Beijing Olympics though 10: Someone call programming
For each of the 88 days until the 2008 Olympics, I will strip-mine my brain to unearth a thought related to Beijing and The Games. That’s one thought per brain cell. It’s called teamwork, people!
Someone call programming
Ranking among my top 20 tourist sites in Beijing: the massive Sky Screen suspended the length of The Place. It offers thousands of square meters of mind-numbing drool-inspiring visual delight for those easily mesmerized by shiny objects.
The problem: the powers-that-be keep playing the equivalent of screen savers on it. Surely, given the amount of energy that thing vacuums up, there are better things to watch.
I’m not talking about anything risky like Edison Chen or Debbie Does Dalian videos. I’m talking about letting people rent yoga mats, lie on their backs, and watch the NBA finals or The Olympics. Or holding a massive Rocky Horror Picture Show event. Or screening repeats of Korean soap operas classic movies, such as Raise the Red Lantern, Citizen Kane, and Mars Attacks (seriously, who doesn’t want to watch aliens watching The Dukes of Hazard - see 2:47?).
Related post:
Look skyward ayi: The mother of all monitors
Previously
Thought 1: If they build it, we may come
Thought 2: “Whether or not” in Sanlitun
Thought 3: Living the lowlife on Lotus Lane
Thought 4: The F&B scene takes a pre-Olympics breather?
Thought 5: Flaming Fuwa
Thought 6: Continental drink
Thought 7: The Parallel Bars?
Thought 8: No kangaroos, and other guidelines
Thought 9: A few good men
Sips and slurps: Tun, Golden, Rickshaw, and more
Last Friday’s opening of Tun - as in Sanlitun - drew a large crowd, with early arrivals enjoying free beer and T-shirts at this newest spot by Huxley (Nanjie). Tun features a big projection screen, high ceilings, and a “Great Wall of China” DJ booth. The loft, with its rent-an-office furniture, poor lighting, and Spartan decoration needs work, but things are nice enough downstairs at the bar. One friend describes the place as a combination of Nanjie and Poachers for an older crowd. I’d add “a twist of Browns” to that mix.
The Rickshaw is drawing a good crowd for the NBA finals, though the games are sadly between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers (what did I do to deserve this?). Word has it Goose ‘n Duck is also showing them.
By the way, fond farewell to Rickshaw icon and manager Chad Lager, who left the establishment a few weeks ago. His dedication to the NBA Channel at The Rickshaw and to the tequila lineup and Cinco De Drinko (fifth of every month) at The Saddle Cantina are appreciated. I dropped by for the tail end of the last Cinco De Drinko and the place was wall-to-wall cocktails and beer (held in the hands of patrons, of course).
Golden in Tongli Studio offers an all-you-can drink special - about two dozen cocktails and shooters as well as Foster’s beer - for RMB80 from Monday to Thursday and RMB100 on Friday and Saturday. I guess Sunday is when they clear out bodies. Based on a couple of pass-bys, the deal remains largely undiscovered.
Word has it that Project H, atop new Nali Studio, will open in July. While the original plan was to open several dining areas (during Chinese New Year), the current one is to initially limit Project H to the rooftop deck. Billy Kawaja, who was to handle the kitchen for this and other Spencery Grey properties (Cafe St. Laurent, etc), recently left the company.
I joined friends at Hooters after the recent Global Wine Extravaganza. The place continues to draw a strong turnout. The food was OK, with the wings being the best item, and the wait staff thankfully seems sick of continually doing those group songs. The less songs, the faster the service, the better, I say.
