2011 Wraps Up: Our Top Ten Blog Posts of the Year
What have Beijingers been doing this year? Well, based upon our most popular posts of the past 12 months, the answer is simple: Eating. From award-winning restaurants to Food Wars to dreams of Michelin stars, it appears there’s nothing that Beijingers won’t gobble up. Once the hunger was satisfied, worries about radiation, Apple fights and bulging packages took over.
10. Kro's Before Ho's? You Decide In The Beijinger Pizza Cup
What makes a great pizza? Who serves Beijing’s best slice? Responses to these questions showed how polarizing a simple pie could be and just how many options there are in Beijing. Thick or thin? Authentic Italian or re-imagined American? Creamy mozzarella or sharp blue? In the end, The Kro’s Nest beat Gung Ho! in the final.
9. The Wonderbro? Male Size-Enhancing Speedo Bulge on Taobao
The push-up has been benefitting girls and captivating boys for decades. Now the guys have decided they want in on the enhancement action. Insert (quite literally) the Speedo bulge, the solution for the self-conscious male (of which, based on the numbers of hits this post got, there must be plenty in Beijing).
8. Chinese New Year Temple Fairs (Miao Hui 庙会)
Nearly a year ago, Beijingers were clearly looking for some fun and games to ring in the Year of the Rabbit. With the Spring Festival falling in January of 2012, keep an eye on our blog for the next round of temple fairs.
7. The Beijinger 2011 Reader Bar & Club Awards: The Results
The year-round go-to guide on where to find that perfect drink. There's a recommendation for everybody: folks who want a well-crafted cocktail, people searching for a date or those who enjoy simultaneously exercising and killing off brain cells at a pub quiz.
6. Update: Suicide Confirmed at Raffles City Dongzhimen
And on the more morbid end of the spectrum .... In the comments section of this widely-read post, a heated debate broke out over what exactly occurred and the possible responses from mall-goers, bringing out cultural divisions and tensions between expats and locals.
5. Michelin Myths and Legends in Beijing
2011 was an excellent year for spotting Michelin-starred chefs in Beijing. As the city's fine-dining options steadily increase, we have our fingers crossed on seeing some more starry chefs in the coming year.
4. iPad 2 Launch Turns Bloody: Apple Sanlitun Locked Down
Among a notable segment of Chinese middle-class, there’s nothing more coveted than a freshly launched Apple gadget. We've come to expect crowds, sold-out stock and scalpers but everybody was a bit shocked this spring as punches were thrown, blood was spilled and glass shattered.
3. The Beijinger Burger Cup: Voting Now Open To Decide Beijing's Best Burger
The first of this year's Food Wars. Blue Frog hopped across the finish line to claim the title of Beijing’s best burger.
2. In Case You Were Wondering: Radiation Levels in Beijing?
As the world tracked the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and took out a nuclear reactor, Beijing residents began to feel like the fallout was a little too close for comfort. Everybody wanted answers on radiation levels and whether there were proactive measures they could take.
1. The Winners! the Beijinger's 8th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards
For the second year in a row, our Reader Restaurant Award results takes the top spot for most popular blog of the year. Apparently, the simple mixture of food and voting (with a dash of contentious results) is a recipe for excitement, at least among Beijing's expats.