Kara Chin
Sip Soup
Hercules
This spacious establishment in Sanlitun is home to hearty soups, salads and sandwiches. Their selection for soup includes seven mouth-watering flavors (ranging from RMB 22-32): tomato bisque, curried carrot, cream of mushroom, cream of pumpkin, French onion, vegetable minestrone, and chicken macaroni. At an extra RMB 10, diners can request a bread bowl or an extra order of three slices of bread for select soups. Of note, however, is that this restaurant is surrounded by bars. Families are better off sticking to this sandwich joint for lunch or an early dinner.
Daily 11am-midnight. 2/F, Tongli Studio, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District (6415 0299) 朝阳区三里屯同里2楼
Oh, the Possibilities!
For the Chin family, eating out is extremely rare and is an event reserved for special occasions only. Growing up, I would only see the inside of a restaurant once, maybe twice a year. While I secretly wished for the nights out that other families seemed to enjoy, I was getting spoiled with home-cooked meals day in and day out.
At our house, there was never a need to leave the kitchen. My mom would simmer, bake and broil dishes to perfection, while my dad would fry, boil or whip up anything from lo mein to shrimp scampi in mere minutes. Due to his profound love of cooking for others and the speediness with which he cooked, my dad became the de facto cook of the house.
Christmas in the Capital
The Jolly Man
Santa continues his Beijing tour by appearing at the Fairmont Beijing’s Christmas-themed teddy bear buffet on December 24 and 25. Kids can nibble on scones, cookies, sandwiches, and other treats as they wait to take a picture with old St. Nick.
On December 25, Santa will cap off the holiday season with the Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street’s Christmas buffet. The food selection includes fresh seafood, meat roasts, and various kinds of desserts.
For complete information, see Events.
The Decor
Tianyi Market in Fuchengmen has everything you can think of, including fake Christmas trees, Santa Claus suits, Christmas lights, and more. The chain Hola branches across Beijing selling Christmas wrapping, garlands, snow globes, scented candles. Also, the furniture store Ikea has Christmas stockings, tree ornaments, festive tableware, window decorations, tree lights, and wrapping paper.
December Noticeboard: What’s Happening in Beijing
Congratulations to Dulwich College Beijing
Dulwich College Beijing has been named British International School of the Year 2011, which is part of the Independent School Awards. On November 16, the awards ceremony was held on in Birmingham, UK at the National Motorcycle Museum. This award is based on Dulwich fulfilling the criteria of being an inspirational school based outside of the UK that espouses a British education, and has made a strategic or financial achievement of note. For the official submission, Dulwich College Beijing highlighted student efforts that have been made with local migrant schools in Beijing. The school continues to make contributions to the community through student exchanges, field trips, and fundraisers.
A Christmas Conundrum
Christmas for me has always been a gigantic family affair with an even bigger itinerary. On Christmas morning, I would be the one shaking my parents ‘til they awoke, a girl who on any other day requires a forklift to get out of bed. After an enthusiastic lap around the Christmas tree and the cascade of presents lying under it, I would sit, wait and wonder why my parents could not get out of bed any faster! My brother and I were already up, counting the presents and eyeing our pregnant stockings.
Get Movin’
Cold winds in Beijing might be brewing, but that’s no reason to stay cooped up indoors. The capital offers some of the most exciting and entertaining options for exercise – for both adults and kids – so don’t retreat to your couch just yet! Lace up your sneakers and join one of Beijing’s many fitness activities.
Swimming
A 300-strong international swim team, Dragon Fire Swim Team provides training and instruction according to FINA requirements. Annual swim camps are offered for kids; there’s even a Baby Swim class for 3- to 4-year-old swimmers. There are also master classes for adults. During the swim season, training is offered seven days a week at four different locations (Canadian International School, British School of Beijing, Beijing Rego British School and Western Academy of Beijing).
Thanksgiving Turkey
On Thursday November 24, if you’re looking for that tender, luscious slice of turkey with a side of sweet cranberry sauce and buttery mashed potatoes, look no further than this list. Choose from one of the many places in Beijing to dine or order a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
Blonde Bombshell
Noemi Kubiak might be a Beijing mom-on-the-go, but she can certainly claim she is a citizen of the world. While her roots are Swedish and Polish, she has been traveling around the world since the age of 16 from Sweden to Poland, France, the US, Guatemala and now China. A year ago, she moved to the capital with her husband, who works for a British television station, as well as their 2-year-old son Julius and 4-year-old daughter Saskia. Kubiak speaks five languages fluently and in the midst of closing her events business in London, she has joined SmarTots as the Vice President of Marketing. This busy working mom confessed that her last haircut was two years ago, so she was eager to give her hair a much-needed boost. After going to the same stylist in London for many years, she left her blonde locks in the very capable hands of the salon, Toni & Guy.
November Noticeboard: What’s Happening in Beijing
KinStar Has a New Look as BIBA
KinStar International Bilingual School in Shunyi has enjoyed not only a three-fold increase in its campus facilities, but also a complete change of name to Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA). The newly expanded campus now houses three buildings, each dedicated to their kindergarten, elementary and middle schools respectively. BIBA offers both English (US curriculum standards) and Chinese (Chinese National Curriculum) within a creative and stimulating international environment. Students can supplement their studies with a range of sporting, art and music options. Also worth noting is that BIBA is the Shunyi host school for the International Piano Academy of China (IPAC). For information, call 8041 0390, email Karen@bibachina.org, or visit www.bibachina.org.
Dr. Mom to the Rescue
My family name might be Chin, but the Gwon genes also run through my veins. Like my Gwon cousins, I love naps and am impossibly stubborn at times. My father once commented about our uncanny ability to take naps, remarking, “Must be all the thinking they do.” Perhaps all that thinking and napping really does pay off.
