Every time I go to China, I make more interesting observations about the culture there. I absolutely love some of the traditions and customs, and some completely baffle me. About 1.5 years ago, I wrote a heartfelt piece about Lessons From Time Spent in China. This time, I thought I would put together a fun little list of the weird and wonderful things I’ve discovered about China, accompanied with some of my favorite photos from the past 1+ year. If…
September 2017 travel re-cap: family time in China
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but October has seriously been a whirlwind so far. And now I can’t believe it’s already the end of the month. So let’s hurry and re-cap September! August 25 – September 12: Shanghai, China September started on the happiest note with a trip to the new Shanghai Disneyland with my cousin!! September 1 is the first day of school in China. And so it’s also the first day of reduced Disneyland ticket prices….
Three years of travel (in photos!) + a giveaway
Usually I don’t publish posts over the weekend, but today is a special date and I will not break the tradition of an April 1 post every year. Today is exactly 3 years since I first boarded a flight out of the US to seek adventures and make dreams come true. This 3rd year of travel has been a roller coaster. Though technically, it has been less travel and more staying in one place. The first year was all about exploring as…
Chinese New Year: 15 days of food traditions
This Chinese New Year has been pretty tame, compared to the constant festivities, outings, and reunions we had last year. This year, we remained in at home, barely even venturing outdoors. Instead, we stayed warm and cozy, spending a lot of quality time with our little diminishing family. This year’s celebrations could be summarized as a lot of good home cooked food, a lot of relaxation, and a lot of mahjong. One thing we did do though. We celebrated all…
A new decade: on being my own hero
At age 30, one receives strength. – Talmud Today, I woke up in my childhood bedroom in my grandma’s house, which I’ve gotta say is not where I have ever imagined waking up on my 30th birthday. Honestly, I don’t feel much different from being still 29 yesterday, but now I’m officially a 30-something (oh gosh, I hate the sound of that!), which means that I’m expected to have it “together” now. I feel like at the age of 30 is…
Snapshots of life in Beijing (in 20 photos)
After a super wordy last post, we’ll keep it light today with pictures! I imagine that most tourists come to Beijing to see the few big sites – Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall. And maybe in the evenings, they go grab some drinks in the Sanlitun party district. But beyond these must-see attractions lies a Beijing with peaceful, yet lively residential communities. It’s in these communities where all the “life” happens, with…
Beijing Botanical Garden: A Study of Chrysanthemums
The smog has rolled into Beijing. Day after day, the city is enshrouded in a depressing grey haze and an air of toxicity lingers about. Once in a while, we’d get lucky and there’ll be a hint of sun, a peek of blue skies. Only then do we feel safe to venture outdoors for a much needed stroll without the precautions of an unsightly M3 mask. On these days, I’d go to the community park to use the exercise equipment or…
[Beijing] Ju Qi: a taste of old Beijing
Whenever my Beijing aunties (aka. my mom’s best friends) invite us out to eat, we know it’s going to be to somewhere special. They’re always in the know as to what’s trending, have GREAT taste in food, and are super generous. ;) (See the very pricey and very fancy Da Dong Roast Duck last year.) This time, we went to a restaurant called Ju Qi (局气). But this isn’t just any Chinese restaurant, this is an old Beijing restaurant. As my auntie…
A country lunch (Beijing pear picking, part 2)
After a morning working up a sweat picking pears, we followed our hosts to a little country restaurant for a hearty meal. Nowadays, it’s pretty popular for Beijingers to make the trek out here to get a taste of true country cooking. Country restaurants are plain and humble. They’re often just one small room in a shabby building crammed with some tables. Nothing fancy. But they evoke the feeling of stepping into a farmer’s house and being treated to a home cooked…
Pear picking in the Beijing countryside
Autumn is the best time to visit Beijing. The sun is warm, the breeze is cool, and it’s prime fruit season! One of the best things to do in Beijing is to get out of it. Come the weekend, city dwellers like to leave the noise and dust of the city behind and instead, head for the countryside for some fresh air, scenery, and good ol’-fashioned country cooking. (I’m going to give a warning in advance for the extremely photo-heavy…