From belly dancing to full bellies at 1001 Nights

August 13, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – The midriff-baring, hip-quaking moves of belly dance may have been considered too racy for mainstream Chinese culture even just a decade ago. But as the country has thawed to global influences in recent years, belly dance (along with other sultry foreign dance forms like flamenco) has been… (more)

Luxe and luscious at ESPA Spa at the Peninsula Beijing

July 25, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – Start by rubbing with ginger, baste well in salt and oil, and then warm fully in a thermal chamber. It may sound like a recipe for roast chicken, but actually it’s all part of an indulgent day at lap-of-luxury ESPA Spa at the Peninsula Beijing. The… (more)

Pamper your inner empress at Aman at the Summer Palace

July 6, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – In ancient times, Chinese emperors would board river boats and cruise to pastoral summer accommodations to escape the dust and boiling heat of Beijing summers.  Today, the summers are just as sweltering (if not more so), but add to that the headaches of snarling Beijing traffic and… (more)

Cleaning up at the Dirt Market

June 30, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA- So, apparently some Icelandic volcano erupted back in April (dunno, maybe you’ve heard of it?), and it left my petite Beijing pad packed to the rafters with stranded friends, all pacing, fretting, and pushing my phone bill to stratospheric levels as they ranted at hopelessly deluged airline staff. Let’s… (more)

A+ architecture at Commune by the Great Wall

June 28, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – An urban legend that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from the moon with the naked eye has circulated at least since the 1930s.  Though the claim’s been disputed by many a moon-walking astronaut, that doesn’t mean the Great Wall isn’t one… (more)

Not exactly flying under the radar: Da Dong Roast Duck

April 23, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – They say birds of a feather flock together, and in the case of Da Dong Roast Duck, those-in-the-know flock for the bird. In the ever ongoing “Who has the best Beijing duck in town?” debate, Da Dong consistently flies to the top of the list. So, we… (more)

Views and value elevate The Regent above the posh pack

April 4, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – I hate to say it, but there’s a point at which luxury can become a cliché. Not to sniff at opulence and comfort, but it seems like all the big, high-end, business-friendly hotels in Beijing (or for any world city, for that matter) traffic in the same… (more)

Hooray for Homespun Hunan: Xiangwei Renjia

March 26, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – My neighbors got a rooster. A seemingly innocuous turn of events if you live in, say, rural Saskatchewan and you need a telescope to pick out the nearest house on the horizon. If, however, you live smack-dab in the center of Beijing where there’s very little room… (more)

Rest your head in the clouds at Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street

February 17, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – Planning a Beijing stay at The Ritz? Well, haven’t you landed on a lucky cloud! In Chinese mythology, the “lucky cloud” is a symbol of blessings and harmony rooted in everyday life. The image is incorporated into Chinese objects both ordinary and divine, from utensils and furniture… (more)

Welcome to the “Emerald City” at Opposite House

February 8, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – It’s not every day that you’re greeted at the airport by a man in a Maserati. He’s not your tour guide or your weekend rendezvous — he’s the driver from Opposite House, a boutique Beijing hotel that’s at the top of our pick list. The courtesy car,… (more)