The Week in Health and Fitness: Get Out of Town, Gluten-Free Pizza, Juice by Melissa Updates
The Week in Health and Fitness looks at the latest fitness and health goings on in Beijing, so you can live your #bestlife.
How about that breathable air and blue skies, amirite Beijing? Fuel for my theory that the only time of the year worth being in Beijing is September and October. Anyway, take advantage of the great weather we’re having by getting out of the city for a day or weekend and taking part in one of the events below.
First up, this Sunday, September 4, health food eatery and CrossFit gym Glo Kitchen and Fitness are putting on a whole day of healthy activities at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park (北京顺义奥林匹克水上公园), including a 45-minute CrossFit WOD (that’s workout of the day to us mere mortals), a 30-minute paddle-boarding lesson, and a 60-minute stand up paddle-board yoga session (which looks about as difficult as it sounds). After that, you’ll get a healthy lunch box provided by Glo Kitchen and a couple of hours to practice your nascent paddle-boarding skills or just relax by the water. Tickets costs RMB 549 (or RMB 499 for Glo members). The ticket price doesn’t include transportation to the venue, but if you fancy cycling out there, people will be meeting at Glo Kitchen in the CBD at 8am and 9am. Register here.
Alternatively, get your reservations in early for Tribe’s “Running Around Sunrise” retreat at Sunrise Kempinski on September 10. After a leisurely afternoon check-in, take advantage of Sunrise Kempinski’s frankly gorgeous locale to for an afternoon run with Beijing’s Nike+ Run Club head coach Jacky, before settling down for an invigorating three-course dinner prepared by Sunrise Kempinski’s Head Chef Kevin using organic ingredients from Tribe. Complete details in the event listing. The retreat is priced at RMB 3,028 (plus 6 percent VAT) per double room, including all the aforementioned meals and activities.
Closer to home, China World Summit Wing Hotel is hosting the annual Vertical Run on September 3, a grueling 2,041-step climb from the lobby to the 82nd-floor rooftop. Unfortunately the event itself is now full, but you can still turn out to support the participants or sponsor someone who is running the race. For example, Beijing-based marketing professional Leon Guan is going one step further with his run; in addition to the registration fee for the race, which will go to Beijing Foundation for Disabled Persons, Leon is asking for additional sponsorship donations in support of the excellent Starfish Project (also one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Chi Fan for Charity). Make your donation through his Eventbank event page.
Now I don’t know about you, but just thinking about all that exercise is making me hungry. Luckily for all you health-conscious foodies out there (or, you know, people with gluten allergies) we recently spotted that Bottega have able to offer gluten-free pizza. According to manager Daniele Salvo, they have been looking into offering gluten-free products for a long time and while the pizzas aren’t on their regular menu yet you can make a special order by contacting the restaurant at least a day in advance.
Healthier even than that gluten-free pizza, Juice by Melissa (purveyors of my legit favorite juices in Beijing – that Beet Pollution is life) have just launched a “Build Your Bowl” bar at their Dongzhimen and Shunyi locations. Choose one of a selection of five salads – think marinated kale or roasted broccoli and garlic – and top it off with hummus, avocado, tuna salad, falafel or hard-boiled egg. Small bowls from RMB 25, large bowls from RMB 35.
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Juice by Melissa have also just launched a “cold pressed cocktails” bar concept out of their Dongzhimen location, open Thursday to Saturday, 6pm-midnight. Think cold pressed juices and ingredients such as coconut water, spiced up with a shot or two of the naughty stuff. We stopped by during their opening party on August 26 and came away impressed – the cocktails were designed in collaboration with BBC, so they have pedigree.
In the words of JBM, go forth and “drink clean, play dirty.”
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Photos courtesy of the organizers
