The great indoors is our abode and nature rarely intrudes into our lives, mainly spent in offices. Sunrises are barely beheld, clean air hardly inhaled, and our exercising is mainly in climate-controlled gyms. The beauty we regularly see is created by man: fashions, dŽcor, and inner spaces. As we remain cooped up in our artificial environments, our relationship with nature deteriorates as do our physiques. It's because we spend all of our time in meetings.
This April, we take a breather and get in shape. First comes the obligatory cruise in a Riva Yacht, a plaything long favored by celebrities and magnates. Then, we get off the tarmak and head to the tracks. Next, we learn how to get in shape from yoga instructor, a practitioner of Muay Thai and a bootcamp instructor. To top things off, Anson Chen gets some perspective on life on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. After all the fun and self discovery, Columnist Anatole Pang takes us to the English country side for the more sophisticated side of sporting, including that pastime of Tang emperors, polo, which Sylvester Stallone compared to playing golf during an earthquake.
For those who refuse to break free of the boardroom, this issue also focuses on MICE, or "Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions", but we keep it outdoorsy by overviewing the top venues China offers for events in the sunlight. This includes a look at the best outdoor functions in recent years and a summary of the top hotels for roofless events. One city stands out as a perfect destination for a conference and that is Suzhou. We list five reasons to hold your next event in the Venice of East. No function is complete or even bearable without refreshing adult beverages. Wine columnist Fred Tibbits introduces the vintages most suited to banquets at a conference and suggests an educational activity called the ÒWorld Wine Challenge? available here in China from Mercuris Fine Wines.
Nels M.N. Frye·ÑÖ¾Ô¶
Editor-in-Chief
