Talking Shop/Birthday Bash Living
T-Shirt Revolution Plastered T-Shirts defies hackneyed imagery
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even years ago, Dominic Johnson-Hill (pictured to the left) started Plastered T-Shirts to defy tourist T-shirts depicting stereotyped images of pandas and the Great Wall. He bought a 13sqm space in a quiet alleyway and did whatever it took to build his business, including going to comedy nights with a briefcase full of shirts to sell. It took five years of hard work for Plastered T-Shirts to become a household name. Now, sales have reached an international level. Johnson describes his shirts as “playful, fun, colorful, iconic, and celebratory.” Or, more succinctly: “F*cking cool.” Designs range from fine art to Chinese imagery, just text, and works by tattoo artists. Elements include old subway tickets, retro brands, old Chinese sayings, propaganda imagery, and everyday items like liquid detergent. Plastered makes shirts for men, women, and children. All adult T-shirts cost RMB 149 and kids’ tees cost RMB 129. One bestseller is the “Magic 8” T-shirt, which features a number “8” made up of hundreds of images from the Qing Dynasty. Another bestseller is the “Na’er Liangkuai Na’er Daizhe” (哪儿凉快哪儿呆着) tee. This old Beijing saying literally translates to “Go where it’s cool,” a polite way of telling someone to get lost. One of the kids’ bestsellers is “Ping Pong Boy,” a retro-style design depicting a boy wearing split pants and playing ping pong. Plastered also carries polo shirts, hoodies, zip-ups, shoes, and accessories like mirrors, notebooks, key chains, and pins. Plastered currently has two locations; Johnson-Hill is looking for a place to open his third. Talia Jin
1) Daily 10am-10pm. 61 Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District (6407 8425) www.plasteredtshirts.com 东城区南锣鼓巷61号; 2) Daily 10am-6pm. Zhongyi Jie, 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxian Qiao Lu, Chaoyang District (136 7137 9896) www.plasteredtshirts.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区中一街
Teenage Dream How to “Live like We’re Young” at Party World
photos: sui ; illustration: sun zheng
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arty World, also known as Cashbox, is one of the oldest karaoke (or KTV) places in the city. The first branch opened in Taiwan in 1989, and the chain expanded to Beijing in the late 1990s. Now, there are 18 branches in China, four of which are in Beijing. Party World is a great place for teens who love to sing. There is a wide selection of songs featuring pop artists like Katy Perry, One Direction, and Taylor Swift as well as classics like Elton John, Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, and Andrea Bocelli. The rooms are equipped with Japanese touch-screen karaoke machines. Users can adjust the settings to sing with or without backup vocals or even change the song pitch to fit their vocal range. Standard features include air conditioning, disco lights, and big comfortable booths. Party packages range from RMB 400 to RMB 1,000, depending on whether you get a small, medium, or large room. Small rooms are suitable for five to six people, medium rooms are suitable for seven to eight people, and large rooms are suitable for 11 to 12 people. There is also a party deal for 25 people and over, which starts from RMB 2,000 (price varies according to food sets). Each package is valid for five hours and includes fruit, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and food. Party World offers mostly Chinese cuisine, but customers also have the option of ordering in Western food.Talia Jin 1) Daily 11am-2am. 1/F, East Tower, Yonghe Dasha, 28 Andingmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (5811 3888) 东城区安定门东大街28号雍和大厦东楼1层; 2) Daily 11am-2am. Tengda Dasha, 168 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Haidian District (8857 6566) 海淀区 西直门外大街168号腾达大厦; 3) Daily 11am-2am. 4 Huixin Dongdajie, Chaoyang District (5963 9666) 朝阳区惠新东街4号; 4) Daily 11am-2am. 1/F, Fanli Dasha, 22 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6588 3333) 朝阳区朝阳门外大街22号泛利大厦 August 2013
beijingkids
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