This is the blog’s tenth year and I’m posting some “blast from the past” pic posts. As is obvious, I’m not the best photographer, but these shots do capture the scene as I saw it—in this case, in early 2013:
- Flamme: Hard to believe a mid-range steakhouse set on Sanlitun Village and backed by a billion-dollar Idaho potato company would become a top cocktail option but the efforts of Paul Mathew and, later, Ethan Liu made it so. Miss the half-price martinis with blue cheese-stuffed olives and favorites like Passionate Englishman. Also miss that Mathew indulged the odd ideas of customers: he’s seen below patiently enduring suggestions for the creation of a ‘Buffalo Wing Martini’.
- Giggle: I didn’t get to this Beixinqiao venue, or to its open mic nights, very often but will always remember it for jazz flute.
- Great Leap Brewery: These photos were taken at the hutong branch, before renovations, during a Beers for Books event to raise money for The Library Project. Beer, Hutong pizza and quality tunes for a good cause, with TLP founder Tom Stader in attendance.
- Scarlett Bar in Hotel G had a comfy three-sided bar and booth seating, an excellent tapas deal and, rare for Beijing but much-ordered by 1421 Wine’s Randy Svendsen, baked Alaska.
- Finally, remember when Hilton Beijing was fun, holding events such as rodeos and pole dancing contests and, shown here, pancake races?
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