Kelli Chew is a native Californian and recent university graduate working and playing in Beijing. She has the pleasure of working in business marketing for Asia Briefing Ltd., a long time publisher of books and magazines on foreign business development in Asia. Kelli just finished organizing their biggest event of the year, a book launch party for professionals in Beijing celebrating the 10^th anniversary of their younger, culture-oriented website, www.ChinaExpat.com. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the city’s many food and drink offerings, bonding with Beijing taxi cab drivers in broken Chinese, and avoiding karaoke bars like the plague.

My perfect day would begin with breakfast at Opposite House. The modern art, high vaulted ceilings, and unique interior architecture makes this a place that I always walk into full of awe, with eyes as big as saucers – no matter how many times I’ve been. On a good day, and especially bad, I like to sit in the café with a cup of earl grey tea and soak in the inspiration and peace that the atmosphere offers.

Next, the Summer Palace, walking in from the lesser known (but better, in my opinion) North side entrance where you can take a stroll through the village and admire the river. It is especially gorgeous this time of year when the leaves turn red, or even during winter when the river freezes over.

Next on the list would be to round up a big group of friends and head over to Star Trooper Laser Tag where we rent out the entire venue for some fun. The perfect day isn’t really perfect if a.) you have to do it alone and b.) you can’t indulge your inner child once in awhile and give that one irritating friend a taste of their own medicine – laser tag butt kicking style.

After, we’d all head over for a drink either at Apothecary or Drei Kronen Brauhaus. Both sound great and hell, since it’s my perfect day why not do both? As a former bartender, I have a soft spot for well composed cocktails, and fresh micro brewed beer.

Next, a trip to my personal sanctuary, Hummingbird, for any one of their oil massages. My favorite part about it is that although “all natural” is not a concept that has caught on yet in China, it has for this forward-thinking spa. This hidden gem uses organic, all natural oils that are hand picked and sourced from countries all over the world thanks to Hummingbird’s passionate owner, May. The products are not just better for the environment but healthier for you as well. The experience is guilt free luxury.  

The day would wind down with a stroll through the Sanlitun Village for some late night chuar. There are some things you don’t need loads of money to enjoy, and this is one of them. I swear I have an addiction. In the middle of the night I will find myself wandering around craving the super spicy chuar from the Xinjiang vendor (in the alleyway towards Smugglers bar) with the amazing flat bread that I always forget the name of. They’ll make fun of my American accent when I order the baijing and ask, “Are you back for more Beijing?” To which my answer is always, “Of course!”

Village Café

1/F, The Opposite House, Bldg 1, Sanlitun Village, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6410 5210, villagecafe@theoppositehouse.com)

朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯Village1号楼瑜舍1层

Summer Palace 颐和园

Daily 6.30am-8pm (last ticket 6pm); 7am-7pm (Nov-Mar: last ticket 5pm). Summer Palace Yiheyuan Lu, Haidian District (6288 1144)

海淀区颐和园路

Star Trooper Laser Tag

Tue-Fri reservations only, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm. B1, 316 Wangjing Xiyuan Sanqu, Chaoyang District (6475 8329, info@startrooper.net) 朝阳区望京西园三区316号楼，地下一层

Apothecary

3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (5208 6040)

酒术，朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园3层

Drei Kronen 1308 Brauhaus 皇冠自酿啤酒坊

Daily 11am-2am. 1/F, Bldg 5, China View, Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District (6503 5555) 朝阳区工体东路中国红街5号楼1层

Hummingbird Therapeutic Retreat一体保健会所

Unit 103, Bldg 3, Central Park, 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6597 9119)

朝阳区朝外大街6号新城国际3号楼103

Sanlitun Village

19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯Village