1 And the Winner is!
For those of you who entered the beijingkids Blue Ocean, Blue Dream painting competition, it’s time for you to head down to the Beijing Aquarium to see your masterpiece on display. If you’re a lucky winner, you can you can use your free passes. Remember, you don’t have to have entered the competition to take the family out for a day under the sea!
Disney is bringing everyone’s favorite Pooh Bear to Beijing for a song and dance stage spectacular. Watch Pooh Bear and his friends as they embark on adventures and get into mischief. This show will entertain even the saddest of Eeyores. Playing at the Century Theatre from Aug 26 to 30. 3 Summer Sports Camps
It’s time to shake off that mid-summer slump and get moving. Sports Beijing will be holding two week-long sports camps for kids ages 6-13. Campers will
receive training and try out a variety of sports including soccer, basketball, floor hockey, and tennis. Indoor and outdoor activities are planned daily.
4 Swan Lake in the Water Cube
The Imperial Russian Ballet will perform Tchaikovsky’s classic Swan Lake inside the Water Cube. For the first time, this ballet will be taking to the water,
literally, with choreographed segments performed by Chinese divers. Even the ballerinas will be getting their slippers wet. Performing at the National
Aquatics Center until Aug 23. 5 Russian Circus
The circus is coming to town! Artists from the Nikulin Moscow Circus will dazzle audiences at the Beijing Workers’ Gymnasium on Aug 14 and 15. Between 1926 and 1971, Nikulin was the only circus in Moscow, so they’re strictly old-school. Expect lions, bears, clowns, tightrope walkers, trapeze and the occasional death-defying stunt. 6 Movie: Up
Disney-Pixar’s latest animated creation hits Beijing cinemas Aug 4. Up tells the charming story of 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, who is determined to fulfill his lifelong dream of seeing the wilds of South America. Carl attaches thousands of balloons to his home, lifting it off the ground and away on his adventure. Unbeknownst to him, an 8-year-old Boy Scout named Russell has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip. Catch Up at Megabox in the
Village, or in 3-D at Wanda International Cinema, Wanda Plaza.
7 Gamers Unite
This month is all about getting down and nerdy. On Aug 22, UCCA is hosting their fifth Artists’ Workshops for Families, “Under the Name of Games.”
Chinese artist Feng Mengbo teaches you how video games and art can help focus your energy and skill. This workshop is in Mandarin only, so those who prefer their video games in English should check out the latest Nintendo Wii release, “Ghostbusters.” The characters in the game are voiced by the original movie’s cast members, and the game itself is written by Ghostbusters director Harold Ramis and funnyman Dan Aykroyd. Laughs are guaranteed. 8 Wo Ai Ni
Aug 26 is Chinese Valentine’s Day, otherwise know as Qixi Jie or The Night of the Seventh Festival. Celebrate by heading to the Schoolhouse at Mutianyu for dinner and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. If you want to linger longer, stay overnight in one of their private houses and enjoy a dinner for two for free. If you want to spend your Chinese Valentine’s Day closer to home, try Hilton Beijing Wangfujing’s Valentine packages starting from RMB 999. 9 The Twilight Saga Continues
Coming to Amazon.com in paperback this Aug 4 is Eclipse, the next installment of the wildly popular “Twilight” series. Tying up the loose ends of the Edward/Bella relationship, the book is sure to be a page-turner – and a bestseller. Recommended for kids ages 12 and up. If you’re new to the “Twilight” craze and want to find out what your teenage kids are on about, we recommend you cheat and watch the movie instead.
10 Cold Noodle Crazy
You and the kids can create cold noodles (liangmian) at home. Make a day of it and head out to one of Beijing’s last inner-city farmers’ markets, Sanyuanli Shichang (open daily 5am-7pm) to collect all the ingredients you need. Located near Sanlitun and Dongzhimen, this market is bursting with fresh produce and local Beijing fare.
