House Hunt

In early November of last year Simone and I visited both Brussels and Amsterdam when we were deciding a) if we wanted to move to Europe for this new position and b) which city it would be if we decided to go.  We chose Brussels (obviously), and we even narrowed down our possible neighborhoods during our "orientation tour" with our relocation agent, Birgit.

Brussels is made of 19 communes (think of Manhattan neighborhoods, like Soho, each with its own governing body). We focused on the commune of Ixelles, and in particular the Place du Châtelain, which is located about 1/2 mile south of the historic center, but is still right downtown. In addition to being beautiful, it has all of the conveniences of city living (shopping, dining, markets, and most everything within walking or tram/metro distance).

Fast forward to me being in Brussels without Simone in March and I've begun my new position with Avnet.  I've given our requirements to Birgit, walked endlessly around neighborhoods, scoured the internet, and interrogated my work collegues.  I am now ready for, as Birgit calls it, The House Hunt.

And so it begins.  March 12, 2008, a guided tour of 13 apartments that Birgit has picked out for us to tour based on my and Simone's input.  

All of the apartments are near either near Avenue Louise, the Étangs d'Ixelles/Flagey, or Place du Châtelain.  I'm partial to Châtelain going into The House Hunt.  

We see some nice apartments . . . 

Some not so nice . . . 

One with an innovative dishwasher/oven combination . . . 

Some (most?) with tiny kitchens . . . 

One with a washing machine in the storage space outside off the 4th story terrace . . . 

And one with incredible crown moldings and historic fixtures (that's Birgit in the picture below) . . . 

After a late night uploading pictures and movies of the apartments I saw to the internet and discussing the day's events with Simone, we decide that none of the apartments are exactly what we want and that I should keep the one apartment appointment that I have the following day.  All I know of the final apartment on The House Hunt is that it is on a street called Rue de Livourne . . .