Things are about to get a lot more complicated for foreigners looking for employment in Beijing. KTA Legal via The World of Chinese points out new regulations that will require foreigners to “prepare criminal record clearances to receive work authorizations.”

As quoted in the post:

“The certificate must be issued by the relevant public security or judicial authority in the applicant’s country of nationality, and must show that the applicant has no criminal record from the age of 18 through the present. The certificate must be legalized by a Chinese diplomatic post in the country of issuance. The Beijing Labor Bureau has not provided guidance with respect to applicants who reside in a country other than their country of nationality, except to advise that the regulations are still in development.

The certificate will be required during the first stage of the application process. For standard work permit applications, it will be required when the employment license application is filed. For applications sponsored by a representative office of a foreign company, the certificate will be required when the work permit application is filed, as employment licenses are not required in these cases. “

According to the KTA post it appears that the new procedure applies only to the application process for new work permits – current Z Visa holders in Beijing who merely need to renew their work permits going forward have nothing to worry about (for now). If you need to process a new work permit and want to save yourself the hassle of having to obtain a certificate from your home country, you’d better hurry – the new law goes into effect July 1st.

Continue reading at agendabeijing.com.

Fall is the perfect time for a brisk country hike and Beijing is surrounded by natural reserves and mountains, and any hiker, no matter how experienced or fit, is sure to find something that fits.

Fenghuang Ling (Phoenix Mountain) Nature Park Regarded as a “green lung” for the capital, Fenghuang Ling is also known as the “little Huangshan.” The park covers 15 square kilometers and has jagged peaks, vast forests and springs. It’s an ideal place for autumn fruit tasting, and also offers sights including numerous ruins and Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian sites. RMB 25 (Apr 1-Oct 31), RMB 15 (Nov 1-Mar 31). RMB 13 (ages over 60), free (ages over 70, children under 1.2m tall). Daily 6am-6pm. Fenghuang Ling Nature Park. Inside Xishan Nongchang, 19 Fenghuang Ling Lu, Sujiatuo Zhen, Haidian District. (6245 5933/6245 9492) 凤凰岭风景区, 海淀区苏家坨镇凤凰岭路19号（西山农场内） Bus: Take Bus 346 from Summer Palace directly to Fenghuang Ling Nature Park. Approx distance: 33km

Read more on Agenda.

Looking for events to fill the long holiday weekend? Out at 798, charity and art combine for a good cause.

A Bridge for Children International (ABC) is showing the exhibit Out of the Shadows – Bringing Migrant Children’s Artwork Into the Light this Saturday, September 10th from 5 to 9pm.

Hosted at Rain Gallery, the exhibit will feature 50 original pieces of artwork created by migrant children from all around Beijing, displaying the courage, happiness, hope and dreams of these disadvantaged youths. Migrant and orphan children will also be at the event for a limited time to see the works of their peers as well as participate in an art activity led by CAI (才) program volunteers.

This evening will also feature a silent auction on select artworks, food and wine from Mughal’s and Art of Wine, as well as a talk by guest speaker Frank Sun, Restaurateur and owner of Tribute in Hong Kong, Architect and Philanthropist.

The proceeds from the event will go towards A Bridge for Children’s CAI (才) Program. This program empowers migrant children with creative arts, sports and life skills activities, with 4 C’s in mind: Care, Courage, Confidence and Commitment.

A cover charge of RMB 100 will grant attendees access to the exhibition, food and wine, and three raffle tickets. The event is sponsored by Agenda.

Rain Gallery Dashanzi art district, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子798艺术区

Jennifer Thome, Managing Editor of our sister magazine Agenda, wrote an interesting blog on how Beijing’s car policies will impact expat car owners. Here’s what she found out:

"Drivers beware! If the mean streets of Beijing were not enough reason to discourage you from hitting the road, fate might now make that call for you. Starting in 2011 Beijing has issued new regulations, and aspiring drivers now have to win a lottery in able to purchase a car. That, or spend a lot of money. Last night Agenda got a hot tip from Bruce McNalty, Learning Support Teacher at the Western Academy of Beijing. Here’s the scoop so far."

Keep reading on the Agenda blog.

With all the stinky foods available in China, it was only a matter of time before the citizens of the Middle Kingdom fell in love with what is arguably the best invention before sliced bread. Whether you like it hard, soft, fresh or fragrant, Beijing’s cheesy options are sure to make you smile.

Le Fromager de Pekin Homegrown fromager Liu Yang uses organic Wondermilk to make a variety of artisanal chesses, such as Petit Gris (RMB 25), Faisselle (RMB 35), Gris aux herbes de Provence (RMB 55), and pyramid (RMB 45). Delivery is available twice a week, or you can purchase cheese at the Embassy House Market or Boucherie Francaise. Daily 9am-12pm, 2pm-6pm. 5A-6 Xindi Market South Gate, Huilongguan Peng Jie, Changping District (135 2001 6860, lefromagerdepekin@gmail.com) 昌平区回龙观龙腾街鑫地市场南门5A-6号
www.lefromagerdepekin.com

Cheese and Wine Made In Heaven This little spot by Chaoyang Park West Gate has a simple way of working. You sit down. You order a bottle of wine, and owner Chris is happy to recommend something cheesy to go with it. You can order cheese from the chilled cheese room, either by weight or one of the fixed-price platters. The cheese is mostly French, though there are bits and pieces from the UK, Switzerland and elsewhere. Sun-Wed 12pm-midnight, Thu-Sat 12pm-130am. 1-15 Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu (next to Jenny Lou’s), Chaoyang District (6501 2901) 朝阳区朝阳公园西路1-15号

Boucherie Michel 米歇尔肉店 This artisanal French butchery serves up quality cuts of beef, veal, lamb and pork, as well as sausages, imported cheeses, quiche and freshly roasted chickens. Daily 9am-8pm. 1/F, Jiezuo Dasha, Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (6417 0489) 朝阳区幸福村中路杰座大厦底层

Chez Gérard Tucked away on Jiangchang hutong by the Confucius Temple, this tiny deli opened by Christophe (of Cafe de la Poste) sells a range of cheese and Western staples like dried pasta, cereals, and a good meat selection and offers fresh daily baguettes (usually arriving at mid-day). Daily 10am-10pm. 40 Jianchang Hutong (east of the Yonghe Villas, just south of the Yongkang Hutong intersection), Dongcheng District (6415 0118) 东城区箭厂胡同40号

Delicatessen 熟食店 This shop offers a variety of homemade cakes, freshly made sandwiches, and a wide selection of cheeses, sausages, gourmet coffee and wines. Items can be consumed on the spot, or taken to go. Daily 7am-9pm. 1/F, Lido Place, 6 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (6437 6688) 朝阳区将台路6号北京丽都假日饭店1层

Epicerie 小巴黎 This Sanlituan bakery has a wide selection of freshly baked breads and croissants, as well as a good selection of meat and cheeses. It is located next door to Petit Paris. Daily 930am-11pm. 29 Sanlitun Lu (opposite the French School), Chaoyang District (6416 9381) 朝阳区三里屯路29号(北酒吧街)

Sanyuanli Market 三源里市场 If you’re tired of overpriced groceries at other supermarkets, then you need to head on over to Sanyuanli Market. This market sees a steady stream of chefs, restaurateurs and expats who flock here to find many hard to find, imported items. Daily 5am-7pm. Shunyuan Jie (opposite Jingkelong Supermarket, west of Sanyuan Dongqiao), Chaoyang District 朝阳区顺源街(三元东桥往西京客隆超市对面)

Schindler’s German Food Center In addition to sausages and other tantalizing raw and cooked meats, Schindler’s stocks a wide selection of imported cheeses, including emmental, gruyère, cheddar and several goudas. This is the perfect place to stock up for a barbecue or holiday feast. Daily 10am-7pm. 105 Binduyuan Mansion, 15 Zaoying Beili, Maizidian, (800m east of Nongzhanguan Beilu), Chaoyang District (6591 9370) 德国食品中心, 朝阳区麦子店枣营北里15号

Compiled by Marla Fong
 

Article from Agenda, issue 71, Jan13-Jan 27. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we’ll tell you where you can find one near you.

When it comes to cupcakes and sweets, CCSweets owner Carol Chow has the recipe for success. She has traveled and tasted desserts in France, Italy, Austria, Mexico, England, Spain, Australia, and lived in New York for 20 years. The deserts she makes here in Beijing use no shortening, only pure butter, and are made with primarily imported or organic ingredients. The Cs in her company name are not only her initials; they can also stand for cupcakes, cake and cookies, chocolate and caramel, ice cream, candy, or custom created sweets. Carol puts a lot of time and love into her creations, which helps make them the sweet masterpieces that they are. Agenda spoke with Chow about her business, and why there are no shortcuts in baking.

You have lived all over the world. What brought you back to Beijing? I believe that China is forever chang-ing and developing, and that it really is the place to be right now. Recently the changes I have seen in China have been very positive, and people’s lifestyles have been improving. The energy here is strong and quite addicting. This is what brought me back to Beijing. Since I opened up my business here, I have felt that Chinese people are very open, curious, and accepting of new things.

What is your clientele like? Right now my clientele is mainly Chinese, and a lot of them are younger. This is the market I have been focusing on. I also have expat clients as well, but many of them don’t think my cupcakes are sweet enough. After some experimenting, I have found a good balance. I know what the different tastes of Chinese and expats are like. I feel that American cakes are too sweet, but after you live here for a while you lose your sweet tooth.

The love of baking has been passed down through your family for generations. At what age did your love of baking start? My grandfather had a bakery in Singapore, but I didn’t really know him that well. As a child I would hear stories from my mother about the bakery, and how she got to help decorate cakes when she was young. As a child I got all these images of sweets and baking in my mind, and it really stimulated my curiosity. When we moved to the US we used to do Christmas baking every year, which was a lot of fun. So I guess you can say that my real love of baking started when I was eight years old, and living in the US.
Beijing is not known for its chocolate. As a chocolatier, how do you go about searching for good quality chocolate? I source all my chocolates from abroad. It’s not only Beijing that uses bad chocolate, but there is a whole history of chocolate that has changed throughout the years. Even brands in the US, such as Hershey’s, don’t use 100% pure cocoa. This is because cocoa butter costs are really high. However, in Europe it is still more traditional, which is why I source all my chocolate from Belgium or France.

What is your secret for making the perfect cupcake that everyone loves? (Laughs) I am not sure that I really have a secret, but I take a lot of time and care with every recipe that I make. I usually experiment with hundreds of recipes before I decide on the one to use. I do a lot of research and experimentation before I decide on how I want the final
product to turn out and what it should taste like. All cakes are made from the same ingredients, and the differences are subtle. You really don’t know what they are until you bake them all at once and you try them all next to each other.

You are also a certified gemologist. What influence has this had on your work? My parents were both geologists, so their careers definitely influenced me to study gemology. Our whole family has always shared the love for stones. Being an artist and designer, my gemology background helped me to create new art pieces and help develop new artistic ideas.

Having grown up in two different worlds, how does your cross-cultural experience influence your cupcake creations, if at all? I’ve tried a lot of desserts from all over the world. Every culture has its own characteristics, and no two desserts have the same taste or feeling when you eat them. A dessert can invoke an emotion, a memory from the past, or remind you of someone you know. So, because I have been able to try so many things, I can bring together all the different tastes and create something of my own.

Being a successful businesswoman, how do you build a business around a family? How do you build a business around a family? (laughs) I actually just live right upstairs from my shop. Because baking, and anything related to food is very time intensive, you can’t make something and let it sit there for an entire season. That’s the main reason why I chose to have my shop in this location.

I read an interview you recently did online saying that you are collaborating with artists for some limited edition work. Can you tell us a little more about what’s in store? Yes, right now I am working with a local Beijing artist, who is creating a chocolate rabbit for us since the year of rabbit is coming up.

As a mother of twin girls, how do you balance motherhood and your professional life? Balancing motherhood and a career is always a struggle, no matter how many children you have. Every night I make sure to go upstairs and say goodnight to my two girls before they go to bed. But it’s also really easy for them to come downstairs to the shop as well. The reason that I like baking is that I feel like it’s really creative, so I try to get them involved as well. I would also like to add by saying that as a mother, and as an individual, balancing the professional life and family is difficult. It doesn’t matter if you choose to return to the working world or not, or if you just choose to put all you energy into your family. It’s just plain hard. I think the reason I started my own business was because I needed another creative outlet. The most important thing in life is to try to figure out what you need to have a fulfilling life, and try to balance every part of that.

Where do you go to get a break from the sugar rush at work? In regard to restaurants, we usually eat around here, and I can’t say that I have any real favorites. We are always trying to find a better restaurant. Madam Zhu’s is a favorite of ours. Their food is always flavorful, the atmosphere is family friendly, and it’s not too far from where we live. All the restaurants that we like in Beijing are Chinese. I think there are some foreign restaurants that are okay, but I think once you have had really good food in other cities, it’s really hard to compare. Even the same brands that come here are just not as good here as they are in their native countries. For me, I think you should just find the best of what’s available to you locally.

The year is almost over. Any New Year’s resolutions? Hm, I don’t tend to make New Year’s resolutions because I never seem to be able to keep them. Right now I am just trying to enjoy my time here.

Interview by Marla Fong

Madam Zhu’s Kitchen 汉舍中国菜馆. Daily 11am-930pm. B1/F, Bldg D, Vantone Center, 6A Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District. (5907 1625) 朝阳区朝阳门外大街甲6号万通中心D座地下1层
CC Sweets, Central Park, Tower 11, Shop 109, Chaoyang District (6533 6973, 139 0116 8097). www.ccsweets.cn 朝外大街6号，新城国际T11.109店
 

Article from Agenda, issue 71, Jan 13-Jan 26. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we’ll tell you where you can find one near you.

When Yuliya Mavletbaeva came to Beijing from Tajikistan eight years ago, she arrived with a suitcase, USD 300, and a degree in international business that she didn’t plan on using. During her time here she has pursued her passions for education and community, working mostly in preschools. But since having a child of her own she has reinvented her career and begun teaching a range of classes for moms and their kids under the moniker Family Fun with Yuliya. Not only has this venture allowed her to integrate her work with her private life, it has also finally given her a chance to apply her business knowledge. Agenda sat down with Mavletbaeva to find out about life as a mommy-preneur, and how to build a family-centered company.

Tell us a little bit about yourself I’ve been living in Beijing for eight years, ever since I finished at university. I came with a degree in international business, but I’ve never used it. When I got here I started teaching English, teaching kids, working in preschools, and things like that. Basically everything I’ve been doing in my eight years here has had to do with kids, but I was never “in business.” Then I had my daughter, who is twenty-one months old now. And since then I decided to combine my business skills with being a mom and having all of this other background.

How would you describe your clientele? Do you have Chinese clients as well as foreigners? My clients are mostly English speakers. They are primarily foreigners, but I have some English-speaking Chinese clients as well. I do speak Chinese, but it’s not usually good enough to let me conduct these classes with Chinese families. For example, I teach Kindermusik classes, but they’re not just about music and dancing; they’re also about explaining the benefits of doing these types of activities. And to do that, you really need to be able to communicate effectively. What I’m really trying to do is to create a community and share my experience as a mom with other moms. So working with Chinese families is going to come, but gradually, not right away. Plus, all of my other stuff is in English right now: my blog, my newsletters, and so on.

What is the key to running an international business in Beijing? (Laughs). Oh my goodness! I don’t have it! I started my business because I already knew the market I was getting into, and I think that’s pretty important. I had experi-ence working with kids, working in Chinese schools and in international schools, and working closely with moms, so it all came out of that experience. I knew all about the types of programs already being offered, and I knew which new programs I wanted to bring out. So in the eight years I’ve been here, I’ve gathered a lot of information. Although I hadn’t planned on starting something of my own, everything came into place after I had my daughter. That’s when I started to really understand the parents I was working with. So for me, its never came from a business mentality, but just from wanting to share what I have with other people. But I am beginning to use some of what I learned in university.

What inspired you to start your business initially? I actually visited a career coach, who helped give me the little push I needed to get started. I knew what I was I had always wanted to do, but I hadn’t yet come to the realization that I could do it. So at that point I started pursuing the various certifications I needed, and putting together courses. I started with one program, Kindermusic, and I’ve very gradually been adding more. So now I have Salsa Babies, Salsa Kids, Belly Dancing Babies (belly dancing for moms and their kids), and Baby Massage, and Zumba Fitness. It’s wonderful because unlike working in kindergartens, the parents are involved, and you see the benefit they get from the classes right away. Now I’m adding an online shop and a children’s book library, and I’ve also started a newsletter, and the Beijing Family Fun Forum. It’s just starting so we don’t have many members yet, but it’s growing into a great resource.

Have you encountered any problems or challenges in the process of developing the business? Well, I want to make my classes very affordable. I only charge prices that I would be willing to pay if I were taking a class with my own daughter. So I think the worst thing is the cost of materials, because they all need to be imported from overseas. I need to use quality materials, and because of shipping, and taxes, it ends up being really expensive. The other thing is that I need to take on some assistants, because at the moment I am doing almost everything by myself, including the website!

What factors are you keeping in mind as you expand your business? First, I want to enjoy the classes myself. So I’m not going to do any classes that I think will just make money. If I enjoy it and my daughter enjoys it, then I know it’s a good class. More than that, though, I am trying to build a community. It’s not about having a class and then saying goodbye right after class is over. It’s really about giving parents a place to meet and socialize and support one another.

Would you describe China as a fertile climate for baby-related shops and services? It is. You know, I don’t do detailed, year-by-year research on the market here. I leave that for the big companies. But you don’t need to have that to know that this is a growing industry. We have more and more foreigners in Beijing every year. This inevitably brings a lot of new mothers, and an increasing number who don’t speak Chinese and are looking for something informal they can do. They’re not looking for one of these big, impersonal “gymborees” or something.

What is the most exciting part of your job? Everything! But I’ll give you just one example. I’ve worked in a lot of different jobs here in Beijing. And most of them have made me really tired. But since I started this business, I have been crazy busy, but never tired. I’m finally really enjoying what I’m doing. When you have an eight-to-five kind of job, you can get really worn down. But I love dancing, I love music, I love to meet moms, to talk about kids, and I love doing research and putting together the newsletters—everything! I also really like being in an international cultural environment. I like all of these different styles of dance, and meeting people from all over the world, and I want to be a part of that, and expose kids to that.

You came to China right after leaving university. What made you decide to settle in Beijing in the first place? It’s close to my country. China shares a border with Tajikistan. I had a friend who had been here for a year, and she asked me if I would like to go and I said yes! I didn’t know what I was going to do here, and I didn’t have any experience, but I just took a chance. I started teaching in a special Canadian kindergarten program. My friend actually told me not to go to Beijing, because I wouldn’t find a job, but I found one within a week of coming here.

What is your favorite thing about working in Beijing? Well, it’s a little hard to judge because my entire professional life has been here. I came right after leaving the university. But I can say that it’s changed a lot in the last few years. Things have really opened up. It used to be that there were only a few places that foreigners could really live, but now there are an amazing number of options.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do around town? Any favorite restaurants or bars? Well, now that I have my daughter, I’ve stopped going to bars. There used to be a nice club called Latinos, but it’s gone now. That’s where I originally got my passion for salsa dancing. Now I like to organize girls’ nights out and moms’ nights out, where we can get together and not talk about kids!

Article from Agenda, issue 71, Jan 13- Jan 26. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we’ll tell you where you can find one near you.

Hair salons abound in Beijing, but for the past years, Eric Paris Salon has been a favorite among expats. At the helm of the operation sits CEO Katy Sinnott, who left a career with an international bank to join her husband in Beijing. Now, the working mother balances her home and work life around the clock, and managed to squeeze in some time to tell Agenda how she got started in the hair industry, and how she found balance in her life.

How did you end up in this profession?
In my first job I worked at HSBC, which allowed me to live in about 36 countries and travel a lot. I traveled all around the world – the Middle East, South America, all over Asia, and Europe. It was a great job. I was young and I really enjoyed being chauffeured everywhere. After that I worked as a consultant, and still traveled, albeit not as extensively. The problem with this kind of lifestyle is that it affects your relationship, and my husband was a key factor in bringing me here. He was building his business and career here, and we work well together, so I decided to join his company in 2004. I am very happy now, even if my traveling days are over.

Your husband is your business partner as well; did you meet while living in China?
I did meet him in China. It’s actually quite a romantic story how we met. I had left Hong Kong to come to Beijing. At that time I had come to stay in Beijing for about six months, and was staying with a Chinese family. I wanted to stay local and not get my hair done, or get any sort of beauty treatments. My resolution only lasted three months, and then I went crazy and couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to get my hair done! So I went to Eric’s salon, and that’s how I met him. He cut my hair, and I had never had such good hair in my life. I was amazed at what he had done. A week later we went out, and after that we were inseparable. We’ve been together since 1999, and after that I never left China.

Was it always a dream of yours to work in the hair industry?
Honestly I never thought about joining the hair industry. Growing up I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I knew I wanted to work for myself, but I just didn’t know in what industry. Being a constant entrepreneur himself, Eric definitely influenced me to get into the hair salon business, and has been my mentor ever since.

Beijing has so many hair and beauty salons, how do you compete?
We never really compete with the Chinese hair salons directly. Our salon is very French and unique, and we just compete with ourselves to try and make ourselves better. We always try to have high quality customer service, keep our customers happy with good-looking hair, carry high-end hair products, and keep our salon looking clean and presentable. The hair industry is so huge and there is definitely room and opportunity for everyone.

How do you explain your success?
Eric, it’s all about Eric. (laughs) He has been here in Beijing since 1996 and pretty much started the first-born salon chain here. He did a lot of events with Loreal and Schwarzkopf, did a lot of networking with them, and helped introduce their products and hairdressing into the Chinese market. Eric is a great hairdresser, and has a background in French hairdressing, which is pretty much known worldwide. Our salon’s great hair cutting skills and high quality customer service is really the reason for our constant success.

Can you describe what is an average day at the salon is like for you?
I spend about 50 percent of my time in the salon, and about 50 percent in the office. Everyday I come into work, I check in with reception, see what kind of appointments there are for the day. I also check to see if there are any dissatisfied customers – I think it’s very important to know what makes them happy or unhappy. Next I go around and talk to all the hairdressers and get their feedback as well. We are always checking to see if we need to add any extra services or provide extra training. So that’s primarily what I focus on – the customer aspect of the job – because I am not a hairdresser. And then lastly, I usually check the salon, to make sure they have enough products on the shelves, that stands are plugged in, and of course talk to all the customers and introduce myself so that they know who I am.

Being a successful businesswoman, how do you find time in your busy schedule to balance work and your family life?
Before I had a child I had no balance in my life at all. None. Period. But that was okay because Eric and I worked together so we got to see each other all the time. And even back when I was a consultant I was working 100-hour workweeks, which was crazy, and now I look back and wonder how I ever managed to do that. But now that I’ve had a child all that has changed. Now I am always home at 6pm, so that I can get dinner ready for my son by 6:30pm, put him to sleep by 8pm, and then later in the evening I do on paperwork. Today I have a totally different mentality than before. Now I make sure to never go out more than one night a week. Before we would go out all the time because it was part of the business. I am much more organized now in my personal life, and a little more organized at work. (laughs) My son has brought a lot of balance to my life, which is really a great thing!

How do you keep your hair looking so fabulous despite being a working mom?
(laughs) Every five minutes I have free I go and do my hair! Actually my son Andreas comes with me to the salon when I do my hair, and he loves it here! He comes to play with everybody; he actually sweeps the floors while I do my hair. He’s our youngest employee here and we give him one kuai a week.

How has your time in Beijing influenced you?
Living here in Beijing has made me more patient, because we all know that doing things in China takes a lot more time. The culture and language here is different from mine, and since my Chinese is not that fluent I try to be careful when talking to my employees. I use a lot of repetition when talking to them, and am always very patient, which I don’t think I was before I came to China.

Where do you go when you need to take a break from the salon?
I actually go to two places. One place is my home. In my previous career, I lived in hotel rooms, so going home for me was like going on a holiday. To play with our son Andreas we love to go to Ritan Park. It’s beautiful, and you can see people doing all sorts of bizarre things there. You see people singing, tap dancing, playing different musical instruments, dancing… my son absolutely loves it! We don’t really go out anymore. Eric and I enjoy baking and cooking at home, and we recently bought our son a play kitchen, so when we’re in the kitchen cooking, he’s on the side playing too.

Article from Agenda, issue 71, Jan 13-Jan 26. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we’ll tell you where you can find one near you.