Peter Jones, the British director of education at Taolesi Kindergarten Group, has lived in Beijing for four years. His Chinese wife, Vivian Wu, is a project manager for Amsted Rail. They live in Jiuxianqiao with their 18-month-old daughter, Mia, who attends Taolesi Baby Spa in Tongzhou. We caught up with Peter to find out the family’s favorite things to do in and around the capital.
Favorite Family Restaurant
Blue Frog at Indigo Mall. We love the vibe of the winter
garden and the kids’ menu is great. Kenny and his staff always ensure a very warm welcome.
Favorite Neighborhood
We couldn’t imagine living anywhere else but the Jiuxianqiao/Lido area. There is a great mix of local and western life and it can be as lively or as quiet as you want it to be.
Family Rituals
We try to get some exercise at least once a month by walking from home through Chaoyang Park to Solana and back. Calories burned during the walk are normally repaid with
interest at Tube Station or Let’s Burger.
Best Places to Play
Si’de Park is a firm favorite of ours and probably one of the best kept secrets in Beijing.
Favorite Day Trip
Jiuhua Hot Spring is where we head when we’re in need of a staycation.
Best Way to Relax
We often visit Tai Mei Li opposite Indigo for a massage, especially on weeknights. We find the calming environment settles Mia down and guarantees us all a good night’s sleep.
New Discoveries
Jiangfu Park in Jiuxianqiao – I had no idea such a quiet and secluded place existed in Beijing. Plans are afoot for the opening of a school that will specialize in outdoor education and utilize the potential of the place.
Favorite Places to Shop
When Viv is not buying things on Taobao, she is returning things she has bought on Taobao. In the real world, we like to browse Solana and welcome the recent arrival of Mammas & Pappas.
Date Night
Viv has a profound talent for unearthing abysmal straight-to-TV disaster movies starring Robert Loggia. We occasionally manage to watch half of one in between Mia falling asleep and one of us starting to snore.
Photos by KEN
This article originally appeared on p96 of the beijingkids February 2014 issue.
Check out the PDF version online at Issuu.com