When I met Mawuli on a wedding party dance floor, she was wearing this striking ensemble. Her incredible smile was matched only by the flashing lights of the photographer’s camera. Her canary-yellow print outfit was hard to miss with its tailored cut showcasing an enviable figure. I could tell ... Read more »

Beijing Morning

6:30 a.m. I am staying in Beijing at the apartment of a very close friend. It’s so much nicer to stay with friends than in hotels. He wakes up and prepares coffee and toast for us. We eat and chat while looking out of his ... Read more »

You’re competing in the Redbull Nanshan Open. Tell us about that competition. It’s in two parts. The first is a qualifying competition for Chinese riders. About 50 or 60 snowboarders should come out and the top three will go on to the Nanshan Open which is a four ... Read more »

How many times have you resolved to get fit in the New Year only to find yourself making the same resolution the following year? City Weekend has done the hard work for you, searching out Beijing’s best gyms in four different neighborhoods.

CBD You won’t find better facilities ... Read more »

This column is dedicated to all those expats who were left behind in Beijing this holiday season. When the city experienced its annual New Testament pre-Christmas exodus, some of us, for whatever reason, did not make it home for the holidays.

“I don’t know what’s worse,” remarked Josh ... Read more »

ChocoJing is a chocolate appreciation society. That sounds pretty amazing. How does it work? It’s basically a meeting of chocolate fans in Beijing. They hold events every month at different places around the city to taste different kinds of chocolate and enjoy not feeling bad about eating as much ... Read more »

Home

8:45 a.m.

I get up early for a pole dancer. I drink a large glass of honey water because the Chinese medicine doctor says its good for detoxification and good for the digestive system.

The Regimen

9:30

I’m ready to go to my studio, Pussycat ... Read more »

Jianguomen | Astor Grill at the St. Regis Hotel

Nestled in the quiet Club Wing of the St. Regis Hotel, this stylish chop house creates an elegant atmosphere with white tablecloths, candle light and little nooks to cloister in. Dive into a perfectly grilled Australian tenderloin (¥240) or upgrade to the ... Read more »

Black Sesame Kitchen is a Chinese cooking school set in a hutong. What inspired you to start the school? After going through cooking school and interning in restaurants, I started giving cooking lessons to friends. After a year, I decided to find my own space and bring in some of ... Read more »

As the temperature becomes increasingly unbearable and the puddles outside my apartment turn into icy death traps for stiletto boots, the only consolation I have is the knowledge that the winter sports season is upon us. The best part about snow-based sports? The outfits of course! Quiksilver has outdone itself ... Read more »

“Do you work for the state department?” I asked an American at the farewell gala for Wayne McCook, the first Jamaican ambassador to China.

“Ummm, no” came the response. I explain that I’m writing an article, and was hoping to learn the major concerns of Sino-Jamaican relations.

“Oh…I ... Read more »

Train to Shenyang

6.45 a.m. The train pulls into Shenyang train station. I left Beijing ten hours ago and am on this trip with two colleagues from the microfinance department of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), China’s leading poverty alleviation NGO. A team from SKS ... Read more »

You’re one of the top club fencers in the city. In 2006, you placed second in a city-wide championship. Tell us how you got started and what the fencing community in Beijing is like. I began fencing when I was in England and later was on the Boston University ... Read more »

At a recent fundraiser sponsored by the microfinance group, Planet Finance Asia, regional technical advisor Connie Hina addressed the assembled crowd. “I just want to know, what microfinance firms are you all from?” A few of Hina’s colleagues raised their hands. Hina rephrased her question to include all organizations ... Read more »

What does the Jane Goodall Institute do in Beijing? Our program runs more than 100 student-led activity clubs in middle schools and universities. The students pick an environmental issue—it could be recycling (our big topic this year), animal welfare, cleaning up a local neighborhood or any other green issue ... Read more »

Molten Decadence

Nuren Jie | Morels

If you are looking for traditional fondue, Morels is the place to go in Beijing. The Fondue Neuchâtelois (¥218) is served in classic Swiss style, filled with ½ Gruyère cheese, ½ Emmental cheese, and a splash of white wine. This savory and hearty entrée arrived ... Read more »

Kristen Lum lights up any room she occupies with her electric personality and 1000-watt smile. I just can never feel down or bluesy around her. She makes me want to giggle like a sixth grader during a sex-ed talk. Another thing Kristen has got going for her is a super ... Read more »

When Christine Pernin set out to organize this year’s European Union Film Festival (EUFF), she had a great film from Russia in mind. Fortunately, her daughter just happened to be studying geography in primary school at the time. “Russia is not part of the EU, Mom,” her daughter corrected ... Read more »

Well, we might as well talk about the elephant in the room – or, I should say - the elephant that has just left: the US elections. For the past months, Beijing’s expats have tirelessly attended (Obama) campaign fundraisers, organized voter registration drives, and helped Americans apply for absentee ballots. Even ... Read more »

CAI takes volunteers out to migrant schools to teach sports and art. How did you get young Chinese girls interested in basketball?We had them watch WNBA videos and play relay games like racing in pairs with a basketball wedged in between their backs.

So what’s the situation that ... Read more »

Heavenly Delights

Haidian ׀ East Ocean Restaurant

Boasting an understated décor and extensive menu, East Ocean Restaurant remains a favorite among university students who live in the area. Each plate arrives at the table artfully presented and steaming hot. Dive straight into the more innovative dishes. Our favorites include the fried ... Read more »

From the first time I met Matt, I envisioned him in a black and white Calvin Klein Underwear ad circa 1993. With his shoulder-length hair, deep-set eyes, and rocker-chic body, he simply screamed “emo poster boy.” Matt is more of a happy-dancing “emo” than an antisocial, angsty, I-hate-how-the-kids-in-high-school-treated-me emo. Matt ... Read more »

Modern dance came of age in the United States because of the work and legacy of Martha Graham. In the post-war days of the ‘40s and ‘50s, the angular forms from this doyenne of contemporary dance took to the stage–the physical contortions and deeply personal sensuality–were revolutionary. Graham ... Read more »