Beijing Boyce

As the year stumbles to an end, I have been mulling over a “top 888 bar stories of 2009” post — cause lists are all the rage and, like, 8 is a lucky number in China — but then realized there is but one story: it appears M1NT is not opening. Seriously, unless we enter 2010 with an over-hyped club complete with massive shark tank, how can we  consider this a cosmopolitan city? I guess we’ll just have to live in shame (could someone please pass me the yangrou chuan?).

Anyway, it seems like every bar and its sibling is having a party tonight. Last year, I went to Tun, Q Bar, and finally The Den, where I guzzled drinks and pub grub alongside a bunch of chefs, bar and restaurant managers, and musicians – people who appreciate value (see: combo platter; four-cheese pizza; RMB25 James Boag’s). This year: who knows?

Chocolate is going retro, Bed Bar has Laurent Perrier Champagne at RMB480 per bottle, Paddy O’Shea’s has the antics of Karl “Who’s Your Paddy?” Long, SALT has a five-course menu (RMB488; RMB688 with free-flow bubbly; call 6437-8457 to RSVP), and Fubar will feature DJ Chunky and DJ Tipsy, whose tenure is over at Danger Doyle’s and who plans to have a new place open early in the new year.

The new White Rabbit in Tongli Studio will be hopping from 9 PM to 5 AM with four DJs (RMB50), the Yen Countdown will be on 706 Factory in the 798 Art District (RMB150, includes one drink), and Acupuncture is not only holding its “Genesis 2010″ party at Image Base (RMB150; after-party from 4 AM at Lantern, in B1 of 3.3), but also is reaching new levels with its ad copy:

Gorge on an aural banquet at the Future Stage with futuristic techno grooves from Acupuncture DJs and special guest Doudou Malicious from France, or thaw away those winter chills at the Retro Stage with the old-school gang reviving that classic disco era. Let the VJs, lightings installations and party fashionistas work their magic and conjure the crowd into near sensory overload on a ride through time and space and count down to 2010!

(This one lost me at the “party fashionistas” bit.)

For those seeking something new or who are budget-conscious, new club and lounge Le Zazou in Sanlitun Village is halfway through its two-week drinks promotion: free select Absolut vodka cocktails until midnight, including on New Year’s Eve (for those who want to splurge, three bottles of Perrier-Jouet Champagne are RMB2000). And a few floors below, bands Subs, New Pants, and Re-Tros will be playing in the “Orange”.

Be safe, have fun, dress warm, drink lots of water, and have a superb night…

It's dog eat dog, er, cat fight cat...

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There is a brouhaha over at The Beijinger between Legation Quarter landlord HKC and the Aqua Group, which had been running restaurants Agua and Shiro Matsu and bars Hex and Fez at the upscale complex until all four closed about two weeks ago.

The Beijinger earlier posted a press release from Agua Group that stated (my highlights):

Legation Quarter Ltd. has consistently failed to meet its promises and commitments to us and the other tenants to maintain and manage Ch’ien Men 23 as Beijing’s premier fine dining complex resulting in damage to our businesses and day to day operations.

Legation Quarter Ltd’s behavior has reached the point where, among other things, they harass our operations by switching the power on and off at will. We are unable to operate in this hostile environment and as a result we deeply regret that we have no choice but to close our operations at Ch’ien Men 23 with immediate effect.

Today the site posted a press release from HKC that stated (my highlights):

It is regretful that Aqua has not paid its license fees to Legation Quarter Ltd. since late 2008, immediately after they had enjoyed the 16-week license-fee free period….

Aqua has nevertheless used Legation Quarter Ltd.’s premises to conduct business in its restaurants and bars for over a year, continuing to disregard our repeated requests to honor their obligations and pay the long overdue license fees….

In short, the closure of Aqua is due to its inability, or unwillingness, to pay the license fee for ‘Ch’ien Men 23’ and Legation Quarter Ltd. is now seeking legal advice in respect of Aqua’s  irresponsible and untrue press release.”

I spoke to Lidia Sakarapani, sales and marketing director of Aqua Group, last week and she cited issues — ranging from  electricity and infrastructure problems to major events held in the square that affected traffic flow to the the bars and restaurants — that disrupted business. She also said The Beijinger made minimal effort to contact her before running its intial story considering that a member of the magazine’s staff is the former PR person for Agua a former member of the magazine’s staff was a former PR person for Agua [see comments re this correction].

In any case, free rent helps to explain why some places at Legation Quarter have survived this long, not to mention in other spots around town (see Solana). If such places had to pay in full from day one, on top of their heavy staff costs, I think we would see much higher turnover.

Based on my experience and on talking to readers, the only place that seems to be consistently busy at Legation Quarter – aka Chi’enmen 23 – is Maison Boulud. I called GM Ignace LeCleir last week and he told me the restaurant has no plans to move. As for the Aqua Group, Sakarapani says it plans to be back in business in Beijing soon.

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But can it top Alexis versus Krystle...

Well, maybe not this big...

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Beijing has a slew of ladies nights — from the longstanding mid-week booty shake at Suzie Wong to the jam-packed Friday booze fest at Tun to newer events at venues such as Xiu and Lan. So, as I sat in Zazou over the weekend and wondered how this new place could distinguish its inevitable ladies night from the competition, I had an idea.

One advantage of Zazou is location: True, it is in a Sanlitun mall but that mall is near ground zero of the city’s most diverse food and beverage scene. So why not team up with the neighbors?

In other words, what if a handful of establishments, or even more, on the third floor of Sanlitun Village held a joint ladies night? Say it’s done on a Tuesday, one of the slower days for some businesses there. What if ladies go to Union and get a free cocktail with any entree, or to Oriental Kitchen and get a sampling menu of three items with any meal, or even get a big discount at Toni & Guy?

Then, instead of jumping into a taxi after dinner and heading to a ladies night, they simply walk over to Zazou to dance in the club or hang out in the lounge. And if hundreds of women descended on Sanlitun Village, don’t you think hundreds of men would follow?

Anyway, just an idea…

How about hot dancing chefs? (junkyardclubhouse.com)

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Despite the global economic slowdown, demand for “hot dancers” continues unabated in China. At least, it seems that way given this China Daily job ad, which also announces the need for a GM, a marketing manager, and foreign pole dancers.

Also of note, Element Fresh is seeking an executive chef for Beijing. The candidate should have at least five years of experience in the kitchen, with at least three of them in management. See more here.

And an unnamed establishment seeks someone be both operations and restaurant manager. According to the ad, “Western restaurants is increasingly gaining popularity in China and considered as trendy if you eat western food or have a western kitchen at home for show. However rarely does Chinese know how to cook, eat, drink or entertain/decorate the way western cultures do. Our restaurant provides a channel not only to dine but to also to teach this life style to the high end Chinese consumers.” See ad here.

(Hat tip to DJ Chunky)

I described here some things that impressed me about Zazou during a pre-opening visit yesterday afternoon. Last night, I saw the place in action and, in addition to liking the decor, I enjoyed zipping between the relaxed live music / lounge area and the peppier club part, which had a bit of the original China Doll feel (not the look, but the crowd, the bar, et al). But there were a few opening night jitters, most of which would be easy enough to fix. Here are five:

1. The place advertised free vodka cocktails until midnight. I ordered a vodka cranberry: free. A vodka martini: not free. A vodka orange juice: free. A vodka tonic: not free. OK, I can see why a martini might not count, but a vodka tonic? Solution: Provide a list of drinks that are free. By the way, the pours were generous. By the way II, a foot rail and coat hooks beneath the bar would be a good idea.

2. Sitting at the bar in the club was like being in a rugby scrum. Staff bringing orders to the bar squeezed roughly between patrons, bumped them from behind, stuck hands in their faces as they waived bills and shouted orders to the bartenders, etc. The bar staff itself was efficient, though they hail from the land of the free pour, but the floor staff had all the subtlety of subway riders during rush hour. Solution: Create a two-meter space at the bar where the staff can deliver the orders and thus leave the patrons in peace.

3. The sink in the men’s toilet is beside – uncomfortably so – a urinal. Gross. Solution: Erect a barrier between the two.

4. The three dozen candles in the club looked pretty. Unfortunately, drunk patrons and pretty candles usually don’t go together. Solution: Provide patrons with individual mini fire extinguishers.

5. The place has been emphasizing a French angle, but all four wines by the glass were Australian. Solution: Get some French wines.

As mentioned, these are all things that can be easily fixed. Overall, good times at Le Zazou and I plan to be back soon. For those thinking about visiting tonight, the free drinks are at the Absolut bar between 8 PM and midnight, and The Verse is playing in the lounge.

Free vodka cocktails from 9 tonight...

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Six comments about a visit to Club Le ZaZou an hour ago, just ahead of its 9 PM opening, and a talk with head of PR, Angelique (hat tip to Andy at Union for the intro):

1. I have been working on a post about how when I have business acquaintances or friends in town, it rolls around to 2 AM and the question comes up, “Where should we go?” Some of the current options – Chocolate, Maggie’s, Suzie Wong, et al – don’t always fit the bill. What I want is a nice lounge, kind of a Q Bar but that stays open late. This place might be it. The lounge has plenty of plush armchairs and sofas, done in a wide range of neutral to warm colors, from off-whites and tans to mochas and chocolates, with plenty of space in between. And Angelique says the place will be open until 5 or 6 AM.

2. Le ZaZou is huge at 1040 square meters (I don’t even want to know what the rent is). It is divided into more than a half-dozen areas – the lounge area, a Champagne bar, a vodka bar, an area with a DJ booth and dance space, several private rooms, and a second floor with a bar on one side and a dining room – focused: French fusion cuisine – at the other.

3. It will have a Perrier-Jouet Champagne bar – Angelique says it is the first is Asia. In a town dominated by Moet and Mumm’s, this is good to see.

4. I am told the drinks will be cheaper than at Xiu, more along the lines of Suzie Wong. There will be free vodka cocktails at the Absolut bar from 8 PM to midnight for the next two weeks.

5. There is a noticeable and welcome lack of neon.

6. The place will have live music. Up tomorrow night: The Verse.

My first thought on hearing about this place was to imagine yet another overdone oversized undercapitalized establishment, and in a mall no less. My first impression is that Le Zazou is far more subtle than I expected, the space is nicely divided, and it is doing something a bit different, with the Perrier-Jouet bar an example. If it can provide an alternative to places such as Xiu and, even better, a relaxed late-night option,  it should have positive spinoff effects for other places on that third floor. But that’s an “if” – the real task is always getting people in the door…

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Massive “cocktails / fine dining /  live music / sexy grooves” establishment Club Le ZaZou kicks off a “2-Week Long Glamorous Soft Opening” tonight at 10 PM on the third floor of Sanlitun Village. The club will have free Absolut cocktails until midnight as well as a two-for-one on bottles of Perrier-Jouet Champagne and “sexy funky house” music. As the flyer states, “Party deep with your friends and loved ones.”

I’m at Union, so I’ll pop over now and report back if there is any additional news, such as the club’s definition of deep.

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The new Purple Haze Bistro has finished its move from China View to 1 Dongsiliutiao, where Chaoyangmen Beixiao Jie and Dongsiliutiao cross. And the tradition of live music on Wednesdays continues, with No Name Trio playing tonight.

The much cozier digs include a long hallway near the entrance with book shelves, a bar, and a computer terminal for those who wish to do a quick email or sports score check. The courtyard has seating below a glass roof that provides views of the gnarled tree outside, while the side room presents a perfect spot for a dozen people and the back area is decorated with black and white images of jazz, blues, and soul greats. The place can get a bit chilly, so heaters have been placed throughout. And the semi-transparent serving area in the courtyard seems out of place, though manager Toby says there is still work to do on the decor. I did get a laugh from the “Devastatin’ Dave: Turntable Slave” print in the toilet.

Expect a similar food menu to that at the previous location, with Stella and Beijing beer on tap. I had the green curry chicken: a generous serving that hit the spot on a cold night.

Purple Haze Bistro also offers close proximity to spots such as Palette Vino, Bomb Shelter, and Blue Crescent Xinjiang restaurant. Perhaps we have the beginnings of another cool area in the making…

Hen hao, Miao!

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Acupunture, which has established a strong following the past two years with its lineup of DJs , massive events, and digital and CD compilations, is set to own and operate its own club – Lantern.

The club will be in B1 of the 3.3 building in Sanlitun and is slated for a January 8 and 9 weekend launch. Acupunture co-founder Miao Wong says the place can fit about 500 people and will be open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 PM. While Acupuncture had looked at opening in the Workers Stadium area, Lantern might work out better in Sanlitun given its proximity to the area’s many bars and to fellow clubs such as White Rabbit and Punk.

Soon with 24 more square meters of pub power

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Just received a message from Joseph at 12sqm, the tiny Nanluoguxiang bar that consistently punches above its weight or, rather, size. He writes that after two and a half years of business, the bar will nearly triple in size next month. That means fans of the place, or those who want to see it before it changes, best drop by before January 1 when the renovations start.

I’ll have more on the new 12sqm soon.

Note: The photo of 12sqm is from the pub crawl that Nicolas Carre and I did on the night of the Olympics opening ceremony. The full list of venues visited is here.

Better off playing poker for chips...

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You have to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, sang Kenny Rogers. You also have to know when to stay away from illegal slot machines and stick to friendly poker games played for “matches.”

The China Daily reports that three foreigners were among 14 people arrested in Wangjing for gambling:

Altogether five workers at the illegal casino and nine gamblers were arrested. A dozen gambling machines and bets of more than 5,000 yuan were confiscated, the police said in a press release.

A man surnamed Kim, 40, and another man surnamed Lim, 35, who held foreign passports, were among the workers.

Another foreigner surnamed Sin, 20, a student at a Beijing university whose name was not disclosed, was also caught gambling.

The police said they received a tip off at the beginning of the month that an amusement arcade in Wangjing was operating as a casino. After investigation, they discovered that the location was deserted in daytime but came alive with people at night.

An interesting “factoid” in the article:

The Beijing No 1 Intermediate Court said last month that 58 percent of crimes committed by foreigners in Beijing were from students. Almost 20 cases of foreign students have been handled at the court.

The crimes committed by foreign students rose 50 percent in 2008 year-on-year and another third already this year, Guo Jingxia, a press officer of the court said Tuesday.

She said most of the criminals or suspects are very young, usually in their 20s, and the crimes or offenses are very light.

... or sticking to mahjong.

(Hat tip to DJ Chunky)

It dawned on me that a photo of snow-covered bongs in Sanlitun might not be the right image for every, or even the average, e-Christmas card. Thus, while walking about the Workers Stadium area, I spotted something more appropriate, something that blends East and West, old and new, yin and yang, and the eternal hardness of stone with the fleeting softness of polyester, with just a hint of cheese. As with the bongs photo, feel free to use this one to charm your friends, family, and acquaintances with our dichotomazing life in China.

ithe sp

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After a hectic Saturday spent running about town, with stops at China World Phase III, where the city’s highest restaurant and bar – Grill 79 and Atmosphere – are slated to open in a few months, and at Cafe Europa, where The Wine Republic uncorked some 50 wines for tasting, with the New Zealand Pinot Noir being particularly tasty, I headed to Paddy O’Shea’s to meet up with the Beijing SantaCon group that had been plowing through the city’s pubs since noon.

I brought five unfinished bottles from The Wine Republic and held an impromptu tasting thanks to Karl “Who’s Your Paddy?” Long, who, in the spirit of the season, waived the corkage fees and provided some glasses. I then tagged along with about 50 “Santas” to Fubar, where the third level looks nearly complete, and fueled up on some Sweet Bees – Manuka honey vodka and ginger ale – and a ho-ho-hot dog.

Kudos the organizers of this event.

“A Breath of Fresh Air”

“Making a M1NT in Beijing”

“A Refreshing Retreat”

“Beijing’s New Cool Spot”

“M1NT CH1LLS BE1J1NG”

Holy Crobar, it seems we might be denied all of the above headlines given that it looks unlikely M1NT will open in our fair city – at least not any time near its proposed debut on New Year’s Eve.

The RMB42 million plan had been to open a 1500-square-meter venue on the third and fourth floors of one of those buildings beside the Park Hyatt. A few months ago, things apparently fell through and there was talk M1NT — known for its shark tanks and inspiring love-hate comments from patrons in Shanghai — would seek space in The Place. Hard to tell since M1NT seemingly doesn’t answer emails from mere mortals.

A story in this weekend’s South China Morning Post makes it sound like things have soured somewhat at M1NT (my highlights):

Nightclub entrepreneur Alistair Paton, who once battled celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey over his London establishment, has left Hong Kong for good.

Paton arrived in the city and launched members club M1NT on Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, with Andrew Lewis in November 2006.

But those close to the club say relations between Paton and others involved in M1NT, including many members and shareholders, have soured over the months. “It was a business decision,” one of them said.

Lewis, who was a school friend, said the split with Paton was “amicable” and that he was still a minority shareholder, although he would play no role in running the club. “I’m the one running the club now, and Alistair will concentrate on Shanghai.”

Hat tips to fellow twitterites @niubi and @AlexBowman

Lux.Me? No, Lux.You!

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With a name that ranks up there with I-Ultra Lounge and Single-Edged Eyedid, new Workers Stadium bar Lux.Me is slated to open in the northeast corner of Workers Stadium in three days, according to the staff. I peeked inside the place and it had the air of a mini Chocolate-LAN — similar chandelier, elaborate high-backed chairs, shiny stuff…

You can take the man out of Beijing, but you can’t take Beijing out of the man (sorry, folks, that mercury you inhale daily is in your system forever). Regular contributor The Village Grouch, on sabbatical stateside, reports some “booze news” at home that should be of interest to the burgeoning cocktail scene here.

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“Ever the vigilant servant of the Beijing community, The Village Grouch was watching Friday night’s installment of “The Rachel Maddow Show” by the eponymous American liberal commentator. Maddow promised throughout the show that she would have “booze news.” Indeed she did.

“The Obama White House has been holding a series of cocktail parties since the new president took office in January. Maddow had been eager to get news of the events, and more specifically, of whether cocktails were actually being served, and if so, which ones. On Tuesday, December 15, she attended one of the parties and found out for herself.

“Of particular note were three distinctive American cocktails: The Emerson, the Stone Fence, and the Robert Frost Cocktail. The Emerson, which Maddow described as a “pre-Prohibition cocktail,” uses old tom gin, “a slightly sweetened old school kinda gin that hasn’t been drunk widely in about two generations,” sweet vermouth, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur. That last ingredient is not to be confused with maraschino cherries. Maraschino is a bittersweet liqueur that “old Italian ladies pour on their fruit salad,” she said. “That whole drink was awesome, it was my favorite,” Maddow said of the Emerson.

“Next was the Stone Fence, “a classic colonial era drink that Derek [Brown the bartender, see below] put his own little spin on.” The drink features apple jack, “which was George Washington’s favorite spirit,” apple cider, Fee Brothers aromatic bitters and mint. “Totally delicious,” the host said of the drink.

“The Robert Frost Cocktail, which Maddow said was “the drink not taken by me,” is made with sherry, white port, bourbon, sugar and orange bitters. This drink was invented by famous D.C. bartender, sommelier and food/booze writer for The Atlantic Derek Brown.

Download the episode from the U.S. iTunes Music Store, it’s free. You can also watch the last segment online here – scroll to the bottom to “Adventures in White House cocktail investigative photojournalism.”

“The Stone Fence is of particular interest to the Grouch. The key ingredient is Apple Jack, a sort of apple brandy that is made by one distiller in the entire world: Laird & Co., about five miles from where the Grouch grew up in New Jersey. This is the second prominent mention the otherwise obscure maker has received just this month: men’s magazine GQ also included Laird’s Apple Jack in a recent “Winterize Your Bar” feature. Usually two appearances like this in major media, and Laird’s location in suburban New Jersey, warrants a New York Times trend story, but we shall see.

Anyone, all three of these sound like a recipe for an interesting evening event at Apothecary. Since the Grouch’s current stay makes it more likely that a bottle of Apple Jack could be acquired, seems we are already one step closer to realizing that dream.

George Washington would approve (pic: Laird)

Impression of Atmosphere bar...

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Early next year, Beijing diners and drinkers will be able to get even higher as Grill 79 and Atmosphere lounge and bar will open on the 79th and 80th floors of China World Summit Wing, the official name of the third phase of China World. The design behind the venues, as well as for a private dining area on the 81st floor, come from Adam Tihany, known especially for his work in New York on spots such as Jean-Georges, Daniel, and Le Cirque 2000. These will be the loftiest places to eat and drink the capital. Look for a substantial wine list – with as many as 1500 labels.

The hotel will have two ballrooms (one of which is capable of hosting banquets of up to 1500 people), a spacious lobby, a Japanese restaurant called Nadaman and an as yet-to-be-named Thai restaurant on the fourth to sixth floors, hotel rooms from the 64th to 77th floor, and a spa and club on the 78th floor.

China World Summit Wing will top out at 330 meters, making it the highest building in the city, and is slated to open in the first quarter of 2010.

I’ll have more details on these venues, as well as a talk with Tihany, early next week.

SantaCon Beijing is on the move...

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The 2009 SantaCon Beijing tour is underway. If you can’t attend the entire event, you can catch up with the jolly group at various bars throughout the day and evening – look for the guys in red. Below is the schedule from 2 PM on. Below that are Twitter updates from the group (they’re a bit behind schedule at the moment) – you can follow them live at the @bjsantason account (the Beijing SantaCon web site is here). I’m aiming to meet up with the group at Saddle…

The schedule

2:15 pm – 2:30 pm: Take taxis or subway & walk to Drum and Bell Towers
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm: Refreshments at The Drum & Bell bar (map) right next to the towers
3:15 pm – 3:45 pm: Walk to Nanluoguxiang towards Salud (map), our carol-singing voices ringing through the narrow hutong
3:45 pm – 5 pm: Refreshments at Salud
5 pm – 5:20 pm: Walk to center of Houhai. If lake is frozen, ice skate!
5:20 pm – 6:30 pm: Rest our weary feet at Zoom Club, right in the center of Houhai
6:30 pm: Take taxis to Sanlitun
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Refuel with margaritas at The Saddle Cantina (map)
7:30 pm – 7:45 pm: Walk towards Workers’ Stadium area
7:45 pm – 9:15 pm: Refuel, have a beer or three at Kro’s Nest (map)
9:15 pm – 10:30 pm: Santa needs a cocktail! Fubar (map), here Santa comes.
10:30 pm until ???? : Wander the fine establishments of Sanlitun bringing joy to clubbers and bar goers. Only Rudolph knows for sure where we’ll be after this time.

@bjsantason Twitter updates:

• 6:50 Santa will be @ Paddy’s at 8pm for 2 for 1 drinks! http://schmap.me/6nk9v8
• ~4:40 next stop Salud. Santa wants to see you all there! http://schmap.me/yrfym2
• 4:24 The Drum & Bell: Santa making the rounds – are you naugthy or nice? http://schmap.me/387wyj
• 3:40 Both santa crews unite at tiananmen! Love n peace between haidian n chaoyang! Now heading to drum n bell bar
• 2:54 Qianmen Hostel: Santa needs some baijiu! http://schmap.me/nqmaur/
• 2:30 Now too thirsty- heading for drinks at sakuraa while ago via Hahlo
• 2:20 Santas in tiananmen spreading cheers!
• Qianmen Subway: Santa is on his way to Qianmen! Watch out raindeer on the subway … http://schmap.me/25f4qw/

The Sanlitun branch of La Pizza is now open. Meanwhile, nearby in Sanlitun Village, the massive French lounge and restaurant Le Zazou — the sign advertises “fine dining”, “cocktails”, etc — is slated for a “soft opening” December 23 and a “hard” opening January 8. (They better get those construction workers  going double-time because I stuck my head in last night and there is quite a bit to do.) And work on the new Biteapita, in Tongli Studio, is coming along if the jack-hammering below Le Petit Gourmand at this very minute is any indication.

Finally, on Tuesday I went to Piano Bar, which is on the eighteenth floor of an apartment building behind Gateway, for an International Film Festival party – this is the type of event where you get chapped lips from kissing everyone on the cheeks two to four times (ladies, please shave!).

This is basically an apartment converted into a bar. The main area contains a think three-sided black-topped bar, red carpet, green and gold wallpaper with a scattered flower print, and gold and red chairs that look like they came out of my grandmother’s rec room.  Oh, and a piano. There are also two rooms converted to lounge seating.

French wine is RMB40, a handful of mixed drinks are RMB30, and room-temperature Tsingdao you are likely ever to have is RMB20. I saw a bunch of bottles of [Yellowtail] in stock. Not sure I’d want to make the trek here for a drink, but for events, it’s OK.

But does she have a college degree?

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Are you a friendly German woman with an interest in China and a desire to learn to say “hello”, “thank you”, and “beer” in Mandarin? Are you a college-educated Chinese woman who is at least 1.6 meters tall and reasonably proficient in English? Then the opportunity of a lifetime awaits you – as a “beer girl” at a “German-style Beijing International Beer Festival from May 1 next year,” reports China Daily:

Michael Schottenhamel, president of Schottenhamel Co Ltd – the beer festival’s German organizer – said recruitment has already started and they planned to bring 500 German waitresses.

He told METRO the waitresses would receive training in Chinese culture, behavior and a little bit Chinese history and language like “hello”, “thank you” and “beer”.

The only requirements for a candidate to land a waitress job are to be friendly, honest and communicative…

According to the story, the selection process is much stricter for the Chinese staff:

The Chinese organizer of the event, Xiedao group, plans to recruit 10,000 people for this event. The majority will be waitresses.

Qi Duo, assistant to the president of Xiedao group, said the requirements for Chinese waitresses are higher than for the German team. They must be college degree holders, over 1.6 meters tall and in possession of reasonably fluent English…

And for those wondering about these waitresses learning to simultaneously carry numerous large mugs of beer, worry not.

“After the training they will be able to hold several mugs at the same time. I know a German waitress who can hold 19 mugs,” Schottenhamel said.

The event is slated for Xiedao Eco-Green Holiday Villa and “will accommodate an estimated 140,000 visitors.”

Um, more than 10,000 recruits for a multiple-day event with 140,000 visitors? That works out to a best case of one person for every dozen or so patrons. That has to be a misprint, right? Either that, or they’re following the hiring practices of the average Beijing department store.

(Hat tip to Vegemite Vinyl)

"Say no to smokes, say yes to 'stuff'", say dealers. (strategy4china.com)

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I wrote last week that some dealers in Sanlitun are playing the race / nationality card as a sales tactic. Last Saturday night, I heard a new pitch that suggests an ever-growing array of tools in the dealers’ marketing kit.

(Methinks they will have no shortage of customers to try them on  given the increasing number of people I’ve seen who are uncharacteristically, um, “high on life” – white Christmas, indeed. Also of note, I saw what looked like five dealers in a scuffle in the passageway between 3.3 and Nali Studio last weekend and, a few days earlier, two dealers locked in a heated argument because one had lost the key to their apartment and, thus, access to their ‘stuff.’ In between, I  got the hard sell in middle of Sanlitun Village. Ah, new Sanlitun meets old Sanlitun.)

Anyway, witnessed at a cigarette stand in Sanlitun last Saturday night…

Vendor: Cigarettes?

Patron: Yeah, let’s see…

Dealer: [Approaches patron] Hey, man, want some stuff?

Patron: No thanks, I just want some cigarettes.

Dealer: This is good stuff, man.

Patron: No thanks. [Turns to vendor] Zhongnanhai 0.5?

Vendor: Mae yo.

Dealer: Man, you should smoke this stuff instead.

Patron: [To vendor] OK, 0.8. [To dealer] Listen, I told you, I don’t want any ‘stuff’. I only want some cigarettes.

Dealer: Hey, man, my stuff is healthier than cigarettes.

In the midst of a harsh Beijing winter, does it not add a layer of extra warmth to one’s heart to know that the dealers are concerned about our collective health? The next thing you know, they’ll be warning us that most of the cigarettes in Sanlitun are fake…

See also: How ’stuff’ works in Beijing: It seems you’re a racist if you don’t buy it