Jottings from the Granite Studio

Spent the afternoon apartment shopping in Beijing. It came down to two places: both 2 bedroom apartments just inside the East 2nd Ring. The first is a nice, cozy, slightly rundown apartment with two big porches and a lot of light. The furniture is a little old and the whole place needs a good cleaning but it has a real “homey” feel to it…there’s no other way to describe it. The second place is a little more expensive (about 400-500 RMB more per month) but is mack daddy. Huge bedrooms with wood floors, nice new furniture and appliances, and…wait for it…a 2-person jacuzzi tub. The apartment faces south but the porches are smaller and since it’s only on the 5th floor, it doesn’t get as much light. Plus, with the big tub and one wall of the bedroom done entirely in mirrors, it has a real “If Hef taught English in Beijing” feel to the place.. Not homey, but very clean, very well appointed, and in a much more interesting neighborhood right behind Gui Jie. Natch, YJ wants to go homey and cheaper while I want to go mack daddy style and spend the cash. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.