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Editor-in-Chief Stephen George Deputy Editor Oscar Holland Senior Editors Marianna Cerini, Noelle Mateer Designers Tin Wu, Xiaoran Li Staff Photographer Holly Li Contributors Dominique Wong, Andrew Chin, Mia Li, Karoline Kan, Sophia Pederson, Tongfei Zhang, Nancy Tong, Stefano Li

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2 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM EDITOR’S DEALS NOTE We‘re giving away tickets to some of SEPTEMBER the very biggest

LAST MONTH ENDED, AS THIS MONTH BEGAN – WITH CLEAN BLUE SKIES AND (RELATIVELY) Beijing events, parties, openings, traffic-free streets. Now, imagine for a moment that these types of occurrences were an everyday reality and not a singular event. It’s the sort of tempting fantasy we’d– usually dismiss out of hand (why create false expectations?). But as this month’s Cover Story proves, Beijing’s shows and talks all future isn’t necessarily predestined to live out the mistakes of the present at least not yet. If the experts we spoke with are to be believed, the capital could one day become a genuinely month, alongside a intelligent, well-organized, livable city. How? Turn to page 42 to find out. We’re looking to the future in this month’s City section too, as we head to Zhangjiakou, the whole other host of Bird’s Nest Stadium and a lonely Kazak restaurant on the day of last month’s IOC announcement, to assess the reaction to Beijing and Zhangjiakou’s joint winning bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics (page 10). free meals, drinks Elsewhere in the magazine, we preview Beijing Design Week (page 40); meet with our favorite band of the moment, Stolen (page 36); talk Chinese convenience store snacks with the discounts and UK’s most exciting drum ‘n’ bass DJ and producer, Sam Binga (page 34); drink homebrewed spicy gin with the fellas over at Capital Spirits (page 58); engage in an unmoving – and frankly giveaways. All you pointless – interview with British rock outfit Muse (but here it is anyway, page 32); and round up Beijing’s best dressed men, as selected by Fashion Editor, Marianna Cerini (page 22). have to do is scan Until next time, the QR code below, follow us on WeChat Stephen George Editor-in-Chief and stay alert for your chance to win

Thats_Beijing Oscar [right] and I soaking up the anti-fascist ambience of parade day twitter.com/Thats_Beijing

facebook.com/pages/Thats-Beijing

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 3 QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“This is ridiculous! I came here for the ceremony. What’s the point of standing here, when I could go home and watch it on An elderly ZhangjiakouTV?” resident on the announcement of the 2022 Winter Olympics, page 10 6 CITY

8 MUMMY BOYS

Tomb raiders are digging for an- cient9 MORAL treasure MAZE in outer Beijing

Would Confucius really abandon a critically17 WORD ill ON friend? THE STREET 8 Express your utter hopelessness – using Chinese slang! 18 LIFE & STYLE

18 THE LITTLE ONE SAID

…roulou-ver, with new kids clothing20 WRAPPED brand Tang’ UP Roulou

Summer28 WINDOW is gone SHOPPING – deal with it

We’ve got Beijing’s latest style 18 openings covered 30 ARTS

36 STEAL BAND

Chengdu38 ALIVE quintet AND StolenKICKING

The live house is dead, long live the40 creativeDESIGNS space FOR LIVING

Our guide to this year’s Beijing 28 Design Week

52 EAT & DRINK

54 WHOSE CUP OF TEA

Is China falling out of love with an old56 favorite?BEER GOGGLES

The Autumn Craft Beer Festival is almost58 SPIRITED here AWAY 54 The Distillery’s craft liquor is the new craft beer 4 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM THE WRAP

10 COLD LIGHT OF DAY

As the Winter Olympics 2022 is announced, we travel to Zhangjiakou, the Bird’s Nest and the Kazakhstani Embassy in search of someone who cares

34 HARBINGA OF BASS

DJ and producer Sam Binga talks drum ‘n’ bass (‘n’ pineapple slushies)

22 IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

…or it is this month anyway, as we talk to six of Beijing’s best-dressed chaps

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 5 THE BUZZ

BLASTING OFF Final touches are made to decorations along Chang’an Avenue ahead of this month’s military parade

STIFF DRINK RANDOM NUMBER

Is the number of songs Chinese authorities have ordered Next time you break out the baijiu, be careful, as the to be pulled from the Internet due to their “severely shots may have more than their usual kick. Last month, problematic content.” The songs include inspired titles Chinese authorities seized more than 5,300 bottles of such as ‘Don't Want to Go to School,’ ‘All Must Die’ and spirits from two manufacturers in Liuzhou, who were ‘Fart.’ The banned songs are mostly by unknown local found adding their own special form of aphrodisiac to hip-hop artists, though popular acts such as Taiwanese their products. The spirits – which were intended for singer Chang Csun Yuk (right) also make the list. sale across the country, including Beijing – were laced According to the Ministry of Culture, no individual with sildenafil and tadalafil, generic forms of erectile or organization is allowed to play or share the songs. dysfunction drugs similar to Viagra. Anyone who doesn’t comply faces “severe punishment.”

6 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM [email protected]

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT ASK A LAOBEIJING A Guangzhou university student’s court We met 46-year-old Mo while traveling in his taxi from case against China’s Ministry of Education Panjiayuan to Sanlitun over school textbooks that “demonize” gays and lesbians has been successfully What do you filed at Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People’s think Beijing will look like Court. Homosexuality was decriminalized in the future? in China in 1997 and removed from an official list of mental illnesses in 2001. But with psychiatry and psychology textbooks continuing to describe homosexuality as something that needs to be “cured,” it’s clear there’s still some way to go. According to the student who filed the case, Chen Qiuyan: “[The authorities] have no idea how harmful a textbook could be to a young student struggling with his or her identity.”

“I think the future will be much better! I’ve heard that they will relocate a lot of the government offices out beyond the Fifth Ring Road. If this happens, the inner city will become a purely cultural place – and traffic will be directed outwards. Beijing is currently both China’s cultural and governmental center. But in the future, these QUOTE OF THE MONTH will be separate, like in American cities, but even better. I’ve never been outside China, but I think that if you “I am probably the first to look at Beijing’s history, it’s already changed so much, so hold this child!” I think the future will be full of change too. Beijing has a lot of people who are interested in Exclaimed Beijing police officer Qian Feng, culture and arts. Many of them leave China, but maybe in after his heroic rescue of a newborn baby the future the government will not allow them to leave found abandoned facedown in a hutong so easily, and, if they are forced to stay, this will increase toilet last month. Police discovered the the culture here even more. female baby after neighbors reported There will always be a lot of young people from other cries emanating from a public bathroom in places coming to Beijing to study, because they don’t Xicheng. The police considered destroying have the same opportunities in their hometowns. There the toilet to reach the baby, but fearful will be more and more foreigners coming to Beijing too. of time, plucky Qian reached down and Do you know why? Because their countries are already pulled her out. In China, the social stigma developed, yet China is still developing, so they want to associated with out-of-wedlock births make the most of these new opportunities while they sometimes leads to unmarried mothers can. Even Chinese-born people who left are coming back. abandoning their newborns. Hospital staff Lots of my passengers are from overseas. have since reported that the baby is healthy I think overall the economy is getting better. There’s no and stable. way we’ll ever have an economic crisis like Japan or the USA! China has a lot of people, so we can just start our own businesses, and make our own products. We don't need to rely on foreigners. Of course, wages will increase and people will spend more too. The government is very good at protecting Beijing's traditions and cultures. Beijing’s hutongs will always be around because they’re part of our history – and tourists love them. Tourists don’t want to see high-rises, because they can see it in their own cities. They want to see something unique to Beijing.” As told to Dominique Wong

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 7 CITY | TALES TALES OF THE CITY Move over Lara Croft: China has its own equipped local farmers, professionals are According to reports, a main suspect in gang of tomb raiders, and they’re aiming big becoming wise to the trade. The increasingly the sting, surnamed Yao, was able to look and getting (meta)physical. lucrative nature of tomb raiding has seen at a site and determine the best place to dig The opportunities aren’t lacking. As one teams of professional antique thieves using his innate sense of feng shui. of the world’s earliest civilizations, China employing feng shui, mineral prospecting The past few years have seen an increase is awash with cultural relics. The country’s and even crooked archaeologists to steal in surveillance and additional resources fervor for rapid urbanization has seen cities millions of dollars’ worth of antiquities from devoted to tracing offenders. Still, these expand outwards, leading to the discovery China’s ancient tombs. efforts don’t exactly solve the main issue, of many new tombs – especially in Beijing’s Last month saw the arrest of 175 people namely the enormous profits at stake. outermost areas. Earlier this year, an in a large-scale nationwide crackdown on China’s antiquities market has seen a enormous 1,000-year-old tomb complex was professional tomb raiding. The operation boom in the past decade – driven, in part, unearthed in Daxing district during a routine involved more than 1,000 police officers by rising domestic wealth. In line with site check for a planned residential complex. across six provinces and resulted in the the contemporary art market, historical While last month, archaeologists stumbled recovery of 1,168 cultural relics worth more artifacts are now considered something of upon a 2,000-year-old tomb complex – made than RMB500 million, according to the an investment opportunity among wealthy up of over 100 tombs across six hectares of Ministry of Public Security. Chinese, whose hunger for desirable Ming- land – in Xinjiang. Among those arrested was an elite era treasures is helping to fuel a thriving The problem is that archaeologists aren’t archeology gang suspected of conducting black market. the only ones digging. Tomb raiding in China illegal excavations in Niuheliang, a Neolithic So, while your RMB100 vase from the is as old as the tombs themselves (they go site in Lingyuan province, in what the Panjiayuan antiques market may not exactly back approximately 4,000 years). But it’s Ministry of Public Security has since called be a priceless piece of Ming Dynasty ceramic, the scale, frequency and creativity employed the biggest antiquities trafficking case since it’s at least something to consider next time which have authorities on high alert. Though the founding of the People’s Republic in you’re bargaining. most tomb raiding is carried out by ill- 1949. Dominique Wong

8 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM W.W.C.D. | CITY

A very close friend of mine has contracted a very rare neuropathic disease that causes him severe anguish and prevents him from being very active. I love my friend very dearly, Q and it saddens me a great deal to see him in such a bad way. But as his condition worsens, I am finding it very draining and stressful to be around him. I have become his main care- provider, especially since we both live so far from our families. I am worried that he is becoming too dependent on me. Am I selfish for wanting to spend less time with him?

In fact, your question deals with the chapter 2). This is an important lesson and issue of friendship, in particular, how teaches us the value of our actions. Words Modern Dilemmas, A to be an ethical friend. ‘Ethics’ or are nothing without actions. If you love your more simply, ‘doing what is right,’ is a pillar friend, you must act accordingly. Age-Old Wisdom of Confucianism. So my friend, while you are finding it hard Confucius said, “A good man understands to be around your friend during this time, what is right, a small man understands what you can overcome these difficulties little is profitable.” (Analects, chapter 4). by little, and in the end, a beautiful scene of WHAT Ethics and profits are often antithetical; reinvigorated friendship will greet you. I am sometimes the ethical decision abandons all hopeful for you and praying for your friend. WOULD monetary benefit, personal interest, or even – in extreme cases – life itself. Wang Xuejun is a lecturer at Beijing Language and I believe you know what is right, but Culture University, specializing in Chinese culture. CONFUCIUS I think you also know how to make the His most recent book is entitled Teaching Methods of right choice. Again, you say you love your Chinese Language and Traditional Culture. Send your DO friend, but love requires action.Confucius ethical dilemma for Professor Wang to bjeditor@ emphasizes that the act of doing is essential urbanatomy.com in becoming a good person. When Zi Gong asked Confucius how to be a good person, Confucius replied: “Before you speak, you must act first, and then speak according to your actions.” (Analects,

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 9 CITY | FEATURE

Below | Only a select number of people were allowed access into Dajingmen Square, in the center of Zhanjiakou, to join in the official celebrations

The Strange and Muted Reaction to the 2022 Olympics

by Karoline Kan, Noelle Mateer, and Oscar Holland

10 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM FEATURE | CITY

KAROLINE KAN, IN ZHANGJIAKOU

It’s approaching 6pm on the outskirts of Dajingmen Square, in the center of Zhangjiakou. There is a sense of expectancy in the air – the accumulation of months of unguarded hype and government-backed publicity. Crowds are beginning to amass. Old people, families with small children, teenagers and curious office workers all jostle for space along the roadside. Despite being neither gifted with ideal skiing conditions, nor plentiful amounts of snow, Zhangjiakou has somehow become the odds-on-favorite to secure the nomination to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. The relatively obscure satellite city, that is competing in a dual bid with neighboring Beijing, has seen rivals Oslo, Krakow, Lviv and Stockholm slowly drop out from the race, leaving just Almaty in Kazakhstan as the only other contender. But as Beijing discovered in its failed bid to host the 2000 Summer Olympics, good odds do not guarantee success – and as the final countdown begins to the International Olympic Committee’s announcement, a police line forms around the main square, preventing the public from entering. It’s a strange move in a city that has publicly trumpeted the games for over a year – hanging banners, running televised ads and holding concerts. Why not let the public celebrate? The reason, according to event organizer Lin Bai, is concern over the possibility that the IOC might return an unfavorable verdict. “If you are the one who makes the decisions, you’d probably do the same,” he explains, apparently unaware of the crying children in the crowd, perplexed as to why they’ve been excluded from the festivities. “We have bad memories of 1993 – we prepared everything so perfectly, but at the last minute, Beijing failed. It was so embarrassing. We don’t want the same embarrassment and shame again.” Banned from the square – and out of sight of the assembled media – a sizable crowd begins to form, several hundred meters away on the other side of the road. I join a group lining a bridge – the highest publicly accessible point in the immediate area – in an attempt to see the big screens that have been set up in the square especially for the event. From my position, I am able to make out a small select audience, sat on little colored chairs, occasionally applauding in perfect unison. To the right of me, a father holds his son aloft above his head: “Can you see any better?” he asks. “No!” replies the son. Frustrated, most people revert to watching the live broadcast on their smart phones. “This is ridiculous!” exclaims an elderly man, to no one in particular. “I came here for the ceremony. What’s the point of standing here, when I could go home and watch it on the TV?” During my last trip to Zhangjiakou, just under a month before, Zhang Chunsheng, the executive director of the Zhangjiakou 2022 Winter Olympic Games Bidding Office, told me that the bid enjoyed the support of 90 percent of locals. It was, according to Zhang, one of the city’s major advantages. Perhaps organizers feared that after months of promoting the games, a win for Almaty might result in violence from the crowd. Whatever their concerns, they needn’t have worried. The IOC announcement is met with loud cheers from

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 11 CITY | FEATURE those gathered in the streets – as expected, Li Minghao, who by this time has grown "When Beijing and Zhangjiakou has won. frustrated. “For years, Zhangjiakou has been Li Minghao, a 54-year-old taxi driver, is hiding behind Beijing as a little brother. I Zhangjiakou were among numerous drivers who pull over was thinking, today, finally, it could make its announced, everyone in upon learning of the news to get out of their mark. But no. Our city doesn’t dare take the the restaurant applauded. cars and join the celebrations. glory away from Beijing, not even today!” “I’m a little excited, of course! It’s the first Li Minghao tells me that the only positive Then, within 20 minutes, time in history that Zhangjiakou is headline change brought about by the win is the everything went back to news,” says Li, of his city’s historic win. “I possibility that the government might normal" guess the question now, is will the house provide him with a new taxi, “the type that prices keep rising? And how much more uses electricity, not gas.” money can I make!?” As for the games itself, Li seems largely In a nearby street-side BBQ restaurant, uninterested. “Skiing is not something 18-year-old cook Liu Qiren is similarly that Chinese people do. We don’t have the enthusiastic, if low key. tradition. And it’s so expensive that I will “It was very exciting. When Beijing and never be able to afford for my kid to take Zhangjiakou were announced, everyone lessons, so what’s the point?” in the restaurant applauded. Although, As Li speaks, I can’t help but think of within 20 minutes, everything went back to Zhang Chunsheng, the executive director normal,” says Liu. of the Zhangjiakou 2022 Winter Olympic Liu’s description of his celebration – Games Bidding Office, who three weeks alongside the strange scenes in the square – previously had told me how “the Winter seem far removed from my own memories Olympics will boost skiing in China, creating of the last time China won an Olympic bid. a potential market of 300 million.” In 2001, the Internet was yet to become But who are these people, and where will a major presence in people’s lives, and they come from? the majority of Chinese people depended on television to get their information. Propaganda around the Olympics still held a certain emotive power – the bidding process was much greater than the simple matter of securing the rights to host the Olympics; it was a matter of national importance. Winning was a first step in restoring China’s pride and overturning the country’s sense of humiliation. I remember clearly the moment when Juan Antonio Samaranch, the former president of the IOC, said the word “Beijing” – and how people rushed from their houses in my small Tianjin suburb, laughing and crying and overcome with jubilation: “We win! We win!” Maybe this time, the victory came a bit too easily. As those in the crowd had explained to me earlier in the evening: “Who else apart from China has the manpower and determination to hold these Games?” Whatever the reason, within minutes of the announcement, workmen begin packing up the official signage and deconstructing the LED screens. Event manager Lin Bin isn’t sure why everything has to be removed so quickly. “I’m just following orders from above,” he explains. “There's a strict plan we have to follow.” As the night wears on, and news of the win spreads, more people begin heading to the square. Most arrive assuming there will be a big party, fireworks, singing, dancing, a screen repeating footage of the historic moment, a night without sleep – things that have never happened in Zhangjiakou before. Right | Crowds But none of this transpires. Instead, they hold a banner watch as workers dismantle an event they congratulating Zhanjiakou and were barred from entering. Beijing on their I meet back up with local taxi driver, Olympic success

12 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM from the walls of the Forbidden City, as the security guard who was so young-looking, NOELLE MATEER, AT THE BIRD’S NEST most iconic square of the People’s Republic I wondered if he, too, had been made after of China teemed with the People of China. 2001. On the afternoon of July 31, uproar breaks To say a lot has changed since then is “The park is closed today,” he says, adding out at Beijing’s Olympic grounds. Two an understatement. I wasn’t in Beijing in that there are important government fireworks shoot off. Cheers erupt. Flags 2001 – I was in the States listening to 98 officials inside, though he can’t tell us who. I wave. And then it stops. Degrees on my cassette player – but I hoped, ask if there are any other entrances at which “Damn, skiing’s going to be so much more rather selfishly, that Beijing would win the I can enter the park. With a laudable not-my- expensive now,” says a spectator outside the 2022 Winter Olympics bid so that I could job attitude, the guard shrugs: “You can try.” Olympic Park gates. experience a similar celebration for myself. After an exhausting walk around the And that was the celebration of the 2022 Instead, I ended up sipping RMB78 cocktails perimeter of the park, (“This is investigative Winter Olympics announcement. in the Beijing Intercontinental. reporting!” I tell our intern, Vanessa), I I had waited for the announcement in an Allow me to explain. Ahead of the finally see proof of celebrations to come: attempt to compare 2015’s celebrations with announcement, I’d set off for the Olympic tiny red blurs, in the distance. Flags. Music. those of 2001 – the year Beijing won the Park, which hadn’t been built in 2001, via “That’s definitely Party music,” says Vanessa. 2008 Summer Olympics host slot. Television Line 8 of the subway, which also hadn’t been We can’t get in, though. This isn’t a footage from that night shows then- built in 2001. Then, almost immediately celebration for the People. And so Vanessa president Jiang Zemin smiling and waving upon exiting the station, I was stopped by a and I wait, peering at the edges along with a

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 13 CITY | FEATURE

"What announcement? Oh, I thought we’d won that ages ago"

handful of fellow rubberneckers. We quickly limited to, the ‘Bird’s Nest’ and the ‘Water crowd begins to disperse. tire. There’s nothing to see, and so, with an Cube.’ I order a Water Cube. The fact that I wonder: Is everyone hanging out without hour until the fateful announcement, we it comes in a giant glass cube is cool, but me? At Tiananmen Square, perhaps? I catch look for somewhere to sit. definitely not cool enough to warrant 78 the subway there, but the live news coverage I eye the grass in front of the Beijing kuai. Fuck it. I sip and gather my conclusions streaming on the train’s TV proves I’m not Performance & Arts Center, but a fence on Beijing 2001 v. Beijing 2015: Beijing 2015 missing much: a reporter is interviewing indicates that it’s also not for the People. is expensive. all five revelers gathered at the otherwise Then we see the Intercontinental. They’ll We leave just in time to return to the gates empty square. This has been exhausting have wifi! we think. And so we approach. for the announcement. I use my camera’s and, frankly, kind of lame. So rather than An unusually welcoming security guard zoom to try and make out what’s going on continuing south to Tiananmen, I head east points us inward. The hotel’s air-con within. When the decision is announced, to Sanlitun, where I meet a friend for a beer. surrounds us like a comforting embrace. I ‘woo’ with a handful of other spectators “What announcement?” she asks, as I Staff usher us toward the lounge, where by the park gates, and then the scene dies explain where I’ve just come from. we sit on a couch and peruse a menu of down. One man says: “It had to be Beijing. “Oh,” she says. “I thought we’d won that overpriced cocktails, including, but not We knew it would be Beijing.” And then the ages ago.”

14 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM OSCAR HOLLAND, AT THE KAZAKHSTANI EMBASSY

I don’t know who ‘Julie’ at the Kazakhstani Embassy is. I’m not even certain she exists. All I know is that a) she’s the person I need to ask about watching the 2022 countdown with Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to China, and b) she’s never in the office when I call. “Call back at 4pm. Ask for Julie,” comes the initial snub, followed by the cut-and-paste response I receive on every subsequent call – “Julie not here. Call back at [insert time].” The pattern is finally broken on the day of the IOC’s announcement. “You’ve called the wrong number,” I am told, before receiving the final, fatal blow: “We’re too busy today.” Julie’s on holiday, apparently. All I really want is to spend the afternoon with a Kazakh. Because amid Olympics hysteria, we have neglected the underdog. Beijing’s mood of expectation – and unprecedented public support for hosting the games – makes it all too easy to ignore the credible efforts of Almaty. Although little-fancied, the city’s bid has all the requisite ingredients: venues within a 30km radius of the city, actual snow, and a tongue-in-cheek slogan poking fun at northeast China’s shortage of the stuff (‘Keeping it Real’). So what does Beijing’s Kazakhstani community make of its chances? Do people feel torn by the rivalry between their homeland and their adopted home? Still stinging from rejection (and with the announcement fast approaching), I make a last-ditch trip to Ritan Park. This is not simply to find people who look vaguely central Asian to interview (although I would resort to that) but because I’m in search of Beijing’s only Kazakhstani restaurant, Astana. The short walk from Ritan Beilu is a gauntlet of international restaurateurs lurking outside their establishments like hungry ghosts with moustaches. The grizzled proprietor of an Azerbaijani restaurant tries to lure me in with a well-honed sales pitch (“Azerbaijani fooood!”) before the owner of a Turkish place tries to tempt me with a cry of “Turrrkish fooood!” The latter gleefully informs me that the restaurant I am seeking has closed (suggesting that I might instead be interested in some “Turrrkish fooood!”). To his dismay, I press ahead and peer through the dusty glass-front of the late Astana. It looks as if the establishment was suddenly abandoned in the middle of a Nauryz feast.

Above left | Elderly rsidents celebrate at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing Right | The late Astana, once Beijing's only Kazakhstani restaurant

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 15 CITY | FEATUREPHOTO ESSAY

I glance back at the Turkish man. He looks vindicated. But I shan’t give up my search. If I’m not able to enjoy this historic moment with a glass of fermented mare’s milk and a steaming plate of quwyrdaq, then I’ll be damned if I’m going to eat kebabs. The embassy may be too busy to receive me, but I can always wait outside until some Kazakhs appear. There’s still about an hour until the decision is revealed, so I jump into a taxi and head to Sanlitun, furiously WeChatting friends to see who might know a Kazakh. It shouldn’t be this difficult to find someone. Even if I can’t find a Kazakhstani national I would happily talk to an ethnic Kazakh, one of China’s 56 recognized minorities. There are almost 1.5 million in the country, though, as I later discover, 85 percent live in Xinjiang. Yet, all is quiet at the embassy. Paranoid that the guards are suspicious of my lingering, I duck into the consulate where a waiting room TV is screening the ceremony. The man at the door informs me that there waiting area. He is a good sport, agreeing to Above | Oscar are no Kazakhs inside. be photographed giving me a high-five after Holland celebrates I have failed. Left with nothing else but Beijing wins. Zhangjiakou's win, with a Hebei-born to sit and watch the decision here, I am Perhaps most helpfully, he reveals why I employee of the offered some solace by the jovial consulate may have found it so difficult to interview a Kazak Consulate employee (a Hebeiren, though sadly not from Kazakh on the Winter Olympics. Zhangjiakou) who allows me to stay in the “No-one here really cares that much.”

█

16 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM CHINESE URBAN DICTIONARY | CITY

Ran bing luan is one of those helplessness that follow, before ‘super abbreviations’ where a it’s all covered up with a self- common sentence is shortened deprecating laugh. (FYI – luan to the length of a word. Arguably is the formal Chinese word for the most used among them, ran ‘egg’ and also an innuendo for bing luan, is short for 然而并 the scrotum and/or testicles, so 没有什么卵用, which translates it is a profanity that expresses as: ‘however, it was completely frustration.) useless.’ It describes the type Life in contemporary China of situation where, despite is full of moments when you one’s best efforts, absolutely no realize that no amount of effort difference was made. would have made a difference. We’ve all given something Too many games are rigged ran bing luan \rán bĭng luăn\ 然并卵 conj (sort of). Despite our all in an attempt to make it against us. To say ran bing everything, it doesn’t help at all/is completely useless/doesn’t do go a certain way. And we’ve all luan is to acknowledge that anyone any good had the experience of seeing nothing would have mattered those efforts annihilated or go anyway. It is not defeatist, but I studied myself to death and passed completely to waste without the process is necessary to pave the bar exam, ran bing luan, I still can’t affecting the outcome in the the way toward acceptance and become a lawyer. slightest. resilience. No matter how much Despite our best effort to our efforts are rendered futile, Why not? diet, we are still getting fatter. tomorrow is another day. Despite our best efforts at I don’t have a Beijing hukou. work, we still aren’t getting that By day, Mia Li is a news reporter in promotion. Despite all the books Beijing; at night, she tries to turn that You can be a paralegal though. and talks by self-help gurus, news into standup comedy. we still don’t have any upward social mobility. Ran bing luan Ran bing lua, I still can’t support my family describes those realities and on such a salary. the sense of powerlessness and

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WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 17 Folio 线 STYLE RADAR LIFE & STYLE

COVET SPOTLIGHT Kitchen Cosmetics Amélie Peraud and Pierre-Yves Babin, There’s nothing like a little Co-Founders of Tang’ Roulou down time. The best way to enjoy it? At home, watching The — For those who don’t Wire for the fifteenth time, with know: what’s Tang’ Roulou? a face mask on to show your Pierre-Yves: Tang’ Roulou is polluted skin pores a little love. a brand of Chinese-inspired Forget the pallid, synthetically clothes for kids up to 10 perfumed, expensively packaged years old, as well as gifts and stuff you’d find in Sephora accessories for newborn babies. though. Go DIY instead. Or, if you We make all our pieces in want to save some time, use any Beijing, following the highest product from Shanghai-based quality standards. cosmetic brand Lalu. Made with — How did the brand come 100-percent natural ingredients, about? the concoctions span scrubs, Amélie: Two years after I settled body creams, masks and even in Beijing, I started designing beard balms for the gents. Our baby blankets that drew favorites for this cooler month inspiration from the colorful are the charcoal face mask ones you see hanging in the (RMB80/30g), a quick fix like hutongs. I brought them back few others when it comes to to my friends as presents for skin cleansing; the caffeine eye their kids. A few months later, serum (RMB80/30ml), which I opened a 4sqm shop between gets rid of puffy eyes and eye the Drum and Bell towers. It bags; and the tropical sugar got a lot of traction and, soon scrub (RMB98), like a fruity enough, Tang’ Roulou was born. smoothie on your skin. Delicious — What does Tang' Roulou and effective. mean and why did you choose > Email [email protected] or this name? call 136 2192 9535 to place your order. Amélie: Tang’ Roulou is the French spelling for tanghulu ( 糖葫芦 ), the sugar-coated hawthorns that are a ubiquitous Beijing street snack. We felt the name, and the candied city is pivotal to our creative — What are you currently fruits themselves, reflected our process, but it’s not our only working on? Chinese inspiration because source of inspiration. Some of Pierre-Yves: Watch out for new of their sweet taste, their red, the stories behind our designs exhibitions from contemporary happy color and the meaning come from traveling to different artists, both local and of tanghulu ( 葫芦 – sugar Chinese provinces, from international, as well as some gourd) in China. As traditional Guizhou and Ningxia to Fujian workshops and summer-related childhood candies, tanghulu and Gansu. events. also symbolize a memory, which Pierre-Yves: Our most Beijing- — Favorite places to hang is part of the original concept of inspired design is Menpao, a out in the city. Tang’ Roulou. handmade plaid featuring 20 Pierre-Yves: We both — Your aesthetic in a knobs on it, just like the ones on have favorite parks in Beijing. nutshell. the Forbidden City’s doors. Amélie likes Ritan, I love Beihai. Pierre-Yves: Less is more. — Who does what? Then of course there are the — How much of Beijing do Amélie: We always work hutongs in Gulou and Dashilar. you think shows up in your together. Besides designing > 30 Sanlitun Bei Lu, inside Phoenix designs? and branding, I work more on Design, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北 Amélie: “Winter blue sky,” production and quality while 路 30 号 , 凤栖店内 (6416 9761, www. “hutong grey” and “China red” Pierre-Yves takes care of sales tangroulou.com, tangroulou.taobao. are some of Tang’ Roulou’s and communication. All those com) favorite colors, and very fields are complementary, so we representative of Beijing. The really work as a close team.

18 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM Edited by Marianna Cerini / [email protected]

MADE IN CHINA Delectable Mani

The long-wearing, chip-proof results of gel manicures are impressive, but they have their downsides, too: they’re expensive and tough to remove. And they sometimes take away an entire afternoon you could have spent shopping/sleeping/meeting friends (or working, if you must). Well, things are about to change. You don’t need to book an appointment at a salon to score a manicure that’ll last. Just turn to macaron-shaped, USB-powered LED lamp. DIY gel manicure kits instead. China-based start-up venture Le Mini Colors range from grape purple and hot pink to bright red and Macaron (LMM) is the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign luscious caramel, though LMM started a new Kickstarter drive last launched last January that promises a compact, handy and incredibly month to develop new shades and products like scented hand cream, easy-to-use solution. travel pouches and remover kits (for now, you get 10 with each gel kit The brand is the brainchild of Taiwanese-American Christina to begin with). Kao and Frenchman Francois-Xavier Humbert, and these adorably > RMB249 for the kits, RMB90 for a single gel polish bottle and RMB110 for the remover packaged gel manicure sets boast a selection of pretty hues and a kits; Purchase LMM kits at their Weidian store.

OVERHEARD UNDER THE LENS K-fashion

Korean fashion is having a moment. Trends and style fads from the Land of the Morning Calm are, increasingly, huge hits among fashion markets in other Asian countries, especially China. We aren’t just talking about K-pop-style haircuts. Korean accessories, footwear and apparel are some of the most sought-after products among stylish “IT’S NOT EASY TO GET SO MANY BIG Asian urbanites, and young Korean designers are some of the most interesting NAMES TOGETHER FOR A COVER SHOOT, talents to have entered the industry in recent AND NOT EASY TO MAKE THEM ALL LOOK times. This year alone, the International Woolmark Prize (a worldwide UGLY AT THE SAME TIME TOO" competition dedicated A Chinese netizen commenting on the overly photoshopped covers of Vogue China’s to discovering upcoming September issue, which marks the tenth anniversary of the fashion glossy. Famed ‘it’ designers) has seen a photographer Mario Testino was asked to shot 10 iconic Chinese actresses for two Korean takeover, with two covers (golden and silver) that pay homage to the Hollywood glamour of the 30s Korean creatives, Munsoo and 40s while showcasing a few Chinese elements. The excessive airbrushing and Kwon and J Koo, chosen retouching, however, has sparked a series of snarky remarks from Internet users, to represent the entire Asia region. with many complaining that the celebs look so different from real life they can’t even Expect K-style to be all over the recognize them. streets of London and New York soon.

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 19 Folio 线 LIFE & STYLE | FASHION

Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Dries Van Noten Fendi Hackett London Burberry Prorsum Stella McCartney

Oversized coats Supersized pockets Shearling galore Any green goes Fake fur The statement overcoat has The man bag is so 2014. This A classic menswear material, Grey is actually the king color Soft, fluffy and cruelty-free, never been stronger. Whether year, it's all about huge pockets. shearling will make a prominent this winter, but green beats off fake furs will lend a lady- single- or double-breasted, the Not only will they prove great to appearance on the high street stiff competition from orange like touch to most outfits most popular coat of the season store all your daily necessities, this winter. What's different than pink and blue as the second- (as long as you don't pair is cut from wool and with a soft but they'll also be the focus of usual is the way it is deployed: most popular hue for the chilly them with your gym pants). shoulder, for a slouchy, over- your next piece of outerwear, cut not only as a coat lining, but also months. All shades accepted, Stoles, big coats, shearling sized vibe. from conspicuously contrasting on sneakers, bags and jumpers. from army to forest to mint. jackets - anything goes. fabrics and sewn on in prominent positions.

COS H&M River Island H&M H&M RMB1,900 RMB599 RMB590.92 RMB499 RMB1,499 > www.cosstores.com > www.hm.com > www.asos.com > www.hm.com > www.hm.com

Zara Paul Smith Base London Topman ASOS RMB1,799 RMB2,556.86 RMB1,136.38 RMB310 RMB397.73 > www.zara.cn > www.asos.com > www.asos.com > www.topman.com > www.asos.com WRAP UP Winter’s Coming Winter’s

Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Runway inspiration Stella McCartney J.W. Anderson, Rodarte, Louis Vuitton Valentino, Saint Laurent, Emilio Pucci Victoria Beckham

by Marianna Cerini

80s Redux Black and white (a la Cruella de Vil) Turtlenecks Believe it or not, the good-times Checks, stripes, diamonds, zebra This utilitarian staple was all over look of the eighties has officially print, you name it. Graphic black and the catwalks at fashion weeks made a comeback. Expect bold white will be all over the shops this around the globe. And the good and brash ensembles, Lurex, fall. news is, you don’t even have to patent leather, quilt, neon and shop, because there is definitely velvet to be your party attire of one in the back of your wardrobe choice. somewhere.

It’s September, which in planet fashion means there’s a whole new look fast approaching. If you want to

COS Zara H&M know what everyone will be wearing RMB890 RMB299 RMB399 this autumn/winter, top fashion > www.zara.cn > www.hm.com > www.cosstores.com mags are required reading. Can’t be bothered skimming through the billions of ads and ultra expensive photo-shoots of the big guns? Worry not. We’ve dug through this month’s bumper editions of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and GQ to pick the runway trends that will be making the biggest impact on our wardrobes this fall. From graphic black and white, hard-hitting punk, military

Missy Skins Topshop Topshop jumper styling and an eighties comeback, RMB7,599 RMB465 RMB425 here’s your cheat sheet to ‘cold’ > www.topshop.com > www.topshop.com > missyskins.com fashion.

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 21 Folio 线

BEIJING FALL 2015 STYLE THE CITY'S BEST-DRESSED MEN BY MARIANNA CERINI / IMAGES BY HOLLY LI

Think Beijing isn’t a hotbed of style? Think again. The city might not have the breadth of London’s sartorial culture, or the on-trend hipster vibe of New York, but, increasingly, it’s showing a fashion edginess hard to

Two months ago, we brought you Beijing’s best- dressedfind anywhere women else. for summer 2015. This month, we’ve turned our pages over to the men. Whether it’s a punk rock musician with skinny jeans and tattoos, or Don Draper-esque personages sporting the very best tailor made suit, these guys know how to work it Beijing- style. FEATURE | LIFE & STYLE

— What are you wearing today? The jacket is from Italian brand Drapers, and it’s a wool, silk and

Founder of Principle M linen blend. The shirt is a linen cotton blend I’ve had made-to-measure by my designers, and the tie is a vintage piece from Italy I found on Taobao. The trousers are Irish linen, also Principle M. The shoes are Meermin loafers. — What's Principle M? A made-to-measure clothing brand here in Beijing. We do tailored separates, but also a lot of styling and consulting for guys who want to improve their image, or work on their Justin Kwan style cred. Hence why I have to be pretty put together myself on a day-today basis. — What's hot, suit-wise, for the coming Beijing winter? Neutral colors and earthy hues – quite the opposite of hot! I feel like things are cooling down a bit in general – just look at the yuan devaluation and the Chinese economy. Men's sartorial choices seem to be following the market. — How would you describe your style? A mix of function and sartorial class. I usually always wear one tailored piece – whether it’s a vest, a jacket or trousers – but I work around what I am doing too. — Give us a style tip for the gents. Mind your shoes. They can make or break an outfit. — Does Beijing influence your wardrobe at all? Absolutely. Beijing is pretty rough around the edges, so my clothes have to adapt to it. Jeans and boots do that very well, but also a monochromatic palette, to reflect the city’s grayness. — What would you be never caught wearing? Quite a few things actually. Tank tops are a big no. So are baggy, low-cut trousers – no man should wear a pair past age 14. And don't get me started on white socks… — The perfect Beijing suit would be..? For a formal occasion, a sturdy English cloth, in charcoal, with built-up shoulders and chest to give it more of a hard feeling. If you're mixing it up, maybe a softer jacket with jeans. More relaxed. Two opposite ends of the spectrum, but that’s Beijing, isn’t it?

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 23 Folio 线 LIFE & STYLE | FEATURE

Marlon Ma Freelance PR Consultant

— Your style in three words. Classic, elegant, fun. I don’t care, really. I wear what I like and what I think works for me. Style is about owning whatever you’re going out in. It’s all about being confident – and not worrying about what other people think. — Guide us through your outfit. The jacket and vest are from my tailor, Li Na – I have been using him for three years, so he knows what I like – while the tie and pocket square are from Banana Republic. The sunglasses are your photographer’s, but I'm borrowing them for the shoot! They fit me quite well, don’t you think? — Is this your signature look? Pretty much. I love wearing three pieces – vest, shirt and trousers – but mixing different patterns or elements. I like contrast, turning classic menswear attire into something a little edgier. — What do you like about Beijing? It's a city with a soul. It’s hippy and full of people that work non-profit or do things just for fun. That’s quite difficult to find, particularly in China. Plus people wear all different kinds of shit, which makes it pretty interesting. — Sanlitun or Gulou? Definitely Sanlitun. — What would be your perfect Beijing day? The perfect day would be a Saturday, just after a huge rainstorm. There’s no pollution at all, it’s clear blue sky and I don't have a hangover. I’d go for brunch at Nuo Hotel or the Westin, then for a manicure with some girl friends. After that, I’d have a date, maybe at Cantina Agave because they’re one of my clients. The night would then continue at First Floor, Migas and Hush. If I’m still standing at the end of all that, I’d have to wrap things up and start the next day at The Den, for breakfast. Howie Lee

24 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM FEATURE | LIFE & STYLE

— Tell us about your style, both on a music and personal level. Music-wise, I dig Eastern elements and old traditional stuff quite a lot. I like to mix that into contemporary tracks. My personal style is just simple. Gold chain – though not hip- hop heavy gold chains! – white or black tees, a cap. I’m lazy, and that’s reflected in the way I dress. — What are you wearing today? Black tee and shorts, Nike shoes, some glasses I bought in Korea and a Breton Cire hat. The gold chain is from my mum. — What led you to become a DJ? I was playing in a rock band five or six years back, and we started experimenting with other music genres. I discovered dance and electronic music that way, and decided it was more like what I wanted to do. — Where do you play in Beijing? Dada, in Gulou, mostly. I still DJ but I'm currently working on my own album and live performances. — Is Beijing a good place to be a DJ? People don’t really see DJs as performers here yet, which is kind of frustrating. We help bring all these tracks and beats you wouldn’t hear otherwise, but the public doesn’t consider us real artists. — Does Beijing inspire you? Oh yes. Beijing looks like this mad, futuristic place. A shitty reality we escape from in our man-made environments, our apartments with air purifiers and all that. This weird futuristic aspect is definitely in my music too. DJ and Electronic Music Artist

Howie Lee

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 25 Folio 线 LIFE & STYLE | FEATURE

— For those who don’t know: What’s Steely Hearts? Sai Li A dance-punk Beijing band I started

Lead Singer of Steely Hearts with guitarist Wang Yue about nine years ago. We do a mix of garage rock and electronic. — Do you follow a specific way of dressing? I like to look like my favorite artists – Iggy Pop for instance – and follow their fashion code. — Is that what you’ve done with this outfit? More or less. This is what I normally wear, or when I perform. My friend, who works for a music company, designed the shirt. The hat is a gift from another friend, who also made it for me. The rings are also from a friend – he got them in Singapore. The shoes are from a British brand called Underground, and yes, they’re also a present from another lovely friend. I know a few people. — How does Beijing influence your artistic process? I was born and raised here. The city is a cradle of different styles – and I take inspiration from all of them. Punk and rock are definitely a big influence on my music though. — If Beijing were a Steely Heart song, which one would it be? I’d say 'Dragon King.' It’s a song about our lives as artists in Beijing. Hanging out in bars and chatting about things. — What’s your favorite area in the city? Gulou. It’s where I grew up. Also, the music scene is pretty sick there. — Would you ever leave? No. Beijing is where my home is.

26 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM FEATURE | LIFE & STYLE

Julien Tang Video Producer, Filmmaker, Musician and Entrepreneur

— Where did you get this suit? I bought the material at a fabric shop in Chaowai back in 2012, then went to the now-defunct Yashow to have it made. It was supposed to be for performing on stage with my band, You're Not Invited. I still remember the incredulous face of the Yashow tailors – they couldn't believe I was actually asking them to make me a three-piece suit out of plastic. One of them offered to take up the job, and here we are. Pretty neat, no? — What is style for you? An attitude, more than anything else. We’re all wearing costumes of some sort. Some people just like to take it further than others, and that makes them stand out. — You grew up in France. What brought you to Beijing? Many reasons – a girl, but also the desire to just experience something new. I moved here from Paris in 2008, at a time when I wanted to break from the past and see what new challenges and risks I could take. China has proved the perfect place to do that. I've organized exhibitions, run a magazine, put on film festivals. It’s been a constant learning curve. — How do you think Beijing influences your approach to art and life? Beijing is pretty tough, and it definitely made me tougher too. I like to think of it as a filthy drug: it’s bad for your health, your behavior, your almost everything – yet it's addictive. Every time you are away from it you become aware you don’t really want to go back. The moment you do, though, all you can think is, “I want more.” — If Beijing were a film, which one would it be? The one I'm writing now. I can't say much except that it's about young people, slightly on the crazy side. Partly musical. Weird. Just like Beijing.

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 27 Folio 线 LIFE & STYLE | ARRIVALS

SCENE & HEARD 3

words by Marianna Cerini

1 KNEWZABA 2 SCENTIQUE 3 ANYSHOPSTYLE A concept store of sorts, Knewzaba, which You won’t find Molten Brown, Kiehl’s, Started as a China-centric e-tailer and was formerly located on Baochao Hutong, Bliss or any other major product line in fashion platform back in 2012 (when it has recently relocated to the basement Nali Patio’s newly opened fragrance shop was AnyWearStyle.com), AnyShopStyle is, of a courtyard a stone’s throw away from Scentique. Specializing in artisanal perfumes currently, one of Beijing’s most refreshingly 4Corners. Here, it replicates its formula of that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in interesting shops. The boutique first set up eclectic shop-cum-cafe, mixing solid cups of Beijing, Scentique is pitching itself as a high- a brick-and-mortar presence in Parkview joe with niche designer objects and vintage end-type place. Unfortunately, the store’s Green, and has recently expanded into trinkets that are rough around the edges, shiny apothecary – all glass, marble flooring Sanlitun’s Taikoo Li South with a fully- completely random or downright bizarre. and golden details – screams 'tuhao' (read: fledged flagship. A bit of a hoarder, owner Lao Yu has crass) rather than 'tres chic.' Featuring cobalt blue walls, an airy turned the space into a showroom for his Nonetheless, the selection on offer is interior and an artfully curated selection personal collection, which currently features surprisingly quite sophisticated, with bottles of garbs, the store is the perfect place to go retro-looking fixies, skull-shaped ornaments, from niche perfume houses like French if you need to overhaul and upgrade your sturdy vintage purses, tea sets and oh-so- Evody and The Different Company, Italian entire work and party wardrobes. While hipster accessories, though not everything is Fiore d’Ulivo and American SixScents. the online venture specialized in Chinese for sale. Upstairs, in the courtyard, you can Should you need to spritz your wrists designers, the offline shop offers both local come fix your two-wheel or look at buying a with something other than Mademoiselle and international brands (though fashion new one. Different location, same old funky by Chanel or Dior’s J’Adore, this closet-sized made and designed in the PRC is still very vibe: go check it out on your next trip to that venture is your place. much the focus). Opt for nonchalant-chic side of Gulou. > A103B, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳 styles such as draped, billowing dresses by > 6 Xiaoshibei Hutong, Xicheng 西城区小石碑胡同 6 号区三里屯北路 81 号那里花园 (5208 6170) Elyse Yang, deconstructed pieces by Bai Peng or delicate ensembles by Awaylee that pack edge and femininity aplenty. Accessories span quirky rings, chunky bracelets and versatile bags – we are in love with the totes 2 of Italian label Ohmai, which are reversible and ever so cool. Prices start around RMB1,000. > S1-16 Taikoo Li Sanlitun South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路 19 号太古里南区 S1-16 (130 4117 8730, www.anyshopstyle.com)

1 PHOTO BY HOLLY LI HOLLY BY PHOTO

28 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

1 HEALTH | LIFE & STYLE

DOCTOR HONG, BEIJING’S LEADING DERMATOLOGIST

In a city such as Beijing – where world. “Yes, we had laser treatment for skin environmental conditions can be harsh and rejuvenation, and hair removal, but new pollution levels high – taking care of your devices such as fillers and injections were skin is an important business. At the Zell not easily available outside of very specialist BeauCare clinic, that business is transformed centers – such as Miami.” into an art. Under the expert eye of Beijing’s It wasn’t until 2005 that these products as a cosmetic consultant at United Family leading dermatologist (and the Mainland’s started becoming more widely available, but Hospital. “I find it very interesting, as only Fellow of the American Society for only in the West. “When I returned to China foreigners tend to have a very different set Dermatological Surgery) Doctor Hong, in 2009, we only had one filler available. No of requests – in terms of what they want to patients are offered the latest in specialist thermage or fraxel [fillers], or lasers. But achieve. Most Chinese patients are looking cosmetic treatments. We meet with Doctor there was a growing demand – that’s when for fuller cheeks and change in pigmentation, Hong to find out more. people Chinese first started traveling to rather than tightening.” “In China, the medical training system is places like South Korea for treatment.” Doctor Hong’s clinic focuses on non- different to the West, so I chose to focus on In South Korea, Doctor Hong, estimates invasive and minor invasive procedures, dermatology at Peking University – where I that as many as 60 to 70 percent of women such as botox, laser rejuvenation – especially studied for seven years, while practicing at aged 20 to 50 have had some form of for acne scars and enlarged pores – chemical PUMC Hospital,” explains Doctor Hong, of cosmetic procedure, while in China, that peels, radio frequency body shaping, skin how he first entered the profession. figure falls to less then 10 percent. “Most tightening procedures, thread lifting and “And then in the early 2000s, I received of our clients here have a very high level of other professional skin care treatments. “We a fellowship from Duke University in North education, often overseas. They’re typically use only the very best import products in Carolina in the US, and from there I was in their 30s and 40s. Around 90 percent are line with international standards. It’s our given the opportunity to become a clinical women. Most simply want to look younger – aim to bring the very best, safest procedures fellow at the University of Miami’s Cosmetic they don't want to change their appearance, to the widest audience in Beijing.” Center – the biggest university-administered they are happy with their faces, they just cosmetic center in the States.” wish to look like a better version of their Mon-Sat; Unit 2002，1/F, Vantone Center, 6A At that time, cosmetic dermatology was selves.” Chaoyangmen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳门外大街甲 6 very much in its early stages around the Doctor Hong also works one day a week 号万通中心 AB 座 1 层 2002 [59073390] ADRIAN RUDIN, GENERAL MANAGER OF NUO HOTEL

Everyday is something of an adventure a lot of Ming dynasty inspired design, and for Adrian Rudin, general manager of the of course, the philosophy – which is very newly opened NUO Hotel. After 14 years Chinese. at the Shangri-La, working in Hong Kong, “Most guests will recognize immediately, Singapore and the Middle East – where that the hotel is of an international quality, he opened two hotels – and two years at but it’s the little touches that distinguish us. Beijing’s famous Summit Wing, Rudin has We have an exceptional Chinese restaurant, assumed responsibility of what is arguably our own tea brand and our own spa line.” website, your booking channels, your global the most ambitious Chinese hotel to date – Rudin, who has taken personal distribution channels. It all just works – and he’s loving every minute of it. responsibility in helping to shape the look because the corporation deals with it. They “When I was given the offer to join and feel of the hotel, is now looking beyond make it work. And then you come in and NUO, I thought to myself, why not take the China. “The idea is to go international – and learn the systems, train your people – and plunge? It was an opportunity to launch an fairly quickly. We’re aiming at cities like open your hotel. Job done! international brand and start a new hotel London, New York, Paris, Rome and looking “But here, we had to design our own which, in this industry, is quite exciting – not at investing in properties. The company has website, create our own booking channels, everybody gets the chance to do this.” a big vision, and that’s part of the attraction.” connect with global hotel alliances. There’s Owned and operated by the state-owned Rudin’s enthusiasm for his job is still a lot of marketing work to be done, Beijing Tourist Group, NUO promises to contagious, and it’s obvious why he was which keeps us pretty busy. To get everyone ‘pioneering Chinese Luxury Hospitality.’ It’s selected to spearhead the brand’s expansion to know the hotel is very difficult, as it’s a a bold claim, but one that Rudin confidently – not that it’s been by any means easy so far. stand-alone hotel. But that’s part of the fun!” backs. “The hotel is eight years in the making “This is now my fourth hotel I’m opening, – it was planned in great detail. We’re an so I’m used to the process,” says Rudin. No.2A,Jiangtai Road,Chaoyang District,Bejing 北京市朝 international hotel, but with strong Chinese But if you work for an international hotel, 阳区将台路甲 2 号 (5926 8888) characteristics. So for example, we borrow it’s simple compared to this. You get your

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 29 COLLAGE

WHAT’S NEW DRUMROLL Idle Motion

China has an odd relationship with Big Bang Theory. The American hit series was among the first shows to be removed from online streaming services last year, after it fell foul of regulation efforts. It is now the first to return since new rules were introduced requiring all foreign shows to be approved. Season eight is available at tv.sohu.com.

British theater company Idle Motion mixes — On the show’s story… inventive stage theatrics with engaging We track Gerda from arriving in Paris in Lost in Thailand may no longer hold the stories from the past. After bringing the 1934 to meeting Andre Friedman [Capa’s title as the highest grossing Chinese film production Borges and I to Beijing last year, birth name] and learning how to take of all time, but director Xu Zheng is hoping the group is back for a fifth tour of China. photographs. We then follow their first to reclaim the crown with the series’ third We talk to Director Kate Stanley about the assignment capturing the outbreak of the installment, Lost in Hong Kong. The brand- group’s new show Shooting with Lights, Spanish Civil War and their experiences of new story sees Bao Bei’er’s character which unveils the little-known story of war. There’s also a narrative that follows suffer a mid-life crisis that promises to be photojournalists Gerda Taro and Robert the missing suitcase that contained a lot of uproarious. Out in cinemas Sep 25. Capa. Tardo and Capa’s negatives from the time — On the show’s inspiration… that was lost in 1939. We first had the idea of making a show about — On visual inventiveness photography when we learnt that since [the Shooting with Light has a very striking camera’s] invention, people have collectively lighting design and soundscape. It’s our taken over 3.5 trillion photographs. This was boldest show technically. The set is able staggering to us and we became inspired to transform from a 1930s Parisian cafe to explore why we are compelled to take into a battle in the Spanish Civil War. We photographs and capture our lives. were lucky enough to be granted the rights — On the photojournalists Robert Capa to Taro’s photographs, [so we] project and Gerda Taro… these images onto the set, adding another They were both European refugees who dimension as the audience. travelled to the Spanish Civil War together. — On upcoming plans… The protection of domestic films at movie While many people knew who Capa was, no- When we get back from China, we’ll begin theaters has ended for the year, so there’s one we spoke to had heard of Gerda Taro. making our next show The State We’re In. a flurry of Hollywood hits coming our way. We wanted to tell the story of how she went It opens in London in 2016 with themes Tom Cruise returns in Mission Impossible: from being a young German refugee in Paris inspired by Frestonia, a 1970s squat in Rogue Nation on Sept 8, while this month to one of the pioneers of photojournalism. London which declared itself independent will also see new Marvel franchise Ant-Man They were both extraordinary people, but from Great Britain. (Sep 18), Despicable Me spinoff Minions (Sep we were inspired by how forward-thinking > Sep 8-12, 7.30pm; RMB180-300; National Center for 13), and Adam Sandler’s latest flick Pixels and independent Gerda was for a young the Performing Arts 2 Xi Chang’an Jie, Xicheng 西城 (Sep 15). woman at the time. 区西长安街2号 (400 610 3721, en.damai.cn)

30 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM CANVASSED ‘There and Ever’ is the second solo showing from the Her distinctive flashes of color bring to life something Xie Zhengli, promising Sichuanese artist, Xie Zhengli, who presents a altogether darker. body of work created over the last six years. As with her > Free; Aug 8 – Oct 22; Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm; Nuoart, B07, 706 North ‘There and debut exhibition, a subtle melancholia permeates her First Street, 798 Art District, 2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒 Ever’ paintings, which are dedicated to flora and fauna. 仙桥路2号798艺术区706北一街B07 (5716 3852 www.nuoart.com)

HAO BU HAO Hao Bu Hao After a record-breaking summer Jackie Chan may be an action at the Chinese box office, movie legend, but these days domestic film now has a new his feet keep landing in his mega-hit. Starring Bai Baihe and mouth. With his son Jaycee now directed by Shrek the Third’s released from prison, Papa Chan Raman Hui, the live animated suggested to reporters: “I should Monster Hunt has charmed the set up a jail holiday, forcing nation. In just over a month, it some rich people, even myself, has grossed more than USD356 to go to jail. These days, all million, trailing only Fast 7 people need to do this because as the most successful film they’re so busy.” Indeed. released in China.

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 31 Folio 线 ARTS | FEATURE

MARTIAL LAW Muse are Bringing Drones to China

by Andrew Chin

“The ultimate goal would be to play a concert in space”

Given this month’s military parade in to be more rock,” Wolstenholme explains. is a very strong concept that runs through Beijing, it seems fitting that Muse arrive to “We felt it was time for us to strip things the record which will be reflected in some of showcase a heady concept album inspired back a little. Ultimately we are a three-piece the visuals.” by modern military warfare. Drones, their rock band. Along the way we have tried to Having already conquered massive seventh studio offering, follows a young, bring fresh influences into our sound, while festivals from Glastonbury to Coachella, no disillusioned protagonist who becomes a at the same trying to retain the trio vibe.” stage is too big for Muse. They famously drone operator. Co-produced by Mutt Lange Despite scaling back in the studio, Muse performed in front of over 60,000 people (AC/DC, Def Leppard, Shania Twain), the should still be at their flamboyant best on at Rome Olympic Stadium with the 2013 record evokes Orwell in its subject matter, stage. Described as the “greatest living act in concert screened theatrically across 20 cities Broadway in its theatrics and Queen in the world today” by Queen’s Brian May and in the world. frontman Matt Bellamy’s soaring falsetto. Roger Taylor, the group spent the summer Beijing remains one of the few cities “Matt always had a pretty good idea that headlining festivals across the world. Their that the trio have yet to conquer. As this album was going to be very conceptual,” last world tour featured a gigantic pyramid Wolstenholme notes: “There are still says bassist Christoper Wolstenholme. “The of LED screens, acrobats, lasers and cannons countries we haven’t played, particularly in basic concepts for the album were there shooting Muse-themed bank notes into the Asia and Africa,” before revealing a dream as right from the start. It was always the case crowd. realistic as obtaining approval for drone use of making sure that the lyrics were strong Frontman Bellamy has expressed interest in Beijing: “The ultimate goal would be to enough to back up the concept.” in having drones fly over the crowd during play a concert in space.” Big statement albums will always have the upcoming tour. It is unclear whether their detractors, yet Drones steered itself he’s aware that drone sales have been Sep 19, 8pm, RMB360-1,280. Mastercard Center, to the top of the charts in 21 countries, suspended in Beijing this month. In any Intersection of Fuxing Lu and Xisihuan, Wukesong 万 securing the band’s fifth straight UK number case, Wolstenholme opts for a more anodyne 事达中心,海淀区复兴路69号 (400 610 3721, en.damai. 1 album and their first in the US. But while teaser for their Beijing date: “It will be more cn) the disc is more experimental in concept, of an overview of all our albums.” it returns the band to simper times, having “The set can change a lot,” he continues. flirted with orchestral and electronic sounds “Visuals have always been a big part of on recent albums The Resistance and The our show. We always feel that as there are We’re giving away a pair of tickets to Muse on WeChat add and look out 2nd Law. only three of us, we need something for the Thats_Beijing for competition details. “[We always knew] this album was going crowd to look at. With the new album there

32 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM UNDERGROUND | ARTS

GOING UNDERGROUND in Association with Wooozy.cn

by Sophia Pederson

There’s nothing cooler than leather jackets, 5 MINUTES WITH DAVIE WEN FROM tattoos and bass cello. Luckily, there’s no ROCKABILLY BAND ICY WHISKEY shortage of those in Beijing, especially How did Icy Whiskey come about? when it comes to Rockabilly. This small but We started the band in January 2013. I’d burgeoning scene has been alive and kickin’ been playing in various bands for a while, for quite some time now. Musically, it is a bit and then I saw Rolling Bowling (then known of a precursor to standard rock, and draws as ‘Defy’) in 2012 for the first time, and inspiration from southern country, blues they just spoke to me, you know?! Changed and jazz. It’s not all about music though – everything! Mr. Honey rockabilly, arguably more than any music Relative newcomers to the rockabilly scene genre, runs a pretty tight culture game, Who are your biggest musical influences? in Beijing, these young upstart gunslingers where fashion is as important as the sound Elvis Presley and Stray Cats. Those guys are started in November 2013 and are a sweet, itself. Looks-wise, think Grease, Great Balls untouchable. but all-too-rare treat when spotted around of Fire, The Outsiders or American Graffiti. town. Do you think fashion is important to the Listen: site.douban.com/mrhoney rockabilly culture? ROLLING BOWLING It’s especially important. Leather jackets and shoes, white shirts, hairstyles. It’s more Recently signed to indie record label Modern than just music, its a lifestyle choice. You go Sky, Rolling Bowling are probably the most all in. But it’s not restricting, it’s really free. recognizable name in Chinese Rockabilly. There’s a lot of innovation too. A lot of room They tour relentlessly and can often be seen to be yourself… and rock out. around town at Jianghu or School Bar, as well as festivals – and even the occasional Listen: site.douban.com/icywhiskey European tour date for good measure. These See them play: September 9, 8.30pm; MAO decked-out boys are all killer (fedoras, Livehouse (see Listings for details) leather shoes, white wife-beaters and dark pressed slacks), no filler when they hit the TWO MORE THINGS stage, but that’s only half of it – pay special attention to the audience too. Their fans DH & The Chinese Hellcats – sporting leather jackets, bright scarves, The best-looking rockabilly band in China. polka dots, and lots of eyeliner and tattoos – Front woman Dizzy Hemmy is a sight are equally as mesmerizing to watch as the to behold in both Western and Eastern band themselves. vintage dresses, backed by a band of men in pinstripe suits and slicked back hair. Listen: rollingbowling.bandcamp.com Listen: site.douban.com/dh

Going Underground with Wooozy is a monthly column written by Sophia Pederson, exploring the Chinese rock scene. About Wooozy: Launched in April 2009, Wooozy.cn is a Chinese-language online specialist music site, focusing on the latest and best underground and mainstream sounds from China and beyond.

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 33 Folio 线 ARTS | FEATURE

One of Bass Music’s Brightest Talents has a Soft Spot for Chinese Slushies FEATURE | ARTS

just a lot of interesting stuff in that tempo range that doesn’t follow the classic tropes of what DnB has gotta be.” His articulation of this up-tempo vanguard reads like a list of artists brought to China by The Syndicate in recent months. It also reads like a list of people Simpson has collaborated with on joint releases. In fact, he is so prone to working with other artists that he considers Nuh Chat EP, released at better name.’ But the label was like: ‘Love the start of 2015, to be his first solo record. the tunes, we wanna sign them – and we “That was my first solo EP so it felt like think the name’s great.’ I was stuck with it people were watching and I had to come for so long!” through with something good,” he explains, A belated switch of aliases in 2012 marked though he needn’t have worried. The record a change of direction for the Manchester- – which features a genre-bending collection born producer. Upping the tempo, he began of energetic yet intricately layered drum fusing drum ‘n’ bass (“the music I grew up patterns – was well received by critics. The on”) with an assortment other influences, vinyl edition sold out soon after release. I’ll let you in on a trade secret: The first five most notably footwork, crunk and dirty Just how ‘solo’ Nuh Chat really was is minutes of interviews with international south. In doing so, he joins a growing clique up for debate. Its five tracks include an DJs coming to Beijing are normally pretty of British artists credited with revitalizing appearance from Deft (another recent boring. electronic music in the 160-170bpm range. Syndicate booking), a remix by Russian This isn’t necessarily the artists’ fault. It’s Binga’s productions both embrace producer Enei, and three features from just that because they are making such a and shun the typical devices found in Bristol MC Redders. Simpson hints that his long journey, it seems only fair to dedicate drum ‘n’ bass. He treads a similar line in forthcoming album Wasted Days will follow an ice-breaker to the old classic – ‘Have you conversation, championing a new sound in a similar vein: “It’s halfway between an been to China before?’ (Spoiler alert: Most without distancing himself from the genre. album and a mixtape… I’ve worked with a haven’t and are uniformly excited about “There are elements of it in what I do. lot of people I’ve been excited to work with.” doing so. Those who have are uniformly And there are a lot of people who just do Sure enough, a couple of days after we positive about their shows, Chinese food and ‘strict’ drum n bass and do it super, super speak, the tracklist is announced. To call visiting the Great Wall.) well, so I don’t want to be the one saying ‘I’m Wasted Days ‘feature-heavy’ would be an But it doesn’t always go down that way. something else,’” he explains. “It’s more that understatement – the name Sam Binga Because not only is British producer Sam the production levels in DnB are so high now appears unaccompanied on just one of the Binga pushing the boundaries of up-tempo – perfection really – that I’m not sure I could album’s 14 songs. electronic music at home, he’s also rewriting compete. The engineering is perfect, the Despite an obvious penchant for my interview openers. tunes are gonna make people dance and you collaboration, none of Simpson’s usual roster “Yeah, I spent six months in Shanghai on can mix it. of MCs will accompany him to Beijing. I an exchange [in 1999] when I was 18 or 19,” “There are certain things that producers suggest that he might get on the mic himself he reveals. “Our campus dormitory would can do that will definitely get a reaction. for some Putonghua shout-outs. In response, lock the gate at 11 at night and not open So for me, the way to stand out is to not he produces a feat (complete with Chinese it till 6. So if you went out, you went out do those things and see if I can still get a tones) that I may never experience in an all night. Just for jokes we used to go this reaction.” interview with an overseas DJ again: “wéi club called Real Love on Hengshan Lu and Simpson’s homage to the scene may just xiăojiĕ, guò lái it was absolute cheese – they had karaoke be an act of diplomacy. But he appears to booths and played [Dutch Eurodance band] possess both a genuine love for straight- The Syndicate’s 11th!” █ birthday; September 19; RMB50; Vengaboys. Then we’d go bowling until 2am up drum ‘n’ bass and a dislike for mincing Dada (see Listings for details) and onto some little weird techno club in a his words (“psy-trance is the worst music – basement somewhere.” there’s no fun, the production is really clean The experience may not have been and boring, and it attracts idiots”). It seems formative in a musical sense. But Binga’s he just wants to do things a little differently. stint in China left a lasting impact that “People are trying stuff at slower tempos,” few are aware of – his stage name, which he continues. “You have people like Fracture is a combination of his birth name, Sam or Om Unit [under the alias] Phillip D. Kick Simpson, and a China-inspired moniker slowing things back down to 160 – so you he’d used while making breakbeat through can mix in old jungle tunes and footwork the oo’s. with that. Then you have people like Chimpo, “In Shanghai, I used to buy this pineapple who has a real dancehall influence. There’s slushy drink that they called a ‘baobinga,’” he recalls, while admitting he’d thought the word meant ‘pineapple’ rather than ‘shaved ice’ (baobing). “When I did my first demo, way back in the day, I couldn’t think of a name for myself. So I was like ‘what’s that weird drink I had in Shanghai?’ – I’ll call myself Baobinga. “I thought: ‘If I get signed I’ll think of a

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 35 Folio 线 ARTS | FEATURE

SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD UNITE Chengdu Indie Band Stolen on Stealing the Limelight

by Andrew Chin

GIVEN THE HUGE STRIDES MADE BY promises band VJ Formol, who often bathes Chengdu quintet Stolen since their first the band in shades of fluorescent green demos emerged in 2011, it shouldn’t be while on stage. “Sometimes you can have the a surprise to find a band brimming with feeling that the images are producing the ambition. Yet, there is something striking sound. Images have the power to make you about the fact that on the cusp of an focus on one sound in particular. ambitious 32-city national tour to support “Stolen are really more energetic live a new album, frontman Liang Yi is already on stage because of some little interesting thinking ahead. imperfections you never feel on CD,” he “It’s not enough that we’ve made some continues. progress when compared to our early music Fittingly, it was a single live performance and performances,” he says. “Recently, we’ve that first thrust Stolen into the limelight been thinking about how to get rid of the as P.K. 14 (whose guitarist Xu Bo went on limitations of styles like ‘electronic music’ or to serve as producer on Loop) handpicked ‘rock music’ – to create something new. This the band to open for them at the Chengdu is a huge challenge, and an adventure but stop of their 2013 national tour. That same one that we want to be able to finish on our year, the band’s almost eponymous debut next album.” EP, STrange OLd-fashioned ENtertainment, As Liang plans the band’s next record, was released by New Noise, the Chengdu most fans are still getting to grips with their promoters responsible for bringing post- latest release Loop. Recorded over five days rock stalwarts like Tortoise and Toe to the at Taiwan’s renowned 112F studio, the mainland. album is a major statement. Some songs may But the quintet’s rapid ascent belies years be three years old, but their newly recorded of hard work as a student band. The twenty- versions show off a group more muscular somethings formed the group in high school in its sound and more confident in shifting where they connected over a love of rock dynamics. music and being new emigres to Chengdu. The album also represents China’s As university students, they shared a changing music industry– Loop’s release rehearsal room with Maybe Mars upstarts came about when social networking site Hiperson and frequently appeared on Douban reached out to the group after mixed-genre bills before achieving the holy launching its new D-Force record label. The grail of student bands - winning the 2011 disc was then made available as a limited- MIDI Battle of the Bands National Campus edition free download to build buzz. competition. “I think every single band has a chance “At the time, we were like any young to be heard,” Liang says of today’s music student punk band doing a lot of covers,” industry. “The most important thing to Liang recalls. “Then, we began to like remember is that while China’s record Kraftwerk, Portishead, Nine Inch Nails and market is not very good, there are still Joy Division – this kind of cold, dark music.” people and companies that have not stopped While most of the band attended the looking for good independent music.” Sichuan Conservatory of Music, they Nonetheless, labels need payback. The remained together and matured alongside album’s free online release is illustrative of their budding music tastes. But come the a new revenue model based on live shows. group’s September 26 show at Yugong In this regard, Stolen may excel. While the Yishan, don’t be surprised to hear a tribute band only have two national mini-tours as to their roots: their well-received cover of experience, their use of a live VJ, makes the ‘Love Will Tear us Apart.’ live experience quite different from the one █ captured on their record. Sep 26, 8.30pm; RMB60-80; Yugong Yishan (see “The visuals add a new layer to the music,” Listings for details)

36 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM “Recently, we’ve been thinking about how to get rid of the limitations of styles like ‘electronic music’ or ‘rock music’ – to create something new”

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 37 Folio 线 ARTS | FEATURE

Amid a series of recent venue closures, Dominique Wong checks out two new spaces hoping to take their place in Beijing’s art and music scene

LIVE AND LET LIVE

38 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM FEATURE | ARTS

Beijing’s live music fans haven’t had much to merchandise (Modernsky, of course) with a academics) to provide a multi-cultural space celebrate lately – venues have been closing coffee in the daytime, or enjoy a beer with “for creative projects to be realized.” These their doors quicker than you can say “I some live music after dark. projects include music, creative workshops no longer hear the music.” First there was Since its launch party at the beginning of and speaking events, beginning this month Maybe Mars’ XP in July, then Mako Livehouse August, the Lab has regularly hosted DJs and with an art exhibition, ‘Wuyu or Love at a month later. bands on Friday and Saturday nights. But it Second Sight,’ by Xia Tao. But as the saying goes: when one door also showcases art from some of the label’s The building was originally a private closes, another one opens. Or in this case, artists. Our most recent visit coincides with residence, though it has been rebuilt and two of each. Because during the last month, the opening of an exhibition, ‘God Takes redesigned to become J-Space. Grays, Beijing’s art and music scene has received a Care of Drunk & Fool’ by guitarist Li Zhao. whites and teal dominate, with the simple much-needed boost with the opening of new Remnants of the exhibition – fluffy three- color scheme designed to let the art do the spaces from a couple of veterans of the local eyed monsters, bottles of coke – are strewn talking. The downstairs area is split into scene: Modernsky Lab from Modern Sky around the space as people mingle around three: the entry and main room make up Entertainment and J-Space from the team at the cafe-bar area and a three-piece synth the ‘exhibition hall,’ while a back room can Jiangjinjiu Bar. band play in the stage room. We find parents be used for meetings and gatherings (the We headed down to both and, on first with children, girls with bowl haircuts and rooftop also serves as an exhibition space inspection, the pair seem more than able to couples alike. and a party venue). Each of the downstairs fill the void. Afterwards, as the Jägermeister promo areas is separated by glass doors, which On face value, Modernsky Lab and J-Space girls arrive, we enjoy a couple of drinks at can be folded open for better ‘integration’ couldn’t look any more different: The former the small bar. It’s about the length of a sitting between them, which seems to be a central is located in the mammoth Chaoyangmen bench and the staff informs us that it will theme at J-Space. spaceship (aka Galaxy Soho) and brightly be expanded into two “later on.” Sonically, “You have art and interesting creative decked out with a state-of-the-art sound the set-up is solid: the sound system is as things [here] but you also have life,” explains system, while the latter is decidedly more good as you’d expect from an operation Forest. Indeed, during our visit on a quiet low-key, nestled at the end of Dengcao like Modern Sky. Xiao arrives to oversee the afternoon, we find a group of friends eating Hutong. But aesthetics aside, both aspire sound check and he looks pretty pleased. and talking in the back room, with the glass to provide an area for talented artists and This looks like it may just be the beginning doors to the exhibition hall flung wide open. cultural activities. for Modernsky Labs. They plan to open 20 J-Space is small but charming, and Forest Modernsky Lab is the brainchild of the globally over the next five years, with the is proud of the focus on original and creative ubiquitous Modern Sky Entertainment. With next one set to appear in Shanghai in 2016. art. He makes a not-so-subtle dig at the the independent record label and festival The aim is to share Chinese music and “gain “more commercial and mainstream” spaces organizer expanding in recent years (its greater exposure for our artists,” Xiao says. at 798, while also admitting that, as artists Modern Sky Festivals will be held in New J-Space, meanwhile, is comparatively find greater success, there is “always the York, Seattle and Helsinki in 2015), a live understated. In fact, it’s barely commercial temptation.” music and entertainment space was the distinguishable from its gray-bricked hutong But for now, there is an undeniably warm natural next step in its quest for world music neighbors. The venue is the latest venture sense of community here. “The Beijing domination. As manager Xiao Linfeng (also from the owners of Jiangjinjiu, which is public is welcome to contact us, and to pitch known as the promoter, DJ and recording “one of the earliest livehouses in Beijing,” their ideas,” Forest says. “We are not going artist X.L.F.) explains: “We’re in the music according to Forest from the J-Space team. to limit the space. We would like things to industry so we should have a platform [for But it’s also the shared goal of happen – that is all.” artists].” a group of likeminded The venue’s name is apt: this is a lab friends (including Modernsky Lab: Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 8am-6pm, Wed, for artists, musicians, photographers and musicians, artists and Sat, Sun 9am-8pm (special events open till 4am);B1, designers to collaborate, perform and Bldg D 5-108, Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmennei Dajie, experiment together. The space comprises a Dongcheng 市东城区朝阳门内大街银河SOHO, D座B1 live music venue, dance area and recording 层5-108 | J-Space: Daily, 2-6pm; 3 Dengcao Hutong, studio, plus a cafe-bar area and store. It’s Dongcheng 市东城灯草胡同3号 (Booking in advance bold and colorful, with an industrial-cum- preferred 13801290772) school cafeteria (a really nice one though) feel to it. You can browse through the LIVE AND LET LIVE Folio 线 ARTS | FEATURE

by OSCAR HOLLAND Your Guide to the 2015 Locations

The growth of Beijing Design Week since its launch in 2011 is best summed up by the fact that it now runs over two weeks. But becoming a misnomer seems a small price to pay for an expanded offering. The widened program and, crucially, the scope of ideas and discussion it incorporates, has helped make Design Week a yearly highlight that reaches far beyond creative industries. The topics broached – design, innovation and urbanism – are of enduring relevance to the city (indeed one of its recurring themes, smart cities, forms the core of this month’s cover story, overleaf). At the heart of everything, you’ll the Design Hop areas – locations across the ‘Split Courtyard House’ is one of three city that will host installations, exhibitions, architectural case studies on display at Baitasi. Conceived by Hua Li of Trace pop-ups, workshops, talks and more from Architecture Office (TAO), the project attempts September 23 to October 7. The number of to offer privacy in densely populated hutongs areas used has jumped from two to ten since by splitting a siheyuan into four spaces that 2011, so here’s our guide to each and what face away from each other, all with their own you can find there. room and private yard. Baitasi

Finding design inspiration by the commercial drabness of Financial Street might seem a thankless task. But hidden in its own ‘cultural and historical preservation zone’ lies the tranquil Baitasi (The White Pagoda Temple). Here, a regeneration project will host a series of interconnected architectural, cultural, social and virtual projects which examine how to live more efficiently and sustainably amid the area’s structural disconnect. Indigo A new Design Hop area for 2015, Baitasi’s hutongs present a very different set of challenges to those more often explored in Dashilar. Throughout Design Week, the Having opened in 2012, Indigo is newer than Baitasi ReMade project will explore the Design Week itself. You may know it for its theme of ‘courtyard as a future living shopping facilities but its actually a mixed- hub.’ use project covering almost 60,000sqm. For Design Week, the space will host ‘INDIGODesigned to Delight,’ a collection of installations and other curated content from

40 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM some of Beijing’s most celebrated young talents. A cabinet from the studio of Swedish designer and architect, Jonas Wagell, which will be on display at a furniture- Parkview Green making workshop in Baitasi.

With its architectural quirks and impressive art collection, walking around Parkview Green (Fangcaodi) is already an immersive experience. But the collaboration with Design Week promises to bring much more. Under the title ‘Innovation, Sustainability and New Forms of Making,’ Parkview Green will host creative installations, exhibitions, pop-ups and interactive workshops. But here’s the real draw: the world’s largest 3D printing pavilion.

Dashilar

Dashilar has long been considered the focal point of Design Week, due to the ongoing drive to improve quality of life Max Gerthel’s ‘Freelancer Chair’ is while preserving the area’s heritage. This designed to have all the comfort of an year should prove no different. On-site office chair, while looking and feeling installations and presentations from a range like a domestic one. It will also be on display at the Baitasi workshop, which is of participating architects will address the being organized Beijing furniture brand issue of how innovative urban design can Zaozuo. address the needs of this unique community.

751 D-Park

One of the two original Hop locations (along with Dashilar), 751 D-Park is the focus of Beijing’s younger generation of designers, Zhang Ke’s residence/exhibition space architects and urban planners. The 751 ‘Micro-Hutong,’ and his children’s library/ design workshop ‘Micro Yuan’er’ will both D-Lab, invites creatives aged 18-40 to submit be on display in Dashilar. It is one of a their ideas across a range of disciplines. As number of pilots from Design Week 2014 for what we’ll see there this time? Who knows which are now ready to be revealed. – entries were still being accepted at the time of going to print.

Gehua Tower, BIFT Park, CMM, DCY and throughout Beijing

There will be a range of other events occurring across the two-week period, including an opening ceremony, design awards, a design market and collaborations with this year’s guest city, Dubai. There was still plenty to be announced and confirmed as we went to print, so for up-to-date information on the program and event schedule, visit www.bjdw.org or follow That’s Beijing on WeChat (username: That’s_Beijing).

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 41 CAN URBAN DESIGN words by OSCAR HOLLAND & STEPHEN GEORGE MAKE BEIJING SMARTER? design by TIN HOI WU Cover Story 42/3 A smarter Beijing would get you around the city quicker, reduce the energy you consume at home and, ultimately, help you to make better choices

f any major world city, Beijing is one and Tencent are also investing heavily in that could benefit most from becom- a market which is estimated to be worth ing more efficient, convenient and around USD16 billion in China alone. sustainable – from becoming ‘smarter.’ Over the next eight pages, we examine At this juncture, it is customary to some of the initiatives which can trans- highlight the growing pressures on the form the capital, focusing on key areas: capitalO with some statistics, but we are spoilt for choice. transport, energy, public services, housing, How about an urban population that has expanded by and recreation space. This smarter Beijing over 50 percent since the turn of the millennium? Or would help businesses create more effi- the fact that by the end of last year, there were only 2.9 cient supply chains, simultaneously reduc- million parking spaces for 5.6 million cars? ing their prices and environmental damage. While becoming ‘smart’ is often billed as a panacea It would help authorities deliver services to these ills (and many more), the tag has been tossed – like trash disposal and healthcare – more around recklessly in recent years. Putting a chip in effectively. Most of all, a smarter Beijing something – anything – seems enough to earn this would get you around the city quicker, re- coveted label. But beneath the term’s saturation lies a duce the energy you consume at home and, simple and persuasive idea – that the marriage of data, ultimately, help you to make better choices. technology and good urban design can change the way Because smart cities are less about tech- a city operates. nology and more about how we collect If cars, buses and road signs are all networked, then and act upon information. Most of us carry drivers and the authorities can use real-time traffic smart devices in our pockets every day, but information to reduce journey times for all. If wasted what really matters is how we use them. energy from industry can be used to heat public build- For instance, drainage monitors that warn ings or homes, the city’s emissions will fall. And if us when using the shower might worsen houses are better integrated with their environments, local flooding are only useful if we are residents’ wellbeing and productivity will soar. engaged enough to check – and invested Many of these solutions are simple enough. But they enough to care. After all, smart cities are require investment, both private and public. So while nothing without smart citizens. Beijing may be one of the cities most in need embrac- ing smart solutions, it is also one with some of the greatest potential to do so. The political will is already emerging – Li Keqiang’s ‘Internet Plus’ program aims to provide huge amounts of government funding for cloud computing, networked infrastructure and big data projects. Whether this is accompanied by commercial incentives will prove crucial but there are positive signs. Telecoms giant ZTE claims to have made smart city deals with over 100 local governments, while firms like Alibaba

TRANSPORT PUBLIC HOUSING ENERGY PARKS AND POPULATION SERVICES RECREATION At 700,000sqm, Beijing’s new airport in Daxing district will host the biggest airport terminal in the world when it opens in 2018. Its size will pose problems. Sustainability is being billed as central to the design. But while details are scant at present, we do know that the new terminal will feature low ceilings to reduce wasted energy, and automated air-conditioning and lighting systems to respond to conditions in the airport. Globally, the technology is in place to achieve much more. Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, for example, now uses a carbon-neutral aquifer (a groundwater reservoir that acts as a thermos) to cool airport buildings during the summer. The aquifer then stores heat that can be used to warm aircraft parking stands and terminals in the winter.

here are plenty of compelling statistics Physical expansion of public transportation systems to illustrate the strain being placed on (plus a much-needed new airport) remains a central Beijing’s transport systems. But often, goal. And rightly so – many areas of the city are still TRANSPORT images are the most poignant reminder unreachable by subway. Nonetheless, there are still of the city’s overcrowding. Whether it’s a plenty of smart solutions that could make existing re- 56-hour traffic jam on an outer-city high- sources work more efficiently. Tway or a viral video of the chaos on subway line 13, we On this front, there are some promising develop- are regularly reminded of infrastructural pressures. ments. A real-time bus app, launched in 2013, provides To counter them, the city’s authorities must find the departure and arrival information for hundreds of right balance between the two levers it can most effec- routes (at a fraction of the price required to install bus tively operate – regulation and innovation. On the for- stop displays). Smart bikes are also on the verge of mer, current strategies are somewhat crude (although hitting a larger China market, making cycling a more effective in the short-term). Restrictions on which days enjoyable and convenient alternative to cars. drivers can be on the roads, for instance, do contribute The common theme of these innovations? to reducing the daily traffic volume. Information – the more of it the better. But low-level penalties will not themselves bring If commuters can be provided with real-time infor- about sustainable change. Inconveniencing drivers is mation on things like traffic intensity, journey times, only effective if it’s accompanied by improvements to road conditions, alternative public transport routes, the alternatives. and the availability of parking, they can make more

On-Board Intelligence What kind of smart technology is Link Motion They’re very interested in getting real-time information about their cars so developing? they can know how the engine is performing or how the whole car is behaving. We make a secure computing platform for smarter Then perhaps they can say: ‘you’ve hit that 15,000-mile mark, maybe its time vehicles. Cars are moving away from being uncon- to bring your car in for servicing.’ nected vehicles where the engine was king. Now, it’s the computer that’s important. But taking any Why is your office based in China? old operating system and putting it into a car isn’t This is the largest car market in the world and is starting to drive the design going to work. of cars. We’ve also found that Chinese insurance companies are interested in getting GPS data from their users. They’re thinking: ‘If we could know when What are the benefits of a connected vehicle? you’re going on mororways, we could then sell you reduced, cheaper, more Jethro Cramp, from the It’s going to be a slow progression as the in- basic insurance’. And then when you use a motorway you could buy an add- China office of Finnish frastructure gets built. In the beginning, we’re on. That would also benefit drivers who don’t use them, because they can get technology firm Link looking at applications focused on manufacturers. cheaper insurance. Motion Cover Story 44/5

efficient choices. Given Beijing’s high level lights or bus routes. This technology would it can drop you off and pick someone else of smart phone ownership, a range of apps not only assist individuals but also help the up – making you money in the process. (or perhaps a single integrated app) would entire road network by taking future traffic Alternatively, a publicly-owned fleet of be the obvious way to disseminate this into account. driverless taxis could eliminate the need information. But there is no reason why it It is all within Beijing’s reach. Cities in for private car ownership, abolishing the can’t also be sent to wearable devices or Europe, America and beyond are already need for city-center parking lots. built into cars. using ‘the internet of moving things’ to This technology is not far from comple- It is not only individuals who are em- improve services. In the city of Porto, tion (in fact, Baidu plans to launch its first powered by increased connectivity. If more Portugal, for instance, sensors in smart driverless car with BMW by the end of the parts of the transport network relay infor- buses’ suspension are able alert municipal year), but an infrastructural overhaul is mation back to central control rooms, then authorities of sudden jerky movements, required to make it work. Currently, no city the city can be better equipped to manage helping them to identify pot-holes or road is even close to being ready. Should Beijing demand. Technology giant IBM is now able damage in need of repair. In Limerick, wish to lead the way, it could find itself at to predict a traffic jam up to an hour before Ireland, officials can remotely control pe- the forefront of the next transport revolu- it happens. This information, coupled with destrian signals, giving people more time tion. the ability to act on it, could change the to cross when traffic permits. way authorities manage traffic flow. Ahead of these developments lies the Control rooms could update networked holy grail of smart transport – driverless road signs, or remotely change traffic cars. When your vehicle can navigate itself,

What’s next for the connected car market? In the longer-term, as cities themselves become more connected you’re going to see vehicle-to-vehicles communications and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. In the US, the department of transport has mandated that from 2017, all new cars must have this technology in them. They may not have many uses for it yet, but at least it’s in The more real-time information that the cars and they can start building services and is fed into control rooms, like this functions on top of that. one in Beijing, the more effectively city authorities can manage traffic, plan public transport and direct resources. ENERGY

PUBLIC SERVICES

nyone living in a building with central heating may be familiar this yearly absurdity: opening the window in winter because it’s too hot. Without any way of adjusting the temperature, households across northern China let wastedA heat flow out into the night. Simple heat meters allow building managers and district heating facilities to adjust supply according to need. In fact, they are already being installed into new buildings and retro-fitted into old ones. But more ‘macro’ solutions are also underway. A new plan being developed across Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei aims to use excess heat from suburban power plants and steel fac- tories to heat homes and reduce waste. Energy and utilities are often seen as the responsibility of the state. But with the right information we, as individuals, can also be empowered to make better choices. Smart meters that alert people to their water As the local distribution point for Beijing’s power grid, electrical substations need and electricity use can encourage them to compare to be close to people’s homes and businesses. But with space at such a premium, with their neighbors, identify waste and ultimately the city must find new ways to provide power to densely populated areas. reduce consumption. And instead of simply relying on In Caishikou, Xicheng district, a solution has already been developed, though people’s consciences, smart metering provides a more you may not have realized – it’s under your feet. The engineering company behind basic incentive – the reduction of monthly bills. the project, ABB, says it can hide up to 98 percent of a substation underground. Sustainable energy is of course tied in with the big- As well as the obvious benefit of freeing up land for other uses, the station uses ger questions of how the country can move away from groundwater in the cooling system to reduce its environmental footprint. Other coal power. Nonetheless, helping people understand ‘smart’ functions include real-time monitoring and overload forecasting, which their own energy use is crucial to change, according allow the grid to meet and react to demand more efficiently. to Steve Turner of UK-China Smart Cities, a project currently promoting cooperation between Wuhan and Water Heating Manchester, UK. “Smart meters are starting to appear in China, but Space Cooling there’s been very little evidential work to understand 15 2 the impact they’ve had,” he explains. “There’s a real opportunity to bring some of this technology into China, Cooking but what’s more critical is citizens’ awareness of energy use. “I have a smart meter myself and after the first week 19 you can’t stop looking at it. The need to create this kind of localized solution is much more acute in a country the size of China.” There are plenty of other public services that can be made more efficient through connected urban design. Home Appliances If smart garbage cans alert city authorities when they are almost full, for instance, trash collectors can plan 7 the quickest route to ensure they are emptied. And if motion detectors are installed on street lamps in quiet

Space Heating Heating of space and water is responsible for two-thirds of household energy consumption [Breakdown of average energy consumption 56 in China’s urban households, 2012] Cover Story 46/7

Making information about public services available – from ticket office waiting times to live flood updates – is one thing. Getting it in one place, namely people’s pockets (or wrists), is another. Places like Hangzhou and Yinchuan Serving You.’ have already set up websites that bring And why stop there? In Helsinki, together real-time service information Finland, the Urbanflow project is in- from across the city. An all-encom- stalling kiosks around the city to dis- passing app is the next step, and last play public information on things like year, reports emerged of such a mo- energy consumption, traffic density, bile project in the capital called ‘Beijing air quality and municipal works.

Beijing’s 2012 flash floods showed that the capital’s drains are residential areas, then energy savings can struggling to cope. But the overloaded sewage system may pose a be made when no-one is around. greater long-term hazard. Currently, almost 20 percent of Beijing’s Such initiatives require up-front invest- wastewater ends up untreated in rivers around the city. ment. But pilot schemes in the US and Europe – where smart city markets are In New York, where 27 billion gallons of raw sewage flow into more mature – show compelling evidence the city’s harbor each year, a new project, Don’t Flush Me, enables of quick payback times and subsequent people to reduce the damage of their household water use. A simple public savings. This is even before taking sensor detects where there is a risk of system overflow, with the into account the less tangible benefits of information fed to a website that warns people when flushing the lower carbon emissions and improved ser- toilet or using the shower could contribute to sewage running over. vices. SMS alerts and integration with platforms such as WeChat could Given that China’s population is aging provide real-time warnings in any district of the city, especially dur- and increasingly prone to conditions like ing heavy rainfall. Such a system would require public participation, diabetes, healthcare is an area that may but that might not be a difficult idea to sell. Don’t Flush Me opts benefit most from smart investment. To for the simple and persuasive pitch: “Help keep your sh*t out of begin with, a new model of care needs to the harbor during storms.” be built around the idea that hospitals are a last resort. Not only do patients dislike them, but they are traditionally the most expensive places to provide treatment. Remote healthcare – monitored via simple devices (like wristband heart rate sensors or personal blood-sugar monitors) and administered via telescreen or tablet – is more convenient for patient and doctor alike. For those treatments requiring face-to- face attention, the current public healthcare system could adopt smarter ways to manage demand. An app comparing live waiting times across hospitals, for example, could help patients choose where, or in non-urgent cases, when, they could be seen most promptly. The healthcare system faces massive overhaul across the country in the coming decade, so now is the time to invest. It will always be far easier to build new service in- frastructures around data and connectivity, than it is to introduce them into existing systems. [see fig.2] illustrates transport-his graph related energy consumption against urban density. To the left we see numerous American Cities – Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles – which indicate a not very dense urban style with high energy use, and an over-reliance on cars. On the far right, we have Hong Kong, one of the densest cities on the planet with minimal energy use. Hong Kong has a brilliantly efficient public transport system with a high density of people living on those transport nodes.”

Bill Webb Make Architects

he urbanization of the modern world is The majority of these new urban inhabitants live in unprecedented in size and scope – and second- or third-tier cities, such as Baoding, Langfang RECREATION nowhere more so than in China where, or Zhangjiakou – to name three examples within com- as of 2012, the number of people living muting distance of Beijing – or on the fringes of major in towns and cities has exceeded those in metropolises. POPULATION the countryside for the first time. “The tendency has been for cities to expand outwards TThis shift from rural to urban has been credited with away from the center, where land is cheaper,” explains fueling the growth of China’s economy, as millions Bill Webb, general manager of Make Architects’ Beijing move to cities in search of increased opportunities, studio. “But a lot of Beijing’s problems relating to is- higher paid jobs and better education. sues like pollution, transport congestion, and even But mass migration has come at a price. The constant quality of life, can be traced back to its creeping expan- stream of new city dwellers has placed a considerable sion – its sprawl.” strain on urban infrastructure, particularly in areas Beijing, which has seen its population more than such as housing – where the tendency has been to build double in the last 30 years, is slowly beginning to outward, rather than upward. tackle these problems head on, according to Webb. “It’s According to the most recent government figures, really an issue of mobility,” he explains. “Transport China’s urban inhabitants now account for 51.27 percent within cities, transport between cities, social mobility, of the country’s entire population of nearly 1.35 billion economic mobility, digital mobility, it seems to me to – that’s a total of 690.8 million people, up from almost be at the heart of what we mean by ‘urbanism’ in the 19 percent in 1979 (when the country launched its first modern sense.” economic reforms) and just 10.6 percent in 1949 (when Webb cites Seattle as a good example of a vertical the Communist Party took power). environment which creates density to help facilitate ac- Cover Story 48/9

By combining Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei into a megalopolis of more than 200,000sqkm and over 120 million people, the ‘Jing-Jin-Ji’ project will reducing commute times between different hubs seek to redefine urban planning in China by creat- and providing easy access to green space. ing a decongested, more efficient capital, while Though the key aim is to relocate certain eco- key industries are relocated to outlying areas. nomic and administrative functions away from the Much of the connectivity within the super city core, much of its success will be reliant on the would rely on efficient high-speed rail links, growth of mammoth supporting infrastructure to ensure the co-existence of high-quality commer

cial and residential activities. - cess to rural space. “By being dense and small, Seattle city dwellers Beijing’s city planners are also looking to reduce the negative are able to access rural locations without battling through the sub- impact of cross-city commuting by reorganizing the city into dis- urban sprawl present at the edge of so many cities,” he says. tinct clusters – with the latest proposal seeking to relocate key “The urban sprawl of Beijing creates disconnected places, and government offices beyond the Fifth Ring Road into Tongzhou. long, energy-inefficient commutes. Meanwhile Hong Kong, for ex- Whether this can solve the problems Webb identifies, or only serve ample, gives people short, efficient commutes that undoubtedly in- to exacerbate them – as more people are forced into longer daily crease their happiness and general wellbeing. Research at Sweden’s commutes – remains to be seen. What is certain however, is that UMEA University found that if your commute is more than 45 min- Beijing’s urban imprint is changing. And with the development of utes you are 40 percent more likely to get divorced. Issues such as further links between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, where we live and these have a fundamental social impact.” how we live has never been more important. Against all odds, Beijing remains among China’s Association, roof greening schemes greenest cities – especially within the Second cover over 1.2 million sqm, or Ring, where traditional parks and open spaces about 1 percent of the total area of dominate the map. The problem, according to Beijing’s urban roofs. The idea sees experts, is ensuring access to these centralized home owners – or more typically, a parks. How can people living in the city’s outer collective of home owners – work districts enjoy public green space without com- together to create new and open muting great distances? public spaces that save natural One answer is ‘roof greening’ – a combination of precipitation and help relieve the architecture and gardening, that is being heralded so-called ‘heat island’ effect. They as a new form of urban forestation. also make neat vegetable gardens. According to the Beijing Rooftop Landscape

Shared social space is an integral part of any smart city Ambitious new plans to convert pushed outside of the city as part of the Jing-Jin-Ji mega city Cover Story former industrial and commercial project (see page 49). 50/1 areas into parks have become a These parks could number into the hundreds, with plans for key element in Beijing’s long-term as many as 300 currently being mooted. The key idea would be urban vision, according to officials to allow quicker and more convenient access to public parks for at the Beijing Municipal Bureau of those residents outside of the city center. This comes alongside Landscape and Forestry. plans to create a further 3,000 hectares of wetland spread out The plan would see the introduc- across the suburban districts of Fangshan, Daxing and Tongzhou, tion of 2,300 hectares of new green and 8,000 hectares of wetland recovered from the Yongding space in the next five years, through River, Chaobai River and Guanting Reservoir. If the city reaches the transformation of areas va- this target, it will have 54,400 hectares of wetland, accounting cated by businesses that have been for 3.3 percent of the country's total.

eijing is out of shape. According administration jointly kicked off a weight reduc- to recently released statistics from tion campaign, calling on residents – especially the city’s health and family plan- children and young adults – to get active. Noting ning commission, at least 21 out the strong correlation between obesity, diabetes of every 100 adults are deemed obese – and cardiovascular disease, the government drive that’s almost 4.5 million people. aimed to encourage young people to introduce more BThe rate of obesity (classified by the government as sports into their daily routine. having a Body Mass Index, BMI, above 28) for residents Government statistics reveal that Beijingers are aged 18 to 79 rose to 21.9 percent in 2014, up from 19.1 adopting increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Last year, percent in 2011. This is the first time the figure has the average time spent doing activities which do not gone above 20 percent since records began – and the require much movement, such as sitting down to work, trends suggest those figures will continue to rise. watching TV, eating and playing mahjong, increased to For those living and working in Beijing, this sudden 6.1 hours a day, up from 5.7 hours the previous year. spike will come as no surprise. The capital, once a veri- It’s not good enough to simply promote sports, table paradise for pedestrians – laid out on an easily what’s really needed is a change in lifestyles, and that navigable grid that readily combined residential and requires a change in urban planning – from the top commercial areas – is today an ever-growing built-up down. sprawl that forces residents into their cars. Beijing’s immediate future is likely to see a return “Traditional Beijing hutongs with their mixed-use of to mixed use urban planning, that encourages social space and walkable network of car-free alleyways are, interaction and increased mobility. Chinese urban in many ways, the ideal urban design,” said co-founder planners aware of the dangers associated with sterile of the People’s Architect and Industrial Design Office commuter towns – or large suburbs on the outskirts of in Dashilar, James Shen, in a previous interview with the city – are investing heavily in the promotion of in- That's Beijing. “Hutongs are unique, in that they create novation hubs, to help create a more diffuse economic a natural flow that forces people out of their homes model, that reduces pressure on the city’s core. and into shared community spaces. This creates social connections – and, of course, leads to better well-being, both physically and mentally.” The idea that Beijing’s own size directly correlates with the size of its in inhabitants is not entirely true. There are other factors at play too – most notably, the encroachment of public spaces. “Chinese cities have traditionally centered around the public square. It’s a very important part of urban Traditional Beijing hutongs life,” says Shen. “But in Beijing today, there is diminish- with their mixed-use of space ing public space. That’s why you often see old ladies dancing outside of shopping centers – there’s nowhere and walkable network of else for them to go. New developments are not built to car-free alleyways are, in encourage this type of social interaction.” many ways, the ideal urban It’s a problem faced by people of all ages. In June of this year, Beijing's health commission and sports design GRAPEVINE

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NIBBLES OFF THE BEATEN PLATE A magazine’s Eat & Drink section should be relatively conflict-free. And yet, not so. "Sex in the air, I don’t care, I Since we last went to print, like the smell of it" is not only we’ve seen veritable military the most memorable line movements: an army of of Rihanna’s 2011 hit ‘S&M,’ Spartans marched through but also a good way to describe Sanlitun under the banner of new S&M-themed restaurant, Ke. local brand Sweetie Salad. (Their Alrught, there aren’t people literally conquest was unsuccessful – the having kinky sex on Ke’s Sanlitun shirtless models, below, were confines, but sex is indeed in the air – or on stopped by police shortly after the walls, rather. Porno-worthy paraphernalia they began.) hangs around the restaurant, and things we see It just goes to show: on display during our visit includes chains, bras empires inevitably rise and with spikes on them, leather whips and dogs collars… fall. Advancing on the Risk that aren’t made for dogs. Meanwhile, couples and game board of life are Pizza (surprise!) single dudes eat innocuous dinner fare at the Express and Zhang Mama, tables below. The menu features mediocre guijie-style who’ve opened new branches spicy crawfish – now that’s masochism. at Dongzhimen and Jintai Lu > Daily, 11.30am-late; 55 Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福 respectively, and gearing up for 村中路55号杰作大厦1层 battle are Moka Bros and Café Flo, whose new outposts are imminent. HEAD-TO-HEAD / NAUSEATINGLY ADORABLE PASTRIES Meanwhile, on Game of Foams, Great Leap has procured two new weapons: its newly brewed Ordinary Bitter and R. Schuster Pilsner. And Jing-A Taproom is preparing for battle by opening on Mondays, from here on out. VER SUS Still, the ultimate battle is simple: East vs. West. Taking sides are two recently opened pie shops: Beijing Pie (Team East, making Beijing-style pies) Bear Piece Cake Sweetie Kitty 贝甜先生/小姐 Kitty甜心 and Two Guys and a Pie (Team Available at Paris Baguette, RMB12 Available at Bread Talk, RMB16 West, making pub-friendly Australian meat pies). Summer is over, Beijing, which means FIRST IMPRESSIONS winter is coming. In a Beijing Aww! Cakes made to look like a pair of This is so cute, Bread Talk must have used gutter divided in allegiance, who will hetero-normative gender stereotypes, how sweet. oil to make it. take the iron throne? Only time shall tell. INITIAL TASTE Vanilla ‘girl’ cake: good! Surprisingly good! Incredibly sugary sweet and creamy. To the Vanilla with notes of orange, bravo! point of being gross.

SECOND BITE Chocolate ‘boy’ cake: what the f**k is this. The cake all but disintegrates when you eat it. Bye, cute kitty. Hello, pile of creamy goop.

VERDICT Despite the chocolate ‘boy’ cake disaster, we give the win to Paris Baguette bears. The vanilla bear was genuinely good – a rare accomplishment for items featured in this column – and the Hello Kitty cake was indeed too cute to be true.

52 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM [email protected]

THEY SAID IT, WE READ IT BARTISANS Kro’s Nest This month, Giovanna Albanese Tragona, who sells popular new Italian beer, Toz Ever wondered what kids these days think of some of Beijing’s long-standing food- and-drink establishments? To give you an idea, we’ve handpicked and translated some comments from popular ratings site dianping.com. This month: pizza-and- pijiu staple Kro’s Nest – are customers hankering for more, or are things a little too… cheesy?

It tastes really The pizza: average and applause, the price is so applause, expensive – What a difference I can only say compared to Pizza applause! especially the chicken, the that the service Hut. My colleagues Everything flavor is a little is especially think that it’s good else: so-so- strange, isn’t bad… really bad. to eat. Well… not for so. it?” The food is okay. me.

NEWS BITES The PRC Potato Push —Tell us about the beer you sell. Toz is a beer you can find in pretty much all of the Italian-oriented places in Beijing, plus a lot of cool bars. Everyone loves the logo [Giovanna shows us the logo – it’s a picture of fat guy riding a scooter]. It has a cool story, actually. The daughter of the guy who owns this in Italy drew a picture of this local character who was always riding a Vespa around their village. Her dad then turned it into a logo. —So does Italy have a good craft beer scene? It’s a very new market. The innovation started during the economic crisis and, for the past five years, it’s been growing a lot. Everybody’s getting more and more involved in the business. It’s definitely a new trend, but it’s going very well. —What do local customers think of Italian beer? Chinese are always like: “This isn’t German!” But then APEC, Olympics, move aside: Beijing recently hosted the World Potato Congress, I tell them that this beer doesn’t make you feel heavy the largest, most important event in potato progress on the planet, where potato after you drink it, and a lot of Chinese people, especially dignitaries from across the starchy globe delivered speeches. The whole saga was Chinese women, seem to appreciate that. documented by exciting websites like PotatoBusiness.com, which wrote exciting It’s selling really well here. I finished my stock. I work headlines like ‘China makes global commitment to the potato.’ alone, taking the beers from my place to my customers In case you haven’t been keeping up-to-date on your potato news, here’s the with my bike. I have a big mess of boxes in my room, and deal. China’s been pushing the potato as a more efficient alternative to rice, my clients make fun of me when they see me show up the reigning staple crop. Potato fields yield more food in a smaller amount of with beers on my bike [laughs]. space, and that’s no small potatoes, given increasing pressure on China’s land. —Where do you drink in your time off? ? Some potato scholars are even arguing that potatoes are healthier for you – Màs. You get in, and you don’t want to get out. I love it. questionable, seeing as how our main exposure to them is when they’re soaked in NM oil a la French fries – but hey, we’re listening. > Toz beer, see www.gourmetfoodart.com for more information

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 53 EAT & DRINK | FEATURE

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TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

“Where do we begin?” says Martin Papp when I ask him about changes devotees of the tea-drinking lifestyle. It’s the younger ones, says Papp, in the modern tea industry. that have taken a liking to coffee. It’s a gray Monday afternoon, and we’re on the bottom floor of the As it turns out, the war of tea versus coffee is a game of perceptions. equally gray Sanlitun SOHO complex. That said, the space we’re in Very little of Starbucks’ success has to do with Chinese preferring the is a bit of an oasis from its drab surrounds: Martin and his team are taste of coffee over tea – in fact, some of Starbucks’s biggest sellers are in magenta T-shirts. Multicolored cases of tea line the walls. Upbeat green tea lattes and tea-flavored frappucinos. indie pop plays over the stereo. Like any good cafe, Papp’s place has a Rather, it has to do with what coffee represents. It’s new, it’s soothing environment and comfy chairs. exciting, it’s international. And in some cases, it looks like the set of There’s just no coffee. Friends – a replica of Central Perk, the cafe frequented by Ross, Rachel There have been many reports on coffee’s growth in China – the and crew, made headlines when it opened in Chaowai SOHO in 2009. industry as a whole grows 30 percent annually – but what does this Whereas Westerners often see coffee as a daily essential, Chinese mean for China’s rich tea culture? According to Euromonitor, high-end view it as a luxury brand. The price for a frappucino at Starbucks, for tea sales “witnessed a sharp drop” in 2014. example, is RMB35 – well out of reach for lower-class Chinese. Tea, on I’m here to ask Papp, who’s creating a Starbucks-like café chain, but the other hand, is what everyone drinks. It’s culturally important, of for tea, what coffee has to do with that. course, but it simply does not have the same appeal. “Starbucks was successful by creating this idea of the ‘third space,’” Papp is well aware of this. While he does speak fluent Chinese and explains Papp. For the uninitiated, coffee shops are a ‘third space’ live in Beijing with his Chinese wife, his blonde hair and baby blues because they’re neither home, nor work – but somewhere you can mark him as decidedly Western. As such, he’s bringing non-Chinese comfortably spend time. teas into his business alongside more traditional Chinese varieties “Tea kind of got lost in that,” he says. “[At teahouses] there’s a lot of to build an international brand. Papp’s Tea, he says, will have the ceremony involved. It’s a very rigid and much slower process.” same international cachet and stylish atmosphere that a hip coffee Tea represents traditional, perhaps even old-fashioned, Chinese shop would. He’s making sure his stores offer an increasingly global- culture. And some people appreciate that more than others. Older minded populace increasingly global-tasting drinks – and he’s not the customers, particularly in more traditional areas in China, remain only one doing it.

54 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

by Noelle Mateer Can a Starbucks-like Rebranding Save the Faltering Tea Economy?

In Sichuan and Chongqing, areas of China known for their rich health.” [She goes on to list a variety of seemingly impossible tea traditional teahouse culture, entrepreneur Liao Weijia is manning a health benefits.] similar trendy – and growing – tea outlet called NenLu Tea (‘tender Huang, a tea saleswoman in the same building, agrees, even though, green tea’). She’s already received RMB100 million in funding. And she admits that her business hasn’t been that well lately. further afield, prominent tea wholesalers Teavana and David’s Tea are “I don’t think there’s any relation,” she says. “People will still buy tea opening brick-and-mortar cafe locations across the US. to give to other people, and if those people don’t drink tea, they can In China, however, it’s an interesting gamble, launching a luxury give it to someone else.” tea brand when luxury tea leaves are seeing a decline in sales. But That idea, of tea as a gift to others, is also struggling at the moment. according to Papp, “Tea’s consumption is going down domestically, but Luxury teas have been traditionally used as government bribes, but Xi growing on a global scale.” Jinping cracked down on that in 2013, and luxury tea sales have been And a lot of this has to do with increased interest in healthy living. on the slide ever since. Walk the aisles of Maliandao Tea City, in South Beijing, and salesmen That reputation is hurting the tea market right now. and women will tout their teas’ seemingly miraculous health benefits At Tiandi Chaye, a decrease in the tea-for-bribes market has – smoother skin, lower anxiety, more regular shits. (Sales pitches, of seriously impacted the business: “The government’s anti-corruption course, are mostly nonsense. But tea does have a huge range of health clampdown has seriously affects our sales,” said the saleswoman, benefits that have been proven.) somewhat dejectedly. China’s not immune to global trends, and Papp says healthy living is Starbucks lattes may be expensive, but not as expensive as a a trend that’s “unstoppable.” RMB1,000 luxury pack of tea. An RMB30 latte, however, is the perfect Still, the disconnect between how people view coffee versus how price for an upwardly mobile middle class. they view tea, is why many are reticent to connect one’s rise to the Ultimately, most salespeople I spoke with were optimistic about other’s fall. tea’s future. It may be changing, and coffee may be accelerating its “They are both so different,” says the saleswoman manning a change, but many see that as a good thing. tea shop named Tiandi Chaye in Maliandao Tea City. “Tea is a lot of “There’s room for both,” says Papp. people’s hobby. People like drinking tea because it’s good for your █

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 55 open page副标题底线 Autumn Craft Beer Festival by Noelle Mateer, images by Holly Li

This year’s Autumn Craft Beer Festival sees 14 craft breweries from around China setting up camp outside East Hotel. In preparation (and in thirst) for this year’s event, we visited the five participating Beijing breweries and scouted out their prettiest beers. Consider this your Beijing craft brew beauty pageant. > Sept 25, 5-10pm and Sept 26, 12-10pm; East Hotel Grounds, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu朝阳区酒仙桥路22号

Sea Anchor Imperial Vanilla Stout RMB45 > Slow Boat Brewery

NiuBi Wheat RMB35 > NBeer

56 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM FEATURE | EAT & DRINK

Koji Red Ale RMB40 > Jing-A Brewing

East City Porter RMB35 > Great Leap Brewing

GUANXI PALE ALE RMB40 > Arrow Factory

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 57 EAT & DRINK | RESTAURANTS open page副标题底线 THE DISTILLERY Crafty Devils

words by Noelle Mateer

Price RMB50-100 for a cocktail Who’s Going Old literary greats, probably, if they were alive Good For The classiest of benders

If the word ‘craft’ were alive, like if the letters C, R, A, F and T jumped off this page and into the real world, they would undoubtedly share a renovated house in the hutongs. They would have a hand-stained wooden closet of flannel button-downs and a refrigerator of IPAs. But before we launch into the elaborate society for imaginary talking letters that we created while researching this article, let’s get two things straight. First, The Distillery is a new bar in Beijing. And, second, you should go there. The Distillery is where C, R, A, F and T would all hang out. Nestled in a quiet hutong and decorated elegantly, The Distillery epitomizes craft. Everything is dripping with the piney, bearded essence of that word, from the beautiful hardwood surfaces, to the old-timey framed artwork and the shelves upon shelves of fine liquors. Still, there’s more to The Distillery than the vibe, although the vibe is awesome, and reminds us of a beautiful, tech-savvy cabin. The essence of The Distillery is its distiller: a gargantuan metal machine dotted with bolts and knobs that stands proudly in back-center as if the centerpiece of The Distillery’s dining room table. Said distiller makes the liquid prize of The Distillery – which was gin on the night of our visit, but could be vodka or rum on nights to come. The gin we tried was positively mala, thanks to Sichuan peppercorn, which added a hot tingle. Meanwhile, co-founder Bill Isler and team use their spirits to make finely executed classics: Manhattan, old-fashioneds and martinis. Isler prides himself on making the ‘best Manhattan in Beijing,’ and although we haven’t had every one in the city, we’re tempted to believe him. He takes his time with the drink, and tops it off with bourbon-soaked cherries. “We don’t want to do anything innovative with the mixology,” says Isler. “We want to have all the innovation within the spirits themselves.” We’d argue there’s innovation within the design as well. On The Distillery’s second floor, only a pane of glass separates you from the crinkle-cut ridges of the neighboring hutong roof, and it feels more like an exhibition on classic Chinese architecture than a happenstance view. To be honest, we’re not sure what ‘whiling away the hours’ means – what does that entail? How exactly does one ‘while’? – but we’re pretty sure that’s what we did. We forgot we were reviewing for work for a bit there, and instead sipped our cocktails, slowly, until we were drunk. Long story short: We went to a bar, it was really nice, and then we got drunk on good gin. That’s all it takes.

Mon-Sat, 8pm-late; 20 Xinsi Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区辛寺胡同20号

58 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM RESTAURANTS | EAT & DRINK

AO MAN Really Eel-y Good words by Noelle Mateer, images by Holly Li

Price presented platter of sashimi, which looks as All of this takes place in casual, yet RMB100-300 per person delicate and rich as the meats themselves refined surrounds. Each table is in a classic Who’s Going taste. We then munch on sweetly seasoned Japanese-style private room behind curtains. Lido families, power chicken wings, as well as bits of eel wrapped And on the broiling August afternoon of our lunchers in fried egg pancakes (RMB28, eel jianbing, visit, the cold air-conditioning was blissful. Good For might we ask?). Granted, at Ao Man you kinda have to be Classy and convenient But the real deal – the real eel deal – into eel. We like to think they’d convince you Japanese comes in the form of our main course. Our if you aren’t. But if you already are, then it’s waitress gives each of us a tray. In the middle a pretty sweet deal. (Eel deal, sorry.) is a wooden carton containing eel over rice, and to the side is an intriguing assortment Daily, 11.30am-2pm; 5.30-10pm; Gaojiayuan How do you eel? At Japanese sea eel of suggested toppings: bright pickled Community 3, Jiangtai lu 将台路高家园社区三区小区 restaurant Ao Man, you can eel in any vegetables, edible fish spines, kelp. Finally, 入口30米 (5849 4526) number of ways. There are eel platters, eel she places tea pots on our trays (RMB238 soups and eel livers. There are eels in egg for the whole thing). rolls and eels on rice. But new restaurant Thus begins her explanation on how to Ao Man also boasts a charming atmosphere deal with eel. Our waitress says there are and swift service, and that, ultimately, is the three ways to go about this: First, we can reason we’re writing this review. mix the eel with rice and call it a day. Second, Ao Man is the latest upscale restaurant to we can add all the accoutrements before hit the equally upscale Lido area. A colleague mixing and then top with Ao Man’s signature told us it was advertised as a “Japanese eel sauce. Or, third and most excitingly, we sea eel” restaurant, although plenty of can pour tea – yes, real tea, from the teapot – other Japanese classics are on offer. (When over our eel and eat it like a soup. pronounced out loud, ‘sea eel’ and ‘seal’ In the name of journalism, of course, we sound strikingly similar. Be wary of this lest try all three. The tea-soup method is an your loved ones think you’re heading to Lido exciting novelty, and genuinely tasty, but we eat adorable baby seals.) admit that option No. 2, eel and rice with all We kick off our meal with a beautifully the added goodies, is our favorite.

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EN VAIN HAVEN TWO GUYS AND A PIE The thing about there being only one baijiu Houhai is a shithole of double-decker- bar in the world until now (Capital Spirits), Listen up, bogans: Two Guys and a Pie are tourbus proportions. But we found love in is that baijiu bar No. 2 only really has one back with their distinctly Antipodean brand this hopeless place, at Haven, whose Peach baijiu bar to compete against (Capital of meat pies. Their new space is as small as Smash (RMB50) coaxed oohs and aahs from Spirits). En Vain will inevitably draw it gets without becoming a rollaway cart. our bourbon-soaked lips. Our only request comparisons, which, unfortunately for them, But that’s all our two guys need, because the is that they get some music on the roof, is not a good thing. meat pies are killer. because that Houhai racket’s a bitch. > Daily, 11am-2am; 1-1123, 1F, Bldg 1, Sanlitun SOHO 8 > Tue-Thu & Sun, 5-11pm; Fri-Sat, 5pm-3am; 1/F, > Daily, 6pm-1am; 1F, 2 Dianmenwai Dajie, Qianhai Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北路号三里屯SOHO Bldg 38, Sanlitun Xijie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯西街三 Nanyan, Dongcheng 东城区地安门外大街前海南沿2号一号楼1123-1 (5785 3628) 里屯南38号楼一层(135 2065 6601) 楼1层(186 1335 7817)

We Tell WorthYou if thethe RiceHassle is

LA CEVICHERIA BY MIGAS THE SMOKEYARD This summer saw the opening of not one, PUNK ROCK NOODLE but two pisco-and-ceviche joints, which is The Smokeyard is the kind of place that unusual, but hey – Peruvians are bound to After struggling to sell cheese to the would be on every corner of every American make pisco and ceviche, we suppose. We lactose intolerant (at the late Corner Melt), town. That’s not normally a good thing, but tried La Cevicheria’s pisco sours (RMB35) Jimi Sides and co are back. Sure, noodle we’re in Beijing, so that makes it special, and can attest that they’re frothy-good. restaurants in Beijing are a fen a dozen, and the steak (RMB98) is a steal for its This being part of Migas, we also expected but these servings (RMB28-38) are tasty, Sanlitun environs. Final verdict: It definitely creatively elegant South American cooking – decently sized and accompanied by a brash doesn’t suck! But then that’s not much of an and the wagyu beef tequenos (RMB98) were dose of Oi! punk. endorsement either, is it? exactly that. > Daily, 6pm-2am; 25 Donggong Jie (off Gulou Dong > Daily, 10am-2pm, 5pm-10.30pm; Door 5, Bldg 6, > Wed-Sat through Oct 3, 6-10.30pm; The Bar at Dajie), Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街东公街25号 (8402 Sanlitun Nanlu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南路6号楼5门 Migas, (see Listings for details) 3180) (6501 7501)

60 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM 8-BIT Wind Down, Power Up words by Noelle Mateer, images by Holly Li

Game on, Beiluoguxiang: video game-themed bar 8-Bit has reopened. Its previous incarnation was a bit cramped, but version 2.0 comes with two bonus levels (a second floor and a rooftop), and the tastiest gold coins we’ve ever collected (RMB40 Arrow Factory beers on tap). Decor is playful, in the most literal sense of that word. We don’t quite get why there’s a neon David Bowie poster in the stairwell, or why the roof is carpeted with Astroturf. But we also don’t quite get why a laowai would open a gaming bar in the hutongs. We dig it all the same. Games on offer run the gamut from FIFA to Sonic the Hedgehog and Mario Kart. But it’s better than an arcade, because you can exchange your tokens (kuai) for actual fun things (alcohol!). And the drinks are good (try the Hawthorns Revenge, RMB50), so everyone wins. It is the perfect spot to have – and play – a round or two.

Tues-Sun, 5pm-late; 13 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 东城区北锣鼓巷13号; (134 8878 3848)

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 61 COMMUNITY

WELLINGTON COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL TIANJIN

Wellington College International With on-stage performances that Tianjin are delighted to announce lasted from 11am until 3pm and a that their 2015 Charity Summer Fayre terrific raffle, there was something raised a grand total of RMB 42,437.70 for everyone, even bored teenagers for the China Development Founda- (probably). tion. The most successful of Welling- On Saturday 6th June, the inter- ton’s annual Summer Fayres to date, national school opened its gates to the school would like to extend their around 2,000 people from the local thanks and appreciation to all who and international community. contributed towards making it pos- The fayre was bigger than ever, sible and helped raise funds for the with over 90 different stalls offering China Development Foundation. delicious foods, refreshing drinks and even the chance to throw an old

wet sponge at your (least) favorite TIANJIN teacher.

6062 | SEPTEMBERAUGUST 2015 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM EVENT | COMMUNITY LOOKING BACK AT ART BEIJING SUMMER BBQ PARTY AT GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING

To celebrate the summer in style, Urban Family and GTC Residence Beijing joined forces to co-organize a party for GTC residents on July 19. Parents, children, friends and staff enjoyed a chill Sunday evening, with a BBQ dinner buffet, free-flow drinks, live acoustic music, party games and lucky draws. For more pictures from the event visit our website at www.thatsmags.com/beijing.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS / GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING / GOURMET & FOOD ART WWW.GTCRESIDENCE.COM TOZ EASY ARTISAN BEER GTC serviced residence is an ideal option for families, especially CATHERINE DE FRANCE those with children, and is one of the very few serviced residenc- MISS MUESLI es in China to boast a sky garden within its private compounds. Situated within the Beijing Global Trade Center, its central location allows residents conveninet access to major commercial and Our first issue business hubs in the city. All 134 of its apartments come fully- furnished and well equipped with luxury fittings and appliances. Summer Camp Amenities include a 24-hour multilingual front-desk reception, Special Edition business center, and gym, housekeeping, laundry and dry cleaning, and shuttlebus services. > 10 5675-6666 / [email protected]

URBAN FAMILY / WWW.URBAN-FAMILY.COM/CITY/BEIJING Part of That’s Beijing magazine, Urban Family is the go-to re- source for international families living in Beijing. Specializing in Pick up a free copy of our new events, our platform gives you a seasonal calendar of all the fun, Summer Camps Special Edition 夏令营特刊 healthy and family-friendly happenings in Beijing’s international Entrepreneurial Kids Urban Family events pocket Workshop community. Together with our interactive content and website, our Let's Farm Field Trip 农耕季 OUT NOW! Follow Timber Lake West Camp guide – kids’ clubs and family get-togethers connect urban families with 游美体验营 Urban Family on WeChat the city and each other.

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Slugabed / DJ MozART Classical cabaret

HEAR

MozART return to Beijing with their unique approach to music cabaret, still determined to break the stuffy image of classical music (“we exist despite the sober formality of great concert halls, despite the boredom of classical musicians' life”). The quartet use traditional instruments Aside from a couple of singles (including the Coolest EP, which could be pur- in unorthodox and often humor- chased alongside a matching beach towel), we haven’t heard much from UK ous ways. But, amid the hilarity, oddball Slugabed since he was last in Beijing. A long-awaited follow-up to his one shouldn’t forget their musical 2012 debut long-player – the 8-bit-laden Time Team – is still yet to surface. caliber. All are graduates of pres- But the producer (real name Gregory Feldwick) has good reason for his ab- tigious music academies in Warsaw Ran Live Vol. 1 Gig sence. Since we saw him in 2013, he’s been building up a catalogue of artists and Lódz and they’ve been playing New Beijing-based record label, – and often bizarre releases – on his label Activia Benz. This should, in theory, together around the world since Ran Music, hosts its first showcase mean that Slugabed’s record collection is teeming with new oddities. Judging 1995. at Dusk Dawn Club (DDC). Rapper by the label’s recent compilations, this could be anything from “deep space > Thu Sep 17; 7.30pm; RMB20- MC Dawei is joined by hip hop duo R&B” to “one-take analogue techno.” RMB280 (+ multi-ticket discounts); Soulspeak & Ttechmak, garage rock- > Sat Sep 12; RMBtbc; Dada (see Listings for details) New Tsinghua Xuetang, 1 Qinghua ers Luv Plastik, and up-and-coming Yuan, Haidian 海淀区清华园1号 house producer J.R.G. Check out (6278 2334) DragonForce / Gig Animal Pop’s In The Woods Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 for a taste of this promis- DJ T DJ ing label’s recorded output. > Sat Sep 12; 8.30pm onwards; RMB50; Dusk Dawn Club (see Listings for details)

Dim Sum Disco DJs

Dusseldorf-born Thomas Koch is one of those multi-talented types who can list producer, club owner and journalist among their many job titles. But he’s best known as DJ T, founder of the influential Get Physical Music label and one of the leading forces in German electronic ‘Operation Ground and Pound’ has to be one of the best names for a metal music. Given that T has been DJing You know that summer is drawing track ever produced. Fans of British six-piece, DragonForce, will of course rec- since the 1980s, it would be safe to a close when Migas closes its ognize this as a single from the band’s third album, Inhuman Rampage. to assume that he has an enviable rooftop for the year. Join Dim Sum For over 15 years, the power metallers have been delighting audiences record collection. And don’t just Disco residents Boflex and Crystal with ballads like ‘Revolution Deathsquad,’ ‘Prepare for War,’ ‘Fury of the expect German tech – his label’s Bones for one last blowout on the Storm,’ ‘Through the Fire and Flames,’ and the characteristically uplifting output over recent years hints at terrace, before reacquainting your- ‘Invocation of Apocalyptic Evil.’ Catch the band’s ferocious live show in a penchant for deep bass, grooves self with an old friend – the Migas Beijing, where they’ll play music they describe as “Nintendo metal,” “Bon Jovi and what he terms “minimal booty downstairs bit. on speed” and “Journey meets Slayer.” house.” > Fri Sep 11; 10pm-late; RMB60; > Fri Sep 4; 9pm; RMB260 (pre-sale), RMB320 (on the door); Yugong Yishan > Sat Sep 26; 10pm-late; RMB70; Migas (see Listings for details) (see Listings for details) Migas (see Listings for details)

64 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM Tiananmen & The NFL Home Field at The Place / Sports Making of Modern Beijing Walking Tour

Tiananmen has been the political epicenter of China for nearly a century now, and The Hutong is here to teach you about it. Join a knowledgeable historian guide for a 4km walking seminar through Beijing’s history – or more literally, through Tiananmen, Qianmen and the historic hutongs of Dashilar. Learn about our fair city as an imperial capital, the abdication of the last dynasty in 1912 and the found- Derek Sandhaus American football doesn’t get as much attention here as other sports, but NFL ing of the PRC in 1949. Included are Book Talk Home Field’s changing that with a new series of family-friendly activities for visits to the Legation Quarter and the public – and no, you don’t have to be a 250-pound man with a full gear Derek Sandhaus is a rare breed. In the Beijing Urban Planning Hall. set. Not a pro? No problem. Home Field is taking over The Place and bringing addition to having served as chief The Hutong doesn’t do your typi- the sweet game (American football) to you. Football coaches and experts will editor of Earnshaw Books and cal tours, so expeect your guide to be on hand to host quarterback and running back challenges, hold football publishing history books on Beijing employ voices, stories, pop culture clinics and give talks. Head over to test your abilities at the 40-yard dash, ver- and Hong Kong, he also runs a references and examples from the tical jump and broad jump, or, if you’re not feeling that athletic – just snap a baijiu blog and a consultancy. This archives to bring it all to life. few fan photos. time, he’s visiting The Bookworm to > Sun Sep 20, 10am-1pm; RMB300, > Sept 11-13; Free; The Place, Chaoyang 朝阳区世贸天阶 speak about his new edition of con- RMB260 for Hutong members; will troversial early sinologist Edmund meet at Chongwenmen subway sta- Backhouse’s work Decadence tion Exit A Stand-Up Comedy with Joe Wong / Comedy Mandchoue. Sandhaus has edited the book in a more accessible ver- James Bradley Book sion called Manchu Decadence. Talk > Thu Sep 3, 7.30pm; RMB50, RMB40 for members; The Bookworm, see Listings for details

Drink & Draw Art

James Bradley will be at The Bookworm to discuss his latest book, The China Mirage, about the history of US-China relations from the 19th century through Mao’s rise Modernista is offering its space, to power. Bradley is the bestsell- Chinese-American Joe Wong has been featured on The Late Show with David models and booze for would-be ing author of Flags of Our Fathers, Letterman and The Ellen DeGeneres Show… and now he’s coming to Beijing. artists. Each Tuesday, they’ll provide Flyboys and The Imperial Curse. His Goofy and edgy simultaneously, his humor has made headlines on both sides the model – you just show up with latest book, which aims to expose of the Pacific – and this month, the same man who’s roasted US Vice President pencil and paper and a creative the dark underbelly of America’s Joe Biden at the Radio and Television Correspondents dinner in 2010 (no, spirit. Liquid prizes are available for initial dealings with Asia, discusses really), can be seen at Beijing’s Comedy Center. Whether you’re a fan of his the most artistic among us. everything from Christian missionar- work in America (stand-up appearances) or in China (his show on CCTV), less > Every Tues through September, ies with bad intentions to China’s than two pink bills to see him is a pretty sweet deal. 9.30pm-midnight; free; Modernista, opium trade boom. > Sat Sep 12, 8-9.30pm; RMB180 at the door, RMB150 presale; Room 219, 44 Baochao Hutong, oﬀ Gulou Dong > Mon Sep 21, 7.30pm; RMB50, Zhongliang Guangchang Building C, 8 Jianguomen Neidajie, Dongcheng 东城 Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街 RMB40 for members; The 区建国门内大街8号中粮广场C座219厅(185 0093 2991); reserve tickets at www. 宝钞胡同44号 (136 9142 5744) Bookworm, see Listings for details comedyclubchina.com

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Great Leap Brewing The World of Rice / Dinner beer launch Drink

TASTE

Hop-heads take note: Great Leap has launched two new beers, the Ordinary Bitter and the R. Schuster Pilsner. Both are available at all No need to pit chefs against each other Iron Chef-style when they can three locations across the city. We’d work together for the greater good. This month’s biggest culinary event is recommend trying the Ordinary ‘The World of Rice,’ a lavish six-course result of three top Beijing chefs put- Bitter (RMB35) at Great Leap No. 45, ting their minds, and cleavers, together. Alejandro Sanchez of Niajo, Omar Ugly Tomato Festival Festival where it will be served with a hand Maseroli of Mercante and Taka Yamamoto of Sake Manzo – Spanish, Italian pump, just how English bitters are and Japanese chefs respectively – will each present two rice-based dishes No supermarket wants to display traditionally served in the UK. from their own countries, and then pair them with wine. That’s six glasses of ugly tomatoes. That’s about to The R. Schüster Pilsner (RMB30) wine, people. So for under RMB500, that’s a pretty sweet deal. change – Traitor Zhou’s is giving is a tribute to Qingdao’s first brew- > Thu Sep 24; RMB498 per person; Niajo Spanish Restaurant, Nali Patio 3rd lumpy tomatoes some love with master. Great Leap is honoring him ﬂoor, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号西班牙餐厅那里花园三层; its ugly tomato festival, and res- with all-German hops and a classic to reserve email [email protected] or call (5208 6052) taurants around the city, including German pilsner style. Still, it’s richer Jing-A Taproom, The Taco Bar and than your standard pilsner – the Sake Manzo 10th Anniversary / Tasting TRB, are joining in and making perfect beer to take along with you special ugly-tomato dishes for the in your transition from summer to event. fall. > While supplies last; available at > All Great Leap Brewing locations, BBC, Chi, Fiume, Jing-A, Migas, see Listings for details Mosto, Nobu, Okra 1949, The Taco Bar, TRB, Velvet Verde and Traitor Jing-A Taproom One- Zhou’s Year Anniversary Party

Ramo Pizza Party Deals

They grow up so fast. Jing-A’s Beijing’s sake mecca, Sake Manzo, is hosting the biggest sake tasting in Taproom is one year old, and to Beijing to date. At its Sake Carnival, visitors can taste nearly 100 different celebrate, they’re throwing one kinds of sake, as well as speak with the owners and sommeliers of sake facto- Every Wednesday, Ramo is throw- hell of a party. In addition to lucky ries visiting from Japan. No sake knowledge? No problem. Experts will be on ing you a pizza party. The Fangjia draws and great deals on beer, the site to explain. Hutong favorite is offering buy-one- crew will be releasing their seasonal Later that night, owner Taka Yamamoto will have a bluefin tuna show. get-one pies for dinner, which is Über-Jing Oktoberfest Lager. This What’s that, you ask? That’s when the adorable and mild-mannered Taka will perfect for sharing… or not sharing. ain’t your mother’s lager, though – dissect a massive bluefin tuna on site. In addition to being a lesson on fish Up to you. Uber-Jing is beefed-up Vienna-style anatomy, it will also be a tasting – and a damn good one, if we know any- > 6-10pm; Wednesdays; Ramo, 64 lager with old-world German hops thing about Taka’s cooking. Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng 东城 clocking in at over 6 percent ABV. > Sat Sep 19; Sake Manzo, see Listings for details; Sake Carnival from 11am- 区安定门内大街方家胡同64号(8403 > Sat Sep 19; all day; Jing-A Taproom, 3pm, Blueﬁn Tuna Show from 6-10pm; RMB100 for presale tickets, RMB150 at 5004) see Listings for details the door; call (6436 1608) to reserve

66 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM Shang Xia Flying Chair / Exhibition Younger Generation Directors Screening Film

SEE

Join Là-Bas Bar as it celebrates its one-year anniversary with a weekend film party. The hutong hangout will screen four internationally acclaimed films from younger-generation directors, featuring Fish Tank by director Andrea Arnold and Central Station by Walter Salles. Fish Tank is a gritty portrayal of an East London council estate family, starring a pre- China Open 2015 X-Men Michael Fassbender, and the Sports film won the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Central Station Break out your best whites, baby, is a critically acclaimed Brazilian- ‘cause it’s China Open time. While French drama set in Brazil that tells China’s tennis darling Li Na may the story of an unlikely friendship have retired into domesticated bliss, between a young boy and a jaded the China Open is still a must-see middle-aged woman. Reserve seats for quality tennis and a day on court > Sun Sep 6, 2-6pm and 7.30- during the brilliant but brief Beijing 11.30pm; each session RMB30; Là- autumn. Don’t miss out as Novak Bas Bar, 34 Jiaodaokou Beisantiao, Djokovic, currently ranked world no. Dongcheng 东城区交道口北三条34 1 in men’s singles, goes for his sixth 号; reserve seats via chalﬀy@163. China Open title. com. > Sep 27-Oct 11; National Tennis Center, 2 Lincui Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区林萃路2号; buy tickets at Shooting with Lights www.4007076666.com/index.asp Theater

40 Artists at Play Art

Shang Xia’s Flying Chair exhibition lands in Beijing for one week this month. What’s a flying chair, you ask? The exhibition showcases the Shang Xia’s Da Idle Motion welcomes you to the Tian Di collection of modern furniture, which is inspired by traditional Ming life of Gerda Taro, a young German chairs. refugee turned trailblazing pho- Shang Xia are experts at fusing past and present elements of Chinese cul- tographer, via autobiographical ture to produce contemporary furniture with a distinct Eastern style. The Da snapshots in this innovative and Tian Di collection is a modern response to the oriental philosophy of unity be- evocative show. tween man and heaven. It’s Ming-style furniture with a fresh twist: subverting By combining live stagecraft Artists at Play features a group of the traditional round exterior/square interior motif into a square exterior/ with cutting-edge video projection, artists exploring the lighter side of round interior, and adding more modern lines. London theater group Idle Motion life, with De Sarthe Beijing as their A highlight is the Carbon Fiber Chair – its design streamlines key features will tell the story of Taro, from playground. The installations are of Ming Dynasty furniture and re-imagines them into one minimalistic mas- her beginning photographing the at once colorful, contemporary and terpiece. The design is subtler than its counterpart and lighter. Its carbon fiber Spanish Civil War to her relation- questioning, ranging from Zhou body can withstand 200kg of pressure, yet the chair itself weighs only a fifth ship with iconic war photographer Wendou’s neon basketball hoops of the wooden version. Robert Capa, the man behind the to Wang Guofeng’s photograph of Da Tian Di brings beauty and tradition into the 21st Century. As Jiang famous saying: “If your pictures North Korea’s Wuyi stadium, with Qiong Er, CEO and Artistic Director of Shang Xia says: “Contemporary design aren’t good enough, you aren’t the ultimate question being: ‘Why inject[s] new life into traditional culture, so that it can percolate into our lives close enough.” so serious?’ Why, indeed. today and find new use.” It combines the best of both worlds – the elegance > Sept 8-12; RMB180-300; Multi- > Tue-Sun through Oct 16, 10.30am- of the past with the innovative techniques and materials of today – to create functional Theater of NCPA, West of 6.30pm; free; De Sarthe Beijing, 328 beautiful, refined pieces. Tiananmen Square, inside the east D Caochangdi, Chaoyang 朝阳区草场 > Sep 9-15, 10am-9pm; China World Mall Zone 1 Atrium, 1 Jianguomen Wai of NCPA国家大剧院小剧场; to book, 地艺术区328-D Dajie 国贸商城, 中国国际贸易中心 email [email protected]

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 67

Happy hours Meal deals WEEKLY SPECIALS Brunch Ladies' nights Food and Drink

Bottega

Who says Mondays have to suck? And who says summer is over? Bottega’s Monday Summer Deal will rock all the way through September. Every Monday, pop into the Italian pizzeria for half-priced calzones and half-priced Stella Artois drafts. If you’re unfamiliar with Bottega, and you like pizza (and you obvi- ously do, because what kind of freak doesn’t), then check it out. The brothers behind Bottega take their pizza seriously, and we mean really seriously – they’re descended from a line of professional pizza mak- ers in Naples, the epicenter of Italian pizza-making. Take a bite, and it shows. This ain’t no greasy New York-style pie. Still, there’s more to Bottega than pizza. There are fresh Italian salads, delightful antipasti plates and, of course, the calzones. We recommend the double-layered calzone di salame (RMB88), which we described as “one of the best pairings of dough and cheese we’ve tasted in Beijing” in our initial restaurant review. Since then, we’ve tasted about a billion other dough-and-cheese pairings – but yeah, we still stand by that. > Daily, 6pm-midnight; 18 Sanlitun Beilu (down the alley opposite Page One), Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北路18号 (6416 1752)

MONDAY to FRIDAY

MONDAY Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11 Pebbles Mosaic 号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6140 5230) Just RMB10 per taco – order as many as Buy-one-get-one-free pizza every Mai Bar you want. Wednesday lunchtime at Mosaic. Buy two cocktails, get one free. Agua > Midday to midnight; 74 Wudaoying > Daily 12pm-2am; 32 S. Sanlitun St > 40 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 东城区 Agua’s new set lunch menu is RMB118/ Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区五道营胡同74 (Behind/North of Yashow Silk Market), 北锣鼓巷40号 (138 1125 2641) person for three courses. 号 (8404 0767) Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南32号楼临街店 > RMB118/person, Mon-Fri, 12pm- TUESDAY TO FRIDAY (137 1883 7065) MONDAY TO THURSDAY 2:30pm, Agua, 4/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北路81号那 S.T.A.Y Restaurant Xian XIU 里花园4楼D308号 (5208 6188 ) Three courses including coffee and tea Whiskey night, discounts on special Buy-one-get-one-free on selected drinks, for RMB388/person with 15 percent selected whiskeys. 6-9pm. Greyhound Café service charge, 11.30am-2.30pm. > All night, 1/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, > 6/F, Park Hyatt Beijing, 2 Jianwai Dajie, Only RMB28 for a Tsingtao or Bud, and > Level 1, Valley Wing, Shangri-La Hotel, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路22号1层 (8414 Chaoyang 北京柏悦酒店, 朝阳区建国门外 RMB38 for a mojito or dry martini, 5-7pm. 29 Zizhuyuan Lu, Haidian 海淀区紫竹院路 9810) 大街2号6楼 (8567 1108) > Greyhound Cafe (see listings for 29号香格里拉酒店1层 (6841 2211-6727) details) MONDAY TO FRIDAY THURSDAY Village Café WEDNESDAY One East Set Lunch, RMB98+15% (3 courses), Great Leap Brewing Domain Two-course set lunch: RMB118/ per RMB88+15% (2 courses) All day Wednesday, one select beer at Happy Burger’s Day, 2 for 1 Burger person, 12:00-2:30pm. > 11.30am-2.30pm, Bldg 1, The Opposite RMB25. promotion. 2/F, Hilton Beijing, 1 Dong Fang Road, House, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳 > At Number 6 Courtyard branch, (see > 10.30am-2pm, 2/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, North Dong Sanhuan Road, Chaoyang 区三里屯路11号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6410 listings for details) Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路22号2层 (8414 朝阳区东三环北路东方路一号北京希尔顿 5210) 9830) 酒店2层 5865 5030 Mao Mao Chong Cocktails RMB35, 7-11pm. Opus Terrace Great Leap Brewing MONDAY TO SATURDAY > 12 Banchang Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nan Ladies enjoy free cocktails; on Fridays, it’s 11.30am-2pm, free soft drink or juice Twilight Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区交道口南大街板 bachelors night, where chaps get 50 percent with any burger or salad or add RMB5 Mon-Sat before 8pm and all day Sun, 厂胡同12号 (6405 5718) off beer and burgers at the same times, 5-8pm. for a Pale Ale #6. RMB20 off cocktails. > Opus Bar & Terrace, 48 Liangmaqiao > At Xinzhong Lu branch only, (see > 0102, 3/F, Bldg 5, Jianwai SOHO, 39 Elements Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马桥路48号 Listings for details) Dongsanhuan Zhong Lu, Chaoyang 朝 Free mojitos, champagne and cosmos, (5695 8888) 阳区东三环39号建外SOHO5号3层0102室 9pm-1am. Hagaki (5900 5376) > 58 Gongti Xi Men, Chaoyang 朝阳区工 Set lunch, 11.30am-3pm, Bento style FRIDAY 体西门58号 (6551 2373) lunch set from RMB58 with no service Mesh charge. TUESDAY House Champagne buy 1 bottle get 1 5-10pm, Daiginjo Sake promotion, 4Corners Flamme Ladies get 15 percent off red wine. free. RMB550 / 150 Bottle / Carafe. Two-for-one steak all day. cheap shots and drink deals at 4Corners’ > Bldg 1, The Opposite House, 11 > 1/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳 > 3/F, S4-33 Sanlitun Taikooli, 19 Sanlitun weekly celebration of KTV. Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11 区酒仙桥路22号1层 8414 9815 Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯 > Dashibei Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6410 5220) 太古里南区3层S4-33 (6417 8608) 杯胡同7号 (6401 7797) Jing Yaa Tang Set lunch, RMB88/person, 4 for 3. > Bldg 1, The Opposite House, 11

68 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM CITY SCENES Diners at Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q’s 8th birthday proudly show off their spoils from the buffet

With everyone distracted by the food, woman attempts slightly-open-mouth DJ looks at other DJ DJing as crowd of DJ enthusiasts look on at DJ club selfie at the launch of Sofitel Wanda Beijing’s new a la carte dinner concept Dada’s third anniversary party

Ravers at The Syndicate experience severe allergic reaction to free t-shirts Hungry hipster mistakes vinyl for a plate of artisinal foie gras during Groove given to them just moments earlier Kitchen at Ramo

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 69

Expensive...... ¥ Expense Account ...... ¥¥ Highly Recommended ...... * LISTINGS Top Ten ...... ** Wu Li Xiang 屋里香 (Cantonese, Sichuan) OPEN DOOR RESTAURANT * Impressive views don’t detract from the The Hot One Hundred exquisitely presented cuisine of Chef Kam, About This guide represents our editors’ especially the dim sum. Swanky classics top 100 picks, and includes some That’s from all the main culinary regions of China, Beijing advertisers. Restaurants rated(*) including, of course, “Monk Jump Over the Wall” – braised pork in oyster sauce. have been personally reviewed by our > Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm; 2-3/F, Traders Upper experts, and scored according to the East Hotel, Beijing, 2 Dongsihuan Beilu, Chaoyang cuisine, experience and affordability. 朝阳区东四环北路2号北京上东盛贸饭店二三层 (5907 8406)

CHINESE Yipin 一品 (Huaiyang) * The Sofitel Beijing’s boutique Chinese res- Contemporary & Mixed Cuisine taurant, Yipin is a beautifully thought-out conflux of all that is elegant, traditional and 8 Qi Nian 祈年8号 (Cantonese/Sichuan) tasty. Huaiyang cuisine headlines the menu, The New World Hotel’s flagship restaurant so expect sweet and delicate and sweet has classic Chinese cuisine in abundance, flavors with impeccable presentation. as well as some vitality-restoring medicinal > Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza, 93 soups. (Their decent wine list is just as Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场C effective.) 座索菲特酒店 (8599 6666) > Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:15pm, 5:30-9:30pm, Sat/Sun 12-2:45pm, 5:30-9:30pm; 2/F, New World Hotel, 8 Peking Duck Qinian Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区祈年大街8号新世界酒店2层 (5960 8822) Da Dong 大董 Among the city’s most famous haunts, Da Bellagio 鹿港小镇 (Taiwanese) Dong guarantees slick cuts of Beijing-style A favorite among the city’s hip and young, roast duck and delectable wrap fillings. The this swanky Taiwanese restaurant chain is venue’s a class act and the plum sauce is the place for mountainous shaved ice des- hard to follow. serts and creamy bubble teas. > Daily 11am-10pm; 22 Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng > 11am-11pm; 6 Gongti Xilu Chaoyang 工体西路6 东城区东四十条甲22号 (5169 0328); see www.dadon- 号 (6551 3533) see www.bellagiocafe.com.cn for gdadong.com for more locations more locations Duck de Chine 全鸭季 ¥ * Din Tai Fung 鼎泰丰 ¥ (Taiwanese) Good duck is meant to show your guests This Taipei-based franchise impressed Ken how wonderful you are, as much as the Hom enough to call it one of the best 10 food. Duck De Chine does that in spades, eateries in the world, back in 1993. Famous with fantastic presentation of its crispy, for its dependably delicious xiaolongbao succulent duck (RMB188). or little steam buns. Book ahead, there’s > Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm; Courtyard 4, always a long wait. 1949 The Hidden City, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝 > Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5-10pm, weekends 阳区工体北路4号院 (6501 8881) > 98 Jinbao Jie, 11.30am-10pm; 24 Middle Street, Xinyuanxili, Dongcheng 东城区金宝街98号 (6521 2221) Chaoyang 朝阳区新源西里中街24号 (近渔阳饭店) (6462 4502) > Additional branches in Shin Kong Shanghai Place; Parkview Green; Grand Pacific Mall Xidan; Modern Plaza Zhongguancun; see www.dintaifung. Shanghai Min 小南国 com.cn for details Many swear this chain has the best Shanghai-style hongshaorou north of the The Horizon 海天阁 (Cantonese Beijing Yangtze. The jury’s out, but its popularity Duck) ** remains. Kerry Hotel’s Chinese restaurant has > 0505, 5/F Raffles City Mall, 1 Dongzhimen Nan widened its predominantly Cantonese Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区东直门南大街1号来福士 and Sichuan horizons to include dim sum, 购物中心5楼0505号铺 (400 820 9777)> Additional double-boiled soups and Peking duck – and branches in Financial Street; Jinbao Jie; Oriental the roast bird here really is fabulous. Plaza; Sanlitun Soho; Xinyuan Nan Lu (see www. > Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5:30pm-10pm 1/F, Beijing online.thatsmags.com for details) Kerry Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华路 1号嘉里中心1层 (8565 2188) Wang Jia Sha 王家沙 Modern Shanghai cuisine – popular with No 16 Courtyard 后海16号 (Beijing) Hong Kong celebrities – famed for its crab- meat dumplings. Try the spiced-salt ribs (RMB62) for a bit of Adam action. > Daily, S1-30a Taikoo Li Sanlitun (on the third floor of i.t shop) 朝阳区三里屯路19号院太古里1号楼3层 S1-30a号商铺 (6416 3469) Sichuan/Hunan

Chuan Ban 川办 * This bright, modestly decorated dining hall is frequently cited as Beijing’s best Sichuan restaurant. MALACCA LEGEND > Mon-Fri 7-9am, 10.50am-2pm, 4.50-9.30pm; Sat- Sun 7am-10pm; 5 Gongyuan Toutiao, Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区建国门内贡院头条5号 (6512 Lassa Good Times 2277, ext. 6101)

There aren’t many places worth traveling from downtown to Shunyi for, but Karaiya Spice House 辣屋 * Bold and fiery Hunan cuisine in the most Malacca Legend is one of them. The Malaysian-food mecca serves everything Houhai No. 16 is a courtyard restaurant in serene of restaurant interiors. Don’t miss Houhai, specializes in dishes once served from spicy curries to frothy lassas to steaming pots of noodles. We love the the dry roasted duck with a dozen spices for the government in the imperial times, and stir fried bullfrog with shiso leaves and yellow curry brown crab (at RMB288, it’s worth the splurge) and prawn noodle with customizable menus. ginger. Peanut milk is there to soothe the soup (RMB58), as well as the bat kut teh (Malaysian-style pork ribs, RMB68). ¥380/person (without drinks)Open: palate: you’ll need it. 11.30am-9pm But there’s more to Malacca than the dishes – there’s high-quality service > Daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm; 3/F, Sanlitun > D4, Dajin Hutong. Xicheng District, 西城区后海 Taikoo Li South, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯太古里19号 in a supremely comfortable atmosphere. We’d recommend spending Beijing’s 大金丝胡同4号 010-83226461,13716551797 www. 院南区三层S9-30 (6415 3535) houhai16.com mild September on their lake-view terrace, maybe over a lassa. Malacca Legend Jing Yaa Tang 京雅堂 (Chinese, Peking South Memory 望湘园 is offering their Malyasian lassas as part of a new afternoon tea special from Duck) This restaurant chain is the Hunan staple 2:30-5:30pm, accompanied by small plates of the new pumpkin cheese balls in the capital. The trademark shilixiang Resembling something between a night- niurou (fragrant beef), duojiao shuangse (RMB30) and vegetable crystal bags (RMB30). club and a theater, the Opposite House’s yutou (dual-colour spiced fish head) and “I want to make Malaysian food as famous in China as Thai and Vietnamese basement restaurant proves to be more meltingly tender frog dishes are among the than just style over substance with their food is,” says head chef Joseph Yep. favorites with locals. range of expertly prepared classic dishes. > Daily 11am-10pm; 2/F, 230-232, Fenglian Plaza, 18 Seems like he’s well on his way. > Daily 12-10:30pm, B1/F, The Opposite House, Chaoyangmen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝外大街 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11号院1号 > Malacca Legend, see Listings for details 18号丰联广场2楼230-232号 (6588 1797); see www. 楼瑜舍酒B1楼 (6410 5230) southmemory.com for more locations

70 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM LISTINGS

Yuxiang Renjia 渝乡人家 RMB10) wrapped in a larger yuanbao The menu here is old-fashioned and silver-ingot shape, with creative vegetarian OPEN DOOR reliably good. The lazi ji is crispy but not options and authentic Sichuan food. too greasy, the pepper-sauce noodle, with > Daily 11am-10pm; north of 6 Maizidian Jie, spinach, is filling and refreshing. Assorted Chaoyang 朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧 (6586 4967) confections are guaranteed to comfort numbed-and-burned tongues, too. Mr Shi’s Dumplings 老石饺子馆 > Daily 11am-2pm, 5-9pm 5/F, Lianhe Dasha (Union Since recieving a Lonely Planet recommen- Plaza), 20 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳 dation the prices have risen and the walls 区朝阳门外大街20号联合大厦五层 (6588 3841) see are covered in backpackers’ scribbles, but www.yuxiangrenjia.com for other locations the fantastic dumplings – boiled and fried – are still fantastic. Yu Xin 渝信川菜 > 74 Baochao Hutong, Gulou Dong Dajie, Open since 1993, Yu Xin’s authentic Sichuan Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街宝钞胡同74号 (8405 dishes have earned a loyal fanbase. Their 0399, 131 6100 3826) liangfen – a jelly-like substance cut into chunky strips and dressed in an addictive Hot Pot spicy sauce – hits the spot. The rustic, intimate setting of bamboo cubicles and swift, Ding Ding Xiang 鼎鼎香 * friendly service complete the experience. Classier than most hotpot joints, Ding Ding > Daily 11am-10pm; 5A Xingfu Yicun Xili, Chaoyang Xiang features a spacious dining room of 朝阳区幸福一村西里甲5号 see www.yuxin1997.com sweaty-faced patrons enjoying high-grade for other locations. huoguo in their own individual pot. The delicious sesame sauce (the recipe is a closely Transit 渡金湖 ¥¥ ** guarded secret) is a Beijing classic. Sichuan is known for its blazing spices and > Daily 11am-10pm; 2/F, Yuanjia International its equally hot girls. While the latter are up Apartments, Dongzhimenwai, Dongzhong Jie (oppo- to you, the creative minds at Transit have site East Gate Plaza), Dongcheng 东城区东直门外东 LI HOLLY BY PHOTOS made some fiery additions to the classical, 中街东环广场对面元嘉国际公寓2层 (6417 9289, see chili-thumping canon, and they will charge www.dingdingxiang.com.cn for other locations) you for that knowledge. But unlike many BRASSERIE FLO Haidilao 海底捞火锅 * equally expensive joints, this is high-end Hotpot in China is like religion; everyone’s Chinese dining at its best. got their own brand. Either way, the raw > Daily 12-2.30pm, 6 -10pm; N4-36, Sanlitun Taikoo Li Cuisine Par Excellence North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11 meats and vegetables, cooked communally, 号三里屯太古里北区N4-36号 (6417 9090) is divine, and the outstanding customer service makes Haidilao a fitting church Beijing may not have its first Michelin star (yet) but that doesn’t mean that Yunnan > Daily, 24 hrs; 2A Baijiazhuang Lu (beside No. 80 you can’t enjoy Michelin quality food, thanks to a long-standing relationship Middle School), Chaoyang 朝阳区白家庄路甲2号 ( between Brasserie Flo and one of France’s top chefs Daniel Chambon (from the Dali Courtyard 大里院子 * 八十中学西侧) (6595 2982, see http:www.haidilao- If you like authentic Yunnanese food, you’ll huoguo.com for other locations) celebrated Le Pont De L’ouysse in southwest France). Because not only does have to trust the staff: there’s no menu, it Regional Chambon design dishes for the one of the capital’s fine dining institution, he all just arrives in an intimate courtyard set- also makes regular trips to Beijing to ensure that the quality is up to his (incred- ting. The price (RMB120/person) matches Crescent Moon (Xinjiang) * the rustic ingredients. Roast mutton enthusiasts go over the ibly high) standards. > Daily 12-2pm, 6-10.30pm; Gulou Dong Dajie, 67 moon at this reputable Xinjiang Muslim Having tried some highlights from the chef’s latest menu, we can attest that Xiaojingchang Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街小经厂胡同67号 (8404 1430) restaurant. Eastern European and Central they live up to the billing. We start with the foie gras terrine with muscat jelly Asian influences are evident throughout, and fig brioche (RMB138), the complex flavors perfectly offset by sweet apple Hani Gejiu 哈尼个旧 ¥ with peppery and cumin-spiced dishes Somthing about Gulou makes it the perfect livening up traditional Chinese favorites. chutney. For main course, we recommend the divine black truffle and pork district for Yunnan food, and this little gem > Daily 10am-11:30pm; 16 Dongsi Liutiao, crepinette (RMB198), which is topped with seared foie gras and brought to life is up their with the best. Contender for Dongcheng 东四六条16号 (6400-5281) friendliest service in town. with a rich Perigourdine sauce. Bon appetite! Da Gui (Guizhou) > Mon-Sat 11am-10pm; 46 Zhonglouwan Hutong, > Daily, 11am-midnight; 18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区霄云路18号 (6595 Dongcheng 东城区钟楼弯胡同46号 (6401 3318) Guizhou’s famed hot-and-sour cuisine nestled into a charming traditional alleyway. 5135) Lost Heaven 花马天堂 (Yunnan, SE Asian) Munch happily into pickled greens and don’t miss the salty-sweet deep-fried black sesame balls. They’re sensational. > Daily 10am-2pm, 5-10pm; 69 Daxing Hutong, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng 东城区交道口大兴胡同69 号 (6407 1800)

Makye Ame (Tibetan) Determined to prove that Tibetan cuisine consists of more than just yak-butter tea, the Beijing branch of this nationwide chain serves up nomadic classics such as curried potatoes and roast lamb. > Daily 10-midnight; 11A Xiushui Nanjie, Jianguomenwai, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外秀水南街甲11号 (6506 9616)

ShiChengJi Shaobing 实诚吉烧饼 If ever a food were able to alleviate life’s difficulties – however temporarily – then this is surely it. In one bite, these beef shaobing will remind you exactly why you first An emphasis on Yunnan characterizes this chose to live in Beijing. They’re that good. menu’s fresh journey through the SE Asia Queues of locals are testament. passage, with a grandiose yet dark teak > Daily 7am-7pm; 43 Dongsi Liutiao, Dongcheng 东 interior. 城区东四六条43号 (186 1029 5038) LI HOLLY BY PHOTOS > Daily noon-2pm, 5pm-10.30 (bar open till 1am). Ch’ien Men 23, 23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng Xinjiang Red Rose (Xinjiang) * 东城区前门东大街23号(8516 2698) One of Beijing’s most famous Xinjiang RUMI restaurant, Red Rose serves some of the Middle 8th Restaurant 中八楼 * tenderest lamb skewers around, matched Hip and slightly swanky, without being pre- by enormous servings of classics like da- License to Grill tentious, this is a celebration of all things panji (a chicken, potato and pepper stew), ‘south of the clouds’ – so try crisp-fried latiaozi (noodles with a spicy tomato sauce) worms, or “crossing-the-bridge” noodles, and nang (baked flatbrea). Rumi’s authentic take on Persian cuisine is the gift that keeps on giving. A beef jerky-style yak meat and fresh, wild > Daily 10.30am-11pm; Inside 7 Xingfuyicun, oppo- range of new menu items has just been launched and we are pleased to report herbs galore. site Workers’ Stadium North Gate, Chaoyang 朝阳区 > The Place Branch: Daily 11am-11pm, L404A, South 工人体育场北门对面幸福一村7巷内 (6415 5741) that they include some absolute delights (of the Iranian, not Turkish variety). Tower, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝 Fresh from the grill we enjoy the spicy chicken kebab (RMB86), which features 阳区光化路9号世贸天阶南楼L404A (6587 1431) > WESTERN Additional venues in Sanlitun; Taikoo Li Mall; Indigo some of the tenderest boneless chicken to be found this side of Sanlitun. But Mall (see www.middle8th.com for details) Fine Dining the real highlight is the bademjan kebab (RMB80), which sees fleshy eggplant Yun’er Small Town 云洱小镇 Aria ¥¥ (European) * served alongside chunks of minced beef and – like all of Rumi’s best meat Folksy and affordable Yunnanese fare on A gold standard of opulence and, at dishes – rice and juicy grilled tomato. Beiluoguxiang. Fragrant dishes including RMB1,100 for the Wagyu beef and starters There are plenty of new meat-free dishes to show off the chefs’ subtler sides, the jasmine bulbs with scrambled eggs, around RMB150, the prices reflect that. lemongrass shrimp, and banana leaf In-house sommeliers help tailor your meal in particular the hearty falafel (RMB49), now served with a tahini sauce burst- wrapped bolete mushrooms will keep us perfectly. ing with fresh cilantro. But once again, the standout dish involves eggplant, crawling back. > Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-midnight; Sat-Sun > Daily 10am-11pm, 84 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 6-10pm; 2/F China World Hotel, 1 Jianguomenwai this time in the form of kashk-o-bademjan (RMB40) – a Persian classic that 东城区北锣鼓巷84号 (8404 2407) Waidajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街 (6505 sees the vegetable cooked, mixed with onion and seasoning, then topped with 2266 ext. 36) Dumplings yogurt. Barolo ¥¥ (Italian) * > Daily, 11.30am-midnight; 1-1 Gongti Beilu & East 3rd Ring Road (opposite Baoyuan Jiaoziwu 宝源饺子屋 Average Italian abounds in Beijing: not Zhaolong Hotel) 朝阳区工体北路甲1号兆龙饭店对面 (8454 3838, www.rumigrill. Famous for their rainbow of dyed dump- here, though. Quite the opposite, in fact, lings, Baoyuan have their jiaozi (six, under meaning Barolo is as well-regarded as the com)

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 71 LISTINGS

Piedmont wine it is named after. Grill 79 (Steak) 号 798艺术区D09-1 (5978 9067 / 13051771436); 4 menu evenings only (also delivers rotisserie > Mon-Sun 11.30am-2pm, 6pm-10pm. Ritz Carlton With views this good, Grill 79 would prob- China Central Mall Store (Hua Mao): China Central chicken via Uncle Otis). Hotel, China Central Place, 83A Jianguo Lu, ably make it onto the list even if the food Mall, Room L315, 81 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang朝阳 > Daily Mon-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 11am-10pm. Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路甲83号华贸中心丽思卡尔顿 was terrible. It’s something of a bonus then 区建国路81号L315 8588 7978 / 15652922791);5) First Floor, Lee World Building (opposite Frost Nails), 酒店内 (5908 8151) that the kitchen is superb, and supported Jianguomenwai DRC Store: Building 7-1-11, 1 Silk 57 Xingfucun Zhong Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村 Street, Chaoyang 朝阳区秀水街1号建国门外外交公中路 57号楼利世楼 (6416 5195, 6416 268, www. by one of the most extensive wine lists in 寓7-1-11 (8532 2633 / 18701092189) www.cafeflat- Brasserie Flo ¥¥ (French) * town. uncle-otis.com) Marble slabs, mosaic floors and brass white.com, [email protected], WeChat > Daily 6.30-10.30am, noon-2pm, 6-10pm. 79/F, username: Cafe-Flatwhite fittings establish the Parisian bona fides; China World Trade Center Phase 3, 1 Jianguomenwai Home Plate BBQ * dishes like snails (RMB78), oysters (RMB48 Scruffy looks and laid-back staff belie the Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸大酒店 Element Fresh (Contemporary Western) each) and steak tartare (RMB158) confirm. 79楼 (6505 2299 ext 6424) popularity of this entry-level brick-smoker The grandeur is matched only by the ser- Another import from Shanggers, this is barbecue joint, that blossoms in the vice, and the prices reflect the authenticity Missa (European) boutique salads-and-sandwich lunching, sunny months. Pulled-pork sandwiches of the experience. Whether it is the tender, imported cuts of with somewhat questionable price tags. are the favorites, followed by baby-back > Daily Mon-Fri 10am-11pm, Sat-Sun 7am-11pm. > Daily 11am-midnight; 18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang 朝 rib racks. Beer and bourbons are taken meat or the long list of expertly made and 833, Building 8, 19 Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, Sanlitun 阳区霄云路18号 (6595 5135) care of, too. creative cocktails going down your gullet, Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太古里南区 > Daily 11am-10pm. 35 Xiaoyun Lu courtyard you can’t really go wrong at this refined 8号楼833 (6417 1318) Capital M ¥ (Contemporary Western) ** relaxed lounge like restaurant. (20m north of Xiaoyun Lu intersection, first right), The Art Deco interior, swish staff and > Daily 6pm-late. 32-33, 3/F, Bldg 3, Sanlitun Taikoo Chaoyang District 朝阳区霄云路35号院过霄云路 breathtaking views over the archery towers Li North, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯太古里北区3号楼3 MODO Urban Deli (Contemporary 路口,往北走20米,到第一个路口右转(5128 5584) from Qianmen ensures the pinnacle of 层32-33 (137 1851 7917) Western) * Additional location in Sanlitun Nan Jie (see online. al-fresco dining, with world-class modern Yates Wine Lodge this is not. Unconven- thatsmags.com for details) European stylings and deliciously posh Mosto (European, South American) ¥ * tional and great fun, this compact eatery afternoon tea. A perpetually busy lunch and evening spot, was designed around an ever-changing se- NOLA thanks to chef Daniel Urdaneta’s skill for > Daily 11.30am-10.30pm. Floor 3, 2 Qianmen lection of fine wines. Serves up fresh tapas N’Orleans finds a dark-wood home in the Buxingjie, Dongcheng 东城区前门步行街2号3层 modernising South American-style dishes style food and original finger foods. leafy embassy area, with a jazz soundtrack, (6702 2727) like ceviche and risotto in his open kitchen. > Sun-Thu noon-10pm, Fri-Sat noon-10.30pm; 3/F, shrimp and grits, gumbo, fried chicken, > Sun-Thu noon-2.30pm, 6-10pm; Fri-Sat noon- Sanlitun Taikoo Li South (close to Element Fresh), 19 jambalaya and decent-enough po’boys – Héritage ¥¥ 2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. 3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太 yes’m. Excellent Cajun snacks, craft beers Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园3层 (5208 A French country-style chateau in the 古里南区3楼(近新元素) (6415 7207) and cocktail also make NOLA a popular heart of Beijing. A chef de cuisine with 6030) watering hole. Michelin star restaurant experience and an > Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat-Sun 10.30am-11pm. 11A Stuﬀ’d (Contemporary Western) MOKA Bros (Contemporary Western) * extensive wine cellar make this Sofitel Hotel Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区秀水南街11号 The concept of Stuff’d is to simply stuff Power bowls, salads and wraps are the kind restaurant one of the best French dining (8563 6215) one kind of food in another. From sausage of fare on offer at this trendy Nali Patio experiences in town. calzone pizzas (RMB68) to scotch eggs – it space, which also has a great selection of Tim’s Texas BBQ * > 6F Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza, all works. On-site micro brewery a bonus. cakes and pastries if you’re feeling more Who is Tim, you ask, and what’s his Texas 93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广 indulgent. BBQ doing in Beijing? Providing ya’ll home- 场C座索菲特酒店6层 (8599 6666) > Wed-Mon, 11:30am-2:45pm, 6-10pm, 9 Jianchang Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区箭厂胡同9号 (6407 6308) > Sanlitun: Sun-Thu 11am-10:30pm, Fri/Sat 11am- sick ‘Murricans with the best damn home- 11:30pm, B101b Nali Patio South, 81 Sanlitun Beilu style briskets, ribs and steaks – slow-cooked Mio ¥¥ VIC Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号B101B南楼 (5208 over a mesquite wood BBQ – this side of Glitzy Italian fare at the Four Seasons, with 6079) > Solana: Solana Lakeside Dining Street, 6 Not to be confused with the notorious the Rio Grande. Tex Mex and Margherita’s a mobile Bellini cart, wheeled straight Chaoyang Park Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区湖畔美食街 recommended. nightclub of the same name, this VIC is 朝阳公园路6号院蓝色港湾 (5905 6259) to your table. Chef Marco Calenzo crafts > Daily 9am-midnight; Silk#2 Building, 14 a superb squash tortellini by hand, and the Sofitel Beijing’s casual dining restaurant. All the major world cuisines are in Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路14号秀水 pampers diners with desserts like the Ricci 2号院 (6591 9161) deconstructed tiramisu. attendance here – make you pay special Named after a 17th century Italian Jesuit attentions to the French-inspired breads >Daily, lunch 11:30am - 2:30pm, dinner 5:30pm (duh), this creative café has a funky, kooky- Union Bar and Grill -10:30pm Four Seasons Hotel, 48 Liangmaqiao Lu, and pastries – as is the customary Sunday meets-organic vibe and serves up some of champagne brunch. The definitive US-style diner in Beijing, Chaoyang, 北京四季酒店亮马桥路48号, 朝阳区 the best casual western food in town, and Union’s extensive menu – from eggs (5695 8888) > Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza, 93 a great brunch at the Wudaokou location Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场C Benedict to baby back ribs – covers all (Chaoyang branch closed weekends). bases and hours, served by friendly staff. S.T.A.Y. ¥¥ (French) 座索菲特酒店6层 (8599 6666) > 1/F, Building D, Tsinghua Science Park, 1 The warm atmosphere tempts many to Luxury dining with three-Michelin-starred Zhongguancun Donglu, Haidian 海淀区中关村东路1 stay all day. chef, Alléno Yannick’s, back-to-basics Yi House (Contemporary Western) 号院清华科技园D座1楼 8215 8826 ) Nestled in the confines of 798, Yi’s great > Mon-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat/Sun 11am-midnight; S6- kitchen concept, which includes a mouth- 31, 3/F, Bldg 6, Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, 19 Sanlitun watering ‘pastry library’. Classic dishes tasting brunch is bettered only by their The Rug (Contemporary Western, wide range of cocktails. Sundays offer jazz Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太古里南区 usually include dishes such as steak, foie Organic) * 6号楼3层S6-31 (6415 9117) gras, rack of lamb, plus a spit roast and grill brunches with lobster and champagne. With ingredients supplied by local organic for international standard fine-dining. > Daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-12am; 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, 798 farms like Dahe and De Run Wu, and an Yishu Qu, No.1 706 Houjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥 The Woods * > Daily 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-10pm; Sundays 路2号院798艺术区706后街1号 (6436 1818) emphasis on sustainability, this café’s wide New York native-owned, Manhattan-style 11am- 4pm. Shangri La, Valley Wing, Level 1, 29 ranging menu has something for everyone, restaurant, tucked in amongst the skyscrap- Zizhuyuan Road, Haidian 海淀区紫竹院路29号北京香 Café/Deli/Sandwich especially green types, bored foreign moms ers of CBD: you can’t get more Big Apple 格里拉饭店 (6841 2211, Ext. 6727) and freelance Macbook types. than that. > Mon-Fri 7.30am-10:30pm, Sat/Sun 9:30am- > Daily 12pm-10pm, Central Park Tower 1, Suite 101, Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) ¥¥ Beiluo Bread Bar (Café) This local hipster café favorite offers in- 10:30pm; Bldg 4, Lishui Jiayuan, Chaoyang No. 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝外大街6号 (Contemporary Western) ** Gongyuan Nanlu (opposite Chaoyang Park South house baked bread and sandwiches but 新城国际1号搂101 (6533 6380) Setting is everything here, especially if Gate), Chaoyang 朝阳区朝阳公园南路丽水嘉园4 we usually go for the hand-pulled noodles. it’s fashioned inside a restored Buddhist 号楼(朝阳公园南门对面) (8550 2722) > Additional Gets cozy at night. Burgers temple. The bold contemporary European location in Sanlitun Nan Jie (see online.thatsmags. > Tue-Sun 12-10pm. 70A Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng com for details) cuisine is fitting in majesty and the service 东城区北锣鼓巷甲70号(近南锣鼓巷)(8408 3069) Blue Frog alone is worthy of worship. This Shanghai hamburger franchise has > Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10pm; 23 Songzhusi Vineyard Cafe on the River (British) been keeping Americans in China obese Café Zarah (Café) * New Vineyard offshoot opposite of the Li- Temple, Shatan Beijie, Dongcheng 东城区沙滩北街嵩 A smart new interior and menu for this since it opened. Monday’s burger deal is 祝寺23号 (8400 2232) angma River. Menu features British classics always packed. longstanding cafe has propelled it from like fish & chips and bangers & mash. The hipster hangout to Gulou institution. Large, > Daily 10.00am-late. Sanlitun: Level 3, S2 Tower, Contemporary Western breezy terrace is primed for a pint of the S2-30 Taikoo Li, Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯 airy and with a terrace for summer, the only handcraft beer or a carafe of Pimms. downside is it’s always packed. 路太古里3层S2-30 (6417 4030) Additional branches Alﬁe’s ¥ (British) >Daily Tue-Fri 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-12am (kitchen in Jiuxianqiao and U-Town (see online.thatsmags. > Daily 9.30am-midnight 42 Gulou Dongdajie, What’s all this about, then? British gastro- closes at 10pm), Sat/Sun 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-12am; com for details) 东城区鼓楼东大街号 pub classics, (like pukker fish and chips, Dongcheng 42 (8403 9807) Liangmahe Nan Lu, west side of Xindong Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马河南路新东路西侧渔阳饭店对 Burger Bar RMB188), a swanky gentleman’s club Café Flatwhite interior, and located in a chic modern art 面 (8532 5335) Don’t be fooled by the American diner-style gallery-cum-mall. That’s what, mate. interior, Burger Bar’s pedigree of bap TRIBE * > Daily, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm, brunch served fillings include wagyu beef, foie gras and on weekends; Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu, Induction to this Tribe appears to involve truffles. Burger King this ain’t. Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路9号芳草地L1-22 (5662 spending somewhere in the region of > Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri/Sat 11:30am-mid- 8777) RMB100 on a kale salad and a freshly night, B2/F, Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Road pressed juice, while basking in the warm, Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路9号侨福芳草地大厦地下二 Caribeño (Latin) conceited glow that comes from knowing 层 ( 5690 7000) Heavy Cuban influence, but there are dishes that you are Eating Well. Salads, wraps and from all over the Latin continent here. The sandwiches, and noodle and grain bowls Chef Too ¥ Ropa Vieja (shredded beef on potato) is are as tasty as they are holistic. With its crisp white tablecloths and service, excellent – as are the Mojitos. > Daily 8am-10.30pm, 1/F, Building 3, China View this upscale New York diner serves up some > Daily 11:30am-9:30pm, 1/F, China Overseas Plaza, Plaza, 2A Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工 of the classiest burgers in town. 8 Guanghua Dongli, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华东里8号中体东路甲2号中国红街大厦3号楼1层大厅入口南侧 > Tue-Fri 11am-1pm; Sat-Sun 9.30am-3pm; Tue-Sat 海广场北楼1层 (5977 2789) 8587 1899 5.30pm-10pm. Opposite the West gate, Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝阳公园西门 (6591 8676) Chi (Organic, Fusion) Wagas (Contemporary Western) Hutong set-menu dining par-excellence, Quality eats with minimal pretension. This Steak with organic ingredients all locally sourced. stylish, no-fuss Shanghai rival to Element From the owners of neighboring Saffron. Hailing from New Zealand, Café Flatwhite Fresh offers some of the best and most 29 Grill (Contemporary Western) * > Daily, opens 10:30am, last order 9:30pm, 67 uses fresh and healthy ingredients in its affordable Western lunch options in town. Top-notch steak, along with just about eve- Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区五道营胡同 tasty selection of sandwiches, pizzas, salads The zesty carrot-and-zucchini cake is a ry other cut of meat found in the barnyard 67号 (6445 7076) and brunch options, all served alongside crowd pleaser. in this well-priced meat-eaters’ mecca. some of the best coffee in Beijing. > Daily 8am-10pm; S8-33, 3/F, Bldg 8, Taikoo Li > Mon-Fri lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm; Mon-Sat dinner: C Pearl (Oysters, Seafood) ¥ * > Open Daily, Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat-Sun 9am-9pm; South, 19 South Sanlitun Street, Chaoyang 朝阳区三 6-10.30pm (closed Sundays); Conrad Beijing, 2/F, 29 This slick oyster restaurant imports fresh 1 Sanlitun Soho Store: B1-239, Building 2, Sanlitun 里屯太古里南区三层 (6416-5829) > Additional loca- North Dongsanhuan, Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环北路9 shells from Canada, South Africa, France, SOHO, 8 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北 tions in The Kerry Centre, Raffles Mall Dongzhimen 号2层 (6584 6270)) USA and more – and they are well worth 路8号院, 三里屯SOHO, 2号楼B1-239 (5785 3762 (see www.online.thatsmags.com for details) the price. The fries are the best we’ve had / 15910944325); 2) 751 D-Park Store: No.4, 798 Morton’s of Chicago (American) ¥¥ * in Beijing, beer and wine selection also Dashanzi Art District, Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang American/BBQ/Grill Meat so tender the knife falls through it: excellent. 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798大山子艺术区751动力广 ritzy Morton’s deserves the worldwide > Tue-Sun 5.30pm-2am; 14-2, Bldg 14, Shunyuanli, 场 (6432 2798 / 13522120390);3) 798 Dashanzi The Big Smoke * praise. Expensive, but where else are you Xinyuan Jie, Yansha Qiao, Chaoyang 朝阳区燕莎桥新 Art District Store: D09-1, No.4, 798 Dashanzi Art Taking the Home Plate BBQ concept and going to get steak this good? (Try the 源街顺源里14号楼14-2号 (5724 5886) District, Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang朝阳区酒仙桥路4 upscaling was a gourmet masterstroke. Full RMB550 set menu if you want to save cash)

72 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM LISTINGS

> Mon-Sat 5:30-11pm, Sun 5-10:30pm; 2/F, Regent > Daily, 11:30am-10:30pm, N3-47, 3/F, Building 3, African/Middle Eastern branch in Sanlitun, see online.thatsmags.com for Hotel, 99 Jinbao Jie, Dongcheng 东城区金宝街99号 Taikoo Li North, 11 Sanlitun Street, Chaoyang 朝阳 details. 丽晶酒店二层 (6523 7777) 区三里屯路11号院太古里北区N3-37和 47商铺 (www. 1001 Nights gaiagroup.com.hk/isola-beijing, reservations@isola- There’s no missing this beast of a Middle Raj Steak Exchange Restaurant+Bar (Contem- beijing.com; 6416 3499) Eastern on the way into Sanlitun. The Tucked away in musty old building just un- porary Western) ¥¥ * whole Arabic dining package is on offer derneath the drum tower, this curryhouse Mercante ¥ * The bill is hopefully on the company kuai at here, from kebabs, to shisha to belly danc- may look Chinese but everything on the Old World family charm in an intimate this opulent eatery, where charcoal-grilled ing shows between courses. menu is authentic Indian, espcially the cuts of 250-day, grain-fed Australian Angus hutong setting. Time (and, occasionally, > Daily 11am-2am, 3-4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳 rather fine naan. start from around RMB428 and merrily service) slows with a rustic menu from Bo- 区工体北路3-4号 (6532 4050) > Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm, 31 Gulou Xidajie spiral. But the meat is unquestionably suc- logna offering an assortment of homemade Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼西大街31号 (6401 1675)) culent, and cooked exactly to order. pastas and seasonal mains. Biteapitta * > Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10.30pm. InterContinen- > Tue-Sun 6-10.30pm. 4 Fangzhuanchang Hutong, Enjoyed by vegetarians (hummus, falafel) South-East Asian tal Beijing Financial Street, 11 Jinrong Jie, Xicheng 西 Dongcheng 东城区方砖厂胡同4号 (8402 5098) and 58 kuai kebab-lovers alike, Biteapitta 城区金融街11号北京金融街洲际酒店 (5852 5921) has the Middle-East mid-range market all Nyonya Kitchen (Malaysian, Nyonya) Opera Bombana ¥ wrapped up in a fluffy pitta. This chain specializes in Nyonya style cook- Head chef Umberto Bombana boasts three ing – ostensibly Malaysian but with a mix Flamme (Contemporary Western) > Daily 11am-11pm, Second Floor, Tongli Studio, Michelin stars to his name, earned at his of Chinese, South-East Asian and European Expensive steaks are now invading Beijing. Sanlitun Houjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯后街同里2 wildly successful Hong Kong restaurant influences resulting in lots of bold flavors Flamme (pronounced ‘Flame,’ apparently) 层 (6467 2961) Otto e Mezzo. He’s the only Italian chef to and bright colors. remains top value, however, especially on do so outside of his native land, and cer- Cuju Moroccan Bistrot & Rummery * > CBD: EB105, B1/F, China World Mall Phase 2-4-1 Tuesdays, while bar staff maintain an tainly the only to have opened a restaurant 1, 1 Jianguomen Wai, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门 eclectic (and genuinely exciting) cocktail CuJu used to be a cozy little hutong sports in Beijing. bar with an incredible rum selection, but 外大街1号国贸商城一期地下一层EB105 (6505 menu. > Daily, 12pm-10:30pm; LG2-21 Parkview Green 0376) > Taiyanggong: Unit 10-11, 4/F, CapitaMall > Daily 11am-10.30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-11pm Fri- now it’s a cozy little Moroccan bistrot and Fangcaodi, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东大 rummery – so it still has an awesome rum Taiyanggong, Chaoyang 朝阳区凯德Mall太阳宫4层 Sat. S4-33, Third Floor, Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, 19 桥路9号侨福芳草地地下2层21号 (5690 7177) 10/11号 (8415 0863) www.nyonyakitchen.com Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太 selection. Badr’s Moroccan food might be 古里南区3层S4-33室 (6417 8608) > 269 Indigo Mall, Pizza the best in town. Malacca Legend Jixianqiao Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐堤 > 28 Xiguan Hutong, off Dongsibeidajie, Dongcheng 东城区细管胡同28号东四北大街 (6407 9782) Malaysian food with a view, this spacious 港商场269号 (8420 0270) Tube Station and airy restaurant sits on the banks of Shu- nyi’s Roma Lake, making a great spot for O’Steak Nowhere does gigantic toppen-laden pizza Mosaic Restaurant & Bar their beef rendang or green curry prawns. A well-cooked steak in Beijng isn’t all that quite like Beijing, and these guys claim to Promising “the best shawarmas and > Daily 11am-10pm; 6 Luodong Road, Luogezhuang rare anymore, and here we have affordable be the biggest in town. shishas in town”, Mosaic restaurant & bar > Sanlitun 3.3 Branch: Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat/Sun offers a range of great value delicacies and Village, Houshayu Town, Shunyi 顺义区后沙峪镇罗 but quality cuts. Don’t be fooled by the 各庄村罗各东路6号 (8049 8902, www.malaccaleg- 10am-11pm, delivery Mon-Thu 11:30am-10:30pm, cocktails, served up in a cozy setting with Irish sounding name, it’s an authentic Fri-Sun 11:30am-11pm 3/F, 3.3 Building, No. 33 end.com) French bistro – not a Guinness in sight. Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang 三里屯北街33号3.3服装 a friendly and personalized service. One > Daily midday-midnight, 55-7 Xingfucun Zhonglu, 大厦3层3008号 ( 5136 5571, delivery 8989 177) of few places in Beijing to offer genuine Cafe Sambal (Malaysian) Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村中路55-7 (8488 8250) > Additional branches in Gongti, Beida, Beitai, Arabic shishas (hookah), Mosaic is a hidden When it comes to Malay-style food in a Yayancun, Solana and Weigongcun, see www.on- Sanlitun gem. hutong, nowhere does it better. Admittedly, Mexican/Tex Mex line.thatsmags.com for details) > Daily 12pm-2am; 32 S. Sanlitun St (Behind/North it’s something of a niche category, but then of Yashow Silk Market), Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南32 so is the food on offer. The spicy Kapitan- 号楼临街店 (137 1883 7065) Cantina Agave (Tex-Mex) La Pizza style chicken is pricey, but worth it. Great selection of burritos, tacos and 80+ Among the upper echelons of Beijing Rumi (Middle Eastern) > Daily 11am-midnight. 43 Doufuchi Hutong (just imported tequilas. Spice up dishes with the pizzerias is this Sanlitun goldfish bowl east of Jiugulou Dajie), Xicheng 西城区豆腐池胡同43 walk-up salsa bar and don’t leave without a with a wood-fired oven and Neapolitan Worlds away from the filth of nearby dirty 号旧鼓楼大街往东走(6400 4875) bite of the custardy flan. manners. Further branches in Solana and Bar Street, Rumi dishes out plentiful help- >Sun-Thurs 11am to midnight. Fri–Sat 11am to 2am, pasta/salad/mains-buffet restaurant in ings of traditional Persian stews and tasty Flor de Loto S4-32 South Block, Sanlitun Taikoo Li, 19 Sanlitun Sanlitun 3.3 kebabs. Try the juicy Chicken Shish kebab, Sleek and chic Vietnamese restaurant – Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里太古里南区 > Sanlitun Branch: daily 10.30am-3pm, 6-11pm. 1/F, always draws a crowd. DIY fresh spring (6416 5212) the tastier cousin to cheap chuan’r. 3.3 Mall, 33 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路 > Daily 11.30am-12am, Gongti Beilu and Third Ring rolls are a highlight. Worth the ride to 33号3.3服装大厦西北角底商(5136 5582) > Solana Road, Chaoyang 工体北路和三环内,兆龙饭店对面 Korea-town. Taco Bar Branch: SA-48, 1/F, Bldg 3, Solana, 6 Chaoyang (8454 3838) > Daily 11am-10pm; 201, Europark Bldg A1(Cafe Rising from the ashes of its deceased Park Road, Choayang 朝阳公园西路6号,蓝色港 Bene Building) Guangshun Nandajie, Wangjing, hutong location, the new Taco Bar is hip, 湾3号1层, SA-48 ( 5905 6106) > SOHU Shangdu Pinotage ¥ (South African) * Chaoyang 朝阳区望京园610号楼悠乐汇A座 201室 popular and able to produce some of the Branch: SH1112, SOHO Shangdu, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, A seasonal blend of Dutch, English and (6477 7387) most authentic Mexican fare in town. Only Chaoyang District 朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都 regional African influences, this contem- SH1112号(5900 3112) > La Pizza Buffet: 4F, Sanlitun RMB45 for three and great cocktails to porary and stylish eatery has an impressive 4Corners (Vietnamese, Fusion) complement. 3.3 Mall, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯3.3服装大厦4层 The definitive hutong bar/restaurant? Chef (5136 5990) selection of fine import-quality meats, and > Tue-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-2.30am, Sun wines to match. The traditional borewor Jun Trinh took a break from his celebrity TV 11am-1am; 1/F, Unit 10, Electrical Research Institute, work to host this part-Vietnamese venue, Sanlitun Nan Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南路机电研 Spanish ground beer-sausage (RMB100) is tender and sweet, while the red-wine pork ten- serving up steaming bowls of pho with 究院内10号1层 (6501 6026) Agua ¥ * derloin makes the trip out to their Shunyi zesty, fresh rolls, as well as a great bar, with frequent live indie performances. Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar * (Korean- Occupying the high end of Nali’s Spanish branch worth it. invasion, Agua excels with reasonably > Dongmen Building, 12 Dongzhimen Wai, > Tue-Sun 11am-2am, 27 Dashibei Hutong (near Mexican fusion) Chaoyang 朝阳区东直门外大街12号东门下楼 (5785 west end of Yandai Xiejie), Xicheng 西城区大石碑胡 Tucked away near Gulou, this hip little priced classics like suckling pig, chorizo 同27号烟袋斜街西口附近) (6401 7797) and jamon. Winner of the 2014 Golden 3538) > Additional location in Shunyi (see online. hutong concept is truly one of a kind in thatsmags.com for details) Beijing. Quesadillas with kimchi and bibim- Fork Editors’ Pick for best restaurant. Greyhound Café (Modern Thai/Fusion) baps with melted cheese and hot sauce. > Daily Midday-2pm, 6pm-10pm. 4/F, Nali Patio, 81 Asian Greyhound Café originated in Bangkok of- Guess what? It works. Killer range of classic Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花 fering Thai food with a twist and served in 园 (5208 6188) Cali’ cocktails, too. Indian a fashionable surrounds. Perfect for Taikoo > Daily 11:30am-midnight (closed Mondays) 14 Migas ¥ * Li Sanlitun then. Zhangwang Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区旧鼓楼大街 The boys at Migas have turned a concept Indian Kitchen > Daily 11am-11pm, S1-30B, Building 1, Sanlitun 张旺胡同14号 (6405 4352) Road 19, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号1号楼 S1-30B bar into a thriving Mediterranean res- (6416 3439)> Additional branch in Shin Kong Place Italian taurant, bar and party venue, and one of (see online.thatsmags.com for details) summer’s rooftop destinations. Assaggi ¥ * > Daily 10am-3pm, 5pm- late. 6/F, Nali Patio, 81 Purple Haze (Thai) This fine Italian spot in the leafy embassy Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园 Given Beijing’s lack of white sand beaches 6层 (5208 6061) district has one of Beijing’s best terraces for and backpacker bars, Purple Haze has to make do for the best Thai experience in summer dining. The tagliata steak is worth Niajo ¥ * town. Has all the classics like veggie spring a return visit. With homely Mediterranean influences and > Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-11:30pm. 1 Sanlitun rolls (RMB40), papaya salad (RMB46) and a charming management, Niajo is prime Beixiaojie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北小街1号 (8454 curries (RMB44-180) – but our pick’s the Sanlitun smart-casual dining. Order the 4508) seafood pad Thai (RMB45). paella (their star dish) together with some > Daily 11am-11pm, 55 Xingfu Yicun, Chaoyang 朝 Bene ¥ * tapas and be automatically transported to 阳区幸福一村55号 (6413 0899) Chef Ricci will have you singing like a sopra- Spain (minus the constant sunshine). no with his pork ravioli and prize-winning > Daily 12.00am - 10.30pm. 3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Susu (Vietnamese) tiramisu. Excellent set menus (RMB588) and Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园 The first step is finding it. Follow that up 3层 (5208 6052) extensive wine selection. with a dreamlike renovated courtyard, ex- > Daily 11am-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm. Sheraton German tensive wine list and a listing of top-notch Beijing Dongcheng, 36 Northeast Third Ring Road, Vietnamese curries, banh mi sandwiches, Dongcheng District 东城区北三环东路36号(5798 The go to curry house among Beijing’s Drei Kronen 1308 * stews, soups and la Vong fish. 8995) homesick Indian community, this ever > Tue- Sun 11.30am-11pm; 10 Qianliang Hutong Authentic (in as much as any brauhaus with popular no-nonsense restaurant has built a Filipino cover band can be) displays of ar- Xixiang, Dongcheng 东城区钱粮胡同西巷10号 Cepe ¥ up a solid reputation thanks to its wide (8400 2699) In a city inundated with Italian offerings, mour and brewing kits draw regular even- range of quality dishes and particularly Cepe manages to stand out thanks to its ing crowds for the superb pork knuckle and friendly service. Looking good after a Japanese attention to the smallest detail – everything heavy-duty helles (pale lager), wheat and recent rennovation and very available on from the vinaigrette to the Parma ham is dark beer (brewed on-site). JinShiSong online delivery. Hatsune ¥ * (California Japanese) import quality, and the wine is superb. > Daily 11am-2am. 1/F, Bldg 5, China View, Gongti > Daily 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm, 2/F 2 Sanlitun As much a California roll joint as true > Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. The Ritz- Donglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体东路中国红街5号楼1 Beixiaojie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北小街2号2楼 Japanese, Hatsune is now an old favorite 层(6503 5555) Carlton Financial Street, 1 Jinchengfang Dongjie, (6462 7255 among the sake-swilling, sushi-swallowing Jinrong Jie, Xicheng 西城区金城坊东街1号北京金融街 set, though less so among sashimi purists. 丽思卡顿酒店大堂 (6601 6666) Paulaner Brauhaus Ganges The grand old man of Beijing brauhauses, > Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10pm 2/F, Heqiao Bldg Conveniently located above popular C, 8A Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华路甲8号 Isola Bar & Grill Paulaner delivers the Teutonic goods in the Irish sports bar Paddy O’Sheas, this solid 和乔大厦C座2层 (6581 3939) >Additional locations Isola’s elegant design, even by Taikoo Li hands of lederhosen-clad staff from the Indian curry house provides the perfect in Sanlitun Tai Koo Li South; Kerry Centre Mall (see North standards, is classic Italian panache – provinces. It can be pricey but is usually post-match culinary accompaniment. Or www.online.thatsmags.com for details) and so is the food. Beef carpaccio, burrata, worthwhile, especially during Oktoberfest. put another way: it’s what you’ll be craving Strozzapreti (handed twisted pasta) are > Daily 11am-1am. Kempinski Hotel, 50 Liangmaqiao after eight pints of beer. Inagiku * all fantastic, but just as good is a classic Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马桥路50号凯宾斯基饭店 > Daily 11am to 10.30pm; Dongzhimen Branch: 2nd This Beijing branch of one of Tokyo’s oldest Margherita pizza. (6465 3388 ext. 5732) Floor, 28 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳 and most celebrated restaurants is as near 区东直门外大街28号2层 (6417-0900) > Additional

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 73 LISTINGS

to perfection as you’re likely to find. Nido inspires a loyal following, particularly 北路36号朝阳剧场南侧 (6507 1107) Deceptively simple yet finely crafted, BARS in summer. The roast leg of mutton place the handmade Inaniwa udon (RMB80) next door is one of the best locally. The Irish Volunteer is not to be missed. TOP 40 BARS AND CLUBS > Daily 6pm-late, 59 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng Everything – from the red-faced owner to > Daily 11am-3pm, 6-10.30pm; Rm 315, 3/F, About This guide represents our District 东城区方家胡同50号(158 1038 2089) the grub – is authentically Irish: tinged with Park Life, Yintai Centre, 2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, alcoholism, doggerel and drunken regret. editors’ top 40 picks, and includes some Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街2号银泰中心悦生 Enoterra A good place to down a pint and a pizza 活3层315室 (8517 2838) That’s Beijing advertisers. Bars rated(*) Looking for an affordable glass of wine before heading into town, then. have been personally reviewed by our with that date? Look no further than Nali > Daily 9pm-2am. 311 Jiangtai Lu (opposite Lido Happy Sake (Japanese) experts, and scored according to the Patio’s wine center. Although the food Hotel East Gate), Chaoyang District 朝阳区将台路311 When it comes to sake, owner Taka cuisine, experience and affordability. leaves a bit to be desired, the selections are 号 (6438 5581) Yamamoto is an expert, responsible for vast, and if anything, you can enjoy a nice around 80 percent of all high-quality cheese plate with that tart glass of vino. Jane’s & Hooch ¥ * sake imported to China. His restau- Arrow Factory > Daily 10am-2am, 4/F Sanlutun Nali Patio, 81 Acclaimed by some foreign press as one rant is dedicated to food meant to be The newest craft beer taproom on the Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里屯路81号那 of the best bars in the world (cough), this enjoyed with sake. Stylish and relaxed, block, Arrow Factory is a rustic hideaway 里花园D405室 (5208 6076) not-so-plain Jane has been at the vanguard high-quality and affordable - Happi brimming with good Anglo-ScWEEandinavi- of the South Sanlitun gentrification. It Sake hits all the right notes. an vibes (courtesy of the brew-masters) and First Floor serves RMB60-80 measures of your favorite > Mon-Sat 6pm-2am, Sun 6pm-midnight; Jia 2, the brand’s distinctive Chinese brewed ales. First Floor is like that friend who’s too Prohibiotion-era hooches in a fanstastic Tuanjiehu Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区团结湖北路甲 A winning combination popular to properly enjoy their company. speakeasy atmosphere, with attentive staff 2号(6582 8216) > 38 Jianchang Hutong, Dongcheng District 东城区箭 At weekends, it gets aggressively full, with and unimpeachable cocktails. 厂胡同38号（6407 6308） regulars and the passing tourist trade all > Daily 8pm-2am, Courtyard 4 Gongti Beilu, 工体北路 Sake Manzo * baying at the bar. A good place to meet 4号院 ( 6503 2757) The barmen here are serious about 8-Bit new friends, perhaps. their sake. Boasting one of the best Drinking alongside multiplayer retro gam- // Daily, 4pm-late, Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang Jing-A Taproom ** stocked drinks cabinets in town with ing – why didn’t anyone do this sooner? District 朝阳区三里屯北小街 (6413 0587, first.floor- In just a few years, these guys developed over 60 different sakes on offer, this Megadrive, Super Nintendo, N64... some beijing.com) from shady guerrilla brewers to upstanding super-cool little eatery is the perfect real gems make up an ever-growing col- publicans with their own range of souvenir place to unwind after a hard day’s toil. lection. Draft Kirin goes for a reasonable Fubar T-shirts. Their bar is a peach: a bricks-and- The sashimi is fresh to the cut, and the RMB25 a glass. Slightly past its prime, this basement bar is mortar taproom, which is large, warm and beer-marinated chicken is out of this > Daily, 1pm-2am, 13 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 北 trying to rediscover the speakeasy pretence sociable, and has up to 16 different beers world. One of the very best and least 锣鼓巷13号 (159 1025 6538)) that made the place its name. Live lounge on tap. appreciated restaurants in town. music and a vast amount of pours are start- > Building B, 1949 The Hidden City, Courtyard 4, > Daily 6pm-midnight. 7A Tuanjiehu Beisantiao, BBC (Bottle, Boot & Cigar) ing to persuade people it’s succeeding. Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北路4号院 Chaoyang 朝阳区团结湖北三条甲7号(6436 1608) The brainchild of local spirits professional > 6pm-2am Sunday to Thursday, 6pm-4am Friday Douglas Williams, this bar provides the and Saturday. 8 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District, Maggie’s ¥ Hyoki ¥ (Japanese) discerning Beijing drinker with a peerless Workers’ Stadium East Gate 朝阳区工体北路8号工人 A notorious sausage fest (we refer, of Hidden away in the depths of the selection of liquor for sale, cocktails and 体育场东门内 (6593 8227) course, to the hot-dog stand outside), Sofitel Hotel, this labyrinthine Japanese coming soon, shoe shines, cigars and Maggie’s has been providing its special restaurant of all private dining rooms straight-razor shaves. Glen ¥ comforts for so long, it’s practically a time- has some stunning food, and is the > 1pm-late. 1 Taipingzhuang Nanli (At Xingfucun, Experiences can vary at Glen (we’ve honored Beijing brand – although it’s also a only place to sample traditional Japa- between Frost: Coffee, Nails & Cocktails and Commix endured poor service and drinks that are bastion of Mongolian culture. nese paper hot pot in Beijing. Bar), Chaoyang District 朝阳区太平庄南里1号 (1861 scandalous at the price), which is located in > Sun-Thur 8pm-4am, Fri-Sat 8pm-5am, Ritan Park > 6F Sofitel Wanda Beijing 100022 93 Jianguo 405 7407, www.bbcbeijing.com) a decidedly downbeat compound. But whis- South Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区日坛公园南 Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号索菲特万达 ky lovers have been known to swear by its 门 (8562 8142) 北京酒店6层 (6581 0072) The Brick selections and dark, intimate atmosphere. A Cheers-style atmosphere ensures you’ll See for yourself. Mai Bar * Sushi Yotsuba ** find this neighbourhood drinking hole-in- > 6.30pm-2am. 203, 2/F, Taiyue Suites Hotel Beijing, Understated hutong hideaway with a long It doesn’t come cheap (tasting menu the brick-wall faux dive bar either cliquey 16 Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区南三里屯 list of some of the best cocktails in town. RMB1,000), but what would you expect or inclusive. The heavy-duty cocktails 路16号泰悦豪庭2楼203室 (6591 1191) > Daily 5pm-late, 40 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 东城 from some of the best sushi in town? (including the devastatingly boozy RMB80 区北锣鼓巷40号 (6406 1871) Buttery and meaty fatty tuna sashimi is Terminator) are probably needed for the Glen Classic ¥ a cut above. bizarre Wednesday pub quiz. Tucked away in the grounds of Face hotel, > Dongcheng: Tue- Sun 11.30am-11pm. 10 Mao Mao Chong ** > Daily 4pm-late. Unit 2-11, Bldg 2, Tianzhi Jiaozi, 31 Glen Classic is a Japanese-owned whisky Qianliang Hutong Xixiang, Dongcheng 东城区 The cocktails at Mao’s – such as their Guangqu Lu (northeast corner of Shuangjing Qiao), bar where discerning drinkers can sink 钱粮胡同西巷10号 (8400 2699) > Lido branch: sublime ‘Mala’ Mule, a Sichuan peppercorn- Chaoyang District 朝阳区双井桥东北角广渠路31号院 into an arm-chair, glass in hand, and while 2F, No.9-3, Jiangtai Xilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区将台 infused vodka drink that’s a long way from 天之骄子2号楼底商2-11 (134 2616 6677) away the hours. Huge range of whiskies 西路9-3号2层 (8420 0998) Moscow – are unique infusions using and rums are personally selected by expert local ingredients and know-how. Grungey Capital Spirits owner Daiki Kanetaka – let him recommend without being grimey, Mao’s eschews flash Korean A team of non-China natives doing a baijiu you something special. while still keeping it real. And those pizzas. bar? Brave and, luckily, brilliant. Lovely > Mon-Sat, 7pm-2am, reservation required, Ai Jiang Shan > 12 Banchang Hutong, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng minimum spend RMB200, Face Hotel Courtyard, 26 This upscale seafood restaurant proves hutong setting, friendly owners and great District 东城区交道口南大街板厂胡同12号 (6405 5718, bottle collection. Dongcaoyuan, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工体南路东草 that chargrill and composure can go www.maomaochongbeijing.com) > Tue-Sun 8pm-late; 3 Da Ju Hutong, Dongcheng 东园26号 (6551 6788) together. Their RMB58 bibimbap lunch 城区大菊胡同3号 (010 6409 3319; www.capitalspirits. is an absolute bargain. Mesh ¥ com) Great Leap Brewing 大跃啤酒 ¥ * > Daily 11am-10pm, Sat and Sun until Whether it’s an early evening cocktail or a The bar that began the whole Beijing mi- 9.30pm. 5/F, LG Twin Towers (East Tower), late-night infusion, Mesh’s moody interior China Bar ¥¥ crobrewing frenzy (yes, frenzy) specializes 12 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳 and underground soundtrack draws the Top views from the 65th floor and flash in idiosyncratic, local-style brews (RMB25- 区建国门外大街乙12号双子座大厦东塔5层 bright young things (and on LGBT Thurs- drinks are the attractions on offer at this 40) with intriguing flavors – their Sichuan (51096036/6037) see online.thatsmags.com for days, quite a few old things, too). other locations hip hotel bar. peppercorn ale was memorably good. > Daily 5pm-1am. Building 1, 11 Sanlitun Lu, > Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am. 65/F, Park Reservations used to be recommended Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里屯路11号院1号楼 (6417 Hyatt, 2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝 Saveurs de Coree for their original hutong brewhouse, but 6688) This upmarket Korean bistro has 阳区建国门外大街2号柏悦酒店65层 (8567 1838/40) the opening of a wildly popular new pub undergone several changes in recent on Xinzhong Lu has shifted most drinkers CICADA Ultralounge ¥ Parlor years, not least its move away from there instead. Learn a few quotes from Gatsby before the hipper-than-thou confines of The latest – and perhaps only – ultralounge > Gulou: 5pm-late, Tue-Fri, 2pm-late Sat-Sun 2-10pm, in Beijing is fast becoming one of Sanlitun’s heading to this 20s Shanghai-style speak- Nanluoguxiang. Fortunately, the menu 6 DouJiao Hutong, Dongcheng District 东城区豆角 easy and you’ll fit right in. trendiest bars. A Shanghai style lounge 胡同6号 (5717 1399) >Sanlitun: Daily 11:30am-2pm; remains largely intact. The Shin Ramyun > Daily 6pm-2am, 39-8 Xingfuercun, Chaoyang 朝阳区 bar with mixology credentials, the Whisky Sun-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri /Sat 5pm-1am, B12 is among the best in Beijing, while the 新东路幸福二村39-8 (8444 4135) Wagyu barbecued beef is almost too Sours and Smoky Havana’s are worth the Xinzhong Street 新中街乙12号 ( 6416-6887, www. good to be true. cost. greatleapbrewing.com) > Mon-Sat, 6pm-late, 11 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang Revolution * > Daily noon-11pm. 128-1 Xiang’er Hutong, Sanlitun doesnt really do hipster bars but Dongcheng 东城区香饵胡同128-1号(5741 5753) District 朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯太古里北区N4-33 Heaven Supermarket (6418 9898) A purgatory of bottles, bongs and bedrag- if it did, this cramped ode to Maomorabilia would be it. The East may be red but their Vegetarian gled English teachers, Heaven sells the Cu Ju cheapest alcoholic takeaways in town. You cocktails (RMB45) are fit for a Chairman. > Daily, 12pm-late, west of Yashow, Gongti Bei Lu, 朝 Tianchu Maoxiang (Asian) Moroccan-inspired bistro, cocktail destina- can also hang around and appreciate the Like many arrivals to Beijing, this place tion and sports fan’s manna all rolled into afterlife (clientele) if you want. Caveat: the 阳区工体北路雅秀市场西侧 (6415 8776) started out in Wudaokou and it’s one, Renaissance man Badr Benjelloun’s food is straight from Hell’s own kitchen. Salud 老伍 * since made a successful migration to hutong gem is constantly evolving. Offering > Daily 12pm-4am. 12 Xindong Lu (next to The A Nanluoguxiang institution, with every- Chaoyang. Great range of veggie fare, North African food with an international James Joyce), Chaoyang District 朝阳区新东路16号 thing from cheap beer to (loud) live music reasonably priced and they offer cook- cocktails, Beijing’s widest selection of rums (6415 6513) and low beams. The rum infusions are a ing classes as well. and sports broadcasts from basketball to particular favorite on cold nights. Latest > Daily 10am-10pm 19 Rm 0260, 2/F, Bldg D, cricket, Cu Ju is truly one of the city’s best Hidden Lounge * Chaowai SOHO, 6B Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, all-around bar-restaurants. Although frustrating to find, Hidden branch in WDK a welcome addition to sur- Chaoyang 朝阳门外大街乙6朝外SOHOD座2 > 5-11pm, Sun-Tue, Thu; 5pm-late, Fri-Sat; closed Lounge rewards the intrepid with good art- rouding student dives. 层0260 (5900 1288) Additional location in Wed. 28 Xiguan Hutong (Hutong entrance is 300m work and comfortable seating, suggesting > NLGX: Mon-Fri 3pm-late, Sat-Sun noon-late. 66 Wudaokou (see www.online.thatsmags.com north of subway line 5, Zhangzizhong Lu stop), a Kasbah, plus well-made drinks at great Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District 东城区南锣鼓巷 for details) Dongcheng District 东城区细管胡同28号 6407 9782, prices (wine from RMB100 a bottle, mix 66号 (6402 5086) www.cujubeijing.com drinks from RMB25). You’ll probably have > Wudaokou: 2/F, Qijixin Building, Zhanchunyuan Veggie Table (Western, Asian) * to call them to find it, though. Xilu 展春园西路奇蓟鑫大厦南侧2层 Proving that Beijing-style vegetarian Daily Routine 日常生活 > Daily 6pm-1am. Room 101, Bldg 8, CBD Apartments, cuisine is by no means the exclusive This cozy bar is a diamond in the rough. Shuanghuayuan Nanli Erqu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区 Slow Boat Brewery Taproom ** preserve of Buddhist monks and soppy Owner Travis is a cocktail aficionado, and 双花园南里二区CBD公寓8号楼101屋 (8772 1613) This popular microbrewery has its own Jack Johnson fans, this superbly honed the drinks at this establishment change sea- pub hidden away in Dongcheng’s hutongs. eatery offers some of the very best sonally according to ingredient availability. Ichikura ¥ Quality ales that change depending on sandwiches – vegetarian or otherwise – Light cafe fare is available during the day. One of the best-known ‘secrets’ in town, the season, heated floors and a great little found anywhere in the city. > 11am-11pm. 34 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng this Japanese whisky bar tucked behind kitchen round out the deal. > Daily 10.30am to 11.30pm (last order District 东城区五道营胡同34号 8400 1159 a theater also offers terrific cocktails. > Mon Closed, Tues-Wed: 5pm-midnight, Thu 5pm- 10.30pm) 19 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng Although less expensive than several rivals, 1am, Fri 5pm-late, Sat 2pm-late, Sun 2-10pm; 56 东城区五道营胡同19号. (6446 2073) El Nido * you’ll want to indulge. Dongsi Batiao, Dongcheng 东城区东四八条56号 The first hutong hang-out to patent the > Daily 7pm-2am. 2/F Chaoyang Theater, 36 (6538 5537) fridge-full-of-cheap-imports formula, El Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东三环

74 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM LISTINGS

The Tree Probably the manliest venue in town, this Nightclubs have a good curatorial understanding of A cozy stalwart of the Beijing bar scene, dimly lit and unventilated space is owned space and high-quality 2D work. you’ll find wood-fired comfort pizza, beer by rockers (Gao Xu, Gao Jian and Clement The Bar at Migas * > Free, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd798 Art aplenty and a hearty, mature atmosphere. Burger) and known for late sets of hard A place to dance and prowl, perhaps, rather District, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术 Has two neighborhood offshoots: By the rock, punk and ska, with weekend gigs than a drinks destination, TBAM, as no one 区中一街 (5978 9671) Tree (brickwork, pool, old man’s pub) and and DJ sets every fortnight. It offers a long calls it, focuses on upscale local DJs to get Ullens Center for Contemporary Art Nearby the Tree (live music, two floors). drinks menu, with plenty of cheap pastis the party started. Good-enough cocktails Filling the largest factory space in 798 with > Daily noon-2am. 100m west of Sanlitun Bar Street, and shooters, but you’ll probably stick to range from RM55-70 but mostly it’s about Chinese and international art, the UCCA has Youyi Youth Hostel, Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里 the RMB15 draught. the music, man. the curatorial power and financial backing 屯酒吧街往西100米友谊旅馆后面三里屯医院东面 > Daily, 7pm-late. Bldg B, 206 Gulou Dong Dajie, > Sunday to Wednesday 6pm-2am, Thursday to Friday (6415 1954) Dongcheng District 坛东城区鼓楼东大街206号B楼 6pm-late. 6/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang to put together some of Beijing’s most 202 (131 6107 0713) District 朝阳区三里屯路81号 (5208-6061) impressive exhibitions. Trouble Bar > RMB10, free Thursdays. Tues-Sun 10am-7pm. 798 Beijing’s leading venue for imported craft Chocolate Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝 Trouble Bar beers. Stocks a large draft selection and It’s impossible to discuss Chocolate without 阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区 (5780 0200, www.ucca. Beijing’s leading venue for imported craft org.cn) an even larger selection of bottles. Also mentioning gold leaf, dwarves, cabaret beers. Stocks a large draft selection and does a nice line in creative cocktails, if dancers and oddly-friendly Russian women. an even larger selection of bottles. Also Tang Contemporary Art brews aren’t your thing. Conveniently Timed right, a visit can be raucous fun, with does a nice line in creative cocktails, if Stressing cutting-edge exhibition installa- located next to Gung-Ho, hosts a full-sized bottles of spirits from around RMB200, brews aren’t your thing. Conveniently tion and curatorial theory. With locations foos-ball table, darts, and plenty of TV’s to cocktails under RMB50 (including the located next to Gung-Ho, hosts a full-sized in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Beijing, Tang accommodate any event, meetings, and absinthe-based Flaming Armageddon) and foos-ball table, darts, and plenty of TV’s to focuses on promoting artistic exchange gatherings. regular floor shows. accommodate any event, meetings, and throughout East Asia. > 2-101, China View Building, 2B Gongti Donglu, > Daily 7pm-6am. 19 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝 > Free. Tues-Sun 10.30am-6pm. 798 Factory, 2 Chaoyang District (Next To Gung-Ho) 朝阳区工人体育 gatherings. 阳区日坛北路19号 (8561 3988) Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District 朝阳区大山子酒场东路乙2号中国红街2-101叫板比萨隔壁 (8590 0390, > 2-101, China View Building, 2B Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District (Next To Gung-Ho) 朝阳区工人仙桥路798工厂2号入口前行300米 (5978 9610, www. [email protected], www.trouble.bar) Dada * atngcontemporary.com) 体育场东路乙2号中国红街2-101叫板比萨隔壁 (8590 It hasn’t been on the Beijing scene for 0390, [email protected], www.trouble.bar) 10 Best Livehouses too long, but already Dada is the hippest Caochangdi Art Village Yugong Yishan 愚公移山 * hangout in town. Their cosy Gulou confines Dusk Dawn Club (DDC) 黄昏黎明俱乐部 We’ve lost more body weight than we’d under rock house Temple offer an intimate Chambers Fine Art Beijing Great little livehouse near Meishuguan care to remember in YY’s mosh pit. Fortu- place to nod along to an eclectic range of With its compeer gallery in New York, with a focus on jazz, folk and indie rock. nately, almost all the acts – usually hip-hop all things electro from the best names on Chambers is a matriarch with extensive Craft beer and whisky means you won’t get DJs, emo rocks and obscure indie outfits the underground scene. roots in the local-studio scene that allows bored of the drinks list quickly. from across the globe – were worth it. The > Daily, 9pm-late, Rm 101, Bldg B, 206 Gulou Dong Big Apple headhunters to cull next genera- > Tue-Sun 1pm-2am; 14 Shanlao Hutong, upstairs bar area is a refuge from the sweat Dajie, Dongcheng District 东城区鼓楼东大街206号B tion avant-garde and provide a stepping Dongcheng 东城区美术馆后街山老胡同14号 (6407 glands below. 栋101室 (183 1108 0818) stone to international recognition. 8969) > Daily 7pm-late. 3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu (100m west > Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Red No.1-D, of Zhangzizhong Lu subway station), Dongcheng Lantern * Caochangdi, Chaoyang District 朝阳区草场地红一号 Hot Cat Club 热力猫 District 东城区张自忠路3-2号(6404 2711） Founded by now-defunct Acupuncture D座 (5127 3298, www.chambersfineart.com) A true stalwart of the Beijing scene, Hot Records, Lantern is a beacon of light in the Cat is the type of hard-working venue that Hotel Bars strip of truly ghastly nightclubs and bars Galerie Urs Meile helps cement a city’s music scene. From known as ‘Gongti.’ Serious about its music, Recently upgrading to one of the Afro Funk to Math Rock to painful open-mic Atmosphere ¥¥ it also makes good drinks and attracts courtyards designed by artist-architect Ai nights, this everyman’s club breeds good Beijing’s highest bar, on the 80th floor of international electronica DJs. Weiwei, this Swiss-owned gallery has two vibes. Decent drinks, lots of loungy seats the 1,082-ft China World Tower, offers 300+ > Thurs-Sat 9pm-6.30am. 100m north of Worker’s intimate spaces, allowing pairs of solo and plenty of space. swanky cocktails from RMB65 with 360-de- Stadium West Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工人体 exhibitions from leading contemporary > Daily 10am-late, 46 Fangjia Hutong (just south of gree views of the 700AQI PM2.5. 育场西门向北100米 (139 119 77989) Chinese artists. Guozijian Jie), Dongcheng District 东城区方家胡同 > Mon-Fri noon-2am, Sat and Sun noon-4am. 80/F, > Free. Tues-Sun 11am-6.30pm. 104 Caochangdi, Cui 46号(6400 7868). China World Summit Wing, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, MIX Gezhuang Xiang, Chaoyang District 朝阳区崔各庄 Chaoyang District 朝阳区建国门外大街1号北京国贸大 A bit like a trip to the Forbidden City, Mix 草场地村104号(近电影博物馆路)(6433 3393, www. Jianghu 江湖酒吧酒店80 (6505 2299 ext. 6433) is one of those places in Beijing you have galerieursmeile.com) This former Qing Dynasty courtyard home to experience before you leave. Not much is exactly where you’d take that friend from Centro ¥ is forbidden in this underground hip-hop White Space Beijing out of town to prove you’re cool. Its cozy Although it’s no longer quite the go-to disco palace and if you don’t leave with There are no restricting on the art this gal- atmosphere is also its downfall – any show place for beautiful people it once was, Cen- hook-up in tow then you’re doing some- lery supports, leading to some of the area’s with under 40 people and you’re stuck tro still draws a cute crowd with its nightly thing very wrong. more perplexing exhibitions. Always fun looking through the windows. Hip and jazz performaces, spacious and recently > Daily 8pm-6am, Inside Worker’s Stadium North and on the pulse of vitality, though empiri- casually familiar, the jazz and folk bookings renovated lounge areas and classic drinks Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工人体育场北门内 cal value is pushed to an extreme. keep things low-key enough for the get- like the blue-cheese martini. 6506 9888, 6530 2889, 150 1138 2219, mixclub@ > Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. 255 Caochangdi, Airport home-for-the-babysitter crowd. > Open 24 hours. 1/F, Kerry Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, sohu.com Service Road, Chaoyang District 朝阳区机场辅路草场 > 7 Dongmianhua Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区光华路1号北京嘉里大饭店地255号(8456 2054, www.whitespace-beijing.com) Dongcheng District 东城区交道口南大街东棉花胡 1层 (6561 8833) Vics 同7号 (6401 5269, site.douban.com/jianghujiubar, Separated at birth from its identical twin Bookstores [email protected]) Xian ¥ brother, Mix, this is the definition of Gongti This enlongated bar space makes a nice sweatbox meat-market chic at its very Page One Mako Live 麻雀瓦舍 spot for refreshment after a day spent finest. The Chinese love it – as do moody The go-to shop for new releases and special Nestled in the old Beijing Jeep plant, this shopping at neighboring Indigo. Russians and jailbait students – helping Vics requests. With sister venues in Hong Kong, former warehouse plays host to a Silk Road > Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, 1/F, EAST to become one of the most infamous clubs Taiwan and Singapore, and two locations in smorgasbord of musical encounters from Beijing, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥22 in the capital. Beijing, its network allows for fresh authors western China and the ‘Stans. Forget the 号北京东隅酒店一层 (8414 9810, www.xian-bar.com) > Daily 8:30pm late, Inside Worker’s Stadium North whilst upholding an extensive collection overpriced bar and come for the killer Gate, Chaoyang 朝阳区工人体育场北门内 (5293 of titles. sound, comfortable wraparound balcony Sports Bars 0333) > Daily 10am-9pm. Shop 3B 201, Zone 3 China World and five-meter replica of Optimus Prime, Mall, No.1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue, Chaoyang followed by a hearty meal at the Xinjiang The Den District 朝阳区国贸商城三期地下二层3B201 (8535 restaurant upstairs. At the opposite end of the 24-hour drink- GALLERY 1055, www.pageonegroup.com) ing spectrum from Centro, The Den is a > Hongdian Art Factory, 36 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang Page One Indigo. Shop LG50, INDIGO, 18 Jiuxianqiao District 朝阳区广渠路36号红点艺术工厂院内(5205 seedy sports joint that starts off sedate and 798 Art District Picks grows steadily sadder as night turns to day. Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐堤港商业 1113, www.mako001.com) 中心B1楼50号(8426 0408, www.pageonegroup.com) It can get rough and ready come dawn. Galleria Continua * MAO Livehouse 光芒 * Solid (cheap) menu, good location and In the often-insular 798, Galleria Continua is the international gallery. Their ware- The Bookworm * From the denim-jacketed doorman to the those opening times earn it a place. This glass cube looks over Sanlitun Village, > Open 24 hours. 4 Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang house space is a forum for high-caliber art- well-grafittied walls, Mao leans on every providing a cozy atmosphere for browsing Hollywood rock club cliché without feeling District 朝阳区工体东路4号城市宾馆正门旁边 ists from nearly every continent, including several of China’s artistic nobility. bibliophiles. The Western bookstore, li- scripted. Besides boasting the worst bar in brary, film house, bar, bistro-cafe and event town, Mao delivers with great sound and The Local * > Free. Tues-Sun 11am-6pm. 798 Art District, 2 朝阳区酒仙桥路 space always has a cultured evening on its the best billings of heavy metal, punk hit- Formerly Brussels, this beery bar has come Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 2 号798大山子艺术区 (5978 9505, www.galleriacon- shelves for both adults and kids. ting this side of the Drum Tower. into its own, with large (yet strangely unobtrusive) screenings of sports and tinua.com) > Daily 9am-2am. Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Road, > 111 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng District 东城区 Chaoyang District, Beijing 三里屯南街4号楼 (6586 鼓楼东大街111号(6402 5080, www.maolive.com) political events, a pub quiz, quality fare and 9507, www.beijingbookworm.com) a nice selection of draughts and cocktails. Long March Space Founder and curator, Lu Jie abides by The Post Mountain 后山 Try the Bourbon Street Ice Tea – you won’t exacting standards from both the 20-odd Built into a man-made hill in the center of need another. Chinese artists he represents and the BEAUTY & FITNESS the MOMA Complex, this new addition to > Daily 11-2am. 4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工 overall design of his topical and uncompro- Beijing’s growing livehouse empire is The 体北路4号院 (6591 9525) Brad Clinic mising exhibitions. International clout was Hobbit meets Manhattan. With as much Welcome to Brad Clinic, Beijing’s unique inevitable. vibe as a sterile modern-art gallery. Its Paddy O’Shea’s * skincare and anti-aging center. Our > Free. Tues-Sun 11am-7pm. 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, imported sound system and ramped floor Founder Karl Long airlifted an entire Irish- professional and personalized treatments themed pub, including residents, from Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区 makes for decent sound and sightlines. (5978 9768, www.longmarchspace.com) rejuvenate the skin safely, naturally and > Bldg T8, MOMA, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu, a council estate in Limerick and gently most effectively while restoring your skin’s Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District (next to deposited it in central Beijing. With plenty natural beauty and health. We offer: skin going on, including pub quiz and sports, Pace Beijing MOMA Cinemateque) 东城区东直门外香河园路1号 With locations in New York, London and rejuvenation and re-firming, hair removal, 当代MOMA园区T8楼北百老汇电影中心北侧 (8400 no one seems to have noticed. acne and sun spots treatment, and wrinkle 4774) > Dongzhimen: Daily 10am-late, 28 Dongzhimenwai Beijing hosting the likes of Zhang Xi- aogang, Yue Minjun, Robert Rauschenberg, reduction. Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东直门外大街28号 >Tue-Sat 9am-6pm, Room 2103, Tower E1, The School Bar 学校酒吧 * (6592 6290) > Sanlitun: 2/F, Tongli Studio, Sanlitun Mark Rothko, Kiki Smith and Sol LeWitt, Pace inhabits Bauhaus-style buildings 798 is Towers, Oriental Plaza, 1 East Chang’An Ave, Dong Crap drinks and regular, unscheduled Back Street 三里屯北路43号同里二层 (6415 0299) Cheng 东城区东长安街1号东方广场东方经贸城E1办公 fights: no wonder the cool kids adore this idealized for. Go there! 楼2103室 (8518 2103/ 5688, [email protected]) alternative livehouse/ DJ bar, founded by V Sports > Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.798 Art District, 2 朝阳区酒仙桥路号 Beijing and Shanghai rock n’ rollers. Spacious, comfortable, huge screens and Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 2 Broadwell International Tennis Academy 大山子艺术区 (5978 9781, www.pacegallery.com) > Daily 8pm-late. 53 Wudaoying Hutong, Chaoyang no rowdy drunken cretins, V Sports makes Located inside Chaoyang Park’s Tennis District 朝阳区五道营胡同53号 (6402 8881, 6406 a claim for the champion of Beijing sports Center, this indoor club boasts a complete 9947) bars. Space Station Not often shown in 789’s sea of elites, state-of-the-art air-supported structure for > Daily 5:30pm-6am, Gongti North Gate East side, all-weather year-round indoor tennis, with Temple 坛 * Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北门内东侧 (5293 0333) Space Station presents a younger generation of domestic artists. Exhibitions tend to an advanced lighting system and controlled

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It’s a great workout for the body and fountains create a soothing atmosphere in This tanning salon has some of the city’s calming for the mind. Call them today on each of their locations, while a long list of Amcare Women’s & Children’s Hospital best state-of-the-art tanning beds, all (5905 6067, 8405 9996, 8599 7395) treatments from around the world cater to With a zero waiting-time policy, top-quality imported from Europe. For the sexiest tan > Daily, 10am-8pm. 1) 3/F, No. 2 South Building, Blue all pampering needs. inpatient facilities, home visits, night ser- possible, get custom-made tanning tips Castle, Dawang Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区大望路 > Daily, 12am-midnight. Sunjoy Mansion, 6 Ritan Lu, vices and transportation assistance, Amcare from the well-trained staff. 蓝堡国际中心南写字楼2座3层 (8599 7395/96, www. Chaoyang District朝阳区日坛路6号 (400 001 0202, provides a trustworthy experience. English- www.taipan.com.cn) > Daily, 10am-10pm. 1) Rm 307, Bldg 4, Jianwai Soho yh42.com); 2) 3/F, Bldg. 14, Solana, No. 6 Chaoyang speaking services include pediatrics, 39 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District朝阳 Gongyuan Xilu Chaoyang District朝阳区朝阳公园 gynecology and obstetrics. 区东三环中路建外SOHO西区4楼307室(5900 0427, 西路6号,蓝色港湾14号,三层 (5905 6067/77, www. Dragonﬂy Therapeutic Retreat > 9 Fangyuan XiLu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区芳园西 www.luxura.net) 2) 5005, 5/F, 3.3 Sanlitun, Chaoyang yh42.com) ; 3) 3/FA Shimao Plaza 13 Gongti Beilu Created as a contemporary urban retreat, 路9号 (6434 2399, 24hr hotline 800 610 6200, www. District朝阳区三里屯3.3大厦5层5005号 (5136 5186, Chaoyang District朝阳工体北路新中西里13号巨 Dragonfly is an oasis of peace and tranquil- amcare.com.cn) www.luxura.net) 石大厦3FA [email protected] or cyclechina@ ity in the midst of the hectic city. hotmail.com) > Daily, 10am-late. 1)60 Donghuamen Dajie (near Beijing International Medical Center Lily Nails The Peninsula Hotel and Oriental Plaza) Dongcheng (IMC) A long-time favorite among locals and District东城区东华门大街60号(近王府饭店和东方 Established in 1993, the International Medi- expats alike, Lily Nails is much more than a DENTAL 广场) (6527 9368, www.dragonfly.net.cn); 2) 1/F cal Center-Beijing counts on an expert team Eastern Inn, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District朝 nail spa; they have a variety of pampering Arrail Dental of foreign doctors, offering a wide range of 阳区南三里屯路逸羽酒店一层 (6593 6066); 3) Grand medical services, including family medicine, treatments and waxing services too. Affiliated with the University of Pennsyl- Summit Plaza, 19 Dongfang Donglu (100m north > Daily, 10am-10pm. 1) 2 Ginza Mall, 48 psychological services, dental, ob/gyn, vania, Arrail Dental has access to top-class of Lufthansa Center), Chaoyang District朝阳区燕莎 Dongzhimenwai Dajie (southeast of Dongzhimen equipment. Its well-trained staff, multiple 桥东方东路19号外交会所1层(燕莎中心路北100米) pediatrics and TCM. Drop-in services for 东城区东直门外大街号 Bridge), Dongcheng District 48 (8532 3122) travelers; x-rays and ultrasounds are also 东方银座2楼(东直门桥东南侧) (8447 7178); 2) Shop locations across town and excellent facilities make it one of the best dental provid- available. English, Farsi, Japanese, Chinese, 2049, 2/F, 3.3 Shopping Center, 33 Sanlitun Beijie, Arabic and Russian spoken. Chaoyang District朝阳区三里屯北街33号3.3大厦2层 ers in Beijing. English-speaking staff. Dental services including examinations, whitening, HAIR SALONS > 24hours. Room S106/111 Lufthansa Center, 50 2049号 ( 5136 5829, 136 8148 3308) Liangmahe Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区亮马桥路 root-canal treatment, orthodontics and Laurent Falcon 50号燕莎中心写字楼1层S106 (6465 1561/2/3, 6465 ZELL BeauCare Clinic 泽尔丽格医疗美容 implants. 1384/28, www.imclinics.com) Overseen by Fellow of the American Soci- > 1) Rm 201, the Exchange-Beijing, 118B Jianguo Lu, ety for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), ZELL Chaoyang District朝阳区建国路乙118号国贸桥东南 Beijing New Century Harmony Pediatric 角京汇大厦201室 (6567 5670); 2) Rm 208, Tower A, cosmetic clinic provides state-of-art com- Clinic prehensive minimal invasive procedures, CITIC Building, 19 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District朝阳区建国门外大街19号国际大厦A座208室 > Shunyi, K-01, Building No.19, Harmony Business including, Botox, dermal filler, fractionated 天竺镇丽苑街荣 (6500 6473); 3) Rm 308, Tower A, Raycom Info Tech Centre, Liyuan Street, Tianzhu Town 和商业中心号楼 laser skin resurfacing, Ulthera skin tighten- Park 2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District海淀区中关 19 K-01 (6456-2599; harmonypeds@ ing and lifting, professional skin care 村科学院南路2号融科资讯中心A座308室 (8286 1956); ncich.com.cn, www.ncich.com.cn) treatment (acne, pigmentation, aging), and 4) Rm 101, Bldg 16, China Central Place, 89 Jianguo plastic surgery (including double eyelid, Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区建国路89号华贸中心公 Beijing Passion International Medical rhynoplasty, among others). 寓16号楼101室 (8588 8550/60/70); 5) 1/F, Somerset Center > Unit 2002, 1/F, Vantone Center, 6A Chaoyangmen Fortune Garden, 46 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang This full-service international clinic Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝阳门外大街甲6号万 District朝阳区亮马桥路46号燕莎东侧盛捷福景苑1层 provides 24-hr general medical care and a 通中心AB座一层2002 (010-59073390,18612483390, (8440 1926) patient-centered attitude. Beijing Passion www.zellbeauty.com) International Medical Center is equipped United Family Shunyi Dental Clinic with the latest in medical technology and Sport The Beijing United Family Dental Clinic in is designed to support the comfort, safety Shunyi is a satellite of the main hospital and privacy of patients. Broadwell International Tennis Academy in Lido (which has its own dental clinic > 24hours, B1/F, Borui Building, 26 Dongsanhuan Located inside Chaoyang Park’s Tennis onsite). A comprehensive range of services Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东三环北路26号博瑞大 Center, this indoor club boasts a complete are at hand, including restorative dentistry 厦B1层 6517 7667, www.passion-medical.com state-of-the-art air-supported structure for and cosmetic dentistry. Call ahead for all all-weather year-round indoor tennis, with appointments. Beijing United Family Hospital and Clin- an advanced lighting system and controlled > 818 Pinnacle Plaza, Tianzhu Real Estate ics 北京和睦家医院 climate. Ideal for peeps looking to perfect Development Zone, Shunyi District北京和睦家医院牙 > Wi-fi internet. Lido, Emergency Room is open their service and batting a few balls. 科诊所, 顺义区天竺开发区荣祥广场818 (8046 1102) 24/7/365, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm.> 2 Jiangtai Road, > Nongzhan Nanlu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区农南路 Chaoyang District, 朝阳区将台路2号. Tel: (10) 5927 1号朝阳公园网球中心(4006406800/ 65958885,www. Joinway Dental 7000 / 5927 7120(Emergency Hotline). United broadwell.cn1) As one of Beijing’s most reputable and Family CBD Clinic和睦家朝外诊所, Mon-Sat, 9:30am- trusted dental practices, Joinway Dental 6:30pm.> Suite 3017, Building AB, Vantone Center, 6 Cycle China Inc. 北京非常之旅 provides the perfect combination of cutting Chaowai Street, Chaoyang District, 朝阳区朝阳门外 Cycle China provides organized cycling and edge technology and comfortable treat- 大街6号万通中心AB座2层3017室. Tel: (10) 5907 1266. hiking tours in and aroundBeijing as well ment, while maintaining the strictest sani- Jianguomen Health and Wellness Center和睦家建国门保健中心, Wi-fi internet, Mon-Sun 8:30am-5pm>21 as longer tours throughout China. Some tary and sterilization processes. The clinic of their more popular tours take cyclists Jianguomen Dajie, B1, The St. Regis Residence, St. uses imported materials of the highest Regis Hotel朝阳区建国门外大街21号北京国际俱乐部 through the Olympic Green, Tian’anmen quality and its professional, US-trained staff 饭店. Tel: (10) 8532 1221 / 8532 1678 (Immigration Square, and Beijing’s traditional hutongs. offers a personalized and private service. Clinic ). Shunyi Clinic和睦家顺义诊所Wi-fi internet, >12 Jingshan East Street, Dongcheng District 东城区 > Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm; 11D, Building D, Oriental Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat and Sun, 9:30am- 景山东街12号 (6402 5653 Mobile: 13911886524, re Kenzo Plaza (Ginza Mall), 48 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, 4:30pm.> Pinnacle Plaza, Unit 806, Tian Zhu Real Dongcheng 东城区东直门外大街48号东方银座D座 The salon is a cut above, thanks to skills of Estate Development Zone, Shunyi District, 顺义区天 California Fitness Beijing Club 11D (8447 6092/93, mobile:1326 181 6708, join- experienced French stylist Laurent Falcon. 竺开发区荣祥广场806号,Tel: (10) 8046 5432. Shunyi California Fitness Beijing’s Group X program [email protected], www.dentalcn.com) Dental Clinic顺义牙科诊所, Wi-fi internet, Mon-Sat,

76 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM LISTINGS

9:30am-7:30pm> Pinnacle Plaza, Unit 818, Tian Zhu Village, 15 Huosha Lu, Houshayu Town, Shunyi District language from an early age. Curriculum 北京顺义国际学校 Real Estate Development Zone, Shunyi District顺义顺义区后沙峪镇火沙路古城段15号 (8049 0307) aside, MSB boasts spacious classrooms, a > www.isb.bj.edu.cn 10 Anhua Lu, Shunyi District 顺义区天竺开发区荣祥广场818号. Tel: (10) 8046 1102. high teacher-student ratio and impres- 区安华路10号 (8149 2345) Liangma Clinic亮马诊所 Wi-fi internet, Mon-Fri, The Frontiers School sive staff longevity. Tuition: RMB98,000 - 8:30am-5pm>2nd Floor Grand Summit, 19 Dongfang RMB177,000/year. SIBS Springboard International Blingual East Road朝阳区东方东路19号1号楼会所27号外交人 > Bldg 8, 2A, Xiangjiang Beilu, Chaoyang District School 君城国际双语学院员公寓B区官舍16号 . Tel: (10) 5927 7005 www.ufh. 朝阳区香江北路甲2号院8号楼 6432 8228 ext. 800, Springboard International Bilingual School com.cn, [email protected] http:>www.msb.edu.cn, [email protected] is a place where children, staff and parents Beijing HarMoniCare Women and Chil- work in partnership to enable all their stu- Beijing World Youth Academy dents to realize their full potential. They are dren’s Hospital 北京和美妇儿医院北京世青国际学校 > Wi-Fi available. Chaoyang: 2 Xiaoguan Beili, offering a stimulating and full international Beiyuan Lu北苑路小关北里甲2号. Tel: 6499-0000. Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA) is curriculum as well as an exciting after school [email protected], en.hmcare.net an international school for students of all program, which will include Kung Fu, calligra- nationalities ages 6 to 18, offering programs phy, health and fitness and football. Hongkong International Medical Clinic, on its campuses conveniently located in > 15 Gucheng Duan, Huosha Lu, Houshayu Town, Beijing 北京港澳国际医务诊所 Wangjing and Lido. An IB World School since Shunyi District 顺义区后沙峪镇火沙路古城段15号 (www.sibs.com.cn, [email protected]; 8049 2450) Dongsishitiao: 9/F, Office Tower, Hongkong Macau 2001, BWYA values holistic education and Center-Swiss Hotel, 2 Chaoyangmen Bei Dajie朝阳门 seeks to give students ample opportunity to 北大街2号港澳中心瑞士酒店办公楼9层; 6553-9752, develop as globally-aware critical thinkers. A Western Academy of Beijing 6553-2288/2345/6/7; [email protected]; www. wide varity of co-curricular activities are of- 京西国际学校 hkclinic.com fered to further enrich student life. Graduates The Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) is a of BWYA have been accepted at prestigious creative and innovative IB World School built International SOS Join the friendly and professional team at universities around the world. Age range: upon a solid foundation of core values and Since 1989, International SOS has been run Frontiers, who’ve been teaching Mandarin 6-18. Tuition: RMB 100,000- 140,000/year. our mission to Connect, Inspire, Challenge; by globally trained medical professionals and for 11 years. > Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm. 18 Huajiadi Beili, Wangjing, Make a Difference. Our students exemplify Chaoyang District Inside 94 Middle school 北京市 these values through their awareness of the provides medical, security and travel advice, > 3/F, Bldg 30, Dongzhongjie, Dongzhimenwai, 朝阳区望京花家地北里18号(6461 7787 ext.32, 8454 world around them, service to others, can-do as well as emergency help 24/7. Its alarm Dongcheng 东城区东直门外东中街30号三层 6413 3478/0649, [email protected], www.ibwya.net) spirit and commitment to excellence. WAB centers operate house calls, ambulance and 1547, www.frontiers.com.cn, frontiers@frontiers. evacuation services, and standard health com.cn) graduates are accepted into world-class col- treatments. Languages spoken include The British School of Beijing 北京英国学校 leges and universities across the globe. English, German, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Culture Yard The British School of Beijing, established in > 10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu, Chao Yang District Japanese, Italian and Cantonese. Voted Best Mandarin School in Beijing for 2003, has campuses in Shunyi (primary & 朝阳区来广营东路10号(5986 5588) > Suite 105, Wing 1, Kunsha Building, No.16 2015 by That’s Beijing readers! secondary) and Sanlitun (primary). BSB offers Xinyuanli, Chaoyang District朝阳区新源里16号琨莎中 Ready to take your Chinese to the next an enhanced English National Curriculum Yew Chung International School 心1座105室(6462 9112/ 6462 9100, www.internation- level? We offer personalized Mandarin to 1,500 expatriate students, aged 1 to 18, 耀中国际学校 alsos.com) classes for serious language learners of all beginning with Early Years Foundation Stage, > Honglingjin Park, 5 Houbalizhuang, Chaoyang levels. Primary, Secondary, IGCSE exams in Year 10 District 朝阳区后八里庄5号红领巾公园 (8583 3731 Parkway Health Clinic and 11 and the International Baccalaureate www.ycis-bj.com) > Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm; CBD, 1-2/F, Vantone Center, 6 Why choose us? (IB) Diploma programme in Year 12 and 13. Chaowai Street 朝阳门外大街甲六号万通中心AB座一 Kindergartens 二层; (4000-662-882(24hrs); enquiry@parkwayhealth. •Learn in a small group of up to 6 Admission & Fees: RMB102,993-246,057. cn; www.parkwayhealth.cn > No. 101-201,Beijing link, students Contact our Admissions team to arrange a Beanstalk International Bilingual School block2, No.6 Yuan, Jing Shun Dong Street, Chaoyang •Get your Chinese level evaluated and school tour. 青苗国际双语学校朝阳区京顺东街6号院2号楼北京Link 101-201室 your study goals set on our detailed > Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm, South Side, 9 An Hua Street, > 1) Kindergarten > 1/F, Tower B, 40 Liangmaqiao Lu, level test Shunyi District 顺义区安华街9号南侧(8047 3558, www. Chaoyang District 朝阳区亮马桥路40号B座一层 (6466 Vista Medical Center 维世达诊所 •Reach an HSK4 level in less than one year britishschool.org.cn, [email protected]) 9255) 2) Primary School > Block 2, Upper East Side, 6 > 24hours. Wi-Fi internet. 3/F Kerry Center. 1 on our flagship Intensive Program! Dongsihuan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东四环北路 La Maison Montessori de Pekin Guanghua Lu 光华路1号嘉里中心商场3层 Tel: 8529- •Learn from professional teachers with 6号阳光上东二区 (5130 7951) 3) Middle & High School 北京中法双语蒙氏儿童之家 6618. Email: [email protected]. Website: www. master degrees in teaching Chinese to > 38 Nan Shiliju, Chaoyang District 朝阳区南十里居38 The first bilingual French-Chinese Montessori vista-china.net foreigners 号 (8456 6019) kindergarten in Beijing, it welcomes children •Study in a centrally located, cozy and between ages 2 to 6 years old. The kindergar- House of Knowledge International Kinde OASIS International Hospital sunny hutong courtyard ten is located in a beautiful courtyard in OASIS International Hospital specializes in •Practice on the go with Culture Yard garten (HOK) the hutongs. Schedule: Monday to Friday: serving the expatriate community with the customized online tools House of Knowledge International kindergar- 8:30am to 3:30pm. After class activities also ten (HOK) has locations in both Shunyi and latest world-class technology and a broad •Discover Chinese culture on our Chinese range of services, all in a pristine facility offered. Chaoyang. Both locations offer a Kindergar- Through Cinema movie nights and other > 50 Dongsi Shisitiao, Dongcheng 东城区东 ten program for children aged 10 months to designed to provide patients with the utmost cultural activities comfort, care and privacy. 四十四条50号 Tel: 131 2025 0341/ 8401 3974; 6 years (Pre-school). Students are treated as •Study the most common Chinese charac- competent learners and the school empha- > Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm; Sat-Sun, 8.30am-12.30pm; e-mail: [email protected] ters in our Characters Building course www.lamaisonmontessoridepk.com sizes critical thinking and collaboration skills, 24 Hour Emergency Bldg C1, 9 Jiuxianqiao Beilu Need more? in an environment where children “Lean to Chaoyang District朝阳区酒仙桥北路9号C1栋 (400 876 Learn”. In additional, the Shunyi location also 2747, 5985-0333, www.oasishealth.cn) •Classes are focused on speaking and Beijing Mandarin School understanding real Chinese that native Established in 1998, Beijing Mandarin School has a elementary school starting from grade speakers use is the city’s top institute for teaching spoken 1 in September 2014. EDUCATION •Serious approach to Chinese learning and written Mandarin as a second language, > 1) Quanfa Gardens Campus: North gate of Quanfa with regular homework assignments more than 5,000 students from over 66 compound, 15 Maquanying, Chaoyang District 朝 MBA & EMBA Schools and tests countries and more than 80 companies and 阳区马泉营15号泉发花园北门(6431 8452, www. •We offer Chinese Media classes for embassies have successfully learned with hokschools.com) 2) Victoria Gardens Campus: 15 Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区 advanced learners us each year. Also recognized and recom- BBA at BFSU-SolBridge mended by BBC News as one of the most 朝阳公园西路15号维多利亚花园公寓(6538 2624, www. •The school was opened by a western 北京外国语大学国际商学院 professional Chinese language school. hokschools.com) educator passionate about Chinese > 19 Xisanhuan Beilu, Haidian District, 海淀区西三 > E-tower School(Guomao Area): Room 904-905, 环北路19号 (solbridge.bfsu.edu.cn, 8881 6563/8881 learning 9/F E-tower Building E数码世界9层904-905(6508 EtonKids International Kindergarten 6763/8881 8537) 1026/1126) Guangming Hotel School (Embassy Area): 伊顿国际幼儿园 Don’t take our word for it? See what our Room 0709, 7/F Guangming Hotel(near U.S Embassy) 1) Lido – 6436 7368 www.etonkids.com > Room C103 LEMBA students say about us on www.cultureyard. 光明饭店7层0709室美国大使馆附近(84418391) Email: Lido Country Club, Lido Place Jichang Lu, Chaoyang The Leadership EMBA from the University of net/reviews [email protected]/ www.beijingmanda- District 朝阳区蒋台路机场路丽都广场 2) 6506 4805 Maryland Contact us: [email protected]/ 010- 84044166/ rinschool.com/ Skype ID: beijingmandarinschool1998 3/F, Block D Global Trade Mansion Guanghua Lu, Robert H. Smith School of Business is a Wechat: CultureYard Chaoyang District 朝阳区光华路世贸国际公寓D座3层 unique learning experience in Beijing. The Canadian International School of Beijing 3) 8437 1006 Southwest corner of Beichen Xilu and program offers world class executive and The Bridge School 北京加拿大国际学校 Kehui Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区北辰西路与科荟路交 leadership education from some of the best 北京桥汉语言学校 Located in the Third Embassy Quarter of 汇处西南角 4) 8480 5538 Kehui Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 朝阳区科荟路大屯里社区 5) 6533 6995 Bldg 19, professors the world has to offer. Every > (The Bridge School Head office)Room 503, 5/F, downtown Beijing, the Canadian Interna- Guangming Hotel, 42 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang Central Park, 6 Chaowai Dajie Chaoyang District 朝 month one of the professors from the Univer- tional School of Beijing (CISB) opened its 阳区朝外大街6号新城国际19号楼 6) 6539 8967 Palm sity of Maryland comes to Beijing to instruct District 朝阳区亮马桥路42号光明饭店5层503室 doors in September 2006. This world-class (15321793321 Grettchin) Springs International Apartments 8 Chaoyang Park the class for 4 consecutive days (Thurs – Sun). facility offers an internationally recognized Nanlu Chaoyang District 朝阳区朝阳公园南路8号棕榈 Canadian & IB PYP, IB MYP and IBDP educa- The program lasts 18 months; the impact International Schools 泉国际公寓 7) 6749 5008 Bldg 21, Guangqu Jiayuan, lasts a lifetime. tion. The Canadian International School Guangqumen- wai, Dongcheng District 东城区广渠门 Email: [email protected] of Beijing develops the whole child in an 外广渠家园21号楼 8) 8478 0578 Baoxing International Beijing BISS International School Tel: 8526 2528/29 environmentally sensitive school within a Phase 2, Wangjing Chaoyang District 朝阳区望京宝星北京BISS国际学校 kind, caring community to become a citizen 园国际社区2期 9) 8047 2983 Block 1, Arcadia Villas, Rutgers International Executive MBA > Building 17, Area 4, Anzhen Xili Chaoyang District 朝 of the world. Houshayu Shunyi District 顺义区后沙峪罗马环岛北侧天 > 5/F China Life Tower, 16 Chaowai Dajie Chaoyang 阳区安贞西里4区17楼 (6443 3151 www.biss.com.cn) 北路阿凯笛亚庄园1座 10) 5870 6779 20A Xidawang Lu, District 朝阳区朝阳门外大街16号中国人寿大厦 (5877 > 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区亮马桥路号 Chaoyang District 朝阳区西大望路甲20号首府社区内 1706, www.rutgersinasia.com) Beijing City International School 38 (6465 7788 www.cisb.com.cn) 北京乐成国际学校 Ivy Schools 艾毅幼儿园 Mandarin Schools Harrow International School Beijing Located in Beijing’s Central Business District, 北京哈罗英国学校 www.harrowbeijing.cn > www.ivyschools.com 1) East Lake Campus (8451 Beijing City International School (BCIS) lives 1380/1) C-101, East Lake Villas, 35 Dongzhimenwai Beijing Mandarin Language School Harrow International School Beijing prides by its motto: “Empowering and Inspiring itself on its high academic standards, a close- Main Street, Dongcheng 东城区东直门外大街35号东 Established in 1998, Beijing Mandarin School through Challenge and Compassion.” This knit school community, a rich extra-curric- 湖别墅C座101室; 2) Ivy Bilingual School 艾毅双语幼儿 is the city’s top institute for teaching spoken non-profit, independent co-educational day ular activity program and the quality of its 园 Ocean Express Campus: (8446 7286/7) Building E, and written Mandarin as a second language. school offers an international curriculum pastoral care provision. Leadership skills are Ocean Express, 2 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang 朝 More than 5,000 students from over 66 under the International Baccalaureate (IB) promoted school-wide, with a range of en- 阳区东三环北路2号远洋新干线E座 3) Orchid Garden Campus: (8439 7080) Orchid Garden, 18 Xinjin Lu, countries and more than 80 companies and World School system and is authorized to richment activities to help students develop embassies have successfully learned with us teamwork and creative thinking skills, as well Cuige Xiang, Chaoyang 朝阳区崔各乡新锦路18号卓锦 teach all three IB programs (Primary Years, 万代 4) Wangjing Campus: (5738 9166/1332 110 6167) each year. Middle Years, and Diploma Programme). as independence and responsibility. Students > Guangming Hotel School: Room 0709, 7/F graduating from Harrow Beijing have won Kylin Zone, Bldg 11, Fuan Xilu, Wangjing, Chaoyang 朝 > 77 Baiziwan Nan’er Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区百阳区望京阜安西路11号楼合生麒麟社内 7) Rm106, ware- Guangming Hotel (near the U.S Embassy) 朝阳区光子湾南二路77号 (8771 7171 www.bcis.cn) places at a range of universities across the 明饭店7层0709 (8441 8391; info@beijingmandarin- world including Princeton, Yale, Oxford and house4, 653 Waima Lu, by Wangjia Matou Lu (3376 8308) 外马路653号4库106室, 近王家码头路 school.com; www.beijingmandarinschool.com; Skype: The International Montessori School of Cambridge. beijingmandarinschool1998) > Address: 287, Hegezhuang, Cuigezhuang County, Beijing 北京蒙台梭利国际学校 Chaoyang District 3e International 北京3e国际学校 Founded in 1990, MSB is Beijing’s first fully > 6437 3344 Beijing Juncheng Language School 朝阳区崔各庄乡何各庄村 287 号 Tel: +8610 北京君诚语言学校 registered international Montessori school. www.3eik.com, 9-1 Jiangtai Xilu Chaoyang 朝阳区将台 The school also boasts an unsurpassed dual 6444 8900 Ext. 6900 Fax: +8610 6445 3870 > 1) Room 208, 1 Panjiapo Hutong, Chaoyangmenwai, Email: [email protected] 西路9-1号(四德公园旁) Dongcheng District 东城区朝阳门外潘家坡胡同1号东城 Mandarin/English program geared towards 区职工大学208办室 (6525 9932/6526 7539) 2) Gucheng helping students achieve fluency in either International School of Beijing

WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 77 CLASSIFIEDS ACCOMMODATION Gold-Standard Beijing apartment features close proximity to cultural landmarks such 11/F, North Tower, Kerry Centre, No.1 contemporary concepts designed for luxury as The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心北楼11层 Ascott Raffles City Beijing living. Square. Each apartment is also fitted with > 12 Jintong Xilu Chaoyang District Beijing contemporary furnishings, fully equipped Located in Dongzhimen, one of the most Pacific Century Place vibrant areas, Ascott Raffles City is near the Tel: 5908 6000 kitchens, state-of-the-art appliances, home entertainment system and LCD flat screen 北京盈科中心 second embassy district, which is rich in GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING 14/F, IBM Tower, No.2A North Workers cultural heritage and is only a 15 minute televisions. One of the top residences in Beijing, GTC > Email: [email protected] Stadium Road, Chaoyang District drive to The Forbidden City. Residence is located beside the third ring 北京市朝阳区工体北路甲2号IBM大厦14层 Other nearby leisure attractions include Website: www.westin.com/beijingfinancial road with 5 minutes’ walk to subway line Tel: 6606 8866 Food Street (Gui Jie) and Sanlitun nightlife 5 , 10 minutes’ drive to Hou Hai . It is China Central Place district. also within easily reach of CBD, embassy 北京华贸中心 BUSINESS CENTER 9/F, Tower 2, China Central Place, No.79 > No.1-2 Dongzhimen South Street area, Financial Street and other urban Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District Dongcheng District commercial,shopping and recreation areas. Regus Serviced Office 雷格斯服务式办公室北京市朝阳区建国路79号华贸中心2号楼9层 Tel: 8405 3888 Fully equipped apartments with impeccable Ascott Raffles City Chengdu quality offer you a cozy living system and C Parkview Green > No. 3, Section 4, South Renmin Road, will meet all of your requirements for room 北京侨福芳草地中心 decoration, furniture, electric appliances Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, China M 15/F, Office Building A Parkview, Green, Post code: 610041 etc.. No.9 Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang District Unique sky garden with golf practice field Telephone:(86-28) 6268 2888 Y 北京市朝阳区东大桥路8号芳草地办公楼A座 Facsimile:(86-28) 6268 2889 and barbecue area is another symbol of 15层 GTC Residence. GDS Code: AZ CM Reservations Telephone:400 820 1028 > E-mail: [email protected] China Life Tower 北京中国人寿大厦中心 (China toll-free) ;(86-512) 6763 1021 website: www.gtcresidence.com MY 5/F, China Life Tower, No.16 Email:[email protected] Tel:56756666 Chaoyangmenwai Street, Chaoyang District Somerset ZhongGuanCun Beijing Lanson Place CY 北京市朝阳区朝阳门外大街16号中国人寿大 Somerset ZhongGuanCun is a luxury Lanson Place Central Park Serviced 厦5层 Residences, located in the Central Business residence in Beijing that lets you enjoy CMY China Life – West the cultural depth and elegance of the District of Chaoyang, offers spacious apartments in two, three and four bedroom 北京中国人寿大厦-西 city while living in the fast developing K West, 5/F, China Life Tower, No.16 ZhongGuanCun area, only 15 minutes away configurations as well as penthouses overlooking a charming landscaped garden. Chaoyangmenwai Street, Chaoyang District from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Village. 北京市朝阳区朝阳门外大街16号中国人寿大 The interiors are contemporary and restful •Flexible office leases from 1 day to 1 year >No.15 Haidian Zhong Street, Haidian •Quick and easy to set up for 1-200 people 厦5层西区 while marble-clad bathrooms and kitchens District •Prices from RMB180 per month Tel: 5873 0088 are fully equipped. •Find more on Regus.cn IFC > Website: www.lansonplace.com •Tel: 400 120 1207 北京财源国际中心 Lusongyuan Hotel Lanson Place Central Park Residences 10/F, IFC East Tower, No.8 Jianguomenwai A traditional compound of quadrangle Tower 23, Central Park, No.6 >> BEIJING (20 LOCATIONS) << Street, Chaoyang District composing of 5 courtyards which lies in Chaoyangmenwai Avenue,Chaoyang 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街甲8号财源国际中 the "hutong" area of Beijing. The hotel District, Beijing Lei Shing Hong Plaza [New] 心东座10层 building is famous for its imperial living Tel: 8588 9588 Fax: 8588 9549 北京利星行广场 taste of the Qing Dynasty with a history of 5/F, Tower C, Lei Shing Hong Plaza, No.8 Prosper Center nearly 170 years. The original owner of this Marriott Executive Apartments Wangjing Street, Chaoyang District 北京世纪财富中心 large private house was the Grand General Ideally located in the center of Wangfujing 北京市朝阳区望京街8号利星行广场C座5层 6/F, Tower 2, Prosper Center, No.5 Guang SenggeRinchen, who lived here while he area where the prestigious business, Hua Road, Chaoyang District carried out top official duties, such as commercial, entertainment, and shopping Sun Dong An Plaza [New] 北京市朝阳区光华路5号世纪财富中心2号楼6 defense minister. center of Beijing. The Imperial Mansion, 北京新东安广场层 > Tel: (86 10) 6404 0436 Beijing – Marriott Executive Apartments 7/F, Office Tower 2, Sun Dong An Plaza, No.138 Wangfujing, Avenue, Dongcheng Financial St. Excel Centre Fax: (86 10) 6403 0418 reflects an exceptional level of luxury. District 北京金融街卓著中心 Address: > Gate, No. 1 Xiagongfu Street, Dongcheng 北京市东城区王府井大街138号新东安广场写 12/F, Financial Street Excel, Centre, No.6 No.22 Banchang Lane , Kuanjie, Dongcheng District Tel: 6564 9999 字楼2座7层 Wudinghou Street, Xicheng District District 北京市西城区武定侯街6号卓著国际金融中心东城区宽街板厂胡同22号 The Millennium Residences of the Beijing Zhongyu Mansion [New] 12层 www.the-silk-road.com Fortune Plaza 北京中宇大厦 E-mail: [email protected] The Millennium Residences of the Beijing 6/F, Zhongyu Mansion, No.6 North Workers NCI Centre Stadium Road, Chaoyang District 北京新华保险大厦中心 Lee Garden Service Apartments Fortune Plaza is located in the heart of the Beijing CBD which bears the most 北京市朝阳区工体北路甲6号中宇大厦6层 15/F, NCI Tower, No.12A Jianguomenwai A newly renovated high-end premier living Street, Chaoyang District momentously potential of development residence in a central location next to the Diplomatic [New] 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街甲12号新华保险 and value elevation. While 25 minutes away shopping and cultural sites of Beijing’s 北京亮马桥外交办公大楼大厦15层 Wangfujing, suites range from studios to from the Beijing International Airport, the 17/F, Tower E, Liangmaqiao, Diplomatic 4-bedroom apartments (60-610sqm in size) Millennium Residences is walking distance Office Building, 3rd Embassy District, Taikang Financial Tower and are tastefully furnished with specially from nearly all Embassies. Chaoyang District 北京泰康金融大厦 selected materials. > 7 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu Chaoyang 北京市朝阳区第三使馆区亮马桥外交办公大 23/F, Taikang Financial Tower, No.38 East > 18 Jinyu Hutong, Wangfujing, Dongcheng District. 楼E座17层 Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District (100m East of Sun Dong An Plaza) 东城区 Tel: 8588 2888 北京市朝阳区东三环北路38号泰康金融大厦王府井金鱼胡同18号 (新东安东侧100米); Kerry Centre - South Tower [New] 23层 Oakwood Residence Beijing 北京嘉里中心-南楼 24hr front desk: 6525 8855, Fax: 6525 8080, Oakwood Residence Beijing offers 406 [email protected], www. 10/F, South Tower, Kerry Centre, No.1 Zhongguancun Metropolis Tower fully equipped luxury apartments ranging Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District 北京中关村欧美汇大厦 lgapartment.com) from studios to four bedroom penthouse 北京市朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心南楼10层 7/F, Metropolis Tower, No.2 Dongsan Street, FraserResidence CBD East Beijing and terrace apartments, all exquisitely Zhongguancun Xi Zone, Haidian District Our location on the Fringe of the CBD with furnished in elegant and stylish decor. Each Landgent Building [Coming Soon] 北京市海淀区中关村西区东三街2号欧美汇大 excellent connections to the subway line apartment is fitted with a state-of-the-art 北京乐成中心厦7层 5/F, Block A, Landgent Center, No.20 East 1 (Sihui station), BRT Lines (Ciyunsi) and air purification and air conditioning system Middle 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District C public bus system mean that wherever your which ensures 99.9% pure, triple filtered air, 北京市朝阳区东三环中路20号乐成中心A座5 intern needs to be in the city, getting there so you can trust in Oakwood and breathe 层 M is relatively fuss free! easy. > No. 8 Dongzhimenwai Xiejie, Chaoyang One bedroom deluxe: RMB16,000 /month China World Tower 3 District, Beijing 100027, China Y Two bedroom Executive: RMB26,000 / 北京国贸三期 [email protected] month 15/F, China World Tower 3, No.1 Three bedroom Deluxe: RMB33,000 /month Website: www.oakwoodasia.com/resbeijing Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District CM Email: sales.frbeijing@frasershospitality. Tel: 5995 2888 Fax: 5995 2999 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸中心3座 15层 MY com THE WESTIN EXECUTIVE RESIDENCES > Website: http:>beijing-east The Westin Executive Residences at The Lufthansa Centre frasershospitality.com Beijing Financial Street offer an array of CY Tel: 010-58709188 / 400-881-6988 北京燕莎中心 world-class cuisine options and Westin’s C203, Lufthansa Centre, No.50 Liangmaqiao CMY FraserSuite CBD Beijing signature amenities designed to elicit Road, Chaoyang District The ultimate luxury in apartment living, personal renewal. Just 40 minutes from the 北京市朝阳区亮马桥路50号燕莎中心C203 Fraser Suites CBD Beijing epitomizes style airport, the Westin Executive Residences K and comfort, that surpasses the service provides direct access to Beijing’s business, Kerry Centre CSO (Singapore) Beijing Business Center level of many Beijing hotels. The 357 entertainment and shopping district and 北京嘉里中心

78 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM CLASSIFIEDS

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WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015 | 79 HISTORY COMING OUT FROM THE COLD Ice hockey is growing in China, fast – and with Beijing and Zhangjiakou having recently secured the rights to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, it’s only going to get bigger still. We meet up with China-based Canadian hockey coach Mark Simon to get the lowdown on the sport’s development.

— How did you get involved in hock- — How much of an improvement has ey in China? taken place since 2006? I came over here from Canada in 2006 Numbers wise, it’s great – it’s gone from just to teach English for a year – I had no a few hundred to a few thousand kids play- idea that people played hockey in China. ing regularly in Beijing. It’s really good to But, then about a year in, I discovered a see so many kids out there each week. The men’s league in Beijing, and through that disappointing part for me, is that playing I got connected to one of the local kids’ clubs –called the Imperial Guard – where most kids. What that means, is that most I began coaching. I realized there was a kidslives willtend start to be at limited around to six five years years old, for play gap in the market for someone like me – someone from a hockey background, and slowly give up. Unfortunately, despite the passionate about the sport – who wanted massivelike crazy enthusiasm for about five on ayears, grass and roots then level, to help promote hockey and coach in China. there’s not yet a real player development So, I stopped teaching English and just put infrastructure in place. And so once these everything into hockey. kids reach 12 or 13, there’s nowhere for Today I run hockey training camps all them to go. There’s no leagues for kids aged over Asia, promoting the game, helping 13 and up. to organize tournaments and of course, coaching wherever possible. league structure. Right now, the system — So it’s safe to say you’ve always is incrediblyIn addition, fragmented. there’s no single There’ unified so many loved hockey? competing leagues and teams across China, that it’s impossible to determine the very best players – or create an all star team. old.Oh I continuedyeah! It’s been playing my throughlife since high I first Which is what you need ultimately, if the schoolstarted at playing quite a around high level four until or five I was years sport is going to develop at a higher level in around 19 when I realized I wasn’t going China. to become professional. After that I played — What affect do you see the Winter mainly for fun. Olympics having on the sport? — Who’s your team? The growth has never been an issue and The Montreal Canadians. I was born in I think there’s no doubt the Olympics will Montreal, and that’s where I spent most of help to further stimulate that growth. I my childhood. truly hope from an infrastructure perspec- — Comparatively, how popular is tive it has an affect too. There’s a kid from hockey in China right now? Beijing who was recently drafted into the There’s about 2,000 kids playing hockey NHL [US National Hockey League]. He left in Beijing. It’s growing a lot, in line with all Beijing when he was 10 and moved to To- ronto, so he’s not a direct product of China’s league was started in 2008, with just four hockey scene – but he has the potential to teamsthe new – ofice which rinks oursbeing was built. one The – and first that kids be its superstar, it’s Yao Ming. developed into four divisions of differ- I hope these things will make everyone ent age groups and lots of kids. Shanghai, ask how can China mirror the Canadian structure. Now, I’m not saying you can Beijing in terms of development, mostly just airlift a program from one country to duemeanwhile, to its more is roughly southern five – andyears hotter behind – another. Lots of cultural adjustments will location. need to be made. But the relevant sporting So what’s next for you? authorities here need to create a system whereby kids – especially teenage kids – company called champion rinks, who have can play a Triple A level [highest standard] aboutI’m just25 rinks finalizing around a new China role in with different a of hockey. I think there’s opportunities to make which is where I held a recent tournament that happen and I’d love to be a part of that thiscities. summer. Their flagship The plan rink is to is startin Joy doing City Mall, a discussion. lot tournaments, in addition to the current camps in China and other places like Thai- For more information about how to get involved in land, as well as the liaising, consulting and Beijing hockey, email: [email protected] coaching.

80 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM