dedicated to painting in Brussels between the death of Rogier van der Weyden in 1464 and the emergence of a new artistic current with the work of Bernard van Orley (active 1515-1541). The show gives an overview of Brussels pictorial production at the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century – a time when Brussels was flourishing and the Dukes of Burgundy had chosen the Palace of Coudenberg as their preferred residence. The Royal Museums possess a core group of paintings and key works from this period. These will be accompanied by loans from museums and several private collections worldwide. The triptych with the “Miracles of Christ,” created by three Belgian workshops (see above), is one of the most important works of art to return to the city where it originated, and will be traveling all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Please note that this visit is limited to 15 people. Event Details: Place: Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Place Royale 3, 1000 Brussels (Gresham entrance) Date: Sunday, December 1 Time: 4:00 p.m. Price: €25 for ACB members, €35 for non-members Public transportation: Metro lines 1 and 5: Gare Centrale/Centraal Station or Parc/Park; buses 27, 38, 71 and 95: Royale; trams: 92 or 94: Royale Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Wednesday, November 27 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online at www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “van der Weyden” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Wednesday, November 27. Participants canceling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event. Register - Rogier van der Weyden Exhibition Return to Top Moving Irving Berlin’s Piano Last month, ACB corporate member Gosselin Moving was entrusted with moving Irving Berlin’s piano from its home in Paris to Antwerp. The celebrated songwriter’s piano, on which scores of hits were composed, is on long-term loan to the recently opened Red Star Line Museum, and we’re pleased to report that Gosselin hit all the right notes along the way. Irving Berlin (1888-1989) was an internationally successful composer and lyricist, penning such classics as God Bless America, White Christmas, and There’s No Business Like Show Business. Surprisingly, despite his enormous talent, Berlin was unable to read or write music. Since Berlin only ever knew how to play in the key of F-sharp, throughout his career he owned two “transposing” pianos, which he liked to call his trick pianos. A transposing piano has a special mechanism that transposes the notes along the keyboard, allowing players to use familiar fingerings to play in other keys. This meant that Berlin could play the notes of F-sharp, but compose songs in completely different keys. A video of Irving Berlin demonstrating one of his trick pianos can be viewed on YouTube. Berlin’s original transposing piano, now more than 100 years old, on which he wrote his first international hit, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, is part of the permanent collection at The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. The second one is now on show at the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp. The question is: why was Irving Berlin’s piano moved to a museum in Antwerp? Why is it significant for them? In short, Berlin was a former client of the Red Star Line, traveling at the age of five aboard the passenger vessel the SS Rijnland when his family emigrated from present-day Belarus to New York City. They traveled third class, of course, but the Red Star Line admits that, 20 years after this trip, Berlin managed to climb up a celebrity rung or two. In First Class salons of Red Star Line ships, orchestras had started to strike up his tunes. Gosselin Moving was recruited by the Red Star Line Museum to collect Berlin’s piano from one of his daughters in Paris and deliver it to their new premises at the Rijnkaai on Het Eilandje (“The Islet”) in Antwerp. By all reports, the museum was extremely pleased with the professional, finely tuned way the priceless piano was handled, and Gosselin is, of course, very proud to have helped install what is now a central exhibition piece. Although the sounds of the piano will not reach the ears of visitors, we’re sure that everyone will nonetheless be humming the hundreds of catchy songs it produced. Have something unusual you need to move? ACB corporate member Gosselin Moving will be more than happy to help. Get in touch on: Gosselin Moving Email: moving@gosselingroup.eu Website: www.moving.gosselingroup.eu Tel: +32 (0)3/360.55.00 Return to Top Introducing – The Sheraton Brussels Hotel In our eighth profile highlighting the ACB’s corporate members, we are pleased to introduce to you the Sheraton Brussels Hotel. The Sheraton Brussels Hotel has been a longtime corporate member of the American Club of Brussels and has for many years hosted the Club’s annual Thanksgiving dinner, which is one of the ACB’s most popular and successful social events. The Sheraton’s chef has certainly mastered the art of a real American Thanksgiving dinner! Says Sheraton hotel manager: With over 40 years’ experience of bringing people together in Brussels, the Sheraton Brussels Hotel welcomes you in a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Rising 30 floors above the Brussels skyline, the hotel is centrally located in the northern business district with convenient access to public transportation, the popular shopping street of Rue Neuve, and only a short walk to the Grand’Place. Our 511 spacious guest rooms offer the renowned Sheraton Sweet SleeperTM Bed for the best night’s rest. The elite Club Lounge on the 25th floor is reserved for our Club Room and Suite guests, and includes complimentary Internet access, daily breakfast, and more. The conference facilities include 19 adaptable meeting rooms with natural daylight for all kinds of business and private events, banquets, and galas, including the ACB’s annual Thanksgiving dinner. Our four restaurants and bars – Crescendo, Rest-O-Bar, Le Train, and Espressamente by Illy – provide ideal gathering places to connect with family, friends, and colleagues in a social environment, and are known for their 100% Belge initiative featuring locally sourced products and the most leisurely Sunday breakfast in the city (until 2:30 p.m. on weekends and bank holidays). Join us at the exclusive Horizon Pool & Fitness Club on the 30th floor featuring stunning views over the city, the Sheraton Fitness program by Core Performance with state-of-the-art equipment, and a unique rooftop indoor swimming pool. External memberships are available with no inscription fees. Sheraton Brussels Hotel Place Rogier 3 1210 Brussels (St.-Josse-ten-Noode) Tel: – +32 (0)2/224.31.11 Fax: – +32 (0)2/224.34.56 www.sheratonbrussels.com Return to Top Save these Dates Brewery Visit In celebration of Fall, the American Club of Brussels is organizing a brewery visit to keep everyone’s spirits up. The visit is tentatively planned for November with more details to follow. Return to Top “Nuts!” Night, Monday, December 16 Nearly 70 years ago, in the final months of World War II, Hitler threw his last resources into a major offensive on the Western Front. On December 16, 1944, up to 25 Wehrmacht divisions attacked along a narrow front in the Ardennes region of Belgium. For several weeks the battle raged on with heavy losses on both sides. This episode of the war is best known as the Battle of the Bulge. One of the most remembered events of the Battle of the Bulge was U.S. General Anthony McAuliffe’s refusal to surrender to Nazi forces that had encircled his 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne. His statement “Nuts!” has become a symbol of American resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. On Monday, December 16 of this year, the American Club of Brussels will hold the first “Nuts!” Night in Brussels in a spirit of reconciliation with our German friends and in recognition of Belgo-American friendship. The evening will bring together many members of the American community in Belgium as well as a large number of representatives of the locally based international and Belgian business world. It will be a black-tie dinner-dance. A portion of the proceeds will go to organizations that help the international community and which contribute to Belgo-American friendship. Join us for a wonderful event that will be repeated every year on December 16. Look for complete details in the November issue of News & Events, but mark your calendars now. Return to Top Community News Ghent International Film Festival The 40th edition of Film Fest Gent opens on Tuesday, October 8 and runs through Saturday, October 19. This year’s focus is on American Independent Cinema. One of the pre-premieres will be first-time director Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station,” a shocking movie based on a real-life event that won top prizes at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. Opening night will feature “The Fifth Estate,” a highly topical thriller about Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. The festival will end with “Lovelace,” a biopic about the famed porn star, Linda Lovelace, followed by an all-night after-party. From Friday, October 11, the Ghent International Film Festival will pay tribute to the Oscar-winning American director Martin Scorsese with a retrospective at the Provincial Center for Culture at Caermersklooster. The exhibit will run until January 26, 2014. More information and tickets are available online at www.filmfestival.be. Return to Top ATC’s 12 Angry Men The American Theatre Company is proud to present 12 Angry Men, the story of 12 men trapped in a jury room‚ who must decide on the guilt or innocence of a young man accused of murdering his father. Tensions run high as personalities come into conflict‚ stereotypes and prejudices are confronted‚ and societal assumptions are called into question. Although the original text of this classic American drama by Reginald Rose dates from 1957‚ its message still resonates today: democracy and justice cannot function without a commitment from members of society to take part in the process. To quote Plato‚ “The price of apathy in public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” Event Details: Place: Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR), Rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels Date: Tuesday, October 22 through Saturday, October 26 Time: 8:00 p.m. Price: €18 To book: www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=14122&selectiondate=2013-10-23 Return to Top The American Club of Brussels c/o Renaissance Brussels Hotel Rue du Parnasse 19 B-1050 Brussels Tel: 02/219.58.08 info@americanclubbrussels.org www.americanclubbrussels.org The American Club of Brussels is one of the oldest American clubs in Europe, founded in 1921 to foster Belgian-American relations. Although our members comprise more than 20 other nationalities from all walks of life, the ACB retains its American flavor. Some of us are long-time residents in Belgium. Many of us are newcomers. We all enjoy ourselves and the club’s wide variety of social and cultural activities. The ACB is a great way to expand your circle of friends and to discover more of the delights of Belgium. Try us. Unsubscribe