An ideal break

In a fast-changing country like China, people must adjust their plans to keep pace with the changing situation from time to time. As the government has revamped the country's holiday schedule this year, so must we.

Puff on a cigar, over a lip-smacking hotpot

I do not smoke and I hate second-hand smoke in public spaces. However, when asked about my hometown, I often proudly reply: "I come from Shifang, the home of Chinese cigars."

Hidden treasures of Xanadu

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

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.

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