September, 2010
Articles from prior issues of beijingkids can be found by checking out the archive links below for the month and year you are interested in.
Green Marks the Spot
Good to Know: Organic food labels
KEY WORDS
有机食品, youji shipin: organic food
有机产品 youji chanpin: organic product
有机蔬菜 youji shucai: organic produce
绿色食品 lüse shipin: "green" food
When shopping for organically grown and processed food products, look for the "Certified Organic" label (有机认证, youji renzheng) by the OFDC (Organic Food Development Center). This is an independent food certification agency of the State Environmental Protection Administration accredited by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements), an internationally recognized umbrella organization.
Cutting Back Chemicals
Most store bought household cleaners emit toxic fumes and contain harmful chemicals. The average home is filled with up to 1,000 different types of chemicals. But it's easier than you think to switch to a homemade cleaner for tubs, sinks, tabletops and floors. Safe, natural cleaners can be made using basic ingredients.
20 Ways to Be Greener
1 Unplug chargers for phones, iPods, computers and other electronic devices when not in use. Despite being "turned off," a charger still consumes energy and wastes about 75 percent of electricity used to power the appliances themselves. Instead of plugging and unplugging your chargers into the wall, plug all of them into a single power strip with its own on/off button. This way, you simply press one button to turn all of the chargers off, without having to unplug them.
Debate Club: Test or Torture?
Dating back to the third and fourth centuries BC, philosopher Aristotle and Greek anatomist and physician Erasistratus conducted experiments using live animals. Modern animal testing resulted in the creation of a number of life-saving vaccines, including ones for rabies, polio and measles. However, animal testing is also used to create cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning products. The tests are often inhumane and the results can be misleading - an animal's response can differ from a human's response and the subject's pain can affect the accuracy of the test. Legislation exists to limit the use of animals in experiments,yet researchers believe that animals cannot be completely eliminated from the testing process. The debate over animal testing has spawned advocacy groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). Students from Beijing City International School spoke about this complex and highly controversial issue.
Spreading the Seed
When an organic food shop opened down the street from my apartment last year, I chalked it up to a bit of wishful thinking on the part of its owner - surely someone with a little extra money and green-leaning tendencies. Soon after, I began noticing green and organic products stocked throughout many, if not most, supermarkets - and by no means limited to the more upscale chains. As it turns out, organic products have achieved a strong presence in Beijing. I just hadn't been paying attention.
Liu Shu Bei, 6, ChinaI Want to Be a World Traveler
At a young age, Ecuadorian Patricia Cobena decided that she would make traveling her permanent job. She completed a degree in Tourism Management then worked as a logistics coordinator at Zoco tour operators. In 2007, she moved to China to study Mandarin at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). The following year, she became a regional sales manager in Beijing for the Hong Kong travel agency Variarts. Among planning trips and coordinating events, she has worked with Beijing Olympic sponsors. Speaking Spanish, English, and Mandarin, she currently works as a private tour guide in Beijing and across China. Over the past two years, she has guided tourists hailingfrom the US, Ecuador, Columbia and Peru. In just three years, she has explored those countries herself, in addition to South Africa, Israel, Thailand, Costa Rica and Panama. Before her next travel adventure, she spoke to Beijing Playhouse, telling tales of the most exciting corners of the Earth and sharing her personal journey.
Cruel to Be Kind
Let's set the record straight: I'm a horrible husband and a terrible father. Who else drags their 3-year-old daughter to the US for three weeks without Mama on the false pretense that it is the beginning of a two-month holiday? Believe me, the holiday began after Savvy's arrival. Those first three weeks sans Mom were rough.
How Hard Is It to Make Cupcakes?
Some folk are naturally adept at baking. They can whip up a batch of jam drops or pumpkin scones in a matter of minutes. I aspire to such baking greatness; however, it seems my enthusiasm far outweighs my natural ability. Despite my lack of talent, I tend to bake a lot after having a baby (baby number three has just arrived). I recently learned a hard lesson in the kitchen though - baking and sleep deprivation don't mix.
More Than Healing
When Nini arrived at Beijing's Half the Sky China Care Home (HTS China Care Home) from Xinjiang province, she was a tiny 2-month-old, barely able to move. Born with spina bifida, Nini had to be held gingerly - a fluid-filled sac on her spine was so transparent it looked as if it were about to leak. Nini's doctors discovered that she also had hydrocephalus (excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the head) and Chiari malformation (an abnormal formation that causes the brain to push downward).
Sitting Seaside
Accommodation
Regarded as a major historic relic preservation project, The Astor Hotel in Tianjin is a luxury hotel decorated in classic Victorian era style. Open since 1863, it has been recently restored and reopens this month. The Astor has hosted Prime Ministers and Presidents, including Dr. Sun Yat Sen and US President Herbert Hoover.
The TravelersParadise in the Philippines
The Travelers
Anwar Almutlaq, his wife Maria Fuenmayor and their daughter Dana (8 months old).
The Williamson's Thai Adventure
The Travelers
Brendan and Samantha Williamson and their daughters, Emily (9) and Louise (5).
What's Fun In: Ditan Park
As the muggy Beijing heat begins to lift this month, take advantage of the city's rich cultural history by trying out the treasure trove of activities in and around Ditan Park. Smell the incense at Lama Temple, try your hand at flying a kite or cool down at the Ditan Ice Arena. The park itself is a gathering place for local residents, and an afternoon stroll around the grounds will reveal aspiring Peking Opera singers, tai chi groups and avid kite-fliers. As Ditan is conveniently located in the center of the city, there's no reason why you can't make this a regular autumnal day out.
Under the Sea
American Steven Schwankert has come a long way from his home state of New Jersey. Diving since he was 10 years old, Schwankert began teaching after he gained his Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) qualification in Hong Kong. PADI is the world's largest organization for teaching scuba diving. Schwankert started Beijing's first professional dive operation, SinoScuba, in early 2003 upon moving back to China.All levels, from beginners to advanced are welcome, and instruction is offered in either English or Mandarin. Having guided nearly 800 divers, SinoScuba invites water enthusiasts (ages eight and up) to explore the vibrant marine life that resides in the waters of China and beyond.
Russian Doll
Russian Yuliya Mavletbaeva has a lot on her plate. Mom to 16-month-old Alessandra, she also runs her own kindermusik and baby massage classes. Dividing her time between traveling the world to obtain her teaching qualifications and caring for a newborn, Yuliya arrived at TATA salon truly exhausted. In addition to juggling motherhood and her new business, Yuliya has spent the past year working hard to get rid of her pregnancy weight and is only two kilos away from her goal. "I've been feeling much better this past year and I'm ready for a new look," she exclaims. Martin Harper, longtime Hong Kong resident, moved to Beijing over four years ago and has since taken the reins as technical director of TATA salon. His major concern was Yuliya's dry and damaged hair - the result of years of home coloring and chemical treatments. It was time for Martin and his team to give Youliya a fresh, fun look starting from the roots.
Snapshot: Moms Talk Shopping
Jihee Choi
How many kids do you have?
I have two sons. One is almost 3 years old and the other is 5 months old.
Where are you from?
South Korea
How long have you lived in Beijing?
Over one year.
Where do you like to shop?
Shin Kong Place and The Place.
Where do you shop for the kids?
Online at Lijia Baby (www.lijiababy.com.cn). They deliver right to your door.
Do you have a favorite spot in Beijing?
Beihai Park. I also like Longtan Park.
Do you have a favorite outdoor activity?
I like diving, riding my bicycle and going to the park.
Where do you like to eat?
1949 The Hidden City, behind Pacific Century Place. Also, I like dim sum at Crystal Jade at The Place.
Say Hello to Beijing's Smallest
Chloé Fournier
Chinese/French. Born to Lin Wang and Dylan Fournier on May 19 at AmCare Women's & Children's Hospital.
Treat Yourself to Apple Pie
Pie House
Sink your teeth into a flaky crust and gooey, cinnamon-laced apple filling. This bakery will deliver a fresh, authentic dessert right to your door for no extra cost. Just order five hours in advance.
Daily 9am-9pm. www.piehouse.com.cn. To order, call 5166 4464 or e-mail order@piehouse.com.cn.
Ras Ethiopian Cuisine
Tucked away from the urban landscape of Beijing, the only sound you'll hear among the greenery of the new Ras restaurant is the hum of cicadas. Large trees loom overhead and the low boundaries of the brick patio allow for perfect sight lines to keep an eye on playing children. With an extensive outdoor area, Ras is perfectly situated for an indulgent afternoon or evening of Ethiopian fare. Large canvas umbrellas, good-sized tables and a variety of seating options grace the patio, accommodating groups or families of any size. For the winter months, the inside space provides a glimpse of Ethiopian culture through traditional art and décor, including mesobs - traditional hand woven tables. The menu features an array of barbeque options as well as the stews and injera bread distinct to Ethiopian cuisine. With the change in location also comes the addition of a children's menu, integrating authentic Ethiopian dishes with well-known crowd pleasers like fries and chicken wings.
Soup for a New Season
For all of summer's fecundity, the best of the season is in its transitory pleasures: Fresh salads and cold soups - quick and simple to make, and consumed immediately. Summer's adjective is not comfort, and summery foods are not made for durability. That is autumn's field. September is the first month of soup season, and I am excited.
Transitional by structure (preceding stew season and succeeding salad season), but not by nature, soup season is my favorite. The temperature is no longer hot enough to kill your appetite, but it is not cold enough to store up fat reserves (and yes, I definitely store them up over winter, via liberal usage of bacon in pot pies). Thus, a soup. Something to bubble away at the stove for hours as the night air turns nippy. Autumn returns summer's fruits to the earth; rows of persimmon trees outside my office bore fruit and with no one to pick them, they simply over-ripened and fell to the ground. And nothing is earthier or more autumnal than mushrooms.
Green Livin'
Our bodies act as targets for the toxins we are exposed to via the air we breathe and the foods we eat. Individual efforts to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle can help deflect some of those nasties. You can even help your community while you're at it.
Air pollution worldwide is a major contributor to both short- and long-term heart and lung disease. Efforts to reduce carbon pollution will help the Earth's ecology directly, as well as improve air quality. Try switching from driving or catching cabs to cycling instead. The lifetime health benefits from this form of exercise are much greater than the risks from city pollution - this is supported by a very encouraging new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Beijing News Bites
New Principal at 3e
After joining 3e in 2007, Amy Loveday-Hu has recently begun her new role as principal. She has worked in education for the past 11 years across a variety of areas, including special needs, nursery and middle school. She's lived in Beijing with her husband and daughter for the past six years and is looking forward to many more years in the capital.
