Denise Chong, an educational consultant, and Matt Lewis, an entrepreneur, met in Beijing in 1999 and married in New Zealand four years later. Both their children Rachel (7) and Samuel (4) were born in Australia, but Beijing has been home to the Chong-Lewis family for fourteen years. Here they share some of their favorite spots in Beijing. Would you like to share your Beijing Favorites? E-mail editor@beijing-kids.com.
Favorite Family Restaurant
We like to go to Malacca Legend for nasi lemak, curry puffs, and satays, The Horizon at Shangri-La’s Kerry Centre for dimsum, and Element Fresh for healthier options.
Favorite Way to Relax
A picnic at the either Chaoyang Park or Si’de Park.
Favorite Day Trip
We like Huairou or anywhere outside the city.
Date Night Spot
We prefer lunch dates. We usually go to Yuxiang Renjia, Comptoirs de France, or Kafe Peranakan.
Kids Beg Us to Go
The kids enjoy playing in the pool and they take lessons with Dragon Fire Swim Team.
Rainy Day Activity
We do art and crafts, and bake cookies.
Family Ritual
On Saturdays, the kids can request their favorite food, which usually ends up being pizza.
Favorite Place to Shop
We shop for clothes at Uniqlo and the Zoo Market. For household items we like to shop at Laitai Flower Market or Dongjiao Market. For kid’s clothes, we head to Yashow Market and Decathlon.
Favorite Weekend Activities
Our favorite place is Summer Palace. At Mutianyu Great Wall, Rachel really enjoys the toboggan ride.
Favorite Place to Play
Ritan Park, Fundazzle or Yu Kids Island at The Place.
This article is excerpted from beijingkids October 2011 issue. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
