And so we come to the end of our Antwerp file but, we have a last call of all the good places to stop and take in the sights...and shop!

For affordable fashion, ladies, you can stop at Lila Grace, a store offering great pieces at even greater prices. Visit them online at https://www.lilagraceantwerp.com/ 

Something for the men can be found at Strelli Homme, where there are great basics to found: http://www.strelli-homme.com/

Another highlight is the Boutique Bar Stay, that is on Nationalestraat 49. Here you can have a break at the cute café and also browse through the well cureated collection.

On Nationalestraat, at number 37, you will find a remarkable store called a.puur.a offering the most artisitc pieces...see the gorgeous website at : http://apuura.com/

For elegant shopping, with a plethora of brands to entice, visit Princess at Meir 51-55. You will find so much to shop here, you may need an extra suitcase!

If designer pieces at mark down prices are more your thing, then pay a visit to Rosier41, where you can shop till you drop! Here is the website: http://www.rosier41.be/about/

And, you don't need to break your piggy bank to shop at the next address...visit The Shop at the following address for more infos: https://www.theshop-belgium.be/

But, an absolute highlight is definitely Graanmarkt 13, where the concept of a store is challenged to the extreme, taking you into a wonderful collection that will astound and tempt you to buy, buy, buy! This concept by Ilse Cornelissens and Tim Van Geloven will astound you...and if you love their look, then you may just want to rent the apartment attached!
Here is the website: https://graanmarkt13.com/store/antwerp

And, finally, when you are done, have a coffee at Phil's Coffee at 1 Schoytesraat. The Beligians take their coffee seriously and at this establishment, a small tucked away café, the glass is lined with a thick smear of gorgeous lebkuchen paste...for the people outside of europe this is a type of gingerbread cookie paste. It adds a remarkable flavour to the coffee!

Meeting Molrleen was a stroke of luck for my camera lens...I was almost done with walking through Antwerp, having just taken a break in the centre, having tried the spiced biscuit coffee (more about this later) when I almost bumped into her in the street. With this amazing personality that just bounced off her, she was wonderful not only to behold, but to chat to as well. I loved the scarf, but to be honest, it was that head of amazing hair that caught my attention at first...and then that smile. Thank you Molrleen for making my day.

I ran into Erna while shopping in Antwerp. She had a fantastic voice, the tone catching me by surprise as I was working my way through the rails of designer clothing..just so you know, Antwerp is a mecca for anything second hand, and if you are patient and lucky, you will stumble across a great piece at a fraction of the original cost...this is, after all, the city where the most gorgeous Dries Van Noten clothing can be found...so, if ever you are here, keep an eye out for this line...Erna, on the other hand, was rocking some serious black and denim (both work amazingly well together here) and despite her petite frame, she was bold enough to wear this long coat, which, through its clever tailoring did wonders for her! The cheeky men's flats were also a good choice, giving it a mannish edge that is always welcome.

Travel tip: Labels Inc. is a great space dedicated to designer clothing that won't break your piggy bank!

What is it about this city that seems to produce such fashionable and elegant people? Case in point, Karlien, who was dressed to the nines, but with ever-so-cool sneakers. With a satin jacket and linen trousers, she was pulling of some serious statement pieces...and this at work! Just goes to show, the motto 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have' is still alive and kicking! 

On the south side of the central station in Antwerp, you will find a bistro that could have been taken directly from the film, Amelie. It is filled with bits and pieces collected at random and in so doing, it has a flair that cannot be found elsewhere. It feels like you are visiting that old aunt who collected porcelain, records, picture frames, mirrors and wonderfully retro light fittings. With this atmosphere, it is no surprise that this establishment is a mecca for tourists wanting another side of the otherwise-fashionable Belgian city.
We had breakfast (massive portions), served on 60's style crockery. The food is proudly simple, offering basics with no surprises. It is unpretentious, a gem for all those who love vintage, with pleasant service and affordable food...go there before it becomes too trendy!

Take a minimal outfit and make it work...sounds easy but, in fact this is not so simple as it seems. Making it seem effortless like Victoria Beckham is an art and our new face had a definite talent for making her simple outfit pop out of the background. Love the heavy biker jacket teamed with the simple dress and almost nerdy flats. No need to overdo the make-up, so she decided to keep it all laid back, making the entire look speak for itself. No signal lips needed at all...or designer bag. Both thumbs up, Joyce, for this! 

Het Gerecht is a small restaurant on Amerikalei, run by Wim Mertens and Peggy Wouters. It is a fine dining location that has all the right dishes (menus of four dishes priced at 56 euros, and five dishes priced at 68 euros for dinner and let's not forget about the well-priced lunch menu at 30 euros), prepared to perfection and served in an intimate dining area. From the great cucumber starter, to the lamb main, to the banana-inspired dessert and the elegant cheese, this kitchen knows how to serve the best ingredients with a great twist. Thank you for a wonderful evening...we will be back!

I caught her on her way back from the airport, with a suitcase trailing behind her...but she was kind enough to stop and allow me a few minutes of her time...thank you for that, Nathalie! Love the jumpsuit and of course the sky-high heels that only a few women can pull off. With a head of hair made for the silver screen and maxi earrings, Nathalie packs a punch, showcasing her city, Antwerp, in true style.

There are those days where luck just smiles on you and you are fortunate to come across someone very special who can only add such another dimension to the blog. This was meeting Cindy in Antwerp, while she was busy cutting hair in a busy salon. With those tattoos and of course the shaved head, you would be quick to draw conclusions, but she is such a warm-hearted and open person, that snapping her for Dashing George was indeed a pleasure. So often we judge people by their look or how they choose to represent themselves and this can lead to so many judgements that are totally unnecessary. Here was the prefect example of chic meets urban punk, with enough personality to light up the city centre. Love the brooch, the blouse, the torn jeans, the wild tattoos and of course, those ice blue eyes. Thank you, Cindy, for brightening my day in your amazing city.

A few steps from Marnixplaats, you will find a bistro that has no frills...it is called Meat and Eat, the brainchild of Mo Aoulad, an entrepreneur with a dream of changing the restaurant scene, not only in Antwerp, but the world...and what a meal we had! Here you get what you order, wothout any gastro surprises. You will find firm favourites like tartar and burgers, along with carpaccio and good steak...this is a restaurant for meat lovers, with a menu focusing solely on beef, veal, lamb and poultry. From the wonderfully aromatic carpaccio, to the steak (served with cabbage!), I loved this no-fuss appraoch to food where so much goodness can be lost in translation. True, there are fine dining restaurants galore in a city like Antwerp, but it is refreshing to have something down-to-earth prove to the gastro scene that good, honest food can appeal and surprise nonetheless. 

Opening Photograph appears courtesy of ​antwerpen.stappen-shoppen.nl