Beijing Boyce

Old mascots never die, they simply graze away.

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Yesterday marked not only the reopening of the city’s most famous / infamous bar, but also four months since the start of the Olympics. Coincidence? (Kidding.)

But seriously, it is hard to believe so little time has passed since The Games, and even less since The Paralympics. It seems like more than a year ago that I hit two dozen pubs with Nicolas Carre during the opening ceremony, headed to stadiums all over the city to watch soccer, wheelchair rugby, field hockey, beach volleyball, and more, met a cigar-seeking Michael Phelps at China Doll 3.3, and spent nearly every night partying with fellow Beijing residents, tourists, and athletes.

But that is part and parcel of living in Beijing. I often feel a bit like a time traveler, fitting a typical year’s worth of living back home in the space of a few months here. Which is why The Olympics seems as distant as last year’s vacation. Thank Buddha for the memories – and cameras.

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…is back. And so is the bar beside it, closed since early this year and now sporting a décor that takes this Ritan Park location yet another step away from its former earthy digs on Workers Stadium East.

The stripped down interior is highlighted by an island bar, by a more exposed dance floor and DJ area, by stools replacing sofa areas and cubby holes, and by a rainbow of lights that binds the club proper, the strategically placed racks of bottles, and the traditional roof beams replete with colorful scenes that are visible through a cutout that runs the length of the ceiling. This all takes the look up a notch, though it comes off as a bit sanitized, a situation that might change when a second area under renovation is opened.

But as usual, the attention to detail is evident, the service solid, the toilets spotless, and the dance floor swamped when ABBA is played. The average Beijing bar would do well to send its staff here to learn how to operate a place.

In terms of beverages, this still tends to a land of extremes, with two of the most popular drinks being beer, especially the cheapest item Tsingtao at RMB30, and Champagne, staring with Moet at RMB1200. And yes, the hot dogs (now RMB30) taste the same as always.

Last night saw a strong turnout, with a generally amicable crowd sprinkled with the typical handful of degenerates. I think we can safely call it a successful hard reopening.

Note: Thanks to 8 Songs for the photo. He and partner Ba Songs were the first couple to hit the dance floor at the reopening.

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Note: If you like this blog, please vote for it in the China Blog awards. Just go here and click the “plus” sign. Also much obliged if you vote for sibling site Grape Wall of China here.