The Beijinger Blog - Recommended Reading

The 2009 edition of the Insider’s Guide to Beijing is Out

thebeijinger — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:22:45 +0800

This is the book that plugs you into Beijing like no other guidebook can. It’s fully updated every year, which means that the 2009 edition is about Beijing today – not the pre-Olympics capital, but the city outside your window right now. Every listing (hotels, restaurants, galleries, tourist sites, bars, shops, businesses and more) has been individually checked and updated.

Double Play: August issues of the Beijinger and agenda are out!

thebeijinger — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:30:11 +0800

August’s issue of the Beijinger has hit the streets - and to celebrate, armies of journalists, the world’s finest athletes, thousands of tourists, and heads of state from around the globe have descended on our fair city. They might even stick around for the Olympics.

If they do, they can find all the information they could possibly need in our latest issue – the best places to watch the Games if you haven’t tickets, and, for those have, things to keep in mind when you go to the venues. Of course, the Olympics aren’t just about sport – they’re a celebration of humanity and getting wildly drunk at every opportunity.

Adriane Quinlan gives her tips on the best international houses where you can go and raise a glass to the Games, while Matt P. Jager recommends bars that will offer some respite from the Olympic bedlam. Likewise Venus Lau reminds visitors that the Beijing art scene isn’t all about 798 and Eric Mendel previews the top concert events for August.

Review: Harry Connick Jr. at the Beijing Exhibition Theater

thebeijinger — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:30:34 +0800

Mar 11

Harry Connick, Jr.
7.30pm. Beijing Exhibition Theater (6835 4455)

Cui Jian doesn't seem to have much to do these days, his permanently red-capped presence being a regular feature at every major Beijing concert. Last night was no exception, with Lao Cui being among the crowd that headed over to the Beijing Exhibition Theater to catch a a short but enjoyable show from popular Jazz pianist and crooner Harry Connick, Jr., accompanied by a 15-piece big band. As might be expected, the crowd was dominated by foreigners, and although the Chinese media reported that 90% of the Beijing Exhibition Theater's 2,700 seats were filled for the show, others thought this estimate a little high, putting it closer to 80% noting: "we were in the very last row of filled seats and there were three rows behind us that were completely empty."

With no opening act, the show started at 7.30pm sharp and finished just short of an hour and a half later. Connick, Jr. used the occasion to demonstrate his skills as a mature band leader and skilled pianist rather than as the cute "When Sally Met Connick, Jr" crooner that some might have been expecting. Perhaps because he was playing to the hall (with tiered, concert hall-style seating) there were not so many in the way of dance tunes, the play list tending more to standard jazz and big band numbers. That said there were still a few swingin' tunes that had a some people dancing in the aisles.