A Brand-New Bespoke Speaker Series!

If you enjoy luxuriating in your own home with a meal or glass of bubbly and listening to exclusive talks by the world’s top experts, then we’ve got another treat for you!

Following on from our first Speaker Series, we’ve lined up 6 more fantastic personalities to listen to in July and August. From the first-hand account of a former Red Guard-turned female CEO (Liu Ping), to the World’s foremost Great Wall historian (William Lindesay). All talks will take place live over Zoom at 8.30pm China time; 1.30pm BST. 

Here's the full line-up:      

Tuesday July 7th

The Great Wall in 6 Objects with William Lindesay O.B.E.

Explore the Great Wall of China from the comfort of your sofa with a man who’s not only walked its entire 2000km length, but actually ‘discovered’ new sections of it. Geographer, author, conservationist and historian William Lindesay has hand-picked 6 objects from the Great Wall to illustrate exactly why it is still deemed one of the World’s great Wonders.

Tuesday July 14th         

From Red Guard to CEO with Liu Ping

Few get the chance to hear incredible individual stories like Ping’s. Born in 1955, she came of age at the height of Mao’s tumultuous Cultural Revolution. Sacrificing her own dreams for those of the Party, she was sent to work in a phosphate mine aged just 15. By the late 70s Mao was dead, and China’s reform gave her the opportunity she needed to eventually become one of the country’s top female CEOs. A unique insight into the mind-boggling changes of China’s last 60 years, told through beautiful photographs.

Tuesday July 21st

Shanghai Style: How China's most cosmopolitan city nurtured its distinctive look, with Patrick Cranley and Tina Kanagaratnam

In Shanghai, the undisputed star of the show is its unmistakable Art Deco aesthetic, which found its way into every corner of the city, from the iconic 1920s Peace Hotel to the elegant apartment blocks of the former French Concession. Our Deco experts explore how, far more than simply an architectural form, this so-called ‘complete style’ infused not only Shanghai’s buildings but also its fashion, graphic design, furniture and, dare we say, even its soul!

Tuesday July 28th

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Chinese Communist Party, 

But Were Afraid to Ask with Chad Futrell

Is China still a Communist country? Spoiler alert: yes, it is. Just how has the Chinese Communist Party adopted a 19th century ideology and an early 20th century organizational structure to create a modern economy that has not only achieved the longest period of sustained rapid growth in human history, but may actually grow in 2020? China-expert Chad Futrell, of Tsinghua University’s prestigious Schwartzman Scholars programme, will throw new light on a subject you almost certainly don’t know well enough.

Tuesday August 4th 

Chinese Dumpling Making Class with Sue Zhou 

After the success of her hand-pulled noodle-making class in the first Speaker Series, we’re bringing back the brilliant Sue Zhou to teach you how to make Chinese dumplings (also known as pot stickers!) We’re slowly turning you all into expert chefs, aren’t we? Soon you’ll be able to open a Chinese restaurant in your hometown. 

Tuesday August 11th 

Shanghai’s Old City Secrets with Katya Knyazeva

Before the Bund and French Concession, Shanghai was already a thriving walled city that contained elaborate classical gardens and opulent private homes but, long forgotten by most, they are now facing large scale demolition. Expert Katya Knyazeva spent years photographing the city’s old lanes as they vanished, uncovering forgotten temples, a fine villa where Einstein and his wife once dined and even the ‘Secluded Library’ ­– a crumbling estate said to be the city’s oldest remaining residence and home to a lone resident determined to stay. 

Terms & Conditions

Non refundable but transferable with prior permission by emailing info@bespoketravelcompany.com

About Bespoke Travel Company

Bespoke aims to help people effortlessly launch into new cultures and understand them on a deeper level and in a more authentic way, in order not just to remove prejudice and misunderstanding, but to excite and inspire changes in their own lives. 

When it comes to traveling, we make it easier than ever before to customize immersive and authentic trips in a country you’re unfamiliar with. With teams based in the countries you’re visiting, you’ll collaborate directly with insiders to create a trip that’s everything you want it to be, avoiding the tourist traps and maximizing your time to boot. 
 

What’s more, those same in-city teams source inspiring experts, historians and local personalities to lead cultural experiences and off-the-beaten-track tours you won’t find anywhere else. 

We can't wait to show you around again when things get back to normal!