Graffiti: Love is Lonely

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Every day, I see this little message scribbled on the wall between the two elevators in my building. It is full of sage advice on love.

Translation:
很多人
Many people
因为寂寞错爱了一个人
because they are lonely, love someone for the wrong reasons
但更多人
But even more people
因为错爱一个人
because they love the wrong person
而寂寞一生!
are lonely for a lifetime!

Moral of the story: Stay single.

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A donkey, a horse, and a tourist climbed the Great Wall…

It’s not entirely uncommon to see farm animals such as horses and donkeys in Beijing, especially as they are often attached to fruit and vegetable carts for farmers trekking in from the countryside to sell their wares.


Horse in Chaowai

In fact, here’s a horse (or perhaps a hinny, a hybrid from a male horse and a female donkey) chilling out in Chaowai, right outside my office in the heart of the CBD (Central Business District). This one was a bit unusual because he was simply tied up, munching his feed from his feed bag, and doing his business. My first impulse was to look for the fruit cart.


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Then there was the time my sister and I were innocently walking along the Great Wall in Mutianyu, as one does, and behold! a donkey enjoying the fine autumn day with us. No one else blinked an eye, we were the only ones so gauche as to gawk.

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The love child of English and Chinese

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As seen in 帽儿胡同 Mao’er Hutong, near 南锣鼓巷 Nanluoguxiang.

This sign for a bookstore/tea house represents what I like best about Beijing’s–and China as a whole–burgeoning interest in design and language, the way that it cleverly takes both Chinese characters and the English alphabet to create something new.

In the Traditional character for book 書 (书 for those of you following at home in Simplified), the English word “book” replaces the bottom half of the character, while in the second character for tea 茶, the word “tea” fills in. As a language nerd, I find this so very charming and playful.

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中国-别无他处 China – Nowhere else

I can’t believe that in 2010 I only updated this blog four times. Every few weeks someone reminds me of how much they love this blog, even through its long silences, so darlings, I am listening. Yes, this blog still lives, and I still live here in Beijing. In the meantime, Beijing has actually become quirkier. Hurray!

Check out this take on the classic Beijing bus sign. If you can read the Chinese, from left to right, this bus sign gives the address of the little shop in Chinese (168 Gulou Dong Da Jie), then describes what the shop sells (a mix of handmade items), and ends with 别无他处 (nowhere else). I like to interpret this as meaning that the shop would rather be here rather than anywhere else.

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One A Day Photo Project: April 8th – April 10th

(I’m taking a photo a day of whatever is interesting in my life in Beijing. For the story behind this project, please go to the first entry in the project.)

April 8

View of Beijing from Xiangshan

Ack, another day where I forgot my camera. This photo is actually from nearly a year ago, when I went for a yoga retreat in Xiangshan (the Fragrant Hills). The view of Beijing from Xiangshan, as you can see here, was amazing.

The guy in the photo was a model of responsible environmentalism; he saw some trash on the ground when we were walking around looking for a temple, and–this is the impressive part–he picked it up to later dispose of it properly.

April 9

Jianwai Soho at dusk

This was not a day where I forgot my camera, but I didn’t leave my house all day on account of a total lack of interest in doing so. Oh well. Next time I shall take a photo of the inevitable baking/cooking project that is undertaken on these stay-at-home days. A photo of the Jianwai Soho complex at dusk, from a day when I actually did go out.

April 10

Eerily Empty Subway

Back in action with camera in tow. Beijing is so crowded that when it isn’t filled with people, it’s rather eerie.

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One A Day Photo Project: April 1st – April 7th

Last year, my friend B in Florianopolis, Brazil began a wonderful project. She started taking a photo a day. When I wrote to tell her how much I enjoyed her project, she suggested that I do the same since she wanted to see Beijing from a personal perspective. As quirkyBeijing tends to go through long phases of non-updating when I’m not feeling inspired, I’m taking her up on her suggestion!

I can’t promise that I’ll take a photo a day, since already I have been hampered by forgetting my camera at home, but I will try my best.

Apologies to anyone who is accessing this in China and cannot see the photos because Flickr is blocked. I can upload the photos directly to the website, but the uploading process tends to strip out quite a bit of color information from the photos. So the choice was made to stick to Flickr. You can access Flickr photos on Firefox with the add-ons Gladder or Access Firefox.

Dedicated to B for being the inspiration behind this project.

April 1
Construction workers

This is the obligatory New China photo of construction workers at a building site. Better get it out of the way now.

April 2

Looking for directions in the subway

I spend a lot of time in the subway traveling to and fro, listening to the women come and go, talking of Michelangelo. These two people consulting each other on directions were an oasis of calm in the midst of the busy Beijing rush hour.

April 3

Some say creepy, and others say weird, but I say charming. This cat teapot was part of the decor at what is easily one of Beijing’s quirkiest restaurants, serving delicious Hangzhou cuisine in a French farmhouse atmosphere in a small courtyard.

April 4

Beijing magazine stand

These newsstands selling magazines and newspapers are dotted all around Beijing.

April 5

Swing dancing

Every Monday evening, I take swing dancing lessons with Swing Beijing. This is the Level 2 Lindy Hop class, just before my own class starts.

April 6

Illustrated Graffiti at university

Illustrations and graffiti liven up the walls at my university.

April 7

Bikes against a wall.

OK, I admit it, this was a day when I forgot my camera (this happened over the next 3 days!) because I took it out to upload photos. Oh dear. So here is a photo from when I was preparing for this project, another New China photo involving bikes against a hutong wall, etc.

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it’s a hard knock life

One of the distinct pleasures of walking around Beijing’s hutongs is the colorful doors and the unusual door knobs. Here is a collection of the door knobs that I have seen around Beijing. (16 photos total)

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hutong door

hutong door

hutong door

hutong door

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Life at 134 Jiaodaokou Nan Da Jie (交道口南大街134号)

It’s been an embarrassingly long time since I updated this website! Now that I’ve managed to update WordPress and get the comments working again, it’s time to update qB itself.

My friend V and I did a hutong photo shoot. These photos were taken at our last stop, a row of street food vendors.

交道口南大街134号

交道口南大街134号

交道口南大街134号

交道口南大街134号

交道口南大街134号

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thumbgirl: the aesthetic of cute


卜算子 陌生的尘埃MV from ThumbGirl’s latest album, 伤花怒放

Based in Beijing but tracing its influences back to the UK’s Sarah Records, ThumbGirl (拇指姑娘) is China’s first tweepop band.  Like their name – a translation of Thumbelina – their sweet and gentle music evokes a child’s sense of wonder. This is a band that makes Belle and Sebastian look edgy.

ThumbGirl live in Beijing

You can listen to their music either at their charming website or on MySpace.

I first discovered ThumbGirl when my classmate’s band, The Big Picture, opened for them at a show.  Check out both bands!

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beijing in vintage postcards from images of asia

Street Sprinking in Beijing (from Images of Asia)

Street cleaners wash down a city street in old Beijing.

Chinese Lunch Counter on the Streets of Beijing

Chinese Lunch Counter on the Streets of Beijing

 

Chinese Water Carrier

Chinese Water Carrier

The Images of Asia stock image website combines two of my favorite things: vintage postcards and historic China. These evocative postcards, some with their original stamps, are organized by cities and by studios.  The collection also includes rare handmade illustrated postcards and ones that were created by Chinese-American studios.  As the name of the website indicates, there are also postcards from all around Asia.

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