Ellis Pugh's blog
Beijing Designed for Success?
Beijing from above, confusing much? (Inside of Beijing Planning Museum)
As a geography student, urban planning consistently pops up during my degree course- it's a (surprisingly) interesting topic, involving big questions about where, why and how we want to live our lives. Which is why perhaps I was drawn to this blog on Chinasmack.com with the title 'Google Earth used by Chinese Netizens to discuss urban planning' in which the author claims that (shown by google earth images) Chinese cities, including Beijing, are chaotic and backward compared to even some African cities. As any family who've spent any time in Beijing knows, getting around this fair city can be very stressful, but is it all bad?
Top Picks For September 17th-20th
Don’t miss this week’s excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings, www.beijing-kids.com.
Thursday 17 September – Fish and Chip Night
It’s almost the end of the week – time to relax, unwind and de-stress. Enjoy the beautiful weather while its still here and take the kids to Houhai for a boat ride around the lake. Then walk to Fish Nation in Nanluogu Xiang and take part in a great British tradition: the fish and chip night. Fish Nation (6401 3249).
Don’t Forget: Nanluogu Xiang can get a little crowded at night, making strollers hard to maneuver. Parents with little ones should opt for a baby sling instead.
Friday 18 September – Cats (of the musical kind)
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s multi-award-winning Broadway musical, Cats, arrives in Beijing tomorrow, Sep 19! Make sure you book your tickets today for a chance to hum along to your favorite songs. Suitable for kids ages 8 and over. Tickets start from RMB 280. Performing at the Beijing Exhibition Theater from Sep 19-27. For tickets, visit www.piao.com.cn.
Don’t Forget: Piao.com accepts international credit cards, and they deliver the tickets to your door for free the following day.
It's Chinglish Time!
I love Chinglish. A lot.
In fact i'm not too proud to admit that much of my valuable revision time last year was spent on sites like www.engrish.com, giggling immaturely at accidently funny Chinese and Japanese-English translations. Which is why this current list of 'top ten' embarassing chinglish amuses me greatly, and I thought was well worth sharing:
1) Good good study, day day up (好好学习，天天向上)
Note: Study hard and make progress everyday
2) How are you? How old are you？(怎么是你？怎么老是你？)
Note: Why are you here? Why do I always meet you?
Top Picks For September 10th-13th
Thursday 10 September – An afternoon at Yuyuan Park
Take the kids for an afternoon stroll through the park. Lounge lakeside, hire a boat, or burn off some energy in the playgrounds. Check our the latest edition of beijingkids magazine for a full map and walking guide, or check out our website www.beijingkids.com.
Don’t Forget: Bring some healthy snacks so the little ones don’t run out steam.
Friday 11 September – EVOLVE presentation David Lort Philips
Update on ClubFootball Courses
The footy season is getting into full swing in the English Premier league, but here in Bejing things are just hotting up with the ClubFootball coaching programmes kicking off across the city this September.
"ClubFootball soccer coaching programmes run at 20+ locations in Beijing and Tianjin for boys and girls of all levels aged 4 to 18. Students who wish to join but haven't registered yet can email office@wanguoqunxing.com call 5130 6893/4/5/6. Held after school, at weekends and during holidays, courses are designed and delivered in a fun environment by ClubFootball’s UK English FA-qualified coaching staff. In addition to building a passion for football and developing on-the-pitch skills and knowledge, courses emphasize the principles of teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership. Above all, courses are fun!"
Top Picks For September 3rd-6th
Don’t miss this week’s four excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings, www.beijing-kids.com.
Friday 4th September – Africa Tourism and Culture Festival at Solana
Running from Sep 4-17, the Africa Tourism and Culture Festival will feature photography and painting exhibits, coffee and chocolate tasting, fun activities for the kids and the first Africa Film Festival in Beijing. For info, email info@touchafrica.cn or call 8495 0637. Solana, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
Beijing Evolves
In 1837 a celebrated young naturalist, fresh back from a five-year long expedition around the Americas and a year of touring England’s leading academic institutions, was scribbling in his notebook- struggling with a puzzle he had come across during his travels. The problem was simultaneously simple and fiendishly complex: Our young scientist had come to recognize that even within a relatively small area such as the Galapagos islands, there existed a significant difference in anatomy between animals of the same species (particularly within the finch family). The animals were all clearly related, but had somehow developed in unique directions. Not being able to put his idea initially into words he scrawled a web like that shown left with the immortal words ‘I think’. The young scientist was of course Charles Darwin, and the scribble the beginnings of his seminal theory, evolution by natural selection, immortalized in the ‘Origin of the Species’.
Who's up for a ClubFootball kickaround?
If your kid’s a little Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs or even just a Kevin Nolan, then you’ll probably be interested in the upcoming football classes hosted and run by China Clubfootball.
Located at over 20 different venues around Beijing and Tianjin including ISB, IAB, Yew Chung, Zhongguancun, Wangjing and Harrow, the courses are ran by English FA qualified coaches and are designed to be ‘educative… building a passion for football and developing on-the-pitch skills and knowledge… emphasizing the principles of teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership’ all in a fun and enjoyable way.
Top Picks For August 27th-30th
Don’t miss this week’s five excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings, www.beijing-kids.com.
Thursday 27th August – Disney Live! Winnie the Pooh
The adorable “hunny” loving bear and friends return to Beijing for an all-singing, all-dancing show at Century Theatre. Featuring a 3D projector this has all the makings of great family outing. Dubbed in Chinese. Shows from Aug 26-30. Century Theatre 21st Century Hotel, 40 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets from RMB 120. http://en.piao.com.cn/beijing/ticket_2764.html
