2014 is the Year of the Horse, under the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. Were I still in Shanghai, I would see red lanterns and giant horses strung up all over the city in celebration of the auspicious occasion. Last year was the Year of the Snake, supposedly a period of great change […]
Festivals and Holidays
Christmas in DC: The National Christmas Tree
While perhaps not as famous as the evergreen that draws millions to Rockefeller Center in New York City every year, the National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC, has been an American tradition since 1923. Calvin Coolidge was the first U.S. president to illuminate a tree on the Ellipse behind the White House. Thus the National […]
Christmas in DC: Holiday Boat Parade of Lights
Having recently returned to the States, I am eager to immerse myself in Christmas spirit. While Shanghai did its best to decorate for the holidays, the effect was often more comical than festive. America, on the other hand, revels in seasonal cheer. When I heard Christmas tunes blaring from stores at the mall the day after […]
Shanghai Cherry Blossom Festival
Spring has arrived in Shanghai and the evidence is blooming in the city’s many parks and gardens. Despite Shanghai’s reputation as an overdeveloped megalopolis, there is an amazing abundance of well-tended green spaces. One of the newest is Gucun Park, and at 180 hectares, it’s the largest of the city’s so-called forest parks which give […]
Literary Lunch at M on the Bund, Shanghai
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a function at the Shanghai International Literary Festival, which has been running annually since 2003. The Festival draws authors from around the world and has become a major event in the Shanghai arts scene. Over 50 writers attended the 2013 Festival, including James and Deborah Fallows and Tom […]