Brussels girlie weekend guide

For the big spenders looking for the likes of Armani, Vuitton and Dior, head to the Quatier Avenue Louise and the Boulevard de Waterloo - the Champs Elysees of Brussels. I De B Lifestore is impressively grandiose and sells a variety of very fine clothes, accessories and home goods, each handpicked from across the globe. If you just want to hang out with the fashionistas of the area without spending much cash, go down to I De B's basement cafe for a glass of champagne and a light snack.

Avenue Louise was a bit pricey for me, so I headed over to the designer overstock store Dod in the Chaussée de Louvain. This is a great place to pick up a designer bargain with a high street price tag - and here I found my dress! My beautiful 1920s inspired Vogue-esque dress cost me 30 quid - well below my budget - leaving me plenty to splurge on a pair of matching shoes...

Where to eat out
The nightlife of Brussels, like that of many other European cities, starts a little later than Brits may be accustomed to. Locals tend to dine between nine and ten in the evening, before heading out to a bar or club. I ate a fantastic evening meal at the relatively new lounge restaurant bars, Khnopff on the Rue Saint Bernard in the upper town. The Khnopff has a fantastic vibe, all dark purple seating and sensual uplighting in a contemporary setting. My fois gras starter was perfection, followed by a light fillet of beef with gratin dauphinois - delicious, and not too painful. The whole meal, including wine, came to around 50 euros per person.

Brussels, being only about an hour from the sea, is big on fish. Avoid the touristy areas around the Grand Place and Mannequin Pis, and head down to the Saint Catherine area for some really great seafood specials. Sunday brunch is also a popular past time. For this, make your way to le Pain Quotidien in the Sablon district, and take a seat at the table d'hote (guest table). Here locals rub shoulders whilst sipping delicious hot chocolates, eating organic breads with jams and syrups such as the delicious Lyege Syrup - made from locally grown apples and pears.

Party time
Obviously Brussels is pretty famous for its beers, but be warned as some have alcohol levels as high as ten per cent or more. Here is a guide to some delicious beers, that won't leave you passed out in bed by 10pm, and some you might want to think twice about.

Light and lady friendly

• La Newtonc
• La Belgian Pêche
• La Bière Brune de Table 'Piedboeuf Foncée' (This table beer is often served to children as it is so sweet and light)

Medium for moderation

• Leffe Brune (slightly sweeter and lighter than its blonde sister)
• La Bellevue Framboise (Raspberry beer - not as innocent as it sounds!)
• Blanche de Namur: (a refreshing white beer)

Hardcore beers - handle with care!

• La Barbar - Where honey means more than a nickname
• La Chouffe - the trolls are lovely, but a bit vicious:
• La Rochefort

The killer!

• Bush Beer - at 12% you will struggle to find a beer much stronger, but Bush is very flavoursome and a gorgeous amber colour.