Time Out’s Sunday Salon: Pipa Master Zhang Hongyan

This Sunday, The Bookworm and Time Out Magazine are teaming up to host internationally renowned pipa player Zhang Hongyan (章紅艷) from Zhejiang province as a part of this month’s Sunday Salons, an interactive lecture series that takes you “behind the music” of China.

“Zhang is known for blending Western and Chinese music, her commitment to music education and her refusal to take a “set fee”, receiving anywhere from 500RMB -100,000RMB per concert. For Zhang, it’s about the music, and musicians are there to serve.” 

One of the most technically difficult of China’s traditional instruments to master, the pipa requires “great stamina and flexible fingering”.

*Don’t forget to bring in this month’s copy of Time Out Beijing and entrance ticket is reduced to only RMB 20 (which also includes a free drink courtesy of The Bookworm)!

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, May 13, 2012

• Time: 7:30PM

• Location: The Bookworm

• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼

• Tickets: 30RMB; 20RMB (if you bring in this month’s copy of Time Out Beijing)

About Zhang Hongyan:

Zhang Hongyan is a renowned pipa recitalist and educator, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, a supervisor on the Conservatory’s Master’s degree programme, an executive member of the All China Youth Federation and the Chinese Culture Promotion Society, and formerly a visiting scholar at Columbia University in the United States.

As an outstanding recitalist among the new generation of Chinese musicians, Zhang has garnered attention on the local and international music scene. She has built an extensive repertoire, and her playing exhibits a masterful combination of sheer virtuosity and musicality. She has given numerous solo recitals and touring performances throughout cities in mainland China.

In recent years, her collaboration with the Macao Orchestra has taken her to over twenty cities domestically, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, and also overseas to the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Korea, Singapore, and to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. Zhang has appeared onstage with the China National Symphony Orchestra, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Her performances have graced world-famous concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, etc. In a bid to amalgamate Chinese and Western music for further development, Zhang experimented with different performing formats, such as pipa with a symphony orchestra, and eclectic ensembles of Chinese plucked-string instruments. She was the first instrumentalist to give a concerto performance with a Western symphony orchestra using a Chinese instrument.

Sunday Salon: Chu Yibing’s China Cello Philharmonic

This Sunday, The Bookworm and Time Out Magazine are teaming up to host one of the most influential cellists in the world, Chu Yibing and the China Cello Philharmonic (Chu and his group of 5 prodigy cellists) as part of this month’s feature Sunday Salons, an interactive lecture series that takes you “behind the music” of China.

“Chu Yibing began playing aged seven, studied in Paris aged seventeen and later became the principal cellist of the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Europe’s second highest-paid cello position. Today, as the Central Conservatory of Music’s Cello Department head, he leads China’s first and only permanent chamber ensemble, the China Cello Philharmonic.” - Time Out Beijing

Chu’s crazy talented group of six cellists regularly tour the world and they are the first Chinese chamber ensemble to play for Chinese President Hu Jintao and the US President Barack Obama.  

The chance to see this ensemble play within the intimate walls of The Bookworm is a very special privilege and a rare chance you won’t want to miss!

*Don’t forget to bring in this month’s copy of Time Out Beijing and entrance ticket is reduced to only RMB 20 (which also includes a free drink courtesy of The Bookworm)!

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, April 29

• Time: 7:30PM

• Location: The Bookworm

• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼

• Tickets: 30RMB; 20RMB (if you bring in this month’s copy of Time Out Beijing)

China Cello Philharmonic Led by Chu Yibing (far right)

theBeijinger’s 9th Reader Restaurant Awards: Winners, Runner Ups & LDS Picks Announced!

Family Photo Op at theBeijinger’s 9th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards

On Monday, March 19, 2012, theBeijinger just celebrated its 9th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards Ceremony at the Hilton Beijing.

Taking place from 11:30AM-2PM, the restaurant awards got my week off to a great start with a nice break on my mid-day on Monday with more food, sweets and ice cream I could have hoped for.  I was most impressed with the chocolate covered strawberries, chewy cookies and desserts by Sweet Tooth. I’m just thankful I had the self-control to resist drinking from the free flowing beer, wines, cocktails sponsored by Grand Marnier, Chimay, Leffe and Hoegaarden.

Always a grand affair, this year seemed bigger than ever with a very large crowd of both F&B big-heads and die-hard foodies. And it makes sense considering the amount of restaurants that were nominated and the strong readership who submitted ballots (thanks to social media platforms like Weibo, theBeijinger was really successful in reaching a broader audience this year).

“During three weeks of voting, over 5,000 readers and consumers cast ballots in 50 different categories, for over 250 nominated restaurants.”

That’s right- 50 categories and 250 nominated restaurants!  I was wondering how they were planning to read through 50 different categories (would be a nightmare to list off so many winners for so many categories) so I was relieved to find that this year, they displayed 30 of the 50 categories in the winding hall into the main event space.

So right off the bat, we were given the winners for the majority of the awards. It was so unexpected to walk into these displays without expecting to see so many announced in advance. Running around to find the categories Hatsune was nominated in, I was beyond stoked to discover Hatsune won Best Japanese for the 8th year in a row and Hatsune also won Best Decor (Hatsune Sanlitun) and Outstanding for Best Business Lunch (Mosto won this one!).

Hatsune Wins Best Japanese Restaurant (8 year running!) Photo of Hatsune’s two restaurant managers

Other Big Winners from the 9th Annual Awards Ceremony Include:

• Maison Boulud – Winning 7 Awards in total –  Best French, Best Service (Non-Chinese), Best Wine List, Best for a Romantic Meal, Outstanding for Impressing Visitors, Outstanding Place for a Celebration and Outstanding for Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese)

• Da Dong – Restaurant of the Year (Chinese), Best for Impressing Visitors (Chinese) , Best Beijing Duck, Outstanding for Best Service (Chinese)

• Home Plate Bar-B-Que – Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Restaurant Personality of the Year (Seth Grossman), Best New Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Best American, Outstanding for Best Value for Money,

• Nanjing Impressions – Best New Restaurant (Chinese)

• Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) – Outstanding for Best New Restaurant (Non-Chinese), Restaurant Personality of the Year (Ignace Lecleir), Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese), Best Decor

• Capital M – Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese), Best Outdoor Dining, Outstanding for Best Romantic Meal, Best Decor

Biggest Disappointments:

• Annie’s gets nominated for Best Service?  Seriously people?  Have you even eaten in the restaurant or are you just getting delivery to your home?  If we’re talking about best delivery service, GungHo! pizza wins hands down

• Tairyo Teppanyaki wins Best Place for Celebration?! I get that their “all-you-can-drink-and-eat deal” may draw you in at first, but the food is such low quality and everything tastes the same! Really surprised by this one.

• Blue Frog for Best Burger – they hav e a great two-for-one deal on Mondays, but there is definitely better burgers in Beijing

• Punjabi Indian Restaurant was not even in the running for the Best Indian category, people need to migrate east of Sanlitun!

• Seems like majority of restaurants that won are all located in the Sanlitun area.  Wish some of the more hidden gems got more recognition (ie Ai Mo Town for Best Yunnan)

• Wish Obentos got recognition in some of the categories they were nominated in! They definitely have the best salads in town in my opinion (much better than Annie’s anyway!)

Overall, it’s very exciting to see a small, little authentic American BBQ spot take over the entire awards ceremony!  Beating out big players like Maison Boulud and Hatsune (for Restaurant of the Year) and Temple Restaurant Beijing (for Best New Restaurant), this underdog came out of nowhere and really stole the show!

Congratulations to Home Plate Bar-B-Que!

Home Plate Bar-B-Que Team Wins Big! 

Photo courtesy of theBeijinger

Here is List of the 50 Categories’ Winners & Runner-Ups:

BEST AMERICAN
Readers’ Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding 
Blue Frog
Union Bar & Grille

LDS Vote: Home Plate Bar-B-Que

BEST BEIJING DUCK
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Duck de Chine
Quanjude

LDS Vote: Made in China (Grand Hyatt)

BEST BRUNCH (STANDALONE)
Readers’ Choice 
Vineyard Café
Outstanding 
Chef Too
Element Fresh

LDS Vote: The Orchard

BEST BURGER
Readers’ Choice 
Blue Frog
Outstanding 
Fatburger
Let’s Burger Plus

LDS Vote: Maison Boulud

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Readers’ Choice 
Mosto
Outstanding 
Alameda
Hatsune

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST CAFÉ
Readers’ Choice 
The Bookworm
Outstanding 
Comptoirs de France
Vineyard Café

LDS Vote: Cafe Zarah

BEST DÉCOR (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Lan Club
Outstanding 
Duck De Chine (Jinbao Jie location)
Pure Lotus (Changhong Qiao location)

LDS Vote: Duck de Chine (Jinbao Jie)

BEST DÉCOR (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Hatsune (Sanlitun location)
Outstanding 
Capital M
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: Capital M

BEST DINNER ENTERTAINMENT
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding 
1001 Nights
Chocolate

LDS Vote: Chocolate

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding 
Element Fresh
Grandma’s Kitchen
The Orchard

LDS Vote: The Orchard

BEST FOR A ROMANTIC MEAL
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding 
Capital M
Mosto

LDS Vote: Capital M

BEST FRENCH
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding 
Brasserie Flo
Café de la Poste

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB)

BEST IMPRESSING VISITORS (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Duck de Chine
Haidilao

LDS Vote: Dali Courtyard

BEST IMPRESSING VISITORS (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Capital M
Outstanding 
Maison Boulud
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing 

BEST ITALIAN-AFFORDABLE
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding 
Alio Olio
La Pizza

LDS Vote: Alla Osteria

BEST JAPANESE
Readers’ Choice 
Hatsune
Outstanding 
Matsuko
Tairyo Teppanyaki

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST KOREAN
Readers’ Choice 
Saveurs de Coree
Outstanding 
Ai Jiang Shan
Han Na Shan

LDS Vote: Saveurs de Coree

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding 
Bellagio
Jin Ding Xuan

LDS Vote: Jin Ding Xuan or my local ch’uar stand

BEST MIDDLE-EASTERN
Readers’ Choice 
Biteapitta
Outstanding 
1001 Nights
Rumi

LDS Vote: Biteapitta

BEST OUTDOOR DINING
Readers’ Choice 
Capital M
Outstanding 
Blue Frog
Dali Courtyard

LDS Vote: Dali Courtyard

BEST PIZZA
Readers’ Choice 
Kro’s Nest
Outstanding 
Gung Ho! Pizza
The Tree

LDS Vote: Gung Ho! Pizza

BEST PLACE FOR A CELEBRATION
Readers’ Choice 
Tairyo Teppanyaki
Outstanding 
Maison Boulud
SALT

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT RESTAURANT
Readers’ Choice 
Chuan Ban (Sichuan Provincial Government Restaurant)
Outstanding 
Xinjiang Islam (Xinjiang Provincial Government Restaurant)
Yunteng Shifu (Yunnan Provincial Government Restaurant)

LDS Vote: Chuan Ban

BEST RUSSIAN
Readers’ Choice 
Traktirr Pushkin
Outstanding 
Chocolate
Elephant

LDS Vote: Chocolate (and all my Russian friends agree!)

BEST SALADS
Readers’ Choice 
Element Fresh
Outstanding 
Annie’s
Gung Ho! Pizza

LDS Vote: Obentos

BEST SPANISH
Readers’ Choice 
Agua
Outstanding 
Carmen
Migas

LDS Vote: Niajo

BEST THAI
Readers’ Choice 
Purple Haze
Outstanding 
Serve the People
Very Siam

LDS Vote: Lime Cafe (Central Park)

BEST VEGETARIAN
Readers’ Choice 
Pure Lotus
Outstanding 
Biteapitta
The Veggie Table

LDS Vote: Veggie Table

BEST XINJIANG
Readers’ Choice 
Crescent Moon
Outstanding 
BLCU Muslim Restaurant
Xinjiang Red Rose

LDS Vote: Crescent Moon

BEST YUNNAN
Readers’ Choice 
Middle 8th
Outstanding 
Dali Courtyard
In & Out

LDS Vote: Aimo Town

BEST DIM SUM
Readers’ Choice 
Jin Ding Xuan
Outstanding  
Crystal Jade
Lei Garden

LDS Vote: Heng Shan Hui 衡山汇

BEST DUMPLINGS
Readers’ Choice 
Bao Yuan Jiaozi
Outstanding 
Lao Beijing Jiaozi Guan
Xian Lao Man

LDS Vote: Xian Lao Man

BEST HOTEL BRUNCH
Readers’ Choice  
Bubbalicious, Seasonal Tastes, Westin Beijing Chaoyang
Outstanding 
Aroma, Ritz-Carlton Beijing
Bubbly Sundays, Senses, Westin Beijing Financial Street

LDS Vote: Yi House Brunch in 798

BEST INDIAN/PAKISTANI
Readers’ Choice 
Ganges
Outstanding  
Indian Kitchen
Taj Pavilion

LDS Vote: Punjabi 

BEST BREAD
Readers’ Choice 
Comptoirs de France
Outstanding  
Kempi Deli, Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center
South German Bakery

LDS Vote: South German Bakery

BEST VIETNAMESE
Readers’ Choice 
Susu
Outstanding  
Le Little Saigon
Muse Parisian Vietnamese Brasserie

LDS Vote: Susu

BEST WINE LIST
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding  
Aria, China World Hotel
Enoterra

LDS Vote: Aria, China World Hotel

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding  
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
SALT

LDS Vote: Home Plate Bar-B-Que

BEST STEAK (STANDALONE)
Readers’ Choice 
Flamme International Grill
Outstanding
Chef Too
SALT

LDS Vote: Mosto

BEST STEAK (HOTEL)
Readers’ Choice 
CRU Steakhouse, JW Marriott Beijing
Outstanding  
Grange Grill, Westin Beijing Chaoyang
The Cut, Fairmont Beijing

LDS Vote: The Cut (Fairmont)

BEST SANDWICHES
Readers’ Choice 
Element Fresh
Outstanding  
Bocata
Comptoirs de France

LDS Vote: Home Plate’s Pulled Pork Sandwich

BEST ITALIAN – HIGH END
Readers’ Choice 
Sureno, Opposite House
Outstanding  
Cepe, Ritz-Carlton Financial Street
Tavola Italian Dining

LDS Vote: Barolo, Ritz Carlton

BEST MEXICAN/TEX-MEX
Readers’ Choice 
Luga’s Villa (tie)
Peter’s Tex-Mex (tie)
Outstanding  
The Saddle Cantina

LDS Vote: None, there is no good Mexican food in Beijing that I know of! But I heard Avocado Tree is good, but it’s in WDK.  I can’t wait for the Hutong Taco Bar to open up soon this summer (see here for details).

RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Readers’ Choice 
Seth Grossman, Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding  
Alan Wong, Hatsune/Kagen
Ignace Lecleir, Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: I’m biased, but my vote goes to Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group

BEST SERVICE (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding  
Da Dong
Din Tai Fung

LDS Vote: Karaiya Spice House

BEST SERVICE (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding  
Annie’s
SALT

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) – anywhere Ignace Lecleir is will be Beijing’s best serviced restaurant

NEW RESTAURANT (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding  
Susu
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: The Vine Leaf. Of the restaurants that were nominated, I’m a big fan of TRB, Home Plate, Susu and Obentos, but as they are all new restaurants, I think the only one that’s really ironed out its kinked and have the highest performance success is the Vine Leaf. Each and every dish on the menu is made with so much thought and care, Will Yorke has managed to defy the odds and show Beijingers that English food can be phenomenal! 

NEW RESTAURANT (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Nanjing Impression
Outstanding  
Green Bites To Go Dumpling Bar
IFW, Park Hyatt Beijing

LDS Vote: New Duck de Chine in Jinbao Jie

BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Din Tai Fung
Duck de Chine

LDS Vote: Karaiya Spice House

BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR (NON-CHINESE)
Reader’s Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding 
Hatsune
Maison Boulud

LDS Vote: Hatsune

Full List of Winners can be viewed on theBeijinger’s blog page here and here.

See analysis and comparison between theBeijinger’s Annual Reader Restaurant Awards vs. DianPing.com here.

Beijing’s Best F&B Personalities (from L to R):

Alan Wong (Hatsune), Seth Grossman (Home Plate Bar-B-Que), Ignace Lecleir (Temple Restaurant Beijing)

Photo courtesy of theBeijinger 

*You can check out more photos from the awards ceremony on theBeijinger’s Photo Gallery.

Capital M’s 2nd Annual Beijing Literary Festival 2012

Last year, Capital M was a bit cheeky in booking their first Literary Festival in Beijing at around the same time as The Bookworm’s annual Literary Festival (click here for this year’s 2012 schedule and ticket information), riding a lot of the wave and momentum of The Bookworm’s legacy for hosting Beijing’s best Literary Festival.  Capital M’s Literary Festival started in Shanghai 10 years ago and this year marks their 10th anniversary in SH and their second annual Literary Festival in Beijing. And with The Bookworm’s festival launching on Friday, March 9th, I’m glad to see that the two festivals will no longer be overlapping this time around.

Capital M’s Literary Festival 2012 will take place from this Saturday, February 25- Wednesday, March 7 with a total of 21 events, welcoming 27 internationally recognized writers and 9 moderators. Although the festival is spread across a week and a half, there are actually only events scheduled on 6 days (with most events taking place on the weekend).

See Capital M’s Literary Festival Itinerary:

A few events I have my eye on include:

• Saturday, February 25 @12:30PM with Cheryl Tan: Sex, Lies & Pineapple Tarts

• Sunday, February 26 @12:30PM with Jan Latta: Adventures in the Wild with Endangered Animals

• Thursday, March 1 @ 6PM with Jeff Fuchs: The Ancient Tea Horse Trail: Travels with the Last of the Himalayan Muleteers

• Saturday, March 3 @3:30PM with The Great Financial Times Debate: Does China’s Rise Spell America’s Decline?

• Wednesday, March 7 @12.30pm LITERARY LUNCH: Ross Garnaut: The Climate Change Review, moderated by Jonathan Watts

Click here for entire festival’s program details.  Click here for individual author’s bios.

Tickets for each of the events is RMB 65, which includes a drink. Children and students get a discounted price of RMB 20 + soft drink.

Capital Literary Festival

• Date: Saturday, February 25 – March 7, 2012

• Programme: For programme, click here or visit the Upcoming Programme section of the website.

• Authors: For author bios, visit the Literary M section of the website.

• Buying Tickets:

• In person at Capital M:  3/F No. 2 Qianmen Pedestrian Street (just south of Tian’anmen Square)

• Online / by phone at Mypiao: www.mypiao.com  or call 400 620 6006

• Shanghai International Literary Festival: For information on the Shanghai Literary Festival (March 2-18), click Shanghai Festival in the Literary M section of the website.

Tales of Love Live at The Bookworm by LGBT Beijing

Live Storytelling at The Bookworm is one of the most underrated events in Beijing.  Always with a designated theme per storytelling session, this month is appropriately dedicated to tales of love, romance, heartbreak and who knows? With live story telling, you never know what you’re going to get!

I would probably never have the guts to get up in front of a live experience and share a story, but I would pay good money to see others do what I wouldn’t dare to do.  Even better that this event is only RMB 30 to witness storytelling at it’s best!

Considering this event takes place the day after Valentine’s Day, I’m eagerly anticipating some brilliant stories to be springing into action!

Knowing I’m a big fan of these story telling sessions, The Bookworm’s Kadi Hughes got LDS in touch with this month’s organizer, David Shallcross from the LGBT Center of Beijing who tells us why he’s super stoked for this month’s live story telling session.

“I’m really excited about this event, firstly because Valentine’s day is a romantic festival for everyone, and it’s great that the Bookworm has given us the chance to mark it in this way; secondly, because we’ve got a whole bunch of different material, including poems, songs, short stories and one-act plays, so it promises to be diverse and diverting; and finally, because we even have a Chinese guy travelling all the way from Shanxi province just to take part and share his story!” 

- David Shallcross, LGBT Center of Beijing

Now what story is worth the trip from Shanxi province to Beijing to share?!

You’ll have to come and hear it yourself!

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
• Time: 7:30PM
• Location: The Bookworm
• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tel: 6503 2050
• Website: Click here. 

The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival 2012

“Every March, The Bookworm is transformed into a hub of literary, intellectual and creative activity as we celebrate all things books with The Bookworm International Literary Festival.”

The International Literary Festival at The Bookworm has grown exponentially each year and 2012 is not only bringing more authors, more booktalks, panel discussions and chances to meet your favorite authors, but also writing and publishing workshops, a Chinese program, a Children’s Programme, International School’s Programme, Migrant School’s Programme, and Footnotes Programme with film screenings, performances, music and special live literature events.

“We seek to showcase the modern voices of Chinese authors to the world and bring some of the world’s leading literary lights to China.” – The Bookworm

Featuring international literary sensations, brilliant debut novelists and China’s leading intellectuals, this year’s festival promises to be as diverse as ever with an eclectic range of events for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests to enjoy.

With so many events lined up, it may seem overwhelming at first to digest the action-packed 2-week festival program.  But thanks to the generous help of Festival Director Kadi Hughes, she has taken the time to explain her top 10 “must-see” events this 2012 International Literary Festival at The Bookworm.

Festival Director Kadi Hughes’s Top 10 Picks:

(listed in chronological order)

1. Sunday March 11 6pm

If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry with Gary Shteyngart & Andrei Kurkov

Gary Shteyngart and Andrei Kurkov both write novels that criticize and comment on the ills of modern society. And they are very, very funny. I am a huge fan of humor writing, which often doesn’t get the same respect that more dramatic writing receives. But comedy is something that is often much more difficult to perfect. I am incredibly excited to see these two very talented and funny men in conversation.

2. Monday, March 12 10 am

You Will Be My Friend!  with Peter Brown

Peter Brown writes and illustrates gorgeous picture books that remind me of all the books I loved to read (and read again and again) when I was a kid. His latest is about Lulu the Bear who is trying to make friends with a bevy of other animals.

3. Wednesday, March 14 6pm

Knifepoint with Mai Jia

Mai Jia writes incredibly cool spy thrillers (think a Chinese James Bond, but with more lady trouble). Agents double crossing each other for political and romantic intrigue, all in a glamorous setting of Shanghai during the Republican era.

4. Thursday, March 15 8pm

City of the Dragon with Di An

Di An is a post-80′s generation literary sensation. Only some excerpts and a few pieces of her work have been translated into English so this event will be a great chance to hear from one of China’s most exciting new writers. Like a lot of people, I don’t read a lot in Mandarin so our events with Chinese writers are a way for me to find out more about the literary scene and culture in China.

5. Saturday, March 17 4pm

Sally Kindberg Comic Workshop

Sally Kindberg is a very cool and hilarious illustrator and comic novelist. She will be instructing us how to turn our stories into graphic tales, using the comic strip as a platform. She has a great style and this workshop will be a huge hit. She will be leading a lot of events for kids but this is an adult workshop – because why should the kiddies get all the fun?

7. Sunday, March 18 12pm

Men & Monsters with Carol Birch & Albert Sánchez Piñol

Carol Birch’s Jamrach’s Menagrie was one of my favorite books of 2011, full of all the things I love: adventure on the high seas, exotic animals, Victorian ruffians and really, really dark surprises. Albert Sánchez Piñol’s Cold Skin is so unnerving that I may or may not have needed to sleep with the lights on after I finished it. A young scientist is posted to tint island in the south Atlantic, alone except for the attendant of a light house and an unending army of attacking humanoid reptilian creatures. Both of these writers tackle of the subject of ‘the heart of darkness” and what happens to humans when they are pushed to their moral and ethical breaking point.

8. Sunday, March 18 4pm

Life to the Fullest with Kjersti Skomsvold

Kjertsi Skomsvold is a debut novelist from Norway. Her book The Faster I Walk, the Smaller I Am is a heartbreaking account of an elderly woman at the end of her life. As she reflects back, she realizes that no one will know that she has ever lived, that nothing she has done has ever mattered. So yes, I cried a lot reading this one. But Skomsvold has a very dark sense of humor with hilarious commentary sprinkled throughout. I am always excited to read and hear new writers talk – it’s always exciting!

9. Monday, March 19 6pm

The Underbelly with Paul French, Chris Womersley and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir (moderated by Catherine Sampson)

Criminals, thugs, gangsters and thieves, what’s not to love? This is a panel of writers from all over the world (Australia, Iceland, UK/China) who write about all the dark and scary things on the fringes of society.

10. Thursday, March 22 1pm

They Think It’s all Over… sports writing with Alan Bissett, Peter Sampson and Rowan Simons (moderated by Jonathan White)

I am not a huge sports fan but sports writers are some of the best wordsmiths. It’s a tricky task to take something that is so visual and turn it into compelling writing. This is a panel of a novelist, a sports journalist and a memoirist who all are very passionate about sports. Plus I am expecting some heated debate over which football team is best and all that barroom chatter.

A massive thanks to Kadi for sharing some of her top picks!!

A Few More….LDS Picks for The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival 2012:

• Opening Event: Super Sad True Love Story with Gary Shteyngart. Friday, March 9 at 8PM (RMB 180)

  Gary Shteyngart’s wickedly funny Super Sad True Love Story is a dystopian love story set in the not-too-distant future.

• Tiger Head, Snake Tails: China today, how it got there and where it is heading with Jonathan Fenby. Sat, March 10 at 12PM (RMB 80)

  Economists, policy makers and armchair historians alike have made popular sport debating the future role of China. Will China rule the world? Or is all just smoke and mirrors?

• “A Funny Thing Happened…” by Beijing Improv Performance. Sat., March 10 at 10PM (RMB 50)

  The oldest and largest English-language improvisational theatre organization in China, Beijing Improv’s Mainstage English Players, trained at the best improv schools from around the world, put on a side-splitting show for our festival audience.

• Unnatural Selection: The Consequences of a World Full of Men with Mara Hvistendahl. Sun., March 11 at 10AM (RMB 80)

  There are over 160 million females “missing” from Asia’s population. This gender imbalance, caused in part by sex selective abortions, has dire consequences for the entire world.

• Hot Art with Joshua Knelman and AAB’s Tom Pattinson. Thurs, March 15 at 1PM (RMB 65)

  Canadian journalist Joshua Knelman immersed himself for four years in the enigmatic high-stakes world of international art theft.

• From Banished to Screwed with Han Dong. Sat., March 17 at 12PM (RMB 65)

  Han Dong has been a major voice in Chinese literature since he burst onto the scene in the 1990s.

• The Holy Woman with Qaisra Shahraz. Sun., March 18 at 10AM (RMB 65)

  Pakistani-born British writer Qaisra Shahraz’s novels, with their strong female characters and multilayered plots, explore the complex relationship between faith and family, tradition and independence in the Muslim world.

• Putong Hua – Animal Encounters. Live storytelling with Tim Clare, Kjersti Skomsvold and Chris Womersley. Sun., March 18 at 10PM (RMB 50)

  A special live storytelling event! We’ve trawled pubs, playhouses, classrooms and street corners to find some of the Beijing’s best storytellers.

• Death Drive - Performance by Tim Clare. Mon, March 19 at 8PM (RMB 80)

  British writer and poet Time Clare performs his brutally honest stand-up show, Death Drive, told through poetry, true stories and the ukulele. 

• The Moira Monologues – a “One-Woman” Performance by Alan Bissett. Wed., March 21 at 10PM (RMB 50)

  Alan Bissett performs his “one-woman” show, based on stories and characters from his childhood in Falkirk.

For a full list of The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival Events, see here.

Last year, certain events were sold out within days of tickets being released. Hurry as tickets are going fast!

Tickets are exclusively being sold at The Bookworm (starting January 30 for Friends of the Festival and to the General Public on February 6) from 9AM-9PM daily.

What qualifies a “Friend of the Festival”?  Want to support The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival and get hooked up to early-bird tickets and VIP events?

“Our festival simply would not be possible without the invaluable support of our sponsors and friends of the festival. From international flights to marketing materials, the festival relies on the support of many. Your donations – large or small – are what keep us going and help us bring you a world-class festival.”

Friends of the Festival Benefits:

• Early-bird tickets: the ticket office opens to Friends of the Festival before opening to the public
• Invitation to a special VIP events and cocktail parties for Friends of the Festival, sponsors and authors
• Name listed on our website
• Great literary karma!

Friends of the Festival Levels

• 1st Edition – 5,000rmb
• Gold Leaf – 1,000 rmb
• Leather Bound - 500rmb

The Bookworm International Literary Festival Event Details:

• Date: Friday, March 9- Friday, March 23 (2 weeks)
• Tickets: Exclusively sold at The Bookworm starting January 30 for Friends of the Festival and to General Public on February 6
• Location: The Bookworm
• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tel: 6503 2050
• Website: http://bookwormfestival.com/

theBeijinger’s Charity Super Quiz 2011

Think you’ve got what it takes to beat out Beijing’s top whiz master? Think you’re the king of utterly useless, random trivia knowledge?  (JUST KIDDING, I revoke my comment about trivia knowledge being useless as I’m sure you can find great use with random facts.)

In any case, I know how seriously hard-core Beijingers get when it comes to pub quizzes – there’s a reason why every freakin’ pub in Beijing hosts their own pub quiz night. So now you can put your knowledge to the test and come out for the ultimate pub quiz of the year – theBeijinger’s Annual Charity Super Quiz, the holy grail of pub quizzes with “tougher questions than ever” and all proceeds going to Ping An Medical Foster Home.

Hosted at Chocolate Club this Sunday, December 11, doors open at 6PM and questions start at 7:30PM. Round up your dream whiz team (tables are limited to teams of 10) and tickets cost RMB 100 including a free drink. 

“Whether you enjoy quizzes, charity or Russian dancers, there’s something in this evening for everyone.” – theBeijinger Team

This year’s event will include the following QuizMasters:

• Karl from Paddy O’Shea’s

• Jim and Anthony from The Kro’s Nest

• Tom from the Black Sun

• Josh from Lush

• Pat from the Green Cap

• Liz at The Stumble Inn

• Graham of the Irish Volunteer

• Julian from Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q

• Alex from The Brick

• Jonny from The Bookworm

…Like I said before, this is the Holy Grail of Beijing Pub Quizzes!

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, December 11
• Time: 6PM
• Location: Chocolate Club
• Address: 19 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区日坛北路19号
• Tel: 8561 3988
• Website: Click here.

Foodies, Arm Yourself in 2012 with the Little Gold Book

Little Gold Book is like the “Little Black Book for Charitable Foodies in Beijing”.

It’s a coupon book with crazy good discounts on Beijing’s top restaurants with 30% of proceeds going towards local community charities.

Just think about it – All those places you’ve been wanting to try out or that you wish you could go more often (if they were more affordable), you can finally begin to eat your way through Beijing’s top dining destinations armed with a little gold book filled with coupons that are up to 50% off!

Here’s a few top deals you can score with The Little Gold Book:

• 50% off Hatsune
• 2 for 1 mains at Assaggi
• 2-for-1 wine at Enoterra
• 50% off Stumble Inn
• 2-for-1 Food Items at The Bookworm
• 50% off ROOMbeijing
• 2-for-1 cooking classes at Vegan Hut
• 50% off Filling Station
• RMB 50 discount on a dozen Lollipop Cupcakes

Click for full list of deals here (there are 85 deals by 70 restaurants).

For only RMB 240 per Little Gold Book, you can cover the cost of the entire book after just one meal at one of the 70 participating restaurants.  It’s valid for the entire 2012 year so there’s plenty of time to work your way through each deal.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the Little Gold Book is a great stocking stuffer for all fellow Beijing foodies!

Little Gold Book was first released at the Chi Fan for Charity 2011 After-Party at Hatsune and will be available for sale again at Kagen’s Christmas Charity Dinner on December 10th with 30% of proceeds going towards BICCO.

Little Gold Book is currently sold at The Bookworm, April Gourmet’s and Colibri.

Time Out’s Sunday Salon: Operatic Tenor Fan Jingma

Time Out Beijing’s Sunday Salons are arguably some of the most well-done regular events Beijing has to offer.

Held once a month and always on Sunday evenings around 7:30PM, they host incredibly talented Classical musicians to come to The Bookworm and play extracts from their music in an intimate setting, followed by an opportunity to discuss their inspirations behind the music together with their audience.

“This is a unique opportunity to listen to the great musicians from China and ask them questions directly about their incredible talents.” – Nancy Pellegrini, Time Out BJ & SH’s Classical & Performance Editor

This Sunday, November 13, Time Out has invited one of China’s most established and respected operatic tenors Fan Jingma.

“A prize-winner in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, Fan Jingma’s colourful life includes making his own violin, selling his own pirated CDs, working with digital orchestra technology and reinventing China’s opera training. Join us for an unforgettable evening with one of China’s most fascinating musicians.” 

The best part – bring in this month’s copy of Time Out Beijing and entrance ticket is only RMB 20!

Event Details:

• Date:  Sunday, November 19, 2011
• Time:  7:30PM
• Price: RMB 30 or RMB 20 if you bring copy of the November issue of Time Out Magazine
• Location:  The Bookworm
• Address:  Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tel: 6586-9507
• Website: http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Performing_Arts/12024/Sunday-Salon.html

Sunday Salon: Young Violin Soloist Gao Can

Time Out Beijing’s Sunday Salons are some of the most well-done regular events Beijing has to offer.  Always on Sunday evenings around 7:30PM, they host incredibly talented Classical musicians to come to The Bookworm and play extracts from their music in an intimate setting, followed by an opportunity to discuss their inspirations behind the music together with their audience.

“This is a unique opportunity to listen to the great musicians from China and ask them questions directly about their incredible talents.” – Nancy Pellegrini, Time Out BJ & SH’s Classical & Performance Editor

This Sunday, Time Out has invited Gao Can, who is arguably China’s most respected and fastest-rising young violin soloist. Incredibly accomplished at such a young age, he has already won awards at the Michael Hill and Alberto Curci international competitions and appeared with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, recorded film soundtracks and collaborated with Lang Lang and Yuja Wang, among others. Gao Can is now a professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music and he is the founder of Beijing New Music Ensemble. In September he plays the music of Belgian composer/musician and ‘King of Violin’ Eugène-Auguste Ysaye (1858-1931), who besides being the stuff of legend, is known as the world’s first modern violinist.

Listen to some of Gao Can’s magic here:
Gao Can – Concert Violinist by gaocanemperor

Event Details:

• Date:  Sunday, September 25
• Time:  7:30PM
• Price: RMB 30 or RMB 20 if you bring copy of the September issue of Time Out Magazine
• Location:  The Bookworm
• Address:  Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tel: 6586-9507
• Website: http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Performing_Arts/12024/Sunday-Salon.html

Relive High School Prom at The Bookworm

This Friday, the Bookworm is bringing back the good old days of HIGH SCHOOL PROM.

From Limos to Big Dresses, Rented Tuxedos, Corsages, Big Hair, Spiked Punch and Prom Pictures.

Jogging your memory yet? Or perhaps you’ve buried those skeletons too deep in your closet.  In any case, here’s your chance to do it all over again!

“Relive those precocious, socially awkward high school years while bumping and grinding to the greatest tunes ever. A Prom King and Queen will be crowned, hearts will be broken, JOCK JAMS will be played, virginity will be lost (believe me, this happens at The Bookworm more often than I care to know).”

Check out http://promtacular.com for more inspiration…or just for sh*ts and giggles.

The Bookworm will be providing “prom drink specials” all night.  All you gotta do is come dressed in full-on prom attire and be ready to groove. Oh the memories of slow dances…you know what I’m talking about.

Event Details:

Time Out’s Sunday Salon: Wang Xilin at The Bookworm

Time Out’s Sunday Salons are among some of the most unbelievably rare and incredibly special events that everyone in Beijing should take advantage of!  For just RMB 20 (if you bring Time Out’s May issue), you can enjoy the chance to attend extraordinary musical performances by gifted individuals and pay next to nothing.

This month, Time Out will be giving Beijingers a ‘sneak listen’ to Wang Xilin’s latest piano concerto (Beijing premier is set for June 2011) and engage in an intimate discussion with the artist on his powerful work together with music critic Su Lihua (Sam Su), music promoter Zhang Kexin and Time Out’s Classical and Performance editor Nancy Pellegrini.

Known as ‘China’s Shostakovich’, Wang was persecuted under the Cultural Revolution; like his Soviet counterpart, his music is a direct representation of the fury and the agony he endured, as well as his attempts to heal the wounds of his beloved country.

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, May 8, 2011
• Time: 7:30PM
• Location: The Bookworm
• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tickets: 30RMB; 20RMB with Time Out May Issue

Early Bird Catches the Worm: The Bookworm International Literary Festival 2011

After much-buzzed about Festival Prologue events with Dave Eggers and David Sedaris last week, The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival has reached new heights this year bringing together award-winning authors, poets and journalists from China and overseas.

“With China at a historic crossroads, experiencing unparalleled sustained change, looking to the future whilst catching up with the present, without forgetting the past, the Festival provides an open centre for intellectual and creative exchange. We seek to showcase the modern voices of Chinese authors to the world and bring some of the world’s leading literary lights to China.”

Some exciting events worth mentioning:

Author of BBC Samuel Johnson prize-winning classic Nothing to Envy, Barbara Demick relates the stories of six North Koreans who escaped totalitarianism to find freedom in the South.

Witness Malaysian-Australian hip-hop artist and slam poet, Omar Musa “deliver a trademark performance of powerful, conscious rap from his debut album World Goes to Pieces”.

Introduced by the Irish Ambassador, meet Emma Donoghue, author of the international best-selling sensation Room, and hear her discuss her captivating tale of five- year old Jack whose whole world is one “Room.”

Italy’s most talked about young novelist and winner of it’s most prestigious literary award, Paolo Giordano introduces his debut novel The Solitude of Prime Numbers, the tale of two people touched by trauma, who find solace in one another and solitary pursuits.

Hear Greek-Australian Christos Tsiolkas read from his commonwealth Prize winner The Slap – his portrait of broken liberal dreams, empty consumerism, selfishness, adultery, vengeful sex, misogyny and new-age longings.

Special Guest and author of When a Billion Chinese Jump, Jonathan Watts discusses public discourse and the environment in China and how ordinary people can make a difference

An evening with Peter Hessler presenting his portrait of progress and a society in flux, Hessler delivers another careful and compassionate account of China from an outsider’s point of view.

For a full list of The Bookworm’s International Literary Festival Events, see here.

Hurry now as tickets are going fast!

Tickets are exclusively being sold at The Bookworm (starting February 2) from 9AM-9PM daily.

The Bookworm International Literary Festival Event Details:

• Date: Friday, March 4- Friday, March 18 (2 weeks)
• Tickets: Exclusively sold at The Bookworm starting February 2
• Location: The Bookworm
• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼
• Tel: 6503 2050
• Website: http://bookwormfestival.com/

Don’t Miss: China Cello Philharmonic @ The Bookworm

This Sunday, The Bookworm & Time Out Magazine will be hosting one of the most influential cellists in the world, Chu Yibing and the China Cello Philharmonic (Chu’s group of 6 cellists) as one of their featured Sunday Salons, an interactive lecture series that takes you “behind the music” of China.

Chu’s group of six cellists regularly tours the world and was the first Chinese chamber ensemble to play for Chinese President Hu Jintao and the US President Barack Obama.

Event Details:

Date: Sunday, September 12

Time: 7:30PM

Location: The Bookworm

Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼

Tickets: 30RMB; 20RMB (members).

Cherie Blair @ The Bookworm

Recently, there have been some incredibly big British celebrities speaking at little venues around Beijing.

I was absolutely dumbfounded when I found out that Patrick Stewart (aka Jean-Luc Picard of the Star Trek Enterprise & Professor Charles Xavier of X-Men) spoke at The Central Academy of Drama in Nanluoguxiang last Thursday night.  Click here for my favorite video of Patrick Stewart EVER. Even if you’re not a Trekkie or X-Men fan, this brilliant video is reason enough to have gone to see this man speak.

…and this week, Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair will be at The Bookworm this Wednesday, July 28 to speak on her memoir “Speaking for Myself”.

“Mrs. Blair is a leading barrister specializing in public law, human rights, employment and European Community law. As well as fighting for human rights in her professional career, Mrs. Blair is an active campaigner on equality and human rights issues. She has spoken across the world on both issues and also on the need for improved work/life balance for both women and men.”

Beijingers, take advantage of these surprisingly golden opportunities while you can.  (I think we can all agree that this would never be so accessible in the US or Europe.)

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, July 28
• Time: 7:30-8:30PM
• Location: The Bookworm
• Tickets: RMB 100 (RMB 80 for Bookworm Members)
• Address: Sanlitun Nanjie, 三里屯南街4号楼; Tel: 6586-9507