Author: xianease

Bell Ginkgo 银杏餐吧 (钟楼店)

xianeaseARTICLES, Food & Drink

If you asked many foreigners what food they missed most from home while living in China, the answer would often be cheese. While this food is very popular throughout much of the world, it is decidedly less popular here in China, with only a few examples of processed milk solids that barely passes for the real deal. Outside of the occasional foreign enclave in tier 1 cities, cheese can be difficult to come by except through shady Taobao dealers. Sometimes you just want to be able to walk into a shop and pick out a cheese or two, preferable with some cured meats and pickles. Luckily, Bell Ginkgo Restaurant and Bar offers exactly that, at reasonable prices as well.

Puxian 璞鲜·台州菜·经典粤菜

xianeaseARTICLES, Food & Drink

For many foreigners, especially those who have limited abilities in Chinese language, high-end Chinese restaurants can be a little intimidating. There are often long lists of dishes with unfamiliar names, and unusual ingredients that make it hard to know exactly what you are getting. This leads many people to stay in a narrow path of eating the exact same dishes at the exact same restaurants for nearly their entire stay. This is a shame, as Chinese cuisine has a great variety of dishes and sub-cuisines within it, and there are numerous things to try. Once place to try a different kind of cuisine is to try the restaurant Puxian.

Jackpot777 Bar

xianeaseARTICLES, Food & Drink

I t’s rare to find a bar in Xi’an that takes so much care to explain their menu items to you. So when you do happen upon a bar that does so, it is a treasure. The bartenders took time to carefully craft each item, introduce it when serving, and to address any questions. And it wasn’t just for us, but also for other customers, too.

BEAVER’S 海狸

xianeaseARTICLES, Food & Drink

This year, it seems like new brunch places have opened up faster than international travel. However, Beaver’s has certainly distinguished itself from the rest. First of all, and most obvious, it filled with Canadian goodness. Whether it is the Canadian food they serve, the Canadian decorations they display, the Canadian goods they sell, or the good ole-fashioned Canadian friendliness, Beaver’s is a whole lot of Canada right here in Xi’an.

A Special Christmas Dinner at Hualuxe Xi’an Hi-Tech Zone

xianeaseARTICLES, Interviews

While hosting a Christmas dinner at your home or apartment is a great idea, sometimes you just want to have the Christmas cheer without worrying about the need to prepare for (and clean up after) a huge meal. Many of the hotels around town offer up a special meals around Christmas, with a huge range of dishes that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. One of these venues hoping to make an impact this Christmas is the Hualuxe hotel in Gaoxin.

The History of Christmas in China

xianeaseARTICLES, Arts & Entertainment

Christmas has often been compared to Spring Festival in terms of its cultural importance within Western Culture, and there is some merit to the comparison. Both are winter-based holidays that are celebrated annually. Both are times of togetherness, family, and tradition. You could even draw parallels with Red Envelopes and giving gifts. However, it’s easy to forget that, while the practice is small, some local Chinese people like to celebrate this holiday as well, though often in a different way than you might expect. So this year, we thought we’d take a look at the history of this ubiquitous Western holiday, and how it got to the Middle Kingdom

Warm Winter Escapes

xianeaseARTICLES, Travel

It’s a fact that some people just aren’t cold weather people. Whether you find the bitter winds a little too overbearing or you just don’t like having to layer up only to have your nose and ears still freezing off, winter weather is just not for everyone. With the extended amount of time off that the winter season brings, what with the Christmas and Spring Festival holidays, people often look at this time as an opportunity to travel to new places. Even though the coronavirus continues to restrict our movements abroad, there are still plenty of interesting places within China to explore that will allow you to step out of the cold zone and embrace a sunny day or two while getting to experience more of what China has to offer.

Snowscape Escapes – Cold Winter Travel Destinations

xianeaseARTICLES, Travel

As the end of the year arrives, ice and snow begin appearing on the weather reports and the time for travel rapidly approaches as the largest block of time most have off comes in the form of Spring Festival. But with current restrictions in place, it is difficult to travel outside of the country, at least until things settle down a bit further. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop traveling all together, as there are still plenty of place for you to explore within China. If you’re a fan of Winter wonderland escapes, then China has a plethora of destinations that are perfect to get that holiday vibe.

Role Models: Fatemeh

xianeaseARTICLES, Community

Can you introduce yourself? Job title, education, languages, hobbies, your family etc.
I am Fatemeh, Ph.D. in Astrophysics, Assistant Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University, mother of a beautiful son, and a wife of a wonderful man with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics with whom I work (laughing).
We had an emotionally supportive home environment. My father always asked us to set big dreams and goals and then make them real. My parents let me do it on my own. Make my own decisions in my life with consistent support. This made me a confident person. This is an effective way to help a person grow and develop. My father always asked us to choose role models and follow in their footsteps to achieve our goals. A role model teaches you never to give up and make an effort to improve, succeed, and make a difference. He also always encouraged us to have higher education. He said education illuminates a person’s mind and thinking.