Radiance – Beijing Kids

Lovely By The Lake: Luoma Hu Dining and Recreation

Nimo_Wanjau

Autumn in Beijing is one of the loveliest times of year. A favorite getaway for some Shunyi residents in these crisp months is nearby Luoma Hu, or Roma Lake. Only a three-minute drive from the ISB and BSB area, the lake gives one’s eyes a respite from all the grey we see around us. A stroll along the bank to watch locals fishing patiently makes for a refreshing change from the concrete jungle that we do battle in on other days. There are more and more dining options available, and now, two venues for shopping in a charming and non-commercial environment.

Stroll

Yes, the lake is manmade and in some parts is not extremely clean. But with no intentions of ever taking a dip, it is a suitable enough body of water in these parts to gaze out at. The shades of blue in the water are soothing, and on good weather days, the reflection of the clouds on the water’s surface make you forget you are so close to the big, bustling capital. This is a popular fishing spot, with many a local grandfather type spending hours waiting for a catch. They come out in all seasons, these fishermen. Some are recreational fishers, others are here to supplement their income. In the winter, they engage in ice-fishing and that is an interesting exercise to watch as well.

Shop

With the recent opening of Radiance at Luoma Hu, more foreigners are discovering this quaint corner of Shunyi. Radiance has a wide range of merchandise, from small tokens and Chinese-themed home decor, to antique furniture that will set you back in the tens of thousands of red Mao notes.

A smaller, much less-popular shop is tucked away at the farther end of the lake. The Chinese characters on the storefront simply say shenghuo yijia huo, roughly translating to lifestyle goods. Inside is a treasure trove of bric-a-brac you didn’t know you needed, artfully displayed in thrift-shop style. There are mugs and mason jars, potholders and posters, doilies and duck-themed decor. No two things are alike and the whole shop has a homey feel. While we’ve spotted stores of similar ilk in the hip Gulou area, this is the first time we’ve seen something like this all the way out here in the suburbs. The shop opens, according to the owner, “chabuduo shi-yi dian”. Don’t rush to be there by eleven o’clock because if the Chinese give a rough estimate for an opening time, you will want to allot a window of thirty minutes to an hour before they actually get ready to do business. Afternoon would probably be a safer bet. Open daily. No telephone.

Dine

There are many eating spots now open for business in Luoma Hu. The four biggest ones are Radiance Café, Elaine’s Vegetarian Restaurant and Bar, Malacca Legend and Yuji Barbecue and Beer.

Radiance Café is a lovely place to enjoy a sandwich or a slice of cake. Sit among antiques in an art nouveau cafe and have a chat with a friend over a cup of their house specialty milk tea. Or come in to do some browsing or writing under a 1920s hurricane lamp. Clean bathrooms. Wifi available.

Elaine’s Vegetarian Restaurant and Malacca Legend are both popular lunch and dinner venues. While neither place has a specific kids’ menu you are sure to find something that the little ones will enjoy. Elaine’s makes a vegemeat sausage that won’t have your kids complaining, it tastes so close to the real thing. Malacca Legend has chicken and lamb satay, as well as a variety of noodle dishes that will please the pickiest little diners. Both have clean facilities and bathrooms.

More popular in the evening, Yuji Barbecue and Beer is a good place to go to get your chuan’r fix without worries for cleanliness. This is a relatively upscale barbecue place with prices of dishes nearly double of those you would pay at Houshayu. But standards are much higher too. This place attracts groups wanting to enjoy the home brew stout, but it doesn’t get too loud. The night we went there were several groups of foreign families with kids in tow, and as expected, the little ones got really friendly service from the waitstaff. Clean bathrooms. Wifi available.

Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

The Radiance Story

Nimo_Wanjau — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Rey Huang is a lady with a story.

Originally from Taiwan, she moved to Beijing 23 years ago with her husband and two young sons. In their third year here, Rey and her husband decided to separate. She quickly had to make the transition from trailing spouse with plenty of free time to single working mom. Her first job was at ISB as teaching assistant. Eventually, she shifted to administrative work and for many years held the role of bus coordinator because “nobody wanted the job.” Her children had to move to a local school because that was all she could afford then.

But the one thing that remained constant throughout those first few years of single motherhood was collecting antiques and home furnishings. Not having any space to showcase her ever-growing collection, she kept them in storage. One day she realized she had amassed way too many pieces to ever possibly use herself – her babies had already filled two warehouses. She knew it was time to let go of some of them.

It was painful to part with her treasures, as she remembered the story behind each and every purchase. The pieces were carefully chosen and it wouldn’t always be easy nor possible to buy a replacement. But she knew the time had come. She prepared to sell them.

She rented a 100sqm space on Tianbei Lu and put together a little bit of everything. She refers to her first shop as a “grocery store,” because that’s what the Chinese call a place that sells a wide variety of items. She had some antiques, of course. She also had gift items and home decor. And thus, Radiance was born. The year was 2003.

At the time, Shunyi was nothing at all like the suburbia that we know today. There were only three compounds – Legend Garden, Beijing Riviera and River Garden – all situated far away from each other and with plenty of grassland in between. There were very few commercial establishments, and those that were around were very small and local. Radiance was one of the first businesses to open in the area.

It quickly became a popular place for Shunyi families. As the demand for her merchandise grew, so did the need for a bigger space. Rey slowly expanded the shop to accommodate more pieces. In her fifth year of business, she opened a café next door. Buyers could linger over pastries and coffee or tea, all while sitting at chairs and tables that were available for sale.

Rey’s keen eye for details and penchant for good quality furnishings were not missed by her clientele. She grew a steady stream of fans and Radiance became a Shunyi institution. The quiet and underdeveloped suburban area that Rey first came to know had also grown and expanded. More villa compounds were set up, meaning more houses needed filling and furnishing.

While Rey successfully ran her business, her sons grew up and discovered their own interests. Despite going to local school, they managed to stay fluent in English. Upon graduation, Rey decided it would be good for them to spend a few years in America studying. And so, although the separation from her boys would be painful, Rey once again knew it was time to let them go.

Another five years of doing business flew by, and soon the lease was up on the building that Radiance was in. The whole strip was due to be demolished and customers bemoaned the loss of one of their hangouts. The establishments around Radiance closed down and moved away one by one, and then finally Radiance’s turn was up. They disappeared from the local scene for a while and the sprawling compound that once housed Rey’s treasures came crumbling down.

As this year’s summer vacation came to end, news started to spread by word of mouth: Radiance was reopening. The new location is stunning, faces Roma Lake (Luoma Hu) and is nestled between restaurants. The interiors are spacious and bright. The gift items and household decor at the front of the shop are displayed tastefully, the burst of colors catching your eyes as soon as you walk through the door. The back area, cavernous and clean, houses big pieces of furniture as well as lamps and other decorative items in both Chinese and Western style.

Keeping the café was crucial to Rey. It is done in Art Nouveau style and is very homey. Rey did the decorating herself. As in the old set-up, all the pieces the customers use and the decor are for sale. Her sons have since come back from the US, and the younger one runs the café.

On Saturday, September 7, Rey has many reasons to celebrate. There is the grand re-opening of Radiance at the new location (they are now in soft opening phase) which coincides with their 10th anniversary. She welcomes everyone in the community with a charity bazaar, featuring not only Radiance’s well-loved products but also that of 40 more vendors. It will be a good opportunity for loyal clientele to meet up again in her store and café.

Rey’s story has been one of hard work and passion, of letting go and rebuilding. We look forward to witnessing what she will make of her story and her store in the next ten years.

Radiance瑞氏东方新址

Daily 11am-7.30pm. South Bank of Roma Lake, Shunyi (8049 6400, radiancebazaar@aliyun.com) 北京市顺义区罗马湖南岸左堤路7/8号

Grand Opening and Charity Bazaar, Sat Sep 7, 10am-4pm

Photos by Dana Cosio-Mercado

Shunyi Happenings: Spring Cleaning, Events & Classes

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:00:00 +0000

April is here and spring is finally catching up. Here are some events and classes going on in our neighborhood to get you out and about.

Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) begins in Shunyi on Thursdays, starting tomorrow! From April 11-May 30, 12:45-3:45pm, join this dynamic course to help you further develop your parenting skills and strategies. Classes are at Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) — for location information go to www.bibachina.org and for class specifics email counsellingwithnaomi.com.

Springtime often means spring cleaning, and to help with that is the annual ISB Nightingale Charity Club Car Boot Sale — this Saturday, April 13 from 9:30am-1pm. Come and shop, or participate by reserving your car space (RMB 200 if reserved by tomorrow; RMB 300 on the day of event).

Green T. House Living will host its 8th Annual Spring Green Tea Tasting event, offering a leisurely afternoon of tasting from a range of China’s finest green teas selected by Green T. House creator JinR. Additionally, there will be performances, recipes for T. cuisine and snacks, and a special guest benefit concert by Zhao Li beginning at 5pm. This free entry event is on Saturday, April 20 from 3-5pm.

MAC Time invites kids ages 7 and above to come to Green T. House in Shunyi for some outdoor sketching. On Sunday, April 21 from 10am-noon and 2-4pm, this kid’s art class teaches water color landscape and includes tea and snacks. Cost is RMB 220 per child. Contact 8046 1820 or 138 1033 4208 to register before April 19.

Manicures at LeSpa are pleasurable indulgences, and now they’ve expanded their salon services with a new mani/pedi room! Treat your hands and feet royally at LeSpa in the River Garden Clubhouse.

Radiance, where art thou? Haven’t been there yet, but rumor has it the new location at Roma Lake is going to be the place to be! Details forthcoming…

Photo by akoray of flickr.

Radiance — Storewide Moving Sale

Radiance had its “Moving Sale” and final vendor bazaar this weekend. The moving sale part has been going on for over a year now, but with the festivities, crowds and a moving date in sight (end of the month), people feel compelled to look around and consider bigger purchases.

My husband was one of those people. He has a compulsion for buying rugs. I think part of it has to do with the good rugs being less expensive here than in the states, and part has to do with the cold, hardwood floors in every house. He has purchased rugs that have not been unrolled yet because we really have no place for them. And today he purchased an extra-large size, with the intent of putting it underneath our main dining table off the kitchen.

I question the wisdom of this idea, because we have two kids who still leave plenty of their meal remnants behind (on the table, on the floor…). Chairs sometimes get pushed in, sometimes not. No, our children are not back in the cave times unable to use utensils or display proper table manners, but they are kids. Even witnessing the eating behaviors of their friends makes me realize that mine are pretty normal.

But a sale is a sale is a sale, and the one this weekend caught my husband’s attention. So we ended up with a beautiful wool rug from Afghanistan, with lovely warm colors and a subtle design to go with the furniture and other décor in that particular room. I’m not so sure that it’ll go with the food that will ultimately end up all over it, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. After all, life is too short not to enjoy a beautiful rug right now, even if it may not remain as pristine as it is today.

Radiance is continuing its moving sale until the end of the month. Furniture and décor is 40-60% off; rugs are 60-70% off. The store is located on Tianbei Lu, next to Mrs. Shanen’s. Call 8049 6400 for directions.

Shunyi Happenings: BJU, Roundabout, Bazaars and More!

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:00:00 +0000

There is a LOT going on in the Shunyi area these days, so mark your calendars and don’t miss a single event! Listed by date order:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 and FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Gallery Katart, the wonderful brick artwork created by Kata Ruohtula, will have a final art exhibition and sale (her family moves back to Finland in about a month). Her work was featured in an earlier blog posting here. Come see her fabulous “Everyday China” photography on canvas and bricks from 10am-6pm on Thursday and 10am-10pm on Friday at her home, Yosemite Villas, C section, 2038. Contact her directly at 186 1842 6003 or 8041 7230.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 and SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Roundabout Charity Book Fair: With school back is session, it’s the perfect time to start up the book fair season once again. Held at The British School of Beijing in Shunyi, the book fair will run from 10am-3pm. Through October 8 you can come to the school during school hours (Mon-Fri, 9:30am-3:30pm) as the sale will continue. Paperbacks begin at RMB 10, hardbacks from RMB 20, and children’s books from RMB 1!!! Book donations are accepted ALL the time as the book fair is restocked daily. This book fair will benefit three specific children from the NGO Children’s Hope, but to do so will require raising RMB 165,000 (the most any book fair has raised to date is RMB 150,000). From an 11-month old baby boy with a congenital heart disease, to a two-year-old girl with retinoblastoma, to three-year-old girl who has suffered from severe skin burns on her body – funding from the book fairs can HELP these children get the treatment they desperately need.
Radiance will host its FINAL fall bazaar at the current location, as they will move at the end of the month. So! Come out both Saturday AND Sunday (September 9) from 11am-4pm, check out the great sales within the store and visit the many fantastic vendors (40 of them!) who will have their goods for sale. For directions, please call 8049 6400. If you are interested in having space for that day, e-mail radiancebazaar@yahoo.com.cn. No word on a new location for Radiance yet, but it will be missed in our neighborhood.
Beijing United Family Hospitals is proud to sponsor the NFL Experience (NFLX) in Beijing, a festival bringing together fans of the NFL and the sport of football (read more about this exciting event later today on the blog posts). As a part of this great day at WAB, Dr. Randy Jernejcic (BJU Chief Medical Officer) will give a health talk about keeping your family safe and healthy in Beijing. Also an Emergency Physician, Dr. Jernejcic will also discuss the importance of an emergency plan as well as other health tips (3-4pm). Come out and enjoy a great NFL day!

COMING SOON…

Roundabout is gearing up for the official opening of its new store with a community party! Don’t miss it on Saturday, September 15 from 1-5pm (call 137 1877 7761 for directions). Meet over 20 local charities, find out about volunteering, get a tour of the new facility, and enjoy music, face painting, a bouncy castle and more – fun for the whole family! Entry to the event? Just bring some food and drinks to share, and come to have a great time!
Chen Hao and Tai Tai will host a “Farewell Summer, Hello Fall” Bazaar on Thursday, September 20 from 10am-5pm. Come for great discounts on all of Chen Hao’s furniture, and enjoy discounts on Tai Tai merchandise as well. Vendors will be in attendance as well, with all table fees supporting Roundabout.