Food — By Lauren Johnson on November 15, 2010 at 6:00 am

Living life as an expat can be difficult for some, and to cope with a whole new lifestyle abroad they often flock to comfort foods, especially in the form of like-home restaurants or bars that offer decor and food that reminds them of home. Some of the most popular expat restaurants are below:

1. Blue Frog. This classy chain restaurant is pricey, generic and over decorated, but for some reason expats swarm to it in groups. On any given night you’ll find the patios and both floors of the Sanlitun location full to the brim. Mondays have 2 for 1 burgers and the 2 for 1 happy daily happy hour is legendary.
2. Bookworm. This cozy nook has nightly activities as well as a barrage of guest speakers, writers and presenters. It doubles as a library and book store as well as bar and restaurant and the free wifi is just one more reason why you’ll see the same expats there day after day.
3. Element Fresh. This chain is a delightful way to stay healthy while living in one of the most polluted cities in the world. The soups are warm, healthy and perfect for winter. One of the main reasons you’ll see the same expats here all the time is the smoothies. With several healthy additives, you actually do feel better after a drink here.
4. The Tree. This tiny, hard to find restaurant offers home-brewed beers, oven-cooked pizzas and outdoor heated seating. What more could an expat ask for? You’ll find people here who confess to making it a regular weekly activity. The fact that it is down a dark, smelly alley hasn’t hurt business in the least.
5. Steak and Eggs. For a bit of western breakfast, head to Steak and Eggs for their massive menu that includes a fully stocked bar. For those nursing off the effects of the previous night, you’ll find many others in your same condition. On weekend mornings, the place is packed with expats, many of whom never take of their sunglasses while eating.

Also! View the Top Five Expat Friendly Restaurants in Shanghai

Tags: beijing restaurants, best restaurants, blue frog, bookworm, steak and eggs, top five

Things to Do — By Lauren Johnson on November 11, 2010 at 6:00 am

A visit to Beijing, even a short one, should include the following top ten tourist sites. We’ll walk you through what to see and how to see it in 5-7 days.

1. Great Wall of China. This is the most obvious tourist spot in all of China. Only the Terracotta Warriors even comes close to meeting the fame of the wall. Beware, however, of tours going there as you could catch a local bus for $5, or else join a tour for the ease but do research on which part of the wall you want to see.
2. Forbidden City. The city is massive and you could easily spend an entire day here. To shorten the visit somewhat, stick to a straight-line through the city, exiting on the northern end. You’ll see most of the highlights and still have time to see more that day.
3. Qian’men Shopping Area. Located near Tiananmen Square, you’ll adore this back alley of tea and souvenir shops. Plan to spend a few hours walking around looking at fake silks, cliché ‘China’ items and fake antiques.
4. Tiananmen Square. You have to see the square if you are visiting Beijing. Located in the center of town this square has been an important part of Chinese history for an extremely long time. It also looks cool.
5. Drum and Bell Towers. While these are not normal highlights on a Beijing visit, the area around the towers is delightful and the best place to catch a rickshaw ride through the hutongs or else to enjoy a beer in the afternoon.
6. Sanlitun Bar Street. If you are in Beijing for only a short while, you should still make time to see the bar street. Sanlitun road is an amazingly large compellation of Chinese and western bars where prices are not always firmly set. Have fun!
7. Peking Duck. A visit to a Peking duck restaurant is in order. There are many options, but a duck should be between 200-250RMB. Anything over that is just a waste as you only end up with enough for about 2-3 people per duck.
8. Temple of Heaven. This is a lovely place for a stroll or a late afternoon casual tour. It doesn’t take much time to see and yet your pictures from the Temple of Heaven are beautiful and lasting.
9. Summer Palace. This is a long activity but worth the trip north to see. This was once the summer retreat of bygone emperors. Enjoy the beauty of the parks and trees and adore the hand painted buildings around the palace.
10. Silk Market. A mass of people all yelling in your ear at once doesn’t sound like a fun holiday activity, but it is distinctly Beijing. Enjoy a brief visit and if you must buy, bargain hard!

View the Top Ten Tourist Sites in Shanghai, to compare your options as a tourist visiting China!

Tags: beijing guided tour, city tour, highlights, Top ten, tour packages beijing, tourist spots

Events, What’s New — By Lauren Johnson on November 8, 2010 at 6:00 am

For expatriate Americans, missing out on family gatherings back home can be heartbreaking. After all, Thanksgiving is the most travelled day in America and the most common time of year to see family. If you are in Beijing over the holiday, don’t fret. While your family can never be replaced or even substituted, there are some enjoyable events on Thanksgiving to help you celebrate from afar.

Union Bar and Grill is doing a scrumptious Thanksgiving Day special with pumpkin soup, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots and gravy. They even top it off with warm, all-American apple pie. Located in Sanlitun, this is a great area for an after-dinner drink and if you are into sports, you may even be able the traditional after-dinner game at one of the many nearby bars.

The Beijing Marriott Northeast never ceases to impress. For Thanksgiving they are offering a lunch buffet for 168RMB or a four-course dinner for 188RMB. All the traditional foods will be served at 5-star quality at the Beijing Bistro inside the hotel. You won’t be disappointed with their exceptional service, fine cuisine and holiday spirit.

For a special twist on Thanksgiving this year, why not give thanks for family and make new friends at a gathering of like-minded family folks? The schoolhouse at Mutianyu is offering a dinner for 360RMB adults, 120 children, with live jazz music, games for the children and great conversation for the adults. Email info@theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com to reserve a spot and get more information by calling 6162-6506

If you feel like expanding your travels while in China, consider spending Thanksgiving in Shanghai and learn How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Shanghai Style.

Tags: celebrate, event, holiday, how to, Marriott Hotel, Mutianyu, Thanksgiving, Union Bar and Grill

Travel Tips — By Lauren Johnson on November 4, 2010 at 6:00 am

Thanks to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Beijing International Airport underwent an impressive renovation resulting in the new and improved (and incredibly impressive!) airport you see today. With state-of-the-art transportation networks linking the city to the airport, you now have easy access to China’s capital city. Inside the airport you have international cuisine available as well as first class shopping, spas, lounges and hourly hotels.

In the Airport. If you don’t have a Chinese visa, you won’t be able to leave the airport. Don’t fret, there is plenty to do inside the airport to entertain, relax and fatten you. The hourly business lounge located east of the International waiting Hall, T3 E, has a salon, spa, conference center and hourly hotel rooms. You can find more information on the interior of the airport at the Beijing Airport Commerce website.

Near the Airport. Assuming you have a valid Chinese visa, there is no reason you shouldn’t leave the confines of the airpot and explore a bit of the city. The Airport Express Subway will take you directly to Dongzhimen Subway Stop on line 2. This is, luckily for you, one of the best areas in Beijing to be. From Dongzhimen it is a short walk to Sanlitun, where the impressive new village offers shopping, dining, souvenirs, DVDs and much more. This isn’t your typical ‘tourist’ hot spot, but if you want to walk around brand-name shops and have a decently mixed drink, this is a great destination not far from the airport.

Will you Make it Back in Time? If you are adventurous and have a few hours to kill, there are several options. Of course, it would be ideal to see the Great Wall of China, and that may be possible if you are willing to spend a few bucks to do so. A cab to the closest section of the wall costs around $90, round-trip. You’d be looking at a three-four hour trip just to see the wall, with limited time actually ‘climbing’ it. A  bit more realistically you could take the Airport Express Shuttle to line 2, transfer to line 1 and get off at Tiananmen Square. From here you can see the center of the Chinese government in the massive buildings around the square, as well as the entrance to the Forbidden City, which you may have time to poke your head around in before catching the subway back to the airport.

For the Longer Layover. The Great Wall can be within your grasp with a layover of a 12 hours to a day. With a bit of money, the cab to the wall will deposit you directly at the base of the wall, giving you time to hike up to the peaks and survey China as the Huns once did. Keep in mind you’ll have to make it back through security at the airpot, and give yourself a bit of time for traffic, as northern roads in Beijing are constantly congested.

Tags: Air travel, Airport, Beijing International Airport, Featured, Forbidden City, Great Wall of China, Holiday traffic, layover, Tiananmen Square

Travel Tips — By Lauren Johnson on November 2, 2010 at 6:00 am

Don’t let your fear of the Chinese squat pot keep you locked in your hotel room or only visiting Western-influenced areas while in Beijing. Conquer your toilet fears and be wary no more of the unknown. Below you’ll find information on where to find public potties, how to use them and even a few tips on what to expect. Happy potty training!

Public Restrooms and Where to Find Them. While out on the town in Beijing you may feel the sudden urge to use the bathroom. Don’t panic! All around the city are public bathrooms of surprisingly clean, surprisingly available public bathrooms. You’ll find signs on major roads pointing you in the right direction. Keep in mind that convenience stores and shops don’t usually have bathrooms for public use while restaurants and bars often only allow guests to use the facilities.

How to Ask for the Bathroom in Chinese. If you can’t find a sign for a public bathroom and there are no obvious restaurants nearby that would have the needed facilities, then you’ll have to ask someone where the nearest bathroom is. Here’s how to ask: “Duì bù qǐ, cèsuǒ zài nǎr?” (written: “对不起，厕所在哪儿？). Chinese is a tonal language, which means there are four tones you control with intonation. The symbols above the letters indicate your tones. The downward tone indicates you say the word sharply, as if angry. The up and down tone means you say the word with the intonation similar to a question.

Squat Pots vs. Western Toilets. Never fear, the Western toilet is here! Most nice hotels, restaurants and bars in Beijing have Western toilets, and many of them even provide soap, toilet paper and a nice ambiance. But this won’t always be the case. The squat pot remains a normal feature in shopping malls, Chinese restaurants and most major tourist sights. You’ll have to familiarie yourself with it just in case.

First, the pot is imbedded into the floor. You place one foot on each side and squat as low as possible, facing the splash guard. For all intensive purposes it is actually easier and more sanitary than sitting on a Western toilet seat in a tiny stall.

T.P and Wastebaskets. The Beijing plumbing network was not designed to handle toilet paper being flushed in with other waste, as a result you’ll notice that almost every bathroom has a trash bin near the squat or western toilet. Put your used paper in the wastebasket. Additionally, not all bathrooms in China provide toilet paper for free. With such a large population this actually makes sense. Most people carry their own toilet paper on themselves at all time in the form of small tissue packets. You can purchase these at any convenience or grocery store in Beijing.

Privacy. A general lack of privacy in the public bathrooms in the countryside is normal. Often you will find bathrooms without stalls or doors, if there are stalls. Don’t panic, if you have to go then you’ll have to go. Keep in mind that other people using the bathroom are not bothered by the lack of privacy and in fact find it normal. Since you knew ahead of time ( you’re welcome) to bring your own toilet paper, with a little courage you should have all you need.

Tags: Bathrooms, squat pot, toilets, TP