Kristin Gower shows us how to make every second count

Text by Kristin Gower, photo by Judy Zhou, taken at the Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery

My perfect day is long, but it’s off to a virtuous start: an early morning session of Pilates with Brooke. From there I head to Jamaica Blue for the only decent, albeit pricey, espresso coffee in Beijing. I simply refuse to settle for any of the pale alternatives. Once I’ve recharged my batteries, it’s off for a bike ride, and a little arts and crafts shopping around the Chongwen and Xuanwu hutongs, along with a visit to Longtan Park with Wan Lin Bicycle Tours. I even manage to squeeze in a visit to the wonderful singers at Temple of Heaven. Let’s say I got up REALLY early!

The afternoon starts with a glass of wine and the baked snapper sandwich at Time Zone 8, in 798. Now I can slow down! I visit the beautiful works on paper at the Hadrien de Montferrand Galleryand then head over to Caochangdi to visit ChambersFine Art and 3 Shadows. There are no other cars on the road (not to mention that I’ve mastered time travel), so I have time for a stroll around Hongluo Templewith my daughter, who loves the red-cloaked statues.

At night, it’s time to check in at the Opposite House, as money is no issue on my perfect day! My room has a double sized cedar bath where I will spend the next couple of hours reading my Time Zone magazines and listening to music. Suitably relaxed, I head off for cocktails and oysters at Apothecary, dinner at Terra, and a midnight dance at Spark. And since it’s my perfect day, I’ll even sleep in past 7 am tomorrow.

Pilates with BrookeQijiayuan DRC , 9 Jianguomenwai, Chaoyang District (139 1131 0408) 朝阳区建国门外9号齐家园DRC

Jamaica Blue, Shop 107, Bldg. 16, Central Park, 6 Chaoyangmenwai, Chaoyang District (6533 6556)朝阳区朝国门外6号新城国际 16号楼107

Wan Lin bicycle ToursAlexandra (186 0112 6254) wanlinbicycletours.com

Timezone 8Dashanzi art district, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (8456 0336) timezone8.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798大山子 艺术区

Hadrien de Montferrand GalleryQixing Dongjie (next to At Café), 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, 798 art district, Chaoyang District (139 1165 1353) 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区七星东街 (At Cafe 旁边) hdemontferrand.com

Chambers Fine Art 前波画廊Red No.1-D, Caochangdi, Chaoyang District (51273298, bj@chambersfineart.com) chambersfineart. com 朝阳区草场地红一号D座

3 Shadows Photography 155 East End Art, Caochangdi Village (Next to Platform China), Chaoyang District (6432 2663) threeshadows. cn 朝阳区草场地艺术东区155号 (站台中国旁)

Hongluo Temple 红螺寺 Hongluo Mountain, Yanxi Town, Huairou District (6068 1175) 怀柔 区雁栖镇红螺山下

The Opposite HouseBldg 1, Sanlitun Village North, 11 Sanlitun Lu (north of 3.3 Shopping Center), Chaoyang District (64176688, answers@theoppositehouse.com) theoppositehouse. com 朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯 Village北区1号楼

Apothecary 酒术3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (5208 6040) apothecarybj. com 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园3层

Terra1 Sanlitun Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6591 9148) terrabeijing.com 朝阳区三里屯南 路1号

Spark B108, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (6587 1501) sparkbeijing. com.cn 朝阳区光华路9号世贸天阶B108