Beijing Boyce

The crane parts outside and staff wearing “chai” T-shirts inside said it all - Yugong Yishan is about to bite the wrecking ball. Blues outfit Black Cat Bone rocked the joint that got them started as a good-sized crowd showed up for some drinks and one of the last shows at YY, which will move to the venue formerly known as Rui Fu.

The “help me pay my bar rent” party held by 5:19 brought an unexpected surprise: the bartending delights of he who is known as BADR (I’m going with all caps, looks tougher). He mixed up a Sex in the Desert (bit drier than the beach version), right after firing up an International Traveller, a drink he says he invented in Florida. The recipe: put tequila and ouzo in a Brandy snifter, light it on fire, then cover the glass with your palm - the ensuing vacuum allows the glass to be vigorously shaken up and down. Once de-palmed, it’s ready to drink. (A tasty cocktail, yes, but I’m still no fan of mixing booze and fire.)

On our way out of Super Bar Street that night, I stuck my head into Gunman Bar - the most appropriately named place on this depressing street - but, having forgotten my heat, decided to not to mosey on in.

Instead, I ended the night at The Rickshaw. Medium wings (now 3 kuai per)…. you know the drill.