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Tang’ Roulou was founded in Beijing in 2007 as a brand of clothes and accessories for children. French designers Amélie Peraud and Pierre-Yves Babin, have a passion for all things Chinese and this is reflected in their authentic, hand-crafted, unique creations. Together, Amélie and Pierre-Yves form a perfect creative symbiosis, they understand and complement each other and work harmoniously seeking perfection. Their products are a true reflection of their passion and love for beauty and craftsmanship. As I looked around their boutique shop in Sanlitun, Amélie told me the inspiration behind some of the items. Each design is created with patience and tender love and care, in an attempt to revive the timeless traditions that our grandmothers used to live by.

It all began when Amélie started making very personal gifts for her friends in France: She designed blankets for their babies, which she had sewn here in China by a local seamstress. Her designs were very well received and Amélie felt very encouraged, so Tang’ Roulou was born. The same attention to detail from the starting days is carried on to the present.

“Dragons, phoenix and goldfish from Asian imaginary dance joyfully in a setting of dots, stripes and flowers, enhanced with a retro touch – sometimes daring but always elegant”.

Inspired by their travels and observations – from Beijing’s traditional hutongs to remote rural villages – Tang’ Roulou translates their designs into the most adorable children’s clothes and accessories: Shanghai traditional Qipao dresses, crochet handmade jewelry, cuddly blankets, Lama-monk-style reversible bags and my personal favourite: embroidered notebook covers. These products are special: They are not mass produced items that you will find in a supermarket or department store. Each garment and accessory is made individually, making sure that even the last polka dot in the seam matches perfectly. They are made mostly of cotton prints, personally chosen by Amélie and Pierre-Yves, not only in Beijing, but also on their travels around China.

Tang’ Roulou has two workshops in Beijing where their products are hand-made by local seamstresses The embroidery details come from Baihua (Hundred Flowers), a women’s cooperative in North West China. Excellence and elegance are the key elements in Tang’ Roulou’s precious treasures.

Now Tang’ Roulou’s retro-chic products can be bought online. There is an ordering hotline if you don’t speak Chinese.

You can also find them at the following outlets:

BEIJING:
Tang’ Roulou – Sanlitun North Road No. 30 – Phone: 010-6416-9761
Brand New China – Sanlitun North Road – NLG-09a –
The Orchard – Cuigezhuang – Hegezhuang village –
Wuhao curated shop – Maoer hutong n˚35
SHANGHAI:
L’Atelier Mandarine – Tai Kang Lu 210 / n˚3 Room 318 – Phone: 021-6473-5381

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Are you a keen shoper? There is definitely more to shopping in Beijing than the Pearl Market and Silk Street.  Antiques, gorgeous Tibetan rugs, funky up-and-coming Chinese designers and gorgeous cashmere scarves abound. Want some more tips? Get in touch at info@wildchina.com.

Photos by Chelin Miller (1&3) and Tang’ Roulou (2)

 

Whether your goals for the Year of the Dragon are to eat your way through China through China for Foodies or to take the most memorable family vacation yet, AsiaTravel can help plan your journey. Highlights for the new year include new small group programs that feature intimate groups of just 16 travelers, with a dedicated AsiaTravel Tour Director throughout the journey.

AsiaTravel will shortly be launching some exciting cross-border trips. Stay tuned for a trip that travels from Guizhou in southern China into lush northern Vietnam as well as a trip that travels overland from Mongolia’s grasslands into China’s capital city.

 

Everyone at AsiaTravel is anticipating that Yunnan will be one of our most sought after travel destinations.  What we like about Yunnan is that there a bit of something for everyone. You are an avid hiker looking for a change of pace and a challenge? Take a look at Yunnan: South of the Clouds. Looking to travel on an ancient trade route to deepen your knowledge of tea? You will definitely drool over Ancient Tea and Horse Road. And our friends over at Travel + Leisure agree that Xishuangbanna is definitely one of the Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012.

 

We look forward to sharing another exciting year with you.  From everyone at AsiaTravel, hope 2012 is off to a great start!

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Photo credit (for 2nd photo): iLearn Culture

Earlier this week, The New York Times posted “The 45 Places to Go in 2012.” Everyone at AsiaTravel was excited to see that Lhasa, Tibet (#9) and Moganshan, a village outside of Shanghai (#18),  made the list!

Even if you have not yet traveled to Lhasa (which you should), mental images of dramatic Himalayan peaks, devout Buddhist worshipers and piercing blue skies immediately spring to mind.  If you have traveled to this wild part of the world, I am sure you can remember your first savory bite of a yak dumpling, known in Tibetan as momo. Yum.

In recent years, large luxury hotel players such as St. Regis Lhasa have entered the Tibetan landscape and the InterContinental Resort Lhasa Paradise and the 284-room Shangri-La are set to follow in 2013. We will make sure to keep you posted on who has the best breakfast…

Those less familiar with China may scrunch up their eyebrows and say, “Moganshan? What’s that like?”

 

A quick three hour zip out of Shanghai, Monganshan is a fantastic getaway from city living.  For guests who are already in the area, we often suggest including a restorative and romantic stay in Moganshan– especially while on AsiaTravel’s Chinese Classical Gardens, a trip that winds through Suzhou, Wuzhen and other beautiful water towns along the Grand Canal.

Whether your 2012 travel plans include Lhasa or Moganshan, you cannot go wrong!

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For more information on traveling to Moganshan and/or Lhasa, please contact info@wildchina.com

Photo credit: (2nd) myALN, (3rd) Naked Stables

 

Last week, Shanghua Zhang, one of the 2012 AsiaTravel Explorer Grant winners, began his trek in the Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture. Along his journey, he will spend time in The Chaqingsongduo Nature Reserve which houses two-thirds of the world’s population of white-lipped deer or Thorold’s deer, the second largest glacier in the prefecture, and the sources of numerous streams and rivers, and the peak of the mighty Mount Gongga.

AsiaTravel spoke with him days before his trip to learn more about how he was preparing for his travels.

AsiaTravel Travel (WCT):  How have you been preparing for your adventure?

Shanghua Zhang (SZ):  First things first, travel insurance! As I am traveling for 30 days, travel insurance is important. In addition, I also purchased an SLR camera so I will leave the trip with memorable photos.  Of course, since the camera is relatively heavy, I may not always have the engery to take photos!

Additionally, I have extensively researched my route, looking at online information and speaking with local contacts.  There has not been a huge amount that I have found online– this area is quite remote– but I always have the attitude that I can figure it out as long as I have the right clothing and enough food.

WCT:  What are you most looking forward to seeing?

SZ:  During the trip, I am most looking forward to seeing is to see the wild white-lipped deer.  They are exceptionally hard to find and a real national treasure– only a few thousand survive, even in the Tibetan areas.

WCT:  Is there one item that you cannot travel without?

SZ:  Of course. I always carry a  local handmade knife that I received as a present several years ago. I now collect traditional knives when I travel– I find them beautiful.

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If you are interested in learning more about the AsiaTravel Explorer Grant, please do not hesitate to get in touch at info@wildchina.com. 

 

A couple of weekends ago, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in town co-chairing the third U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) alongside China’s State Councilor Liu Yandong.  They discussed and presented plans for increased collaboration and exchange between the two countries over a huge variety of areas.  A couple of topics that really grabbed AsiaTravel’s attention were education and women.

 

 

On education, Secretary Clinton stated, “American students…are yearning to learn more about China, and you cannot learn that from a textbook. You learn it from sitting across a table, having a discussion, sharing a meal, learning a language. There is nothing that substitutes for being in each other’s countries.”  We could not agree more.  When students on our educational programs return from trip, the focus is typically on how much they appreciated the homestays with local families or giving lessons in English, art, basketball or the hokey-pokey to a group of Chinese students.

 

 

Concerning women, the story of women entrepreneurship in China certainly hits close to home, and it’s empowering to hear that conversations about the ways to improve opportunities for girls and women in both nations (and around the world) will continue.  After all, as mentioned in this inspiring microblog:

 

 

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Photos by AsiaTravel & Michael Gross, U.S. Department of State & textsfromhillaryclinton.tumblr.com

 

Recognized by National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveller and Travel + Leisure as the pioneering travel company in China, AsiaTravel has accomplished a lot of “firsts” in our time. From the kora of Meili Snow Mountain in 1999, to launching the Tea and Horse Caravan in 2004, to pioneering ascents in the Abujee region of Tibetan Yunnan, AsiaTravel has always embraced an untamed spirit for adventure and innovation.

Simply put, we believe in commitment to a curious life. With that in mind, this year AsiaTravel is launching a new endeavor right in our backyard. Where the Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series will bring intimate bi-monthly dinners to the Beijing community to feature members of our esteemed expert network. We look forward to offering an unparallelled experience for Beijing residents and visitors alike — an intimate and informative evening spent with renowned entrepreneurs, journalists, photographers and environmentalists.

To kick off this series, Hollywood producer Janet Yang will be speaking on Thursday evening, March 15th at In & Out. Yang has distinguished herself by serving as a bridge between East and West, and the business and creative communities, for decades.

Initially representing Chinese films for North American distribution in the early 80’s, she was then hired by the major Hollywood studios to broker the first sale of American films back to China.  This was followed by her start in production working with Steven Spielberg on the historic production in Shanghai of EMPIRE OF THE SUN. After a stint as a production executive at Universal, Yang joined Oscar winner writer/director Oliver Stone, serving as President of their company, Ixtlan.  There she produced, among many others, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT (Golden Globe Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay and Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Actor), and the THE JOY LUCK CLUB, based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan.  Most recently, Yang wrapped production in Shanghai on the film, SHANGHAI CALLING.  Her previous productions were a Chinese version of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL for Disney, and the film DARK MATTER with Meryl Streep.

Event Details:

• In & Out Yunnan Restaurant 云南一坐一忘餐厅
• Sanlitun North Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing No. 1 北京朝阳区三里屯北小街1号RMB 250 to be paid at the door
• Dinner is capped at 35 people. RMB 250 at the door

Event Rundown:

• 6:30 p.m. Registration 登记
• 7:00 p.m. Opening remarks & speaker introduction 开场白并向大家介绍我们的特邀嘉宾
• 7:30 p.m. Dinner served 晚餐开始

 

 

Time and again, employees of AsiaTravel are asked by clients, friends and family about their favorite places to travel in China.  This is a really hard question. And while many of us may hum and yaw for a few minutes, Tibet comes up as one of the most amazing places to travel in the world. There is something very special about visiting the birthplace of the Dalai Lama, witnessing monks in worship, soaking in the panoramic views of the Himalayas and having your first sip of yak butter tea…

This summer, AsiaTravel is offering three unique offerings for Tibet travel.

Family Adventures in Tibet: On the Roof of the World is a seven-day trip  geared towards family travel. Depending on the ages of your group, AsiaTravel will customized activities appropriate for the travelers. For  young families, participate in a prayer flag making class and moderate biking surrounding Lhasa, while families with older children can spend a morning volunteering at Jatson Chumig, an NGO geared towards educating Tibetan youth and camping outside on the Tibetan plateau. Smores included!

Tibet’s Mt. Everest: Journey to Base Camp, a a 9 day trip in Tibet, visits Lhasa and Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet and the seat of the Panchen Lama, but the real highlight of this journey is the visit to Mt. Everest base camp. Used by climbers of the northeast ridge of Mt. Everest, the North Base Camp is located in a sheltered spot directly below the massive north face of Mount Everest.  After visiting base camp, descend to the Nepalese border or, for a more rugged experience, traverse onward to Mt. Kailash for a challenging, 3-day pilgrimage trek.

 

Do you have a high school student passionate about China? If so, get in touch to learn more about AsiaTravel’s 2012 Summer Expedition. Departing from San Francisco (June 30-July 21, July 14th-August 4th), students will travel with experienced AsiaTravel tour leader Devin Corrigan to Beijing, Yunnan in Southwest China and have the opportunity to partake in +30 hours of community service.  In Tibet, the group will undertake a trek they may never top: three nights of hiking and camping through the Tibetan countryside to the pass of Jeshul La, stopping to explore villages and a monastery before reaching Yamdrok Lake, which, at 14,500 feet, kisses the sky above with equally blue water. For application information, please get in touch at education@wildchina.com.

 

 

Don’t see a trip that perfectly fits your travel needs? Don’t worry– we have countless ideas to customize the perfect journey for you.

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Before international airfare spike, now is the perfect time to plan your Tibetan summer adventure.  Get in touch with AsiaTravel at info@wildchina.com.

Want to read more about Tibet? Check out AsiaTravel travelers Janet Heininger and Jamie Reuter’s blog on their experiences traveling in Lhasa.

 

Since 2001, AsiaTravel has been the leader in cultural immersion and adventure expeditions for student travel in China.  This year, AsiaTravel is thrilled to be leading a select group of 2012 AsiaTravel Student Expedition Explorers to Beijing, Yunnan and Tibet to experience elements of community service, physical challenge and cultural immersion. 

On the 26 day journey, students will climb the Great Wall at Jinshanling, an off-the-beaten path portion of the wall and then spend the night of a lifetime barbequing and camping out alongside one of the wonders of the world. Immerse yourself in the rhythm of life in a small mountain village as you work with local villagers in the rugged and gorgeous southwest province of Yunnan. Spend three days trekking in Tibet, in areas infrequently visited by international travelers.  Expect to complete 40 hours of community service.

Trip Highlights:

 

• Wander across the behemoth Tian’anmen Square, stroll through the sprawling Forbidden City, and marvel at China’s most stunning – and deservedly iconic – sites

 

• There’s more to China than the famous images we can all conjure. Spend an unforgettable morning at Beijing’s Huiling School for the intellectually disabled, exchanging games, activities, and crafts

 

• In Old Town Lijiang in Yunnan province, weave between atmospheric cobblestone streets, willow-lined waterways and decorative arched bridges as you explore one of China’s most beautiful cities

 

• Roll up your sleeves and get to work helping the proprietor of an eco-lodge in Shangri-la. There’s plenty of landscaping and painting to be done!

 

• Do as the Tibetans do: in the far north of Yunnan, we’ll sample the salty Tibetan tea and cheese, dance with a gleeful Tibetan family, master the basics of the Tibetan language, and receive an introduction to the ancient art of Thangka painting

 

• Bike a kora around Lhasa, stopping by Jatson Chumig School for a day of service and cultural exchange with the school’s orphans

 

• Undertake a trek you may never top: three nights of hiking and camping through the Tibetan countryside to the pass of Jeshul La, stopping to explore villages and a monastery before reaching Yamdrok Lake at 14,500 feet, which kisses the sky above with equally blue water

 

 

With the assistance of local Beijing, Yunnan and Tibet guides, the trip will be led by Devin Corrigan, a AsiaTravel Manager and experienced tour leader. Devin originally hails from the Boston area and has spent nearly three years living in China.  In addition to his projects in the office, he also leads many of our education trips – a continuation of an interest he developed in college while leading fellow students on hiking and camping excursions near Washington, D.C. In his free time, Devin conducts research work for The New Yorker magazine, devours travel writing, hunts for new sections of the Great Wall to hike, and squeezes in as many trips around Asia as he possibly can. Devin graduated with an honors degree in Chinese language and English literature from Georgetown University.

 

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For more questions about the 2012 AsiaTravel Student Expedition and to receive an application, please get in touch at info@wildchina.com. Apply now!

 

Last week, during a talk at the Capital M Literary Festival, Jeff Fuchs said something that got me thinking: “Tibetans own nothing but masses of land, huge herds and a fortune in rocks”. He was showing us some portrait photographs of the Tibetans he met on his journeys while researching and exploring the Tea and Horse Road that connected China with Tibet. Some of them were displaying beautiful collections of jewelry: necklaces, earrings, rings and trinkets made of turquoise, coral and pearls. These materials can’t possible be found naturally in Tibet. That idea resonated in my mind and I remembered reading something along those lines in Chris Buckley’s recently published book “Living Hands – Tibetan Arts and Artisans”.

Chris Buckley explains that Tibetan men and women often have large collections of  jewelry around their necks, treasured for fun, decoration, as a store of wealth or amulets for protection. They can be beads, zi stones, silver ornaments, amber, ivory, gawu (amulet cases) and thogcha (good luck charms). Some of these objects are made in Tibet or Nepal. Others travelled vast distances and are a testament to ancient trading links for which no written records exist. Pearls and coral were traded from the Mediterranean. Cloudy yellow amber came from the Baltic. Ivory arrived from India. Turqoise and agate were brought in from Afghanistan. Glass beads were traded from India, China and from eastern Europe.

The photograph above is courtesy of Chris Buckley. From the top: turquoise, agate, amber, zi beads, bone and a turquoise+silver hair ornament.

If you are interested in reading more about Jeff Fuchs’ Tea Horse Road Journey, and his love and passion for tea and mountains, visit his website. And for information about Jeff Fuchs’ expeditions with AsiaTravel visit here.

For more information about Chris Buckley’s book; or a previous review of the book on our blog.

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Pictures and text from Chelin Miller, AsiaTravel’s expert blogger on the finer things in China.

Last minute bookers of Chinese Treasures, a thirteen day journey throughout China, will save USD 300 if they book before April 2nd!

 

China – where the past, present and future can be experienced all in one. If this is your first and only chance to visit China, then this is the trip. Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai present the classic images of China – imperial palaces stand side by side with skyscrapers. Beautiful Yunnan province in the southwest, known for its ethnic diversity, traditional lifestyles and stunning natural scenery, forms a contrast to the developed parts of China.

 

AsiaTravel Founder Mei Zhang handcrafted this itinerary for her closest friends in 2009. We are now making it available for very small groups of 16 discerning travelers for the first time. Travelers will explore the imperial capitals of Beijing and Xi’an, gaining access to an emperor’s childhood home at the Forbidden City, a largely un-restored section of the Great Wall and the famed Terracotta Warriors Museum. We then go off the beaten path, visiting villages and glaciers in the famed Tibetan area of Shangri-La and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lijiang. Our journey ends in China’s bustling financial center of Shanghai – the “Paris of the East.”

Some of our favorite trip highlights include having dinner with a Tibetan family in Zhongdian (Shangri-La), getting an insider view into the old hutongs of Beijing and an early morning taichi class.

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Interested in learning more about Chinese Treasures? Get in touch at info@wildchina.com and one of our AsiaTravel travel consultants would love to answer any of your questions.