Beijing Boyce

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Mike Wester and the team at The Beijinger are putting together a tenth anniversary issue and seeking photos. So I mined an old external drive last night in search of pics, came across a file full of shots of the Nanluoguxiang and Gulou East Street area from about 27 months ago, and decided to go all artsy-fartsy and put them into collages. Regulars will recognize most of the spots in the collage above. The one below is even more artsier, fartsier and hutong hipsteries…

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American Rachel DeWoskin played the vixen in a 1995 TV drama called Foreign Babes in Beijing that was seen by as many as 600 million people in China. DeWoskin was a recent graduate of Columbia University, and only based in Beijing for a few months, when she was offered the role. She went on to juggle TV, her job at a foreign PR firm and the culture shock of being a newbie in the city. Not surprisingly, Dewoskin’s memoir, also called Foreign Babes in Beijing, covers both her experiences in making the show and adjusting to a new life.

A while back, I revisited a July 2006 post in which I listed 20 bars and restaurants in and around Sanlitun and how, four years later, only two had gone out of business due to poor performance. I have also gone through Foreign Babes in Beijing for references to bars and restaurants from the mid-1990s and found four of ten places mentioned by DeWoskin are still around while twoothers existed as recently as a few years ago, one of them apparently closing within the past month. Here they are…

Jazz Ya
DeWoskin: “a Japanese bar… cocktails with paper umbrellas in them….” This veteran in Nali Studio in Sanlitun is still considered by some to have good drinks, especially Long Islands. Owner Li Bo has since gone to open several Japanese restaurants as well as D Lounge.

Charlie’s Bar
Dewoskin: “in the Jianguo Hotel, with a Filipino band and salted peanuts.” During my first visit, in 2007, I found the place newly renovated but sticking by the free peanuts and (cheesy) Filipino band. Still open…

Metro Cafe
DeWoskin: “a new and crazily popular pasta place“. This place is still going strong on Workers Stadium West Road: try the homemade pastas.

Frank’s Place
DeWoskin describes it as “a laowai-owned greasy spoon across from the workers’ stadium.” The original closed about five years ago but the brand lives on in its second edition in Lido. The original Frank (Siegel) now runs the Sequoia cafe chain.

Nightman Disco
Word is that until a month ago, the night, the man, and the disco lived on. I’ll check more into this one…

Latino’s
DeWoskin: “offered salsa lessons”. When I arrived it was near Chaoyang Park’s south gate, beside The Big Easy, but after that space was rezoned it moved near Dongsishitiao, with the salsa ending there less than three years ago.

The Big Easy
DeWoskin: “served up fried chicken with New Orleans jazz belted out by a St. Louis singer named Jackie [Jacqui].” Good music and bloody good Bloody Marys–this place was chai’d about five years ago and is missed. Sadly, both Jacqui Staton and Big Easy founder Doug Monitto have gone to the big club in the sky.

Jamhouse
DeWoskin: “an alley bar”. Part of the old Sanlitun South Bar Street, it is long gone but fondly remembered by many. The remains lie somewhere beneath Sanlitun Soho.

Peking Chalet
“…in a broken alley off of North Sanlitun Road; now the lane is called jiuba jie, or bar street…. There were no streetlights, and the road in front of Peking Chalet was torn to shreds. Piles of broken glass littered the lane; the neighbors were so angry about the noise coming from the bar that they had thrown bottles.” Closed…

NASA
AFAIK, the last rocket took off long ago, though this site suggests what we are missing: “This high-caliber mega-disco has an army theme worth pondering. Just imagine this—an iron drawbridge, an army jeep that serves as a bar and a crashed helicopter that dangles overhead. This is one of the oldest and most venerable discos in Beijing. You are assured a good disco night out at NASA’s, especially if you can snag one of the free tickets hovering around town.”

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See also:

• Rachel DeWoskin: Foreign Babes in Beijing excerpt (2010)

• Something about Sanlituin II: The fate of 20 bars and restaurants four years on (2010)

• Something about Sanlitun (2006)

Peter’s Tex-Mex closed its Lido branch near Ganges and Cafe Del Mar and opened its new spot about 500 meters away beside Frank’s Place last weekend. Expect a similar menu, décor and kid-friendly environment — I stopped by on Sunday and plenty of families had already discovered the new place. There is seating for more than 150 customers on two floors and an outdoor area. And Peter’s Tex-Mex is giving a 15 percent discount on food, excluding dessert, through the end of September. Gung Ho pizza will take over the old Peter’s Tex-Mex space for its second branch.

Hooters in the China View complex is holding a hot wing contest every Thursday at 8 PM. Patrons who spend more than rmb100 can joint: the wings are free and the guy or gal who eats the most wins a rmb50 Hooters coupon and, if his or her total is high enough, monthly and yearly prizes. (Get more info by calling 6585-8787.) And it looks like the staff is ready to help contestants given a sign that says, “Hot Hooters girls will stand on your side”. That’s one way to cram more wings. By the way, Hooters will celebrate its fourth anniversary in Beijing on September 13.

Tate Dalrymple has left as manager of Bar Blu to pursue new opportunities in the south and word has it that colleague Cyril is currently in charge. Also of note,  New Zealand band Solidaz — which plays Wednesday through Sunday — is in its final stretch at Bar Blu, with its last show slated for September 10. Then it’s off to Chengdu. Look for a big bash with We Live in Beijing, Bar Blu and Solidaz.

Also of note: Union Bar & Grille has introduced a Philly cheese steak sandwich — it is not on the printed menu yet but is available, costs rmb78, and comes with fries and coleslaw. Word is Kro’s Nest will be the first place in Beijing to get De Koninck on tap. And the rum bar at Terra is delayed but still planned. (Yikes, don’t know what I was thinking. The Tree and, I believe, Nearby the Tree, has de Koninck on tap.) Sounds like customs delays are holding up the barrels, a common occurrence for many in the alcohol business these days, it seems…

(Hat tips to Mr Miyagi, njsantana)

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Frank Siegel of Sequoia Cafe is cleaning out the garage, er, storage space and has some equipment for sale from the present operation as well as the former John Bull Pub and maybe even the original Frank’s Place. Mixers, fryers, dishwashers, griddles: if you need it, Siegel has likely got it. Here is a partial list:

• Hobart A200 20-liter mixer
• Vulcan deep fryers: two single units and one double unit, plus a dumping station
• Weber grill: 90 centimeters wide
• Vaculator coffee machine (without the pots)
• Bunn coffee machine (without the pots)
• Toastmaster counter fryer
• Propane hot plate and burner
• Garland 24-inch clamp-down griddle
• 24-inch Vulcan salamander
• Dishwasher racks and carts
• Hobart potato peeler
• John Bull plates
• Portable generator

For more info, contact The Frank at frank_siegel@hotmail.com.

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The new Kro’s Nest, cross corner from Salsa Caribe and above Heat Club in Sanlitun South, is open as of today. This marks the return of Olaf “Kro” Kristoffer Bauer to Sanlitun some 15 months after the partner meltdown at the former Kro’s Nest — which now goes  by the name Tube Station — at Workers Stadium North.

Expect the same menu as at the other branch, on Xiaoyun Road, including those 28-inch pizzas — you will need to order those monsters 24 hours in advance. The 28-inch pizzas cost rmb600 and, says chef Zach Lewison, “only come one way — all the way — with everything on it.”

Beer fans will find one brew per night at rmb20 per bottle. Here is the lineup:

• Saranac Pale Ale
• Bombardier Bitteer
• Moosehead Lager
• Victoria Bitter
• Pedigree Pale Ale
• Lucky
• San Miguel

Finally, quiz night will continue on Thursdays with “Jim and Tao” at the Xiaoyun Road branch and look for a Tuesday quiz to soon start at the Sanlitun branch.

See also:

• New Kro’s Nest menu: Pizza rolls, deep-fried Oreos and more
• The new Kro’s Nest: Pizza oven vs front door, plus Q&A and a pic
• As the Kro flies? Partner troubles at Kro’s Nest Pizza

Word is the team behind Heaven Supermarket, which is just west of Nearby the Tree and a most excellent repository of beer — both in terms of choices, with more than 100, and prices, with brews only a fraction above wholesale — has taken over the former Swensen’s / Prima Taste restaurant space on nearby Xindong Road and will open it as a bar, complete with a pub grub menu, sometime next month. (That sounds like a better fit than Swensen’s / Prima Taste though I do miss when tapas restaurant Mare used to be in that space.)

I have no idea what the prices would be like but hope some of the value of Heaven Supermarket — or Paradise CVS or whatever it is called — will carry over. (I enjoyed a bottle of Red Seal ale from California there last night for rmb20.) Nor do I know what name would be used. Perhaps Shangri-lager? Or Ale-Dorado? Or Beer-topia or beer-Vana? Or…

A day before the opening of the 2008 Olympics, I received an email from longtime Beijing resident and scuba diver instructor Steven Schwankert, one that I think captured the mood felt by many and that I posted the next day as “Farewell, my Beijing Shi“. (“Tonight is the last night of any Beijing that we ever really knew,” he wrote.) Those Olympics ended three years ago yesterday and I asked Schwankert if he would write a second post, one that reflects on what the Games meant for him and the city. Here it is:

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Three Years After the Day After

By Steven Schwankert

Every year when the weather warms up in April, I have the same feeling I did in 2008: the Olympics are coming! If only that were true.

When the Olympic torch was extinguished, I was with two guys. As such, I didn’t shed any tears, although deep down that’s what I wanted to do. The Olympics had been great, they were a roaring success, and suddenly, not just the 16-day spectacle was over, but the seven-year journey of Beijing residents.

The next day Beijing awoke to a profound sense of confusion. The Paralympics were a few days away, the flame would be re-lit, but it just wasn’t the same. China would celebrate the 60th anniversary of its founding the following year, but again, the scale and excitement wasn’t comparable. For the first time in about 15 years, Beijing as a city had nothing to look forward to. What the hell do we do now?

That question was answered 22 days later on September 15, when Lehmann Brothers filed for bankruptcy, kicking off what we now call the Global Economic Crisis. What do we do now? The Games are over; we go back to work and hang on for dear life, that’s what we do.

I watched Barack Obama get elected at the Rickshaw, packed to the gills mostly with people who weren’t from the U.S., but who cheered his win with American gusto regardless. A week to the day later, I lost my primary job. A week after that, I lost another job, temporarily. Life after the Olympics really started to suck.

Just before Christmas, I was at one of Tun’s (in)famous Friday night Ladies’ Nights with the proprietor of this blog. It was like watching 450, 20-something Neros fiddle while the rest of the world burned, a bacchanal of questionable booze and 80s tunes, a celebration by people who had chosen the right year not to look for work.

Three years later, the Rickshaw is gone. Ladies’ Night at Tun is gone [as we knew it]. And for the most part, the Olympics are gone. One wonders about its legacy. Subway Line 10 is awesome. And then there’s…?

The Bird’s Nest is now essentially a 90,000-seat hollow shell, used a couple of times per year for a visiting soccer team or rare concert. The Water Cube is a water park. Anybody been out to the rowing center lately? Of course you haven’t.

This summer, Beijing seems to be at capacity. Every restaurant is full. Every street is choked with traffic. Every attraction is mobbed. We hoped that the Olympic experience would transform Beijing the way it had Barcelona and Sydney. It didn’t. Beijing didn’t become Sydney. It became Shanghai, and we all know how much Beijing hates Shanghai.

There aren’t any more sports being played in Beijing now than there were three years ago. There are barely more concerts by international artists than there were three years ago. Traffic is horrendous. Air quality is abysmal. Service is terrible. Beijing welcomed the world and then told it to go home. China confirmed itself to itself, alpha and omega.

What we didn’t learn from the day after the Olympics was that that was it. The Olympic carnival doesn’t come back next summer, or the summer after, or in most cases, ever. It’s like the blooming of desert flowers: it might happen once in a very long while, it’s over very quickly, and if you didn’t see it, you probably wouldn’t know it ever happened. But if you were there, and you saw it, you’ll never forget it.

I didn’t come to Beijing for the Olympics and I don’t stay because there was one here. Beijing has always done one thing well –- it attracts talent, domestic and foreign. It is still home to the most dynamic, frustrating, inspiring and interesting group of people I’ve ever met, and it offers more opportunity than I ever imagined. That was enough before, and it’s enough now. I can visit those other cities, but I want to live here.

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Director of operations Simon Amos and his team at the Beijing Hilton have scrutinized the entries to the Theme Team Contest, for this year’s Food and Wine Experience on November 12, and picked the winners. In fact, when I received the results, they included a surprise.

First, the grand prize, which includes two tickets to the Food and Wine Experience, two tickets to the buffet dinner at Elements, an overnight stay in a suite, and in-room breakfast the next day. And the winner, with the entry “Vinopolitan“, is Matt. And Amos says the Beijing Hilton will be using Vinopolitan as the name for this year’s  event.

The Beijing Hilton will also give two tickets to the Food and Wine Experience and dinner buffet to Kirby, for his entry “Decanted Decadence”, and — because they felt both were equally good — two tickets each to the Food and Wine Experience to Jocko for “Vinfamous” and Belinda for “Vintageous”.

The surprise is the Beijing Hilton will give one ticket to the Food and Wine Experience to each of the following readers who submitted an entry:

• mr. brau
• Fangbiankeke
• octopus
• Dane
• Half-Breed
• Kirby
• Alice
• Janie Gierlich
• DZ
• mi
• jen
• Aimi
• ctea
• Ann
• Beijing Daze
• Roger
• Alex B
• Vagarumbeando
• Geraldine
• Richard
• Geraldine
• Daniel LaRusso
• Daniel
• JP
• Andy
• Sarahplusone
• chinabeergeek
• Jake
• chunky
• Jingyuan
• Nadia
• Audrey
• Mark
• Jennifer
• Casey
• MT

I will be in contact by email to explain how to claim prizes. Thanks to everyone who participated (you can see all of the entries here) and to the Beijing Hilton for the prizes. I’ll post more about The Beijing Hilton Food and Wine Experience as the event gets closer and I hope to see everyone there.

Lantern 2.0 will open this weekend and, according to a press release, “not only be the epicenter of electronic music and visual art in Beijing, but also hub for all creative cultures.” All creative cultures? Even quilt making and  paper folding? Anyway, the new spot is north of Workers Stadium, behind Xuxian Lou, and is the third effort by electronic music outfit in less than two years to establish a home, including the initial one in the basement of the 3.3 Building and then the project House at the north gate of Workers Stadium.

The press release also says that Lantern is “aiming to attract the capital’s vanguard crowd.” OK, that leaves me out. How about just attracting people with good music and — let’s hope — good drinks? There is particular hope for the drinks this time around as Miao Wong, of Acupuncture / Lantern 2.0, says George Zhou of George’s bar is helping in that area.

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The protruding signs on the shops across from the north by northwest section of Sanlitun Village were being dismantled, under police supervision, as I passed earlier today. I’m not sure if this indicates bigger changes in the area or — given the campaign banners on Tongli Studio — one of those occasional “clean up” efforts. Foot traffic there is also suffering from the extended underground work being done in front of Tongli. Some people have speculated that it is a sign that dodgy building to the west, and its shops, will soon be gone, while my own theory is that a tunnel is being built so Swire executives can shuttle between The Opposite House and Sanlitun Village without having to fight off the temptation of roadside hotpot. One bar manager, however, says the construction is simply to fix a drainage problem.

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Bartender and consultant Bob Louison will lead his next cocktail class — and he has to have more than 30 of these under his belt, no? — next Tuesday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Fez, atop Spanish restaurant Agua in Nali Patio. Louison also recently launched a cocktail school in the complex that includes the upcoming Temple Restaurant.

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Update: Details on the winner here.

Man, those steaks are big. So big they have their own weather systems*. So big you don’t need a doggy bag, you need an elephant bag.  So big…

Well, you get the idea.

Anyway, low-carb fans ought to be happy with this contest given the prize, a prize  that should be enough for the winner and a friend:

• Two 750-gram bone-in ribeye steaks
• Two classic martinis made with Bombay Sapphire gin
• One avocado salad

• Leave a comment and fill in the blank: “This steak is so big __________________.”
• All reasonable comments go into the draw for two 750-gram ribeyes, two martinis and one avocado salad from Flamme.
• The deadline is Monday at 3 PM.
• Note that this prize cannot be used on Tuesdays (two-for-one steak night), holidays or with other promotions. And Flamme will need a day’s notice before you come in to mow down

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* Yes, I am borrowing lines from So I Married an Axe Murderer.

The guy...

Last week I wrote about the guy who took my laptop from Nanluoguxiang bar 12SQM. Thanks to everyone who retweeted that post, sent emails or SMS with ideas on how to get the laptop back, and provided other support. The search goes on and I have created this page — including an update on my meeting with the local police — to document my efforts to find my laptop and the guy who took it. I’ll post all future updates there…

Beer fans unable to find Great Leap Brewing in the hutongs west of Nanluoguxiang, or simply too lazy to make the trip, will soon have access to the draft that made this place one of the Beijing’s biggest recent successes. Owner and beer maker Carl Setzer says he now has pale ale, IPA and porter in the fermentation tanks at the new operation near the  Great Wall and plans to add signature brews Honey Ma and Iron Buddha. Setzer says several bars and restaurants are already lined up as clients and he aims to start trial distribution at the start of September. The new operation will boost production by as much as 800 percent, with space to triple or quadruple that if the demand exists. Also of note, Great Leap will team up with Le Fromager de Pekin for a cheese and beer tasting on September 4.

Stuff going on in Beijing…

Stadium Dog: Expect changes of the wiener kind, says Chad Lager, as this spot fronting Fubar will offer, from tonight, a new brand of all-beef hot dogs as well as  baked shallots a la Maggie’s. Lager says that the wieners will soon come grilled rather than off that roller-cooker thingy and that he is bringing back that tasty salsa as a  topping.

Grinders: I have tried two of the new wraps at this restaurant / home for stray dogs. The jalapeno, cheddar and beef is good though I found the Mexican a bit bland — maybe add some jalapenos from the former in the latter? Wraps come with nacho chips, and sides of salsa and sour cream, and are decent value at rmb40. Co-owner Trevor Metz has also been experimenting with a burger-pizza hybrid — imagine the taste of a Big Mac on a pizza crust.

Temple Bar: Run by Clement Berger, formerly of Salud, this Gulou-area joint has a thousand square meters of undeveloped rooftop space with a superb view. Fingers crossed he can pull off a few major events off up there this fall.

Wudaoying: Monday doesn’t seem to be a good day to visit this hutong as I found The Vineyard, Sand Pebbles Lounge and The Vinyeard — as well as Cafe de la Poste, a short walk away — all closed. Apparently, I could have found sustenance at Greek restaurant Argo but not realizing that I continued my walk and ended up with a chuanr topped pizzas at Passby Bar.

And word has it… the space that opened as Club Le Zazou and most recently closed as G Loft has been taken over by a Hong Kong group that will set up two restaurants there — one Italian and one Chinese… that Let’s Burger, which recently closed in Nali Patio, will have its burgers on offer a few doors down at Let’s Seafood as well as its new spot, Let’s Burger Plus, in Swire Village  North…. that Kro’s Nest made its first experimental 28-inch pizza, which gets them one step closer to offering these super pies  to not only the masses but also the winner of our recent contest. You’re advised to bring at least one friend to finish one of these monsters…

(Hat tip to Chow Mein and Betty)

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Look for Korean restaurant Saveurs de Coree to officially open in Ju’er Hutong, a few dozen meters from its first and former spot* on the Nanluoguxiang strip, within the next week. We got a group of 16 people together last night** and if what we tried is any indication expect much the same menu and quality as at the original. The sliced tenderloin marinated in pear juice is tender and loaded with flavor, the seafood pancake came topped with a generous amount of meat, and the spicy tofu (sundubu) went well with the organic rice from Heilongjiang although I found this dish too mild for my liking — bring the heat! All in all, we had six options, with the others being chicken wings (six pieces, deep fried, with diced cabbage), fried mackerel and dolsot (stone bowl) bibimbap. These dishes normally cost rmb49 to rmb69, though for this tasting the restaurant gave us a 40 percent discount, thanks to co-owner King-Tai Chow. We also had Vedett beer, from Nick Papa at Duvel Moortgaat, at rmb15 per bottle. And, in a fun twist, some of the back bottle labels included photos of some of the restaurant’s employees. All in all, a good night and another reason to head to the Nanluoguxiang area. I can myself spending a few evenings this fall in that Saveurs de Coree courtyard…

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* A space that remains unused at the moment. Drastically raising the rent and causing the tenant to leave tends to be a good strategy only if you have someone else to take it over.

** Specifically, for a “tweet-up”, which just means picking a bar and restaurant, suggesting to your contacts on Twitter to meet there, and seeing who is game. I’ve previously organized Beijing tweet-ups at George’s, Q Bar, Nasca Cafe, Blue Frog, Bomb Shelter Bar and Switch, among other places.

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(Photos by Peter Carney and Geraldine Cuason)

Note: Please see this page for updates on Operation Laptop Retrieval.

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Update II: Police have good video of him going down NLGX, hutong entry by hutong entry. More on this later.  Thanks to those people who have contacted me with leads / photos / and more. I’ll update soon and should be back on social media in the next half-day.

Update: Have added some still shots from last night below. Working on video now — it’s crisper than the stills – and also aim to get some CCTV footage from outside the bar.

On the off chance that anyone reading this might know the guy above who entered 12sqm last night empty-handed and left with my Dell laptop, in its black bag. I’m meeting with 12sqm later today to review the bar’s security cam video and will post shots. Some details:

• He was in his 20s and European (based on accent), normal build and height, short dark hair, light facial growth (mustache, light goatee), and large dark horn-rimmed glasses.
• He had a red football shirt, with white stripes on the shoulders and “Beijing” “China” in Chinese characters on the chest, and wore shorts.
• He rode a white Vesper-style electric scooter with a rear pannier.

12sqm has video of him clearly getting off his bike and entering the bar empty-handed and then leaving with the laptop. I will get more screen shots and clips up tomorrow this afternoon to better identify him. I will also check with the local CCTV since there is one just outside the bar although I would prefer to solve this without involving the police. The person who took my laptop, or anyone else with information, can reach me at beijingboyce (at) yahoo.com.

The Top Five Watering Holes Series is back and with someone who epitomizes the work hard, play hard ethic. Her 9 to 5 gig — actually, given the profession, I’m sure many days go long past 5 — is at a communications firm that focuses on tech and IT clients. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, discovering good food and good drinks, and exploring new areas of Beijing. Ladies and gentlemen, the top five Beijing watering holes of Amy Saltzman…

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“I would count myself as a person who is possibly more concerned with the social nature of drinking, rather than the content of the drinks themselves, so I was surprised when asked to do my own “top five” list. I’m not hip on the classy joints (although I do love me a well-made dirty martini). I’m drawn more to the atmosphere and social elements that add a fuller color and context to what I drink and where I drink it. All in all, I’d like to think this list offers a good variety, and, at the very least, it definitely contains some of my favorite places to chill with friends and/or occasionally get sauced enough to write reviews on The Beijinger. Enjoy!

1. Drum and Bell. I have spent a fair amount of time at this bar, and it’s always a pleasure. The vibe inside is cheerful and relaxed, and I especially love the raised seating area that’s set amongst pillows, where you have to take your shoes off to sit. The rooftop deck has a decent amount of space and great views as well, making it perfect for sitting and chatting with friends. Also, if you’re looking to make the most of your Sunday Funday, the 50 kuai all-you-can drink afternoon special is well worth it.

2. The Door. As I’ve warned, classy is not my adjective of choice. However, even The Door marks itself as a guilty pleasure on my list. The squashed, dark dance floor area is pretty sketchy, I won’t argue that. However, beyond it is an array of individual couches and tables, which are great when drinking with a group of friends, or when playing a game of “quarters” with 1元 coins is on the agenda for the night. Really cheap beers and mixed drinks (10 kuai to 20 kuai for most), a convenient location, and a good amount of space to have for yourself and your pals make it hard to say no to. Also, considering the amount of rogue coins I’ve lost under those couches, it is likely there’s a small treasure trove hiding under there for some lucky guy or girl to find.

3. El Nido. This would definitely be the place I would imagine overhearing, “I liked (band / artist / fashion trend) before they went mainstream.” It would also be a strong contender if the website “Stuff White People Like” did a post on Beijing. However, I am caught in the trendy cogs of this small but popular joint, and I don’t so much mind it. El Nido offers a huge variety of unique beers for surprisingly affordable prices, and I love the infused brandy and vodka offerings, if only because they smell fantastic. Plus, it’s appealing to me that I can see all the beers through the glass door fridges before selecting one (or two) for myself. The only downside is the seating, which is almost entirely outside and leaves many to question what will happen when winter rolls around (brrr).

4. Hercules. When I feel like dressing up for the night, doing the transformative glasses-to-contact lenses switch, and walking 25 percent slower to avoid tripping in my heels, Hercules is where I head for first round drinks. The layout is open and relaxed, but with an air of sleek sophistication. The drinks are a bit pricey, but very well-made (especially the dirty martinis and peach Long Island iced teas), and it still sports my favorite happy hour deals for making the most of the weekend: buy one get one free in the early evening and then again from around midnight till the wee early morning hours. I also love the variety in seating options. Couch? Bench? Bed? As you wish.

5. The Stumble Inn. I really enjoy the Stumble Inn and its classic bar vibe. There is ample space to sit inside (as I wait and secretly hope the dart board becomes available), but if my patience gives way, the deck also offers spacious seating with really nice views. There’s also the glorious double threat pairing of both a lengthy beer list and pretty tasty food. I always know I can count on getting my favorite Blue Star nice and cold here, and paired with a juicy cheeseburger it’s hard to leave unsatisfied in both alcoholic and gustatory pleasures. Happy hour deals are good as well, and mixed drinks are effective, to say the least. Very effective.

Honorable mentions:

About a week ago, I put up a post titled “Beijing 88” and listed five things I like about this city. I then put a link to the post on Twitter and asked people there what they like about the city. Below are more than 30 answers. (And, yes, I do realize the irony of gathering such information from a site that is blocked in this country.)

Unfortunately, I’m missing some early responses, as Twitter search only goes back so far, and no doubt missing others due the cutting, pasting and coding job I did at 3 AM last night. My apologies to those folks. In any case, feel free to add more items in the comments section or on Twitter (tag #beijing88) or Weibo (tag #beijing88#).

By the way, someone asked me what would be the opposite of “Beijing 88″, that is, for things people don’t like the city. I’m going with “Beijing 44” / #beijing44.

Here are some things people like about Beijing…

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fishjourner
I like it in Beijing how every person has their own “Beijing Dream”. A city of opportunity!

mrbeijingles
I like riding my bike around and discovering parts of the city I’ve never seen before

lantaumama
I like how restaurants are often overstaffed and there is often someone willing to play w your kids while you eat!

lantaumama
I like how affordable it is to try something new. Be it a hobby, studies or business

gcuason
i can NOT SHAVE MY PITS and it’s still normal.

beijingboyce
I like that I can be downtown and see a Maserati passing a horse-drawn wagon loaded with melons.

lantaumama
I like how the local population has such diverse backgrounds with so many ‘success stories’

lantaumama
I like how anything can be delivered, usually by bike

mapletreesyrup
I like it in Beijing how I can choose to write Chinese emails and my foreign colleagues must accept the fact and LEARN MANDARIN!

beijingboyce
I like that I can open my apartment windows and hear the football games / concerts at Workers Stadium nearby.

er_smith
I love the fact that I can eat authentic Chinese regional cuisine nightly without traveling to those provinces.

lantaumama
I like how there is still a fresh- local – seasonal – homemade food culture

lantaumama
I like that kids have free entry to most places, so it is easy and affordable to explore as a family

earth2jo
I like that evenings can end at a chuan’r stand at 4am with good friends, even on a school night.

ambrosejen
I like my Great Wall view. On the mornings that we have it, I know it is going to be a great day.

beijingboyce
i like that at any given moment, no matter where i am in the city, i could stumble on a TV or movie shoot…

peterschloss
I like that I’ve become a member of the hottest bluegrass band in China w/out having tried too hard to do so

@sinomite
I love how Beijing has so much damn good food everywhere

beijingboyce
I like seeing more than 100 kinds of sparkling wine in Jenny Lou’s at Chaoyang Park.

beijingboyce
B/c every wine maker wants a China presence, I can join dinners with top visiting wine makers for very little money.

landay
I like that I can get around on a subway or with taxis & not need to own a car

lantaumama
I like Mandarin!! So many places to learn and opportunities to practice

jeremyjustice
I like how bank tellers will hold a conversation with me about how “tall” my nose is. And that it’s a good thing.

beijingboyce
I like that first day of fireworks during Chinese New Year.

beijingboyce
I shouldn’t but I like that I can get McDonald’s delivered to my house any time of the day or night.

lantaumama
Diversity of expats. Diplomats, journalists, teachers, tech start ups, chefs, entrepreneurs, all at 1 dinner party

sanverde
I like cycle rickshaws

lantaumama
I love the proximity of countryside and organic farms

beijingboyce
I like sitting on stools, eating rmb4 donkey burgers, drinking rmb3 beers and people-watching with my friends.

dlmarr
I like the fact that not one day is ever the same in Beijing, the energy of the people is remarkable and the diversity of people

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Note: I’m on Twitter here and on Weibo here.

The Stumble Inn, the sequel, will celebrate its first birthday this weekend with a three-night bash that blends booze and bands. (Fans of The Stumble Inn, the original, will remember it from Lucky Street, where it was opened by Glenn Phelan and Shane O’Neill in early 2009, featured a list of 100 beers, and lasted just over a half year before the usual tenant-landlord issues led to its demise). Friday will feature the antics of tribute band The Beijing Beatles. (The rmb50 entry fee goes to the charity Bricks: The Great Wall Appeal). Saturday will feature the musical muscle of blues band Black Cat Bone. (I am unable to mention this act without noting that I no longer feel responsible for its near-electrocution.) And Sunday will feature, according to the  bar’s poster, “some guy named Chris”.  (That would be C’hris who plays regularly at Nashville, among other places, and does a very nice cover of Mark Knopfler’s theme for the movie Local Hero. In another lifetime, I used to help organize an annual summer event and for two years asked Chris to open for Black Cat Bone. Good times, except for that near-electrocution.) Look for booze specials, too.

Also on the verge of celebrating a birthday, its fourth, which on Nanluoguxiang makes it a senior citizen: 12SQM. (This bar now measures 45 square meters after that expansion more than a year ago.) Co-owner and Australian Joseph Kornides, who is such a nationalist that he commissioned that Coopers beer sign out front, says the party is September 3, with drink deals from noon until 1 AM and Australian beers such as Coopers, Cascade and VB at rmb20 per bottle. (I miss the days, before Ned’s closed, when that place, 12SQM and Mao Mao Chong made up the Vegemite Triangle.)

Beijing gourmands can get an early taste of what to expect at Temple Restaurant, which should open later this year as part of the new complex headed by former Maison Boulud GM Ignace Lecleir. The chefs will take over nearby Vietnamese restaurant Susu next Monday for a dinner. Drinks are at 6:30 PM, the meal is from 7 PM, and the cost is rmb550 per person, including wine. To reserve a spot, email meet (at) temple-restaurant.com.

And a date has been set for one of my two favorite annual wine tastings: Torres’ Taste of Nations. I’ve been to portfolio tastings by plenty of wine distributors, from ASC to Aussino, Palatte Vino to The Wine Republic, but the difference with Torres is that the company has made it an institution.  (My other favorite is the Hilton Beijing Food and Wine Experience, slated for November 12 this year. See here for my contest for tickets, dinners and an overnight stay at the hotel.) This is the fifth year, with this edition under the company’s Everwines brand, and will include more than 150 wines from more than a dozen countries.  Even better, Torres cracks open some pretty good wine. (I’m partial to the Australian table, where in the past I have sampled the likes of Henschke, Bass Philip and Vasse Felix. Torres also handles two of China’s best boutique wine brands: Grace and Silver Heights.) Taste of the Nations is slated for September 24 at restaurant Xu Xian Lou just west of Workers Stadium. The entry fee is rmb228 or rmb208 ahead of time — contact Maggie at Maggie at 5165-5519, extension 284 / maggie.wang (at) everwines.com.

Welcome to part twenty-eight of the Must Tries Series, where I ask people working in the Beijing bar and restaurant business for the top picks from their menus. This time up: Echo Sun of Sanlitun South watering hole Q Bar.

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Cueing Echo Sun...

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What is the “must try” cocktail at Q Bar?

Our “Espresso Martini” (rmb50). We combine chilled espresso vodka, Kahlua coffee liqueur and vermouth in a shaker, shake well, pour into the chilled martini glass, and garnish with coffee beans. The most important thing about this cocktail is the espresso vodka. You have to mix the espresso beans and vodka together and leave at room temperature for three or four days. This cocktail is great for coffee lovers. It gives you the bitterness of espresso while the Kahlua coffee liqueur gives the right amount of sweetness, and the cocktail is smooth and balanced overall.

What is the “must try” spirit at Q Bar?

Absinthe processed using our absinthe fountain (rmb60): We are serving absinthe using the traditional “French method“. We drip cold water over a sugar cube so the water is evenly distributed in the absinthe. The fountain allows multiple drinkers to simultaneously “louche” their absinthe, which sees the color change to a milky green. Join us at Q Bar and experience the “green fairy” firsthand.

What are some “must tries” at other bars and restaurants in Beijing?

I really like the piaoxiang paigu (飘香排骨) / ribs at Xiao Wang Fu. I know most people probably end up recommending unique dishes from fancy five-star restaurants or hard-to-find places but I just can’t get enough of the ribs at Xiao Wang Fu. I have them at least once or twice a week and love dipping them in the pepper and salt mix. Most of the time I don’t get enough because my friends eat too many! I also love the water — and lots of it — they serve at Mala Youhuo right after a round of their boiling spicy hot fish!

Update: The Beijing Hilton has picked the winners. Check them out here.

Update: Simon Amos and his team at the Hilton Beijing have picked the winners and I will have all the details tomorrow morning (August 25). Expect a few surprises.

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I have gone to the annual Hilton Beijing Food and Wine Experience every year since 2005 and consider it my best chance to try lots of wines — over 1000 options — from lots of distributors. As in the past, I am running a contest with the hotel. We are asking readers to create a theme for this year’s event — last year’s was ‘vindulgence‘ — slated for November 12. Director of Operations Simon Amos and his team will pick the winner*. The winner gets:

• Two tickets to the Food and Wine Experience
• Two tickets to the buffet dinner at Elements
• An overnight stay
• Two tickets for buffet breakfast the next day

Also, anyone who suggests a theme will be entered into a draw for two pairs of tickets, including buffet dinner in Elements. So, two ways to win: with the best slogan or via the draw.

To enter, leave your theme suggestion in the comments section (I am claiming “Grape Expectations” and “Pinot Envy” right off and thus taking them out of play). You can enter up to three times but please put each suggestion as a separate comment. The deadline is next Friday, August 19, at 3 PM.

* The winning slogan will not necessarily be used for this year’s event.

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Here are a couple of posts about Hilton wine fairs past, including the year I tried 52 wines and lost my phone (not necessarily related) and the year I accidentally broke a bottle of Shiraz on the Hilton’s marble staircase (not my fault).