May, 2010

The Travelers
Mike Murphy, his son Bowen (5) and daughter Ingrid (4).

The Plan
Cashing in their frequent flyer miles, the Murphys flew business class on Cathay Pacific Airlines to Hong Kong and then Gulf Airlines to Bahrain. The points also allowed the family to stay in luxury hotels during their travels.
The Murphys arrived in Cairo and stayed at the Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort for four days. On the second day, they met with their good friends, the Maos (see p37). The two families then traveled via night train to Luxor.
Having been to Egypt before, Mike revisited the sites that he wanted to share with his children. They explored the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Karnak, Luxor Temple and King Tut's Tomb. After three days in Luxor, they took an evening flight to the diving resort of Sharm El Sheik. While there, they enjoyed the luxuries of the Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh, including its 80m-long waterslide - the longest in the Middle East.

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Savvy Him, marketing solutions manager at Microsoft, manages to fit 6am conference calls and 10pm workouts around her little girl, Reina (3) and her school schedule. Savvy has an amazing life story. Adopted in her native Cambodia, Savvy and her family then moved to Portland in the US, which she now calls home. A passion for different cultures led her to live in France, Japan and Israel. Savvy speaks five languages, including Cambodian, and has plans to add Spanish to her ever-growing list. Juggling full-time work with full-time motherhood, this mom is used to pulling all-nighters. "I normally get five hours sleep," she says. Gavin Style Hair Salon in the Nalio Patio was there to make sure this super mom got the perfect makeover, and Taidian Massage Salon capped off the day of pampering with a blissful Japanese massage.

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The Travelers
Nils-Arne Schroeder, his wife Renate Lee and their two children, Kyla (6) and Kaden (2).

The Plan
The family planned a three-week holiday, splitting the time between Paris and Nils' home country of Germany. When in Europe, the family always flies Lufthansa Airlines. In Paris, they stayed at Hilton Arc de Triomphe - a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe. It was the first time in Paris for Renate and the children, so they were very excited. Renate wanted to visit the museums and Champs-Élysées, while the kids couldn't wait to go to Euro Disney.

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The Travelers
Alexander John Key, his wife Jacqueline Renee Cohen and son Nathaniel (4) and daughter Saskia (3).

The Plan
The family booked their trip to Niseko, Japan with Holly at Mercury Travel. China Air offers direct flights every Wednesday and Saturday to the New Chitose Airport in Sapporo. The flight was a mere four hours and the drive to Niseko is approximately two.
Located on the northern island of Hokkaido, Niseko is the perfect year-round getaway for skiing and snowboarding. The area is famous for its fresh seafood and local produce. Summer travelers can pick their own fruit at a local farm.
Families should stay clear of Hirafu, because of its nightlife and bar culture. Instead, the family recommends the Niseko Country Resort (www.nisekocountryresort.com) as a safe and quiet place to stay. Their concierge can help you rent a car or book the Sky Bus shuttle that takes you to your chalet door.

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When we moved here, I had big plans for the kids. They would learn to speak Chinese, eat Chinese and appreciate all things Chinese. I had no idea there would be so many pizza joints within a one-mile radius of our very un-Chinese house in the heart of Shunyi. Going native isn't as easy as I imagined it would be.

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The Travelers
Victor Mao, his wife Yue Zhuge, their sons Colin (12) and Stanley (7), Qihua's father Kecheng Mao, his aunt Xiaolan Lu and Yue's mother Xiang Chen.

The Plan
Instead of celebrating Chinese New Year in China, the Maos opted for an exciting trip to Egypt with the extended family. The eldest and youngest of travelers were 70 years apart.
The Maos flew from Beijing to Cairo via Dubai. In Cairo, they spent two days visiting Giza, the Sakkara pyramid and Coptic Cairo. Then, they boarded an evening train from Cairo to Luxor, where they spent three days. An evening flight with a local airline took them to their next destination, Sharm El Sheikh. After three days there, they took a van back to Cairo via Suez. Their last day was spent in Cairo visiting a citadel and local markets. After their big adventure, the Maos flew Gulf Air back to Beijing.

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Paul Zhang, sous chef at the Writers Bar, Raffles Beijing Hotel, shares his secret recipe for this English favorite.

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Beijing's organic produce is questionable, air quality is an ongoing problem, and little stomach bugs are never far away. So what can you do to fight off those nasties and keep your family healthy? Start with a green smoothie. All you need is a blender, a handful of leafy greens and some fresh fruit.

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Beijing has been referred to as a "dating wasteland" by some of the capital's single residents. Rightly or wrongly, criticisms often revolve around the common stereotypes that all the men are looking for Chinese women, and all the women are looking to get married. Beijing's singles scene is unlike anywhere else in the world and it takes a lot of guts, perseverance, and hope to navigate it. Especially if you're a single parent.

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May is here, and spring is finally announcing its late arrival. And what is spring without hay fever? Many of us are already suffering from itchy eyes and sneezing. Hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis) is mainly due to pollen from trees, and Beijing is notorious for its annual explosion of poplar and willow tree pollen that coats the city in a fluffy haze.

Beijing's trees and flowers are likely to be very different from those in your home country. So although most expats with severe spring allergies usually have improved symptoms in the capital, others with no previous history suddenly find themselves suffering from this unwanted springtime guest.

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Summer is on its way, which means one thing: school holidays. Keep your kids occupied, entertained and happy with our great selection of summer camp options. Whether your little ones are interested in sports, theater or practicing their Putonghua, we've got you covered.

3e Summer Camp
Children have fun while learning in an interactive bilingual environment. Little ones get a chance to discover both inside and outside the classroom. With half-day and full-day options available, children ages 2 to 8 will spend four weeks exploring English and Mandarin through hands-on experiential learning and investigation.

Full day: RMB 12,800; 8.30am-3.30pm. Nursery: RMB 7,650; 8.30am-11.30am. Jun 21-Jul 16. 3e International, 9-1 Jiangtai Xilu, Chaoyang District (6437 3344) www.3eik.com

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Heping Zhang
Chinese. Born to Qizhi Ren and Ling Zhang on Mar 23 at Beijing United Family Hospital.

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The family dinner table may be one of the most underestimated places for improving your family's eating habits and overall nutrition. For younger children, family mealtimes provide much-needed predictability and comfort. They also help develop your child's language and communication skills, and give you an opportunity to coach and monitor their behavior. In fact, numerous studies have identified a higher frequency of family mealtimes as an important factor in avoiding childhood obesity.

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In times of old, Qianmen Dajie was famous for its restaurants, shops, street vendors, and performance artists. Though more streamlined and commercialized, the newly reconstructed Qianmen Dajie offers entertainment of a similar flair. Qianmen literally translates to "front gate," and when you see the looming archway that frames the entrance to this bustling street, you'll know why. Whether the idea of Starbucks and H&M masked in traditional Chinese architecture excites or unnerves you, this bustling area assuages your consumer desires while providing plenty of distractions for kids, including a tram ride and a museum.

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Tommy Siu, 15, Hong Kong, has lived in Beijing for six years

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Jon An, 5

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The month of May marks six months since we kicked our son Daniel out of the nest - albeit only as far as nursery school, I hasten to add. Monday to Friday, 8am 'til 5pm, he is officially outsourced to the Montessori nursery school in the wilds of Tiantongyuan where we live, outside the orbit of the Fifth Ring Road. Six months ago, I confess, it felt like we were cutting him loose. I really wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. Every child and parent must go through the traumatic first day of school experience at some stage, but at 2 and a half years old?

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Whether a couple is considering having children or is already trying to juggle a family, it helps to remember the basics of a good relationship and healthy marriage. We talked with two Beijing families about life, love and how they maintain their bonds.

The Maigan Family
French native Denis Maigan and Chilean Ximena Vasquez are both lawyers and have been working in Beijing for the past seven years. They met in Paris while studying at university and started dating in 1992. They've been happily married for 11 years. The couple has an 8-year-old son, named Gabriel, and a 3-year-old daughter, Ines.

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I am not a squeamish cook, nor am I timid. I scrape marrow and I render fat, but we all have our kryptonite. Mine is cooking fish. Its offensive characteristics include: the fishy smell it leaves in my kitchen, its finicky disposition to being over cooked, the diligence needed to check for impeccable freshness. And don't even get me started on browning butter on a weeknight. Eating and cooking fish while living in a coastal city is another story all on its own; anyone would find it easy to wax lyrical about Peruvian ceviche in Peru, where it's actually a hassle to find unfresh fish. In a landlocked place like Beijing, fresh fish is an ordeal.

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Relocation to a new country forces couples to adapt to a different culture, environment, language and custom, all of which can take a heavy emotional and physical toll. It's therefore unsurprising that some marriages simply do not survive the shift.

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Valentina Galeazzi
What do you do?
I'm a translator.
Where are you from?
Italy
How many children do you have?
My son is 2 years old and I'm pregnant with my second child.
How long have you been living in Beijing?
9 years
Where do you like to shop?
We like Yashow, Silk Street and Nali Patio.
Where do you like to eat?
Matsuko and Da Dong for Beijing duck. Il Casale in Lido has the best overall Italian, but La Pizza has the best pizza in Beijing. Also, Dareen Coffee has great Arabic food.
Do you have a favorite spot in Beijing?
We like visitng Houhai, Summer Palace and Fragrant Hills. I also like Sanlitun Village.
Where is your jacket from?
Alien Street Market

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… Abalone 鲍鱼
The Ferrari of the single-shelled mollusc world, this deep-water treasure is a status ingredient in China. Dried, it can be even more valuable than fresh, and the best examples come from Japan. Yang Guanyi, the 78-year-old master chef of Sanlitun's Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant, describes it as "uniquely sticky and tender with a smooth, chewy, mushroom-like texture." Yum.

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Sihan Yan, Casa Class, 6, China

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Otherwise known as DJ Lomang, Chinese-American Jan Lo developed his DJ skills while earning a Social Psychology degree at Yale University. With over 12 years of experience, he has played in major cities across the world including LA, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong. His DJ repertoire includes celebrity parties for the likes of Spike Lee and private events held by Nike, Diesel and Mercedes. In addition, DJ Lomang has shared the stage with music giants such as Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan. After eight years in New York City, Lo now resides in Beijing where he teams up with China's three-time DMC Champion DJ Wordy for the monthly Hotpot dance parties. Before celebrating the two-year anniversary of Hotpot, Lo visited the students of The International Montessori School of Beijing to discuss the world of music and life of a DJ.

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