We believe a trip to Beijing should be nothing short of utterly brilliant. We also believe that talking to real people (not just asking Dr Google) is the best way to find out more about the world’s fastest changing city.
Here’s where you get to meet those real people. So, without further ado…
Sarah Keenlyside
Managing Dictator
Sarah Keenlyside’s journey from hardnosed newshound to entrepreneur began when she left her native London for China’s capital to help launch Time Out Beijing. It wasn’t long before she became a bit of an expert on the city, offering advice to the likes of Barbara Bush and the BBC. Her mother will tell you that she was also the fussiest eater you’d ever have the misfortune to meet before she moved to China. Now, thanks to Beijing’s incredible dining scene, she’s a full-on foodie. Most memorable Beijing moments? Wangling an invite to a party with David Beckham during the Olympics and eating sea slugs without vomiting.
Marianna Cerini
Marketing Empress
In case you can’t tell from her photo – is a typically stylish Italian and a not-so-secret Sinophile. A student of Mandarin at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, she hot footed it straight back to Beijing after graduation (which should give you an idea of just how much she loves this city). Since becoming a ‘proper Beijinger’, Marianna has worked for an art gallery in Beijing’s famous 798 art district, written about martial arts masters for Time Out Beijing and blogged regularly for fashion website YiTrends. Marianna is now in charge of Bespoke’s marketing so if you found this page, chances are it’s because she’s been doing her job right. Maz, take a bow.
Keith Luu
Operations Overlord
Keith Luu is known in the Bespoke office as ‘The Travel Ninja’. Born in Vietnam, raised in Australia and educated in Belgium, to date he has visited over 30 countries across five continents. Keith has more than six years experience in the travel industry having worked for global travel group Flight Centre, and one of Australia’s largest travel wholesalers, TLH Holdings. His job at Bespoke Beijing is to make sure you guys are all happy, all of the time. How does he relax? By “researching” Beijing’s food scene (he reassures us he takes detailed mental notes) and enjoying the odd Tsingtao beer.
Kristen Lum
Events and PR Queen Bee
Kristen Lum is quite literally the most energetic person we know. A California gal through and through, she loves nothing more than biking, hiking and partying. Her illustrious Beijing PR career began back in 2006 running campaigns for big hitters LAN (a swanky, Philippe Starck designed bar) and award-winning Japanese restaurant Hatsune, before she began branching out in to events. Since then she’s organized numerous parties, three fashion shows and even two weddings! Oh yes, and she just happens to be the woman behind one of Beijing’s most read blogs: LumDimSum.com.
Tom Pattinson
Director at Large
Director at Large Tom Pattinson is a man of many talents. First venturing over to China from his native UK back in 1997, he lived in the coastal city of Qingdao before returning to the UK to study Chinese proper. These days something of an ‘Old China Hand’, his experiences in Beijing have included: appearing on a Chinese TV game show with 200 children; eating sparrows in remote villages in Shandong, and chilli eating competitions with film stars. He is also the founder of Affordable Art Beijing, an annual event selling covetable works of Chinese art at affordable prices.
