2nd Annual Beijing Craft Beer Festival: June 21 & 22

This coming weekend marks the Second Annual Beijing Craft Beer Festival, a project organized by the master brewers at Great Leap Brewing and SeeDiceGo Productions (who also organizes the annual Back Alley Chili Cook-Off and BALLS Bowling League) who are teaming up to bring together China’s finest craft breweries and Beijing’s homebrewers together in one convenient location.

Mark your calendars, all the excitement is happening from 5-10PM on Friday June 21st and from 12PM-10PM on Saturday, June 22nd at Galaxy SOHO.

“We’re stepping it up for the Second Annual Beijing Craft Beer Festival! This year the festival will take place over two days, and we’re expecting 10 craft breweries from China, 9 food vendors, live music and an awesome kid’s play area!” – Great Leap Brewing

Proudly presenting the very best of Chinese local craft beers and bites by some of Beijing’s very best small-scale caterers here’s the incredible line-up of all the booze + food you can look forward to guzzling down.

Mighty List of Craft Beers will be Courtesy of the Following Brewers:

• 京A Capital Brewing Co. (Beijing)

• Slow Boat Brewery (Beijing)

• Great Leap Brewing (Beijing)

• Arrow Factory Brewing (Beijing)

• Boxing Cat Brewery (Shanghai)

• Le Ble D’or (Suzhou/Taiwan)

• 10+ Members of The Beijing Homebrewers Society

With more beer than you could ever consume in one sitting (thank goodness they’ll be around for two days and not just one), they’ve also been thoughtful enough to include some phenomenal food bites including The RETURN OF THE TACO BAR (my prayers have FINALLY been answered!).  I’m also happy to see my favorite meat pies by Two Guys and a Pie, Tavalin Bagels (good hearty bagels to soak up all that beer), Stuff’d Sausages by Will Yorke and the incredible Chef Sue Zhou’s Food Muppet Catering all turning up to proudly win over beer guzzlers by providing the best beer munchies you could ever dream of.

Food Vendors + More:

• The Taco Bar (SCORE!! Click here to start drooling)

• Great Leap Brewery (I’m guessing Kin’s super awesome burgers are what they’ll be serving)

• Fairmont Hotel Beijing Catering

• Two Guys and a Pie (click here for more pies)

• Tavalin Bagels (quality New York style bagels)

• Food Muppet Catering (Sue Zhou) (LOVE Chef Sue, Executive Chef of The Hutong and awesome catering chef)

• 4Corners (no doubt Jun’s got some great Vietnamese bites & possibly his star bahn mi up his sleeves)

• Stuff’d Sausages (Will Yorke of Vineyard & The Vine Leaf)

• Traitor Zhou’s Kaifeng Nonkosher Delicatessen (cold cuts galore, house cured meats and pickles)

• Plastered 8 T-shirts (in case you get inspired to shop for a souvenir)

To make your experience with the fine art of craft beer + expert caterers that much more enjoyable, there will also be live music courtesy of Tavey Lean and The Solid Gold Dream Machine along with The Beijing Pickers will be playing some lively line dance and bluegrass music Friday and Saturday night!

There will also be games for people of all ages (yes, the rumors are true, there will be a GIGANTIC Bouncy Castle (for adults) and children’s games (for kids and adults).

Clear your calendars because ADMISSION IS FREE!

2nd Annual Craft Beer Festival Details:

• Dates & Times: Friday, June 21 (5PM-10PM)  & Saturday, June 22 (12PM-10PM)

• Location: Galaxy SOHO

• Address: Galaxy Soho 7A Xiao Pa Fang Hutong  Dongcheng district 东城区小牌坊胡同甲七号

• FREE ADMISSION!  Join the FB Event Attendee List to See Who Else is Coming.

• Will Work for Beer? Volunteers will receive beer vouchers in exchange for their hard work. Interested? Email.

Silly Rabbit, Suzuki is for All! Lunchers Especially.

Silly Bunnies All Over Suzuki

Whenever I’m working in the Beixinqiao 北新桥 area (at least once or twice a week), you can pretty much pin me down at Suzuki Kitchen between 12:30PM-1:30PM.  Suzuki Kitchen is a down-to-earth little Japanese restaurant that has recently exploded on Dianping with positive reviews praising their quick service, relaxed atmosphere and affordable prices and I totally agree.  It’s simple, it’s cute (little decorative bunnies in every direction you look), and it’s great value.

They currently have a handful of branches around the Gulou area including Mao’er Hutong and Xiao Ju’er Hutong near Nanluoguxiang. I believe this Beixinqiao branch is their newest location (the one I frequent most often), is tucked just behind the southeast corner of Beixinqiao subway station entrance.

I can’t seem to get enough of Suzuki because it just one-ups every other lunch option available in a 5-minute walking radius. There is an entire strip of small local restaurants within walking distance to choose from on the Dongsibeidajie 东四北大街 and Yonghegong 雍和宮 street, but before Suzuki came along, we found ourselves regularly ordering office deliveries from either Gung Ho! Pizza or Biteapitta (via Jinshisong Delivery Service).  Though many of the local Chinese restaurants in the area are all relatively cheap and quick, they always left us feeling groggy and unhealthy. Suzuki is also quick, easy and cheap (we’re talking as low as RMB 30 for a whole set lunch meal), but most importantly, it’s also quality. These are all components that make Suzuki such a solid option for the little Beixinqiao neighborhood.

Continue Reading » Silly Rabbit, Suzuki is for All! Lunchers Especially.

Kagen + The Wine Republic: Mount Langi Wine Dinner

Introducing beautiful Australian Wines by Mount Langi Ghiran

Mao Mao Chong: Extended Weekday Lunch + Ice Pops!

Great Leap’s Flagship Brewpub: Official Opening Party

Great Leap’s Brewpub Officially Opens Saturday, June 15

After about a month of soft-opening tasting trials and a steady flow of return customers who can’t seem to get enough of Kin Hong‘s moreish burgers, Great Leap Brewing‘s new Brewpub on Xinzhong Street (north of Workers Stadium) is ready to “officially” open their doors with a grand opening celebration this Saturday, June 15th.

It’s easy to forget Great Leap was still in soft opening after so many return visits and so much buzz around their massive open terrace, new brews (East City Porter, Aggressor and Hop God 120 to name a few), new late-night menu (with SWEET POTATO FRIES and CHILI!!), but here’s another excuse to hop on over to Great Leap’s Flagship Brewpub.

“Our tap system is finally out of customs and is ready for installation! Join us for our OFFICIAL grand opening Saturday, June 15th for an afternoon of great beer, great food and just OK people. From 2-6PM we’ll offer free snack baskets and 500rmb body shots off our new Floor and Bar Manager, Karl Long. Hope to see you all here!” - Liz Phung, Media & PR Director of Great Leap Brewing

Continue Reading » Great Leap’s Flagship Brewpub: Official Opening Party

Beijing Improv: Carnival Longform Improv Musical

Carnival Themed Longform Improv Musical

Believe it or not, Beijing Improv just got a little more goofy with a carnival-themed longform improv musical!

This new form of comedic performance will take place this Friday, June 14th at 杂家Zajia Lab (behind the Bell Tower) starting at 8PM.

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FREE 90-Minute Yoga Session in Chaoyang Park

Avocado Development Fitness Co-Founder Victor Chau Leads Yoga Session in the Park

A few months ago, I signed myself up to one of Victor Chau’s Healthy Lifestyle + Juicing workshop where he explained the immediate and long-term health and detoxing benefits of regular juicing that has really turned around his diet and lifestyle for the better. By juicing every single day, his skin has cleared, his body has slimmed down and he no longer suffers from common symptoms of fatigue. A very passionate and proactive teacher, Victor got me inspired enough to purchase a juicer.  And although Victor is a big advocate of regular juicing, he’s also a master yoga instructor at many of Beijing’s most elite yoga establishments.

Victor is co-founder of Avocado Development, a fitness and wellness consultant based in both Beijing and Shanghai that brings a variety of quality teacher training courses, tailored workshops and retreats to China and other parts of Asia.

“With a thirst for knowledge and passion for health and fitness, we share your passion in development and improvement – physically and mentally. There is so much to explore when learning about the body and movement. This can be done in a relaxing and fun environment.” – Avocado Development

Continue Reading » FREE 90-Minute Yoga Session in Chaoyang Park

Do-It-Yourself Delightful Dragon Boat Festival Zongzi

Delightful & Delicious Dragon Boat Zongzi Making Classes at The Hutong

The Dragon Boat Festival (also known as Duanwu Festival 端午节) is a nationally celebrated Chinese holiday that annually takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, falling this year on June 12th, 2013, which is why we get June 10-12 off work!

An ancient festival, the holiday commemorates the death of the famous Chinese poet and scholar Qu Yuan from the Zhou Dynasty, who committed suicide by drowning himself in the river in despair over the capture of his kingdom.  Legend says that the local people tried to save him, searching desperately on their boats and throwing sacrificial cooked rice into the river for Qu Yuan, while others believed that the rice wrapped in bamboo leaves would prevent the fishes in the river from eating Qu Yuan’s body.

These same sticky rice wrapped treats are now as symbolic as the racing dragon boats themselves.  Despite their somewhat morbid origins, zongzi are a delightful Dragon Boat treat that are as fun to prepare as they are to eat.

Continue Reading » Do-It-Yourself Delightful Dragon Boat Festival Zongzi