Did you know...

...that Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels?

The actress and fashion icon was born on May 4th 1929 in this house in rue Keyenveld 48 in the neighbourhood Ixelles under the name Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston.

"I'm half-Irish, half-Dutch and I was born in Belgium: If I was a dog, I'd be in a hell of a mess."

Her father, the banker John Victor Hepburn-Ruston, was British-Irish, her mother Ella van Heemstra a Dutch baroness.  Audrey got a British passport which she carried throughout her life. She only spent little time in Brussels as during her childhood she travelled between the Belgian capital, London and the Netherlands. Later she lived in New York and Switzerland.

"The best thing to hold on to in life is each other"

The house is not open to visitors  - but why not watch Breakfast at Tiffany's one more time...

Wine & Design: The Pixel Bar

In one of the little picturesque streets between art galleries and antique shops, a bit hidden from the tourist crowds at Place Sablon, the Pixel Wine Bar with its original decoration quickly catches your eye.

The capacious windows reveal the artwork of Belgian artist Charles Kaisin who covered the walls and ceiling with thousands of little cubes in different colours - or pixels. Seen from far away the more than 7.500 dots join together to a giant landscape picture.

The wines are excellent (around 4 Euros); beer, coffee and softs are also on the menu as well as little snacks. I tried the salmon wrap (7.50) - recommendable.

Prices are slightly elevated in general, but therefore you can enjoy a very cool and cozy interior - or a terrace in the summer.

Location: Rue Ernest Allard 39, 1000 Bruxelles