Kaci, Matthew and the 20 month old Sylvia are an all American family. They moved away from Beijing in August, but we wanted to capture in this picture the special bond they share with their ayi. Ayi Wang has been a part of this family for five years and has cared for Sylvia from birth. Matthew is an English teacher and Kaci is the Director of Sales and Marketing. They really enjoyed their membership in the Shared Harvest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where they would have seasonal organic produce delivered to their home weekly. Kaci even visited the farm herself on occaision, and felt confident feeding the produce to her family.
Favorite Chinese snack
I love dumplings, Ayi makes the most amazing fennel and pork dumplings. We cannot get enough of them.
Favorite Chinese shop
We loved spinning ceramics for wedding gifts, special occasions, and Christmas presents. We are also regular patrons at Glasses City near Panjiayuan.
Favorite discovery in Beijing
I love the Beijing hutongs, and my favorite spot is the Beijing Mindfulness Centre near the Lama Temple.
Favorite Dessert Spot
Palms LA Sanyuanqiao for a slice of tres leches cake!
Favorite Spot to Relax
Rosewood Beijing for a staycation.
Favorite Weekend Activity
Heading to April Gourmet and Sanyuanli Market for groceries, then cooking a big meal and having friends over for dinner, wine, and board games.
Favorite Chinese Restaurant
Red Bowl Hot Pot at the Rosewood, or for Peking duck, we love Duck de Chine in Sanlitun
Favorite Non Chinese Restaurant
Taco Bar for casual, tasty Tex-Mex in a fun environment, or Capital M for special occasions
Adapted Chinese Culture
We eat a lot more hot food (especially for lunch) than is typical in the States. My daughter now has soup with almost every meal, even in summer.
Best Shop for Groceries
April Gourmet near Chunxiulu and Sanyuanli Market for veggies.
Best Stores for Mommies
Everywhere in Solana, particularly Motherworks.
Photos: Dave’s Studio
This article originally appeared on pg 64 of beijingkids October 2017 issue.
Download the digital copy here.
