This weekend is Mid-Autumn Festival, or as I like to call it, mooncake season. But for some reason, so many of my expat friends make the same disgusted face whenever mooncakes are brought up. “Ugh, mooncakes…” as if every mooncake is exactly the same and tastes bad!

So I was curious, with so many types of mooncakes on the market these days, can people even tell they’re eating one?

Well, we put two expats to the test!

Meet Chef Jeff, a US native who’s been in Beijing “a really long time, like 18 years or so” and Jenny, our summer Teen Takeover intern from Cameroon who’s been in Beijing for about seven years.

We blindfolded the duo and asked them to taste five popular local desserts – only two of which were mooncakes – to see if they could identify what they were putting in their mouths.

Click below to watch the videos and see how they did.

To find the desserts they tried:

Theatre Tea
E-102, WFC, Middle East Third Ring Road
东三环中路1号 环球金融中心1层E-102
8587 8068

Bengtang Chocolate
APM Mall 3F 138 Wangfujing Dajie
王府井大街138号北京APM 3层K3-6
甭糖BENGTANG无砂糖生巧（王府井店）
155 0117 0520

East Beijing Hotel
22 Jiuxianqiao Lu
酒仙桥路22号
8426 0888

KEEP READING: The Mooncake Buying Cheat Sheet

Images: Mina Yan, Courtesy of vendors

Happy Easter! Want to win some chocolate bunnies?

Scan the QR code below to join the Jingkids Easter Eggstravaganza WeChat group. Then send in your photo or video clips (shorter than 10 seconds) of your kids’ Easter Eggs by midnight tonight (Apr 4).

The selected Easter eggs will be featured in a Jingkids video and if your egg is selected, you can win a delicious chocolate Easter bunny!

KEEP READING: The Best Non-Easter Family Events Mar 31- Apr 6

Images: Jingkids, Pexels

I will admit that one of my biggest bugbears when I moved to Beijing was that I never seemed to find a good bakery. I was never fully able to indulge my sweet tooth. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying there are no bakeries with supremely delicious pastries. There are. But were always too far away from me or too rich for my blood (aka my wallet); and of the affordable stuff, it didn’t quite taste right. It always felt like an interpretation of the idea of sweets, rather than the authentic thing.

Then I discovered Comptoirs De France. Now, it might just be a “me” thing, but my automatic association between food, especially pastry, and French-owned establishments is that of sheer decadence and an innate understanding of superlative cooking, rising to the level of a religious experience. To put it simply, Comptoirs De France is my guilty pleasure dream come true.

As I sauntered through one of their outlets in Sanlitun, that pesky “do you wanna build a snowman” song kept playing in my mind (sorry but I am not a fan of Frozen). Shelves upon beautifully decorated shelves of nothing but dark, milk and white chocolate creations ranging from snowmen in red hats and scarves, to brown Santas in a white beard and little jolly mushrooms sprouting festively from colorful stands. Each of these creations was a taste sensation, with the dark chocolate taking on a milder flavor rather than the harsher bitter taste we tend to associate with 95 percent chocolate.

Then came the chocolate cookies, lightly dusted in icing sugar which instantly transported me back to my childhood, and all the memories of watching Christmas movies, counters dusted lightly with flour while my mother kneaded dough for one treat or another and Christmas carols playing on the radio all came flooding back. There is something about a cookie that snaps in just the right way, or crumbles in your mouth as soon as your lips touch it that shouts “Christmas.”

However the one thing which truly brought back my childhood was the possibility of making my own gingerbread house. Comptoirs de France this festive season is offering kids the opportunity to build their own gingerbread houses and put together fun gift baskets for themselves.

Don’t fret, if you and your little one are unable to join the gingerbread house-making fun. You can have your own gingerbread house pre-assembled and delivered to your door step, or you can visit one of Comptoirs de France’s numerous stores in the city. Their products are also available on Taobao. Talk about a guilty pleasure. This is truly the treat to complete the season.

Photos: Courtesy of Comptoirs de France, thespruce.com

Ah, China. Where my toothpaste tastes of tea, and my shampoo is minty…

I have never seen a more disappointed face than my then nine-year-old’s when he bit into his ice lolly to discover that it was durian flavor. But all China expats know the feeling. Red bean is the worst offender, lurking at the center of cakes, pretending to be chocolate, but there are other unexpected tastes to be encountered by the unwary. Pea-flavored ice cream? Blueberry pizza? Mung bean popsicles? You’ve got it.

In part this stems from the days when China was less open to the world, and chocolate imports were negligible. Candy and desserts were made with locally-grown products instead. Mainly though it’s just a cultural thing. There’s no objective reason why toothpaste should taste of mint, and pineapple on a pizza is as much of an outrage as blueberries. Many would argue that we should open our minds to a broader palette of flavors, and learn to love that jackfruit.

However if you’ve got kids, then good luck persuading them that red bean is better than chocolate, or to brush their teeth with green tea paste. We learn to dislike flavors when they arrive unexpectedly, our bodies concluding that if it doesn’t taste like it should it must be bad. And we’re most vulnerable to getting the wrong thing when we’ve recently arrived, struggling to read labels and to adjust to a new environment. This is when kids can take a violent dislike to a flavor they might learn to love if it was introduced carefully instead of coming as a disappointment. So here’s a guide for China newbies on some of the taste traps to avoid.

Red bean paste – 红豆沙 – hóng dòu shā

This isn’t too hard to learn. Look at the middle character, dòu. It looks like a bean! Well, kind of. If you squint.Hóng means red – you’ll hear a lot of talk about hóng bāo, the red envelopes given as gifts or as, erm, financial incentives. The character’s a bit trickier, but not impossible. Like a lot of Chinese characters, it has two parts, one suggesting the meaning, the other the sound. The squiggle on the left means, roughly, “writing”, and is included in most colors. The other part, 工 gōng, is he pronunciation (gong, hong… who’s counting?). It means “work”, looks like a hammer, sort of, and sounds like the ringing of a hammer on an anvil. If you can’t read the packaging, or there is none, then you can ask:

yǒu hóng dòu shā ma?

The answer will either be yǒu (“yes, it does”) or méi yǒu (“no, it doesn’t”).

Chocolate – 巧克力 – qiǎo kè lì

This is easier to say, because it’s a “loanword”; it sounds like “chocolate”. (Chinese ideas of what sounds like what can be baffling. May 20 is one of many “Chinese Valentine’s Days” because “5-20” wǔ èr líng sounds like “I love you” wǒ ài nǐ. NO IT DOESN’T.) The characters are harder, but it might help to think that 克 kè looks a bit like a key, and 力 lì means strength, and looks a bit like someone flexing their muscles. Again, you can ask:

yǒu qiǎo kè lì ma?

Yǒu means “have”, and ma makes it a question.

Tea – 茶 – chá

The sound is easy to remember if you’re from Britain, where “a cup of char” has long been slang for what we too consider our national beverage. Unlike Brits though, the Chinese put tea in everything, including desserts and toothpaste. The character’s not too hard. The line across the top, with two smaller lines cutting it, indicates a plant.The arrow shape underneath resembles a tea leaf.

The “spearhead” shape of tea leaves is imitated in the Chinese character

Mint – 薄荷 – bò he

Mint isn’t much used in Chinese cooking, and you won’t find it in most supermarkets. So it must taste like an exotic and challenging ingredient. You can find it in toothpaste though, due to western influence. The first character is a really tough one to remember (though see the “plant” lines over both characters?) You only really need to remember the second one though. I don’t know any mnemonics for it, but it’s derived from the hugely important character 可 kě, part of the ubiquitous phrase 可以 kě yǐ, meaning to be allowed to do something. If you learn only one word of Chinese this might be the most useful:

kě yǐ ma? (Can I? Is it OK?) kě yǐ. (OK)

So there you have it. We encourage you to introduce your kids to the new world of flavors available in China, but when they know what’s coming, and are open to it. That durian ice lolly? It went in the bin, and we got him a strawberry one instead.

Photos: chooyutshing, Florin Gorgan via Wikimedia Commons

I heard about WeChat three hours after arriving in Beijing. I thought, “This is an unnecessary app. I have WhatsApp, I don’t need WeChat.” Boy. I was wrong! We all need WeChat; my life has been so much easier since I got it, and I wish the rest of the world would get WeChat too. I have made many, many friends through WeChat. I have had many questions answered, many shopping experiences, and also great services at home. Here I’ll share some of my favorite WeChat contacts. Do you have any great WeChat contacts? Let us know!

Essential Oils

This mother is a coach that promotes the use of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils, and gives workshops around China. She will be in Beijing at the end of this month. Her knowledge is extensive and she had great oil blend ideas for my rowdy toddler and for my house move. Add on WeChat: elsamailloux

Kids’ Organic Bedding

Looking for a great gift or some special pieces to decorate your kid’s room with? This mother just relocated to Beijing and she sells organic tipis, canopies, and bedding. Pieces of art in your kids’ room.  Add on WeChat: Littleecoone

Homemade Cereals and Pickles

Elvira started out making granola and her venture is becoming a big success. Though located in Shunyi, Elvira ships all over China. She now has other popular products like chutneys, relishes, and cocoa pops, all homemade and delicious. Add her on WeChat: asteroidelvira

Chocolate

As seen at markets, this chocolate maker has won many hearts with his delicious chocolate and special chocolate tea. Are you in need of a chocolate rush? Add on WeChat: cocodeers

Beef

Where is the beef? Need some grassfed beef from Uruguay? My mounth starts to water looking at the great pieces of meat these people (or cows) can get to your door in Beijing. Add on WeChat: castibeef

Skincare

Skincare from Siberia to your door. I love these creams. There are lotions for kids and adults and they smell good enough to eat. Add on WeChat: AldySha

Italian Cooking Classes

These two authentic ladies give cooking classes in Shunyi and downtown. Need to improve your kitchen skills or want to know more about Italian cuisine? Add on WeChat: CinCucina

Textiles

Baby it’s getting cold outside, get warm on the couch with a colorful throw. DdW Textiles’ handwoven, luxurious throws are 100 percent organic cotton. Add on WeChat: desireedewit

Dutch Snacks

For the Dutch folk in Beijing and the rest of China, you don’t have to live without Dutch cuisine anymore. This gentleman has been delivering traditional Dutch delicacies all over China for a long time. Get your Dutch friends together and make a big order. Add On WeChat: DutchySnacks

Shared Harvest

This farm is located in Beijing and delivers every week fresh greens to the door. You need to top up RMB 3,000 each time, but the fresh vegetable choices delivered are healthy, and will inspire you to cook some delicious food. Add on WeChat: wxid_y9wkwgbke7g322

Sewing Classes

I have wanted to pick up my sewing, and really learn the craft of creating fabric delights. Jen from the SLab located in the Hutongs has many classes to learn this skill. Add her on WeChat: JenPohland

Stone Relocations

I had to look for a moving company that would not charge an arm and a leg. My choice came to Stone Relocations, and although their website is bilingual, the phone is not always picked up by a bilingual person. No worries; for great service in English, add this Stone representative. Add on WeChat: weiwei626500

Photos: Vendors and Pixabay

I cannot go a day without taking at least a small bite of a chocolate bar that sits in the corner of my fridge. Chocolate plays an important role in not only satisfying a sweet-tooth, but also in adding flavor to desserts such as cake, ice cream, and cookies.

Eating chocolate is one thing, but making them means wielding a whole new level of power. It’s easier than you think. You can learn how to make your own delicious chocolates by attending a homemade chocolate class hosted by Brian’s Kitchen in Dongzhimen.

The evening class for adults and older kids costs RMB 188 per person. Cooking ingredients and equipment are supplied, but students may want to bring their own kitchen apron.

Brian’s Kitchen also hosts various other cooking classes for those interested in learning how to make, for example, pizza, Italian pasta, Greek food, and health snacks.

When: July 28, starts at 7.30pm (lasts about 2 hours)
Where:  Oriental Kenzo, Apt A Office 20C, Dongzhimen Outer Street, Chaoyang. 北京市朝阳区东直门外大街东万银座A座20C
How much: RMB 188 per person

To register: call Tina 6538 9422 or 6416-3990

Photos: AlexanderStein via Pixabay, others courtesy of event organizer.

When Joanne Law gave birth to her little boy two years ago, she experienced minor postpartum depression – but it was chocolates that helped her manage the anxiety. “That sweet surprise you get from eating chocolates,” she says, “just helps you relieve stress … especially if they’re of good quality.” By that, she meant bean-to-bar chocolates with high cocoa content, not just those usual mass-produced and sugar-filled bars, or those over-the-top and exorbitantly priced brands.

Having lived in Beijing for 7 years, Law realized that high-quality chocolates were not readily available in China, so she decided putting up her own brand, Deershop 畸쨔핀옹제. “We collaborate with five international chocolate artisans to produce that delectable yet reasonably-priced chocolate here,” Law said.

But filling in the missing sweet tooth in China isn’t the only thing Joanne is after. “Deershop sources chocolate from certified fair trade cooperatives and five globally awarded artisans who are ethical in their craft and dedicated to helping the poor.”

The Hong Kong native said that harvesting cocoa beans in exporting countries such as Colombia and Dominican Republic is labor-intensive and usually done by child workers. But with fair trade, she says, cocoa farmers are guaranteed a premium to help them invest in local development projects like schools, healthcare infrastructure, and drinking water facilities. “Who thought that eating chocolates could help these communities?” Law said.

The sweetness just only begins there as Deershop offers four high-quality cocoa content products: the dark chocolate series (82 – 70 percent), the milk chocolate series (63 – 38 percent), the white chocolate series (38 percent), and the truffles gift box series. Two of Deershop’s signature chocolates, Sicilian Lemon Oil and Sea Salt White Chocolate, are all-natural and have no artificial flavoring, making them safe for those with allergies. Deershop also has customized chocolate gift sets for wedding and corporate events.

Prices for the four series start at a reasonable RMB 68, while the signature gift box can be bought for as low as RMB 298. Ordering Deershop’s chololates is short and sweet: follow it on WeChat at dearxunlu or just key in on Taobao, Tmall, and JD apps “畸쨔Deershop”. You can also scan the QR code.

Photos courtesy of Joanna Law

 This article originally appeared on page 16 of beijingkids 2017 February Issue. Download the digital version here.

We heard there is a new and fabulous Max Brenner Chocolate Bar at The Place (between Moka Bros and Marks & Spencer), but we want to warn you, men, do not take your spouse here without pre-approval.  Here is what would most likely happen if you tried to fly this blind.

Problems Before the Launch
Although chocolate is cute for the first, safe gift, nothing says “I didn’t know what else to get you” better than chocolate. Way to go there, slick. You just made a whole date fall under this category.

Your child suddenly overhears where you two are headed and begs to come along.  He wants to see Willy Wonka and drink from the chocolate river.  Date night becomes another family affair. Strike two.

On the commute to this choco-palace, your wife suddenly spills a secret. Unbeknownst to you, she has become a vegan AND sworn off all processed sugar. Haven’t you seen her Pinterest board full of ambitious new recipes?

Chocolate Clouds on the Horizon
After you arrive to behold the cool décor and never-ending stockpile of velvety, chocolate gold, your favorite tag-along makes new requests for a Kids Peanut Butter Banana Panini (RMB 65) from the one liner Kids Menu, and the S’mores Sundae (RMB 90) from the Max I-Scream Section.

He holds Willy Wonka hostage until his demands are paid out. Don’t skimp on the sprinkles or else. Your sugar-crazed child now tap-dances all over the shiny, tiled floor as you wonder how such a good date went so wrong. Refer back to the first mistake.

Restrained and polite at first, your wife is seduced by the wafts of cocoa and suddenly is overcome by a monstrous urge to gorge. She lifts a whopping spoonful of the Classic European Fondue (RMB 120) to her lips, and then the sugar-crazed child bumps it all over her new white dress.  Disaster.

Joy! Wait until you see the dry cleaning bill!

The Teary-Eyed After Party
Suddenly your wife confesses she was on a new diet for spring. She was trying out the fasting research set out by a recent TED talk. How could you tempt her like this? She covers her face with her hands for a few minutes, then she blubbers apologies for being such a jerk. She’s the one with a lack of self-control. She can’t help but stuff her face with delicious chocolate!

Emotional breakdown complete.  Date ruined. Lesson learned. Chocolate surprises are best in small doses. Enjoy your last bite of chocolate before you trek home!

Visit them at the address below, but don’t say we didn’t warn you about this decadent adventure.

Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar
Daily 9am-10pm. East End of the South Building, The Place (between Moka Bros and Marks & Spencer), Chaoyang District (5727 8282)

Photos: Pixabay, Alpha (Flickr)

This year, Easter Sunday falls on March 27. Do you know what you’re doing yet? Click through for our roundup of Easter brunches and activities.

Brunches and Other Dining Events
All events are on March 27 unless otherwise noted.

Running Eggs Easter Brunch
For Easter, the Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace is hosting an egg hunt in the garden, egg painting, a magic show, and a sumptuous lunch buffet.

RMB 688 (two adults and a child), RMB 468 (one adult and one child), RMB 368 (adults), half price for ages 7-12, free for kids under 6. 10.30am-noon (activities), noon-2pm (brunch). Call 6452 1608 for reservations.

Lavish Country Brunch and Easter Egg Hunt at the Great Wall Expect Easter egg hunts for the kids, an extravagant buffet with home-baked goodies and eggs to order, and live jazz. Weather permitting, brunch will be served on a platform surrounded by blooming peach trees and mountain views. Click here to view the menu and book online.

RMB 268 (adults), RMB 138 for ages 4-12, free for kids under 4. 11am. Contact 6162 6506, 6162 6319 or info@brickyardatmutianyu.com for reservations.

‘Eggcellent’ Easter Sunday Brunch at Hilton Beijing Capital Airport
Activities include Easter egg hunts on the hotel lawn, an Easter egg running competition, egg painting, and a kids’ center with an appearance by the Easter Bunny. The brunch itself includes seafood, roast lamb, desserts, and global dishes.

RMB 388 per person (brunch with free-flow soft drinks), RMB 438 (brunch with free-flow champagne, wine, beer, and soft drinks), half price for ages 6-12, free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. All prices subject to 15% surcharge. Call 6450 4788 for reservations.

Bubbly Easter Sunday Brunch at FACTORY
This refined Easter brunch menu features salmon, grilled nectarine salad, coconut milk-marinated halibut, beef tenderloin, truffled polenta, passionfruit pannacotta, and more.

RMB 180 (two courses), RMB 240 (three courses), add RMB 100 for two hours free-flow of champagne or beer. 11.30am-3.30pm. Call 156 5272 9258 for reservations.

Easter Sunday Brunch The Grand Hyatt’s Grand Cafe features premium seafood, Easter cocktails, treasure hunts, and egg painting for kids.

RMB 258 + 15% surcharge. 11.30am-3pm. Call 8518 1234 ext 3628 for reservations.

Sparkling Easter Sunday Brunch at Bistrot B
The Rosewood Hotel serves free-flow champagne, traditional European Easter dishes and a dessert corner filled with gourmet chocolates, cakes and pastries.

RMB 696 per person (includes free-flow champagne), RMB 518 (includes free-flow Prosecco, house wines, and soft drinks), RMB 396 (no beverages), free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. Contact 6536 0066 or beijing.diningreservations@rosewoodhotels.com for reservations.

Family Easter Fun at Hilton Beijing
The Hilton Beijing is hosting Easter events at both Elements and One East. At Elements, there will be a lunch buffet with unlimited soft drinks, juice, tea, and coffee. At One East, there will be a four-course set brunch with free-flow house wine and beer. Kids’ activities include Easter baking classes, egg painting and gifts.

Elements lunch buffet: RMB 258 per person, half price for ages 5-10, free for kids under 5. One East set brunch: RMB 268 per person, add RMB 98 for free-flow house wine and beer, add RMB 50 for free-flow soft drinks and juice. All prices subject to 15% surcharge. 10.30am-2.30pm. Call 5865 5030 or angela.li3@hilton.com for reservations.

Easter Sunday Brunch at Kempinski Hotel Beijing
Bunnies, colored eggs, an Easter egg hunt, and a lavish buffet await at Kranzler’s.

RMB 498 per person (includes free-flow Paulaner beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and tea), RMB 598 (with free-flow Mumm Champagne), RMB 248 for ages 6-12, free for one child per family for ages 10 and under. 11.30am-3pm. All prices subject to 15% surcharge. Call 6465 3388 ext. 4222 or restaurant.beijing@kempinski.com for reservations.

Easter Celebration at NUO Hotel Beijing On March 27, the Easter buffet at NUO Hotel’s N’Joy restaurant will include handmade chocolate pralines, nests, bunnies, eggs, chocolate-dipped strawberries, Peking duck, Malay curries, Atlantic lobster, roast lamb, glazed ham, and hot cross buns. There will also be a children’s area with Easter egg painting.

RMB 588 per person (includes Perrier Jouet champagne, sparkling, white and red wine, and beer). 11.30am-2.30pm. Call 5926 8281 for reservations.

Egg-Citing Easter at Kerry
Head over to Kerry’s Kitchen for a buffet brunch spread and activities for the whole family, including face painting, egg hunting, and playtime at the Adventure Zone.

RMB 458+ per person. Noon-3.30pm. Call 8565 2088 for reservations.

Easter Wonderland at VIC
Kids’ activities include an Easter egg hunt, egg painting, lucky draws, baking classes, and lollipop workshops. There will also be the customary buffet and a special appearance from the Easter Bunny.

RMB 588 (two adults and one child under 12), RMB 128 (children), RMB 258 (adults). All prices subject to 15% surcharge. Noon-4pm. Call 8599 6666 for reservations.

Asia Bistro Easter Brunch
The JW Marriott’s Easter brunch at Asia Bistro offers grilled seafood, roasted salmon, hot cross buns, and a children’s corner with a visit from the Easter Bunny, face painting, and an Easter egg hunt.

RMB 538 per person, half price for ages 3-12 + 15%. 11.30am-3.30pm. Call 5908 8511 for reservations.

Bubbalicious Bunny Awaits You at The Westin Beijing Chaoyang
Seasonal Tastes is hosting an Easter brunch with lot of family-friendly activities like egg painting, cotton candy-making classes, and an Easter egg hunt.

RMB 388 or 548 + 15%. 11.30am-3pm. Call 5922 8880 for reservations.

Easter Egg Hunt & Buffet at the Ritz-Carlton
With warm sunshine streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows, enjoy the celebration with sumptuous food especially prepared for spring. Choose from king crabs, roasted prime ribs, hot cross buns, as well as traditional favorites such as Easter cinnamon and raisin rice tarts, and Easter cupcakes. Children are invited to take part in exciting Easter egg-hunting activities.

RMB 488+ (adults), RMB 244+ (kids 6-12 years old). Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street.

For Kids Only

Hutong Egg Hunt
The Breathing Space Courtyard hosts Beijing’s first-ever hutong egg hunt. On Easter Sunday, more than 200 eggs will be hidden all over the street with goodie bags and fabulous prizes. The grand prize will include a Laser Egg, Origins’ flagship product. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available after the hunt. Other activities include face painting, an egg relay, hopscotch, sidewalk chalk, a photobooth, and more.

Free. 2-5pm. Click here to RSVP. Email dina@origins-china.com for questions.

Easter Egg Hunt Comptoirs de France will host its annual “Easter Egg Hunt” at East Lake Villa for children aged 2-10 years old.

Free. 9am-3:30pm in East Lake Villa’s Clubhouse Lobby, Gardens of Mandarin Duck and Pavilion Room. To RSVP, visit their shop, or call 6461 1525 for questions.

DIY Bunny and Egg Painting What happens when you put Chinese traditional celadon art and a Western holiday celebration together? EventShare and Celadon Story bringing you a unique Easter DIY experience to Farm to Neighbors farmers’ market! Come learn how to paint a pair of Easter bunny and egg by using traditional Chinese celadon painting techniques!

RMB 200 for an Easter Bunny, RMB 99 for an Easter Egg, and RMB 280 for the pair.  1st session: 12:30-2:30pm, 2nd session: 2:30-4:30pm.  19 East Dongfang Road, The Grand Summit B1 Floor. Call Lianting 139 1017 7410 for questions.

Easter Egg Painting by Lily Yang at Moka Bros Moka Bros is hosting the coolest Easter Egg painting classes together with creative Lily Yang. Make your own Elsa, Olaf or Star Trooper egg.  During this workshop, Lily Yang will take your on the journey from plain white goose eggs to your very own cute and luxurious pieces of Easter art.

80 RMB per person. Click here to purchase a ticket. 2-3pm at Moka Bros, The Place in CBD; or March 26th (Saturday) 2-3pm at Moka Bros, Chaoyang Park Solana. Limited to 20 seats per day.

Other

Sat, Mar 26
Easter Sleepover Package at the Great Wall
What better way to ring in the spring than with an overnight stay at The Brickyard? The package includes private transfers to and from Beijing for two, a superior queen Great Wall view room, and access to the Easter Brunch for two at The Brickyard on Sunday, March 27.

RMB 2,488. Contact 6162 6506, 6162 6319 or info@brickyardatmutianyu.com for reservations.

Easter Chocolate Indulgence Spa Treatment Chocolate takes on a whole new level of decadence this Easter at Sense spa. Available from March 26th to April 30th, enjoy a 60-minute exfoliating chocolate body wrap, using natural cocoa beans with potent antioxidants, followed by a 60-minute Germaine De Capuccini deluxe saffron massage, which uses exotic spices and essential oils to hydrate the skin and revitalize the senses.

RMB 1,280 (120 min) per person. Call 6597 8888 for questions and reservations or email beijing.reservations@rosewoodhotels.com.

Easter Cooking Class Learn to bake Swiss rice cake, Easter bread, and chocolate Easter nest with Kempinski Hotel’s Chef Joachim!

RMB 388 per person. March 26th (Saturday), 2-5:30pm. Kranzler’s Restaurant, Kempinski Hotel. Call 665 3388 ext. 4257 for reservations, or email restaurant.beijing@kempinski.com

Photos: Courtesy of Grand Hyatt Beijing, The Brickyard, NUO Hotel, and Crowne Plaza