With love, from San Diego

2010-08-19 09:42:27

Are you feeling the love, China? Because my home state of California is sending plenty your way this week. It's the pandas that create a sudden urge to come see what they love about China.

All meat and no veg

2010-08-18 09:08:57

Being the closest living human relative to the great carnivorous beasts that roamed our planet many millions of years ago, the vast array of dishes containing members of the animal kingdom was a personal delight on arriving in Beijing.

Time-saving tactics a double-edged sword in real enviroment

2010-08-17 09:20:38

My friend told me that her phone beeped last night at around 11; it was a message from a former high school classmate asking whether she could do a translation for her right away.

There's too much action in local movie theaters

2010-08-17 09:20:26

Ah, the movie theater. Comfortable seats, ice-cold air conditioning and movies! It's the perfect summer get-away.

Gadget hunt can leave you feeling wired

2010-08-16 08:02:56

Being the obsessed gizmo-lover that I am, whenever I visit an Asian city, my top priority is to find and explore the local gadget markets. Let's face it, a greater selection of electronics items are offered this side of the globe because most of them are made in Asia, and top among the production areas is Shenzhen.

All seats taken ruins planned trip to gorge

2010-08-16 08:02:56

Last weekend, I attempted to take visitors from overseas to Longqing Gorge, promising them a day of bungee jumping, rock climbing and karst mountains.

Head underground if you want to see real Beijing

2010-08-12 09:13:45

Getting around in a city of 20 million people can be daunting, if not seemingly impossible. It can be even harder if you don't have a car and you're a foreigner, such as myself.

Making the smart move

2010-08-11 08:59:57

There have been several articles in print and on the Internet that imply that some young people are being forced to leave Beijing as if they were failures. That's nonsense.

Who are the real prudes?

2010-08-10 09:25:15

Call me a prude if you will, but there is something odd and unnerving about contraception pills being sold over the counter.

Trying to stay afloat in a pool of clinging spandex

2010-08-10 09:21:26

There is no doubt that swimming can cause its fair share of thrills and dangers, but I never thought that I would say that of a swimsuit.

Drive to wall ruined by pit stop

2010-08-09 07:57:24

For anyone visiting Beijing, a trip to the Great Wall is almost mandatory, and I had not been there.

Time to evict the renter

2010-08-05 09:29:03

"Lee" and "May" have been dating for more than five years. Theirs is a comfortable relationship. Familiar routines, shared friends, even perhaps, rent or a mortgage split two ways. But what is not on the table is marriage.