Living La Vida Local: Save the Cats Before It's Too Late
The urgent news this week concerns cats. Feline lovers may be dismayed to learn that a gaggle of stray cats in Ditan Park are possibly getting captured, skinned and sold for meat – but there are ways we can help prevent this from happening in the future. In more positive news, this weekend also plays host to a cocktail-making class and a speed dating event. And if JUE Music + Art Festival doesn’t keep you occupied this week (see here, here and here), there are cooking classes galore that ought to make your while.
Approximately 35 stray cats have been living in Ditan Park for over three years. An informal group of locals in the area have been feeding and caring for these cats for years, and have even taken some of them to get spayed and neutered at the nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the cats have been finding refuge in an abandoned hospital on the south side of the park (no longer in use due to the fact that it previously housed SARS patients several years ago).
Unfortunately, we have just received word that the hospital is to be demolished by the end of this month. According to Ellis Rahhal, an expat who regularly exercises in Ditan Park and has befriended some of these local cat caretakers, there have also been rumors of skinned cats being sold for meat around the north gate of Ditan Park. The group has been alarmed by this development, and would like as much publicity for the cats as possible in order to find them new homes before it’s too late.
If you would like to provide temporary or permanent residence for any one of these cats, or would like to visit the current shelter or meet members of this group, please email Ellis at ellis.rahhal@gmail.com. You can also visit their Weibo (Chinese-only) for more photos and information.
The Migrant Children’s Foundation (MCF) is also still selling tickets to their Murder Mystery Dinner. See last week’s post for more information.
EVENTS (Mar 11-16):
Mar 11
Chinese Kitchen: Homemade Organic Tofu
Transform organic soybeans into perfectly creamy tofu. RMB 250 (includes take-home materials), RMB 200 (members). 10.30am-1pm. The Hutong (6404 3355)
Chinese Kitchen: TCM Culinary Series
Learn three recipes that follow the nutritional principles of traditional Chinese medicine. RMB 280, RMB 250 (members). 11am-1.30pm. The Hutong (6404 3355)
Speed Dating (see Hands-on article)
Here’s your chance to woo someone in just six minutes. Reserve at www.fishbowlevents.com. RMB 150 (includes drink and appetizers). 7pm-late. Ciro’s Pomodoro (5208 6008)
Mar 13
Headhunter and Social Networking
Opportunity knocks for career development. Register at info@fcgroup.org or 139 1109 8002. RMB 130 (includes drink and canapés). RMB 90 (before Mar 12). 7.30pm-late. Flames, Hilton Wangfujing (5812 8888)
Mar 15
BSK Cooking Class: Winter Favorites
Warm up the body with braised winter bamboo shoots and hawthorn rice dumplings. RMB 300. 10am-1pm. Black Sesame Kitchen (136 9147 4408)
Mar 16
Introduction to Green Tea
Get answers on how to choose it, make it and store it. Reserve at contact@cultureyard.net. RMB 70, RMB 50 (members). 7-9pm. Culture Yard (8404 4166)
Rum Cocktail-Making Class (see Hands-on article)
Get your pirate hat and be ready to get on Bob Louison’s cocktail boat. Reserve at bobspirit.it@gmail.com (spaces limited). Price TBD. 7.30-9.30pm. Zeta Bar (5865 5050)
