The end of the year is intense. You’ve got Halloween, then as soon as that passes, it’s time to get all decked out for Christmas, then New Year’s Eve and then Chinese New Year. And if you’re American, you’ve also got Thanksgiving in there as well!

During this period of intense celebration, you may be asking yourself where you can find seasonal decorations for the holiday. You can search on Taobao to find the right things for the season, but what if you need some last-minute decorations and Taobao just can’t deliver on time? Then it’s time to visit Bairong World Trade Center!

This past Halloween, my father decided that we would not miss out on decorating our house (and his office at work), so it was clear that we would have to get some seasonal decorations of some sort.

It would have been just as fine to scroll online looking for plastic pumpkins, candles and ghost statues, but back in the US, we were used to shopping in stores for these things. So, we thought it would be nice to revisit our old traditions. Bairong World Trade Center is a mall that mostly locals visit when they need something.

It’s composed of two massive buildings, B1 and B2. B1 is more modern, with most of the shops selling clothes, shoes and accessories.  The first floor of B1 contains mostly men’s clothing, and the second floor houses the women’s section. If you are in need of children’s things, the basement has kids’ shoes and clothes. B2 is the older building. Here is where you can find the most random, but interesting, objects and trinkets. Just a warning, though: Shopping in Bairong can be overwhelming and intimidating, but as long as you have a plan, you will be all right.  For the old timer Beijingers, this place will remind you of the original Yashow Market.

We went in search of Halloween decorations, but now that Halloween is over, the shops previously selling plastic jack-o’-lanterns are now going to be the ones where you find your fake trees, Santas, elves, gingerbread men and whatever other Christmas decorations you’re looking for.

Here are some reasons that Bairong is a nice place to go shopping, and also some tips to avoid any inconveniences.

1. Bairong has many shops and stalls. At Bairong, you can find pretty much anything you need. It may take you some time to scan the shops, but eventually we will probably find something appropriate. My father was able to find a legit Star Wars light saber at a random toy store!
2. There is a large stationary store named M&G 晨光文具 on the third floor of B2, a great place to buy sorts of markers, pens and notebooks your child might need for school.
3. Wanna learn how to shop like a local? Bairong is a place that locals usually shop at to find their heart’s desire (and good deals).
4. Besides selling clothes and trinkets, some shops sell beverages and snacks, and you can easily find a snack to enjoy. We purchased some refreshing drinks in B1, and the price was incredibly cheap!

Now, some warnings:

5. It is crowded during the weekends, so avoid being mobbed by a bunch of avid shoppers if possible!
6. If you park underground, make sure to take a detailed photograph of your parking spot before you enter the shopping mall, to avoid spending an hour underground looking for your car.
7. It gets quite hot inside the buildings during the wintertime, so leave your jacket in your car (if you drove) unless you want to lug around heavy winter jackets.

I hope you found this article useful, and that is another adventure (shopping edition) from Clark Yap. Stay tuned, and stay reading!

Find it:
Bairong World Trade Center 百荣世贸商城
101 Yongwai Ave, Dongcheng District
东城区永外大街101号

Images: Clark Yap

The sound is subtle, almost imperceptible in a room filled with chattering kids and cartoons. But my mom ears are tuned to it. It’s the soft, persistent nibbling that means my daughter is biting her nails again. I look over, and there she is, focused intently on her fingertips, a look of concentration or maybe anxiety on her face. UGH! We’ve been here before.

Nail-biting, or onychophagia if you want the fancy term, is one of the most common nervous habits in kids. My daughter had a very brief phase when she first around 3 years old, and recently (at the age of 5) she picked up the habit once again.

She doesn’t gnaw at them ALL day long. It happens more when she’s thinking or watching TV. This time, it seems like she chews her nails the same way I snack – when I’m bored.

Since she’s older this time, we started with the explanations and (constant) reminders, but after a few weeks, it’s only gotten slightly better. She even admits it herself: “I know it’s bad, but sometimes I forget.” So, here we are again, dealing with the same gross habit, but this time, I’m not trying grandma’s “back in my day” tactics. This time, I’m going straight for what I know works – the bitter melon oils!

Multiple brands make these for kids, and the main ingredient is pretty much all the same: bitter melon extract. The only differences that I’ve found (after testing out multiple brands) are whether the design is easy to use or not. Here are my three recommendations with their pros and cons:

The Heavy-Duty One

NileX is so bitter that when I tried it on myself, I almost threw up right then and there. It’s absolutely the essence of BITTER melon, and you will have a hard time getting the taste out of your mouth. The design is easy to carry and also apply. It’s also so bitter that it’s difficult to wash off, and the taste stays on your skin and nails for hours (which is great). The only downside that I found to this one was that after a few uses and leaving it untouched for a while, I had a hard time checking if there was still liquid inside or if it had dried up.

*If your kid is going to kindergarten and you’ll need their teacher’s help reapplying throughout the day, this is a better choice.

The Cheap One

This one is easy to see how much you’ve got left because of the glass bottle. But to be frank, you really shouldn’t need to use it long enough for this entire bottle to run out. The application is not as convenient as others, and the taste doesn’t last long. The only upside to this one is that it’s cheap.

The Value-for-Money One

Bodorme uses the easy clicker cuticle pen design. It’s easy to see how much bitter melon extract has come out, and it’s easy to carry around and reapply. I’ve also tried this one for myself, and it definitely tastes bitter and disgusting, but unlike NileX, you can get the taste out of your mouth with a swish of water. The taste lasts for a few hours, but with constant hand washing, you’ll need to reapply once every two to three hours.

We’re not 100 percent there yet. Some weeks are great; others see a few nails get chewed down. I’ve learned that progress isn’t linear. The most important thing I can do is be patient and consistent, and to assure my daughter that my love for her isn’t chipped away with every bitten nail. If you’ve got other ways of getting them over the habit, don’t gatekeep that info! Share in the comment section below.

Images: Taobao, Freepik

It’s that time of the year when we start thinking about creative and spooky costumes. While there are many options for purchasing new costumes on Taobao, there are also great alternatives for those looking for a more sustainable choice. After all, it’s a whole outfit that you’ll essentially only wear for a few hours anyway.

There are two excellent places to find secondhand Halloween costumes in Beijing. One’s our favorite secondhand store, Roundabout, and the other is a WeChat group that’s dedicated to costumes.

Why is Roundabout so great? Well, first of all, their warehouse is HUGE! There are plenty of amazing treasures just waiting to be discovered year-round, but during October, they become one of the best places to find Halloween decorations and costumes in person.

Roundabout takes in donated items, sells them and uses the proceeds to assist those in need. So, not only can you get a great costume, but you can also contribute to a worthy cause. They’ve already got their Halloween decorations out in the store, so find some time to stop by and browse through their huge selection for this year’s costumes.

Find it:
Cathay View Plaza, 2 Xiangjiang Beilu, Shunyi District (behind Didi’s Market at the intersection with Jingmi Lu)
顺义区香江北路2号
Mon-Sat, 9.30am-6pm
Tel: 137 1877 7761 (English), 137 1805 3814 (Chinese only)

Then there’s the BJ COSTUMES EXCHANGE, a WeChat group that’s just for people in Beijing to sell and trade their costumes. It’s quiet most months of the year, but when the leaves turn orange and Halloween season creeps around the corner, the group comes to life once again. To join, scan the QR code below.

Images: Roundabout

Admit it: Luxury has a certain pull, whether it’s a designer bag, a pair of super fancy shoes, pricy Dyson home appliances, or a Canon camera to capture those special family moments. But the high price tags, or rather, the brand premium, can often make us hesitate. We’re always searching for that sweet spot: guaranteed authenticity without breaking the bank. I recently discovered that on the third floor of Beijing’s Friendship Store on Jianguomenwai, the “Super Zhuanzhuan（超级转转)” pre-owned marketplace might just be the elegant solution we’ve been looking for.

Nestled in the heart of the embassy district at Friendship Store (17 Jianguomenwai Dajie), this historic shopping complex, with over 60 years of heritage, naturally carries an international flair. It’s a relic of the old days, before Taikoo Li and the Joy City malls were built, where foreign visitors to Beijing were very limited to where they could shop for souvenirs.

But now, take subway Line 1 or 2 to Jianguomen station, Exit B, and it’s just a five-minute walk. Look for “zhuanzhuan” on the third floor – you’ll see clear signage inside the elevators too.

At the entrance, you’ll need to place your personal bags and any drinks in designated areas. The place is huge, and they don’t want you accidentally spilling your coffee on their designer stuff. There are free lockers and dedicated drink shelves provided.

Before you start shopping, the staff will give you complimentary disposable gloves (mandatory for handling luxury items). It’s worth noting that all signage here is bilingual, making it very user-friendly.

What sets this place apart from other Beijing second-hand markets is its strict, standardized management. All items undergo UV disinfection, and every single piece is authenticated by Zhuanzhuan’s official quality inspectors. High-value items like watches receive a second round of authentication from CIC (China Inspection Company), so you can shop knowing that none of the pieces in the store are knockoffs.

Within this 3,000sqm warehouse-style space, you’ll find far more than just the countless handbags that first catch your eye. The selection includes designer sunglasses, accessories, clothing, watches and electronics like phones, cameras and PlayStations. Luxury brands range from the accessible Coach and Michael Kors to Louis Vuitton, Celine, Prada, Chanel and even Hermès and Rolex. You might even uncover some hard-to-find vintage pieces.

You can inspect each item yourself to judge its condition. Naturally, items with fewer signs of use command slightly higher prices. Most goods are in excellent condition, ranging from 90 percent new to near-mint. For instance, a large LV Neverfull bag in near-mint condition might cost nearly RMB 2,000 more than one that has a bit more wear. Crucially, compared to official retail prices, you’re generally looking at spending just 30-50 percent of the original cost.

This isn’t just a haven for the ladies who want designer bags! There’s plenty of great stuff for everyone. There’s a wide array of cameras, speakers, headphones and gaming consoles like Switch and PS, along with accessories such as game cartridges, controllers, mechanical keyboards and gaming mice. You can get a complete gaming setup on a budget.​Most importantly, if you’re socially anxious and dislike the hard sell often encountered in boutique stores, you can relax completely here. The fully self-service shopping experience is wonderfully low-pressure. Spot something you like? Simply scan the QR code on the product tag using WeChat. Instantly, you’ll see all the details: condition, brand, model, color, material and more. Honestly, you could easily spend an entire day browsing.

So, next time you want an experience different from the likes of SKP, China World Mall, or Yintai Center, give this air-conditioned, well-organized pre-loved space a few hours. Try an experience that’s reassuring, relaxed, and offers incredible value for money.

Find it:
Super Zhuanzhuan 超级转转
3/F, 17 Jianguomenwai Daijie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街17号3楼

Images: Siyu He

If you’ve ever visited a temple fair or been to a food or night market in China, then bets are you’ve probably seen sugar paintings being sold off to eager passersby. This Chinese sugar art is a traditional Chinese folk art with a long history dating back hundreds of years.

Sugar painting (糖画 tánghuà) was part of popular street culture back in the olden days. Although much less common nowadays, you’ll still find them at temple fairs during Chinese New Year, on sale in some parks, and on sale at a few shops in Beijing.

These edible “paintings” are made from boiling saccharose and maltose, and the first key thing to making these intricate shapes is to control the temperature properly. If the temperature is too high, the syrup will be too watery to shape; if the temperature is too low, the syrup will become hard and difficult to stretch. The hot sugar syrup is drizzled onto a marble slab in the desired pattern and then becomes solid as the temperature cools, which means that another key part of making a perfect sugar painting is speed!

Sugar painting should be done smoothly in one continuous stream, and there can’t be any breaks in the painting process. Sugar painters don’t use stencils, and instead rely on images they’ve memorized in their minds.

The most popular patterns are dragons, phoenixes and the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, however these folk artists are also able to paint all kinds of animals and flowers. The paintings can be completed in as short a time as one minute! As soon as the painting is finished, a bamboo skewer is pressed and attached to the syrup. Once the sugar painting cools, it will be removed from the marble slab using a spatula-like tool.

Sugar painting can be traced back to the Ming dynasty when people used syrup to cast statues of Buddha figures for religious rituals. In the Qing dynasty, this was gradually simplified and popularized, with peddlers creating various patterns that represent good luck and fortune rather than Buddha figures, and the treat soon became a popular sought-after snack for children.

In 2008, sugar painting was listed as one of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage items. Although it is not so commonly seen on the street now, the artistry continues to be passed down from generation to generation, and for many Chinese people, these edible paintings carry sweet memories of our childhoods.

It’s no wonder why little kids today are still obsessed with stopping for a few minutes to linger in awe every time there’s a sugar painting stand nearby. My daughter is obsessed with them, and being the arts and crafts addict myself, learning how to sugar paint is pretty high on my to-do list.

But, finding someone who can teach you how to make everything from scratch and let you practice on their equipment might not be an easy task. That’s where Taobao comes in. You can find everything on there, even a kid-friendly pen that lets you sugar paint at home with very little effort for less than RMB 100.

Much like a 3D pen, this comes with sticks of hardened sugar that heat up and melt once they’re inserted into the cute carrot-shaped pen. It comes with stencils and a cooling rubber pad for kids to trace their favorite designs on. Like with the real street artists, these also cool relatively quickly and makes for a pretty fun afternoon activity at home and is definitely a hit at school fairs and house parties.

Images: Taobao, Canva

December is here, and it’s time to go all out with the Christmas decorations! Before you get into a holiday frenzy on your favorite shopping app, we urge you to take a little trip to Roundabout and check out the huge selection of Christmas decorations they have in-store.

The holiday season should be about giving back to the community, and every piece purchased at Roundabout does just that. Whether you choose to donate or buy, your support makes a real difference! All proceeds from the charity sale, after covering operational costs, go directly to supporting people in need.

Please share this event with your friends and family, and let’s bring more people together to join the charity work.

Find it:
Cathy View Plaza, No.2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 137 1805 3814

Images: Roundabout, Pexels

Thanksgiving is almost here and for those who’ve got the culinary skills to put their friends and family into food comas, here are our recommendations for where you can get decent turkeys for the big day.

If you’re the kind of family who prefers to only enjoy the eating part of the holiday without spending any time in the kitchen, fret not, we’ll be publishing our lists of Thanksgiving feasts in Beijing throughout the month. Check out Part 1 of our picks here.

Bingo Online

Bingo’s WeChat group sells fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm along with tried and tested products like nut butters, eggs, seafood, and meats throughout the year. For Thanksgiving this year they’re selling whole Russian turkeys with feet and giblets removed.  Shipping cost is all included and your turkey is shipped by SF Cold Courier within 48 hours directly to your door.

Price: 

RMB 578 for a 6-6.5kg turkey
RMB 618 for a 6.5-7kg turkey
RMB 658 for a 7-7.5kg turkey
RMB 728 for a 7.5-8kg turkey

To order, add him on WeChat by scanning the QR code below.

Sanyuanli Market

Every person who likes to dabble in the kitchen should visit this place. Sanyuanli Market is where you can find the rare ingredients needed to cook that special dish from home and source specific cuts. It’s where many Western restaurants go for their ingredients and a beloved gem for amateur chefs all over the city. Each stall sells its own specialty, and most are not the shrink-wrapped stuff you find in supermarkets. Here you can find fresh cuts from the butcher. And from what I’ve discovered over the years, if you don’t see what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to ask. At Sanyuanli I was able to purchase turkey even in the middle of summer. The less common stuff is usually kept in the freezer, and even if they don’t have it there right that second, they can add you on WeChat and source it for you.

Find it:
Shunyuan Jie (opposite Jingkelong Supermarket, west of Sanyuan Dongqiao), Chaoyang District
朝阳区顺源街（三元东桥往西京客隆超市对面）
Open: Daily 5am-7pm

Schindler’s Food Center

Schindlers has great products all year round and around Thanksgiving they add Chinese turkey to their list of meats. The price is RMB 78/kg and they’ve got birds ranging from 6-8kg depending on what you’re looking for.

Find it:
1st Floor, Bindu Garden, No. 15, Zaoying North Road, Agricultural Exhibition Hall
农展馆北路枣营北里15号宾都苑1层
Open 8.30am-7pm

JD.com

Like with pretty much everything in China you can order your turkey online. Every online shopping platform has it, but personally, when it comes to raw meats, I prefer JD.com. This seller we found on JD has sold more than 2,000+ units of turkey and offers a free shipping and return policy. They’ve got a 4.7/5 star rating as a seller and 200+ customer reviews all giving their product 5 stars.

To check out their store, copy and paste this link below into your JD.com app.

【京东】https://3.cn/27-SNUh0「京战火鸡圣诞感恩节 烤生火鸡大火鸡 冷冻整只带头带脚 整只火鸡5.2斤装」
点击链接直接打开

If you’ve got other places you’d like to recommend to our readers, leave it in the comment section below. Happy cooking!

Images: Uni You, Bingo Online, Pexels

The holiday season is coming up, and it’s time to add some new formal wear to your collection. Be sure to visit Roundabout’s evening wear sale going on from now until Nov 10.

This sale event offers a wide array of choices. For the gentlemen, there are sharp and sophisticated suits that will make you the center of attention at any formal event. Ladies, our collection of dresses ranges from elegant gowns to chic cocktail dresses, designed to enhance your beauty and grace.

But that’s not all. There’s a dazzling selection of jewelry to add that extra touch of glamour to your ensemble. And let’s not forget the shoes – a pair that will complete your look with style.

What makes this sale truly special is that every purchase you make goes towards a charitable cause. You are not just buying a piece of clothing or an accessory; you are making a difference in the lives of those in need. So, come and explore our collection, find your dream evening wear, and be part of this noble initiative.

Check out the Roundabout evening wear sale and make your evening a memorable one, both for you and for the community.

Every piece purchased at Roundabout is a heartfelt donation from caring individuals. Whether you choose to donate or buy, your support makes a real difference! All proceeds from the charity sale, after covering operational costs, go directly to supporting people in need.

Please share this event with your friends and family, and let’s bring more people together to join the charity work.

Find it:
38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区亮马桥路38号

Images: Roundabout