LDS Top Picks: Christmas 2014 Festivities in Beijing

Celebrate Christmas with Festivities All Over Town!

With Christmas just a few days away, here’s a round-up of Beijing’s top X-mas dinners, parties and events to consider in your holiday plans this week! *Note that festivities begin Christmas Eve and continue through the 25th. (NYE events to follow next!)

If you’re feeling a bit lost in a city far from home without any set Christmas plans, fear not as there are plenty of options available to you.  Whether you’re looking for a casual party or something worth splurging on, there’s still plenty of quality options for special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch & dinner menus at Beijing’s most lively dining destinations.

Here’s to wishing you all a very Merry Christmas with loved ones!

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FEAST’s Carnivore’s Club: Pig Out on a Porky Menu

Chef Rob Cunningham of FEAST (in EAST Hotel) introduces his Carnivore Club

A few months ago (March 2014), FEAST by EAST Hotel in Lido hosted by BJ FOoDiEs culinary charity group for the launch of their new Carnivore Club concept. Headed by Executive Chef Rob Cunningham (former chef of Capital M), the restaurant’s goal for this regular Carnivore’s Club is to increase awareness of secondary cuts and offal that restaurants no longer commonly use.

“To me, the Carnivore’s Club is what cooking is about – nurturing and brining out the best in all the secondary cuts of meat and offal. It takes me back to my childhood growing up on a farm in Victoria, Australia – when we killed a beast (sheep, pig, cattle), we used every single part of the animal. Here in China, no part of the animal is not eaten and I love that about Chinese cuisine.” - Rob Cunningham, Executive Chef of FEAST   

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Fête de la Musique 2014: Beijing Music Day Line-Up

Celebrate the World Music Day with FREE Music Events Across Beijing!

Created in France in 1982, the Fête de la Musique aka World Music Day is a day dedicated to the celebration of music and is celebrated in more than 100 countries and its third year being celebrated in Beijing.

“The concept is simple: every 21st of June, on the summer solstice day, musicians and music lovers are invited to meet each other at musical events that liven up the city’s streets. The sharing of passion for music, the mix of musical styles, the discovery of new artists and a festive atmosphere are there every year.” – Beijing Music Day Organizing Team

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BJ FOoDiEs: “Gift of Bread” Carnivore Charity Feast

 BJ FOoDiES Take On Guinea Pig Role for FEAST’s Carnivore Club

Valentine’s Day 2014: Embrace the Love of Dining

Learn Embrace Valentine’s Day with Commonalities

It’s really a shame that there is so much angst and feelings of frustration and rejection that envelop Valentine’s Day. For many of my single ladies (and men!) out there, it’s like the dreaded day that reminds us how lonely singledom can be.

But instead of focusing on all the negative sentiments that surround the V-day holiday, we should instead change our mind set to think of it like Christmas, Thanksgiving and every other happy holiday that’s focused on celebrating love. It doesn’t have to be the mushy-gushy romantic-type love, it can be the love we share between friends and family too!

I’m a big advocate of sharing equal responsibility for this holiday. We should do everyone a favor and relieve men of this overwhelming pressure to take on all the stress of making this holiday special, memorable, thoughtful, etc. etc. Women are equally capable (if not even more so!) of doing the same for the wonderful male friends, mentors, and figures in their life. Who doesn’t love a surprise switcheroo?!

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Jump Start 2014: LDS’ Top 10 NYE Celebrations

2013 came and went faster than most of us would have liked, but here’s to the passing of another eventful year and the beginnings of a bright and exciting 2014 ahead!

After stuffing ourselves silly at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, I’m not sure how many want to indulge in lavish multiple-course meals again this New Year’s Eve but there are plenty of fancy dinners available at many of Beijing’s top restaurants followed by a range of different NYE parties including both upscale, dress-up parties and wild, packed-out dance parties with the city’s top DJ’s playing straight into 2014.

There’s plenty out there, but here goes the LDS breakdown of Top 10 Events to ring in 2014 -

LDS’ Top 10 Picks for New Year’s Eve:

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LDS Top Picks: Cheery Christmas Feasts in Beijing

Celebrate Christmas with Cheery Feasts in Beijing’s Best Dining Establishments!

Christmas is literally just around the corner (sorry for not getting this live earlier!), but hopefully this reaches all Beijingers before it’s too late!  If you don’t have Christmas plans yet and you’re looking for something worth splurging on, there’s still plenty of quality options for special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch & dinner menus at Beijing’s top dining destinations.

Merry Christmas and with only a few days left, I hope you all make the best of the rest of 2013!

Christmas Dinner Break Down: (in alphabetical order)

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Thanksgiving 2013: LDS Picks for Top Turkey Feasts

Beijing’s Best Thanksgiving Feasts 2013

With terrific Thanksgiving spreads available around town throughout the week, there’s no reason why you have to pressure yourself into picking just one Thanksgiving meal.  We’ve waited all year long for this incredible turkey feast to come around again so make the most of it this year and sign yourself up for as many as you can stuff yourself with.

Whether you’re American is irrelevant because no matter where you’re from, everyone can appreciate a holiday focused on phenomenal food and good company, and celebrate Thanksgiving with a home-style meal even if they are so far away from home.

Last year, my gang of foodies managed to eat through two turkey feasts in one day. Some might call us guilty of gluttony, but I just say we were fully embracing the spirit of Thanksgiving. A very special time of year for foodies like us, it’s a time where diets are thrown out the window and you indulge guilt-free in anything and everything that is Thanksgiving goodness.

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