Tomasz Sajewicz, the China corresponded for the Polish Public Radio, has lived in China since 2005, after finishing his tenure reporting on the Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, including two years in Iraq. By any measure, Tomasz is one of Beijing’s most flamboyant expats, and is easily spotted on the street due to his height and his extravagant outfits. The next time you see him, you’ll be wise to introduce yourself, as knowing Tomasz means knowing the best things in Beijing. A quick hint, he will be at Ryszard Horowitz’s exhibition in early October! Luckily, even if you never have the chance meet him, he’s gracefully agreed to give Agenda his itinerary for a perfect day in Beijing.

My Perfect Day

We are living in a world dominated by perfectionism, which causes a lot of stress. Therefore I think that the perfect day in Beijing should definitely be non-stressful. The very word “perfectionism” makes me nervous, so I’ve decided to create a recipe for a completely stressless day in the city, and I hope it offers a wonderful respite for you stressed city dwellers! So, first and foremost, my non-stressful day starts with a blue sky. I am able to see the mountains to the north of Beijing from my bedroom, and the US Embassy Beijing Air Index is lower than 50 points, meaning I can breathe outside.

A stressless day should start out lazy, perhaps with breakfast at Comptoirs de France. They have many shops around the city, but I’m usually going to their branch in China Central Place. A proper breakfast can make your whole day shine, and what better breakfast than a fresh croissant with a coffee? It may not be “local,” but after six years in Beijing I think I’ve earned a “get out of Chinese breakfast” pass. Any other time of day I am a very big fan of Chinese cuisine.

I find shopping very relaxing, so after breakfast I jump on my electric bike and go to Dongjiao Shichang flower market, located on the south side of the canal between Xi Dawanglu and the 3^rd Ring Road. Shopping here can’t be too expensive, as credit cards are not accepted, (although banknotes lower than RMB 100 are very welcome) but even if you buy nothing, a trip to this secret garden will give you great pleasure, any time of the year! I come here in the summer to buy gladiolas, which remind me my home in Poland. My mother used to plant them in the garden. Unfortunately this flower market – as many places in Beijing – is on the brink of disappearing due to construction. On the eastern side of Xi Dawanglu there is a BIG market which I call “everything market.” I’ll head over here for fresh vegetables, meat and seafood – all the ingredients for a homemade lunch, although I’ve already got lunch plans for the day!

After a morning of shopping, I would go to one of the magical places in Beijing: the 798 art district. Sadly it’s losing more and more charm and becoming more commercial every year, but for now, it’s still a great place to visit. My favorite space there is, of course, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA). It’s not only the best gallery in Beijing, but probably in all of Mainland China. From there I would go to visit my dear friend, the Chinese writer Lijia Zhang who wrote Communism is Great, and explore with her the real life of Beijing in the hutongs at Jiuxianqiao Village, where she lives. I would have very local lunch there, preferably cold Beijing noodles. It’s the best food for summer.

I love China because of its contrasts, contradictions and complexity. So, following my afternoon in the village, I would head to Maison Boulud in the old Legation quarters for dinner. This is a place where  you will have one of the most sophisticated culinary adventures in the city. And it’s not only about the food. The restaurant is located in the former US Embassy to the Qing Empire. It was built in 1903, and in 1971 this property served as a venue for secret meetings between Henry Kissinger and Chinese premier Zhou Enlai. I actually would prefer to dine in the bar area, as opposed to the restaurant. It’s much more cozy, and the perfect spot to impress a date!

Comptoirs de France

1) Daily 7am-830pm. 1/F, Bldg 5, Hairun International Apartment, 2B Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (5135 7645) 朝阳区将台路乙2号海润国际公寓商业5号楼1层 2) Daily 7am-830pm. 55-1, Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (6416 2853) 朝阳区幸福村中路55-1号 3) Daily 7am-1030pm. Door 102, Pacific Century Place Department Store, 2A Gongti BeiLu, Chaoyang District (6539 2005) 朝阳区工体北路甲2号盈科中心商场102单元 4) Daily 7am-830pm. 2/F Riviera Plaza, 5 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District (8470 2347) 朝阳区来广营东路5号2楼东侧 5) Daily 7am-830pm. 1/F, East Lake Club, 35 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District (6461 1525) 东城区东直门外大街35号东湖俱乐部1层 6) Daily 7am-830pm. 4 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District (8562 3355) 朝阳区日坛北路4号 7) Daily 7am-830pm. L-111, Europlaza, 99 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu Zhen, Shunyi District (8046 6309) 顺义区裕翔路99号天竺镇欧陆广场L111室 Daily 7am-830pm. 2/F Riviera Plaza, 5 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District (6530 5480) 朝阳区建国路89号华贸中心15号楼102

Dongjiao Flower Market 东郊花盆市场

Daily 8.30am-5pm. From Dongjiao market (below), cross the road heading west, and walk along the canal. It’s just past the fake European town.

Donjiao “Everything” Market 东郊市场

Daily 8.30am-5pm. 12A Xidawanglu, Chaoyang District.东郊市场, 朝阳区西大望路甲12号

Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) 尤伦斯当代艺术中心

Tue-Sun 10am-7pm. 798 Dashanzi Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (8459 9269)

朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区

Maison Boulud 布鲁宫法餐厅

Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm, 6-10pm; Sat-Sun (brunch) 11am-4pm, 6-10pm. Ch’ien Men 23, 23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (6559 9200)

东城区前门东大街23号