Chinese New Year has finally drawn to a close. The temple fairs are over and everyone is getting back to work. While you might be complaining about the stack of papers on your desk, don't worry because there is plenty coming up in Beijing, including Avril ... Read More>>
Trying to get in shape, but just dread heading to the gym? If you're one of the millions of people who made the New Year's resolution to get fit, make sure to find the regimen that works best for you. It's easy to get burnt out trying to force yourself to ... Read More>>
It's that crazy time of year again when everyone and their mother is trying to get a train ticket back home. The lines are long and actually getting the ticket you want could be considered a small miracle. But those lines are relatively calm compared to the ... Read More>>
Walking around the streets of Beijing, you're constantly bombarded by an array of sounds, sights and smells, some of which you may not have become accustomed to yet – chòudòufu (臭豆腐) anybody? But, living here for too long, in a constant hurry to get ... Read More>>
Beijing's winter has developed a split personality in recent years. It likes to lull people into a false sense of comfort and security – that feeling you get when it's early December and you can still go outside without wearing long underwear – but wham! ... Read More>>
If you were to ask most people who have been in Beijing more than a few weeks to name five good clubs to go to, Vics and Mix would undoubtedly be the first two names on the list. This would probably be followed by (depending on this person’s penchant for ... Read More>>
Beijing has officially welcomed its first snow of the season, but the skies still seem to be a bit gloomy and by gloomy we mean smoggy. But all is not grim in Beijing, after all the local basketball team, the Beijing Ducks, is undefeated led by former NBA ... Read More>>
With only a couple of short weeks left until Christmas, that annual shopping fever/panic is starting to grip most Christmas-celebrating foreigners in Beijing. However, sometimes the excitement of the Christmas season is compromised by the stress of having ... Read More>>
1) Lost Hikers Yes, winter is here, and yes, it is getting colder by the day, but that still hasn't stopped Beijingers from enjoying a hike in the surrounding mountains. It's great that more people are trekking out and "getting in touch" with ... Read More>>
One great thing about Beijing is that it offers food from almost every corner of the world. So if you take a ride around Beijing you are bound to see plenty of options when it comes to non-Chinese food, especially in the foreign concentrations in Chaoyang. ... Read More>>
Cough... sneeze... hack… and a symphony of other grotesque sounds have assaulted our ears over the last two weeks; a result of Beijing's notorious "fog". Hopefully some cold fronts will blow the soupy air away, but with coal powered heating ... Read More>>
Like other representatives of foreign governments in Beijing, Chi Enxiang works long hours and sometimes misses home. But her work isn’t so much about meeting with ambassadors at embassy dinner parties, as it is about carrying dishes of steaming meat, ... Read More>>
The Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution is the only military museum of its type in China. It pays tribute to the fallen heroes from the People's Revolution and the Sino-Japanese Wars, as well as honouring the Chinese military heritage. It is ... Read More>>
Walking down Zhongguancun Dong Lu in Wudaokou (五道口) on a Thursday afternoon gives you a vivid sense of the cultural significance of the area. A bustling atmosphere of students rushing off to lectures, street vendors selling hot food, and endless traffic ... Read More>>
Halloween is here and Beijing's short autumn is nearly gone, leaving the rather grim prospect of Beijing's cold, dry winter. But how can you complain when Kevin Spacey is coming to town to play Richard III? Other big things are happening too, like a free ... Read More>>
The aspect of Hutongs that attracts many visitors is their careful synthesis of Western commercial and social style, in a traditional Chinese format, and the manner in which they are substantially cut off from the rat race that characterises the hustle and ... Read More>>
Having trouble finding your distilled spirit of choice in Beijing? Then look no further because this guide to Beijing liquor and wine shops will put your search to an end. Take a walk down your average street in Beijing and you will be hard pressed to find ... Read More>>
The National Day holiday is over (as is the seven-day work week!), and we have not quite arrived at that debaucherous time known as “Halloween”. But there are still plenty of things going on in Beijing: big news, “Autumn-esque” festivals and new ... Read More>>
The China National Library has a worldwide reputation. It is the largest library in Asia and the 3rdh largest library in the world. It also holds the largest collection of Chinese literature and historical sources in the world. Its prestigious, worldwide ... Read More>>
In the past year, the iPhone craze has really hit Beijing. Whether you are riding the bus or subway, it’s hard not to notice young and trendy Beijingers using gaming apps on their iPhone as they wait for their final destination. Sitting in a coffee shop ... Read More>>
As any veteran Beijing expat knows, this city offers a multitude of choices when it comes to letting your hair down with a drink in hand. You’ve got Sanlitun, Nanlouguxiang, Houhai and the Wudaokou student bars just to name just a few. But for those who ... Read More>>
Whether you are just visiting Beijing for a few days, or Beijing is your “laojia” (old home), it is of the utmost importance that you know how to get around the city quickly and cheaply. While you could take a cab from point A to B every time, this gets ... Read More>>
Beauty is only skin deep, they say. Yet a glance at any Beijing news stand, or a look up to the invasive billboards in Guomao or Dongzhimen invariably tells us what we long to forget: perfection exists. Some might wisely turn a blind eye, and choose ... Read More>>
Chaoyang District is huge, and the places to buy fresh fruits and veggies in the district are numerous. So go back to Beijing’s roots and take a trip to a dedicated food market instead of a supermarket to stock up your kitchen. Small markets are located ... Read More>>