Life Culture

Forty and fabulous

She loomed from backstage without much fanfare. The audience hardly recognized her until a few seconds later when her image was projected onto the giant screen right above her where she made her entrance. But when she belted out her first note, it was distinctly Celine. The audience burst into thunderous applause. Such was the magic of Celine Dion.

Celine, Whitney, Barbra ... the verdict is out!

A Celine Dion concert is much more rewarding than one by Whitney Houston, but it does not possess the rich texture from a similar outing by Barbra Streisand.

Crying till you laugh

Taiwanese playwright-director Stan Lai's most famous production, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, tells two intertwined stories. One is a modern tragedy about an old man reminiscing a long-lost love, while the second is a broad comedy about a cuckolded man who finds his way to Peach Blossom Land.

Search for the country's next great violin composer

According to historical records, the first violin performance in China took place in 1699, when a foreign missionary played for Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Life Expat

American pie

"Want an American boyfriend? Learn American cooking." While the words seem more at home on the lips of a relationship counselor or a love doctor, this was the quirky advice offered by US expat Patt Brown who, in addition to her American husband of 40 years, holds a special love for the art of cooking American cuisine.

Other tasty options for curious cooks

For foreigners looking to expand their culinary horizons or for those just sick of eating at restaurants, Beijing has been bubbling with more cooking services.

Your say

What's the rush?

Hatching plans for an early Easter

This year's early Easter date has caught many expats by surprise. Still recovering from the Chinese New Year holiday break, many said they were unprepared to celebrate the important Christian religious festival and a time especially reserved for family get-togethers.

The love of learning

Last week, Wang Yixuan from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region took a decision that few of her contemporaries have dared to take. The 30-year-old left her hometown, despite her parents' fierce opposition, and came to Beijing to pursue further studies at Peking University.

Old hands teach young couple new tricks

I never thought of myself as an old man until a few years ago, when a couple who rented our apartment kept on addressing me as daye (grandpa) and my wife as yi (aunt). The greeting warmed our relationship, so much so that when they wanted to postpone paying the rent for a month we didn't have the heart to refuse.