Product: Rainbow-colored Kite
Price: 60 RMB
Q: Do you fly kites often?
A: I like to come out during the Spring when the wind is strong. Now is a good time to fly kites before the dust storms start up in Beijing.
Q: How long have you been flying kites?
A: I have been flying kites on and off for the past fourteen years. My father helped me make my first kite when I was six years old and I have been addicted ever since.
Q: Where do you go?
A: I like to go to places where there is not too many people. The gulou (鼓楼) square is a good place because most people cant get their kites to stay up due to the strong crosswinds between the bell tower and drum tower.
Q: How do you get the kite to stay up?
A: It’s like fishing. You have to know when to feed it more line and when to reel it in.
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April 26th, 2008
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we’ve had some problems with accessing the blog past couple weeks. now that youtube is back on, hopefully our site will be accessible as well. we’ve got plenty of consumerist goodness from china to share. stay tuned.
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March 25th, 2008
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China is the world largest consumer of solar energy, according to experts quoted by the China Daily. It is also the t is also the largest producer of solar water heaters and a major consumer. Above is a solar water heater on top of a traditional Qing dynasty house.
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February 28th, 2008
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Product: Lay’s Lychee flavoured chips
Price: 5.3 RMB
Q: What do you think they are trying to do with all these new chip flavours? You reckon it will be like the drink market in Japan where they bring out new flavours every other week?
A: I think it’s because China’s population is so big, they think there is a market for everything.
A conversations about Lychee flavoured chips with a friend at a Beijing bar (she’s a movie editor though, not a marketing expert). Other flavours spotted at a Beijing 7-11: Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, Hot Chili, Sichuan Pepper & Beijing Roast Duck.
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February 27th, 2008
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Product: Teletubbies fircrackers
Price: 20 Yuan for a box
Q: Those are the teletubbies! Who buys those? Mothers? Kids?
A: Yeah, kids buy them.
Q: Which ones do you like?
A: Oh, I like these fireworks for 160 RMB (with the Forbidden city on the box) they’re really colourful. I also like ones that make a lot of noise.
Q: How much do Beijingers spend on firecrackers during the New Year?
A: Quite lot, maybe a 100 or 200 RMB. But it brings you luck.
Q: What are your most expensive kind?
A: They cost 1000 RMB for a box.
Q: Do you sell a lot of those?
A: Not really, more people like the cheaper ones.
Conversation with a seller of fireworks on a Beijing street corner. (To put firework prices in perspective, a migrant labourer working in the city makes around 600-1000 RMB a month.) China spent an estimated USD 1 billion fireworks ringing in the Year of the Rat.
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February 13th, 2008
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Product: 2008 Olympics Pet Makeover
Price: Undisclosed
Q: Why have you made your dog into a 2008 Olympic mascot?
A: (No answer)
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February 9th, 2008
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Product: Chinese snake alcohol preparation kit
Price: 60 RMB
Q: What is this used for?
A: You can use it to make herbal alcohol.
Q: What’s in it?
A: All kinds of stuff, a wood mushroom called “lingzhi” (herb of
spiritual potency), snakes lizards, starfish, and ginseng.
Q: Why do you add all these things to alcohol?
A: It is good for you to drink it. It increases blood circulation and
makes you stronger.
Q: How long does it take to make a batch?
A: About a month, you have to let the alcohol soak up the ingredients
and pick up the flavour of the herbs.
Q: Who are your customers?
A: People who have back problems or leg problems buy it. We also sell
a lot to Korean and Japanese.You know, Chinese medicine is world
famous!
Q: Will it make me immortal?
A: No, I don’t think so.
This interview is with a stall owner at the open air part of Dongjiao market on Da Wang Lu. It was first published in Time Out Beijing.
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February 4th, 2008
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Product: Re-fill baijiu bag (Chinese grain alcohol)
Price: 3 RMB
As part of 2007 campaign to cut down greenhouse gases in China the government asked people to drink less,
“Drink half a litre less baijiu and save 0.88 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions.”
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January 23rd, 2008
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Q: How do you distinguish between Korean and Japanese fashion?
A: You can’t, I have to look at the labels.
Q:What’s the most popular style this season?
A: Korean.
Q: Why not Japanese?
A: Japan’s style is too flashy. They often pair together green socks with red skirts, Chinese people can’t really pull that off.
Q: So which style is the most cutting edge?
A: Japan.
Q: But what about Chinese fashion?
A: Ha ha, We can only copy them.
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January 22nd, 2008
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Q: Why is your restaurant called California Beef Noodle?
A: Mr. Li (the founder) is Chinese American. Mr. Li brought the company to China. Now there are over 400 restaurants in operation in China.
Q:Are there any outlets in the US?
A: No.
Q: So what kind of noodles do you serve?
A: American noodles.
Q: What’s the difference between Chinese and American noodles?
A: They are the same.
Q: Are your customers confused as to why the chain is called “California Beef Noodle”?
A: Some are a bit confused.
Q: Mr. Li looks a bit like Colonel Sanders…
A: (Nervous chuckle)…He looks very kindly (慈祥)
Interview with waitress outside California Beef Noodle restaurant in Wudaokou.
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January 22nd, 2008
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