Valeria Romanova, 26 years old, hometown — Cherkassy, makeup artist, show manager
About herself
Customers know me by the name of the brand — Frau Romanova. I'm working on the filming backstages, shows and arranging events. My main and favourite engagement is visage in which I involved in Beijing for four years.
Interests and hobbies are tied around creativity. I need to saturate and surround myself with visually delicious art: visiting exhibitions, watching Fashion Week, visiting the theatre and concerts, studying architecture, communicating with interesting people — all of it teaches and develops imagination and increases the level of creativity.
Watch, read and listen
From music, I love Black Coffee, Solomun — light and quiet melodies. In Beijing, there is a great opportunity in the evenings to listen to live jazz music The Bricks, Blue Note. It's an incredible feeling when an artist performs a song with all his heart, living it.
Of the latest favourite films — «Annihilation» with Natalie Portman, science fiction movie with an incredible colour palette and the latest special effects.
The last book I read was «Blood Beneath the Skin», another biography of my favourite designer Alexander McQueen. In parallel, I read a book about the creator of the Zara brand and Chinese conversation book, you can't do without this book.
What inspires
You may not like Beijing immediately. It took a year for me as for others to get used to its features and oddities.
I love Beijing and I am inspired by skyscrapers, a ridiculous TV tower that everyone has named «pants» because of its strange shape. On a free day, I like to get out to the business centre of the city and feel in the flow of these people: successful, purposeful. It gives energy and awareness — Yes, I can achieve everything too.
How I rest
If we talk about the favourite part of the city of expats — Sanlitun, I love the Italian coffee shop Buona Bocca, they have an amazing tiramisu and a good cup of really strong coffee. If brunch, then in Hulu Cafe, if night out-bar in Chao Hotel and pub Janes & Hooch in the best traditions of the Chicago mafia with the best whisky sour.
Gulou a place where you can feel the urbanized, authentic Beijing with old houses-buildings — huts. Especially good in Gulou in spring and autumn, because there are many terraces overlooking the parks, for example, brunches in Zarah and Alba Coffee, Toast in the Orchid hotel, Susu — Vietnamese cuisine. In these places, you can hold business meetings, come to read a book, work on the computer and just have dinner with friends. This is in my understanding a place of rest.
Where I spend a lot of time
Unusual things can be purchased at flea markets, which organize the above places and expats themselves in their homes. In Beijing, many talented artists, you need only to ask someone what exactly you are interested to see or buy, and you get a couple of necessary contacts. Here people are open to communication and exchange of information.
Victoria Manza, 35 years old, hometown — Irkutsk, photographer, stylist, designer
About herself
I have been living in China for 18 years, and it's half my life, therefore Beijing is my hometown. I know it better than the town I was born in. Everything here is familiar to me.
I am engaged in the development of three projects: photography, personal advice and selection of individual style for women and men in online and offline, and the development of a collection of women's accessories for my own brand Viktoria Manza.
Watch, read and listen
I often watch Soviet and Italian movies. I love the films of Federico Fellini of the era of the 60s: «La Dolce Vita», for example, a work of art with a good cast. From modern I watch almost all premieres and, of course, I love movies about fashion.
From the latter, I liked the movie «Dries», about the creative life of the designer. At the moment I read: Oscar Wilde «The picture of Dorian Gray» and Sing Ong Yu «Art of Modern Oriental Management».
I listen to music with my heart and never with the background. Today it is classical music, tomorrow Alla Pugacheva and the day after tomorrow Kygo with a new remix.
What inspires
Life inspires me. I love life and all the little things that make it up. This morning, for example, a cup of coffee inspired me after a long break, and I realized I love coffee and I do not want to refuse it.
How I rest
I'm really resting at home. When I get very tired, I spend a full day at home, sleep for a long time and sometimes do not even eat or eat whatever I want, I watch movies and think.
I plan something, but not talking to anyone that day or talk to a minimum. This mode restores my strength.
If you want to meet creative people, you need to go to the «Art zone 798».
Where do I spend a lot of time
It's not the places matters to me, it's the people. In a good company, I will adjust to almost any place, and it will immediately become a favourite one.
My favourite places are Chinese parks, «Temple of the Earth», «Temple of the Sun», «Temple of Heaven». «Temple of Earth» is beautiful in autumn, early in the morning. There is the most famous alley of gingko biloba, in autumn there is a carpet of yellow ginkgo leaves, you can make stunningly beautiful autumn photos.
I like «Temple of the Sun» in early spring when the trees begin to bloom. And there at the top is the beautiful view of the city, to someone it reminds the view from Central Park in New York.
Vasily Parshuta
About himself
I am a journalist by education and main job. I live in Beijing for more than seven years. In addition to work, the main hobby and maybe the main field in the future — videography.
Watch, read and listen
Movies, music and literature are undivided into preferred genres. All in the mood. I watch movies a lot. First and foremost is a good comedy, adventure, romance, and drama. I try watching all the films that have received an Oscar, although this does not mean they are all good.
From serials, I love «Game of Thrones», «Breaking Bad», «True Detective», «Black Mirror». And, last, of all, I also watch low-budget movies or not very good ones, because everything is known in comparison. Why do I spend a lot of time on it? Apparently, it's all from my passion for video. A good movie is a standard to strive for. A bad movie is an example from which it is better to run away.
I like classic rock-n-roll, heavy metal. Depend on the mood.
In Beijing and nearby there are many routes, for a different taste. Generally, I like Russian and foreign classics. In general, all written in antiquity. The relationship between people has not changed, same as at the Sophocles, Shakespeare, Gogol and Minaev as well — do not think I put him on a par with the previous authors, but he's not bad.
What inspires
Inspire good and high-pitched movies. And still, it is a comedy or dramatic drama.
How I rest
There are many beautiful places in the vicinity of Beijing. In summer we go there in our free time. In winter I like snowboarding. In Beijing and nearby there are many routes, for a different taste. On occasion, we go to concerts, performances. For example, soon in Beijing will be Scorpions concert.
People with similar interests can be found wherever you go. The main thing is to be open to communication, not to be afraid to get acquainted. When you go snowboarding, you will definitely meet people on the track with love to skating. And many foreigners from different countries. Beijing is good for this. Here foreigners are particularly noticeable and more willing to make contact than at home.
Where I spend a lot of time
«Art zone 798» is a place worthy of attention. I do not take into account all other attractions, like the «Forbidden City». It is worth visiting everything. But in the «Art zone 798» often held exhibitions, there are many shops with unusual things. It is souvenirs and works of traditional and modern art. There are also bars and restaurants.
Anna Dudar, 38 years old, hometown — Komsomolsk-on-Amur, fashion designer
About herself
I'm a fashion designer by profession. I used to work in Russia, and I had a small studio. Then I decided to move to China. At first, I worked in a Russian-Chinese company. Now I am engaged in individual tailoring.
My job is my hobby. It is interesting and many-sided.
Watch, read and listen
I like classical music: Mozart, Bach. I also like the calming effect of spiritual music.
I watch movies rarely. If I manage to see something, then I choose films based on real events, when the whole story is based on the history and life of a person. Sometimes I watch melodramas.
What inspires
Life in China and Beijing itself inspire me a lot. It happens in different ways: good and not very good, but it's life. Nevertheless, it is a city that gives me inspiration, because there is a completely different atmosphere, and for me, as for a creative person, there are much more opportunities for development than at home.
Beijing, especially in the centre, where there are a lot of skyscrapers, elegant illumination, where everything is fashionable and modern this is an insanely beautiful metropolis. This city gives new ideas, gives strength. I am in love with Beijing in the evening, I advise everyone who hasn't been to Beijing to see it.
How I rest
In summer I like relaxing in the parks. The most beautiful places in Beijing where you can relax, get positive emotions are parks, suburbs of Beijing, mountains. There are many parks and they are all large, with ponds. In summer I like relaxing in the parks.
In winter I like skiing, there are many ski bases near Beijing. There's fresh air, plus snow, which is not in Beijing.
In China, a large community of Russian-speaking people from all CIS countries. Here is a different atmosphere than in Russia, all Russian-speaking people are friendly to each other, try to help each other. A lot of special chats and groups, where people of interest gather, thematic meetings are held.
Where I spend a lot of time
One of the favourite places in the city is Solana. It is a park with an adjacent street, where there are many small restaurants, beautiful buildings reminding Italy, plus small shopping centres, a cinema and a fountain.
Cinemas are popular in China. Depend on the mood.
Still one of my favourite places it is Buddhist temple — Lama Temple, which is always shown to tourists.
