-
Lunar New Year
Friends from Singapore and Taiwan celebrate the Lunar New Year, of course, but this year’s launch of the annual spring festival makes me nostalgic for my last trip to Beijing, nearly six years ago. March still hung clouds and rain in the skies, but as a treat I roamed through the Forbidden City on my…
-
Beijing Duck
When I picked an identifying image for Beer For Strange Climates 60 posts ago, I recalled the mysterious yet everyman’s beer I had to wash down a memorable meal in Beijing several years back. That meal? Beijing Duck–the most famous of China’s exported cuisine. You probably know it as Peking Duck stateside, but that name…
-
Dirty Martini in the Writer’s Bar
If the cocooning comfort of the room embraced me more completely, I would be loathe to leave. I would conspire to remain in Beijing as long as my yuan would allow. How many writers and travelers had passed through these tall French doors in to the Peace Hotel back in the early 20th century? Now…
-
Champagne In First
I can’t recall a time, when offered one of those plastic pearly flutes of sparkling wine (so rarely actual Champagne, unless it’s Air France or Emirates or maybe Cathay) …I can’t recall ever saying, “No, just a water, thanks.” And when they’ve truly upgraded you and served you the bubbly in a real glass, I…