I think that this month’s Brussels Girl Geek Dinner was the best I’ve ever experienced. When I read the description, I signed up instantly, glad to get onto the list while there was still room. Meeting other women interested in science and technology at the Hard Rock Café while playing with Lego bricks? Count me in.

The event was held on the fourth floor of the café, decorated with fascinating self portraits from members of bands like The Beatles, The Who, and U2. The windows opened up to the beautiful Grand Place, even more spectacular with its ever-changing technicolour display. We were welcomed by organiser Clo Willaerts, who gave us all a free copy of her latest book Altijd Naakt (Always Naked) on managing ones online identity.

We then met Erik Talboom, the co-founder of co-learning.be, and were introduced to the idea of co-creation using Lego Serious Play. Co-Learning helps companies build teams, design meetings, and improve innovation by leading targeted, fun, and innovative workshops. He grouped us into tables of five, dumped a pile of lego pieces in front of us, and asked us to create symbols of our best friend, our hobbies, and finally, the optimal Hard Rock Café experience. Plus, I was lucky enough to win a co-creation workshop of my own with the fastest tweet of the evening.

The evening ended with a chat with the Sales & Marketing Manager Guillermo Castells and Master Chef Arnel Del Rosario, and I learned that the Hard Rock business was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Native Americans for $965 million in 2007. We helped the chef construct our Legendary Burgers, and then sat down to enjoy dinner and some excellent conversation about artificial intelligence, linguistics, and corporate responsibility.

Thanks to @bnox for another fantastic evening.

These past few weeks, Hayden’s been mimicking a lot of our behaviours. I know that he’s been watching us for months, but I’m still surprised the first time he performs a sequence of actions just the same way that I do them.

This Carnaval season I was able to cross off item number 99 on my “to do” list, and join my first parade, rather than simply standing on the sidelines. Hayden and I joined our local childrens’ cortège (procession), filled with all the locals from our neighbourhood dressed up in bright colours. We started at the Town Hall and danced our way down the main streets, accompanied by a marching band and the Clowns Sans Frontières.

The air was thick with confetti, and the street cleaners and their mechanical gluttons followed behind us, trying to clean up the mess as best they could. Despite their efforts, I could still spot little circles of colour between many of the cobblestones for the next few weeks.