A lot of Beijing bars seem to lack a calendar given they often start to promote parties – such as for Fourth of July – only a few days before the event. Because we are helpful people persons, The Village Grouch and I sat down and thought up a few parties that enterprising establishments in Beijing might want to hold during the next few weeks…
Dark Side of the Moon: To celebrate the total eclipse of the sun on July 22 . We won't actually see the dark side of the moon, but the sun can, and that is all that really matters. Get out the “ pre-season moon cakes “, crack open the Sol , mix up the Solar Flare cocktails, put on Total Eclipse of the Heart and Moon River. 不管。 There won't be another such eclipse for at least a century, which is about 100 times longer than the average shelf life for a Beijing bar, so it's now or never…
Line 10 party : To mark the opening of this subway line on July 19 at 2 PM last year. The Village Grouch says that every place that has benefited from the line's opening, pretty much every one along east Third Ring Road , should have 2-kuai drinks – the subway fare – at 2 PM this Sunday. And install turnstiles in the toilets.
Man on the Moon : To celebrate this Monday's fortieth anniversary of people believing humans set foot on the lunar orb. Drink all the counterfeit booze you can find in honor of the fantastic job NASA did to fake that whole landing thingy. And while you're at, raise a pint to the Loch Ness monster , Yeti , and underwater deer . (Just kidding. I believe we landed on the moon. Too bad the Chinese put someone there via catapult 5,000 years ago.)
Olympic Flashback : To celebrate the opening ceremony of The Games last August 8. If, like me, you were busy hitting dozens of bars while that event unfolded, you would like a second chance to see it and, even better, to dress up as your favorite Fuwa . Suggestion: Put the entrance of the athletes on fast forward.
The Longest Holding Call Ever Party : A tailgate party for the NFL pre-season game that was supposed to be played in Beijing on August 8, 2007 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks , and was rescheduled for… never?
Dog Days of Summer : A food crawl focused on dogs – not barbecued Doberman, Chihuahua or whatever, but good old hot dogs sold at stands. The tour could hit Stadium Dog, No More Bunz, Cosmo, Crazy Dog, Bar Uno, and so on. It'd be off the leash…