One of my favorite things about Chicago is all the quaint side streets with cute homes of all kinds — big, small, brick, wood, old, new, modern, funky, crumbly.  There are big yards, small gardens, and tiny nooks to hang out in and enjoy a good book on a sunny day.  Because of the variety, the neighborhoods are filled with undeniable character and charm.  It is the opposite of the cookie cutter look that some suburban subdivisions can take on.  I can ride my bike down any street and have trouble looking straight ahead as I gape at the various styles of architecture and designs to my left and right.  Recently, I took a stroll down Grace Street in my neighborhood of Lakeview.

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Up a hill amidst a canopy of green trees and twinkling lights, dancers sway to the rhythms screeching out of a poor audio system.  Couples glide on an outdoor dance floor, ignoring the heat and humidity that’s fogging my camera lens and soaking my shirt.  Folks living in Shenzhen gather here, at Lotus Hill Park, once a week for some amazing ballroom dancing and other various shimmies and shakes.

Check out the video of the dancers here:

This big oasis of green in Shenzhen is known as Lotus Hill Park. Clinging to a hill, like a sloping Central Park, it’s the largest green space in the center of the city.

On a stroll up the wooded path to the top, we pass a Tai-Chi master teaching an expat businessman twice his size. As we get to the top of the hill, we see school kids enthusiastically practicing their English with their school groups.  Keep in mind, it’s the weekend.   One bold little boy comes over to chat with us and then inquisitively watches an old man paint Chinese letters on the pavement with a huge brush dipped in water.

Back down the hill, the dancers continue their lockstep moves.  I didn’t know the Chinese songs, but the smiles on their faces weren’t lost in translation.

Disclosure:  My trip to Hong Kong & Shenzhen was provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

As a follow-up to my food porn photo essay on Hong Kong, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include these scrumptious photos of the morsels we enjoyed in Shenzhen.  From a private dinner in the Futian Shangri-La’s presidential suite (wow) to a personalized multi-course meal at the Shang Garden, the food didn’t suck (see menus below). Eating like this was so decadent, but not so good for my waistline.  The only thing I would have preferred was to mix it up with the masses some more and actually eaten off the regular menu at times instead of being cordoned off and not be able to soak in some of the ‘real’ Shenzhen culture.

Dinner Presidential Suite Futian Shangri-La

Amuse Bouche
Steamed Cauliflower and Truffle Custard

Salmon Four Ways
Smoked Salmon Tartare, Quail Egg Sunny Side Up
Smoked Salmon Ravioli and Caramelized Beetroot
Sugar Cured Salmon
Smoked Salmon and Dill Mascarpone Mille Feuille

Confit Duck Leg Tortellini
Green Pea Puree, Dried Parma Ham, Thyme Jus

Refreshment
Lime and Bubbles

Roasted Angus Beef Filet
Rosemary Mash, Sauteed Mushrooms, Broad Beans,
Pan Seared Fois Gras with Red Wine Jus

Dessert
Valrhona Dark Chocolate Mousse served with Espresso Granita

Lunch Shang Garden

“Huaiyang” Appetizer Combination

Crab Thick Soup Braised with Minced Vegetables

Wok-Fried King Prawn with Mustard Sauce and Lemon Juice

Braised Boneless Beef Rib in “Yanzhou” Gravy

“Yangzhou” Shredded Dried Pressed Bean

Sauteed Pea Sprout with Pumpkin Sauce

Red Bean Paste Cake & Baked Minced Pork,

Chicken and Bamboo Shoot Puff Pastry

Seasonal Fruit & Chilled Sago Cream with Mango and Pomelo

Disclosure:  My trip to Hong Kong & Shenzhen was provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.