5 Things to Taste, Smell, Touch, Hear, and See This Weekend
Beijing can be overstimulating place to live, to say the least. Let’s be real: sometimes even our sixth sense (the one that tells you when that stick of chuan'r will make you sick for the next two days) gets a decent workout. With such a wide variety of events, restaurants, and gigs to attend, we suggest bathing each of your five senses in one, if not all, of the nourishing goings-on below.
Taste
Oct 14: Vegan Outreach Dinner at Side Street
When you start getting back on track after the pizza madness weekend with the Beijinger's Pizza Festival and crave something less cheesy, check out this Vegan Dinner at Side Street on Sunday. While it will be less greasy, and surely much healthier, it is definitely not all raw carrots and lettuce, for there will be burgers, nachos, and even a dessert. Tickets are limited so hurry up and snatch yours to join the local plant-based and curious community of Beijing. RMB 115. 2pm. Side Street
Smell
Oct 13: Sparkling Wine Tasting at Hoper
Can drinking be educational? We say yes, and are heading straight to the cozy hutong cocktail bar Hoper for a tasting and learning afternoon. It's all about tasting, but the mass media has taught us that in order to appear professional in these types of soirees, one has to stick their nose quite deep down the glass before taking a sip. Hoper has prepared a set of four sparkling wines to try and invited a professional wine taster with 15 years of experience under his belt, Tommaso Pierno, to share his knowledge. RMB 598. 4pm. Hoper
Touch
It is getting seriously chilly in Beijing and no Sichuan hotpot will help you get rid of the chills there is not enough protection from the elements. In order to keep the hot spirits going, snatch one of the famous Lao Gan Ma chili sauces and maybe a branded hoodie with it. Get your hot fashion on with items seen in New York Fashion Week. We are truly considering making it the next year's Hot and Spicy Festival uniform. Get your hoodies on Taobao (prices vary).
Hear
Oct 13: Kxnowledge and J Rocc at Playhouse
Get out for some old-school dreamy synths and sharp lyrics. Hailing from New Jersey and now producing music in Los Angeles, Kxnowledge is the name well known for his lo-fi hip-hop rhythms and rhymes blended with jazz and soul. Having worked with Anderson Paak, Kendrick Lamar, and Joey Bada$$, Kxnowledge is once again bringing a high-quality night out to Beijingers. Then there's founder of Cali's Beat Junkies, J Rocc. A mainstay on Stone's Throw records, J Rocc is considered one of the original turntablists and has been going strong since the mid-'80s. Not a duo to be missed this weekend. RMB 160, RMB 160 (advance). 9pm. Playhouse
See
Every Sunday: Beijing Electric Bike Tour
Beijing boasts plenty of impressive historic sites, skyscrapers, hutongs, and more, but how do you get around it all on your two tiny human feet? Recently scoring some great reviews on Tripadvisor, the Beijing Electric Bike tour promises a small group, electric bike, and old town Beijing sights without 24k steps registered on your phone. Wrap a fluffy scarf and get to see Beijing as the locals do, from the seat of an electric bike. RMB 300. 4pm. Departs from near Beixinqiao
And you know, of course, this weekend is the world's greatest pizza festival ever. Get all the info here.
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Email: tautviledaugelaite@thebeijinger.com
Images courtesy of venues and organizers, Taobao, Sixth Tone
