As a child growing up in Colorado I remember walking with my aunt and uncle through the streets of old Denver in the autumn. Leaves of bright yellow and orange sat in lovely crunchy piles waiting to be stomped in and I loved every second of it. Aged eight, I tried my hand at poetry to try and describe in detail to my guardians what I was experiencing. The golden leaves of fall inspire budding creative spirits the world over, but in Beijing there are no piles of leaves on the streets.

Pet peeves. We all have them. That one thing that really drives you mad. In Beijing there are plenty of opportunities to find things to bother you. I have been in and out of Beijing since 2007, and I find that the list of things that drive me crazy keeps shrinking! I’ve been able to find acceptance around many of the things that the average everyday expat can’t stand.

Today I’d like to highlight my personal Beijing pet peeve that I doubt will ever go away. The greatest thing about fall is to walk into a pile of crunchy leaves. Why does the city find it necessary to send out flocks of street cleaners in the early hours of the morning to make sure that not one single leaf remains on the ground? Besides their beautiful colors, they add an element of softness and natural beauty to the stark concrete of Beijing. In order to enjoy this softness however you’ll need to get up and out the door by 6:30am. Witnessing the beauty of last night’s fallen leaves means waking up before the bright-orange street cleaners appear. You have 30 minutes to whoop, dance, and kick: They’ll be busy with their brushes from 7am sharp, ensuring the people of the city never see a fallen leaf.

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

For the October holiday, we went home for two weeks to celebrate Christmas with my family. That’s right, you read that correctly, Christmas in October. My family spans four continents: North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. This year my sisters, who both live in Uganda and run an NGO, will not be able to go home in December because they are opening a hospital.  Fortunately, we were all able to make the trip in October instead. We wouldn’t have been able to go a year without the tree, the food, and my dad at the piano playing Christmas carols, so we made it happen early and I can report that it was probably one of the best investments we have ever made.

The investment was much more than financial. Spending nearly twenty-four hours traveling door to door, plus the jet lag made the trip a journey. With an 8-month-old in tow the journey was harder then it has ever been before. After landing we spent three to four days recalibrating and Kai didn’t sleep through the night once. To put it lightly, the distance and time took a toll on us all. But despite the hardship of the travel, it was worth every minute.

The time together was priceless. The two weeks at home were more memorable than most trips back simply because we all were so willing to be together. We had never celebrated Christmas in October before and – despite the wear of travel – it worked perfectly. I realize that the time we have here on earth is temporary and every day is precious. Day after day I wake up and see that Kai has changed during the night and this makes it clear that my priority should be to enjoy every second of our time here together. Traveling home to share him solidified our family values, one of the biggest ones being just that – family.

The holiday is one hundred percent about being together and nothing to do with the time of year. My guess is that as our family becomes bigger and more difficult to transport, it will still be worth it. As we wore our Santa hats, sang the songs, and shared the time with each other, the thousands of miles traveled and the dates on the calendar ceased to exist. It was pure bliss. Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

Theresa Pauline is a yoga teacher, social entrepreneur, momma, wife, and beijingkids contributor. You can find out more about her at www.taozitreeyoga.com

Photos: Theresa Pauline

The fall season is in full swing! One of Beijing’s greatest plus points is that there’s always dozens of great events taking place around the city. Here are a few things happening this weekend for you get out and enjoy.

On Saturday, wrap up and take the family on a wander through the hutongs. Stop by Café Zarah for their autumn market. You can grub some yummy BBQ and listen to some chilled-out music. Kids are welcome and fun activities will be provided by "Kid’s Planet Hutong." You can also enjoy some retail therapy with homemade jams, kids clothes and handmade bags.

After the market head to The Breathing Space for a tutorial on building your own small aquaponics system to grow herbs, mini tomatoes, and goldfish! This special event costs RMB 300 and you need to RSVP at https://diy-aquaponic.evenbrite.com.

Make Sunday a health day! If weather permits and the AQI is low, head to this year’s last Yoga in the Park. It’s free! Cross your fingers for some sunshine and calm warm winds so we can enjoy the last traces of summer… or have they passed us already? Only time will tell.

After yoga in the park head to Moka Bros Solana and enjoy 15% off of your lunch. If you still haven’t had your fix of healthy festivities, at 3pm head to Dangdai Moma for C!Talks first event of the season. Four different health specialists share their experience in a number of fields. I’ll be speaking about Ayurveda, other topics include traditional Chinese medicine by Dr. Shelly Ochs, nutrition and fitness by Dr. Sherry Li, and mental, sexual and physical health by Rocky Kai. This event is also free!

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

To all the new mothers out there, even if you had your last baby a decade ago, or you are a mother to your cat, goldfish, or bicycle. I have something to tell you: You are gorgeous. You are beautiful and sexy and deeply lovable.

Ever since returning back to work (at a yoga studio) a few months ago, I have been dealing with body image issues, the likes of which I haven’t encountered since I was a child. Trying to fit in and be lovable is something I’ve aspired to since I can remember. A lot of my preoccupation revolved around exterior appearances. My body, my clothes, and what I “do.”

As I have grown into a mature woman this has gradually become easier. I have gotten to know myself better and feel more comfortable in my own skin. I’ve even been able to rock a bikini poolside, knowing that my cellulite is showing. I have found some healing around giving a damn about what others think.

Being a new mother however, has brought a lot of my old insecurities back to the surface. I have bumps and bulges in my midriff where before there were none. I can’t kick into a handstand anymore. I look and feel different. Something about being in Beijing, and especially about being in the yoga room, brings these insecurities up in me even more. My classroom is generally 90 percent filled with young, fit, Chinese women. Based on the way I hear ayis speaking bluntly about people in our yard, I know body judgment isn’t a foreign concept here. I feel judged. I have a pigu (rear-end) that was large before the baby. Now, it’s bigger.

This last weekend after a class I taught, my ego took another hit that sent me and my body-image to a, pardon the pun, bottom. I (briefly) got to the point where I thought the solution was to exist on juice to make it “right sized” i.e. smaller, again. I spent the day wanting to hide in a heap under the covers in my bed. But I was given encouragement by my husband and friends, and that turned me back toward the light.

Whether inside the yoga room or on the streets of Beijing, everyone has insecurities. Perhaps the most beautiful, skinny woman you’ve ever seen is wishing her nose was different or her legs were longer. The best I can do is to shine brightly and rock my curvaceous booty, giving others permission to do the same. The idea that after having a baby my body should be the same as it was before or that I need to scramble to get it there, is unfair. It’s better to treasure the little bump on my belly and feel gratitude for what it brought me: my beautiful little boy.

I need to accept my beautiful body for what it is. Honestly, a wonderful, marvelous body! I can’t be of service to others hiding it under the covers.

So again, to all women out there, mommies or not, you are beautiful no matter your shape. Shine brightly so others can do the same.

Theresa Pauline is a yoga teacher, social entrepreneur, momma, wife, and beijingkids contributor. You can find out more about her at www.taozitreeyoga.com

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

There are two really good reasons to do a family detox in Beijing and Monday is the best time to do one. Here’s why: One, the family probably ate out all weekend and/ or the parents were out both nights having fun and now it’s time to chill out. Two, it’s an AQI 200+ day.

Ross and I enjoy meatless Monday; a phenomenon that is slowly gaining momentum with the hashtag #meatlessmonday. I have recently tried to push Meatless Monday to include Meatless Tuesday but I was told sweetly by my husband, however not to push it. There is something about spending a day eating fruits and veggies and setting aside the meats and grains which makes the body instantly feel lighter and cleaner. Mini cleanses just eating like this for a day or two can do wonders for the body. Juicing is another great project to add to family mini-cleanses. The last couple weeks, I have been obsessed with juicing. If you don’t have a juicer and would like to get one, they can be bought on Taobao for as little as RMB 200. That being said, I generally find that you get what you pay for. If you plan on processing tougher foods like carrots and kale, you’ll want one with a powerful motor, which will cost you.

Last Wednesday when pollution got high, I loaded up on my fruits and veggies to make a powerful antioxidant juice. Here’s a list of what went in it and each ingredient’s nutritional value:

Orange and lemon (Vitamin C and detoxifying qualities)
Beets (rich in antioxidants)
Carrots (Vitamin K)
Apple (to add some sweetness)
Spinach (loaded with nutrients and power *think Pop-Eye)
Blueberries, rasberries, blackberries (for added deliciousness, antioxidants and pizazz!) Don’t put those berries into the juicer however. Instead blend them up with some water and add them to the juice at the end. They are too expensive to put in the juicer, in my opinion.
Serve over ice and enjoy!

On the days where we need a little extra pick me up, I throw them all in and have a delicious super nutrient packed drink that we can take with us into the day. I generally make enough for two servings each so that before bed we can recharge once again to help immunity rebuild during our night’s rest.

Theresa Pauline is a yoga teacher, social entrepreneur, momma, wife, and beijingkids contributor. You can find out more about her at www.taozitreeyoga.com

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

Whether it’s sunny or rainy, a visit to the glasses and antique market found at Panjiayuan is always a great idea. If you haven’t been before, this place is really a must for some real Chinese adventure! In particular, there are two parts to Panjiayuan that are worth a visit: the glasses market and the antique market.

Why the glasses market? If you don’t wear glasses, you are still 80 percent likely to leave with a pair. There are so many to choose from and after a few minutes of strolling around with a friend you will inevitably find yourself trying a pair on, turning to your friend and asking, “Do these look good on me?” a question that will be repeated 100 times in the course of the next couple hours. You may even get your eyes checked out, just in case. I actually went four or five years ago after I realized I couldn’t read the subtitles of a movie. (I was clueless to the fact that my eyesight was going a little bit.) I ended up leaving with glasses and the place has been a favorite Beijing go-to spot for me since.

The second stop to check out is across the street and is known in Beijing as the Panjiayuan Antique Market. There are some great finds here. Among them are jewelry, furniture, beads, statues made of bronze and copper, and garments. The last time I visited, I found an amazing man selling what seemed to be real silver. I bought about eight rings to give family members for Christmas.

Both of these spots are relatively stroller friendly. The glasses market has an elevator and the antiques market has walkways throughout big enough for mom and baby. I recommend allotting half a day or so to visit these two spots. They also make a great outing with visiting friends or family. Eat before you go or plan a meal afterwards because there isn’t much around in terms of dining. For extra adventure, take the subway there and for extra-extra adventure go in a rainstorm! This is what we did last time and we still had a great day.

Theresa Pauline is a yoga teacher, social entrepreneur, momma, wife, and beijingkids contributor. You can find out more about her at www.taozitreeyoga.com

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

My mom arrived for a week’s visit this past Sunday. The pleasure of having her in town is immeasurable. Seeing her hold my son Kai invokes feelings in me I have never felt before: happiness in its purest form. I am so fortunate and grateful that Kai has family that truly love him. In her first couple of days we wanted to take it easy on my mom, and give her time to recover from her jet lag; here’s the rundown on our lazy, local, downtown itinerary.

After she arrived on Sunday, we went to Lady’s Street and stopped by the fish and flower market. She flirted with parrots which is one of her favorite things to do.

Monday was her first full day in Beijing. We woke up early and enjoyed Kai-time, watching him run like crazy around the house in his little walker. Next we headed over to the International Newcomers Network Arrival Survival meeting. It was packed with expats new and old, and it seemed everyone was having a great time. If you can make next month’s event, it’s all about medical and health care options in Beijing. Unfortunately, we brought Kai with us and it was too loud for him in the event hall to stay. Next time I’ll come baby-free.

After the event my mother, Kai and I walked along some random back streets and ended up eating lunch at a local restaurant. With a long wait outside the restaurant we were ready to dig our teeth in. Without knowing manyu is eel, I ordered the dish, apparently the restaurant’s specialty, on the recommendation of a neighboring table. In my eight years in Beijing this was my first time eating braised eel. We had a blast being the only waiguoren in the place, grappling with the nose-to-tail eel like the total novices we are. My mom was border line horrified.

After lunch we walked along the river in the rain and once on Chunxiulu popped into the local vegetable market right by the Jing Ke Long. Though it’s the nearest fruit and vegetable shop to our home in Seasons Park our ayi refuses to shop there: it’s too grubby for her. My mom had a great time taking pictures of the whole chickens and giant squash. We came home and both Kai and my mother were so exhausted they fell asleep immediately. Sounds like a perfect entry day into China to me. Welcome Grandma!

Photos: Theresa Pauline

All this warm weather may put you in mind to build some sand castles. Sadly for us here in Beijing, a beach worth sinking our toes in may lie miles or thousands of miles away, depending on individual standards! 

Luckily, there is an answer (of sorts) for every need in Beijing. A giant indoor sandbox can be found at Yuyuto, on the third floor of Shimao Gongsan (the mall on the north east corner of Xindong Lu and Gongti Beilu). Yuyuto is a Chinese play center group which offers Japanese designed children’s playgrounds across 40 locations in China, 17 of which are in Beijing. Facilities at Shimao Gongsan include a ball pit, play area, and the previously mentioned enormous sandbox.

The sandbox is larger than any I’ve ever seen, filled with more toys than you can imagine: tractors, shovels, buckets, you name it, it’s in there. There’s even a mini house and a little slide. While in the sandbox, kids are equipped with little helmets, presumably because the toys here are made of stronger plastic than those in the rest of the center. 

In the colorful play area there are giant activity toys, such as a spinning barrel, the surfboards mentioned above, a merry-go-round (that doesn’t quite rotate), building blocks, and monkey bars.

The few times I’ve walked by it’s been relatively empty. I imagine the reason it’s not thronged with visitors is the price. There are two different sections, the sandbox and the play area, and access to each one is RMB 80. There are memberships from RMB 300 to RMB 1800 unlocking discounted tickets, but for RMB 1800 you might be better off buying a ticket to Thailand.

However, on a murky day when you want to build a sand castle without leaving the neighborhood, RMB 80 may be worth it. At six months old, our son Kai still has a ways to go before his first play date at the sandpit.

Yuyuto 悠游堂北京世贸工三店
RMB 80-160. Memberships/discounts available. Daily 10am-10pm. Shimao Gongsan, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District. (84185211) www.yuyuto.com 北京市朝阳区工人体育馆北路世贸工三

Photos: Courtesy of Theresa Pauline

Being a new arrival to Beijing can be an overwhelming experience. Luckily for any newbie to Beijing, they’re not the first! For decades expats have been coming in and out of Beijing, and there’s a special group just for you: International Newcomers Network (INN). Though its board is made up of the hippest old-school Beijing expats around, the group they run is focused on assisting those in need of direction on how to live and enjoy Beijing to the fullest.

This next coming Monday August 31 from 10am to 12pm at the Capital Club, INN is hosting its monthly meeting, with the topic Arrival Survival. It is a great way to come and meet new people, network, and learn about what is happening in Beijing, with many different organizations and vendors present that may have exactly what you are looking for.

Though I have been in and out of Beijing since 2008, I attended my first meeting a few months ago and found it really fun! I made new friends, learned new things about the city, and came home with some free gifts I won in the raffle. I loved it! So even if you aren’t a newbie to Beijing, I still recommend it.

Theresa Ahdieh, president of the organization says, “INN is a community to enrich: provide friends, activities, opportunities, reasons to get up out of bed and be needed.” If you are sitting at home reading this and feel lonely, get yourself to this meeting, you will be welcome even if, actually especially if, you know no one there.

Theresa Pauline is a yoga teacher, social entrepreneur, momma, wife, and beijingkids contributor. You can find out more about her at www.taozitreeyoga.com

Photos: Courtesy of INN