Today we head to Beijing, a city that is as much about power, as it is about play. I’ve visited Beijing several times, including a trip with my Columbia Business School friends.  I have fond memories of us taking over the Park Hyatt, dining on Peking duck at Dadong and partying it up late night, all while trying to finish our Capital Markets Midterm.  Clearly one of the most important skills I learned in business school was to multi-task.

I also visit Beijing because one of my closest friends moved there about 4 years ago.  Eddie’s intention was to do  a two-year stint before returning home to make partner at his firm.  What he didn’t count on was finding career opportunities that couldn’t be matched in the U.S. and meeting his beautiful wife Sarah.  Sarah was a singer signed with Sony music, and is now a successful entrepreneur.  She epitomizes the new Beijing elite.

While I miss Eddie at our Sunday night dinners, I couldn’t be happier for his success. On my visits, we brunch with the Chinese National Football Team at the St. Regis, drink champagne all day, and dine with the son of a Chinese billionaire, who has so many Ferraris everyone has lost count.  Eddie lives a glamorous life as a expat in Beijing, and luckily I get to share in it on our visits.  Our recommendations are truly the insider’s Beijing, which we hope you have a chance to experience too.

All the best,