Daiquiri, Negroni, Manhattan… Do you think spontaneously of swaying palm trees and white sandy beaches, of warm summer evenings and parties with friends? Then you’ve definitely caught the cocktail bug, just like us. Cocktail lovers around the world unite!

Iconic cocktails

Cocktails and the film world: still a golden combination. Think of James Bond, who is inextricably linked to the Martini. The Big Lebowski was crazy about White Russians. And Marilyn Monroe shook her Manhattan in a hot-water bottle in the classic film Some Like it Hot. Need more examples? Sex and the City immortalised the Cosmopolitan. And Don Draper poured countless Old Fashioneds in Mad Men.

Shaken or stirred

And talking of 007. How do you prefer your cocktail: shaken or stirred? There are four basic techniques for making cocktails:

• build: you pour the ingredients straight into the glass, to create layers.
• stir: you stir the ingredients gently, so they remain clear.
• shake: you shake and crush the drink for a cloudy result.
• blend: you mix the drink and ice in a blender or mixer.

Become a doctor of mixology

Mixology is the art of making cocktails. Do you like to set to work yourself with a bar spoon, spirit measure and shaker? Then you should definitely get yourself a copy of the Bar-Tenders Guide from 1862, by Jerry Thomas, the forefather of all barmen. In the 19th century, he travelled around America with a spectacular cocktail show. His signature drink was the Blue Blazer, a drink in which he set the whiskey on fire and poured it back and forth between two cups. Don’t try this at home.

Most expensive cocktail in the world

Do you think €10 is a bit much for a Margarita? Imagine paying €1,100 for the same drink at the London Bar in New York. At the London restaurant Gigi’s, you will have to dig even deeper in your pocket to cough up €11,500 for a cocktail with gold leaf. But the world’s most expensive cocktail can be sampled on the 45th floor of the Ritz Carlton building in Tokyo. Here you will pay €14,000 for a cocktail with vodka and… a diamond. Drink carefully is the message!

Cocktails at Viage

You don’t have to be a world-famous star to order a cocktail at our Cinna-Bar. Because, on Friday and Saturday evenings, we offer you three €7-cocktails to celebrate the weekend. Taste our Belgian Caipiroska with Kriek, Friday the 13th with Schweppes Agrum and Black Jack with Four Roses Bourbon. Is your mouth already watering? Cinna-Bar is a paradise on earth for cocktail lovers. Arrange to meet some friends and discover our divine drinks soon.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the world. In the rankings, it comes well ahead of other world sports like tennis, cricket or basketball. Playing a game of football is literally everywhere. We have listed the oddest places and give you some tips for the perfect football game.

Football with a view

The Ottmar Hitzfeld-stadium in Switzerland is over 2000 metres above sea level and is thereby the highest football field in Europe.

Take plenty of spare balls, because 10 fly over the protective net along the field per match on average. If you want to retrieve those balls, that will take you a while, because players and visitors can only reach the field by cable car. Good to know for opponents: at 2000 metres there is less oxygen in the air. The home team – FC Gspon – is used to the thin air. You aren’t, so you have been warned!

Soccer in the city

Not as high, but equally impressive, is the Adidas Futsal Park in Tokyo. You play the game of your life on the tiles, high and dry above the department store in the Shibuya-district. Oh, yes, Futsal is the little brother of. But as a football fan you already knew that.

In the shade of a rock

Another one to learn about. You know the rock of Gibraltar? It towers 426 metres above the sea and is a symbol for solidity and immutability. The field of the Gibraltar eleven lies in its shade. An impressive rock, right? On 10 October 2016 the Gibraltarians received a thrashing from our Red Devils. The final score was 0 – 6. Solidity and immutability? Yeah right!

Where do you watch football?

The last quarter finals of the Champions League are around the corner and the first matches off the play-offs of the Jupiler Pro League are in progress. Where do you watch your favourite sport? Attending the stadium to watch the match is great, but unfortunately, not always feasible.

Watching at home with friends? The look in your partner’s eyes speaks volumes: she has still not forgotten the ravages of empty crisp bags and beer cans.

What about the Cinna-Bar at the Grand Casino Brussels Viage? You can settle yourself down in the luxurious leather chairs with your mates. You can watch the match on several big screens and can also have drinks and snacks galore.

And your partner? Bet that she will also have an unforgettable evening at the Grand Casino Brussels Viage?

On 17 March the world is painted green. Because that is Saint Patrick’s Day: Ireland’s national holiday. With parades and celebrations, the Irish all over the world commemorate the death of their patron saint Patricius, who spread Christianity on the island in the fifth century A.D.

What ingredients do I need to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in style?

1. Cloverleaf

The shamrock or three-leafed clover is the unofficial symbol of Ireland. According to the legend, Saint Patrick used the plant to provide a simple explanation of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. On Saint Patrick’s Day, revellers wear the lucky charm on their clothing. Tradition also dictates that you must regularly water the cloverleaf – drowning the shamrock – by baptising it in your glass of beer or whiskey before you drink it.

2. Fifty shades of green

On 17 March the Irish dress in green, greener, greenest. With reference to the colour of the cloverleaf. Monuments, dishes and drinks are also coloured green for a day.

3. Guinness and Irish whiskey

The Irish symbol is of course Guinness, a dark stout with a creamy head. The beer is still brewed in Dublin according to Arthur Guinness’ original recipe, with water, barley, hops and yeast. And for anyone who is not a fan of beer, they are sure to find something to their liking in the range of Irish whiskey.

4. A few words in Irish

The two official languages in Ireland are English and Irish or Gaelic. Hiberno-English mixes the two. Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity for learning some handy Irish expressions:

• Sláinte: cheers
• Erin go bragh: Ireland forever
• Dha Guinness le do thoil: two Guinness, please

5. The perfect location

Where can you sample the Irish green folk festival? At Viage, of course! Come to the Cinna-Bar on Friday, 17 March and celebrate Paddy’s Day with us.

Open from 12 pm with a happy hour at 5 pm.

Before you enter into the green revelry, a few interesting facts:

• The harp, not the cloverleaf, is the official symbol of Ireland.
• The patron saint, Saint Patrick, was not Irish but Welsh or Scottish.
• The colour of Saint Patrick’s Day was originally blue, not green.

Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Phádraig daoibh go léir!*

* Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

There’s nothing like kick-starting your summer basking in the sun with a cocktail in one hand and a page-turner (or your partner’s hand) in the other. But if you’re a sucker for style and originality, you are perhaps fed up with your run-of-the-mill margaritas and Bloody Marys. Luckily, there’s no shortage of alternatives. Read on to discover some less conventional cocktails that won’t fail to surprise your guests!

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