SOUTH CHINA
MINI TALK
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AROUNDTOWN Your South China news round-up for the month of May
Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner In an effort to reduce the future spread of H7N9 Bird Flu, the Guangzhou government is to trial a new method of poultry slaughter and distribution. Under this new scheme, birds will be slaughtered centrally and delivered to markets cold or frozen. During this period, live poultry will also be available at markets, but breeding will be banned. We support any changes that will safeguard public health!
High-Speed Train Ticket Price Cut Guangzhou Railway Group has announced that there will be a reduction on train fares for 28 high-speed trains that run on the Beijing-Guangzhou-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway lines from April to June, 2014. During this period there will be a 20% reduction on certain fares in the business, special and first class categories. Passengers on the designated trains in the allotted time period will be eligible for the reduced fares.
New Metro Lines For Guangzhou
Anime Fans Unite
Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission has announced that 11 new metro lines will be completed by 2016. The government will invest more than RMB 200 billion to build 19 railway transportation projects, 11 of which are the building or extension of metro lines. These plans will make many more areas of the city easily accessible and will reduce the burden of traffic on Guangzhou’s roads.
From 1 May to 3 May, and again from 18 July to 21 July (just in case you missed it), guests are able to attend the biggest anime exhibition in the South China region. Cartoon fanatics are able to meet other likeminded enthusiasts to enjoy the art form through a variety of media such as galleries, interactive activities, dress up and much more. The Firefly ACG Festival will be held at the Poly World Trade Expo Centre. 1,000 East Xingang Lu, Zhuhai, Guangzhou.
BEAUTY TALK
Hydro Beauty Spa Treatment @ JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen This month, JW Marriott Shenzhen will launch the firstever hydro beauty spa treatments at Quan Spa and Talk Magazine was lucky enough to be amongst the first to test this innovative therapy.
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uan, a Chinese word meaning “a source of pure water”, is an auspicious, and potentially ambitious, word to represent a spa that seeks to provide a path to wholeness and well-being through hydro beauty spa treatments. However, Quan Spa at the JW Marriott pulls it off with aplomb. Through the ages, the search for an elusive elixir to eternal youth and vitality was found to be none other than a simple and natural element – water. Not only a key element of life, water is the best ingredient for improving the skin naturally.
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Understanding the importance that water plays in our everyday lives, Quan Spa created the first-ever spa experience based on water therapies. The aptly named Hydro Beauty SPA Treatment (RMB 950 for 80 minutes) began with a 20 minute micro bubble bath that releases millions of superoxide micro bubbles, which are 0.5 millimetre and therefore smaller than your pores. It is equivalent to having a bubble body mask as it safely and effectively removes a thickened layer of epidermis, moisturises the skin and increases blood
circulation. We entered the deep and warm bathtub from the comfort of our mood-lit treatment room after initially changing and showering in the private en-suite bathroom. The atmosphere was peaceful and periodically, throughout our 20-minute soak, our therapist came in with rehydrating sweet soup, liu wei tang. The nutritious broth was full of Chinese herbs and helped to rehydrate and revive us whilst in the warm tub. After the water therapy finished, we dried off and made our short way over to the massage table for a 60-minute full body massage. Using scented oils combined with skin rolling, thumb and palm movements, this firm massage worked wonders at releasing our tension, and soothed our body, mind and spirit. The effect was uniquely relaxing as well as energising and we were longing for
our smiling and well-trained therapist to lose track of time. Unfortunately, and all too quickly, our calming and aromatic experience came to an end and we were left to change in the spacious treatment room where we were able to admire our newly clean, smooth and radiant skin. Quan Spa comprises of eight spacious private treatment suites including a Vichy Shower room and two bathing suites – one for couples and one for single guests. Also available are heat experience areas, containing sauna, steam room, hot whirlpool, chill showers and relaxation areas. The spa is truly an oasis of calm, where relaxation and rejuvenation are guaranteed. JW Mariott Hotel Shenzhen. 6,005 Shennan Boulevard, Futian District. Tel: (86 755) 2269 8160. Web: www.marriott.com
COVER STORY
The Many Faces Of The Pearl River Delta Guangzhou Skyline
Although the PRD might have got a bad rep recently with the well-publicised shutdown of a certain industry in Dongguan and the subsequent exodus of specially trained masseuses, there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to this interesting part of South China. Aside from
the famed Cantonese food, which you will discover around every corner, the PRD is a region of juxtapositions, steeped in history and ancient cultures it is spearheading China’s entrance as a global, economic powerhouse and business hub. We visited Shenzhen and Guangzhou to find out more.
Located in the city centre, Starr Hotel Shanghai which belongs to Lai Fung Holdings Limited is a wise choice for business or individual guests who are looking for a warm hotel that will complement their lifestyle.
Talk Magazine Is Looking For An
Editorial Assistant
The Editorial Assistant will report directly to the Managing Editor and cover all areas related to the magazine. Candidates should be resourceful and able to stick to strict deadlines. They must also be able to produce high quality editorial features and manage online content.
Luxury Living In The City @ STARR HOTEL SHANGHAI Deluxe Suite ONLY RMB 11,000 (net price per month)
• Candidate must be fluent in English • Ability to speak Mandarin is a plus • Writing samples will be required • A specific interest in/experience of working with online content and social media marketing is favourable
• 3 minutes walk to metro line 1(North Zhongshan Road Station) • 15 minutes drive to the city centre • Free shuttle bus service • Housekeeping service and bed sheet changing • Kitchen, refrigerator and washing/ drying machine in all rooms Valid until 31 August 2014 Reservations. Tel: 86-21-60105509. Email: info@starrhotels.com
To find out more or submit a resume and work samples, please contact nyima.pratten@gmail.com
A Member of Starr Hotels & Resorts 386 West Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200070, P.R.C. Tel: +86 (21) 6010 5509 http://www.starrhotels.com
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he Pearl River Delta Economic Zone consists of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Jiangmen. These cities have experienced rapid success since the
launch of China’s reform programme in 1979. The area excels in, and thrives on, advanced manufacturing, international shipping, logistics, trade, conferences, exhibitions and tourism. Guangzhou Opera House
Guangzhou Guangzhou is China’s third largest and fastest growing economic city, located in the heart of Guangdong province, at the estuary of the Pearl River. Guangzhou has a population of around 9.5 million with around 2.5 million migrant workers, far less
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historically powerful province due to its location, amongst other attributes. It was also the scene of many important, historical revolutions, which shaped the county’s development. The metropolis is full of proud Cantonese speaking residents as this historic centre of commerce continues its dominance and on-going evolution as an important area of politics, economy and culture. Historical areas of interest include the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, an ancient Buddhist temple built in
Yantian Port, Shenzhen
than neighbouring Shenzhen. Guangzhou has been a key trading port with the outside world for over 1,000 years and due, in-part, to their retained outward mind-set, it was one of the first cities to open up to the rest of the world after the creation of modern China as we know it. Guangzhou has always been an influential city in Guangdong; a
537 during the Liang Dynasty that is still running to this day, or a slightly more recent historical landmark, the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, built to commemorate Chinese revolutionary Sun Zhongshan. Contrast these cultural relics with the Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha
Hahid, the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize for Architecture, to gain a full understanding of Gangzhou’s interesting and important history and its future potential.
Shenzhen Shenzhen, situated in south-central Guangdong Province, is also one of China’s wealthiest and fastest-growing cities, although – don't expect to hear Cantonese used very often in day-today conversations as the vast majority of the local population are not Shenzhen natives. This is due to the fact that before the reform and opening policy of 1979, and its consequently successful status as a Special Economic Zone, it was actually just a small fishing village. The rapid foreign investment that was pumped into Shenzhen after the opening up, built the area into what we would recognise as Shenzhen today, and this development has not halted as it is still one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Home to a stock exchange, many banking and financial institutions and hi-technology manufacturing companies and one of the busiest container ports in the country, the city continues to lure fresh blood looking to make their fortune in this city of ever increasing opportunities.
HOTEL TALK
Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou: An Icon Of Style In The Sky Surely there can be nothing more luxurious than a hotel designed to make you feel like you’re floating in the sky? Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou claims the top third of the 103-storey Guangzhou IFC – one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers – and sits majestically, nestled in the clouds, above the city and opposite the Pearl River. Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou crowns the Guangzhou IFC – the centrepiece of the master-planned Pearl River New City and China’s newest architectural icon.
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pon arrival at the hotel, in our private limo pickup from the airport, the towering IFC building gave a striking first impression. The futuristic, spotless white first floor lobby acts as the perfect first introduction to the modern glamour that oozes from the classic hotel brand, Four Seasons. As we flew up the 70 floors to the hotel reception, the images on the small television screens gave us our first glimpse of the clouds we were to be looking down upon from our privileged vantage point in a Premier Riverview Room on the 93rd floor. Thanks to seamless, panoramic windows wrapping around the lobby, it was evident that we really were amongst the clouds. The sophisticated, elegant and modern lobby’s standout feature was, without a doubt, the 30-storey, internal atrium, which could comfortably fit the Statue of Liberty, with a skylight ocular device at the top, throwing down beams of light which sparkle off the polished white marble surfaces. The tapering diagonal glass façade has been compared to a diamond; the true jewel in the crown of Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou. The modern design of the hotel is tied closely to Chinese culture and tradition with small, and sometimes abstract, dragon and cloud motifs or detailing being used discreetly around the hotel; dragons are often depicted in Chinese mythology using clouds as a means of transportation. Guest rooms are spread from the 74th to 98th floor. The hotel also includes six restaurants and bars, spa, fitness centre, salon, indoor 25-meter lap pool, as well as eight meeting rooms and three ballrooms. This building breaks conventions, coupling luxury with avant-garde design. The architect used an unusual structure of angled, thick white columns, a unique design element. Even the spacious guest rooms and suites have angled, tapered columns in the corners, making all 344 of them different as the building narrows while rising, which means you will never
embodies a home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best. Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou. 5 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River New City, Tianhe District. Tel: (86 20) 8883-3888. Web: www.fourseasons.com/guangzhou
tire of staying at the hotel. Luckily for us, we were situated in a Premier Room and benefitted from a large, egg-shaped, freestanding bathtub, which was, we were told, inspired by the shape of the building. It was quite possibly the biggest bathtub we have ever seen, and thanks to our river view positioning, it meant that we could draw a bath and soak in cloud-like bubbles whilst looking at the spectacular, close up view of the Canton Tower, the fifth tallest freestanding structure in the world. The furniture, like every single aspect of this remarkable hotel, is very modern and beautifully polished in grey Italian lacquer. The elegant surroundings of the finest quality and the caring, highly personalised 24-hour service made us feel comfortable in the sky. However, the standout experience of our entire stay at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou was an extremely heart warming encounter with one of the housekeeping staff. After a spell of bad weather and all-nighters in Shanghai, we found ourselves feeling slightly under the weather in Guangzhou. One evening, before dinner, a member of the housekeeping staff entered our room for the nightly turndown service and heard our racking cough. Although no words about the illness were exchanged, later that evening, when we returned to the room, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a china tea set upon a silver tray had been left on the counter complete with boiling water, sliced lemons and two pots of honey. Talk Magazine is used to fantastic service but that type of intimate understanding was truly above and beyond the level of service expected. Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou truly
DINING OUT
Dim Sum Corner
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ny foodie worth their seasoning will be on cloud nine whilst dining on dim sum in Guangdong. Yum cha (a Cantonese phrase literally meaning drink tea) culture in the province is far reaching with everyone from old grannies, to businessmen and teenagers and starcrossed lovers all indulging in morning or afternoon tea and dim sum.
One of the most popular, and best value-for-money, spots in Guangzhou is Shangri-La’s Summer Palace. The Shangri-La brand has Summer Palace restaurants situated in some of the most luxurious locations around the world offering guests a taste of Canton through varied dim sum offerings. However, on a visit to Guangzhou’s restaurant, you will be able to truly say that you have tried the most authentic Summer Palace Cantonese cuisine in the heart of Canton. A good litmus test for the quality of dim sum is to try the siu mai (steamed pork dumplings). We were blown away by the steaming, flavourful dish and went on to order other traditional dishes such as prawn dumplings and BBQ pork
buns. Innovative dishes, such as black rice paper rolls, are also available. Finish off your lazy yum cha session with a delicious dessert. The desserts are not too sweet and are therefore relatively low in fat whilst being nutritious. We suggest the chestnut with red bean pudding, or our favorite, double skin boiled milk, which is topped by a wonderful layer of light, flaky pastry. Every weekend, Summer Palace offers a dim sum breakfast, which features more than 80 types of dim sum from 8am until 11:30am. Prices start at RMB 28 per dish (plus 15% service charge). Summer Palace. Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou. 1 Huizhan Dong Lu, Haizhu District. Tel: (86 20) 8917 8888. Web: www.shangri-la.com
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LOCAL TALK
Redtory A truly unique area in the hub of Guangzhou’s CBD where old, abandoned factories have be reclaimed by diverse art galleries, trendy boutiques and fashionable stores, turning a site that could have been left worthless and forgotten about into an artistic breeding ground. You could easily lose a day at Guangzhou Redtory Art & Design Factory taking in the art and
shopping to your heart’s content, sipping up coffee and pigging out on numerous cuisines. The outdoor space is also very well-kept and could provide hours of fun for children in the many shaded areas. Guangzhou Redtory Art & Design Factory 128, Yuancun Si Heng Lu, Tianhe. Tel: (8620) 8557 4417. Web: www.redtory.com.cn
Shi Wai Tao Yuan DIY Pottery Shop This pottery shop offers classes for young children who want to sit at the helm of their own pottery wheel. They offer instruction and all the materials you could need for RMB 80 or RMB 100 if a parent wants to join in for the fun. Shi Wai Tao Yuan DIY Pottery Shop. Unit D1c
Art Market This outdoor market features independent businesses selling a range of wears in the shade of their stalls. Make sure you say hi to the lovely lady selling leather belts and wallets at friendly prices. There is also a tableful of picture frames, 3D artwork and jewellery. Art Market. Central Street
Pig & Fish DIY Experience Space A restaurant-cum-coffee shopcum bar-cum-DIY cake making space, Pig & Fish really has it all! It’s a perfect afternoon experience for the kids, or an interesting date activity. Cream cakes start from RMB 89, which includes the ingredients, direction, workspace and the cake itself. You can’t say fairer than that!
360° Shop This design-store-cum-bookstore is jammed to the rafters with books, cute trinkets and fashionable homeware. Although all the books are in Mandarin, it is worth a visit to check out their design ideas. 360° Shop. Unit F13a
F2 Pig & Fish DIY Experience Space. Unit F2
L.P Time Coffee Shop A coffee shop with a difference! By day, it’s a coffee shop with some interesting design pieces such as a gramophone and a 1920s’ style telephone. By night, it’s a speakeasy style bar with a wide range of spirits and delicious cocktails starting from RMB 45; we know, we tried (all in the name of research).
C4 Gallery One of the many galleries at Redtory, C4 is a large space that represents the work of many different international artists, most recently Picasso. The gallery currently has an exhibition by 20th century Chinese artist, Wu Guangzhong. C4 Gallery. Unit C4
L.P Time Coffee Shop Unit E2/a
Luck Party Stock up on all your gifts at this trinket store - from tea sets to (un)subtle Chinese themed phone covers, from jewellery to decorated mouse mats. They’ve got you covered! Luck Party. Unit D1e
Uncle This Hong Kongese style diner is always buzzing with activity. Try their deliciously sweet milk tea (RMB 16) and French toast (RMB 20) for an afternoon snack or the more traditional shrimp wanton soup (RMB 25) and congee (from RMB 13) for something a little more filling. Uncle. Unit D2
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