Chinese Studies - How Kelly Brook made a killing

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






How Kelly Brook made a killing


(Daily Mail)
Updated: 2007-08-13 10:31



Kelly Brook has, for the past few months, been toiling away writing a
book. This is slightly surprising, as a way with words has not until now
been one of her obvious strengths.

Kelly famously had to have help with reading the autocue when she was on
Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, with tricky words spelled out for her
phonetically. A leaked memo revealed that she was defeated by the words
'intrepid' and 'satirical'.

More recently she seemed terrified by the task of merely reading her
script on Celebrity Love Island: one critic compared her wooden
performance to a five-year-old mastering the alphabet.



?

Reinvention: Kelly Brook's new Fifties look

Nothing daunted, however, she has produced 250-odd pages of thoughts and
pictures about her life and her fashion sense, titled Life Style. It is
due for release in a few weeks' time.

Orion, the publisher, smells a winner. In subject matter, it is said to
rest between Coleen McLoughlin's (Welcome To My World) and Victoria
Beckham's (That Extra Half An Inch.)

The belief is that today's teenagers and young women will be attracted by
the subtitle How To Make The Best Of What You've Got and will spend 18.99
on finding out the answer according to Kelly - and respected fashion
writer Karen Kay, who is credited on the jacket as co-author.

What's intriguing is that the book is part of a concerted re-invention by
Kelly Brook. She seems, at 27, to be determined to make the transition
from pin-up to businesswoman, and is suddenly making a formidable amount
of money from her celebrity status - far more than her supposedly more
talented female peers.




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Learn Chinese online - Red velvet by the glass

? ?



CITYLIFE / Bars & Cafes






Red velvet by the glass


(Beijing Weekend)
Updated: 2007-08-10 10:20



Wine Bank is probably the most inconspicuous store at Rainbow Plaza. The
interior isn't all that big either. But what's inside is impressive, that
is, more than 100 varieties of wines from 10 plus Western Australian
brands, which constitutes 25 percent of all 400 wines in the region,
according to manager, Zhang Fan.

?

"The number of wines in Western Australia takes up less than 4 percent of
the total in the country, but the number of good wines takes up 30
percent,?said Zhang. There are four productive regions in Western
Australia and the vineyards there enjoy a similar climate to Bordeaux and
Burgundy. The winehouse, which opened less than two months ago, is aimed
mostly at Chinese white collar workers.

?

Currently, the only way to buy these wines is at the store, or from the
only shop that it supplies - the Jenny Lou exports supermarket in Shunyi
District. The majority of wines are priced at around 200 yuan with a good
bottle costing around 250 yuan. The store claims the general price level
is lower than same quality wines in the Beijing market. Brands available
include Tall Boy, Optimus Rang, Pierro, Plantagenet Wines, Ferngrove,
Peel Estate, and Timber Ridge.

?

A recent tasting of the Wine Bank's Sinclair range revealed a few
standouts. Red wine lovers should snap up a bottle or two of the
full-bodied 2005 Ricardo Shiraz, which packs a powerful bouquet and is a
powerhouse on the palate. Those looking for something with a touch less
grunt should snag the 2005 Jeremy Cabernet Shiraz, a surprisingly rich
and complex blend. Served chilled, a tipple or two of the 2006 Rose of
Glenoran would be a relaxing way to wile away a humid Beijing afternoon.
The pick of the Sinclair whites is the 2006 Swallow Hill Sauvignon blanc,
a smoky hit that's light yet lingering on the palate. The slightly less
impressive Nikstar 2006 Unwooded Chardonnay, however, lacks the body and
texture of the Sauvignon blanc.

?

Wine Bank
Location: Rainbow Plaza, 16 North Eastern Third Ring Road, Chaoyang
District
Tel: 010-6591-0631























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Learn mandarin - "Bourne" video game departs from script

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"Bourne" video game departs from script



Updated: 2007-08-08 21:50



LOS ANGELES?- What game publisher wouldn't want to ride the coattails of
its huge marketing campaign?

But, oddly enough, there's no "Bourne" game in sight, at least not this
year. And the one that Vivendi Games has up its sleeve for a mid-2008
release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is no "movie game," its
developers insist.

Didn't the publisher of "John Woo Presents Stranglehold" -- which leaps
onto video game shelves the week of August 20 -- say the same thing about
its game? Is there suddenly some stigma against movie games?

"Not at all," says Emmanuel Valdez, chief creative officer at High Moon
Studios, Vivendi's San Diego-based internal developer, which is building
the game titled "The Bourne Conspiracy."

"Games for next-generation consoles take longer than movies to make --
two years and sometimes longer," Valdez says. "We knew we didn't have
enough time to build a quality 'Ultimatum' game and come out with it at
the same time as the movie. So we decided to do things differently,
something new."

That meant taking elements of the first movie, "The Bourne Identity," and
stirring in lots of fresh material that needed to be approved by the
estate of Robert Ludlum, the "Bourne" books author who died in 2001.

The project began in late summer 2005, when "we started off almost making
a straight 'Identity' adaptation," Valdez recalls. "But the movie had
come out in 2001, the sequel 'Supremacy' had come out in 2004, and we
knew we could never finish in time for the release of 'Ultimatum' this
year. So, together with the Ludlum estate, we set out to make something
original that could stand on its own two feet."

Matt Wolf, a creative consultant to the game hired by Ludlum
Entertainment, arranged for Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter for all three
"Bourne" movies, to flesh out the saga. He was responsible for ensuring
that the game played by the rules of the "Bourne" universe.

"For example, we needed to impress on the game developers that Jason
Bourne isn't a gun-slinging maniac," Wolf says. "Part of my job was not
just to guard the borders and say no; it was to come up with some
creative solutions and support the process."

Matt Tieger, the game's lead designer, recalls that the High Moon team
had two principles that became the basis for the game's creation.

"The first was that Bourne isn't Gucci," he says. "Meaning that he isn't
the type of spy who carries a lot of stuff with him . . . He pretty much
weaponizes his environment. The second really important principal was the
fact that Bourne always has a target, an objective. Meaning he's not the
type of character who goes wandering around an open-ended world."

Similarly, the High Moon team adopted the hand-held camera style of Paul
Greengrass, director of the second and third "Bourne" movies.

"His style is very journalistic," Valdez says, "and when we use it for
the action sequences, it lends a very cinematic look and feel to the
game."

While the first "Bourne" game is taking three years to reach completion,
subsequent titles will be speedier, Valdez says. "The first game in a
franchise always takes more time; there are technical challenges that
we're dealing with . . . that we won't have to face next time."























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Learning Mandarin - Gwen Stefani?admits her marriage?a "saga"

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Gwen Stefani?admits her marriage?a "saga"


(Digital Spy)
Updated: 2007-08-07 19:52



Gwen Stefani has admitted that her marriage to Bush singer Gavin Rossdale
has been a saga with many ups and downs.

The No Doubt singer's husband was revealed to be the father of teen model
Daisy Lowe in 2004, two years after the couple had wed. The model is the
daughter of Kate Moss's friend Pearl Lowe, who is now married to
Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey.

Speaking about her relationship with Rossdale, Stefani told The Observer:
"I don't know. It's one of those mad love affairs that you can't live
with and you can't live without, and you just keep going and going."

The singer had a baby called Kingston with the rocker in 2006. Speaking
about their child, she added: "And time goes by and you get the rocky
times and the intense love times, and then you get the reward of having
the baby."

She added: "It's just this ongoing saga. I'm interested to see what's
going to happen next, you know?"








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Chinese Speaking - Christina Aguilera no-show angers fans

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Music






Christina Aguilera no-show angers fans


(The Dominion Post)
Updated: 2007-08-06 16:48



About 18,000 fans had their wishes dashed on Thursday night when
Christina Aguilera cancelled her two Auckland shows at the last minute
with a flu virus.

Many who flew to Auckland for the concerts vented their spleen online
yesterday.





Susie Farmer, 13, of Christchurch, waited all day on Thursday with her
father for the first concert to begin.

"I had been saving up for many months including using my birthday money,"
she wrote. "The first that we knew that the concert was cancelled was
when we were walking up toward Vector Arena."

Other fans were alerted by an e-mail two hours before the concert was due
to start.

A second concert due for last night was also cancelled. Ticketing agency
Ticketmaster began issuing refunds yesterday.

Consumers Institute chief executive Sue Chetwin said there was a remote
possibility people would get damages for flights and accommodation. "But
it's a very long shot. The promoter can argue they didn't know it would
happen. If you buy these tickets, you just have to hope the artist will
appear."

Jessica Abrigo of Christchurch flew her young sister and cousin to
Auckland for the show, but now thought Aguilera was a "selfish little
cow".

"She can make it up to everyone by saying sorry to New Zealand at the
next Grammy Awards ... Otherwise she can get stuffed and no one should
ever buy another one of her albums."

Promoter Brent Eccles said Aguilera had been expected to recover from the
virus which forced her to cancel earlier Australian shows, but the star
could not get out of bed.























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HSK - Pitt and Jolie deny split rumours

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Pitt and Jolie deny split rumours


(Digital Spy)
Updated: 2007-08-04 11:37





Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have denied reports that they are on the
verge of splitting up.

Rumours have been rife in recent months that the couple - who have been
together for three years - are no longer making each other happy.

They were reported to be on the brink of a calling it a day after
Angelina threw a glass of wine in Brad's face when he said she was
"immature".

But a representative for the Ocean's Eleven actor told Us magazine that
the pair are still an item and accused journalists of "writing lies" to
sell more magazines.

Brad's friendship with ex-wife Jenifer Aniston and his dislike for
Jolie's bossy nature have been reported as the cause of couple's
"troubles".





























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Chinese Character - Rod Stewart's son sued over club spat

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Television






Rod Stewart's son sued over club spat


(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-02 19:56



LOS ANGELES?- Rod Stewart's son has been sued by a man who claims Sean
Stewart beat him up at a Hollywood nightclub last year.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles by Daniel Refoua, accuses
Stewart of assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and
intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Refoua's lawyer, Sean Bral, said his client was beaten up Jan. 5, 2006,
by a group including Stewart after accidentally bumping into the singer's
son at Hollywood's LAX nightclub.

The melee followed an argument between Refoua and Stewart, who had a
bodyguard with him, Bral said.

"The next thing you know, he gets punched in the face and he's getting
punched by Stewart and his bodyguard and whoever it was who was with
him," he said.

Refoua, who is in his 20s, suffered a fractured nose and other injuries,
Bral said. The lawsuit seeks unspecified general, special and punitive
damages.

"We invite him to come forward if they want a resolution in this, to sit
down early to talk as opposed to later," Bral said.

Stewart's lawyer, Peter J. Korn, did not immediately respond to a phone
message seeking comment.

Additional lawsuits may be filed against the others accused of attacking
Refoua, Bral said.

The lawsuit comes about two months after Stewart, one of the stars of the
A&E reality show "Sons of Hollywood," was arrested in a separate attack
on a couple outside a Hollywood Hills party.

The couple said they were in a truck in April when Stewart and others
confronted them and began punching and throwing bricks at them and the
vehicle.

Stewart has pleaded not guilty to felony charges in the case. He remains
free on $60,000 bail pending an Aug. 6 hearing.

Korn said the incident is "much different" than what has been alleged in
the complaint, and suggested the lawsuit was financially motivated.

Sean Stewart is Rod Stewart's son from his marriage to model-actress
Alana Stewart. The couple divorced in the early 1980s.























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Chinese Speaking - Zeta-Jones: 'I can't boil an egg'

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Zeta-Jones: 'I can't boil an egg'


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-08-01 10:59




?


?

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine Zeta-Jones is disappointed she finds it impossible to master
the art of boiling an egg.

The Welsh actress plays a chef in new restaurant-based romantic comedy No
Reservations, but insists she's not much use in the kitchen in real life.

She says, "You know, I still can't boil an egg. I never get it runny
enough if I want it runny, and I never get it hard-boiled enough before
it explodes.

"But I can make you (Italian dessert) tiramisu anytime you want. Cheese
on toast is always good too."























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Pnyin - A mixture of originality

? ?



CITYLIFE / Shopping






A mixture of originality


By Yang Di (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-07-31 10:17







On peaceful Yongfu Road, Platane's eye-catching exterior and enchanting
window display are certain to attract your attention. The sleek lifestyle
boutique welcomes anyone who has knowledge of, or interest in, "original
design" and the pursuit of a high-quality lifestyle.

?

Former Australian fashion editor Sandra Shimith and French lawyer
Laetitia Charachon opened the boutique last September. The duo combined
their life experiences and international postings to create a store that
showcases a global modern approach to living.

?

The shop is filled with a hodgepodge of soft furnishings and whimsical
everyday items, with a distinctly designer vibe. The gorgeous products
from Leslie Chen's designer wall tiles to leather Australian handbags and
modern Chinese porcelain create the feeling of a gallery.

?

"We decided to open Platane because we individually became frustrated
that we could not find things that we expected to see in Shanghai,"
Shimith said. The duo both felt passionate about the area around Yongfu
Road which seemed like the ideal setting for this small boutique.

?

The shop's philosophy is to provide a carefully edited selection of home
and lifestyle products with affordable prices in an inviting atmosphere.
Stock includes ceramics, flatware, soft furnishings, glassware, lighting,
books, deluxe travel guides, scented candles, children's gifts, Egyptian
cotton T-shirts and a small, exclusive, Mongolian cashmere range.

?

The look is modern with references to European and Eastern aesthetics.
"The products in our shop are often exclusive to us, several things we
design ourselves or collaborate with designers, and some pieces we source
from all over the world," Shimith said.

?

The Australian and French pair have an eye for unique and trendy
lifestyle items. They have collaborated with ceramic makers in Jindezhen
to create a collection of stylish ceramic homeware infused with modern
elements.

?

Customers are delighted to find a collection of wall tiles designed by
Chen, who won her "Young Designer Talent of the Year" in 2006 by Elle
Decor China.

?

Her interpretations of ancient Chinese design elements blend gracefully
into the contemporary environment. The wall tiles are perfect for wall
finishes in kitchens, bathrooms or for highlights in dining or lounge
areas.

?

They can even be built into the surface finishes of the furniture or
incorporated into other elements of interior decorations.

?

"Chen is a very talented designer. We would like to support more creative
talents like her," Shimith said.

?

In terms of future plans, Shimith said their mission is to expand their
exclusive range of "Platane" products which includes ceramics, a
wallpaper line, slippers, travel pillows, tablemats, a jewelry range and
linen napkins.

?

"Small runs of products mean that the stock is constantly being updated
and there is always something new to be tempted by," Shimith said.

?

Platane
Address: 127 Yongfu Rd (close to Fuxing Rd W.)

Tel: 021-6433-6387























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

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sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





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Chinese Studies - Tom Cruise, ex-wife Kidman both filming in Berlin

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Tom Cruise, ex-wife Kidman both filming in Berlin


(AFP)
Updated: 2007-07-30 09:00





?

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman (seen here
in March 2007) will be working on separate films in Berlin from
September, German daily Bild has reported.[AFP]

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman will be
working on separate films in Berlin from September, German daily Bild
reported on Friday.

Cruise earlier this month began shooting "Valkyrie", a film about a
failed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944, in which he portrays
Nazi-resistance hero Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg.

Shooting is set to continue until the end of October.

The decision to cast Cruise in the role has caused anger in Germany
because of his strong links to the Church of Scientology, which is
regarded here as a sect.

Bild said Kidman will come to the German capital in September to start
work on the film version of "The Reader", the award-winning 1995 novel by
German author Bernhard Schlink which deals with later generations'
difficulty in understanding the Holocaust.

Kidman and Cruise divorced in 2001. He has since married Katie Holmes and
she country singer Keith Urban.








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Chinese Studies - Jessica Alba and Cash Warren split

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Jessica Alba and Cash Warren split


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-07-27 10:49




?


?

Actress Jessica Alba, left, and actor Dane Cook, right, talk about their
new film 'Good Luck Chuck' during a panel discussion held at the
Comic-Con International convention in San Diego Thursday, July 26,
2007.[AP]

Jessica Alba and her producer-boyfriend Cash Warren have split after two
and a half years together, Us Weekly reports.

The 26-year-old, currently abroad promoting her new movie Fantastic Four:
Rise Of The Silver Surfer, apparently sent an assistant to the Los
Angeles home they shared to pack up Cash's belongings and move him out.

The couple met on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2005, while he was
working as an assistant to the film's director.

"The break up happened almost out of nowhere," a source close to the pair
told the magazine. "Cash is totally devastated."

Shortly after they got together, Alba said in Cosmopolitan's March 2005
issue: "He might The One."








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Learn mandarin - Shop selling planes opens in Hangzhou

? ?



CITYLIFE / Hip & New






Shop selling planes opens in Hangzhou


(chinanews)
Updated: 2007-07-26 09:16





China's first general aircraft selling shop opened in Hangzhou last
Sunday.

General aircraft refers to aircraft such as helicopters, police planes,
agricultural aircraft, and private planes. The shop in Hangzhou mainly
sells helicopters and private planes.

The shop was jointly opened by Xi'an Yanliang National Aircraft Hi-tech
Industrial Base (CAIB) and Zhejiang Tiandu Industrial Co., Ltd. The shop
aims at selling aircraft to people in the Yangtze River Delta region.
CAIB decided to open an aircraft 4S shop in Hangzhou because of the
vigorous economy in the Yangtze River Delta region and the prosperous
private economy and capital in Zhejiang.

Three exhibition rooms in the shop are now open to the public, covering a
total area of 800 square meters. Three airplanes, all patrol plane
series, are displayed in these exhibition rooms. The spare parts of these
planes were made in France and the Xi'an Xijie Aircraft Maker assembled
the spare parts after they were imported to China. The three planes can
seat two people and are ideal for short-distance flights. One of them is
a helicopter, one a fixed-wing patrol plane and one a delta-wing airplane.

In Zhejiang, the first businessman that owned a private airplane was Qiu
Dedao, president of the Hangzhou Daoyuan Group, who bought a plane at 65
million yuan and later named it "Shouxiang No.1" . The plane can hold two
pilots and six passengers. After taking off, the operational cost of the
plane is 4,000 yuan an hour.

At present, most people that buy private planes are those who have a
company of their own. In Zhejiang, there are more than ten private
planes, while in China, less than 100 hundred people have their own
private planes. In light of this, many people think that there is a
promising future for China's private plane market, a market that is
described as "an upcoming era of the general aircraft" by He Yong,
president of the Zhejiang Tiandu Industrial Co., Ltd.























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Chinese Tutor - Ja Rule, Lil Wayne arrested in NYC

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Ja Rule, Lil Wayne arrested in NYC


(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-24 09:43





?

Rapper Lil' Wayne is photographed in New York on April 26, 2006.[AP]

Top-selling rappers Ja Rule and Lil Wayne were arraigned on felony gun
charges Monday following their separate arrests after a hip-hop concert
at which both had performed.

A judge set high bails and bonds for the rappers and two other men, but
the defendants were expected to be freed immediately, their bonds secured
by Ja Rule's $3.5 million house in New Jersey, bail bondsman Ira Judelson
said.

Ja Rule, of Saddle Brook, N.J., and two men with him were stopped for
speeding around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, and a police computer check of their
2004 Maybach luxury car revealed it had no insurance and a suspended
registration, prosecutors said.

When police stopped the car, which costs about $250,000 to $400,000, they
"detected a strong odor of marijuana," prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon told
the court. A loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun was recovered from the
rear driver's-side door, she said.

Lil Wayne, who is from New Orleans but lives in Miami, was arrested
around 11:30 p.m. while dressing in a tour bus near the Beacon Theater,
where the rappers had performed, Illuzzi-Orbon said. Approaching police
officers smelled marijuana, and as they got closer Lil Wayne, 24, tossed
aside a bag that contained a loaded .40-caliber handgun, she said.

Police believed that another person, so far uncharged, had stuffed 7
pounds of marijuana down the bus' toilet as officers approached,
prosecutors said.

All the defendants were charged with second-degree illegal gun possession.

Attorney Stacey Richman, who represented all four defendants, noted that
despite prosecutors' claim that police detected the odor of marijuana in
both arrests, nobody was charged with possession of it.

The judge set bond at $150,000 for Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey
Atkins, and at $70,000 for Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter.
He set bond at $20,000 for Mohamed Gamal, Ja Rule's driver and limo
service owner, and at $150,000 for Dennis Cherry, Ja Rule's road manager.

Ja Rule, 31, rose to fame in the mid-1990s after appearing on a hit song
with Jay-Z and later went on to record platinum-selling solo albums.

Lil Wayne's albums include "Tha Block Is Hot," "Lights Out," "Tha Carter"
and "Tha Carter II."























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Chinese language - Maggie Q's latest photo album

ENTERTAINMENT / Special Coverage








Maggie Q's latest photo album

Updated: 2006-04-26 16:32





Hong Kong actress Maggie Q says working on Tom Cruise's upcoming movie
"Mission Impossible III" has taught her combat skills -- including how to
rescue a hostage.

The Honolulu-born actress, whose full name is Maggie Quigley, said
working with Hollywood heavyweight Cruise was a doddle in comparison.

Born to an American father and a Vietnamese mother, Quigley has
previously had brief roles in "Rush Hour 2" and "Around the World in 80
Days" with Hong Kong action hero Jackie Chan.


Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
















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Chinese Online Class - Do you register?

CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends








Do you register?
(Beijing Today)
Updated: 2006-04-26 10:06



With the new holiday season approaching, many young expatriates,
especially newcomers, are expecting a visit from abroad by family or
friends. According to the Public Security Bureau of China (PSB), if you
want your friends or family to stay with you they should register with
the police within 24 hours of their arrival.

However, many foreigners think it is troublesome, "What? Even if they are
just staying ere for the weekend?" said Tom Edmonson, a British man who
came to Beijing for four months and shared an apartment with a friend. "I
did not hear anything about that. I have not registered where I am
staying now, but mfriend (flat mate) has registered with the local PSB."
This situation bothers Chen Zhongliang, an official of the Entry and Exit
Affairs Management Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security
Bureau. "This is a hinese regulation and I hope every foreigner will know
about it and follow it," Chen said.

"The whole procedure is simple and it does not take longer than two
minutes," Chen said. "If you rent a local apartment, go tegister with
your landlord. If you have foreign friends to stay for a few days, just
bring them to register." According to Chen, there are foreigners being
fined for non-registration every day.

"Normally, if they did ot know about it we might just give a warning the
first time," Chen said. "But if we found out that he/she did it on
purpose, they will be fined 200 yuan." Chen said that when foreigners
follow the rules and register where they are staying it is very helpful
for the police and also helps reduce foreigner-related crime.

Recently, to make as many foreigners aware of the policy as possible Chen
and his colleagues paid visits to over one hundred local PSB stations.
The PSB will work together with different communities to make sure
foreigners follow the regulations.


"We put up English and Chinese advertising in many communities, Korean
language posters n the Wangjing area, as well as brochures to help people
understand where to register and what they should bring with them." "If
you have not seen any brochures or posters, or need the police's help
anytime, just call 0 and they would transfer the call to us," Chen said.
















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Speak Chinese - More action urged on toy quality

/ Page 3








More action urged on toy quality
By Zhu Zhe
Updated: 2007-07-26 07:04




YANGZHOU, Jiangsu: As the world's largest maker and exporter of toys,
China yesterday reiterated that it would do whatever it could to
guarantee the safety of its products.

Each new type of toy is to be subject to compulsory testing before
production starts. Random factory inspections and sample testing will
also help ensure quality control, Wang Xin, director of the inspection
and supervision department of the General Administration for Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said.

"Toys are always a top concern of ours as they'll be in the hands of
children," he told visiting European Union Consumer Protection
Commissioner Meglena Kuneva during a trip to a toy factory and testing
center in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province.

He said China had consistently worked to make sure that "every piece
exported meets the standards of the importing countries".

But the director also acknowledged that problems existed because of the
huge volume of goods involved and asked for more information about
seizures of unsafe products from the EU to Chinese authorities enforce
the law and track down the manufacturers responsible.

Figures from the China Toy Association show that toy exports exceeded
$17.8 billion last year. The United States and the EU were the two
biggest markets. Exports to the EU reached $4.6 billion, and more than a
half of all the toys sold in Europe came from China.

An EU report showed that last year, toys for the first time overtook
electrical appliances in terms of RAPEX notifications. RAPEX is Europe's
alert system for dangerous consumer products.

Toys received 221 notifications last year, accounting for 24 percent of
the total notifications issued. Choking caused by small parts, injuries
from sharp edges and chemical risks were the top three threats.

The report did not say how many of the dangerous toys were from China,
but it did say that about half of all the unsafe products had originated
here.

"Therefore, China is a very big concern for our product safety," Kuneva
said while giving a briefing to reporters after the tour.

The commissioner said she hoped to intensify cooperation with China on
product safety.


















China Daily PDF Edition











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Learning Chinese - Bangkok film festival opens with Asian focus but less sparkle

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Bangkok film festival opens with Asian focus but less sparkle

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-07-20 09:48





Thai celebrities arrive for the opening night of the Bangkok
International Film in Bangkok. [AFP]

The Bangkok International Film Festival kicked off late Thursday with a
new focus on Asian cinema, but considerably less sparkle than previous
years when Hollywood stars filled the red carpet.

More than 100 films are set to be screened over 10 days in a brand-new
cinema complex in downtown Bangkok.

"The industry in Thailand is growing well. Other Asian countries like
(South) Korea, Japan and India are famous for films. As part of Asia, we
want to showcase this," said Phornsiri Manoharn, president of the
festival, at the opening ceremony.

But the five-year-old festival that has aimed to rival Busan in South
Korea as Asia's leading film event has been dogged by organisational
problems and controversy, while Thailand's post-coup government has cut
its budget.

The film originally set to screen during the opening gala Thursday, the
award-winning Iranian film "Persepolis," was dropped at the last minute
after the Iranian embassy protested that it portrayed the country
negatively.

In its place, the festival is opening with "Children of Glory," a 2006
Hungarian film about a bloody water polo match at the 1956 Olympics set
amid the Hungarian Revolution against the Soviet Union.

The opening itself came six months late, after the festival was forced to
delay its scheduled January opening when the cinema originally set to
host the event pulled out due to financial concerns.

The festival's budget was reportedly slashed by nearly 50 percent to 80
million baht after the military seized control of the government in a
bloodless coup last September.

The military has cut other cultural spending, axing Bangkok's Fashion
Week among other programmes, while quadrupling the defence budget.

While celebrities like Oliver Stone, Willem Dafoe and Catherine Deneuve
lined the red carpet in 2006, no major international stars are attending
this year.

A handful of regional stars are making appearances, including Bollywood
actress Hema Malini, Israeli director Amos Gitai, and Vietnamese action
star Johnny Nguyen.

The festival winds up on July 28, when the panels of international judges
will award Golden Kinnarees -- named after a half-bird, half-woman from
Thai mythology -- to the best international film, best regional film and
best short film.

The Bangkok festival has failed to gain momentum in part because of
disputes between the Tourism Authority of Thailand -- the government
agency that sponsors the festival -- and the Thai film industry
confederation.

The rivalries led to the creation of a second event called the World Film
Festival of Bangkok, which critics say divides the resources and
attention of the country's relatively small film community.

























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Chinese Character - Living La Vida Salsa

? ?



CITYLIFE / Weekend & Holiday






Living La Vida Salsa


(btm)
Updated: 2007-07-18 12:57



For many Beijingers salsa is no longer an unfamiliar word. In the past,
people may have thought of a Mexican cold tomato sauce flavoured with
cilantro, chillies and onions when salsa was mentioned. No more. It now
has a completely different meaning, representing a new trend in salsa
dancing, a branch of Latin dance that has become a vigorous, exotic and
fashionable sport.

More elegant than disco or hip hop, with more freedom of movement than
waltz or tango, salsa has conquered the world's dance scene with
astonishing speed. This magical dance arrived in Japan and Korea at the
end of last century. When it came to China in 2002, it immediately became
a fashionable pastime for white-collar professionals and young people in
Beijing and Shanghai.

Salsa is not easily defined; it is a distillation of many Latin and
Afro-Caribbean dances, with each playing a large part in its evolution.
The dance is similar to tango, a more commonly accepted dance in China,
in that both have patterns of six steps danced over eight counts of
music. The dances share many of the same moves. In salsa, however, turns
are an important feature, so the overall look and feel is quite different
from that of tango. Tango generally moves forward and backward, while
salsa has more of a side to side feel.

This definition may make salsa appear a bit hard to comprehend, but
according to Liu Zimeng, general manager of the Bailando Dancing Club,
one of Beijing's most professional dance schools, anyone who has a desire
to dance the salsa can do it, regardless of age, physical status or
agility.

Liu said, "You don't especially have to be an expert in dancing to learn
salsa. You can dance salsa even if you're rhythmically challenged and
suffer from the 'two-left-feet' syndrome." Among the first to introduce
salsa to Beijing, Liu thinks its ease of mastery might be one of the
reasons for salsa's worldwide popularity. One only has to take six
1.5-hour classes to get the skills needed to step onto a Latin dance club
floor and dance the night away.

Without question, salsa has many benefits.

It is one of the best forms of exercise that will help you achieve goals
such as weight reduction and muscle gain. As you learn more salsa moves,
practicing will boost your physical endurance and range of motion. It is
an ideal way to strengthen one's cardiovascular system, and it
contributes to a good posture and body alignment. In addition, it
increases your flexibility and stamina encouraging a total body stretch.




?? ?? 1?? 2?? ??

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Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

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Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
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Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





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Bars&Cafes: The new money
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Speak Chinese - New role, network for Isaiah Washington

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






New role, network for Isaiah Washington

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-17 13:37





LOS ANGELES - Isaiah Washington, bouncing back from his "Grey's Anatomy"
firing with a role on a new NBC drama and prospects for his own network
series, said Monday he's grateful for an unexpected second chance.

"I'm humbled by this opportunity," Washington told The Associated Press,
shortly before NBC announced he would be joining its new series "Bionic
Woman" for a five-episode arc. Washington and NBC Universal Studios also
are developing an action series.


He said his dismissal from ABC's hit medical show after his repeated use
of an anti-gay slur was "an unfortunate misunderstanding for everyone"
that he was eager to move past.

"What I always wanted to put at the forefront is my creativity, that
thing I want to do, which is act," Washington said.

He was brought to NBC by Ben Silverman, the recently appointed
co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. It was a
comment to a mutual friend that led to a meeting with Silverman just
after Washington lost his ABC job, he said.

Silverman, recalling their June 7 get-together, said he was surprised to
learn Washington had just been fired.

"`Gosh, it would great to get him, get a great actor on our air,'"
Silverman recalled thinking. "It's like A-Rod leaving the Yankees in
midseason."

Asked if he was concerned that Washington was bringing baggage to NBC,
Silverman said he wasn't. The focus will be on the actor's work and his
contribution to "Bionic Woman," which Silverman described as "one of our
most important shows."

"I really thought about him as an actor. ... I feel like he's a wonderful
actor and everyone deserves a second chance," he told The AP.

Washington's hiring at General Electric Co.-owned NBC had an unlikely
genesis.

The day that Washington learned ABC was not picking up his option for
"Grey's Anatomy," he and the Ghanian-born fashion designer Oswald Boateng
were discussing an African aid event. When Boateng learned of his
situation, the designer called his pal Silverman, Washington said.

Silverman invited them to join him at a party at a Beverly Hills
restaurant. The two enjoyed a friendly evening, the actor said.

"`You're not just going to be golfing, reading books. You're coming to
NBC,'" Washington said the executive told him.

Washington assumed Silverman was just being kind. "I'm gonna go home and
cry in my bed," he recalled thinking. But the next day he got a call from
his agent saying that Silverman wanted him to be part of NBC.

On "Bionic Woman," based on the 1970s show, Washington will play "a
mysterious person who is brought into the enigmatic scientific
organization" responsible for creating bionic Jamie Sommers (Michelle
Ryan), according to NBC.

NBC and its studio also are developing what was described as an
"action-series project" with Washington that is based on an idea of his.

Washington was booted from his role as a surgeon on "Grey's Anatomy"
after he used an anti-gay epithet backstage at the Golden Globe Awards in
January while denying he'd used it previously on the set against cast
mate T.R. Knight.

He publicly apologized and tried to make amends by meeting with
gay-rights organizations and filming a public-service announcement
calling for tolerance.

In subsequent interviews, Washington has said he was trying to address
problems of cast tardiness when he got into a tiff with co-star Patrick
Dempsey.

He's learned from the experience, he said, including "how you deal with
certain stresses."

"If there are issues with other actors, it's not my problem. I'm not a
hero, baby sitter, big brother. I'm the employee, too," Washington said.

As for Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC and Knight, "That chapter is closed. I
wish them well," Washington said.









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Chinese School - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

ENTERTAINMENT / New Releases






Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix


Updated: 2007-07-16 08:37





As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence,
complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and
the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another
infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time
with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school.
Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic
world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will
strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief--or will it?

Production Status: Released

Genres: Action/Adventure, Kids/Family, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy,
Adaptation and Sequel

Running Time: 2 hr. 18 min.

Release Date: July 11th, 2007 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening
images.

Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures International, Warner Bros. Pictures
Distribution

Production Co.: Wigram Productions, 1492 Pictures, Heyday Films

Studios: Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Produced in: United States
























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Learning Mandarin - BBC apologises to Queen over photo shoot

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






BBC apologises to Queen over photo shoot

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-13 09:50


The BBC has apologised to the Queen for wrongly implying that she had
stormed out of a photo shoot with American photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The broadcaster blamed a production company for sending it clips edited
out of sequence which implied the monarch had lost her temper when asked
to remove her crown. The footage should never have been shown, the BBC
said.

The story became headline news after a promotional trailer for a BBC
documentary A year with the Queen, due to be aired later this year, was
shown to journalists.

"In this trailer there is a sequence that implies that the Queen left a
sitting prematurely. This was not the case and the actual sequence of
events was misrepresented," the corporation said in a statement.

"The BBC would like to apologise to both the Queen and Annie Leibovitz
for any upset this may have caused."

The flap was a further embarrassment for Britain's venerable public
broadcaster days after it was ordered to pay an unprecedented
￡50,000-pound fine for faking a phone-in contest on the 50-year-old
children's show Blue Peter.

The BBC is funded by a tax on televisions and its reputation for quality
and fairness is highly sensitive.

The Queen, being filmed for the behind-the-scenes documentary, was
depicted as apparently having flounced out of a room at Buckingham Palace
with an aide carrying her robes.

The trailer showed Leibovitz asking the monarch, who had worn her crown
and formal robes for the sitting, to remove her crown. The Queen gave her
an icy stare and replied: "Less dressy, what do you think this is?",
pointing to her outfit.

The footage that followed showed the queen walking briskly down a
corridor, telling her staff: "I'm not changing anything. I've had enough
dressing like this thank you very much."

The footage which appeared to show her storming out was actually filmed
earlier as she made her way to the sitting.

A BBC spokeswoman later blamed the production company, RDF Media Group
for supplying the footage out of sequence.

"At the time of the press conference yesterday, the controller of BBC One
was not aware that those clips had been edited out of sequence. They were
supplied in that sequence to the BBC by the independent production
company making the film. So in good faith we actually thought that was
the sequence."







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Speak Chinese - Claire Danes hitting Broadway in "Pygmalion"

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Theater & Arts






Claire Danes hitting Broadway in "Pygmalion"


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-12 08:41


LOS ANGELES?- Claire Danes will make her Broadway debut as Eliza
Doolittle in a new production of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" on the
Great White Way.

David Grindley is directing the play, which is being produced by the
Roundabout Theatre Company.

Based on the classical myth, "Pygmalion" centers on professor Henry
Higgins -- Tony winner Jefferson Mays already has been cast in the role
-- who comes across a poor and uneducated Cockney girl named Eliza. He
makes a bet that he can take her from the gutters of London and pass her
off as a society lady simply by teaching her the right dialect in which
to speak, but he discovers that this task is complicated by human
emotions.

Shaw's famous play inspired the award-winning musical "My Fair Lady,"
written and composed by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, which bowed
in 1956. It was adapted into a 1964 screen musical directed by George
Cukor and starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. The movie won eight
Oscars, including the prize for best picture.

"Pygmalion," which will bow at the American Airlines Theatre, will begin
previews September 21 and open officially October 18. The limited
engagement runs through December 16. Additional cast members will be
announced shortly.

On the big screen, Danes stars in the recently released "Evening," an
ensemble drama whose case includes Vanessa Redgrave, Glenn Close, Patrick
Wilson, Toni Collette and Meryl Streep. She will next star in Matthew
Vaughn's "Stardust" opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro.























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Speak Chinese - In pursuit of a suburban lifestyle

? ?



CITYLIFE / Eating Out






In pursuit of a suburban lifestyle


(That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-07-11 09:46



Just as people grow older, settle down and look forward to a suburban
lifestyle, so, too, do restaurants.

Take Las Tapas, for example: it is more refined, more elegant and
family-friendly than its rowdy downtown cousin, Tapas Bar. The outdoor
seating area and extensive, reasonably-priced wine list offer weary bar
hoppers a pleasant respite, as does the wide selection of truly
delightful tapas. We took the recommendations of the friendly staff,
ordering the spiced olives (RMB 18), fried chicken with marinara (RMB 35)
and our favorite, the spicy sliced sausage (RMB 39).

Be warned, though: Las Tapas is as much a bar as it is a restaurant. The
loud pop music and diverse crowd might make this place lively, but they
do little to inspire an authentic ambiance.

Las Tapas
Location: Hongmei Entertainment Street, Bldg. 33, Lane 3338 Hongmei Lu,
by Hongxu Lu
Tel: 021-64658345
Cost for two excluding drinks: RMB 180
























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Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

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sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





Learn Chinese online, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Learn Chinese online - Luxurious bath

? ?



CITYLIFE / Shopping






Luxurious bath


(That's Beijing)
Updated: 2007-07-10 10:31



A long relaxing bath is the perfect way to unwind, and thanks to the
exclusive luxuries on offer from Latvian brand Stenders, at-home
pampering is now easier than ever.

Stenders is famous for soaps and cosmetics enriched with natural herb
extracts and essential oils. The boutique offers more than 100 varieties
of handmade soaps and bath balls (RMB 35), massage butters (RMB 57), bath
milks and salts of various scents, essential oils, and bath scrubs and
foam.

An extensive range of accessories (RMB 70-2,000) are also available, and
soap is sold by weight (RMB 50/g). The attention to detail is evident
from the salesgirls' aprons down to the ribbons around the gift boxes.
All products and packaging are made from natural ingredients.

Opening hours: Daily 9am-9:30pm
Location:?B1, NB 129A, China World Shopping Mall, Jianguomenwai Dajie,
Chaoyang District Tel: 010-65051918
























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





Learn Chinese, Learning Chinese, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing,

Learning Chinese - Put your life in pouche

? ?



CITYLIFE / Shopping






Put your life in pouche


(That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-07-09 10:25



With 35 years' experience designing pretty pouches for the likes of
Prada, Lancome and Guerlian, Parisian Anaik Descamps chose Shanghai to
launch her own brand of DIY designer bags and accessories.

Anaik's bags are fashioned from soft leather and can be customized with a
selection of-you guessed it-pouches in vibrant colors and patterns joined
with detachable silver links. As well as these versatile carry-alls, the
petite boutique on Weihai Lu stocks a handpicked selection of oh-so-chic
textiles and homeware products from around the world, including Indian
pashminas, alpaca throws from Peru and Thai organic candles.

Anaik
Location: 421 Weihai Lu, by Shimen Yi Lu
Website:www.anaik-invitation.com























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





Learn Chinese, Learn Mandarin online, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing,

good night

bye