Beijing parents are always asking “Where can I throw a birthday party for my kid?” Well, we’re here to tackle that big bouncy question as we explore different types of venues all over the city and give you an in-depth look at your kids’ party options. Search #BigBeijingBirthdayPartyList for more recommendations from us.

Beijing has no shortage of indoor play places for kids, and usually they charge a lot, especially if you’re looking for a place for a birthday party. Soft Planet at Parkview Green is a relatively new, beautiful, and clean indoor playground that is suitable for kids of various ages.

Known as one of the Ritzy malls in Beijing, Soft Planet is surprisingly affordable, especially if what’s really important to you is fun for the kids and not just exclusive photos in front of custom-designed backdrops.

Like the name suggests, the place is soft and baby-proof and filled with ball pits, slides, and one super cool train that kids can ride over and over! And the best part for parents is that their food is delicious! It does, however, tend to feature primarily Chinese dishes.

Their menu offers items for kids like beef with rice (RMB 80), egg fried rice (RMB 45), and braised pork on rice (RMB 75), as well as adorable rainbow steamed mantou buns (RMB 42). But for grownups, they offer spicy hot pot (RMB 45), tomato and beef noodles (RMB 68), and fried instant noodles (RMB 42).

Pros:
– Safety. Kids are able to run around all over the place but they won’t be able to leave without adult supervision.
– Pricing. On weekdays, they charge RMB 168 for three hours of play for kids. Adults are free but will need to order something from the menu. On weekends and holidays, the prices go up to RMB 198 for three hours; the same rules apply for adults.
– Toilet. This is a pro and a con. There is a kids’ toilet inside Soft Planet, but for adults, you’ll need to use the one in the mall.
– Free socks! I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of accidentally leaving one of these places without returning their anti-slip socks. Soft Planet gives every kid a brand new pair of cute yellow anti-slip socks when they arrive.
– The train. You know how much fun the trains are for kids. The unlimited rides alone are enough to make a trip to Soft Planet

Cons:
– Menu. The food prices are great, but they only offer Chinese dishes, especially for adults.
– Additional items for purchase. If your kid is someone who won’t leave a place without bullying you into getting them a new toy, this place can make you roll your eyes. They’ve got a whole corner with toys and snacks that they sell. But, to be frank, Soft Planet is filled with so many things to do that are way more interesting.

If you’re looking to throw a birthday party, they can do all the heavy lifting for you. They offer birthday packages that include food, decorations, and three hours of free play for the kids. The minimum requirement for attendees is 14 people (kids and adults included) and the cost will be RMB 6,500 on weekdays or RMB 7,500 on weekends and holidays. Included in the package is your own space that’s decorated with the theme of your choice.

However, if the backdrop doesn’t matter, Soft Planet is great for a DIY party! There are plenty of tables that can be pushed together so that everyone can sit together. The pricing is still the same as how they normally charge (RMB 168 per kid on weekdays and RMB 198 per kid on weekends) and the grownups can just order off the menu.

Pro tip:
They tend to be less busy on weekday evenings. If you’re looking to do a DIY birthday party you might even be lucky enough to get the whole place to yourselves.

Find it:
Soft Planet 软软星球草地餐厅(侨福芳草地店)
2/F, Parkview Green Shopping Center
侨福芳草地购物中心2F
Tel: 6880 1567
Hours: 11am-8.30pm

Images: Mina Yan, dianping

Let us eat cake, and not just any cake but some of Beijing’s finest birthday cakes made by our very own talented bakers in the expat community. Whatever the theme of your kids’ party, and whether they want a dinosaur or princess cake, these creative pastry chefs have got you covered.

Alena

Alena is great at decorative fondant cakes that taste just as good as they look. For my son’s birthday, our request for a fondant dragon cake inspired by Raya and the Last Dragon was turned down by some bakers, but Alena accepted the challenge! I don’t know how long it took her but the end result drew open jaws and many oohs and aahs. I was all the more impressed by the moist and yummy seven-layer rainbow inside, which my son had requested as well. While it depends entirely on your choice of filling and how labor-intensive the design you choose, this cake cost upwards of RMB 700, which seems fair for a customized cake of this quality and size (able to feed 20). Alena even hand-delivered the cake to my home, which isn’t something she always does but did in my case, which was a lovely personal touch.

Palyko by Camilla Kongshavn

A baker whose culinary talent is almost as big as her heart, Camilla Kongshavn is no stranger to any foodie in Beijing. Doubling as the busy manager of four Sweet Cravings WeChat groups where you’ll find many of these bakers and chefs, Kongshavn’s own dessert business, Palyko, has been satisfying customers for years. She takes pride in using non-toxic preparation while baking and using organic ingredients when possible. Preferring to focus on the quality of the taste rather than just looks, Kongshavn keeps the appearance of her cakes clean and simple. Prices start from RMB 399.

Malika’s Cakes

Aside from beautiful themed cakes with customizable flavors – from black forest to honey and even ice cream cakes – Malika also makes cute pastries such as cupcakes, lollipops, donuts, and unique cookies for kids and adults alike. In Malika’s own words, “I add a part of myself in each cake to make it special.” Basic cakes start at RMB 300, but more sophisticated decorations can increase the price, and don’t forget to add shipping.

Shizu Bakes

Shizna is a Maldives native on her second year in Beijing and seems set to corner the market on amazingly artistic mousse cakes. She uses different layers of fruit compote and chocolate fillings to create culinary treats that are creamy and delicious. Offering a variety of flavors from lemon to hazelnut, and even carrot mousse, in a great choice of designs from mini cloud cakes to mosaics, Shizna is happy to take personalized requests that make your cake one of a kind. Prices start from RMB 300 for the mini cakes and RMB 450 for the regular size that feeds eight to 10. 

The Chiffon Lady

Angie Chan is perhaps the latest addition to this list and offers something a little simpler – chiffon cakes that are lightly flavored with citrus, earl grey, and two unique Southeast Asian flavors of pandan and black glutinous rice. For kids’ birthdays, she has customized simple designs and also adds sprinkles or M&Ms for color and extra sweetness since the chiffon cakes themselves are not richly flavored. In my experience, both kids and adults have enjoyed them since they don’t have cream nor do they sit too heavily in the stomach afterward! Prices are very reasonable at around RMB 120 and up, per cake.

There are many many Beijing bakers out there, and these are five whom we have either tried personally and/or received rave recommendations for. They are certainly worth ringing up for your child’s next celebration!

KEEP READING: Sweet Cravings Beijing: The Must-Join WeChat Group for Dessert Lovers

Images: Pexels, courtesy of contributors 

Beijing parents are always asking “Where can I throw a birthday party for my kid?” Well, we’re here to tackle that big bouncy question as we explore different types of venues all over the city, and give you an in-depth look at your kids’ party options. Search #BigBeijingBirthdayPartyList for more recommendations from us.

For regular readers of our website, it should come as no surprise that my child chose to host his 7th birthday party at Bom Bom Space this year, given the many perks this locally-owned trampoline park boasts. But when I found out that their birthday packages start upwards of RMB 10,000, I decided I would just DIY the party to keep things simple, eco-friendly, and within that budget. And boy did I succeed!

Limiting the guest list was the first hurdle I had to clear with the birthday kid, as he had his sights set on breaking the record of the last birthday party he attended, which saw 100 people on the guest list. I wasn’t about to break the bank trying to beat that record. Luckily, logic prevailed, and my kid agreed to just 10 kids and one accompanying parent each, which drew the guest list down to 23 including our family.

One of the reasons we adore Bom Bom Space so much is how helpful the staff are in solving problems, including finding the most cost-effective way to get all your guests into the park. We worked out that using my existing parent-child card, which maxes out at four kids and accompanying adults per day, plus buying a 10-pass card at RMB 1,680 with a few single-entry passes for the remaining guests would work best. I trusted their math and went with it.

Since I didn’t spring for the party room, my plan was to be the first to arrive at Bom Bom and stake out a few tables at their restaurant. I was even prepared with a cover story that it wasn’t a party so much as a massive play date and that the cakes were unexpected gifts, in case anyone asked any questions. But it turns out that I can’t be the first person with that action plan, because the restaurant staff graciously helped me push two rows of tables together and allowed me to “block” them off.

PRO TIP: The mall doesn’t allow you to enter before 10am anyway, so don’t bother trying to arrive early.

As for the food, we ordered ala carte off the menu. I’ll admit that I could probably fine-tune this part a bit more since we spent close to RMB 2,000 and ended up eating pizza for the next two days, but everyone had full bellies and the parents said that the food was more than enjoyable. The Bom Bom Space menu offers great choices from fresh salads to pastas, chicken nugget meals, and even a 180-day aged Australian steak.

PRO TIP: Another family had the same idea of celebrating their kid’s birthday at the restaurant, and even brought table cloths to make things look a tad nicer. Lesson learned!

Having paid for a birthday party with the full works at one of these indoor playgrounds in Beijing before (which cost more than RMB 16,000), and then winging one with the bare essentials, I can honestly say that the kids didn’t care at all whether they were in a private room with one-time-use decorations that make for good photographs but little else. I am also thrilled to report that the invited parents were happy to play with their kids in the park, instead of hiding away from the action.

All in all, Bom Bom Space was a wonderful venue for my kid’s birthday celebration, even without the party room extras. After all, kids just wanna have fun, and eat. Right now, while they’re still willing to do all that with us parents, we might as well enjoy it while it lasts!

KEEP READING: An Aspiring Soccer Star’s Birthday Party Dream Come True

Images: Ray Wu, Vivienne Tseng-Rush

Beijing parents are always asking “Where can I throw a birthday party for my kid?” Well, we’re here to tackle that big bouncy question as we explore different types of venues all over the city, and give you an in-depth look at your kids’ party options. Search #BigBeijingBirthdayPartyList for more recommendations from us.

Last weekend, we were invited to 曼联梦剧场 (Mànlián mèng jùchǎng) Theatre of Dreams in 前门 (Qiánmén, Dongcheng district) for a 7-year-old soccer lover’s birthday party. A must-visit for fans of the game, this club is an all-around hangout spot with exhibition space on the second floor full of Manchester United memorabilia, a merchandise store, restaurant, and the clincher – a virtual reality (VR) soccer game arcade in the basement, which is perfect for any aspiring soccer star’s birthday party!

Right at the entrance, you’re greeted with two possible routes – up “The United Way” or down the “Red Devil Experience.” However, the fun is all the way down in basement three, where you’ll find 15 individual VR rooms ready for you to kick the soccer ball at the highest scoring target for points. It sounds simple, and it is. It’s also very addictive, as I witnessed people play in one room for almost an hour. A ticket to play (6 rounds) will cost you RMB158, whereas an all-access pass to both the exhibition (including a guided tour in Mandarin) and the VR games will cost RMB288 for adults and RMB208 for kids.

There’s also a spacious VIP room reserved for private events, complete with a bar, sofa chairs, and also one VR room in it, though you get access to the adjacent VR room as well which is great for larger groups. On top of the two VR rooms, there are two foosball tables for more hands-on entertainment. This was where the party was held that weekend, and it just about fit 100 adults and children. Because the space had been cordoned off and the whole play space was so isolated from the rest of the public areas, we felt completely safe letting our kids “off-leash.” It was a chaotic scene, with kids running, yelling, kicking, and eating, while the adults huddled in a corner next to the bar, hoping their kid wasn’t the one screaming “Mom!” or “Dad!”

While you are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks, you have to order main entrees from the attached restaurant upstairs. The good news is, if you order RMB 3,000 worth of F&B, you get to use the VIP room for free! Otherwise, the room costs RMB 3,000 to rent for up to four hours. Included within the price is a ballooon-shaping, trick-performing clown, an appearance by a mascot that I can only assume is the “Red Devil,” and support from the staff. Decorations are available at additional cost.

Pizzas were served as the main feast for the party and they were delicious. Not your run-of-the-mill pizza in-the-box type of party fare but an almost gourmet-looking rectangular pizza topped with rocket! It’s all a la carte ordering off the menu at the Theatre of Dreams restaurant, which you can glimpse below.

If you want to book Theatre of Dreams for your kid’s upcoming birthday party, contact the manager Norah by scanning her QR code below.

KEEP READING: A Beijing Birthday Party By Land, By “Sea”, or By Animal!

Images: Dianping, Ray Wu, Vivienne Tseng-Rush

Birthdays are your kids’ special days, the one day a year that is all about celebrating their life, so of course, we want to make it the coolest and most wonderful memory! But depending on what your kids want, or your budget, or your desire to DIY, Beijing has a lot of amazing choices for the most special day of your child’s year.

Many of these spots require knowledge of Mandarin to read their offerings, or in some cases, you’ll need to walk in to obtain the right information. But we’ve linked to their listing and given details when possible, so print it out and favorite on WeChat so you have the information handy whenever you need it!

Black Sesame Kitchen and Qianmen @BSK

Blend of traditional Chinese and Western cultural activities, cooking classes, and food available. Mix and match a la carte activities.

Maximum: up to 80 people
Price Range: Prices begin at RMB 280 per child, with options for full space rental beginning at RMB 4,000.
Offered: Children’s cooking classes from baozi, dumpling, pizza or cake; karaoke, clowns, crafts, pinatas; lunch & canapes or wine ‘n dine options.
Notes: package flexible based on party’s needs.
WeChat ID: BlackSesameKitchen

By.Loft playground (Bao Yan Le Yuan) 

Minimum:10 children + 10 parents
Price Range: starts from RMB 7888-9888
Offered: Basic package includes invitations, birthday ceremony, birthday costume and access to the water park/indoor playground’ upgrades include a clown, supplies, and food
WeChat ID: cxd19991120

Kerry Adventure Zone

Enjoy the play space with lots of places to climb, play, and slide, then move to a private party room.
Price Range: Contact for details
Offered: choice of kid-friendly entrees, birthday cake, decorated themed room (dragon, panda, wizard rooms), and passes to Adventure Zone for all guests
WeChat ID: KerryHotelBeijing

Domino’s Pizza

Chefs help party guests create their own pizza, which they then eat, with a space to play and enjoy a clown.
Price Range: Contact venue directly for more information
Offered: cooking, clown, cake, balloons
Notes: When I attended a party there, the clown made machine guns for the kids. You might want to be specific about what they can make or not.

Escape Room 尖叫空间 奇幻馆 

Price Range: Contact for details
Offered: for younger kids, enjoy the many rooms of Imaginarium Zone where you take priceless pictures with friends that will twist your mind. Teens 14 and older can rent an escape room that is frightening, scary or tattoo-themed.
Ph: 139 1039 4116

K-SHOW 酷秀KTV

Book a room in advance for a private song and dance party. Here’s all you need to know!
Price Range: RMB 91-169/person
Offered: light snacks, karaoke, some have themes like superheroes and Peppa Pig
Contact: Multiple venues listed here.

LEGOland Discovery Center

LEGO master building, 4d movie experiences, and your favorite LEGO characters will share the birthday festivities with you and your guests.

Minimum: 15 people
Maximum: none listed
Price Range: RMB 388-488/person
Offered: food, snacks, special builds, access to LEGO Discovery Center that day
WeChat ID (personal party planner): 太阳和五毛钱

The Moncy Room in Chaoyang Park

A beautiful park and camp-like experience, but you pay dearly for it.
Price Range: RMB 12,000-50,000
Offered: contact for more information
WeChat ID: MONCYCLUB

Kimo Cafe

Enjoy a multi-level, varied experience from dress-up play, a nail salon, grocery store, ball pit, and more. Private room for birthdays available, but book early as they are very popular.
Price Range: Contact for rates.
Contact: 8771 5506

O’le Sports Center
Rock climbing, slackline, football, adventure – this is the party for adventurous kids.
Price Range: starts at RMB 120/child (not including food)
Offered: Choose the main activity to start, then add items as needed
Email: oleclimbing@gmail.com

Other unique places or restaurants that are birthday/child friendly: British Tea Room, Din Tai Feng (Chunxiu), Hi-Fun 嗨翻 竞技主题乐园, The Hutong, Annie’s, Kidsteam, Lefun Trampoline Park, Mirour  (PPKIDS_INC), Quanjude (duck restaurant), The Pizza Show, Sip ‘n Paint (Shunyi)

KEEP READING: Socially Distanced Birthday Cakes: Why on Earth Didn’t We Do This Before?

Images: Venues, Cindy Marie Jenkins

During the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, my husband celebrated his 43rd birthday. While Beijing has already lifted its heavy restrictions on the number of diners allowed at each table, I still had lingering concerns when it came to the highlight of the evening –– the birthday cake. More specifically, blowing out the candles on his birthday cake.

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that masks are an essential part of staying safe in public and how far our droplets of saliva travel when we exhale. So with that bit of information newly drilled into our brains, the idea of serving up a piece of cake to his closest friends after the love of my life has sprayed his saliva all across the surface just doesn’t sit well with me anymore.

Thankfully, a new trend is on the rise: socially distanced birthday cakes. Catching on with bakeries and germ conscious foodies alike, a socially distanced birthday cake is basically a regular birthday cake that comes with a cute little cupcake on the side. Instead of blowing out the candle on the big birthday cake, you put the candle on your cupcake and blow it out there instead; keeping the rest of the cake germ-free.

But did it really need to take a global pandemic for us to realize that birthday cakes weren’t the most sanitary thing to eat all these years? As Beijing mom Alessia Chizzoniti can testify, blowing out candles can be a messy affair. “On my daughter’s last birthday she blew on the candles while her mouth was full of crunched popcorn. Everyone went from cheerful to disgusted in a nanosecond.”

I’m very particular when it comes to cakes. Not only does it need to be beautiful, it needs to be unique, taste great, and not put me in a sugar coma after just a few bites. When it comes time to celebrate, I tend to call up théATRE Tea for one of their light and fluffy cakes that are low in sugar, with hints of subtle fruit and tea scents, and beautiful without being layered with fondant and tacky decorations.

For those who want to make their next social distanced birthday cake at home, Chef Lily Zhang from théATRE Tea shared the recipe for her birthday cake, that makes both a delicious cake for all to share as well as a cupcake just for the birthday boy or girl.

INGREDIENTS

● 125g sugar

● 170g plain flour

● 5g baking powder

● 12g cocoa powder

● 170g butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 6-inch cake tin and cupcake tin.

2. Bring the butter to room temperature to soften.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until creamy.

4. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a mixing bowl and mix.

5. Slowly combine the dry ingredients and the butter mixture and mix well.

6. To make the cupcake, transfer about 50g of the cake batter into a piping bag and squeeze out into the cupcake pan.

7. Transfer the rest of the batter into the cake tin.

8. Bake the cake for 25 minutes, and the cupcake for about 18 minutes. The cakes are done when it springs back to the touch.

9. When the cakes are ready, let cool to room temperature before you decorate.

PRO TIPS:

Don’t rush perfection. Let your cupcake fully cool down before you start decoration. Otherwise, you will be left with a melted sugary mess.

Consider making a smaller main cake and more than one cupcake. You never know if you’ll need a backup when it comes time to decorate, and to be honest, a party can never have too many cupcakes anyway.

théATRE CAKE 茶聚场

No. E101 WFC East Tower, 1 East 3rd Ring Road 东三环中路1号环球金融中心东楼一层E101号

Ph: 6501 5381

KEEP READING: Persimmon Pleasures: Recipes For Beijing’s Juicy Fruit

Photos: Uni You

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 October issue

A new family-friendly restaurant could be a nice place to hang out this weekend for those living in Chaoyang. Huiben Weidao opened eight months ago on the second floor of a shopping mall called Tongzhijia (Kid’s Home) next to Laiguangyong metro.

The second floor of this mall is mostly rented by all kinds of language schools and other educational centers for kids – which were all, to be fair, pretty empty early Tuesday afternoon when we went to scout it out. More people are said to come on weekends. The mall even has a big rock-climbing wall that would be loved by young naturalists. Mini-buggies for rent are perfect for 3 to 5 year olds.

Passing all the playgrounds, we came to a new restaurant located on the west corner of the mall. The place is not that big, but looks adorable with origami on the ceiling and colorful pictures of dishes arranged as funny faces all around the walls. The manager of the restaurant, Coco, kindly agreed to tell us about the place.

Huiben Weidao is a family-oriented restaurant. It has lots of meals for kids, a playground area where the youngsters can jump and run while wiped-out parents are having lunch. Although most of the visitors are Chinese, Coco says that the café is also popular among local expat families—mainly from the Chaoyang, Shunyi, and Haidian areas.

The restaurant has cooking classes and storytelling hours for RMB 295 or RMB 466, if the kid stays for a meal afterwards. No more than 8 children per class are accepted. All classes are held in Chinese, but the actions are not really complicated, and it can be a fun way for kids to learn some basic words while baking pizza.

A birthday party package is also available. For that there’s a fixed price of RMB 6,800 for a 4-hour venue rent plus a full buffet. (This price applies for fewer than 10 people; extra attendees will be charged more.) As for decorations, the customer has many themed options from Frozen to Superheroes.  One of the extra services Huiben Weidao offers might sound attractive for those looking for an unusual way to celebrate: you can bake a birthday cake right there with assistance from the chef!

Huiben Weidao also has a discount system with a rechargeable card, that, if you put RMB 1,800/ 4,800/ 8,800 on it, gives you a discount of 5, 10 or 12 percent. Family meal sets are also on promotion. Until the end of July payment through Alipay will save some money as well! In any case, be prepared to spend around RMB 80-100 per person.

So, our verdict is that it’s a nice place to come if you live nearby and want to have a quiet family lunch before exploring the attractions around, but it may not be worth coming from far away.

Huiben Weidao
Open Tuesday-Sunday. 10.30am – 8.30pm. 朝阳区望京广顺北大街19号六佰本商业中心二楼A08.

Photos: Anastasia Levina, beijingchihuotuan

If you think kicking a ball around is way too easy, try doing it whilst you’re inside a bubble. Another wacky addition to the activities offered up by Imagine, is Bubble Football. There are some great summer camps this year, and one to add to the growing list of choices is junior golf at the impressive Citee Golf Performance Academy. The kids will be kept busy learning golfing skills, keeping fit, and of course having a whole lot of fun. The next INN Shunyi coffee morning takes place this week, and as well as plenty of chat, includes a trip over to the Roundabout store. Make the most of the beautiful weather, and enjoy an evening of Italian delicacies and fine wine. Prospective parents with kids aged 1-5 are invited to an open morning at BSB Shunyi, and this weekend Atelier is hosting a summer arty-party.

Bubble Football Parties
Every Saturday and Sunday, between May and October, why not book yourself a Bubble Football Party with Imagine. Perfect for Birthdays, corporate events, team building activities, and general fun. Each player is inside an inflated bubble from the knees up, preventing them from injury. Using the bubbles, you bump and bounce off each other, while attempting to play a game of football (soccer). Suitable for older kids and adults, players have to be over 150cm. RMB 1,600 for 8 bubbles, RMB 2,000 for 10 bubbles. A minimum of eight participants, groups larger than 10 can take turns with the bubbles. Choose Beijing Riviera as your party venue for RMB 500, or any location of your choosing. To book contact (183 1112 3237, info@imagine-china.com) or fill out a form on their website www.imagine-china.com/bubble-football

Golf Summer Camp
Citee Golf summer camp is a five day junior golf camp that will challenge the kids in golf skills, fitness, and competition. This weekly camp runs Monday to Friday from 9am-1pm, between June 15 and August 14. RMB 2,600 for the five day camp, discounted rate RMB 2,400 if you sign up before May 31. The price includes snacks, lunch, welcome pack, and a 9-hole tournament. Maximum six students per coach, split into two groups of beginner and advanced. For more information, and to register, contact Rita (158 1008 7923, 8430 8226) www.citeegolf.com
Citee Golf Performance Academy, 1 Xiang Jiang Bei Road, Chaoyang District

INN Shunyi Coffee Morning
The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi is hosting this month’s International Newcomers Network (INN) Shunyi coffee morning at BSB Chatterbox Cafe. INN coffee mornings are a great opportunity to meet other newcomers and old-timers in the Shunyi area. Thursday May 21, from 10am-12pm. The morning will start with coffee, snacks, and plenty of chat. At 11.30am a BSB shuttle bus will head over to Roundabout for those who are interested. At noon the shuttle bus will head back to BSB, or you can make your own transportation home from Roundabout.

La Dolce Vita
Loft Eatalicious Shine Hills hosts La Dolce Vita on Thursday May 21, from 5-8pm. Enjoy a complementary glass of wine and free flow of Eatalicious delicacies, including loft street grills. RMB 88 per person. To book, contact (134 2067 6099, johnny.lu@eatalicious.com)
Loft Eatalicious, 10-103 Shine Hills, 9 Anxiang Street

Open Morning
The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi is holding an Open Morning for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It’s an opportunity for prospective parents to come and see the school in action. Find out how children ages 1 to 5 learn and play at BSB. Experience the Teddies, Nursery, and Reception classrooms in action, meet the teachers, and visit the playground and other school facilities. Friday May 22, from 8.30-10am. Registration is required, contact (8047 3558, admissions@britishschool.org.cn)

Summer Arty-Party
Atelier Art School Shunyi will celebrate summer this weekend, with an arty-party for the whole community. All the Atelier team will be there, to offer arty-crafty activities and games for children, both indoors and outside. Parents and art lovers can check out the school’s programs and find out more about their classes and workshops. Sunday May 24, from 2.30-5:30pm.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of Imagine, Citee Golf, BSB

Charlotte Friis Lodahl is a Danish mother of two (4 and 7, both daughters) and a 10-year resident of Beijing. Since taking a break from her career in product marketing for Nokia in 2011, she has been spending her time consulting, doing charity work, and enjoying quality time with her daughters – during which she stumbled upon a talent for making spectacular home-made cakes. We sat down with her for a brief Q&A before her cake-baking workshop scheduled for next week.

Q. Why did you start making your own cakes?
A. I make my own cakes first of all because I like to know exactly what my kids are eating. Apart from the additives that come in store-bought mixes and mass-manufactured cakes, I’m always reading about food scandals here – so I prefer to make my own. The other reason is out of guilt: Where I come from, we have a tradition of making our own cakes, and I was feeling bad that I hadn’t done that for my own children here in Beijing.

Q. Tell us about your first attempt.
A. My first cake was a Barbie cake. The thrill in my daughter’s eyes when she saw it was indescribable … and it was even better when she showed it to her friends. She was so proud of the cake and so proud to tell her friends that her mother made it by hand.

Q. That’s it? You just up and made a masterpiece on the first try?
A. Not exactly. A did a few trial runs, and looking back on it, it looked so easy … but there was a lot of screaming and swearing and ordering people to get out of the kitchen during the process. However, once it was there, even though it wasn’t perfect, I was very proud because people actually recognized what I made.

Q. How long did that first cake take you?
A. Actually, including the trial runs, it took an aggregate time of about 48 hours to complete it. Nowadays I’ve improved my track record considerably – from top to bottom I can make a cake almost in any form you can imagine in a bit less than 8 hours. The cakes are no longer just cakes for me: they’re more like art. Luckily for me, people like to eat my art.

Q. What’s in your cake repertoire at this point?
A.  I’ve made the Death Star, a Teddy Bear, a shark, Spongebob … I look for a new challenge each time. To date the biggest challenge was a 4-tiered castle. My older child is totally into the movie “Brave” and she wanted a castle like the one in the film – and by then my 7-year-old was pretty jaded over the ‘mom makes the homemade birthday cake’ bit, so she wanted to be a part of making it as well. That adds a new level of complexity to working in the kitchen. She ended up doing an awesome job and we had so much fun together.

Q. Any cake disasters to tell us?
A. I made a shark cake on request for my daughter Asta’s 3rd birthday. I thought in order for it to be authentic, the inside should be red, but when the kids cut into it at the party, they started screaming “the shark is bleeding! The shark is bleeding!” It took a while for me to get them to realize it was make believe, but eventually they got over it and enjoyed the cake.

Then there was the first time I tried to make a castle for my daughter: I used a mold, but I couldn’t get the cake out of the mold and it broke in several places in the process of taking it out. I managed to salvage it by covering it up with some grass and flowers made out of frosting, so in the end it was still a hit with the kids.

Q. Have you had to fit out your kitchen with tons of gear to get started?
A. Not really. I bought a good rolling pin and a knife, and I already had a decent baking pan, but that’s basically all I started with. I have an old, crappy oven that was installed probably 20 years ago in my flat. My most loved piece of equipment is my KitchenAid – which does all the mixing for me. It’s not a “must-have,’ but it makes life easier. You don’t really need anything but a knife, a rolling pin and a pan to get started.

Q. What will you be teaching at the workshop?
A. It’s really just a basic intro to give people a taste of what it’s like to make your own cake, and give people the satisfaction of bringing home something they’ve made by hand. Unfortunately we won’t have the full eight hours it would take to make everything right then and there from scratch, but everyone’s going to walk away with basic framework for making any of these cakes at home, as well as developing some passion for the art of cake-making. Participants will also get to do the part that people really see – the exterior decorations.

Charlotte’s workshop takes place Wednesday, June 11 at the Siemens Test Kitchen from 10:30am to 2pm. Participation in the workshop is restricted to a maximum of 10 individuals. The price for this workshop is RMB 300, which includes a take-home custom cake, refreshments and a light lunch. Full details and registration information can be found here.