April, 2010
Articles from prior issues of beijingkids can be found by checking out the archive links below for the month and year you are interested in.
Baby Shower
Few things in life compare to the overwhelming excitement and joy a new baby brings to a family. For many women, a baby shower is a special event on their journey to motherhood. It's the perfect opportunity for friends and family to get together and celebrate new life, love and family values before the much-anticipated arrival of your new bundle of joy.
Oddball Pizzas
Ever since a Neapolitan baker recreated the Italian flag in dough form, we humans have been devising ever more fabulous toppings for pizza. Get a load of these Beijing originals.
Apricot Chicken - Nasca Café RMB 49
This deep-pan pie boasts mighty hunks of chicken, pine nuts, rosemary and mildly tangy apricot sauce. Not wacky enough for you, eh? Sounds like you're game for a New Zealand dessert pizza - wholemeal base with banana, chocolate sauce and "special custard."
Daily 9:30am-11pm. 105B, 38 Zaoying Beili, Maizidian, Chaoyang Park West Gate (opposite Yongan Hotel), Chaoyang Park (6592 4537)
I Want To Be a Graphic Designer
Guatemalan graphic designer Lucia Colon Yon moved to Beijing to experience the language and culture of her mother's home country. A graduate of Rafael Landivar University, Colon Yon previously worked at DDB with global clients, such as McDonalds, The Westin, Kia and Avon. In 2006, she began freelance work and started her own company, DNA designs, a reference to her Chinese-Guatemalan culture. With over 12 years of experience, Colon Yon talked about her work with students at the Canadian International School of Beijing.
Bitter Sesame Chocolate Mousse
Crispy praline sesame
60g milk chocolate
215g praline paste
180g roasted sesame seeds, black and white
Melt the chocolate at 45°C then mix in the praline and roasted sesame seeds. Spread the mixture evenly on a tray and set aside to cool.
Party Food
When I was young, I went to quite a few Chinese parties in Los Angeles. They began slowly, very slowly. Though I am
unfortunately contributing to a stereotype, this one happens to be true: a Chinese party is a little geeky. There's a lot of awkward drink holding. Only when everyone has sat down to the homemade banquet does the liquor start flowing and things really kick off. As a people, we're not big partiers - we're big eaters. But Chinese people are not big fans of finger foods. This is unfortunate because Chinese food lends itself to being reimagined on the end of
toothpicks. Naturally bite-sized and sauce based, many Chinese staples can be easily consumed with a cocktail glass in the other hand.
Please Pass the Cheese Sauce
How did we end up at this impasse? I'm sitting at the table trying to convince Reina of the benefits of eating her vegetables. You know, the usual arguments: She will grow up big and strong, her hair will be silky, her grade point average will be 17 percent higher, she will be 60 percent less likely to need glasses (which is important considering both her parents wear corrective lenses) and when all else fails, the road to ice cream is paved with veggies. To which she responds in her adorably witty repartee, "Baba, you are silly."
Chaoyang Park
Touted as Beijing's Central Park, Chaoyang Park carries the burden of living up to its Manhattan counterpart. While it's not located in the center of Beijing, its northeast location offers an unrivaled escapist quality. Officially called Rising Sun Park, this green giant covers 288 hectares. With the boat pier opening this month, now is an ideal time to ease out of hibernation and onto a giant floating duck. Avoid the high rises and speeding cars and follow our suggested clockwise route around the park's South Lake. Chaoyang Park is more than just a cookie-cutter derivative of its Western sister, it's a one-stop location for all things kid-friendly.
Pollution, Facts and Face Masks
Pollution is a problem. We are regularly exposed to pollutants from vehicles and coal-burning plants, as well as toxins commonly found in our food and water. Exposure to these toxic compounds can lead to respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and various forms of cancers. Unfortunately, children are most at risk as their small bodies concentrate toxins much more easily than adults. Compounding the problem, a child's detoxification organs, such as their liver and lungs, are not yet fully developed. However, there are some practical steps you can take to protect you and your family, and many of them start at home.
A Vacation in Vermont
The Travelers
Hal Fiske, his wife Kim Yen Nguyen, and their daughters Joy (4) and Grace (8 months).
Cathy Crush
A popular pre-teen author, English born Cathy Cassidy lives an eclectic life in the Scottish hills. Surrounded by her family, pets, vintage trinkets and signature camper van, she's content to stay in her "writing shed" all day. Driven by a desire to help children deal with the transition from child to teenager, Cassidy spent 12 years as an agony aunt for UK teen magazine Shout. Since her time at the magazine she has published 11 books - not including her pre-teen guide, Letters To Cathy, about surviving adolescence, which is soon to be released. Cassidy took time out from her busy schedule at the Bookworm International Literary Festival to chat with beijingkids about teens, determination, and vegetarianism.
Top 5 Places to Sample Dim Sum
Jin Ding Xuan Restaurant
This 24-hour Cantonese chain serves fresh and authentic dim sum. The Hepingli Xijie branch (near Lama Temple) is perfect for boisterous kids was Ditan Park is located just next door. Expect to find crowds of other hungry patrons.
77 Hepingli Xijie, Dongcheng District (6429 6888) 东城区和平里西街77号
Good Eats
Date Night: Patara
With the little ones tucked away for the night, sink into one of the wood and wicker booths against the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a warren of hutongs, and straddle the border between Beijing and Bangkok. As the lamps of lemongrass oil diffuse tropical fragrance throughout the dining room, a bottle of well-matched wine or a green mango margarita sets the tone for an evening of relaxation. With decorations, key ingredients, and most essentially, a chef imported from Thailand, this branch of the Bangkok-based Patara chain delivers an authentic Thai culinary experience. House specials like the lemongrass-marinated rack of New Zealand lamb with papaya salad (RMB 198), and the shelled crab claw in mild yellow curry (RMB 168) highlight an impressive menu offering skilled Thai interpretations of sumptuous ingredients. Finish off with Thai coffee and milk tea along with a choice of delectable desserts, such as the poached pear in coconut syrup (RMB 58). A plethora of set-meal options are available, including lunch (RMB 58, 88 and 158), supper (RMB 198), and ultra-deluxe (RMB 280-RMB 999/person). Gabriel Monroe
The Yazdani Crew
Dr. Arman Yazdani of Beijing United Family Hospital and his wife Julie, an accountant, have their hands full with their three children, Millie (9), Annissa (7), and Thomas (4). The Australian family relocated to Beijing from Guangzhou eight months ago, but they are already taking advantage of all the capital has to offer. The Yazdani kids love catching up with neighbors in their family-friendly neighborhood.
Magnificent Magnesium
If your family went hunting for treats this Easter Sunday, you may have found a powerful nutrient hidden in an unexpected place: the chocolates. Not the cloyingly sweet milk chocolates, mind you, but the dark chocolates, which contain a treasure trove of nutrients.
Among these is magnesium, the underappreciated hero usually ignored in favor of its better-known cousins, calcium and iron. Magnesium works alongside calcium and phosphorous to create strong, healthy bones and proper nerve and muscle function. It is so important that a deficiency of magnesium can trigger muscle tension as well as spasms, cramps, fatigue and even migraines in some people.
"It's My Party, And I'll Cry If I Want To"
We're all familiar with that famous 1960s American pop song. Well, I was more than familiar with it - that song was my anthem. I knew all the words and much to the chagrin of those around me, loved to sing it whenever my birthday rolled around. And not without reason - I was a terror during my birthday parties up until the age of 13, and even then my mother has stories for you.
I formed the idea very early on that my birthday party was for me, and me alone. My poor mother had to rig pass-the-parcel, lest I miss out on the big prize in the middle and throw a tantrum. If things didn't go my way, I would simply burst into tears. One time I cried because I liked one of my guest's party dresses more than my own. Obviously my 6-year-old friend should have known to "dress down."
Turning On A Dime
It's funny how one day you can be living your life, the tomorrows unfolding merrily much like the yesterdays. Then out of nowhere, something shifts and it's not the life you want any more.
Only two columns ago, I announced that Elsa and I would be here for "dot dot dot." We were settling into a semi-permanent life here, at least until Elsa neared secondary school age. Then I received an e-mail from a friend. Stranded in the Gobi desert (relationship-wise) for as long as I had been, she had recently met someone.
How Young Is Too Young?
Every parent has their opinion about how to raise their children, including when they should get their own cell phone or at what age they are considered an adult. In recent years, everything from laptops to diet programs have been marketed towards kids, but just how young is too young? Students from Beijing BISS International School gave us their opinions about the age at which kids are mature enough to handle technology, romance and fast cars.
Annie Chen, 15, Canada, has lived in Beijing for six years
No Easy Answers
The fact that there is no parenting guidebook containing all the answers is a crying shame. One reason why that tome is a fantasy is because kids, in their wonderful if not frustrating way, simply refuse to read the script. Several episodes have reminded me of this recently, and they tend to involve: a) the expenditure of parental hopes and dreams, and b) the outlay of cash. Circling the Wagons
I'm standing in a parking lot, chatting with neighbors when it happens. I look down at the baby, Ainsley, and she's choking, or gagging. I'm not sure what's she's doing, actually, but it looks wrong. I pick her up and she's trembling, gasping for air. Transitioning Home
People come to Beijing for many reasons. Some are on expat packages, some are here for the short term, and others are here for an adventure. No matter how your Beijing journey starts, however, the day will come when all good things must come to an end. After building a life in the capital, you may find that returning home represents a bigger challenge than you had imagined - and certainly requires more preparation than simply packing some boxes. 