UrbanCoolKids is an online store which stocks imported products for children, including Thudguard, a range of British safety helmets for children, and WeeRide, an American children’s bike seats brand. UrbanCoolKids is the exclusive distributor for both companies in China.

Filipina Genevieve Co See, managing partner of UrbanCoolKids, has lived in China for eight years, first moving to Beijing for her husband’s work. Nowadays due to school and work commitments, she divides her time between Shanghai and Beijing.

Co See started the company in 2011, acquiring the Thudguard license after observing daughter Alexa’s minor accidents as she learned to walk. On vacation abroad, Co See saw the Thudguard hat on sale. “I know that bumps and bruises are part of growing up, but I wanted my child to be safe from a potentially irreversible severe head injury,” she says. “I loved that I could watch her from a distance, and relax or complete household chores. As an added bonus I saw that with more freedom, she got more exercise and her motor skills improved much faster.”

As Alexa has grown up, the products Co See distributes have grown alongside her. UrbanCoolKids added the center-mounted WeeRide Kangaroo bike seat to their range of products, because the family loved to go on bike rides and didn’t want to place their young daughter on a rear-mounted seat. “With the WeeRide Kangaroo, we could seat her in front, safely between our arms, and easily talk to her during rides,” says Co See. Now that Alexa is older, she has outgrown the WeeRide Kangaroo seat and instead enjoys long bike rides with her parents on the WeeRide Co-pilot.

The Thudguard hat retails for RMB 368, WeeRide Kangaroo for
RMB 788, and the WeeRide Co-pilot is RMB 1,050.

UrbanCoolKids
(info@urbancoolkids.com) urbancoolkids.taobao.com

This article originally appeared on page 16-17 of the beijingkids November 2015 issue. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.

Based out of San Diego, California, the Amor – meaning love in Spanish- Ministries is a charity organization with a reputation for building houses for families living in poverty. For the past 35 years, they’ve already managed to build over 18,000 homes and over 350 churches. They continue to look for volunteers and employees to help them build homes for the underprivileged in countries such as South Africa and Mexico.  Americans Scott and Gayla Congdon founded Amor after a visit to an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. The organization gives families much more than just a house; they inspire them with a new beginning.

The goal of the organization is to create a chain reaction through the elimination of their base problem, and then they are able to fix the rest. Here’s a typical scenario:

An average family income in Mexico is about MXN 700-800 per week and with that they firstly have to purchase food, maintenance for their shack, and medical bills. After those expenses, little to none is left to invest in buying or building a house. The shacks are built from old garage doors and wood panels and families sleep on top of yoga mats on earthen floors that are sometimes unsanitary. Kids as young as 14 years old often drop out of school to work in factories to help raise money. The other reason for a high dropout rate is schools are located several miles away, which means kids have to wake up really early to walk as there’s no other mode of transport.

But everything starts to improve once they have a house; the family can spend their money on their child’s education rather than fixing their house as well as save up their money to buy a bicycle. A house also means bigger living space and rooms to fit an actual bed improving their overall health.

On the Amor website, they’re blogging about their work and the impact on the families. The work is done in teams consisting of volunteers and their employees. I was moved and decided to be a part of the Amor ministries.

When I volunteered during this past spring break in Tijuana, I would have to say that it’s one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. I really got to know the family as well as my team. We chatted while we worked and listening to their stories made me realize how lucky I am. The most unforgettable thing was the smile on their faces once we completed the house.

I’ve also noticed a lot of donations going on, but I’ve never really got to do anything hands-on. With Amor, its different and you have a chance to put yourself in a situation that you’re not used to and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone. At the beginning of the trip you’d feel a bit nerve-wracked, a little uneasy about the work load, but I promise you that at the end the results of what you have accomplished, will make it worth the trip.

Amari Zhang is, our July Intern, from San Fransisco, California and here to visit friends and family. She loves to doodle, shop with friends, play tennis, and travel.

Photos: Amari

From 1950 to today, many films are produced to show the flaws and injustices of our society and the impossible ways other people have managed to conquer. These are examples that will teach us important life lessons and guide us in the near future. This list contains movies that aren’t suitable for younger audiences. Enjoy!  More after the jump.

 Unbroken
Plot/ Description: As a child, Louis Zamperini was a trouble maker but also a remarkable runner. With the influence of his brother, Pete, he began his running career. He competed at Hitler’s Berlin Olympics and later joined the US army. Unfortunately, his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a rescue mission and he, along with his crew member, survived in a life raft. They drifted for 47 days (2,000miles) into the Japanese territory. They were captured and sent to prison camps. After they found out that he was an Olympian, they tortured him and made him work in mines for years up to the end of the war.
Rated: PG-13
Pros: An exciting and nerve-wracking film. It captures Louis’s determination with a clear distinctive message.
Cons: It’s leaving out some of the inside thoughts of the characters and when there’re too many characters moving in and out it gets kind of confusing.
Lessons/Take away: Always have hope, strength, and perseverance. It gives another view of the war and it also teaches kids on WWII.

127 Hours
Plot/ Description: This is based on an outdoorsman, Aron Ralston. Ralston always believed that he doesn’t need anybody and that he can do everything on his own, but nature proved him wrong. When Ralston was hiking through a slot Canyon, a boulder fell on his right hand and he was stuck there for 127 hours with approximately 350ml of water and two burritos. He didn’t tell anyone that he was going hiking and therefore no one came to rescue him.
Rated: R (18+)
Pros: The graphics are beautiful. It’s realistic especially with the video he made when thinking that he was gonna die. It’s a mystical and marvelous film.
Cons: The amputation moment might unpleasant for some people.
Lesson/Take away: For introverts, a necessary safety precaution is to notify a friend, colleague, or family members on their whereabouts especially when going outdoors. This film teaches us that we all need someone in our lives.

The Diary of Anne Frank (1950)
Plot/ Description: This is about a Dutch Jewish girl, Anne Frank, and her family. The story takes place during the holocaust, when all Jews were identified as inferior and were sent to concentration camps where they’re persecuted. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, was a lieutenant in the German army during WWI and he arranged a hiding place for his family. But eventually they were betrayed by an anonymous informant and the Frank family along with their friends hiding with them was sent to concentration camps. Otto Frank became the sole survivor of his family and his friends that hid with him during that period of time. This is based on a novel of the same title.
Rated: Parental Guidance
Pros: It’s emotional and very raw. It depicts the real life of Jews during the holocaust; their fears for their lives and for their loved ones.
Cons: The scenes of the camp can give people nightmares and generate negative feelings.
Lessons/Take away: Life is way too short, so live your life to the fullest every day.

To Kill a Mockingbird
Plot/ Description: Based on the Pulitzer wining book by Harper Lee. Through the view of a little girl names Scout Finch, we see racism and inequality between the citizens of the fictional town of Macomb in Alabama. From Boo Radley to the unfair trial of Tom Robinson, Scout’s perception changes her views and ways of seeing things.
Rated: Not suitable for young children
Pros: Great capture of racism.
Cons: It’s black and white.
Lessons/Take away: Everyone should be equal.

The Sound of Music
Plot/ Description: This is an all time classic. The protagonist, Maria, tries to become a nun, but fails miserably. The Navy captain, George Von Trapp, hires Maria as a governess for his seven children. Maria brings happiness to the strict, lifeless home and music as well. Maria and the captain then find themselves in love and they struggle through many conflicts before finally being together.
Rated: G
Pros: It’s a wonderful musical and very joyful.
Cons: It is a 3 hours long movie, about twice the length of a regular movie. The songs will keep playing in a loop for days after watching.
Lessons/Take away: Kindness does have its rewards and share your happiness. The various story lines about coming of age show how to work through those times.

Amari Zhang is, our July Intern, from San Fransisco, California and here to visit friends and family. She loves to doodle, shop with friends, play tennis, and travel.

Photos: Movieguide.org, moviepostershop.com, listal.com, & ramascreen.com

Beijing is gearing up for Spring Festival, China’s biggest holiday, and come February 14, 2010, it’ll be time to celebrate in lao Beijing fashion. Do as the locals do: Bundle up and head to the temple fairs around town.

The tradition of temple fairs extends back a thousand years, and nowadays you’ll find a cornucopia of regional foods, arts and crafts, and traditional performances on display in Beijing. Go back in time to the Qing dynasty, play traditional games, eat fancy treats or get tech-savvy – there’s more to Chinese New Year than the fireworks exploding throughout the city.

Beijing’s Carnival: Chaoyang Park

Dubbed the “International Spring Festival Carnival,” this modern, multicultural temple fair has become a favorite of many Chaoyang residents since it was first held in 2002. As its name indicates, the fair features performers from all over the world. The best of both Eastern and Western cultures are on full display, with music, dance, drama, fashion, magic tricks, acrobats, costume parades and even standup comedy throughout the fair. Toss in the sound and light shows and a day spent at Chaoyang Park is more than enough for even the most high-energy tykes.

Feb 14-Feb 19, 9am-5pm; RMB 10
Chaoyang Park (6506 7223)

Everything Lao Beijing: Ditan Park

You’ll find Beijing’s biggest traditional Spring Festival temple fair in Ditan Park. Every year, folk artists gather here to showcase crafts like Chinese fan-painting and to perform kung fu, acrobatic tricks and a type of comedy called xiangsheng (相声). Catch a Sichuan opera performance and watch as actors spout fire and change their elaborate face paintings with just a shake of the head.

Check out the many regional arts such as nianhua (Chinese New Year’s paintings) from Tianjin and wood carvings from Dongbei. Look on as artisans make tanghua, a Chengdu treat-on-a-stick; artists use melted sugar to draw dragons or phoenixes on marble boards and then attach the sweet to a stick for handy eating.

Kids can have fun playing traditional Chinese games such as diuqianyan (tossing coins into a hole in the middle of a well) and taoquan’r (throwing hoops around wooden or clay figures on the ground). Many traditional toys can be found here too, like bolanggu (a small drum with two drumming balls attached to its sides), fengche (a small pinwheel) – toys that have disappeared from modern shopping malls.

Feb 13-Feb 20, 9am-5pm; Price TBD
Ditan Park

Best of the Best: Longtan Park

Famous for its local performance competitions, Longtan Park is where you can find the best stilt-walking, unicycling and boat dancing (a traditional performance where two
people “row” a life-sized canoe made of paper) in the city. The invigorating sounds of Chinese drums and elaborate lion and dragon dances amplify the energy here. Visitors also come to watch the niuyangge (harvest dance), a popular rural dance that farmers perform.

The coolest low-tech attraction at the fair is probably the layangpian’r, a form of motion pictures developed in Beijing in the late 1800s, similar to the zoetrope that was invented in the UK. A performer turns a crank that moves a series of drawings or photos inside a dark box, creating a moving image that viewers can watch through peepholes while the performer accompanies the story with a song. This peculiar little movie box was a major form of entertainment for Beijing kids 100 years ago.

Feb 13 and on; RMB 10
Longtan Park

Go Geek: Zhongguancun Square

We really are living in a high-tech era – even Chinese temple fairs have gone digital. Since 2007, Zhongguancun in Haidian District, known as Beijing’s Silicon Valley, has hosted an annual technology temple fair, featuring scientific demonstrations, interactive games and environment-friendly products. Not only is this fair renao for both kids and adults alike, but it’s also educational.

The fair is comprised of a sports area, a science and technology area, and a gaming zone as well as local arts performances. If you can drag your kids away from the computer games, have fun observing the magical powers of electricity, sound and light. Food isn’t a highlight of the fair, so be prepared for a purely scientific and cultural experience.

Feb 14-Feb 19; Free
Zhongguancun Pedestrian Street, Zhongguancun Square, Haidian District
海淀区中关村广场步行街

Where did you go to school for veterinary care?

It’s a funny story about how I started veterinary studies. In 1974, I was assigned to attend Humeng Agriculture Institute in Inner Mongolia. I went to register at school, but they couldn’t find my file so they didn’t know what major I was assigned to. There were three majors available at the time: veterinary studies, agriculture and accounting. I wasn’t interested in accounting and had no idea what veterinary studies was, so I chose agriculture. A month after classes started, my file finally arrived and it turned out that I was assigned to veterinary studies. So I was transferred.

I am not a very brave person, and I wasn’t keen on giving injections. Back in school, there was a class where we were required to kill a live horse for experiments. I couldn’t do it. The teachers tried to persuade me but I still couldn’t after much effort. So I sometimes think I wasn’t cut out to be a vet. But I really like animals, any animal – be it cute, ugly or vicious. The other day when I was giving a little puppy injections, he bit me hard and I got 11 bleeding wounds on my hand from his teeth. I thought he was right to do so because it’s his instinct to protect himself.

How do you get animals to cooperate with medical exams?

I try to communicate with them first. I always look them in the eye and let them know that I mean no harm and I am friendly. Animals can sense your fear or bad intention. If you look at them with harmful thoughts, they know immediately and become very defensive. But a nice, friendly and warm look can do wonders.

I remember being asked to see a very vicious dog. He was bad-tempered and nobody could get close to him. I went there and just looked at him for a while, and he calmed down. Then I went over to pat him on the head and everyone was stunned. I can’t explain it – it’s like a sixth sense. But of course there are always some animals that are impossible to befriend.

What do you tell pet owners when it comes to keeping both animals and human beings healthy?

Canine distemper is quite common in China. It’s very important for people to realize that they should not only care for their own dog’s health, but also other dogs’, because many canine diseases are communicable.

For example, I once treated a dog that had parasites. So I emphasized several times to the owner that he absolutely has to pick up after the dog when he walks him outside, otherwise other dogs would get infected. The owner said, “Why should I care about other people’s dogs?” That kind of attitude is quite worrying. So I told him, because if other dogs get infected, they may pass the disease back to your dog again, even if he gets cured.

A lot of people are concerned about having a cat around a pregnant woman. They don’t need to be paranoid. It’s easy to diagnose some of the diseases and parasites that cats might carry. As long as you give the cat and yourself regular check-ups, have sanitary habits such as washing your hands often, and give your cats their necessary vaccinations, there’s nothing to worry about.

What’s your opinion on zoos and animals in captivity?

I really don’t have any problem with zoos. I realize that animals in captivity usually lose their wild nature and I’m not for capturing animals from nature, but I’m also not against the idea that some animals are born in the zoo and live comfortably under human’s care.

Wild nature is cruel. I once brought home a little chicken. Our cat jumped on it immediately and broke its neck. It was really brutal. I know nature has its laws, but I can’t stand to watch it.

Do you have pets at home?

We’ve had fish, birds, ducks, chickens, cats, dogs, caterpillars, hamsters, turtles and many other small animals. They all get along with my daughter. She loves animals. Once, when my daughter was just a baby, I put her in her stroller and we were just enjoying the sun in the courtyard. Our neighbor started slaughtering a chicken and my daughter started crying really hard. I don’t think she even understood what it was, as she had never seen a chicken before. But her instincts told her that this was killing.

Beijing is gearing up for Spring Festival, China’s biggest holiday, and come January 26, 2009, it’ll be time to celebrate in lao Beijing fashion. Do as the locals do: Bundle up and head to the temple fairs around town.

The tradition of temple fairs extends back a thousand years, and nowadays you’ll find a cornucopia of regional foods, arts and crafts,  and traditional performances on display in Beijing. Go back in time to the Qing dynasty, play traditional games, eat fancy treats or get tech-savvy – there’s more to Chinese New Year than the fireworks exploding throughout the city.

Beijing’s Carnival:
Chaoyang Park
Dubbed the “International Spring Festival Carnival,” this modern, multicultural temple fair has become a favorite of many Chaoyang residents since it was first held in 2002. As its name indicates, the fair features performers from all over the world. The best of both Eastern and Western cultures are on full display, with music, dance, drama, fashion, magic tricks, acrobats, costume parades and even standup comedy throughout the fair. Toss in the sound and light shows and a day spent at Chaoyang Park is more than enough for even the most high-energy tykes.
 
Jan 26-31, 9am-5pm; RMB 10
Chaoyang Park, 1 Chaoyanggongyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6591 5258) 朝阳公园，朝阳区朝阳公园南路1号 www.sun-park.com

Everything Lao Beijing:
Ditan Park
You’ll find Beijing’s biggest traditional Spring Festival temple fair in Ditan Park. Every year, lao Beijing folk artists gather here to showcase crafts like Chinese fan-painting and perform kung fu, acrobatic tricks and a type of comedy called xiàng shēng (相声).  Catch a Sichuan opera performance and watch as
actors spout fire and change their elaborate face paintings with just a shake of the head.
Check out the many regional arts such as nianhua (Chinese New Year’s paintings) from Tianjin and wood carvings from Dongbei. Look on as artisans make tanghua, a Chengdu treat-on-a-stick; artists use melted sugar to draw dragons or phoenixes on marble boards and then attach the sweet to a stick for handy eating.
Kids can have fun playing traditional Chinese games such as diuqianyan (tossing coins into a hole in the middle of a well) and taoquan’r (throwing hoops around wooden or clay figures on the ground). Many traditional toys can be found here too, like bolanggu (a small drum with two drumming balls attached to its sides), fengche (a small pinwheel) – toys that have disappeared from modern shopping malls.
Jan 25-Feb 2, 9am-5pm; RMB 10
Ditan Park, Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District (6421 4657) 东城区安定门外大街地坛公园 www.dtpark.com

Best of the Best: Longtan Park
Famous for its local performance competitions, Longtan Park is where you can find the best stilt-walking, unicycling and boat dancing (a
traditional performance where two people “row” a life-sized canoe made of paper) in the city. The invigorating sounds of Chinese drums and elaborate lion and dragon dances amplify the energy here. Visitors also come to watch the niuyangge (harvest dance), a popular rural dance that farmers perform.

The coolest low-tech attraction at the fair is probably the layangpian’r, a form of motion pictures developed in Beijing in the late 1800s, similar to the zoetrope that was invented in the UK. A performer turns a crank that moves a series of drawings or photos inside a dark box, creating a moving image that viewers can watch through peepholes while the performer accompanies the story with a song. This peculiar little movie box was a major form of entertainment for Beijing kids 100 years ago.

Jan 25-Feb 1; RMB 8
Longtan Park, 8 Longtan Lu, Chongwen District (6714 4336) 龙潭公园，崇文区龙潭路8号

Go Geek:
Zhongguancun Square
We really are living in a high-tech era – even Chinese temple fairs have gone digital. Since 2007, Zhongguancun in Haidian District, known as Beijing’s Silicon Valley, has hosted an annual technology temple fair, featuring scientific demonstrations, interactive games and environment-friendly products. Not only is this fair renao for both kids and adults alike, but it’s also educational.

The fair is comprised of a sports area, a science and technology area, and a gaming area as well as local arts performances. If you can drag your kids away from the computer games, have fun observing the magical
powers of electricity, sound and light. Food isn’t a highlight of the fair, so be prepared for a purely scientific and cultural experience.

Jan 26-Feb 1; Free
Zhongguancun Pedestrian Street, Zhongguancun Square, Haidian District 海淀区中关村广场步行街

Literature Comes Alive:
Dream of the Red Chamber at Daguanyuan
Step into one of the most famous scenes from all of Chinese literature. The fair at Daguanyuan creates a world based on Dream of the Red Chamber by Qing
dynasty writer Cao Xueqin. Set at the height of Chinese feudal society, the novel tells the tragic love story of two cousins in an aristocratic family. The story has been adapted into Peking operas, movies, TV series, plays, musicals and other art forms. Built in the early 1980s, Daguanyuan was
meticulously designed to resemble the family compound described in the novel. If you haven’t had a chance to pick up the multi-volume translation, the Daguanyuan fair is an excellent way to experience one of the world’s most loved romance novels.
Literature buffs should head to the main stage for a dramatic performance of the novel’s most famed chapter, “Concubine Yuanfei Visiting Relatives” (Yuanfei xingqin). The “Twelve Talented Girls” (shi’er chai), the book’s most important characters, perform classical Chinese music and dance. Finally, munch on novel-related snacks in the Red Chamber Restaurant.

Jan 26-31, 7.30am-5pm; RMB 20, RMB 10 (students)  Daguanyuan, 12 Caiyuan Nanjie, Xuanwu District (6354 4993/94) 北京市宣武区南菜园街12号 www.bjdgy.com

Wang Zidan
Chinese. Born to Jin Hui and Wang Ruikai on May 19 at Beijing Hospital.

Aleric Stephen Hall
American. Born to Tom Hall and Zhou Jing on Sep 3 at UPMG American-Sino OB/GYN Hospital.

Konrad Jones
New Zealander. Born to Kelvin Jones and Yao Zhang on May 19 at Amcare Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Ava Lily Stone-Purtell
Australian. Born to Ruth Stone and Nicholas Purtell on Jun 9 at Beijing United Family Hospital.

Andrea Isabella Navales Bayan
Filipino. Born to Tonton and Grace Bayan on Aug 12 at Beijing Union Medical College Hospital.

Keira Patricia Brown
Australian/Canadian. Born to Laura and Colin Brown on Sep 12 at Beijing United Family Hospital.

Aryen Rajmohan
Indian. Born to Pooja Rajmohan and Raj Mohan on Jul 10 at SGR Hospital, New Delhi.

Althea Wang
Chinese. Born to Helena Liu and Ryan Wang on Jun 26 at Beijing Tongzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

Magnus Borge Macleod
Norwegian. Born to Merethe Borge and Calum Macleod on Jun 2 at Beijing United Family Hospital.

From NY to BJ, Chef Billy’s culinary adventure continues

It’s after lunchtime on a chilly autumn day and William Bolton is enjoying a warm cup of green tea in his restaurant, Chef Too, located near Chaoyang Park. Afternoons are the only quiet times of the day for Bolton, who’s known to many as Chef Billy. By evening, the restaurant will be filled with customers and Bolton will be back in the kitchen, making some of the finest steaks found in Beijing.

“For me, the one thing I always used to miss in Beijing was a really good steak. That’s what I built this restaurant around,” says Bolton, a New York native. “I wanted to make one of those New York-style neighborhood restaurants: simple, consistent and serves a great steak.”

To achieve this goal, the chef designed a wood fire grill and had it custom-made at a manufacturing plant. Since finding quality fresh beef is challenging in China, the restaurant buys beef from Australia. “There’s a huge difference between frozen meat and fresh meat,” says Bolton, “I don’t want frozen meat for a steak; when you cut through it, the juice drains out and it becomes less moist and less tasty. But the fresh meat locks all the juice inside. That’s the main reason why we make a good steak.” 

The chef’s passion for cooking, however, is not confined to just steaks or American cuisine. “I make a little bit of everything – a great Tuscan pasta, sushi rolls, and of course, Chinese food. I make the best gulao rou (sweet and sour pork) you’ll ever have!” he says with chuckle.

As a kid, Bolton was always interested in the goings on in the family kitchen and often helped his mother make mashed potatoes. At the age of 13, he started a business during the summer, picking up produce at farms, meat from butchers and then catering barbecue dinners for his customers. In the early 1980s, he attended culinary school and started his career as a chef. After having worked with famous chefs such as Pino Luongo and opening restaurants like Sapore di Mare, Bolton decided he wanted to make a big change.

In 1998, he came to Beijing to work at Gloria Hotel’s sports bar. A year later he moved to a post as head chef at the Big Easy bar and restaurant. In the capital, opportunities just opened up for him one after another. “The amazing thing about China is that there are so many possibilities – anything could happen and everything’s so doable,” says Bolton. “People are open to embracing new ideas and they’re willing to help you do it.”

The China experience also brought Bolton his wife Zoe Sun, who later became his partner both in life and in business. “We opened this restaurant together a year and a half ago. I’m the cook and she’s the manager,” says Bolton. “This place would not function without her.” 

With business and family complementing each other, Bolton doesn’t worry too much about keeping a balance between the two. Still, being a chef means working seven days a week and almost always at dinnertime. So Bolton tries to spend time in the mornings with his daughters, 3-year-old Meimei and 5-year-old Dudu, as well as create chances for them to do fun things together.

“I would pull the kids out of school at 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon and go horseback riding, and that makes me unpopular with the teachers,” he laughs. “But I believe the essential thing in early childhood education is not learning math or science, but gaining positive real-life experience. Riding a horse is fun, and it teaches them to be kind and respectful to animals, to be responsible and to maintain balance.”

The whole family also treks out to a farm in Shunyi from time to time. There, the kids help plant and water the vegetables, then harvest them when they’re ripe. He believes that the healthiest experience that a young child could gain is from getting close to nature.

Thanks to their experience growing vegetables, the chef’s girls have a good appetite for healthy food. Dudu and Meimei also dine at Chef Too twice a week after school. When the kids arrive hungry, they first eat prepared vegetables like cucumber and carrot. “If you want your kids to eat healthy, you have to make healthy food to start with,” says Bolton. For example, the chef tempts his girls with fresh homemade ice cream, made from natural sugar, organic milk and vanilla beans.

Bolton has already passed on his explorer’s spirit to his girls; at 5, Dudu already calls herself a little chef and is always ready to experiment with new things in the kitchen. And Bolton allows the kids to help prepare dishes, as long as it’s safe, fun and within their capabilities.

“I won’t give the kids a big knife, but I’d let them play with a small knife that cuts butter or spread jam on the bread,” says Bolton. “I want them to have a perspective of what’s dangerous, but I don’t want them to be afraid of these things.”

Indeed, one has to take risks in life in order to experience its wonders. In Beijing, every day is an adventure, and Bolton goes with the flow to get the best of the experience. “I know what I want, then I go out and do it,” says Bolton.

9am: Start at Lama Temple
Built in the 15th century, this Tibetan-Buddhist temple has undergone many restorations. In addition to its historical charm, Yonghegong’s main appeal lies in its grand architecture, sculptures and display of calligraphy – all demonstrating the artistry of Chinese craftsmen from the Qing dynasty. Don’t miss the 26-meter-tall Buddha statue carved from a single piece of wood in the rear of the complex.

RMB 25 (student discount available). Take subway line 2 or 5 to Lama Temple. Daily 9am-4.30pm. 12 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District (6404 4499) 雍和宫, 东城区雍和宫大街12号 www.yonghegong.cn

11am: History Comes Alive
Walk south along Yonghegong Dajie for about 10 minutes and turn west onto Guozijian Jie, where Guozijian and Confucius Temple (Kong Miao) are located. Guozijian is remarkable mostly for the Biyong, the open-walled structure where the emperor lectured to scholars on Confucianism. Confucius Temple is perhaps Beijing’s most peaceful spot, boasting centuries-old cedars and countless stone steles that bear the names of high-scorers on the imperial examinations, as well as a full set of Confucian classics.

RMB 10 (RMB 3 for students, free for children). Confucius Temple (no English spoken). Daily 8.30am-5pm (4.30pm last ticket). 13 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District (8401 1977) 北京孔庙,东城区国子监街13号

12pm: A Vegetarian Feast
Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, head to the Xuxiangzhai Vegetarian Restaurant, just across the road from Guozijian, for a healthy all-you-can-eat buffet that even carnivores will scarf down (lunch RMB 48, dinner RMB 58).

Daily 9.30am-10pm. 26-1A Guozijian Dajie, Dongcheng District (6404 6568) 叙香斋素食，东城区国子监大街甲26-1号

2pm: Break for Tea
Nothing suits a food coma more than a warm cup of tea accompanied by Chinese traditional music. Walking east along Guozijian Jie, find a hutong to your right with red lanterns; Yicheng Teahouse lies in a courtyard within. Rest on the Chinese-style furniture and take in the live guqin (Chinese zither) shows.

Daily 10am-1am. Yicheng Teahouse, 8 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District (8402 6424) 一承茶社，东城区国子监街8号

3:30pm: Stuff Your Goodie Bag
Rejuvenated, it’s time to keep exploring. Follow Guozijian Jie westward and you’ll find a string of small shops selling authentic traditional toys and handicrafts such as Shengtang Xuan (www.rbtys.com). Pick up classic tschotchkes made from wood, paper and clay, like wooden spinning tops (RMB 3), toy drums (RMB 8), paper windmills (RMB 12) and Peking opera masks (RMB 25).

Daily 9am-7pm. 38 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District (8404 7179) 盛唐轩，东城区国子监街38号

4pm: Indulge in Manga Mania
Further west on Guozijian Jie lies one of Beijing’s gems, the Dragon Creatures Manga Store. This hub for Japanese comic books has plenty to excite all kids, whether they’re manga novices or devoted Naruto fans. Look out for kimonos, dolls, t-shirts, jewelry, pencil boxes, key chains, cushions, and an array of other accessories, along with the requisite comic books and videos. Kids can even pick up comic drawing and painting kits to start creating their own manga characters! There’s more – scout out the three small manga stores nearby for anything else you’re looking for.

Dragon Creatures Manga Store, 67 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District (8402 7166) 龙裔元创, 东城区国子监街67号 www.longyicomics.com

5pm: Walk With Royals
Walk along Gongyi Xiang and Fangjia Hutong and discover the former palace of Xun Jun, now home to families and small businesses, though many beautiful courtyard doorways remain.

6pm: Dine like a Dongbeiren
End the day at Dongbei Mantanghong Restaurant, 20 meters south of the southeast exit of Yonghegong subway station, and enjoy a hearty Dongbei (Northeast China) meal. Don’t forget to order the stewed pork and glass noodle casserole (zhurou dun fentiao), one of the region’s star dishes.

Daily 7.30am-2pm, 4.30-10pm. 11 Cangjingguan Hutong, Dongcheng District (6403 0092) 东城区藏经馆胡同11号Text adapted from Beijing by Foot

7:30pm: Home, Sweet Home

Text adapted from ‘Beijing by Foot’