A design company by the name of MAD are creating what they call an urban forest. A high-rise building that is supposed to incorporate apartments and gardens on each floor. It’s shape will cater to that landscaping. The skyscraper is set to be built in Chongqing, China. Architects are now thinking environmentally and aesthetically.

My travel section on the blog has been slumbering for quite some time. As it happens to be almost one year ago when my wife and I went to China I thought about the old town of the mega metropolis Chongqing (重庆) where we spent last Boxing Day. Chongqing is a fast growing city and is now the largest inland city of China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Chongqing was originally part of the Sichuan province but since 1997 it is one of four municipalities in China and these are not part of provinces but are directly subordinated the national government. The other are Beijing, Shanghai and TianJin. Chongqing is the largest municipality.

Ciqikou (磁器口) means porcelain port but the place is also called Small Chongqing. It is the old harbor of Chongqing and here lived rich merchants. The town only covers 1.18 sqkm but it still maintains Ming and Qing architecture, of which there is almost nothing to see in central Chongqing whose skyline is dominated by skyscrapers. Ciqikou is today dominated by local shops, tea houses and local Sichuan street performances.

It was founded in 998 by emperor Zhenzong (998-1004) of the Song dynasty. It’s original name was Baiyan but during the Ming dynasty the name was changed to Longyinzhen and it became an important land and river port along the west bank of Jialing River. It was during the Qing dynasty that the town became famous for its porcelain making. It was during this time the town received its current name. There is a Buddhist temple overlooking the town but I never visited it.

Rent: $5,750
Security: 1 months
Details
Size: Three Bedroom
Ownership: Rental Property
R/B/B: 5/3/2
Availability: Immediate
Term: 12 – 24 Months
Neighborhood: Flatiron District
Apartment Features
Kitchen: Dishwasher; Window: Oversized Windows; High Ceiling; Abundant Closets;
Building Description
Cross Streets: Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.
Concierge; Elevator; Post-war; Built 2008; Loft; 20 Floors; 100 Apartments.
Building Amenities
Bicycle Room; Fitness Room; Rooftop Deck; Common Storage Room;
Building Policies
Pets Allowed.

R.S.V.P. for a tour:
Jamie Knuckles
NestSeekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com
Amenities
Brand New Building Same developers as 75 Wall Street. Condo Finishes at Rental Prices. Penthouse Great layout Small rooms but great outdoor space. Nice Amenities, but location is the selling point.

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Health Club
* Elevator

You’ll be in the heart of a dynamic neighborhood that pulses with the energy of galleries and artists, restaurants and clubs, boutiques and markets. Here, where West Chelsea meets The Meatpacking District, the urban fabric ranges from unpaved cobblestone streets.

Rent:
* $3,895 Studio available
* $7,095 2-Bedroom available

Building Amenities and Services

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Gym/fitness center (with fitness concierge)
* Children’s playroom/space
* Parking garage (24-hour attended, indoor)
* Elevators (9)
* Spa
* Lounge
* Terrace
* Library
* Business center
* Pet spa
* Bicycle storage
* Garden

Apartment Features and Amenities

* Bamboo flooring
* Floor-to-ceiling windows
* Dishwasher
* Washer and dryer
* Sub-zero refrigerator
* Walk-in closets (some units)
* Terrace (some units)

Rules and Restrictions * Pets allowed

You’ll be in the heart of a dynamic neighborhood that pulses with the energy of galleries and artists, restaurants and clubs, boutiques and markets. Here, where West Chelsea meets The Meatpacking District, the urban fabric ranges from unpaved cobblestone streets.

Situated at the nexus of West Chelsea, Gansevoort and the Meatpacking District, this luxurious residential building represents a new exciting style of living in a historic downtown location. The Building renters the unique opportunity to experience unprecedented services and amenities including the first fully integrated Equinox Fitness Club within a residential tower.
Amenities: Dining Room, Washer/Dryer, Central A/C

R.S.V.P. To Preview:
Jamie Knuckles
Nest Seekers
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com

Amenities

* Dining Room
* Washer/Dryer
* Central A/C

Renting
❚ Free of maintenance obligations.
❚ Not committed to staying in a
house or neighborhood.
❚ Can move quickly.
❚ Free of costs, such as homeowner’s
insurance and property taxes.
Buying
❚ Build equity.
❚ Tax advantages*.
❚ Stable monthly payments.
❚ Strong sense of community.
❚ Place for family and relatives to live.

The options are countless and time is of the essence in this high-demand market. Let a professional lead you through the process and help you make it an enjoyable experience.

Offering: One to Five Bedrooms, Condominiums, Lofts, Penthouses and Townhouses,

NEIGHBORHOODS: Soho, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, Upper East Side, and Upper West Side, Park Avenue, and Harlem. Also, the Hamptons offer quality living as great as anywhere else in the New York.
Have a wonderful day –looking forward to speaking with you soon.

R.S.V.P. for a tour:
Jamie Knuckles
Sales Director
Nestseekers International
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com

http://www.nestseekers.com/Company/Agent/718

APARTMENT INFORMATION:
APARTMENT Conv-4 BEDROOM
Apt. #43G
RENT: $7328.75
BATHROOMS: 2

APARTMENT FEATURES:
All apartments have 9-foot high ceilings.
Most apartments with spectacular East River and/or cityscape views.
Marble bathrooms with marble topped vanities.
Individually controlled heat and air conditioning.
Every apartment features bay or corner windows.
Energy efficient, tinted dual-glazed windows.
White mini-blinds on all windows.
Private intercom system to doorman.
Individual electronic alarm system at each apartment entrance.
Many apartments include full-size washers and dryers.
Selection of cable television hook-ups available.
Full 8-foot high doors.
3/4 inch solid oak parquet floors.
Contemporary kitchens with side-by-side icemaker refrigerators, self-cleaning ovens, built-in microwaves, instant hot water dispensers and ceramic tile floors.
Many apartments feature windowed kitchens.
BUILDING FEATURES:
Landscaped building entrance, framed with limestone piers.
Elegant lobby with domed ceiling.
Attentive, uniformed doorman at your service 24-hours a day.
Beautifully decorated corridors with designer alabaster lighting fixtures and wall sconces, crown moldings and decorative wood-framed apartment entrance doors.
High-speed passenger elevators with separate service elevator.
Separate monitored service entrance, with attendant.
Attended indoor garage.
Package room with delivery escort.
Fully equipped, air conditioned laundry facility with closed circuit TV security.
Cheerfully designed children’s playroom.
Magnificent swim and fitness center with landscaped and furnished sun terrace.
55-foot lap swimming pool.
Fully equipped exercise and aerobics room.
Recreational lounge (with full kitchen facilities – ideal for private parties – by reservation.)
Men’s and women’s locker rooms, with separate saunas and showers.
Fully furnished conference room (by reservation).
PREVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR REQUEST!
TO SCHEDULE A VISIT CONTACT:
JAMIE KNUCKLES AT: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com
Amenities
Full Service Luxury Building.

* Doorman
* Health Club
* Pool
* Roof deck
* Elevator

* Washer/Dryer
* Central A/C

Sutton Place! Portfolio Sensational, Remarkable Unsurpassed
3 Bedroom / 2.5 Bath
$7,500 Immediate
Large Space – Room To Entertain – Kitchen with Granite Countertops
New White Oak Strip Flooring – Marble Bath

2 Bedroom / 2 Bath
$4,800 Immediate
Kitchen with Granite Countertops – Marble Baths
New White Oak Strip Flooring – Marble Baths

4 Bedroom / 3.5 Bath
$8,900 Immediate
Large Space – Room To Entertain – Separate Dining – Eat-in Kitchen

Kitchen with Granite Countertops – Marble Baths

The building has a free health club, garage, valet service, concierge, doorman, bicycle room, storage space, a wine cellar, and it permits pets.

• FT Doorman
• Full Service Garage
• Health Club
• Elevator
• Located in Beekman/Sutton Place

R.S.V.P. for a preview:
Jamie knuckles
Nestseekers
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com
Amenities

* Central A/C

Turtle Bay Luxury*
Rent: $5,900
Lease Type: Condo Sublet
Details
Size: One Bedroom
Ownership: Condominium
R/B/B: 3/1/1.5
Availability: Immediate
SF/SM: 880/82
Term: 12 – 24 Months
Apartment Features
AC: Central; Kitchen: Windowed; Dishwasher; Bathroom: En Suite; Window: New Windows; Washer/ Dryer; High Ceiling; Powder Room; Recessed Lighting;

Exposure / View: North; West/ Open

Building Description
Cross Streets: Second Avenue and First Avenue.
Full Service; Elevator; Post-war; Built 2001; Mid-rise; 20 Floors; 64 Apartments.

Building Amenities
Bicycle Room; Garage; Fitness Room; Laundry Room; Maid Service; Valet;

Building Policies
Pied-A-Terres Allowed. W/D Allowed. Pets Allowed. Sublets Allowed.

R.S.V.P. for a preview:
Jamie Knuckles
Sales Director
NestSeekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com
Amenities
Bicycle Room; Health Club; Valet.

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Health Club

Clinton Hill Brooklyn Development Site!
APPROVED! In Clinton Hill
You Can Build In Clinton Hill!
$1,490,000
Development site for sale with pre-approved plans for 34 Condo units. In the heart of Clinton Hill neighborhood. The building will have 6 studios, 18 one bedrooms, and 10 two bedrooms units. Condos and co-ops average about $500 per square foot. Rentals average $1,600 to $2,000 for a one-bedroom and upward of $1,800 for a two-bedroom. The C and G subways serve the area. Both stop on Washington Avenue; the G also stops at Classon Avenue. The Clinton Hill area is one of the highest points in Brooklyn.

You are getting a tremendous deal on this development site!

Building Description:
Exclusive project for Condominiums in Clinton Hill (Brooklyn)
Investment Proposal

*Overview For Asset Investors*

82 Irving Place (Clinton Hill)
Brooklyn, New York 11238
Type: Vacant development site with pre-approved plans for residential condominiums.
•Location:Located in Clinton Hill, a few minutes from downtown Brooklyn.
•General description: Condominiums of 8 stories including Cellar; with 7 parking spaces and 34 storage bins for residents on the ground level.
•
Vacant site area:
28,103.22 SF + 6,531.04 SF Cellar = 34,634.25 total SF.

The vacant site has a proposed residential project which has been approved by the DOB; such project is of 34,634.25 SF and would maximize the building’s FAR (Floor area ratio).
•
Project: Thirty-four Condominiums (Three to Five per floor), with three Penthouses, a luxury building with balconies and some units with terraces.
Individual storage spaces for tenants and Parking.
•
Currently vacant land.
82 Irving Place is a Condominium of 34,634.25 SF of vacant development site, with 8 stories including the Cellar and Roof.
•
Presently, the development site is located between an apartment complex and mix-use buildings on Irving Place in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, an area that has experienced a renaissance of growth.

The building has the DOB (Department of Buildings) approval for the construction of 34,634.25 square feet for residential use, thus maxing out the FAR. (Floor Area Ratio).
Total SF approved by DOB: 34,634.25 SF

Nest Seekers International, has exclusive marketing rights for proposed project which has been approved for residential Condominiums by the DOB ( Department of Buildings).

Project description:

Thirty-Four Condominiums, Including Three Penthouse units on the eighth floor.

Three to Five apartments per floor.

Availability of balconies and terraces in some units.

Common area with Lobby, a rear garden in the back of building.

Parking areas and individual storage.

Natural light, high-quality materials and excellent location.
Note: Set-up available upon request.

Investors R.S.V.P. for a tour of the site:
Jamie Knuckles
Nest Seekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com

P.S. Profitable, let real estate work for you.
Dollars make sense when invested in this project.
Investors take note! Hit a home run!
Amenities

* Terrace
* Balcony

Financials
Furnished: $7,500
Security: 2 months
Details
Size: One Bedroom
Ownership: Condominium
R/B/B: 3/1/1
Availability: Immediate
Term: 1 – 12 Months
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Apartment Features
Kitchen: Dishwasher; Bathroom: Marble; High Ceiling;

Building Description
Cross Streets: Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
Full Service; Elevator; Post-war; Built 1999; Mid-rise; 10 Floors; 50 Apartments.

Building Amenities
Garage; Hotel Style Service; Business Center;

Building Policies
Pied-A-Terres Allowed. W/D Allowed. Pets Allowed.
Building Notes:

* The Phillips Club offers ownership membership as well as extended stay accommodations. These apartments can not be used as a permanent residence. This building is akin to owning a time share in lieu of staying at a hotel when in NYC.
* The Phillips Club is a member-owned luxury residence combining the advantages of home ownership with the conveniences of the city’s finest hotels, The Club offers unequaled amenities, service and privileges without recurring hotel expenses.
* The Phillips Club offers 24-hour concierge, daily maid service (nightly fee during use), and privileges at the Reebok Sports Club/NY.
* The Reebok Sports Club/NY offers rooftop in-line skating and running. Music-filled, junior Olympic size swimming pool for lap swimming. 40 -foot climbing wall. Two full-court, regulation-size basketball gymnasiums. State-of-the-art 13,000 SF coed weight-training gym. Cardiovascular deck with 5,000 SF of computerized training equipment. Challenges. Muscles and mind, recharged. Complete spa facilities including steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. Large, luxurious locker rooms with towel service. Paul Lebrecque salon and spa. Exhaustive. Fitness evaluation center. Personalized instruction. Nutritional counseling. Child care center “For Kids Only.” Landscaped sundeck.
* Business amenities include: Multi-line telecommunications system with voicemail. Dataport for computer hookup. Fax machine in each residence. 24-hour business center. Conference room. Conference facilities at Reebok Sports Club/NY.

R.S.V.P. for a tour:
Jamie Knuckles
Cell: 347-323-8671
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail
Amenities
* The Phillips Club offers ownership membership as well as extended stay accommodations. These apartments can not be used as a permanent residence. This building is akin to owning a time share in lieu of staying at a hotel when in NYC.
* The Phillips Club is a member-owned luxury residence combining the advantages of home ownership with the conveniences of the city’s finest hotels, The Club offers unequaled amenities, service and privileges without recurring hotel expenses.
* The Phillips Club offers 24-hour concierge, daily maid service (nightly fee during use), and privileges at the Reebok Sports Club/NY.
* The Reebok Sports Club/NY offers rooftop in-line skating and running. Music-filled, junior Olympic size swimming pool for lap swimming. 40 -foot climbing wall. Two full-court, regulation-size basketball gymnasiums. State-of-the-art 13,000 SF coed weight-training gym. Cardiovascular deck with 5,000 SF of computerized training equipment. Challenges. Muscles and mind, recharged. Complete spa facilities including steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. Large, luxurious locker rooms with towel service. Paul Lebrecque salon and spa. Exhaustive. Fitness evaluation center. Personalized instruction. Nutritional counseling. Child care center “For Kids Only.” Landscaped sundeck.
* Business amenities include: Multi-line telecommunications system with voicemail. Dataport for computer hookup. Fax machine in each residence. 24-hour business center. Conference room. Conference facilities at Reebok Sports Club/NY.

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Health Club
* Pool
* Elevator
* Garage

Union Square! Obsession For Union Square!
Financials
Rent: $8,995
Details
Size: Two Bedroom
Ownership: Rental Property
R/B/B: 4/2/2
Availability: 9/7/2009
Apartment Features
Dining Area; AC: Central; Heat: Central; Kitchen: Open; Dishwasher; Window: New Windows; Oversized Windows; Penthouse; Powder Room; Abundant Closets; Floor To Ceiling Windows; Alarm Security System;
Exposure / View: North; East/ Park
Building Description:
Cross Streets: Fourth Avenue and Broadway.
Full Service; Elevator; Post-war; Built 1998; High-rise; 27 Floors; 240 Apartments.
Building Amenities:
Health Club; Laundry Room; Rooftop Deck; Digital TV; High Speed Internet Access;
Building Policies:
Pets Allowed One dog per apartment. Weight Limit 20 lbs.

R.S.V.P. for a preview:
Jamie Knuckles
NestSeekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Amenities

* Dining Room
* Central A/C

Upper West Side Super Gem!
Price: $2,300,000
Common Charges: $1,915
Real Estate Taxes: $82
Financing: 90%
Details
Size: Two Bedroom
Ownership: Condominium
R/B/B: 4/2/2
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
SF/SM: 1617/150
Apartment Features
Dining Area; AC: Central; Kitchen: Eat In; Windowed; Dishwasher; Bathroom: New/ Marble; Window: New Windows; Oversized Windows; Washer/ Dryer; Terrace; High Ceiling; Library/Den; WIC;
Exposure / View: North; East; West/ City; River

Building Description
Cross Streets: West 99th Street and West 100th Street.
Full Service; Elevator; Post-war; Built 2006; High-rise; 37 Floors; 64 Apartments.

Building Amenities
Garden; Fitness Room; Pool; Nursery; Cinema Room;

Building Policies
Pied-A-Terres Allowed. Sublets Allowed.
Broker Summary Immediate Occupancy Ariel – Traditional living like never before! These two stunning developments were designed by renowned architects Cook + Fox and Cetra/Ruddy, and offer traditional layouts with all the modern amenities of glass-curtain-wall construction. Services and amenities abound, including 24/7 doorman, concierge services, fitness by LaPalestra with 51 indoor swimming pool and outdoor basketball court, theater, billiards parlor, residents lounge with banquet space, elaborate childrens playroom, and a pet grooming salon! Steps to the best of the Upper West Side, including Central and Riverside Parks, all the cultural gems, schools, shopping, dining, and transportation.

R.S.V.P. for a tour:
Jamie Knuckles
Sales Director
NestSeekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671
Amenities
Immediate Occupancy Ariel – Traditional living like never before! These two stunning developments were designed by renowned architects Cook + Fox and Cetra/Ruddy, and offer traditional family layouts with all the modern amenities of glass-curtain-wall construction. Services and amenities abound, including 24/7 doorman, concierge services, fitness by LaPalestra with 51 indoor swimming pool and outdoor basketball court, private theater, billiards parlor, residents lounge with banquet space, elaborate childrens playroom, and a pet grooming salon! Steps to the best of the Upper West Side, including Central and Riverside Parks, all the cultural gems, schools, shopping, dining, and transportation.

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Health Club
* Pool
* Roof deck
* Elevator

* Terrace
* Washer/Dryer
* Central A/C

sanguinejamie@gmail.com

Greenwich Street Residences Luxury
Corner unit 2 BEDROOM is over 1100 sq. ft. and features an SUNNY north / east exposure, high 11 ft. ceilings, and a huge living room with ample space for a full dining area. This unit is one of our DESIGNER READY
Price: $981,000
CC: $1149
Real estate tax: $397
Kitchen has Sub-zero Fridge, Viking Range and Microwave, Fisher/Paykal 2-Drawer Dishwashers, instant hot water tap, In-wall ipod docking station, and much, much more! Marble bath with deep soaking tub has both a Rain shower, and a handheld. Unit has 5 Large closets, one of which is a Large walk-in hall closet measuring about 5ftX6ft & built out with Elfa System. Great location, near all train lines, parks, shopping, theaters, dining. Full five star Hotel-like service with concierge and 24-hour doorman… and Very Reasonable Common Charges! Free continental breakfast is served to residents Monday through Friday. Full gym access included for all residents with free trainers and abs/Pilates/yoga classes. Building has a fantastic game room with billiards, darts and large flat screen TV. There is also an Amazing common roof deck space with towel and drink service on weekends, and an indoor “Harbor Room – Sky Lounge” which is also available for private parties. Free Wi-Fi in all common areas! This is a spectacular building to live in!

Located on Greenwich Street, this building is on the cutting edge of designer development. This art deco tower rises 37 stories with sweeping views of the city skyline, Hudson River and beyond. All of the residences feature oversized windows and soaring ceilings. Enter through the buildings art deco façade into a grand marble lobby featuring a hand carved reception desk and grotto water fountain.

5-Star amenities include a café, library with grand piano and fireplace, billiards room w/ flat screen TV, Harbour Room featuring lounge seating, poker table, dining room w/ kitchen and spectacular views and SKY DECK, with lounges and day beds all in traditional South Beach style.

This unit is being offered at attractive prices. Together with our completed common spaces and 5-Star amenity program, Greenwich Club Residences is a spectacular product and we look forward to working with you and getting your transactions closed.
R.S.V.P.
Jamie Knuckles
NestSeekers International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-323-8671

http://www.nestseekers.com/24139/Financial_District_Luxury_Greenwich_Street_Residences_Luxury_Corner_unit_2_BEDROOM

Amenities

* Dining Room
* Central A/C

Rent: Furnished: $6,300
Security: 2 months
Apartment Features
Kitchen: Dishwasher; Bathroom: Marble; High Ceiling;
Details
Size: Studio
Ownership: Condominium
R/B/B:2/0/1
Availability: Immediate
Term: 1 – 12 Months
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Building Description
Cross Streets: Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
Full Service; Elevator; Post-war; Built 1999; Mid-rise; 10 Floors; 50 Apartments.

Building Amenities
Garage; Hotel Style Service; Business Center;

Building Policies
Pied-A-Terres Allowed. W/D Allowed. Pets Allowed.

Building Notes:

* The Phillips Club offers ownership membership as well as extended stay accommodations. These apartments can not be used as a permanent residence. This building is akin to owning a time share in lieu of staying at a hotel when in NYC.
* The Phillips Club is a member-owned luxury residence combining the advantages of home ownership with the conveniences of the city’s finest hotels, The Club offers unequaled amenities, service and privileges without recurring hotel expenses.
* The Phillips Club offers 24-hour concierge, daily maid service (nightly fee during use), and privileges at the Reebok Sports Club/NY.
* The Reebok Sports Club/NY offers rooftop in-line skating and running. Music-filled, junior Olympic size swimming pool for lap swimming. 40 -foot climbing wall. Two full-court, regulation-size basketball gymnasiums. State-of-the-art 13,000 SF coed weight-training gym. Cardiovascular deck with 5,000 SF of computerized training equipment. Challenges. Muscles and mind, recharged. Complete spa facilities including steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. Large, luxurious locker rooms with towel service. Paul Lebrecque salon and spa. Exhaustive. Fitness evaluation center. Personalized instruction. Nutritional counseling. Child care center “For Kids Only.” Landscaped sundeck.
* Business amenities include: Multi-line telecommunications system with voicemail. Dataport for computer hookup. Fax machine in each residence. 24-hour business center. Conference room. Conference facilities at Reebok Sports Club/NY.

R.S.V.P. for a preview:
Jamie Knuckles
Nestseekers International
Cell:347-323-8671
Amenities
* The Phillips Club offers ownership membership as well as extended stay accommodations. These apartments can not be used as a permanent residence. This building is akin to owning a time share in lieu of staying at a hotel when in NYC.
* The Phillips Club is a member-owned luxury residence combining the advantages of home ownership with the conveniences of the city’s finest hotels, The Club offers unequaled amenities, service and privileges without recurring hotel expenses.
* The Phillips Club offers 24-hour concierge, daily maid service (nightly fee during use), and privileges at the Reebok Sports Club/NY.
* The Reebok Sports Club/NY offers rooftop in-line skating and running. Music-filled, junior Olympic size swimming pool for lap swimming. 40 -foot climbing wall. Two full-court, regulation-size basketball gymnasiums. State-of-the-art 13,000 SF coed weight-training gym. Cardiovascular deck with 5,000 SF of computerized training equipment. Challenges. Muscles and mind, recharged. Complete spa facilities including steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. Large, luxurious locker rooms with towel service. Paul Lebrecque salon and spa. Exhaustive. Fitness evaluation center. Personalized instruction. Nutritional counseling. Child care center “For Kids Only.” Landscaped sundeck.
* Business amenities include: Multi-line telecommunications system with voicemail. Dataport for computer hookup. Fax machine in each residence. 24-hour business center. Conference room. Conference facilities at Reebok Sports Club/NY.

* Doorman
* Concierge
* Health Club
* Pool
* Elevator
* Garage

APARTMENT INFORMATION:
APARTMENT 5 BEDROOM Penthouse Duplex
Apt. #52G
RENT: $22458
BATHROOMS: 5.5

APARTMENT FEATURES:
All apartments have 9-foot high ceilings.
Most apartments with spectacular East River and/or cityscape views.
Marble bathrooms with marble topped vanities.
Individually controlled heat and air conditioning.
Every apartment features bay or corner windows.
Energy efficient, tinted dual-glazed windows.
White mini-blinds on all windows.
Private intercom system to doorman.
Individual electronic alarm system at each apartment entrance.
Many apartments include full-size washers and dryers.
Selection of cable television hook-ups available.
Full 8-foot high doors.
3/4 inch solid oak parquet floors.
Contemporary kitchens with side-by-side icemaker refrigerators, self-cleaning ovens, built-in microwaves, instant hot water dispensers and ceramic tile floors.
Many apartments feature windowed kitchens.
BUILDING FEATURES:
Landscaped building entrance, framed with limestone piers.
Elegant lobby with domed ceiling.
Attentive, uniformed doorman at your service 24-hours a day.
Beautifully decorated corridors with designer alabaster lighting fixtures and wall sconces, crown moldings and decorative wood-framed apartment entrance doors.
High-speed passenger elevators with separate service elevator.
Separate monitored service entrance, with attendant.
Attended indoor garage.
Package room with delivery escort.
Fully equipped, air conditioned laundry facility with closed circuit TV security.
Cheerfully designed children’s playroom.
Magnificent swim and fitness center with landscaped and furnished sun terrace.
55-foot lap swimming pool.
Fully equipped exercise and aerobics room.
Recreational lounge (with full kitchen facilities – ideal for private parties – by reservation.)
Men’s and women’s locker rooms, with separate saunas and showers.
Fully furnished conference room (by reservation).
PREVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR REQUEST!
TO SCHEDULE A VISIT R.S.V.P. for a VIP TOUR:
JAMIE KNUCKLES AT: 347-323-8671
Amenities
Full Service Luxury Building.

* Doorman
* Health Club
* Pool
* Roof deck
* Elevator

* Terrace
* Dining Room
* Fireplace
* Washer/Dryer
* Central A/C

This morning I gave one of those lectures I enjoy delivering because it wakes people up and reconnects me with my Sino-Japanese research: a survey of aerial bombing of civilian populations during World War II (1937-1945).

In the context of a class already primed for war crimes research studying the Rape of Nanking through the galvanizing lens of Iris Chang, it is important to broaden the scope of the inquiry, asking “Was there in fact a broader ‘East Asian Holocaust’ in the eight years after 1937?”  Aerial bombing is clearly part of that picture.

And so we cycled through the obvious candidates: German bombing of London, Allied bombing of Dresden, American firebombing of Tokyo and atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Of course I trotted out my friend’s anecdote of Slaughterhouse Five.  I consider, then delete from my larynx-queue, the UN/US Air Force flooding North Korea with bombs for three years.   But then I arrive at the example one the students have rarely heard of: the Japanese bombing of Chongqing/Chungking.

Japanese Bombers on the Way to Chongqing -- image from Lily Abegg, "China's Erneuerung" (Frankfurt: 1940)

This morning I was particularly enlivened by the task of explaining the notion of Chinese popular memory of the bombing of civilians during the Second World War.  Armed with a laptop projector, I slid into the Huanqiiu Shibao site to illustrate.  “There it was!” I thought, the Chinese site about Hiroshima as atrocity, with a few predictable comments from netizens (“They got bombed good.”)

And then, describing how the Huanqiu Shibao was so nationalistic and often so anti-Japanese, I thought we might dig up an image from this particular day — December 7 — from Chongqing, the city that suffered worst from Japanese air raids in the late 1930s.  I haven’t spent enough time with sources like Min’guo Dang’an, and am thus lacking in statistics — How many Chinese civilians were killed by Japanese bombings in Chongqing, anyway?  Unfortunately Chinese think tanks do a terrible job of translating even a handful of the abundance of data-rich and relevant articles in such journals as “Journal of Anti-Japanese War Studies,” which is why I had turned to the web.

With the class looking on, I grabbed a random web link, and found Chongqing students mobilizing for something else:

Chongqing Students Mobilize to Support Copenhagen Conference, Reduce Carbon Emissions -- courtesy Huanqiu Shibao

In seeing this image, it occurs to me that perhaps there are better things to remember than children suffocated long ago in air raid shelters, than the Cultural Revolution, than murderers in one’s neighborhood, than the price of milk.  There are current and present problems which necessitate laying aside the past in the service of an unfettered future.

This was a lesson I wasn’t getting in Tacoma this morning.  In my new local coffee shop (the old haunt is shut down on account of a quadruple-shooting in no-gun-control America), the DJ wished us all a “Happy Pearl Harbor Day,” which just about made me choke.

(It reminded me of some Luddite football commentator last year who stated that Philadelphia Eagles player Donovan McNabb had “really put the black quarterback controversy to rest.”  What controversy?  Which is to say, is Pearl Harbor a “day” for which one can be “happy”?  And should I really be meditating on notions of revenge less than a week after my one-time neighbor, the genteel Maurice Clemmons, got a bullet from a police officer in return for his head-cracking lead storm in my coffee shop?)

Nevertheless, if I bothered to scratch the surface of my own past, the sentence made sense.  After all, my father was alive during the Second World War and used to remind me that, as a seven-year-old boy in 1941, he was overjoyed to hear that the U.S. was getting into the war.  Then, “V-J was the saddest day of my life,” he once told me.  “Because I was always planning to join the Navy and fight the Japanese.”

Perhaps I internalized his anecdote, for at the age of seven I decided to write a short pamphlet on the Pearl Harbor attacks, placing myself at the scene.  It was a common trick of my boyhood — self-identification with a Naval father who had, it seemed, at one point held down a position of authority, that is, before the present arrived on his doorstep all barnacled with its insistent and impossible demands.  Father wields a mop, but, by Odin, my stories seemed to argue, he once wore dog tags and patrolled the Mediterranean.

In a further act of personification in my Pearl Harbor story, my boyhood buddies filled up the deck of the U.S.S. Arizona with me, until we were attacked by Patrick  O’Flaherty, my Korean-American adoptee friend and classmate, who I placed in the role of a Zero fighter, doubling the sentiments of betrayal with which the whole Pearl Harbor enterprise appeared to be laden in my seven-year-old mind.

Compounding the politics of personal memory was the idea that my own false recollections of World War II were taking place in placid Marine on St. Croix at the height of the nuclear arms race, that Reagan’s voice steadied my hands and regulated my days, and that but four years later, in the brilliant year 1987, I would travel to Japan and there fall deeply into the embrace of a soft power superpower.

When I went to Japan, a few weeks later, ex-Prime Minister and Class A war crimes suspect Kishi Nobusuke fell dead.  I like to think we ran across one another and exchanged skeptical glances.

Soft power and nuclear power hold hands tentatively and slow-dance to some 1978 crooning.  The Cold War and its predecessor warm each other at night indoors, leaving their offspring, the future, madly untethered in a moonlit backyard, the cold wind deploying pine detritus all about him in random arcs.  He cries with a futile grin:

Memory/

false memory/

carbon cloud rise like/vision

of European cities crowded with object d’affection/

//all burned//

afflicted with false memory again, reborn

as a kind of science /

philanthropic impulses can’t replace the dead/

warriors etch names into their shields/

Grendel stirs again in volcanic waters/

defense against the serpent’s return/we

build a tunnel, bore thro rock /

thrice afflicted, twice retold / the

memory calcified of brutal crucifixions

I have only been to uk for a few months, but I have already witnessed many strikes, from the Royal Mail strike at the begining to the university teachers’ strike which happened lately.

My neighbour said “welcome to western life”.

At home, I  never need to worried about any inconvinience brought by strike, because the government is 100 times more worried about it than me. I bet my money on it, they will go there at the first time and arrest the leaders, and then may give them some name like “disorder the society”.

We can see it from the Chongqing taxi driver strike case.

Wow, I know this is starting to sound repetitive, but I trotted back out to China Radio International yesterday, this time to talk about the development of China’s 2nd-tier cities.  Those who have been following my writings on The Nine Nations of China, and why they matter, will likely find the discussion quite interesting.  You can listen to it here (click on the first hour).

Some of the main points I raised on the show include:

• What really distinguishes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-tier cities is the ability to attract international business and investment.  China has many cities with over 1 million inhabitants, and even some provincial capitals, that would not qualify as 2nd-tier cities.
• It’s important to keep in mind the distinction between hard infrastructure — highways, airports, railroads — which many 2nd-tier cities have built, and the “soft” infrastructure — like foreign schools and hospitals — necessary to attract global executives and their families.
• There’s a danger that officials in many 2nd-tier cities are simply trying to replicate the development path of 1st-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.  What they need to be thinking about is how their city or region can carve out a unique niche in China’s national economy.  Some cities that have started to think successfully along these lines include Dalian, Chongqing, and Hangzhou (as well as Nanning in SW China).
• 2nd-tier cities are attractive to foreign business because that is where the bulk of China’s consumer market is.  Retailers like Wal-mart and Carrefour have been among the most aggressive in reaching into these markets.  The most successful fast food chains in China, like KFC and Pizza Hut, have had to adapt their menus to appeal to local tastes.
• There is a real danger of overbuilding, both in terms of infrastructure and residential.  The government should avoid the temptation to see the real estate sector a “driver” of economic growth.
• Investors and business managers need to give serious thought to the competitive advantages — and disadvantages — of different regions of China.  The “Nine Nations” framework offers one way to do this.