the Beijinger September 2015 by The Beijinger Magazine

september 2015

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深度体验国际广告(北京)有限公司北京爱见达广告有限公司北京市朝阳区关东店北街核桃园30号孚兴写字楼B座6层 100020 5779 8877 5941 0368 /69 /72 /77 /78 /79 6th Floor,Tower B, Fuxing Office Building, 30 Hetaoyuan, Guandongdian North Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020 Michael Wester Toni Ma Steven Schwankert Robynne Tindall Kipp Whittaker, Margaux Schreurs Susu Luo Xi Xi Joey Guo George Ding, Kyle Mullin Shane Zhao Jerry Chan Tobal Loyola Laura Su Judy Zhao Mengya Liu Cao Zheng Arvi Lefevre, Yan Wen Tom Arnstein Uni You, Sui, Ken Ivy Wang Sheena Hu Winter Liu, Veronica Wu, Emma Xu, Sasha Zhang, Olesya Sedysheva, Wilson Barrie Gladys Tang 5779 8877 editor@thebeijinger.com listings@thebeijinger.com sales@truerun.com marketing@truerun.com distribution@truerun.com

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september 2015

CITY SCENE

What’s Happening: The most important dates this month Best of the Blog: The most popular stories from theBeijinger.com Scene & Heard: Go on, take a look at yourselves, you beautiful people

COVER FEATURE

This month we looked at some of Beijing’s most extreme experiences. Kipp Whittaker takes to the track on two wheels, Margaux Schreurs takes the plunge into bungee jumping, and Tom Arnstein gets up to some rock climbing around the capital.

Food & Drink

What’s New: The Smokeyard, Moi, Yuppie Yummie, What Soup, MEI Bar, Punk Rock Noodle, Haven Dining Feature: Enjoy, the app taking Beijing’s F&B world by storm Alfresco: Salt Spring Alleyway Gourmet: Tigermama Back For More: Home Plate BBQ Feature: Brian McKenna loosens up with his new gastropub Provincial Restaurants: Guangdong Provincial Government Restaurant Just Desserts: Ice Monster Drinks Feature: Alcoholic Popsicles ...plus what we’ve loved eating this month

What’s New Venues: Camera Stylo, iOneness Yoga, Any Shop Style Feature: Beijing Design Week Creative Director Beatrice Leanza Feature: Chinese classes

MEET EVENTS PEKING MAN

LGBT Feature: Elisabeth Engebretsen Feature: Phantom of the Opera Feature: Sasha Zhou talks NB Noise

56 What you shouldn’t miss this month

64 George’s guide to understanding Chinese culture

September NEXT MONTH: beijing off the EVENTS beaten path DEADLINE: September 17 3

Alan Wong was photographed for the cover by Ken.

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SASHA ZHOU

BEIJING DESIGN WEEK

CHINESE SCHOOLS

2015/09

EXTREME BEIJING

REV UP YOUR LIFE WITH ADRENALINE SPORTS AROUND THE CAPITAL

The most important dates this month

WHAT’S HAPPENING sep 5

Brawl on the Wall Beijing’s movers and shakers come together for some extreme sophisticuffs at this year’s Brawl on the Wall. Witness white collar warriors at the Park Hyatt Beijing as they duke it out for charity.

sep 17 Bon Jovi Romantic-haired rocker Jon Bon Jovi will be playing Beijing on his first tour of China this month. Experience the rock legend in the flesh as he rocks the roof off the MasterCard Center.

sep 23

Beijing Design Week Experience this annual city-wide event as it brings together 2,000 designers, institutions, and industry experts from around the world to examine how local creative entrepreneurship is radically changing the face of China.

sep 30

dART Dare to art with this unique musical experience, taking cues from major electronic music festivals from around the world and featuring collaborations with local creatives to create a totally unique party.

Visit thebeijinger.com for even more events and details.

For more events, see p56.

september 2015

Letter from THE Editor

’m never sad to see the summer go and this year is no exception. Although usually it’s the heat and uncharacteristic humidity, August 2015 will be remembered for two very tragic events: the deadly explosion in neighboring Tianjin, and the fatal stabbing attack in broad daylight in Sanlitun, which left a woman dead and a man injured. Both events saddened us deeply, and putting that month in the rearview mirror won’t come too quickly. And now, the best part of the year begins, especially in Beijing. Cooler evenings, less humidity, and blue skies promise us the best weather of the year. Coupled with an unexpected holiday (September 3-5) and an expected holiday (Mid-Autumn Festival), now is the time to go out and enjoy our city to the fullest. As such, we thought we’d amp up this issue and take a look at some of Beijing’s more extreme experiences. Kipp Whittaker finds out what it takes to join some of Beijing’s bikers for a track day, or just to roar around Beijing’s streets on two wheels. Margaux Schreurs takes the plunge into bungee jumping in the city’s environs, and just what it feels like to free fall on a string. Tom Arnstein files down his fingernails and gets up to some rock climbing around the capital. Elsewhere, we talk to our July cover model Sasha Zhou, who’s making some noise locally. We preview this autumn’s production of Phantom of the Opera, which finally comes to haunt Beijing 27 years after its Broadway debut. And for those of you new to town or just wanting to improve your language abilities, we look at some language school options for both the beginner and the advanced learner. We hope you enjoy the September issue of the Beijinger.

Steven Schwankert Executive Editor

september 2015

Posco Center sets a new benchmark for the business market

ith the established label of “International Beijing”, Beijing is the place to be for many domestic and foreign enterprises. Choosing a business address in Beijing has become a point of difficulty for many enterprises. Office location is very important for enterprise development; the area chosen should balance and integrate transport links, commercial pattern of maturity, offices and services. Whether in terms of site selection, transportation or office environment, Posco Group’s Posco Center should be a “role model” for large office buildings in Beijing. It is a garden-type office building with low density and international standards rarely seen in Beijing. Breaking the pattern of traditional office spaces and building professional industry The demand for office space is increasing in Beijing, but due to aging and traffic congestion, it is no longer suitable for enterprises to locate in older areas such as Guomao,

Zhongguancun, and Financial Street. Under the influence of strategic planning, the Wangjing area has gathered high quality office buildings like Poly International Plaza, Green Space Center and Wangjing SOHO and now Posco Center. Posco Center is committed to providing world-class office services for well-known enterprises. Posco Center focuses on building professional and personalized office spaces. It combines the advantages of both traditional offices and business incubators in a modern and scientific way to promote the innovative development of the office building. Posco Center’s tetrahedral glass structure maximizes natural lighting and provides office workers with inspiring views. A spectacular iron tree sculpture stands in a sunny hall. Open offices are combined with comfortable rest spaces and meeting rooms. The introduction of separate office spaces and individual working areas fits perfectly with the “peopleoriented” concept. Posco Center features efficient workstations equipped

SEPTEMBER 2015

advertorial

photo provided by posco

with a variety of terminal equipment. The muted decor and anti-glare lighting is designed to suit those who use monitor for long hours. The building is also equipped with a high-end intelligent video conferencing system to support business video conferencing, enabling convenient communication all around the world. An intelligent channel control system stops unauthorized personnel from entering the building, guaranteeing employee safety and enterprise confidentiality. Superior location with mature facilities, Posco center sets a new business market benchmark For large enterprises, it is not enough to consider the appearance of an office building. They must also consider the commercial maturity of the surrounding area. The area should provide employees with convenient commercial, leisure and consumption options. Posco Center not only provides convenient transport links to enterprises and employees, but also integrates recreational facilities for a healthy and comfortable working environment, achieving a natural harmony of human and space. Compared to high density office spaces that are aimed at making a profit, Posco Center includes a fitness center, international restaurants, a leisure center, shopping malls and other facilities, arousing the enthusiasm of employees, enhance employees’ sense of belonging to the enterprise and enhancing the recognition of enterprises located in the Posco Center. The area surrounding Posco Center includes ample restaurants and recreation facilities as well as many Korean businesses. A variety of international restaurants are located in the nearby Lido area. Well-known international business such as New World Department Store, Ikea, Jiamao Square, Walmart, and Carrefour are located in the area, providing staff with a place to meet and shop

after work. In addition, Posco Center has been planned to include as much green space as possible, including a sunken garden and roof space for a highly humanized design. Posco Center’s southeast square is connected to the main entrance and atrium and the northwest edge of the semiclosed sunken garden, maximizing ventilation and natural light. The roof garden that skirts the building gives staff a space for recreation and communication, improving the office environment and the environment as a whole and giving the whole building a “green” image. Choosing a suitable office space has become an important focus for enterprises. An office building is not only an office space but also the face of the enterprise. It can influence an enterprise’s success in terms of staff status, achieving enterprise information and enterprise branding. Posco Center’s core location advantage and mature supporting facilities are in perfect harmony with the people and city and have received much attention from famous enterprises. It will become a new benchmark for the business office market in Beijing and China as a whole.

SEPTEMBER 2015

best of the blog Every month we tally the hits from thebeijinger.com and bring you the top five most viewed blogs from our website.

1. Chinese/French Newlyweds Attacked in Random Stabbing in Sanlitun A stabbing that occurred in broad daylight in front of the Uniqlo store in Sanlitun’s Taikoo Li on August 13 left one Chinese woman dead and a French man injured. Photos from the scene showed the suspect wielding a meter-long sword nearby, before voluntarily lying down on the pavement when approached by police, who then cordoned off the area.

4. Expect Road, Travel, and Other Restrictions for the September 3 Holiday From September 3-5, China will celebrate War of Aggression Victory Day, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of what everyone else calls World War II. The country will have three days of holiday during that period, with which comes a whole bunch of temporary restrictions on motorcycle and gas-powered scooter use, closures of both capital airport and China’s stock market, and lastly no drones allowed. photos: reddit, kinja, wikipedia, wikimedia, favornews, rtl

3. China Bans 120 Songs for ‘Harming Public Morality’ On August 10, China’s Ministry of Culture published a blacklist of 120 songs that they believe to “harm public morality.” The 120 songs will be banned from online music platforms such as QQ Music, and removed from KTV song lists. The announcement did not specifically state whether the artists themselves would be punished or performances by them proscribed in any way.

2. Huge Explosion at Tianjin Shipping Yard, Multiple Dead and Hundreds Injured Two huge explosions rocked Tianjin on August 12. So far, the official death count stands at 114, with 57 people still missing and more than 700 injured. The explosions occurred in a shipping container yard in the Binhai New Area port section of the city, which was storing what State Media described as “dangerous and chemical goods.”

For these stories and more, check out thebeijinger.com/blog

SEPTEMBER 2015

5. Spartan Sweetie Salad PR Stunt Turns Sour Approximately two dozen scantily clad “aliens” took to the streets of Sanlitun to promote Sweetie Salad. Unfortunately, the salad saga didn’t end so sweetly, as an unspecified number of the models were arrested and dragged away by the Beijing police for “affecting public order,” according to the Global Times.

6. The Beijing Rainbow that Broke the Internet A rainbow stretching across Beijing broke the Internet and WeChat feeds on August 3, as it spread across the sky when most of us were returning home from a gray day at work. The masses immediately took to their smartphones and documented the occasion, proving Beijing isn’t all doom and gloom after all.

SEPTEMBER 2015

SCENE & HEARD

the Beijinger 2015 Burger Cup Launch Party at Universal Creative Park on August 15. Photos by Ken and Uni

september 2015

SCENE & HEARD

Awfully Chocolate Flagship Store Opening on July 29. Photos courtesy of Awfully Chocolate

Peng Label 9th Anniversary Party at Migas on July 25. Photos by Laoxiang and Haoyuan

MEI Bar Opening Party at Rosewood Beijing on July 17. Photos courtesy of Rosewood Beijing

september 2015

Jumping into the Jing’s Abyss by Margaux Schreurs

aking the jump can be scary, but any experience that pushes you out of your comfort zone is worth it. In order for you to do just that, here are our suggestions for where to go bungee jumping. We talked to Los Angeles native Chris Meehan of Aoji International School, who visited Qinglong Gorge and decided to take the plunge. “I was impressed by the facilities. It felt surprisingly safe. Supposedly it was designed by an engineer from New Zealand. The harness was secure, and the operators were friendly – although the day I visited, there was no one who spoke English.” “Although I have done some other ‘adventure sports’ such as skydiving, zip lining, and zorbing, when you get to the platform and it is time to jump, it is a little nerve-wracking. First you’re in freefall, and then bounce a few times. After the jump, you hang

there upside down for a few seconds (I imagine for some this feels like an eternity) while they lower you down and collect you in a little boat. It is a beautiful part of Beijing.” Qinglong Gorge Located among green waters, beautiful waterfulls, and ancient parts of the Great Wall of China, this jump takes a climb to get to, but is only 68 meters down. To get to Qinglong, take bus 916 from Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station, or bus 16 at Dongdaqiao or Xuanwumen, to Dayu Village. There are also trains from Beijing Railway Station. RMB 300. Daily 8am-5pm. Qinglong Gorge, Huairou District (8969 6614) 怀柔区北镇大水峪村青龙峡

Shidu A beautiful place to jump, over the water and in between mountains. To get there, take the train to Shidu from Beijing West Station, or take bus 917 from Tianqiao. RMB 260. Daily 7.50am-5.50pm. Jiudu Village, Shidu, Fangshan District (6134 8888) 房山区九渡镇十渡村 Longqing Gorge About 90km from central Beijing, Longqing Gorge’s bungee is on a cliff and is 48 meters high. To get there, take bus 919 from Deshengmen. RMB 40 (entrance to the scenic area), RMB 100 (boat to bungee site), RMB 200 (bungee jump). Daily 8am-4pm. Longqing Gorge, Yanqing District (6919 1020) 延庆县龙庆峡

There are also other places to jump into the abyss:

september 2015

photo courtesy of chris meehan

Rise Above

The Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Climbing Spots and the People to show you by Tom Arnstein

september 2015

hether you’re looking for bouldering, traditional, top-rope, sport or lead, there is an abundance of climbing opportunities in and around Beijing as popularity for the sport grows. The mental and physical energy exuded when tackling a route is enticing for a number of reasons: it’s something anyone with a little muscle and willpower can enjoy, it allows for exploration outside of the city, you’ll meet a bunch of easygoing and likeminded folk, and it gets you in great shape. Most novices will want to start with gym climbing, that is, clambering up an artificial wall, for which there are a number of options, all offering equipment for hire (RMB 50 should cover a day pass and gear rental). It has been said that these walls are still somewhat hard for the completely uninitiated, so if possible, take along someone with a little experience so that intricacies and safety measures can be conveyed correctly. The following locations have bouldering and rope options: O’le Climbing: A longstanding wall in a popular sports center with friendly and bilingual staff. Mon-Sat 10am10pm, Sun 10am-8pm. 5 Shimencun Lu, Baiziwan Qiao East, Chaoyang District (186 1846 1002) 奥莱体育园: 朝阳区东四环中路百子湾桥东石门村路5号 Shouti Indoor Training Stadium: Made up of five walls, has knowledgeable staff, and caters to a range of sports. Daily 10am-9pm. 54 Baishiqiao Lu, Haidian District (6833 5552 ext. 8389) 首都体育馆: 海淀区白石桥路54号

Making the transition from rookie to expert can be tricky business in the capital as prospects of gaining outdoor experience once you’ve mastered the gym walls are limited. One option is to pay for courses and expeditions through the Beijing Climbing Club (beijingclimbingclub. com), which will cover transportation, accommodation, meals, all equipment, and instructor’s fees. If you feel ready to hit the road with a group then you will first need to buy your own equipment. Once you’re kitted out, contact the Beijing Rock Climbing Group (meetup.com/beijing-rock-climbing-group), where you’ll meet the city’s climbing fanatics, raring to go out on weekly trips and who will be happy to guide you to the best spots. The party usually arranges a private driver and any costs incurred are divvied between participants. Beijing’s main climbing areas won’t take longer than two hours to reach door-to-door and are clustered in three main zones: Baihe, Hauirou, and Shidu. All have between 10 and 30 routes at varying levels of difficulty and elusiveness, which is why you’ll need to tag along with others. If you’re searching for a comprehensive guide to climbing Beijing and beyond, Climb China (2014) is your best bet. Unfortunately, the book isn’t sold anywhere in China other than Yangshuo so you’ll have to track it down online before you head out on your adventure. Special thanks to Howard Bernstein who was kind enough to share his knowledge of the Beijing climbing scene.

photos courtesy of howard bernstein

Touchstone: Located outdoors in Ritan Park, this wall is only open between March and November. Daily 10am-9.30pm. Ritan Gongyuan (northeast gate), 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District (138 0105 2361) 朝阳区日坛北路6号

University walls: If you’re lucky enough to be enrolled in one of these universities you may have access to a wall already: Beijing Forestry University, Aviation University, Agricultural University, Peking University, and Beijing Geosciences University.

september 2015

Speed

DemONS The Fastest Freaks on Two Wheels by Kipp Whittaker

september 2015

here aren’t many things in life that make you feel as fulfilled or alive as tilting above the ground at 160 km/h, with your knee and elbow grinding on the racetrack. “You are so focused that you forget reality, and you get driven by mechanical instincts. Your blood is rushing, and your whole body levitating with the wind and euphoria of the moment,” enthuses Adrien Macera, founder and owner of Blackbridge Motorcycles. Blackbridge was founded three years ago under the initial concept of a private workshop where custom motorcycles could be built with both style and performance in mind. Now, Blackbridge not only builds bikes, but also provides motorcycle-racing enthusiasts with an entry point for track and off-road motorcycle racing circuits in China. If you don't speak Chinese, Blackbridge takes care of the full racing weekend package including paperwork, logistics, and team support. These tours are something Blackbridge excels at, since Adrien has been racing local championships under sponsored contract for the last two years. Track days introduce the sport to novice riders while the more experienced riders are free to train on their speedy machines. The Blackbridge Racing School gives indepth instruction to make sure beginners learn the proper methods for racing safely as well as track etiquette to build good habits at 250km/h. Adrien adds, “These track days are fun and relaxing (depending on your definition of relaxing) and there is a very friendly mood in the pits with riders helping each other out with technical tips.” Blackbridge takes these excursions around once or twice a month. As there is not a venue for this activity in

Beijing, some traveling is required. The summer season takes place in Ordos, Inner Mongolia and lasts from April to September. The winter season is from October to April, in Zhuhai (Guangdong). The cost of a racing weekend ranges from RMB 4,000-15,000 depending on what bike model you want and how much you ride over the course of the weekend. The Blackbridge team has fully prepared track bikes for rent, or alternatively, if you are an experienced rider and have your own track ready sports-bike, they will inspect the vehicle and can arrange for it to be shipped to the track. Since this sport is not without the potential for accidents, if they declare your motorcycle unsafe, they will ask you to use one of their rental bikes. You do not need a license to have a track day with Blackbridge, however they expect all new customers to pay a visit to the workshop to discuss the activity beforehand. You can trust these guys to show you the most adrenaline-filled experience on two wheels. Though motorcycle road racing is a relatively safe way to explore speed, and the limits of a modern sports bike, Adrien adds “there are still risks, therefore, make sure you have good medical insurance.” If this advisory doesn’t convince you to hop on a suped-up motorcycle, then this activity just isn’t for you. Track days cost between RMB 4,000-15,000, and include transportation to the track, motorcycle rental, and paperwork. Contact blackbridgemotorcycles@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.blackbridgemotorcycles.com for more information.

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Sip, nibble, gulp, chew, guzzle, savor, feast

FOOD & DRINK BRIAN MCKENNA // ALCOHOLIC POPSICLES // ENJOY // FINNISH FOOD

september 2015

PHOTO COURTESY OF Ritz-carlton beijing financial street

September means Mid-Autumn Festival and whether you’re moony for moon cakes or not, you’re probably going to have to eat at least one. We like Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street’s colorful yet classic set, which are baked following low fat, low sugar recipes.

nibbles and sips Migas is capitalizing on the last days of summer with La Cevichería, a pop-up ceviche bar serving faithful renditions of traditional Peruvian dishes like tiraditos (sliced raw fish in a spicy fruit-based sauce), ceviche (cubed fish “cooked” in a sour marinade), and causa (mashed potato dumplings with a variety of toppings). Get a taste for yourself from 6-10pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Ceviche aside, we’ve also been eking out the remainder of the summer with Comptoirs de France’s new menu, which alongside a selection of new salads (we love the kale and avocado salad, served with dressing on the side) and ice cream cakes, includes perhaps our favorite croque madame in Beijing. Throughout the rest of August and September, Traitor Zhou’s are organizing their first “Ugly Tomato Festival”, a festival celebrating the unsightly, odd-shaped, bruised tomatoes that don’t make it onto supermarket shelves despite still tasting fantastic. Some of our favorite restaurants around town, including Migas, TRB, and Okra 1949 will be preparing some of their signature dishes, as well as new ones, with ugly tomatoes. For the latest iteration of the Carnivore’s Club, Feast is teaming up with Swire’s other Beijing property, the Opposite House. For the event on September 17, Chefs Rob Cunningham and Li Dong have come up with a menu that celebrates everything that makes Beijing’s favorite bird – duck – delicious, including sweet and sour duck soup, and twice-cooked duck leg. Explore the importance of rice in three very different cuisines at this six course, wine-paired dinner, featuring offerings from Niajo (Spain), Mercante (Italy), and Sake Manzo (Japan). With all the dishes created exclusively for this one off dinner, this is one not to miss. Obentos are extending their celebrated healthy aesthetic to breakfast, which is now available instore from 8am (9am on weekends). Dishes include the breakfast bento, featuring Japanese omelet, a brown rice ball, mixed fruit, homemade muesli, natural yogurt, and organic honey or oyaku congee with kale and avocado, that also comes with the option to add salmon.

september 2015

Enjoy Yourself

enjoy ceo marco chen talks about the App That’s Taking China’s F&B world by storm by Robynne Tindall

photo courtesy of enjoy

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feature

n Beijing’s saturated food and beverage market it is no longer enough to rely on the quality of your food alone; today’s savvy – some might say picky – consumers are looking for an experience, something unique that they can share with their friends in person or, more likely, on their WeChat moments. Enter Enjoy, a new dining experience app that is taking Beijing – and China – by storm. Enjoy’s young CEO, Marco Chen, came up with the idea for Enjoy after a particularly memorable meal. “Around September 2014, I was eating by myself in a sushi restaurant. While I was eating, the sushi master came up to me and asked after a friend of mine. Suddenly I remembered that 18 months previously I had taken my friend to the same restaurant to celebrate his birthday, and the same sushi master had come over to wish him happy birthday and give us a complimentary flask of shochu. That meal stuck in my head ever since, not because of the food, but because of the experience. I wanted to come up with a product that did the same for other people.” Browsing through the Enjoy app brings to mind the heyday of group buying deals, but in a much more stylish package. The sleek monochrome interface presents a gallery of dining deals for a number of Beijing’s top restaurants, many of which are designed exclusively for Enjoy. “Some of our restaurants have chefs with Michelin experience, some are exclusive supper clubs, and some are leaders in a particular type of cuisine. Just like a fashion buyer, Enjoy’s core competitiveness lies in our ability to effectively evaluate the appeal of a restaurant. We don’t sell cheap buffet deals and we don’t really work with chain restaurants. An interesting chef, years of experience in the food industry, excellent service, dishes you can’t get anywhere else … these are the things we look for in a restaurant,” says Chen. Consumers – who they are, what they like, where they eat – are at the heart of Enjoy’s business model. Their target audience of young, high income urban professional are constantly bombarded with information about where and what to eat, but often do not have the time or energy to think critically about food. As Chen explains, “Enjoy isn’t for the kind of people who choose a restaurant based on how many pleats they put in their baozi; it’s for the kind of people who want to grab a couple of friends and pop out for afternoon tea to catch up at the weekend.” The onlineto-offline model Enjoy employs is the best way to reach these time-poor, mobile-friendly consumers. When Enjoy first launched, we spoke to many people in the food and beverage industry who were skeptical of just another app selling dining deals, yet today it boasts some

of Beijing’s most popular restaurants, including Migas, Feast, and Jing Yaa Tang, among its partners. In the face of soaring operating costs in the food and beverage industry in China, restaurants like the above are increasingly looking for creative ways to attract and retain customers, without increasing their marketing budget. Chen believes that restaurants have come round to the idea that Enjoy is more than just a sales platform; it’s a promotional tool.“ We give restaurants a platform to tell their story to consumers, to show off what makes them unique.” When a venue signs up to work with Enjoy, they send their photographers by to take stunning pictures of the restaurant and food, often providing a finished product much more professional than the restaurants could afford by themselves. “At the end of the day, consumers want a unique experience and restaurants want to attract high quality clientele. Enjoy meets the demands of both groups.” Enjoy is available on iPhone and Android. After launching in Beijing they have expanded to Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and also offer nationwide delivery of gourmet food products. For more information, and to download the app, visit enjoy. ricebook.com.

A TASTE OF ENJOY’S TOP PROMOTIONS: A barbecue buffet at Pinotage, with 15 types of barbecue meats and 11 side dishes, RMB 128 per person An 18 course set menu for one at Japanese restaurant GebaGeba, RMB 200 per person Migas’popular Saturday carnivore’s brunch, RMB 210 per person, a saving of RMB 60 A Peking duck set dinner for four at China World Summit Wing’s Red Chamber, RMB 555

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THE SMOKEYARD MEATLOVER’S PARADISE

photos : joey guo

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WHAT’S NEW restaurants Daily 11am-11pm. Entrance 5, 6 Sanlitun Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6501 7501) 庭云：朝阳区三里屯南路6号楼5门 600m west of Tuanjiehu (Line 10)

icture The Smokeyard. As a restaurant name it conjures up visions of a thrusting, masculine barbecue joint in somewhere like Missouri. Our Beijing version, located a stone’s throw from the bedlam of Sanlitun, could not be further from that vision, a bright and boisterous two story space with lots of bare brickwork and primary colors. Neither does the menu limit itself to barbecue, although the original bourbon whiskey ribs (RMB 78) are one of the better examples we have sampled around town, the meat rich and tender underneath the just-sweet sauce. The portion too is formidable, although we could have done with less of the mayonnaise-laden coleslaw. The eponymous “smoke” comes through in the house sliders (RMB 48 for three), the patties charred to a thick crust and served with more smoked bacon. Grab a pint of the house draft beer (RMB 18) to wash these rich flavors down with. Supplied by a local brewery, it is as light on the palate as it is on the wallet. We always hesitate to use the word fusion, but the rest of the menu is practically asking for it. For example, the crabmon salad (RMB 38) features smoked salmon and fresh crab in a Japanese-style sesame dressing, while a classic meatball marinara (RMB 38) is taken to the next level by Hunan chili peppers. The team behind The Smokeyard cook and serve with heart, and although they’ve set themselves up in a highly competitive area, we’re sure that their unpretentious style and approachable pricing will bring success. Robynne Tindall Note: During soft opening The Smokeyard closes from 2-5pm. The soft opening menu may be subject to change.

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eating Alfresco

SALT SPRING Spring Time for Lido

Daily 11.30am-10.30pm. 9-3 Jiangtai Xi Lu, Chaoyang District (6437 8457) 盐泉：朝阳区将台西路9-3号 1.4km west of Jiangtai (Line 14)

is pleasant and fresh, if a little muddled. On the menu, creamy French mussels (RMB 78) sit alongside spicy Mexican seafood soup (RMB 68) and lobster spaghetti (RMB 228), aiming for a sort of modern bistro vibe. This borderless cuisine is best harnessed in a salad of beef tenderloin and mango (RMB 88), dressed in a souped-up version of the sort of sauce usually used for soy saucebraised beef, a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. Continuing the beefy theme, steaks are also cooked and presented with skill, although you’ll have to pay a fairly hefty price for them – a 10 ounce Australian rib-eye will set you back RMB 348. Those who are hungry for a bargain will have more luck with the weekday set lunch menu, when RMB 118 will get you two courses from a short selection of some of the a la carte dishes. Robynne Tindall

september 2015

photo : ken

n the case of Lido restaurant Salt Spring, metaphors about phoenixes and ashes would be rather more apt than any about bubbling springs. Having gone through what can only be described as an acrimonious split with their former restaurateurs a couple of years ago, the new management have reinvented the space, making good use of the huge main dining room and open kitchen with plenty of bright, fun decorative accents. By far and away the best thing to come out of the revamp is the spacious outdoor terrace, with a view overlooking leafy Si’de Park, it is decorated with more of those bright, fun colors, giving more of a homey feel than that of a polished restaurant. Make the most of it this month before the weather turns. But what to eat on said terrace? The food at Salt Spring

WHAT’S NEW restaurants

MOI RESTAURANT STRAIGHT TO THE FInNISH LINE

Daily 10am-11pm. Bldg T4, Dangdai Moma, 1 Xiangheyuan Beijie, Dongcheng District (8438 8808) 东城区香河园北街1号当代Moma内 1km northeast of Dongzhimen (Line 2, Line 13)

photo courtesy of Moi restaurant

id you know that Beijing had a Finnish restaurant? Neither did we, but there it is, perched on the edge of the lake at the center of Dangdai Moma. The interior of the restaurant is designed to resemble a Finnish birch forest, with real birch trunks framing the windows and a leaf-ringed blue sky printed on the ceiling. We suggest you enjoy the genuine blue skies outside on Moi’s expansive lake-side terrace before winter starts to make its presence felt. Dianping reviews call Moi a “salmon-themed restaurant” and that description is not far from the truth. The Scandinavian-slanted menu offers at least 10 salmon dishes (the salmon is sourced from Norway), including their signature dish, slow roast freshly salted salmon (RMB 178/400g, RMB 388/900g). The slow roasting leaves the salmon fillet crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, all the better to be scooped up with some of their homemade tartar sauce. It would be remiss of us not to mention the accompanying excellent mashed potatoes, which are also present to mop up the creamy gravy of the classic Finnish meatballs (RMB 88). Those who are skeptical of Scandi food will also find steaks (RMB 186-280), lamb chops (RMB 148), and avocado-seafood risotto (RMB 88) on the menu. Robynne Tindall

september 2015

Alleyway Gourmet

signature tiger vermicelli in soup

Tigermama

A Taste of Traditional Macau in Sanlitun 2/F, Bldg 38, Sanlitun Xijie, Chaoyang District (6416 5892) 小老虎澳门食店：朝阳区三里屯西街38号1层 850m northwest of Tuanjiehu (Line 10)

generously topped off with beef brisket, fish cake slices, squid, and curry chicken. The broth is fragrant and satisfying, even sampling it on an already steamy day. The shaomai (RMB 15, called fish dumplings on the menu) are presented in a little basket, doused in vinegar. Tables come stocked with condiments if you want to add a kick of chili or a splash of soy sauce. Other snacks include the traditional curry fish balls (RMB 15), squid in curry sauce (RMB 22), braised chicken wings (RMB 16), and green vegetables in either beef brisket sauce, oyster sauce or soya bean sauce (RMB 12). A good value addition to the Sanlitun neighborhood. Margaux Schreurs

september 2015

photos: photo: ken uni

igerMama, the new Macanese kid on the block, brings affordable and quick Macau-style dishes to the Sanlitun Houjie neighborhood. The restaurant’s layout is spacious, tidy, and takes a considered minimalist approach. On multiple occasions, a quick peek through the glass door on multiple occasions confirms that their space is put to good use, especially around lunchtime when it appears to be a favorite of the office dwellers and bored sales staff of the area. The signature tiger vermicelli in soup (with a choice of vermicelli, thin noodles, noodles or instant noodles) (RMB 28) arrived quickly, the bowl of stringy goodness

BACK FOR MORE

Home Plate BBQ  A Whole Different Ballgame

The Pimento cheese plate will become a favorite starter; sharp cheddar cheese blended to a paste with pimentos, peppers, and seasoning, accompanied by celery and carrot sticks, as well as crackers. As for the chili, the accompanying piece of cornbread, soaking up the sauce, made a nice addition to a straight bowl of the spicy stew, although spice lovers may be left hankering for a little extra kick. With new drinks (we love the Savannah Sipper (RMB 55), with tea-infused vodka, white wine, and fruit juice) and new eats Home Plate BBQ has really demonstrated their dedication to keeping things up to date, and regardless of our readers’ concern over existing burgers’ increasing prices at this establishment, which we were told is a result of increasing meat prices, we’ll undoubtedly be back to try out the rest of the menu, and soon. Margaux Schreurs

photo: uni

n the deep, deep South (of Sanlitun), the ever-popular Home Plate BBQ has upgraded their menu, inviting another visit to this temple of meat. Instead of their old single-side menu we’re now looking at a book with pages and pages of meaty treats and indulgent dishes. Creations at Home Plate BBQ come about from extensive research trips, as the owners visit Texas and Memphis on a regular basis. Their research includes eating at barbecue restaurants, meeting barbecue masters, and talking to restaurant owners throughout the country – color us green with envy. Keeping this in mind, expectations were high. We settled on the Itis burger (RMB 98), a double cheeseburger with Home Plate BBQ’s homemade aioli, deep fried pickles, and crispy cured bacon. It practically has it all, and did not disappoint.

september 2015

Brian McKenna Loosens Up Why Beijingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top fine dining chef opted to go casual with his new gastropub by Kyle Mullin

september 2015

Interview

photos courtesy of brian mckenna

hat happens when one of Beijing’s most elite chefs loses his love for the finer things? For Brian McKenna, such a sinking, fizzling feeling could only mean one thing: it was time to scrap his lauded restaurant, Brian McKenna@The Courtyard, and move on. “I gotta tell you, I just don’t have that passion to cook another piece of foie gras, or to read about cooking an egg for fine dining, and how it transforms in water at a certain temperature after so many hours and blah blah blah,” the internationally renowned chef says, with a cheeky grin, of his desire to own a more casual gastropub and grill, which will have its grand opening on September 12. His new establishment will be housed on the grounds of the long beloved Wangfujing establishment Molly Malone’s Irish pub, which recently closed and is now being renovated to the Ireland born, England raised chef’s specifications, so that he can reopen it as Molly Malone’s Gastropub and Grill. The new digs will be far more casual than the courtyard, with average spend per head around RMB 250-300 – a 10th of what customers would pay at The Courtyard. “My thinking was: why not open the kind of place that I would like to go in my time off?’” McKenna says, adding that that notion came to fruition after a recent visit from his friend and collaborator, renowned Dutch restaurateur Ron Blaauw, for whom McKenna has consulted extensively – one of the many side projects that he had been struggling to balance with his Courtyard responsibilities. When Blaauw arrived in Beijing recently, he visited the Irish chef’s fine dining digs, and had one thing to say: “He asked me, ‘What the f*ck are you doing here? Only nine tables? Fine dining?’” Blaauw’s point was simple – running such a fancy restaurant has been passé in Europe for nearly a decade. A far hotter trend – which Blaauw has employed to great success in Amsterdam – is to blend the best elements of fine and casual dining, in order to offer guests a quality meal without a stuffy atmosphere. For McKenna, having such a close friend and trusted peer offer up such advice only further whetted his appetite for less formal fare. “Really for quite some time, I didn’t want to be at the Courtyard,”McKenna freely admits now, adding: “If someone dropped some cutlery there, everyone would gasp. But on my off time, I’d been visiting places like Feast and Jing-A Brewing, and had a great time enjoying their straightforward, delicious food and fun atmosphere. So I thought: ‘Why not combine the two, and have that great atmosphere, but make

it more mine, with my recipes, to raise the food quality level while keeping the prices low.” For McKenna that take on refined casual dining means not only readying simpler dishes overall, but also incorporating some of his long honed Michelin level techniques. His revamped Molly Malone’s Gastropub and Grill will feature English tavern fare like homemade sausages, burgers, and steaks, coupled with craft beer. But each will be elevated by subtle fine dining flourishes, while still being straightforward to chow down on. Prime examples include a dessert burger made of chocolate and sesame; fish n’ chips battered with a gas “foamer”canister typically used for fine dining foams and creams, to give the fish a crispier coating; and a steak and kidney pie which has a piece of marrow that is removed for customers upon serving, so that they can see the succulent pieces of meat tantalizingly flake off of the bone and onto the crust. He thinks this combination of simplified and refined techniques will make the new gastropub a unique choice for Beijing foodies. That mix also offers McKenna a chance to return to his roots, and delve into the kind of tavern fare that he grew up on as a boy at the establishment that his parents owned, which was a pub downstairs and a boxing gym on the ground floor. In those days, McKenna would practice jabs and uppercuts upstairs, then head to the basement for some well earned grub. “The food was slop,”he admits with a laugh, but added that growing up near the gym gave him the discipline he needed to survive in London’s feisty restaurant scene later on. He fought his way up, and eventually attained fame and acclaim as the head chef at Michelin-starred Le Poussin at Parkhill. Now, McKenna is thrilled to finally combine both sides of his upbringing. He admits the transition to Molly Malone’s hasn’t been easy, especially for the high caliber staff members from The Courtyard that accompanied him.“They still expected much of it to be elaborate, for smoke to come off the dishes right on the table in front of the guests,” McKenna says with a laugh. “It took a while for them to get used to keeping that complicated stuff in the kitchen, and make things simple and fun for the customers.” McKenna recalls one of those colleagues trying one of his new meat pies: “She said, ‘My mom used to make food like this!’ And no one has said that about my food before,”says the chef who has spent so much of his career working in exclusivity. He adds: “It feels really great to open myself up like this, to reach more people with my food, because I grew up with food like this.”

september 2015

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW restaurants

Yuppie Yummie

Young, Urban, and Professional

photos: ken

september 2015

WHAT’S NEW restaurants Sun-Wed 10.30am-1am, Thu-Sat 11am-3am. 17 Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang District (6592 8788) YY创意西餐：朝阳区秀水南街17号 400m northeast of Jianguomen (Line 1, Line 2)

iushui Nanjie, the quiet street in the Ritan Park area that runs parallel to Jianguomen Waidajie, has played home to a host of American-styled restaurants over the years. The latest to try its luck is Yuppie Yummie (hereafter YY, since I refuse to type the word “yummie” again), an oddly titled restaurant serving up huge portions of classic Americana dishes – burgers, ribs, and steaks. The eclectically decorated space is warm and inviting, with a bright garden room at the entrance and an open kitchen in the main dining room. Note that they are willing to hire out both the kitchen and dining space for you to cater your own events – an enticing prospect for budding master chefs. The burgers are the main event here, and the menu riffs off the classics, adding barbecue pulled pork, bacon, and a fried egg to the Hard Rock burger, one of their signatures. We advise ordering this one to share, especially if you want to be able to enjoy a portion of their crisp breaded onion rings, or even a portion of sweet and tender ribs. Accompany your meal with a glass of their exceptional ice tea, brewed with a blend of both international and domestic teas, including smoky lapsang souchong. Unlike some of the insipid Lipton versions around town, YY’s ice tea has a strong tea flavor, which is accented, rather than drowned out, by the accompanying lemon slices. It doesn’t hurt that it’s served in an adorable vintage brass cup either. Robynne Tindall

september 2015

Provincial Restaurants

Guangdong Provincial Government Restaurant You Dim Sum, You Lose Sum

Daily 7am-1.30pm (dim sum menu), 11am-2.30pm, 5.30-9pm (regular menu). 5/F, Guangzhou Dasha, Heng Ertiao, Xidan, Xicheng District (5855 9988) 广和茶轩：西城区西单横二条3号广州大厦5层 250m north of Xidan (Line 1, Line 4)

within a split second, calling for a swift second order. The mushroom and vegetable buns’“less bun, more stuffing” approach was also highly appreciated; dim sum is not known for its vegetarian dishes but these treats make a great addition to any order. Finally, the steamed shrimp dumplings tasted fresh and natural – no faffing around with these dumplings, not too much dough, and no unnecessary flavoring. The only serious disappointment was the steamed vermicelli roll (RMB 23), in this case it made using really thick vermicelli with barely any stuffing. The limp rolls were left to the side, untouched. To experience the breakfast dim sum carts, you’ll need to get there between 7-10.30am. Otherwise, they serve dim sum from the kitchen until 1.30pm. Between 11am-2.30pm and 5.30-9pm, they also serve non-dim sum Cantonese dishes from a separate menu. Margaux Schreurs

september 2015

photo: Margaux Schreurs

his month’s Prov Gov mission was completed on the west side of the city, near Xidan. We biked up an appetite, but enjoyed the scenic route, hoping to find some tasty dim sum on the other side. After arriving at the fifth floor of Guangzhou Dasha, being sent to the second floor, and consequently being sent back to the first floor where our mission had begun 10 minutes prior, the bilingual menu appeared quickly, with the dishes listed under different price categories (RMB 10-33 per dish). At first glance, it did appear to be yet another miserable government-run restaurant with underpaid and uninterested staff, but once the dim sum came out there was a sense of relief. Had we finally found a Prov Gov worth coming back to? The barbecue pork buns (RMB 18) were brimming with the eponymous sweetened pork. The same goes for the Hong Ma barbecued pork puffs (RMB 18) that were gone

WHAT’S NEW restaurants

WHAT SOUP

WHAT’S SOUP GOT TO DO WITH IT Daily 10.30am-8pm. Shop 1350, 3/F, West Tower, Shangdu Soho, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5624 1717) 一碗靓汤：朝阳区东大桥路8号尚都Soho西塔3层 1350商铺 300m south of Dongdaqiao (Line 6)

photo courtesy of what soup

troll by a subway station in Hong Kong and you will often see a stall surrounded by steaming cauldrons, exuding a cloud of scents at once delicious and medicinal. The stalls are selling liangtang, or tonic soups, intricate concoctions brewed for hours with traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients to produce a variety of health-giving effects. What Soup is aiming to bring a little slice of this Hong Kong culture to Beijing, with a small storefront and soup delivery business based out of Shangdu Soho. What Soup are building on the health-related evangelism that has gripped Beijing in recent years to catch the attention of curious diners, particularly women. The selection of soups on offer changes weekly, and while gentlemen are welcome to indulge, the majority of soups is aimed at the female market, designed to soothe a variety of feminine ills. Western diners as well should not be put off by the idea of “medicinal” soup. Here the harsher medicinal herbs that often appear in tonic soups have been eschewed in favor of more recognizable elements such as goji berries and wood ear mushrooms. We tried a hydrating soup with pork ribs, chicken feet, pumpkin, and snow fungus (RMB 38 for a sample portion, RMB 168 for four full portions), a lightly sweet and surprisingly filling bowl. It may not be enough for a lunch, but What Soup is worth a try for a different take on the health food trend. Robynne Tindall

sanyouting roll

september 2015

just desserts

Ice Monster

Sin-sational Flavored Ice Daily 10am-10pm. SLG38-1, Taikoo Li Sanlitun South, Chaoyang District (6410 9971) 朝阳区三里屯太古里南区SLG38-1 700m west of Tuanjiehu (Line 10)

me up from the weekday grind. It included a shot glass of syrup to douse the small mountain of shaved ice with even more delectable sugar, delivering a refreshing mound of coffee-flavored goodness. Although it looks gigantic, every bite melts immediately upon reaching your tongue. Located texturally somewhere in between icy cotton candy and housing insulation, it was easily and quickly consumed. The prices are perhaps a little steep, around RMB 70, so it maybe best to split with a friend or use your skills as a pickup artist to mooch on a stranger’s. While it must be said that these offerings aren’t as healthy as some of the fro-yo options around town, it is ultimately just sugar and water along with a couple other items that are cooling and desirable and fill all the requirements of a tasty summer treat. Kipp Whittaker

september 2015

photo courtesy of ice monster

ummer in Beijing calls for a chain of shaved ice establishments like Ice Monster to provide solace from the sweltering heat. Although Ice Monster has a reputation in East Asia for its frigid treats, we feel the true gauge of success for a dessert-focused eatery is often the number of lonesome ladies and gentlemen present, filling the holes in their hearts with sugar, of which Ice Monster seemingly has plenty. Hailed by CNN as one of the best desserts in the world, we had high expectations. The mascot for this Taiwan franchise origins is a cute, mustached, butter-like cube cooling off with a block of ice on its head. On the day of our visit, we could identify with this method of combating the oppressive forces of summer. There are about 10 flavors to choose from, including mango, lime, peanut, and coffee. We picked the Coffee Sensation in the hope that it would provide a little pick

p.s. we ate you Every month, we like to shine a spotlight on the most delicious dishes we’ve stumbled upon recently. Chow down!

the classic burger Kenny’s Burgers, RMB 58 A classic hamburger adorned with just cheese and burger relish. Limited toppings really allow the flavor of the good-quality Tasmanian beef to shine through. The burger comes with a side of judiciously seasoned handcut fries. spicy mini salami Paulaner Brauhaus, RMB 78 These tiny spicy salami sausages are a new addition to Paulaner’s already solid menu. They are not too spicy (by Chinese standards) but are a great snack to enjoy alongside the Brauhaus’ home-brewed beers. Also comes with a portion of gherkins. quattro stagioni pizza Haven, RMB 90 New Houhai bar Haven has got its pizza crust game down, producing a base that is both airy and chewy at the same time. The quattro stagioni pizza has four generously topped quarters. Whether you prefer the mushrooms, salami, cheese, or olives, this pizza is perfect to share with friends over a drink. “angry” buffalo shrimp The Local, RMB 55 These shrimp will leave you anything but angry. Delicious buffalo-style shrimp with that spicy hot sauce kick are accompanied by blue cheese sauce. Best served alongside any of our favorite drinks at the Local, whether that be the Bourbon Street ice tea, or the Naughty Pear. tronchetto Bottega, RMB 129 An elevated version of the traditional pizza, featuring a roll of light dough stuffed with plenty of melted fior di latte mozzarella cheese, and topped off with fresh cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula, Proscuitto de Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil.

september 2015

Drinks Feature

Pop Out

Break the Mold With These Popsicle Cocktails by Kipp Whittaker

Pimm’s Cup 300ml Pimm’s No. 1 350ml flat ginger beer 120ml water a squeeze of fresh lemon 4-5 strawberries, thinly sliced 10-12 cucumber slices Desecrate this classic cocktail often associated with elite English sporting events by giving it the popsicle treatment. Mix Pimm’s with flat ginger beer and water. Squeeze fresh lemon into the mixture and set aside. Slice the cucumber and a few strawberries then place into the bottom of each mold. Top each mold with the mixture and heck, you know what to do.

september 2015

photos: ken

Peach Bourbon Lemonade 470ml lemonade 140ml peach puree 60ml bourbon Nothing quite says summer like ripe peaches and a cold glass of lemonade. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the bourbon. So break out that blender that’s probably been collecting dust and mix all ingredients until smooth. Don’t add too much booze to the mix or you’ll end up with a slush, which also wouldn’t be so bad. Then pour them into the popsicle molds of your choice and freeze overnight.

hile we wouldn’t recommend walking around town cocktail in hand, modernity and access to an icebox have their advantages when finding interesting ways to get discreetly buzzed. These “spiritually” defiled treats are sweet and delicious, and would most certainly taste great without liquor for those with more innocent palettes. Find your popsicle molds on Taobao or Ikea and get started with tasty examples.

Cherry Lambic 350g chopped cherries 20g organic cane sugar 350ml cherry lambic beer While we don’t recommend doing it with Yanjing, beer popsicles are also an option. It is best to use something sweet and fruity like a cherry lambic. Here’s how it’s done. We flash-blend the cherries and sugar, and then pour in the cherry lambic and pulse for 10 seconds. Set aside the mix until it gets flat, then pour into you popsicle molds and get those popsicles into the freezer.

Mint Julep 590ml water 225g demerara sugar 20g mint 80ml bourbon This delicious incarnation of the racetrack classic might get you laughed out of the Kentucky Derby, but it’s delicious none-the-less. Add sugar and water to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Let it cool, then add to a blender with mint and bourbon, and blend until smooth. Finally, pour into your popsicle molds and place in the freezer.

september 2015

WHAT’S NEW BARS & CLUBS

Mei Bar

A Flawless Atmosphere for Impeccable Tastes Mon-Wed 6pm-2am, Thu-Sat 6pm-3am, Sun 5pm-midnight. 5/F, Rosewood Beijing, Jing Guang Centre, Hujialou, Chaoyang District (6597 8888) 朝阳区呼家楼京广中心北京瑰丽酒店5层 200m south of Hujialou (Line 6, Line 10)

Starting in September, the wine bar will begin special aperitivo sessions, featuring two glasses of wine for RMB 168 from Monday to Friday. We had a chance to sample the accompanying impressive spread filled with meat and cheese platters and other appetite inducing staples that will surely have the Beijing elite shrieking with pleasure. Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without live music from the house band, playing classic hits and the typical dose of house from their twin Canadian DJs. Yes, they have sexy twins laying down some sensual four-onthe-floor house beats for your listening pleasure. Based on our initial visit, we can honestly say that we were very much impressed by Mei’s offering, and at a suitable price, which is more than we can say for many other hotel bar options. It will likely bring in a diverse clientele toasting with pinkies out in undivided approval. Kipp Whittaker

september 2015

photo: uni

ne of Rosewood Beijing’s main attractions for both city dwellers and travelers is that they have a little bit of something for everyone. Mei bar sets itself apart from other luxury hotel bars by offering separate bars for whiskey, cocktails, wine, and classy snacks that are sure to satisfy, whatever the craving. The slick, elegant design scheme we’ve come to expect from anything associated with Rosewood doesn’t hurt either, facilitating a comfortable imbibing experience. Equally impressive, Mei Bar’s verandah overlooks all the splendor of CBD. We tasted some of their cocktails, including the creamy mango Hemingway daiquiri (RMB 85). Not your usual daiquiri, this was served in ceramic teacup, loaded with smooth fresh mango purée and a generous pour of rum. If you prefer something of the classic variety, try their sloe gin and tonic (RMB 80) made with Hayman’s sloe gin.

WHAT’S NEW BARS & CLUBS

Punk Rock Noodle Oi! How About Some Noodles?

Daily 6pm-2am. 25 Donggong Jie, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (8402 3180) 东城区鼓楼东大街东公街25号 500m west of Beixinqiao (Line 5)

photo: kupp whittaker

hough bikers and punks joining forces to open up a bar-cum-noodle shop sounds like the premise for a questionable Roger Corman movie, we were quite impressed with the results. Last spring, Jimi Sides of the Corner Melt and Noodle In founder, Lei Jun, decided to join their unique culinary histories into a streamlined house of comfort food. Unfortunately, Lei Jun passed away before he could see their plan realized, but this didn’t stop Jimi and Ma (Lei Jun’s widow) from pushing his legacy onward. The menu is far more condensed than what you would have found at Noodle In. Some of the old favorites are still present, including the Guizhou Fried Noodles (RMB 38) and their famous “Oi! Oi!” Fried Cheese Balls (RMB 38), which we were thrilled about. We started off with the United Wings, which were a crunchy ramen-covered fusion of flavors that sent our qi gong levels to new heights. As for cocktails, the drinks were created with the help of Ariel Tudela from Más. They worked together to blend Eastern and Western spirits for creative and delicious results. Cocktails like the Diao Island Iced Tea (RMB 50), a pan-Asian take on the Long Island, and Cherry Bourbon Old Fashioned (RMB 50) were our personal favorites. They also have Arrow Factory (RMB 40) on draft or cheap tall boys of PBR if that’s more your thing. Maybe Punk Rock Noodle has lost some of the grit of its previous embodiment, but it retains all the edge with ferocious dishes and creative cocktails. So Darby Crash on in and fill your belly with these soulful concessions created with the rebel in mind. Kipp Whittaker

september 2015

WHAT’S NEW BARS & CLUBS

garth wilson and an yang of haven

haven Bringin’ Sexy Back (To Houhai) Mon-Fri 7pm-late, Sat-Sun 3pm-late. 1/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyan, Di’anmen Waidajie, Dongcheng District (186 1335 7817) 东城区地安门外大街前海南沿2号1层 100m southeast of Shichahai (Line 8)

combinations, such as the basil and pineapple mojito (RMB 50), which balances the perfect amount of sweet, or the strong take on the traditional mai tai (RMB 50). The flavor combinations are fresh and fitting for the summer, and the drinks are innovative. If you’re not staying for the cocktails, then consider stuffing your face with a pizza, which go for RMB 50 and up and are truly indulgent – generously topped with salami, mushrooms, olives or cheese, depending on your pizza of choice. Crusts are chewy and not too thick, and the taste of real cheese is always welcome. The owners promise us that there are more food creations coming our way soon. We do hope that as the bar matures, the service staff will up their game, as there were a few instances of drinks that were ordered once arriving in multiples in five-minute increments. Looking around though, it definitely could be worse. Margaux Schreurs

september 2015

photo: ken

ew Houhai-based bar Haven has brought a certain level of class back to this tourist-trodden area, despite having only been open for a couple of weeks. There are no half-naked women on poles, no warm overpriced Qingdao beers, and no sad guitar soloists. Instead, what you can expect are a whole lot of intricately thought through cocktails, beers, wines, pizzas, and one of Beijing’s more pleasant views. With its modern, sleek design, Haven has seating both inside and out, depending on whether you prefer things chilly (the air conditioning downstairs is simply divine) or alfresco. The downstairs space also has large windows and doors so as not to cut you off from the lake outside. That being said, it is the upstairs seating that is the main attraction and acts as a reminder of why people enjoy visiting Houhai – the view is incredible, yet the terrace is situated the perfect distance away from the abject mayhem below. The carefully composed drinks showcase original

Things to do, places to be, stuff to try

photo courtesy of the organizers

BEIJING DESIGN WEEK // CHINESE CLASSES // IONENESS YOGA // CAMERA STYLO //

BRAWL ON THE WALL SEP 5 - Brawl on the Wall is back, featuring some of Beijing's bravest and brightest white collar boxers. This year's event will once again support Leo's Foundation at Beijing Children's Hospital's NICU. RMB 9,000-15,000. 6.30pm. Park Hyatt Beijing

september 2015

WHAT’S NEW Venues & shops

Camera Stylo

Bringing Art Films to the Hutongs Tue-Thu 12pm-12am, Fri-Sun 12pm-2am, closed Mon. 64 Dongsi Shiyitiao, Dongcheng District (188 1171 5156) 东城区东四十一条64号 200m east of Zhangzizhong Lu (Line 5)

hile we’re certain that we weren’t the only people who had this idea about opening a cinematheque in the hutongs for regularly screening art films to the masses, the guys at Camera Stylo are certainly the first to follow through and be absolutely incredible doing it. Sitting directly next door to Minibar, it is actually located closer to Zhangzizhong Lu than Dongsi Shiyitiao. When you enter, it looks like your standard cafe/bar. Journey upstairs and you’ll encounter a decent sized room imbued with the delicious smell of popcorn that can probably sit around 30 people, where these folks will be screening a bunch of classic or critically acclaimed films. Currently, there are only a few venues in town that consistently screen art films. Camera Stylo promises this and more. Along with public screenings almost every night of the week, they also have private rooms that you can rent by the hour (RMB 40/hr, RMB 70/hr on weekends).

The rooms have projectors and mid-fi audio equipment, which is a vast improvement for those of you currently bound to your despicable laptop viewing platforms. We can see this being very popular for date nights, or if an individual wishes to binge watch a crappy sitcom for hours in beautiful solitude. Also on the agenda, they will have small music performances and live comedy, courtesy of Comedy Club China, on a regular basis. While this venue is obviously cinema-focused, there are plenty of zones for serious lounging, including their roof terrace. Here you can sip on a martini (RMB 50) or beer (RMB 15-30) while discussing Dogma 95, Walter Benjamin’s Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, or whatever influential text related to cinema with others devotees of the medium. It’s refreshing to see these kinds of labors of love opening up and adding something culturally engaging to the neighborhood. Kipp Whittaker

photo: Kipp Whittaker

september 2015

WHAT’S NEW Venues & shops

iONENESS Yoga

Mind, Body, and Soul

Daily 7am-9.30pm. 5/F, Westin Beijing Chaoyang, 7 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (5726 7919) 一源瑜伽：朝阳区东三环北路7号金茂威斯汀酒店5层 100m north of Liangmaqiao (Line 10)

photo: Ken

oga is a very personal sport and finding a studio and style that suits you can be challenging in a new city. Common complaints about yoga studios in Beijing include high pricing and overly large class sizes that leave you feeling like you haven’t got your money’s worth. Relatively new on the scene, iOneness Yoga is a good option for those looking for small classes in a classy setting. Set on the fifth floor of the Westin Beijing Chaoyang, the petite studio has just two rooms, featuring gentle lighting and classic wood tones. Students are able to use the Westin’s clean and expansive shower facilities, and a limited number of students may also request access to the swimming pool and gym each month. iOneness offers classes ranging from classical Hatha Yoga, to more dynamic Vinyasa, to challenging Bikram yoga (performed at a steamy 40 degrees Celsius). Beijing being steamy enough as it is in the summer months, I declined the Bikram yoga and went for traditional Hatha yoga, which nevertheless had me sweating up a storm after the 75 minute session. My teacher Zoe was a hard taskmaster, working with me to encourage my muscles into stretches way beyond my perceived limit. The smaller class sizes mean you won’t feel intimidated or get left behind. Single classes are priced at RMB 260 and there are options to buy memberships offering unlimited classes (for example, RMB 6,800 for Vinyasa yoga, RMB 12,640 for all types of classes) or bundles of classes (RMB 6,240 for 30 lessons, plus 10 free lessons). Robynne Tindall

september 2015

FEATURE

eijing’s premier international celebration of design, Beijing Design Week (BJDW), returns for its sixth year from September 23 to October 7. With so much going on during these 14 days, we decided to catch up with BJDW’s Creative Director Beatrice Leanza to get her take on how the festival has developed since its inception and the designers and architects they are working with for this year’s new core area, Baitasi, in the hutongs west of Xisi.

for and with Beijing. When they asked if I wanted to get involved, I immediately said “YES”!

What inspired you to first get involved with BJDW? I have been in Beijing for over a decade, first as a contemporary art curator at Caochangdi’s Ai Weiweiinitiated China Art Archives and Warehouse, and later as an independent curator via my own studio BAO Atelier. Being a communicator and producer of content, supporting inspiring new visions, I found BJDW, with its wide outreach and possibility for true ‘inner-vation’ and active participation in the city, and its social ecosystem to be a thrilling opportunity to build something unique

Our attempt at supporting and enforcing locally based (Chinese and international) visions of meaning and value is what makes BJDW a project of the city rather than a copy-cat of similar global events.

How has BJDW evolved over the past six years? We have gradually become a reference for various stakeholders, something that allows us to work more productively and on a longer term basis with many of them. This enables us to develop programs that have a stronger connection with the city and its inhabitants.

How do you think views of Chinese design and creativity are changing abroad? There is still quite a gap in terms of understanding of how the local scene is changing and behaving compared to the wider global scenario. This is often due to the limited

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insight professionals have in to the Chinese context as well a certain level of scepticism as often found in commentaries around China and ‘authenticity’. I can see how audiences and media from abroad keep on ‘wanting more’ once they have visited BJDW and have had a chance to truly explore the dynamism of this creative world. Tell us a little bit about BJDW’s new core area, Baitasi. Do you see it becoming “the new Dazhalan”?

neighborhood will provide a speculative backdrop for a series of design-led research projects rediscovering the cultural richness of the area – its unique urban fabric and history. Unlike Dazhalan, which is more of a commercial zone, Baitasi is mostly residential, so its regeneration will take a different direction. But like Dazhalan, this development will be underscored by a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and social engagement.

beijing

2015

DESIGN WEEK CREATIVE DIRECTOR BEATRICE LEANZA GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON THIS YEAR’S NEW CORE AREA, BAITASI

photos courtesy of beijing design week

by Robynne Tindall Baitasi (White Pagoda Temple) is a cultural and historical preservation zone located just near Financial Street on the west second ring. A traditional hutong area covering 37 hectares, Baitasi is a peaceful enclave among newly developed business areas. It’s also home to some of the city’s most ancient attractions: the Miaoying Temple built during the Yuan Dynasty, the Archive of Buddhist Texts, and the Beijing Lu Xun Museum (built around the novelist’s former residence). As a new BJDW 2015 Design Hop core area, this old

Which designers and architects are you working with in the Baitasi area? Renowned architects Zhang Ke of standardarchitecture, Hua Li of TAO Office, and Gong Dong of Vectore Architects, are each working with the trope of ‘the courtyard as future living hub.’ We’re also working on a Slo-Mo Food and Craft Market designed by BaO Architects and a series of virtual projects built around the ‘City as Museum’ app developed by integrated experience designers, Moujiti Studio.

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FEATURE

BACK TO SCHOOL

IMPROVING YOUR ZHONGWEN IN THE CAPITAL By Margaux Schreurs

eptember is the time to be going back to school. If you’re not happy with your Chinese level, or you’re jealous of more fluent friends, there’s no excuse not to try and up your game. We talked to four Mandarin schools in Beijing about their classes and how they can tailor them to fit your lifestyle. Culture Yard What do they offer? To learn Chinese quickly, they offer a six-week long intensive morning course (two hours per day and five days per week) at RMB 3,900. Evening courses come in at RMB 2,400 for eight weeks of two-hour classes, twice per week. If you’re looking for one-to-one classes, prices range from RMB 120-135 an hour (for fixed times) to RMB 140-200 an hour (for flexible times). What if you’re working? Culture Yard offers both morning and evening classes and can schedule private one-onone session for those whose schedules are irregular. What’s studying here like? Culture Yard prides itself upon being a people-oriented school for serious learners: all their teachers have masters’ degrees in teaching Chinese to foreigners, materials are focused on learning ‘real Chinese’ rather than textbook-based content, and students are given regular homework assignments and tests. What do students think? Nick Skidmore, a British teacher working at Tsinghua University tells us that the Culture

Yard feels like more than just a school: “The staff do a really great job of integrating classes, and during break times the communal area feels like a very vibrant place to meet people and chat. The teachers get involved with conversations as well.” 10 Shique Hutong, Beixinqiao, Dongcheng District (8404 4166) 东城区北新桥石雀胡同10号 That’s Mandarin What do they offer? Intensive classes (20-30 hours per week) are their most popular among students looking to improve as quickly as possible. Prices for these classes range from RMB 11,200 for a four week program, four classes per day with a small group, and RMB 21,600 to study privately, six classes per day. Discounts of up to 30 percent are available as That’s Mandarin is currently celebrating their 10th anniversary. What if you’re working? Part-time classes (generally four to six classes per week) are more flexible, depending on which days and times suit students. What’s studying here like? That’s Mandarin makes a point of hiring only full-time teachers to make sure classes are thoroughly prepared. The school uses the link-word method to help students remember new vocabulary and characters quickly, and storytelling is a big part of

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photos courtesy of that's mandarin and culture yard

their teaching method. There’s also an online platform, “MandarinCafe,” where all notes and study materials are kept for students to review what they have learned. What do students think? Honor Lundon-Lenehan, an Irish horse breeder and student of Philosophy and Chinese, has studied at That’s Mandarin in Dongzhimen for three months now, and tells us that: “The school’s capacity to adapt to individual’s needs is very impressive, and I have found my progress to be both solid and stable. I have been surprised by the improvement in my speaking ability whilst simultaneously continuing to improve my writing and reading skills.” 1/F, Bldg 4, 12B XinzhongJie, Dongcheng District (5218 6432) 东城区新中街乙12号4号楼1层 Purple Bamboo What do they offer? Pur pl e B ambo o o ffers communication-oriented classes, business topics, and rhetoric, as well as HSK and spoken Chinese courses at all different levels. Prices for one-on-one classes are between RMB 120 and RMB 500, while prices for group classes depend on teachers’ experience. What if you’re working? For people working in Beijing and keen on learning Chinese, Purple Bamboo suggests one-on-one classes, three times per week for beginners to make sure you get a good start. If you’re at intermediate or advanced level, there are group classes of two to six students. What’s studying here like? Purple Bamboo uses their own unique teaching method called ‘Experience Chinese’ which focuses on an interactive learning atmosphere and puts the impetus on the student while getting them to speak. Topics in class are based on students’ cultural backgrounds, to avoid students being unable to relate to the textbook topics that are often too boring. What do students think? Meredith Karazin, an American and co-founder of LearnLab, a new education-tech startup accelerator and community in Beijing, who took the beginner’s class, tells us that “the classes were very good, I learned a lot and thought it was very efficient, and targeted on my weakness. They even took notes for me during class which speeds up the learning process a lot.” Wudaokou 327-328, Longhu Tangning One Building 2-2B, Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District (8244 9617) 海淀区中关村东路16号院龙湖唐宁One小区2-2B 327-328室

The Hutong School What do they offer? The Hutong School caters classes to your needs. Classes for groups range from RMB 54 to RMB 79 per hour, and private classes are RMB 120 to RMB 165 per hour. Discounts are available for those signing up for more classes. What is you’re working? Classes for those working in Beijing take place twice per week for two hours at a time, either in the morning between 8-10am, or in the evening from 6.30-8.30pm. If your work hours are more irregular, one-on-one classes may be the way forward. What’s studying here like? The Hutong School focuses on a good atmosphere at school: you’re not just going to class but you’ll be meeting new people from all over the world during your studies here. On top of that, teachers are talented, and the school develops their own curriculum. What do students think? The Hutong School was actually your writer’s school of choice when I came to study Chinese for a summer a few years ago. Although it’s a shame that they’ve now moved on to Sanlitun (they used to be located in a beautiful courtyard in a hutong off Jiugulou) I felt that the classes were all small, tailored to my needs, and I made friendships for life. My three fellow classmates are all also still living in Beijing, and we meet up on a regular basis. Last summer, I even attended one of my teachers’ weddings. 15/F, 1501, Zhongyu Plaza, A6 GongtiBeilu, Chaoyang District (8523 6030) 朝阳区工体北路甲6号中宇大厦1501

Wudaoying 61 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng District (8244 9617) 东城区五道营胡同61号

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WHAT’S NEW Venues & shops

Any Shop Style Style for Everyone Daily 10am-10pm. S1-16, Taikoo Li Sanlitun South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (130 4117 8730) 朝阳区三里屯路19号太古里南区S1-16 700m west of Tuanjiehu (Line 10)

t’s no secret that China has been on the fashion map for some time now, but some of the best up-and-coming Chinese designers still haven’t quite made a mark on the collective consciousness outside the innermost fashion circles. Any Shop Style aims to change that, by giving Chinese designers an uncomplicated platform through which to reach China’s fashion-hungry generation Z. Growing out of the former e-tailer anywearstyle.com, after opening their first bricks and mortar store in Parkview Green about a year ago, Any Shop Style have now expanded to that most fashionable of destinations, Taikoo Li. The store itself is simple, allowing the colors and textures of the clothes to shine through. Said clothes range from

monochrome separates by independent designer Bai Peng to downright zany cocktail dresses from Cindy Wei Zhang Studio – more of a showroom than an edited collection. Rather than restricting pieces or designers based on predetermined trends, Any Shop Style’s fashion buyers simply check the quality and construction of items before they go into the store. Individual pieces average around RMB 2,000 – still an investment, but an approachable price for independent designers of this caliber. For a reasonably priced pop of style, our eye was drawn to the reversible clutch bags by Italian brand Oh Mai (approximately RMB 1,500) in retro floral and palm tree prints. Robynne Tindall

photo: uni

september 2015

Introducing the people who matter

MEET

PHOTO: METRO.CO.UK

ELISABETH ENGEBRETSEN // PHANTOM OF THE OPERA // SASHA ZHOU //

BON JOVI SEP 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; If you're like us and like to live on the edge, and wear your snakeskin jacket with pride because it's a symbol of your individuality, then you'll also likely be front and center at the Bon Jovi concert this month, listening to all the hits you know and love from this rock icon. RMB 480-3,880. 7-11pm. MasterCard Center (6828 6386)

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LGBT Feature

ELISABETH ENGEBRETSEN

Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies Discusses her New Book on China’s Lesbian Community by Margaux Schreurs

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PHOTO: uni

lisabeth Engebretsen’s new book, Queer Women in Urban China, is based on her research in China’s lesbian, or lala, community. The term lala, she writes, is used to “denote women-loving women and their communities and allies,” a word that came from Taiwan and Hong Kong in the late 1990s and is now commonly used in China. We talked to her at The Bookworm about her fieldwork, which she started just over a decade ago, and her thoughts about the future for Beijing’s lalas.

“When I started my research, everything started to come out into the open a little bit, and [lalas] started to have offline spaces to gather,” Engebretsen, originally from Norway, says. Identity, especially sexual identity, became a hot topic around this time too, and discussing it with people face-to-face was relatively new. “There was a lot of talk about whether or not you had to have a sexual identity and come out, or whether there was anything particularly inherent about homosexuality as opposed to heterosexuality. It was a very new time to talk about these issues, and so was to do so face-to-face with other people instead of only on the Internet. I think that since then more and more women have joined the discussion about what it means to love other women and to desire other women instead of men.” Lalas’ narratives have also changed over this period, as discussions have been opening up, and society has gradually been doing the same. “The dominant talk was that the best way to be a lala was to embrace the filial responsibilities, be a good daughter, and not come out and make people uncomfortable by being political, but at the same time lead a stable life with a girlfriend. This way you could kind of compartmentalize the lala life on the one hand and be a good daughter like a woman should be in China on the other,” she said. But this environment has since changed drastically, as the younger generations of lalas are more comfortable coming out than the women who came before, and they have greater access to information with regards to what goes on outside China. Not only are they embracing identity politics but they are also challenging the traditional belief about how to be a good lala. “I think [the community] is probably also a lot more dynamic, which allows for including emergent topics such as transgender politics, polyandry, and all sorts of transnational politics among the LGBT community,” Engebretsen said. These changes within the community are also leading to new and different initiatives, especially when compared to activism and initiatives throughout the Western world. “What I think is quite interesting is that there are a lot of ad hoc collaborative initiatives not just within the lala communities but between the lalas, the gays, and the transgender community. They are looking at issue-based movements like disability, regional issues, what it is like to be LGBT in the regions [outside the big cities], and then doing stuff to try and address these issues that aren’t just about being lala or gay or transgender,” Engebretsen said. “I think for example the whole queer China film tour is a really good example of how there’s a need for collaboration because of the political situation. There

also seems to be a great willingness among many actors to collaborate with others who aren’t just like them and to bring others onboard in order to do something good, in this case to spread LGBT film to regions outside of the big metropolis.” However, initiatives like these have been created by a certain political climate and societal values that explain different situations in different countries, and reflect why China’s situation is the way it is. “I think of course a lot of this is exacerbated by the fact that you have a very particular political situation, stepping aside from the insular identity and sexual identity-based activism that you see in a lot of places around the world. If you look at the queer politics of liberation and justice, I think that to always be anchoring what you do and think in terms of static identity doesn’t really take you towards liberation and justice,” Engebretsen said. “In Norway, where I come from, everyone is obsessed with their own identity because they don’t have to think about staying out of jail, eating, or sort of basic material necessities, and so we all keep talking about marriage and who we are and it doesn’t really get us anywhere else.” The Chinese situation is very different, and specific to China and its environment. However, this opening up of discussion is not necessarily contributing to successful cooperation on LGBT issues throughout China. According to Engebretsen, lala issues are not always heard, even within the community. “There have been at least two LGBT conferences here in Beijing, one in 2012 and one in 2013. I was at both of them and the lesbians are really critical towards the gay men for being so exclusionary and so misogynistic. The lesbians would say that the men can’t just show up to these conferences and say ‘I don’t know, teach me.’ It’s not the lesbians’ responsibility to teach the men, they should educate themselves. They have the resources. It’s just being lazy. The same goes for transgender issues, the few transgender individuals who were participating said that they weren’t sure about whether or not they would come back [to future conferences]. They felt that they were always starting from zero, in educating everyone about very basic issues to do with transgender politics and identity. So I don’t know if things are really getting better in that domain, I feel like there is a very large split between the lesbians and the gays within gender politics, and issues with the role of feminist politics and calling out basic gender inequality in society in China.” Whether this situation will change in the near future remains to be seen as there is no telling in which direction the the political situation will turn, and which of the many voices from the community will be heard.

september 2015

The Music of the Night

The stars of Andrew Lloyd Webberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phantom of the Opera Talk About Bringing this Legendary Musical to Beijing by Kipp Whittaker

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feature

repare yourselves as this beautifully macabre masterpiece of musical theater hits Tianqiao Performance Center, from November 19-December 20. Here is what Brad Little (The Phantom) and Emilie Lynn (Christine Daaé) had to say about their upcoming Beijing debut at a recent press conference. Tickets are now available from en.damai.cn, priced at RMB 380-RMB 1,380. TBJ: What are your feelings about bringing Phantom of the Opera to Beijing? Brad Little (BL): Having played the Phantom in Shanghai two times, I’ve been anticipating for years now bringing Phantom of the Opera to Beijing. I’m so excited that they have built this brand new theater (Tianqiao Performance Center) especially for bringing Phantom of the Opera and many other musicals. So my anticipation has been great for many years. And I can tell you that I’ve had numerous people in Beijing asking when is Phantom coming? It just makes my heart so happy that it is finally here. There is no doubt in my mind that people are going to wait and wait saying “oh, I’ll get tickets later” and by that time it’s going to be sold out. It’s going to go like wildfire here. Emilie Lynn (EL): As for us being able to be in Beijing, when we were on the concert tour we were only here for a couple days, so we don’t get to really experience Beijing. So when we are here for a few months we’re really excited to be able to experience, explore, and really feel Beijing.

PHOTO: waahtv

You [Brad] have been doing Phantom of the Opera for many years. What are some of your greatest memories of doing this production and how has it changed? BL: I’ve played the Phantom about 2,500 times, and the first time I remember was very exciting and I was so sweaty at the end. I gave my all and probably too much, but that’s just what you do when the energy is that high and you’re playing this historic role. From that time until now the basic difference is my age and I think that now the role of the Phantom is much more of a teacher or a father as before he was just like this young lover. I think it now has so many more layers to the character, that now it seems even more heartbreaking. Have there ever been any accidents when performing live onstage? BL: It’s live theater. There are accidents every night. There are some things that have happened throughout the years that have been serious but nothing that has ever prevented me from going on to do the show. But I’ll tell you, so many

times I’ll have fans come up to me that night and go “oh this happened tonight.”Different things happen every night and we’re just so use to it and our job is to just continue on and make the mistake look like it’s a part of the show. That’s the beautiful thing about live theater. How do you maintain interest and excitement in playing this character for so many years? BL: For some reason, with this character I can do it over and over again and not get tired of it and find new things even today when I come and play it back in China. Playing with Emilie we have just a freedom and a trust with each other that still makes it fun for me. I won’t lie, there are the days when it’s hard. I think everyone has that with their job, but for me those are so far and few between. If it was easy then I would have left it a long time ago. What’s the spirit that the musical delivers to you and the audience? EL: I think that would be different for each person. Some people may find comfort in the music, some of the music is a bit scary, so they might be afraid. It depends on which character you connect with in the show. BL: I can almost guarantee that if you went with five of your friends and after the show you asked them each that same question, each response would be completely different. That’s why this show is so amazing. How has the production been changed to cater to a Chinese audience? Will there be subtitles? BL: Basically, there have been no changes at all. There are some subtitles. I always encourage people to not follow the subtitles too much, because you are going to get the meaning of it through the music. You might as well just read the book if you are going to come and just read the subtitles. Make sure that you watch and don’t miss what’s happening on stage. This show just speaks all languages. What are some of the challenges of performing this musical around the world with language barriers and a mixed crew? BL: I’m going to say two things, in our show we represent eight different countries, within our crew, cast, and musicians. The fact that we are such an international company from so many countries working together, pulling these pieces together there are certainly challenges with that. But what an amazing family we have through being so international. It’s so special to be a part of the backstage.

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Neon Noise nb noiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sasha Zhou by Steven Schwankert

photo: ken

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feature

asha Zhou made quite a splash when she appeared on our July cover in an acid-green bikini. However, we received so many inquiries about who the mystery woman was, we thought we’d get to know her better, and talk to Sasha about her fondness for neon and noise. What made you come from your native Hunan to Beijing. What is it that you like about Beijing? That question takes me back to 15 years ago, when I was just 14 years old. I told myself I have to get into the best art and design school in China: the Central Academy of Fine Art (CAFA). So I came to Beijing in 2003-2004 during all the summer and winter breaks to take design training programs. I finally got into CAFA design school in the top 50 out of 100,000 people in China in 2005. I can’t just use “like" to describe Beijing anymore, I will definitely use “love.” My answer will always be on “what Beijing gave me.” After 10 years of back and forth between Beijing and places overseas, Beijing is already my second home and my real home, a place with 10 years of memories, a place whenever and wherever you go, you will miss it the most in the end. Tell us all about NB Noise. How did it start? What kind of events do you organize? What does the NB stand for? NB Noise are neon nightlife specialists. We throw awesome parties in Beijing and every event has its own unique personality. Our concept parties are always fun and entertaining with colorful people and great electronic music. It all began at the end of 2013, when the founders (Danny, El-mar, and I) came together to form the company, industry veterans who joined forces to help push the Beijing and Shanghai nightlife scene forward in new and exciting ways. Danny and El-mar are the resident DJs of NB Noise and have been making music together for over a decade. They have a love for all things underground, and you’ll often find them with me throwing our famous Neon Zoo parties at Lantern and other cool nights around Beijing and beyond. What does NB stand for? Well, let’s say it has an official name: NB = Neon Brand. But it might have another meaning!

Tell us about the neon. You've done some events with that as a theme. How do you get people to get painted up? I guess because I’ve always loved neon colors, I always like to wear something neon to stand out in the crowd. I still remember when Danny and I had the first team meeting to discuss how to launch our first label in Lantern. He took the first bite of a sandwich, then suddenly he said “Sasha, you know what? From what I’ve seen of you in the past few years, you’ve always been neon to me, you were the only girl I’ve seen always wear neon outfits everywhere, you can be Beijing’s Neon Girl. Since we’re launching our label, why not do a neon party?” I was like, “Awesome idea!”So I came up with Neon Zoo, and Danny loved the idea, that all happened in about 10 minutes. We will always hire Faceslap and Nina Griffee’s team to do our face painting. It takes two to three hours to paint whoever wants to get painted, after that, I will draw for people when I’m not that busy or we always prepare paint for people to do it themselves. And you will always see a lot of amazing, creative people draw interesting designs and graphics on themselves, especially at Funky. You're pretty fit. How do you stay in shape? And how do you find or make time to maintain your fitness? How do I stay in shape? Basically, I balance my workout so that I can eat whatever I want. I actually can eat a lot because I’m an extreme foodie, enjoying food is the most amazing thing, I love it so much. Luckily the food I like to eat is all pretty healthy. But I eat way much more dessert than before I got into fitness. Somehow fitness spurred my appetite for dessert, especially chocolate fondant. A isn’t be perfect if I don’t have one. What’s coming up for you and NB Noise? In Beijing, along with the regular events we have each month, like monthly Neon Zoo at Lantern, we have also planned Great Wall Party II, Fall Wonderland, and the Dong Festival. The good news is we are going to launch all the neon labels in Shanghai starting from October. Neon Zoo, Neon Rainbow, and Neon Haven will launch at clubs like Arkham, Factory 54, and ICON. I’m really looking forward to it. Follow NB Noise on WeChat: NB_Noise_Group or check out their website www.nbnoise.com.

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What are you planning to do?

EVENTS

OUR EDITORS PICK THE BEST OF THE MONTH upload your events at thebeijinger.com/events

MUSE

SEP 19 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fresh off the release of their seventh album, Drones, hailed as their most focused work in a decade, you can expect a swarthy collection of new songs, along with some of their classics spanning their 20 years as a band. Undeniably one of the most anticipated shows of the summer. RMB 380-1,280. 8pm. MasterCard Center (6828 6386)

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PHOTO COURTESY OF the organizers

find all venue info AT THEBEIJINGER.COM/DIRECTORY. please call venues ahead of time to confirm details.

don’t miss DON’T MISS: ART & DESIGN Global Maker Movement

SEP 29 – With the large brand resource pool of Beijing Design Week, Designmore is launching a “Maker Consumption” platform, to not only help the consumers discover new brands, but also provide a free space for the makers to share their ideas, reveal their process, and explain their products. Free. 6.30pm. Parkview Green (6500 5511 ext. 8135)

Sexy Hysteria

AUG 22-OCT 7 – This exhibition features the paintings of Zhang Zipiao who is just fresh out of the Art Institute of Chicago. This is her first solo exhibition in China. Zhang shows how a post 90s artist is making art with her sexy and hysteric spirit; thus, naming the exhibition ‘Sexy Hysteria.’ Free. 10am-6pm, closed Monday. Ying Space (5127 3153)

Memory Burns

JUN 30-OCT 11 – This inaugural exhibition of OCAT Institute, curated by prominent French critical theorist and art historian George Didi-Huberman, seeks to examine the process how images of major events throughout history become imbedded in our collective consciousness. Free. 10am-5pm, Closed Monday. OCAT Institute (6737 5618)

Guo Peng: ONE

SEP 19-OCT 31 – Guo Peng photographs objects while also playing with surrounding landscapes, lighting, and analogue developing techniques to create unique dreamlike images that provide a unique window into a time a long time ago and dream far far away. Free. 2-7pm. Jiali Gallery (8402 5613)

SURGE ART PRESENTS: Out of the Box!

SEP 19 – Over forty young artists present their hottest new works created in 2015. All exhibited work belongs to the post-80’s “Me” generation. Not constrained by dogma, their refreshing aesthetics are full of fantasy, imagination, and creative style. Free. 12-5pm. Red Gate Gallery (6525 1005)

Revealed: the World’s Greatest Modern Artists at Work

SEP 1-20 – Curated by Olivier Widmaier Picasso, grandson of Pablo Picasso, this compelling photo exhibition comes to China for the first time, taking an intimate look at the world’s greatest modern artists as they reveal themselves to the photographer. Free. 10am-10pm. Sofitel Wanda (8599 6666)

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EVENTS

3 1. Hideaki Tokunaga Trio

SEP 5 – Renowned Japanese jazz soloist Hideaki Tokunaga visits Modernista, welcoming Beijing audiences into an evening of jazz exploration from the land of the rising sun. Experience his heartfelt tribute to guitar master West Montgomery on this unforgettable night. Free. 10pm. Modernista (136 9142 5744)

2. In conversation with Derek Sandhaus

SEP 2 – Derek Sandhaus, author of Baijiu: The Essential Guide to Chinese Spirits returns to Beijing to chat about his new edition of Edmund Backhouse’s Décadence Mandchoue, in addition to baijiu and any other China topics you’d like to discuss. RMB 50. 7.30pm. The Bookworm (6586 9507)

3. Rugby Registration Night

SEP 5 – The Beijing Devils Rugby Football Club will hold their registration for the upcoming season and are looking for both male and female players to get down and dirty. Free pizza and beer for all who register. Free. 7.30pm. The Den (6592 6290)

4. Filipino Week at Feast

AUG 31-SEP 4 – Sample a week of Filipino food with recipes straight out of restaurant manager Reggie Osila’s grandmother’s cookbook. Try something new from an underappreciated cuisine. RMB 128/158 (lunch), RMB 188 (dinner). 11.30am-10pm. Feast (Food by EAST) (8414 9820)

5. Line 5 Pub Crawl

SEP 12 – Slow Boat Brewery, Cuju, The Distillery, Mas, and Capital Spirits have teamed up for the first ever Line 5 Pub Crawl. Get Line 5’s best drink deals, plus collect stamps in the Pub Crawl Passport for special discounts. Completed passports earn you a free drink. Free. 3-10pm. Participating Locations

september 2015

EVENTS 1. The Syndicate’s 11th Anniversary feat. Sam Binga

SEP 19 – To show their commitment to staying at the forefront of Beijing’s bass scene, The Syndicate are bringing one of the hottest bass artists in the world to Dada for their 11th anniversary. This is a man at the very sharpest end of the bass scene, and one of the hottest upcoming artists worldwide. RMB 50. 10pm. Dada (183 1108 0818)

2. LIFAFA

SEP 11 – This important figure of the New Delhi underground music scene will give an intimate live performance at DDC, joined by a solo set from Carsick Cars/White+ founder Zhang Shouwang, and culminating in an improvised group jam with some of Beijing’s finest. RMB 30. 9pm. DDC (6407 8969)

3. SLUGABED

SEP 12 – Blending influences from the outermost reaches of dubstep, hip hop and beyond, Slugabed has received critical praise for his debut album ‘Time Time’, released on Ninja Tune. Under this slimy alias, he creates music that oozes with the energy of today’s best bass music. TBA. 10pm. Dada (183 1108 0818)

4. LOS POLLOS HERMANOS

SEP 12 – The mad scientists from Jing-A and Migas team up to bring you this end-of-summer rooftop celebration! Come for their famous giant paella with a new beer-chicken recipe, a soundtrack best described as “groovy funky Latin vibes” by Nassdak and DJ Joyce, two new beer cocktails mixed up by Francesco Angotti, and of course Jing-A brews on tap, straight up. Free. 3-9pm. The Bar at Migas (5208 6061)

september 2015

EVENTS

3 1. Let’s Oktoberfest

3. d_ART LIVE & Party

2. Beshan Gai: A Wildchina Bazaar

4. The China Mirage: Book Talk with James Bradley

SEP 4-13 – It’s lederhosen a gogo at Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace’s annual Oktoberfest. Every night for two weeks their special beer tent will be rocking to the sounds of rock and roll, and Oktoberfest hits while the crowd chows down on German classics. RMB 458. 6pm. Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace (6452 1616)

SEP 19 – Celebrate artisan China in the form of a one day boutique bazaar bringing together hand-crafted and handcultivated treasures from all corners of the country; be it raw Sichuan honey, organic Yunnan coffee, or Kasghar carpets, Beshan Gai has it all. This year’s session is the first of many more to come. Free. 10am-6pm. The Opposite House (6417 6688)

SEP 30 – dART dares you to experience art in the now, at this showcase combining contemporary sounds and aesthetics in an all-out techno party for the masses. The live portion will feature Aril Brikha, Supernova, and a couple of other local artists. RMB 160, RMB 120 (advance). 9pm. Tango 2F and 3F (6425 5677)

SEP 21 – James Bradley, bestselling author of Flags of our Fathers and Flyboys, will discuss the spellbinding history of turbulent US-China relations from the 19th century to World War II and Mao’s ascent. In this talk, Bradley will expose the hidden truths behind America’s engagement in Asia. RMB 50. 7.30pm. The Bookworm (6586 9507)

september 2015

EVENTS

3 1. Housing the Loop featuring DJ T.

SEP 26 – Whether DJing in Berlin or gigging internationally, T.’s sets are invariably stirring and extraordinarily varied. T. is no style fascist, nor is he a slave to trends; he is a bass and groove-addicted club historian, with a firm grasp of the contemporary. RMB 70. 10pm. The Bar at Migas (5208 6061)

2. GUIGUISUISUI ALBUM RELEASE SHOW

SEP 19 – Fresh off of a European tour, The GUIGUISUISUI Show returns to Beijing to unleash the second full-length GGSS album. To celebrate, the 8-bit zombie himself will be joining forces with street punk heroes Gumbleed, grunge rockers Ba Xian Fan Dian, and stoner/doom acolytes Death Narcissist. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. DDC (6407 8969)

4 3. Carnivore’s Club with Jing Yaa Tang

SEP 17 – For the latest installment of the Carnivore’s Club, Feast’s Rob Cunningham has teamed up with chef Li Dong from Jing Yaa Tang to celebrate all things duck, with a menu that includes everything from marinated duck tongue to twice cooked duck leg. RMB 238. 5.30pm. Feast (Food by EAST) (8414 9820)

4. “The World of Rice” Wine Dinner

SEP 24 – Explore the importance of rice in three very different cuisines at this six course, wine-paired dinner, featuring creations from Niajo (Spain), Mercante (Italy), and Sake Manzo (Japan). With all the dishes created exclusively for this one-off dinner, this is one not to miss. RMB 498. 6pm. Niajo (5208 6052)

september 2015

EVENTS

3 1. Nite Fields

3. Bubble Party at Chaoyang Park

2. RAN LIVE VOL.1

4. Roller Derby Recruitment Day

SEP 16 – These boys from Brisbane will be channeling the energy of classic goth like The Cure, Cocteau Twins, and Clan of Xymox for a bewitching evening of sonic depravity. Fans of derelict pop aesthetics such as this should definitely check them out. TBA. 9pm. School Bar (6402 8881)

SEP 12 – Ran Music is excited to bring you its first ever label showcase. The lineup will boast some of the Beijing music scene’s most exciting artists, including rapper MC Dawei, electronic jazz duo Soulspeak and Ttechmak, sweaty garage rock band Luv Plastik, and up-and-coming house producer J.R.G. RMB 50. 9pm. DDC (6407 8969)

SEP 29 – Bounce around for a couple hours in a giant inflatable zorb ball, on the last Tuesday of every month. A fun but strange way to spend a Tuesday evening if you ask us. RMB 150, RMB 100 (advance). 7pm. Chaoyang Park (6506 5409)

SEP 12 – Why get back to school when you could get back to roller skating this fall with the Beijing Roller Derby. Stop by if you think you are the toughest thing on eight wheels, or if you just need something challenging in your routine to take the edge off. Free.11am-1.30pm. Tuanjiehu Park (183 1112 3237)

september 2015

EVENTS

3 1. Anchors Aweigh With Moonglow Burlesque

SEP 3-4 – A young woman falls in love and discovers independence in 1940s New York, told through a montage of authentic period songs, dance, and burlesque featuring Kate Smith and the beauties of Moonglow. RMB 120. 9pm. Modernista (136 9142 5744)

2. Magic Touch

SEP 26 – Magic Touch mixes the psychedelic ethos of California with the house movements of Chicago, Detroit and smatters the whole thing with a solid nod to the UK rave underground. RMB 50. 10pm. Dada (183 1108 0818)

4 3. Shocking Pinks

SEP 17 – Managing to conduit James Murphy, Fleetwood Mac, and My Bloody Valentine through the swagger of Scott Walker, Shocking Pinks have perfected a sound of bittersweet melancholia that teeters on the edge of self-destruction. RMB 60. 9pm. School Bar (6402 8881)

4. Vibronics and Madu Messenger

SEP 18 – Vibronics have been vibrating the world with bass since 1995. Their music is at the forefront of the UK Dub scene, proven by over 40 releases on their legendary SCOOPS label. TBA. 10pm. Dada (183 1108 0818)

september 2015

PEKING MAN

George’s Guide to Understanding Chinese Culture by George Ding Step 1: Be Chinese If you’re Chinese, congratulations! By dint of blood and tradition, you understand Chinese culture implicitly and are in a position to constantly remind those who are not Chinese that there is 5,000 years of it. Note: 5,000 is a conservative estimate. There is mounting evidence that Chinese culture actually caused The Big Bang. Step 2: Give Up If you’re not Chinese, abandon all hope. No matter how long you live in China or how many books you read, you will never understand Chinese culture. Sure, Chinese people might be able to grasp your country’s primitive, flash-in-the-pan culture, but how can your feeble foreign mind ever hope to fathom 50 centuries of history? Perhaps your time would be better spent studying one of the lesser cultures, like Rome or Japan. Step 3: Acknowledge Its Supremacy If you’re a foreigner and insist on effing that which is ineffable, grab a pen. The first thing you need to know is: Chinese culture is superior to any culture that has existed or will ever exist because it is older, and older things, by definition, have more culture stuffed in them. Thus, Chinese culture is the best. And even if some other civilization is older, they don’t count because they haven’t existed continuously. What does “continuous” mean? Now you’re asking too many questions, which shows that you don’t understand Chinese culture after all. How disappointing. FACT! Questioning whether Chinese culture is the greatest means you don’t understand Chinese culture. Step 4: Try in Vain Many foreigners are under the mistaken impression that you can understand China through experience or by learning empirical facts. You fools. Something like that might work for an ephemeral

Western culture. For example, everything about British culture can be learned by watching Hamlet, French culture by visiting the Louvre, American culture by shooting people with guns, and so on. But Chinese culture is exceptional. To even have a shot at understanding the essence of Chinese civilization, one must memorize nothing less than the Four Books and Five Classics, the Four Great Classical Novels, Three Hundred Tang Poems, and the lyrics to every Jay Chou song. Of course, most Chinese people haven’t read, much less understood, those books, but they don’t need to! They’re already Chinese, which, if you’ve been paying attention, is all it takes. DID YOU KNOW? On average, a six-month-old Chinese fetus understands Chinese culture better than most foreigners. Step 5: Surrender Let’s say, hypothetically, a foreigner masters the Chinese language and can comprehend the intricacies of Chinese culture. Even then, he will never be able to convince a Chinese person of anything. The Chinese interlocutor can always say, “You don’t understand. You’re not Chinese.” It’s a bulletproof defense. Until the day you can make yourself Chinese through magic, you’ll never win. So take my advice and submit to the overwhelming force of Chinese culture, a culture that will continue on, forevermore, until the universe suffers a cold, lonely heat death. And even then, who’s to say that Chinese culture wasn’t responsible? If, as a foreigner, you want to prove that you understand Chinese culture, the only way is to pretend that you know nothing. Whenever a Chinese person asks you a question, say you don’t know. When asked for an opinion on China, say you have none. When asked about a historical figure or cultural legacy, act dumb and listen to them explain it to you for an hour. Embrace your own ignorance and tremble before China’s all-encompassing majesty. That’s what Chinese culture is all about.

september 2015