admin's Reviews

Spent yesterday afternoon at the Familier Center, a cute little indoor play center in Chaowai Soho. Prices are kind of steep -- I think it's 88 kuai for 2 hours of play -- but that helps the place from becoming overcrowded.

The best deal is if you buy a set lunch for 3 (2 adults + 1 kid) = 158 kuai, and then your kid gets to play for free.

The food is not great (kind of what you'd get in a small chinese-run coffee shop) and service is shaky, but it's clean and there's plenty of it in the set (we got a pizza, spaghetti, french fries, 3 soups, a bowl of udon noodles, one coffee and 2 small servings of ice cream). So as long as you are not really picky you can feed three and have an afternoon of fun for the sum total of 158 (not so bad at all).

Lots of books and magazines are on site, a little cafe, a small climbing wall, a mini play supermarket and a pool of plastic balls are among the highlights.

definitely worth a visit. I'd say the best ages for it would be 2-4.

My daughter (a little over 2 years old) has been going to the Family Learning House for 2 months now and so far she loves it -- as do I and my wife.

I really appreciate the educational philosophy that focuses on virtues -- though sometimes it can get a little too New Age-ish for my tastes.

The place is clean, the staff efficient, friendly and professional, and overall I'd strongly recommend it and I'm sure my daughter will be sad when the school year ends next week -- but she'll be looking forward to starting again in the fall!

Want a REAL cake with real icing the way it's meant to be?

Then Exquisite is your spot. These people can make every shape and design of cake imaginable, and with genuine cake and genuine frosting, not that revolting foamy shite interspersed with crap like taro root and canned fruit hidden between the layers that a typical cake around these parts is made of.

Pricing is premium but it's definitely worth it if you want to actually enjoy eating the cake rather than just looking at it as something symbolic.

They deliver as well -- I've used them for my child's last 2 birthdays and some other events as well. The latest was done to my specifications, with a fantastic result -- ordered, made and delivered in about a day and a half.

Though their shop is in Shunyi you can order over the phone and they'll deliver downtown.

Definitely five-star.

Elaine's has a cool interior courtyard and a cozy dining room plus plenty for the kiddos like a mini trampoline, plastic rocking horses and a mini jungle gym inside.

The veggie fare is fun and not boring in the least -- recommended dishes include the crispy duck (though it was a bit on the sweet side) and the winter melon and seaweed soup.

Chaterhouse in the basement of The Place is a fantastic place for kids ... granted its not a Barnes and Noble, but we need more like it in Beijing!

Every once in a while I'll get a craving to go to the Outback. The food is OK but the gongti location is quite nice for those of us with babies as there are roomy aisles, changing tables in both the men's and the women's bathrooms, and huge, deep booth seating. Additionally, it's rarely crowded. Service is quick.

Now if they'd only get some more tender beef and not so over-season it ...

This is a good spot for families -- rarely overcrowded, spacious interior, and lots of western standards like spaghetti, burgers, and salads. Their Cobb Salad is a favorite.

There's a kid's play area but its dusty at times.

The Blue Zoo is a compact aquarium that's worth a visit for an hour or two. While a bit run down and can get overcrowded, crowds move pretty quickly through its exhibits.

It's main feature is the plexiglas tunnel that guides visitors underneath its huge reef tank, which provides close-up views of snaggle-toothed sharks, a huge sea turtle, and hundreds of fish. A moving track helps keep the crowds moving through.

Added bonus: most of the exhibit explanations are bilingual.

Though the coffee ain't gourmet, the big breakfast that features eggs, ham, sausage and bacon is just the thing for a huge weekend morning meal.

Though it gets crowded at times, the Le Cool skating rink is a great place for kids as well as adults. Its location inside the China World food court means a meal, a snack or a hot/cold drink is never too far away.

Given the crowds I would not recommend taking new skaters at peak hours to learn how to skate.