Relaxed night in Beijing

The three-day May Day Holiday may be too short for a travel plan. For those who have to stay in Beijing, we would like to recommend some options for a relaxed and enjoyable night.

Beijing night show

Established in 2000, the Beijing Night Show is the city's best dinner show tour destination. Known as the Moulin Rouge of the East, Beijing Night Show brings the audience through an action-packed, non-stopped journey back through Chinese history. Its popular opera "Great China's Music and Dance" is a theatrical blend of ancient dance, ethnic music, and costumes.

A new production, "Beijing, The Fantasia", features an impressive retelling of Beijing's long history. In an eye-catching display of motion and music, the 90-minute spectacular offers a fresh interpretation of the culture and history of an ancient city.

The Beijing Night Show continues to attract luminaries and art lovers alike, having attracted over three-hundred-thousand people already.

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Homes of the future on show

As economic worries hit households throughout the UK, homeowners are choosing make-overs for their properties rather than buying a new home. For those with "Grand Designs" for their home, an exhibition in London is the perfect place to find inspiration.

Named after the British television show Grand Designs, the event combines more than 500 exhibitors and six separate shows covering interiors, building, kitchens, bathrooms, gardens and a grand village.

One of the highlights of the show is the Eco Pod.

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The domed structure comes in two sizes. The 4 meter pod is designed for 1 -2 people. Two bedrooms can fit into the six meter pod.

Aiden Quinn, the designer of Eco Hab said, "We use polyurethane which is very efficient. It is also a very sealed unit, so there is no infiltration of unwanted air. So we control the environment, we also have a hot air recovery unit so during the winter when you are heating it, most of the air that is being expelled is re-heated. Most of the incoming air is re-heated from the outgoing air so you lose very little energy in that aspect."

Quinn says the tiles covering the dome's exterior, which are made from recycled rubber, not only decrease the carbon footprint involved in building the house, but also last some 50 years or more.

In this Ovei entertainment center you can play games or listen to music in the privacy of your own entertainment capsule.

Or perhaps you'd like to take a nap in the "Napshell". This bed combines music and light therapy with contouring that follows the shape of the body. It promises the equivalent of 12 hours sleep in just 25 minutes.

The dining room table offers a refrigerator in the center of the table.

The bathroom of the future combines a bubble bath, steam capsule and infra red sauna all from the same tub.

And eating in an interior dining room is a thing of the past if the Grand Gardens section is anything to go by.

"Grand Designs Live" runs at London's Excel center from April 25th - May 4th.

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Rihanna plans return show in desert

BEIJING, April 17 -- The Umbrella singer Rihanna, who has kept a low-profile since ex-boyfriend Chris Brown allegedly assaulted her, will perform in Dubai on May 28.

Dubai tourism spokesman Mary Rachelle Cherpak said: There will be over 25,000 tickets available. They will be going on sale in the next couple of days.

Details of the concert are yet to be revealed, but Cherpak has promised Rihanna's fans no expense will be spared for the show.

She explained: Normally they create a special stage in the desert for these events.

The 21-year-old star has already issued organisers of the event with a 38-page rider, which includes anti-bacterial soap, three lemons and teaspoons.

Managing director of Middle East entertainment agency Vibe Yassin Matbouly confirmed: We have been working to bring Rihanna to the region for a while now but it has never been the right time for one reason or another. This time everything worked out and the show will more than likely be the last outdoor concert before the summer - and one not to miss.

It will be the best concert the region has ever seen and we will stop at nothing.

Chris, 19, is accused of punching, biting and choking Rihanna until she was unconscious in his rented silver Lamborghini on February 8.

He has pleaded not guilty to felony assault and *** criminal threats.

Rihanna was due to perform at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on the same day, but was forced to cancel. Her last concert was in the city on January 29.

Furniture show

In today's "Style Watch", we take you to Shanghai for a furniture exhibition called "Reside Culture: Dialogue Between Chinese and Western."

On display is an extensive collection of Ming and Qing Dynasty pieces from over a century ago.

And a designer there will show you how to combine traditional and modern furniture to best effect in the home.

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