May Day is Upon Us: An Alternate Agenda for the Three-Day Holiday

The long weekend is here, and what better way to spend it than to do a lot of the stuff that makes Beijing Beijing.

We've already offered up one itinerary for the long weekend here, but now we provide you yet another, given the preponderance of great events that are happening.

FRIDAY – CATERING TO YOUR INNER HIPSTER

Morning: Learn to make your own muesli with the Beijing food entrepreneurs over at Miss Muesli

Afternoon: Indulge your inner hipster by checking out the Feige Vintage Fair

Evening: Beijing's chock-a-block with restaurants that have a sustainablilty/organic edge, so why not show your support (and have a great meal) at one of the four spots honored with our readers' Best Green Restaurant prize at this year's dining awards.

Late: Celebrate three big years with Mas, the Beijing bar that earned more nominations (10) than any other in our 2015 Reader Bar and Club Awards (voting live now, click here). Afterwards, eat chuan'r on a tiny little plastic stool somewhere outside in the hutongs. Wash it all down with a bottle of Yanjing, preferably a warm one (as it is better for your health, or so they tell us).

SATURDAY – GO LOCAL

Crack of Dawn: Get up early and swim that chuan'r off in Houhai. Take a dive with the other professional morning swimmers, you know you want to.

Morning: Once you’ve dried off, go for breakfast. Best way to find some is by getting lost in the hutongs. With summer catching up quickly, Beijingers’ day-to-day life has largely moved outside. Perfect starting points for a wander are the Yonghegong Lama Temple or the Drum and Bell Towers, which are thankfully still standing.

Afternoon: Slide a bottle of erguotou into your pocket and head to the top of Jingshan Park, and get shooed off by the security guards (then simply move to another pavilion until you get asked to leave again). Alternatively, take the bottle out onto a boat at Houhai or Beihai for the ultimate Beijing picnic.

Evening:  Dine out at one of the award-winning new Chinese eateries that our readers love -- there's everything on the list from down-home Chinese-style barbecue to Da Dong's latest take on ducks.

Late: Go for a nightcap featuring the local firewater at Beijing's hottest baijiu bar, Capital Spirits.

SUNDAY – FROM COMMERCE TO ART

Early Morning: Planning to go home for summer? Buy gifts for friends and family at home at one of Beijing’s many antiques and souvenir markets.

Mid-Day:  Watch as art and commerce collide at the 25,000 square meters of Beijing's Nongzhanguan where over 100 galleries will be exhibiting at Art Beijing, celebrating its 10th year this year.

Afternoon: Visit 798 or Caochangdi: Beijing’s art scene is booming, and new galleries are popping up everywhere. Take a day to stroll around and explore.

Evening: Eat at one of Beijing’s old laozihao, for example: Donglaishun serving up traditional Beijing-style lamb hotpot. If you’re even more adventurous and fancy something different, make it a regular thing to visit Beijing’s many laozihao with friends.

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Photo: Wikipedia