Rotaract Young Professionals Networking event

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Thursday evening 14 May 2015 at The Bookworm we had our Young Professionals Networking Event, organized by Beijing Rotaract. It was a chance to meet young professionals in Beijing and give to charity at the same time; proceeds went for earthquake relief in Nepal, through Shelterbox – we raised RMB 1245, a modest sum as unfortunately few Rotarians turned up.

Guest speaker was Daniel Mulroy who spoke about the art of coping with cultural differences and leveraging multicultural workforces to get things done and even achieve higher output. Daniel is currently the Director of Research & Development at the Leithon Consulting Group. He has more than 18 years of experience in entrepreneurship and business planning.
Thanks to Rotarians Daniel, Apithy and Marc-Philipp for their support.
I also had the chance to introduce Mr. Li Wei who is deeply involved with the local Chinese charity “OpenDoing”. Some of my friends are volunteers there and regularly visit retirement homes and schools for children with disabilities.
See: www.opendoing.com
It is a proof many Chinese people start to actively participate in charity, something rather new in China.
And one pic is a view of the new building under construction of SOHO Sanlitun, to be a hotel.

Beijing Rotaract Elections: the new board

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Monday 11 May we had our Rotaract elections in The Bookworm.
See here the results, the new Board for Rotaract Beijing 2015/2016

President: Anissa Zidi (France)
Vice President: Frederik Kerckhof (Belgium)
Treasurer: Tristan Louette (France)
Secretary: Emmanuel Hanley-Lloyd (UK)
Director – External Relations and Projects: Johanna Chen (Germany)
A special Advisory Board Position (for Chinese Citizens):
External Relations – Chinese Projects: Sophie Zheng (China)
Missing: a Director-Marketing, position to be filled soon.

We are also looking forward to our Social event in The Bookworm on 14 May 7 pm.
We look forward to another Rotaract year that will start in July. A warm welcome to the new board! See the pic with the new board as well as the new and present board.

Our Old China Hands 8 May: second anniversary!

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Yes, time flies and this month we celebrate two years of our “Old China Hands Monthly Lunch”. Originally it was the first Monday of the month; now it is normally the first Friday.
This time, the first Friday being 1 May we shifted to 8 May.

Busy season for most and also some got felled by a virus going around in Beijing.
We were twenty, and – sniff – all men. But lively exchange as always.
See some of attendees: you may know some of them…
Next round: Friday 5 June.

Salud Bar Nanluoguxiang: Rotaract evening, and a flashback at 2010

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Monday 4 May 2015, with the holidays just behind us, a social evening in Salud. Turnout was pretty good under the circumstances.
I actually was there years ago for another Rotaract social, with clips I posted on YouTube, see here the short report:

Beijing Rotaract first anniversary
On 5 July 2010 the Beijing Rotaract held its first anniversary party in SALUD, Nanluoguxiang. Great evening, great party and nice people.

Talking about young talent, here it comes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uN5HpVn300

If in China, you need a VPN to watch the clips…
I also show here the pics of that very successful mega-party as I think it was never put on a website. Many familiar faces who have left Beijing…

The Johnnie Walker House in Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The Johnnie Walker House in Beijing

On 30 April my friend Barry invited me “for a drink”, somewhere near Qianmen.
Well, that was both a surprise and a discovery.
We went to an old and historical compound near Qianmen, 23 Qianmen Dong Da Jie. I admit I never went there. The large buildings I understand are from the old foreign concessions and host companies such as Patek Philippe. The former Maison Boulud French Restaurant closed in December 2013, the building (pictured) is there still. Chef Daniel Boulud was considered “the one” in Beijing. I guess now the medal has been passed to Temple Restaurant Beijing.

We had a nice dinner in Lost Heaven, Yunnan food, before our visit to the Johnnie Walker House next door. Nothing of what I expected…
The building is pretty large, three floors at least and counts several meeting rooms, bars, exhibitions and more. The color of the walls is mostly copper – referring to the distillery. I dare not guess how much the House has cost… They have other Houses in Shanghai and Chengdu.
Of course, special and unique collections of the famous whisky, historical details, a view on the different distilled varieties and a large bar that also serves to host events. In it, the “hidden bar”, activated by a laser beam and made with a Porsche design.
I also found the series of the Chinese zodiac, with “my” bottle of the Rat (with the famous hat…).

We were lucky: it was a special evening with shows. Among others: a brass quintet, guqin recital, a very young Canadian Chinese girl with an incredible voice, a famous French musician (Julian), magicians and a Rubik Cube Olympic-type guru …
Last but not least: our team managed to more or less empty at least one Blue Label bottle. Simply divine… Without ice obviously!
Thanks Barry. Pity I only had my rather lousy mobile camera to shoot some pics… The House is a great place to shoot some good pictures.