October, 2009

It’s not yet winter but I’m already feeling the lack of moisture in the air. The winters in Beijing are extremely dry and my nose, my throat, my skin … it affects everything!
 
Staying hydrated is critical, but not just during the winter months. Our bodies are approximately 60 percent water. Even our bones are over 40 percent water. Lack of water can do a lot more than dry out your skin – it can cause dizziness, headaches, lack of concentration, dry mouth, weakness and fatigue. In extreme cases dehydration can cause an increased heart rate, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps.

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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 October 29th – Find the Perfect Pumpkin
Halloween is upon us. Time to pick up your broomsticks and fly over to Sanyuanli market. Search for the perfect pumpkin to transform into a scary jack-o-lantern at one of Beijing’s last inner city farmer’s markets. Sanyuanli market is bursting at the seams with fresh produce, and you may even find a genuine organic veggie or two. We recommend bringing some extra money for all the lao Beijing snacks you’ll want to buy.

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USA Today ran a story this week confirming what a casual glance at any supermarket shelf would suggest – that the majority of breakfast cereals aimed at kids are packed with sugar and low in fiber.

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Bad news for parents who think that plopping your baby in front of a TV will somehow develop their intellect -- The New York Times reports that the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for "all those Baby Einstein videos that didn't make children into geniuses."

The announcement is vindication for parents and child development experts who have long contended that the videos "featuring music, puppets and bright colors" are of no educational value whatsoever, a position that counters the producers and distributors' earliest claims.

Read more here.

There's still time to book tickets to the beijingkids Halloween Costume Brunch Ball this Saturday, October 31, 2009, from 10.30am-2pm at the Hilton Beijing Wangfujing!

Featuring:
A full buffet style lunch/brunch
On-site Trick or Treating
On-Stage Costume Contest with prizes for all
Pumpkin Carving
Bobbing for Apples
Face Painting
Free portraits and DVD video of event for all participants!

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It's that time of year again - Halloween, or Wansheng Jie (万圣节) in Chinese, is Saturday and this means dressing yourself or your little ones up in something perfectly frightening. To make sure you get your costume sorted before darkness falls, we've come up with a list of shops, markets and websites that will help pull you and your kids' Halloween togs together.

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Don't miss this week's five excellent events that are fun for the whole family. This weekend is chockfull of great family-friendly events – read on for carnivals, outdoor festivals, and more! 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.

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In a city where many take themselves all too seriously, this is a store with a sense of humor. Look at that name – perhaps intended to scare off a certain type of squeamish customer – and take note of the unorthodox opening hours listed below.

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Dutchman Marc de Ruiter fills a unique niche in China. By combining his professional and educational background in agricultural production, a desire to help indigenous dairy farmers and his nostalgia for the tastes of his homeland, de Ruiter founded Yellow Valley, a producer of artisanal, fair trade cheeses based in Shanxi province. We spoke with Marc recently about the ins and outs of his work and how Gouda cheese can be used in a Chinese dish.

How did you start working in China?
During my studies I developed a strong desire to go overseas to help and serve small-scale farmers. In 1997 I decided to move to China, and in 2000 I joined a development project in Shanxi as Agricultural Project Director.

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Working as a nightclub bartender in his hometown of Heidelberg, Germany, did the 18-year-old Benjamin Zahn see himself ending up as a hotelier managing five-star catering operations in far-off cities like Dubai and Beijing? Go along any Sunday to the Westin Chaoyang's Bubbalicious champagne brunch and ask Zahn – now a few years older and wiser – in person. agenda asked Zahn a few questions recently about his experiences in Dubai and what goes into running one of Beijing’s most popular brunches.

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There’s nothing like an indulgent brunch to top off a lazy weekend morning, and from lavish hotel buffets to Indian feasts Beijing has its share of sumptuous spreads. The following are some of the most popular in town.

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At the age of nine, I had bad experience with a high dose of antibiotics which left me unable to hold down even water. From that point on my parents decided to turn towards more natural medicine. Whenever we were sick my dad would make us do steam inhalations, give us herbal medicines, and we always had to take our vitamins.

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The Beijing Youth Daily reports that today is the official start of the annual Xiangshan Red Leaves Festival (Oct 15-Nov 8), an annual ritual that sees the natural scenic attraction in west Beijing mobbed with visitors viewing the brightly colored autumn hues.

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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 15th October – Kite Afternoon

Perfect weather for billowing kites only comes once in a blue moon in Beijing – it’s too windy during spring, too hot during summer but right now, the weather is just right – brisk, sunny and clear. Enjoy the favorable weather while it lasts!
 
Don’t Forget: Tired of your go-to park? Try Qing Feng（庆风公园）, the new park along the Tonghui River at the intersection of Guo Mao and the Third Ring Road.
 
Friday 16 October – Disco Hotpot
If your little ones are ready to warm up with hotpot but could use some entertainment while waiting for the food to cook, head to this hotpot place off of Nan Sanlitun Lu. What makes this meal more fun than your average dinner? Order the lalamian (pulled noodles) and get a noodle dancing performance where a noodle expert will wield the noodles more agilely than a ribbon dancer. HaiDiLao Hotpot (海底捞), off of South Sanlitun Street on A2 Baijiazhuang Lu, (白家庄路甲二号 ).

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The recently (and very rapidly) completed Qing Feng Park along the banks of the Tonghui River is a very welcome and positive step in Beijing's urban development.

Now comes news in the Global Times that even more city parks are on the way: Five new parks are slated for "areas east of the Di'anmenwai Street, north of the Guang'anmenwai Street, southwest of Jingtai Bridge, south of Fushi Road in the Shijingshan district and Changxindian in the Fengtai district."

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I have to say that I’m very excited about starting this blog. It’s a combination of two great passions in my life: motherhood and natural medicine.

When I was a child there were two things that I knew I wanted to do when I grew up. One was to be a mother, the other to be a doctor. I can't remember exactly when I developed my maternal instincts. Perhaps it was being the eldest of three sisters, or maybe it was born from my love of babies. The only thing I can be sure of is that as long as I can remember I wanted to be a mom.

On the other hand I can distinctly recall the exact moment I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I was 8-years-old, I was at the doctor’s office and I was very frightened. The doctor was so nice to me and she quickly put me at ease. My experience was immediately transformed from terrifying, to calm and comfortable. I knew at that moment that one day I wanted to help children who were sick, just like her.

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Did you and your family just return from a fabulous vacation during the National Holiday? Get your family’s photos and travel story featured in beijingkids magazine. Email editor-kids@beijing-kids.com to have your trip documented in an upcoming issue.

Just returned from a six-day tour of Shanxi with our 20-month-old, wife and in-laws in tow. I've been to Shanxi on two previous occasions, to Taiyuan/Pingyao and a few of the surronding villas (i.e. Qiao Jia Dayuan), but this time our journey took us to spots up north, near Datong, then down to Wutai Shan and then to Taiyuan/Pingyao for the last stretch.

It's always hectic traveling with a toddler (not to mention doting grandparents), but our trip was facilitated by the PLA, for whom my father-in-law served as a general before retiring two years ago. Our transport and accommodations were all provided for and I had the unique opportunity to stay in guesthouses on the campuses of PLA barracks in Datong and Shanxi.

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I love cheese but sadly, cheese doesn't like me. Adding insult of injury, neither do any other members of the dairy family. I was weaned onto soy from a fairly young age, and it has since been effortlessly incorporated into my lifestyle (with a few trips down Cheese Lane when I can't hold out any more).

When I'm feeling dairy deprived I console myself with the fact that my relatively dairy-free existence has been great for my health. Did you know:

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Mao's Last Dancer is a drama based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin. At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village and sent to Beijing to study ballet during the last years of the cultural revolution. The film explains how Li's amazing life took him  the United States as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet, and then on to Australia as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.

Filmed on location in Australia and Beijing, Mao's Last Dancer premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and is set for release in Australia today.

Unfortunately the film won't be released in China, however I recommend you get your hands on the book.