Living La Vida Local: Green Guitar Players, New Clinics and a Little Boy Needs your Help

As we told you earlier, local charity Roundabout sent out a plea to raise funds for Yang Bing, a 5-year-old leukemia patient. The community has reacted with gusto, with donations upwards of RMB 30,000 coming in. We're hoping more people can contribute and give this boy a chance. Read on to learn what else is happening in the community this week.

This morning, Beijing United Family Healthcare gave a sneak peek at their new clinic in the CBD. While they still haven't announced what date they'll officially open, residents around Central Park, The Place and Chaowai Soho will be happy to have international healthcare facilities just a few doors away. And tonight, head to Beer Mania for their first Drink & EAT for Charity event. Proceeds will benefit NLC, which is still raising money for a new residence. Alternatively, Green Drinks at The Bookworm opens the floor to Beijing's environmentally conscious for informal discussions and networking.

On Friday night, we'll be seeing more green activity with an album release party by local musician Liu Yusi. This isn't just any old album release. Liu and his friends cycled from Beijing to Shanghai with guitars on their backs, stopping in major cities along the way to play concerts and raise money for grassroots organizations. The album, called Bicycle Diaries, is a collection of live recordings from their trip. Part of the proceeds from record sales will go to humanitarian groups like Greening the Beige. Go grab a copy and applaud these guys for sharing their music and spreading environmental awareness by bike.

On Saturday, catch "the last Christmas bazaar of the year" at The Hutong. Offering goodies like mulled wine, homemade jam, tea and cheeses, The Hutong Christmas Fayre could be the bazaar to end all. More likely, it's the place to get some last-minute shopping done. And on Sunday, why not stretch your legs and take a free tour with volunteer English-speaking guides from Beijing No. 4 High School? They'll be showing a special route which includes classic spots like Beihai Park, Nanluogu Xiang and 798 art zone.

Before we let you get on with your day, watch this short video about Liu Yusi's bicycle journey down south.

Photos: Musikid