August 10, 2011

A sneak peak inside 1949 #2

Copyright Bespoke Beijing

It’s not every day you get to try out a restaurant before it’s open to the public, but naturally we know the right people. So, in the name of keeping you completely up to date with all things fabulous and Beijing-related, we bring you some exclusive snapshots of the brand new 1949 Hidden City2 complex on Jinbao Street.

Those who have been to the original 1949 will know that the Sanlitun branch is located in a former factory complex. Exposed red brick and quirky sculptures are the order of the day and it’s a great place for a relaxed evening meal with friends.

By contrast, 19492 is a much grander, 3-storey building arranged around two traditional courtyards. Designed by the same architects as the Hong Kong Jockey Club a few doors down, it’s resplendent with colourful painted eaves, pine trees and plenty of elegant Chinese touches with a modern twist.

The new 1949 has a more traditional setting

Given 19492’s prestigious neighbours on Jinbaojie (Burberry, the Jockey Club and Mazerati dealerships) – and its proximity to Wangfujing and Tiananmen– this venue is without doubt aimed at impressing local VIPs. But that’s not to say it’s a forbidding or exclusive place, far from it. This is about as fun and special a setting as it gets for a duck dinner in the center of town. With a whole collection of wood fire duck ovens in the central courtyard, all visible to diners, and Elite Concept’s take on the Beijing Hot Pot coming this winter, there’s plenty for tourists and old China hands alike.

Sweet and sour garoupa fish

Bespoke Beijing got to try the very first duck out of the new ovens, roasted to perfection over the wood of fruit trees to add a delicious sweet flavour.  We’re pleased to report (as if you ever doubted it), that it was every bit as good as the Sanlitun branch. 1949’s owner tells us he’s made some minor improvements to both the sesame buns and the pancakes, but we didn’t really notice. They’ve always been the perfect accompaniment (along with the beautifully presented hoi sin sauce and vegetable accoutrements) to what we think is still the best duck in town.

So good we forgot to take a photo BEFORE we ate half of it!

Other dishes that were a massive hit? The sweet and sour garoupa fish, which looked spectacular and tasted even better; a naughty but nice shredded fried potato dish, foie gras on miniature toasts and some fantastically flavourful and smokey stir-fried fresh vegetables.

In conclusion, we’re huge fans already, so when the builders leave and it opens at the end of the month, we urge you to go – it’s an absolutely quacking new venue.

(Sorry).

Orchids in the reception area

One of the private rooms. Swanky eh?

1949 Hidden City2: Jinbao Jie, Dongcheng District (6521 2221 – Duck de Chine)

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August 10, 2011

How To Get Off A Plane First

You know the drill. You land, you’re taxiing, and before the engines are even turned off, chaos ensues. So, if your scruples aren’t as intact as they should be, why not follow our top tips for getting off a plane first and you need never be annoyed by your fellow passengers again…

1. SIT AT THE FRONT OF THE PLANE

So, do you come here often?

Remember: prevention is better than cure. Make sure you get yourself a seat at the front of the plane via online check-in before you fly. Stay one step ahead of the crowd by going on seatguru.com for a seating chart and other useful insider info. When the plane lands, you’ll be the first one to get off, before the masses go crazy behind you. Suckers.

 

2. STOW YOUR BAGS IMMEDIATELY

Superheros are smart as well as strong y'know...

Put your bulkiest luggage in one of the first overhead compartments as you board the plane. That way you won’t have to store it at the back of the aircraft, where a bazillion other people will soon be trying to stuff their bags into every available space. It also means you can stay coolly seated when the plane lands while everyone else scrambles to pull their luggage down. Then you just glide to the front, sans baggage, to grab yours right before you exit. C’est parfait.


3. BRIBE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Mmm, smell the lovely cash. Smell it!

Ok, this is where you may have to crank it up a notch if you didn’t have time for the online check in. Try bribing the flight attendant, or use your begging skills to ensure a seat in the front row. Discretely slip the air stewards a wad of bills (with the highest number on the outside of course) and tell them you’ll make it worth their while if they cut you a break this one time. If the flight is not fully booked and the incentives are high enough, you’d be surprised at what you can get away with.

 

4. FEIGN ILLNESS

I hope they can hear me out there, this is so undignified...

Nobody wants to be near an ill person on an airplane, especially when you can put them in the line of, er, fire. Grab your stomach, make your best queasy face and express to the flight crew the urgency of your getting off first, lest they have a much longer and more unpleasant time cleaning the cabin.

 

5. PRETEND TO BE HEAVILY PREGNANT

It was easy, I just bought a sweater in duty free and stuffed it up there!

There isn’t a lot of dignity in this one, ladies, but pregnancy is a condition that everyone must sympathize with: women feel your pain, and men pretend to out of fear of inciting the opposite sex’s wrath. Bonus points for simulating your water breaking.

 

6. GO MENTAL

Get me off this !?@#$%! plane you b****es!

When all else fails, you can always resort to being “that crazy person” on the airplane. Shout obscenities, harass other passengers, throw your luggage and generally be a complete nuisance. If you have trouble faking it you can always sink several G&Ts too many during the flight. It’s the final resort and a sure-fire way to be greeted by airport security once you’re off, but we still think a stint in airport jail is preferable to being entombed in your seat by rear ends and carry-on bags…

Shot on location at Bespoke Beijing HQ by John Tackabery, with special thanks to Barbie and Iron Man.

 

 

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June 13, 2011

How to Count to Ten In Chinese

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June 9, 2011

Gossip

The Temple Hotel

‘The Temple Hotel’ near Jingshan Park may finally be worthy of its title! After years of delays, the beautiful Songzhu Temple is finally morphing into an 8-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant due to open by the end of the year. Light installations by James Turrell, a restaurant by former Maison Boulud man Ignace Lecleir, and a viewing gallery of antique Tibetan rugs are all on the cards. We can’t wait.

 

 

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June 8, 2011

IN CONVERSATION WITH…Beijing’s oldest barber Grandpa Jing

The Urban Edit tracked down Beijing’s oldest barber (he’s 98) to ask him how life has changed in Beijing in the last century, and why it is he thinks Wen Jiabao’s hair looks silly.

SIX QUESTIONS WE ASK EVERYBODY…

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

Do not get angry. If you don’t have a temper, you’ll live longer. If you have a bad temper, and you get mad very easily, then you’ll suffer as a result. As I say to a lot of my clients who come here for a haircut, “endure and all your troubles will disappear”. If your tolerance is low, you’re going to get mad a lot, and, well, that’s bad for you.

WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?

I suppose I smoke a lot. But I don’t think that’s bad. I’ve been smoking for 80 years! Back in the day, I used to sneak around to smoke because I was still a student. I would just bum one off other people when the moment presented itself, and smoke in secret. That was fun.

WHAT SHOULD EVERY PERSON THAT VISITS BEIJING DO AT LEAST ONCE?

There are too many places to name. I like Gulou and Houhai Lake, because that’s where I started as a barber. If you are in Beijing, a stroll around those areas is a must.

FAVOURITE BEIJING FOOD OR RESTAURANT?

I don’t like to eat in restaurants.Maybe when I was young I did. I cannot eat like young people anymore. I like dumplings that my wife makes for me. In the past, you could only have dumplings on certain occasions, but people seem to eat them all the time now.

BAIJIU OR BEER?

I don’t really drink. Alcohol is not good for your health. I haven’t drunk since my twenties…

JIAN BING OR BAOZI?

Both! I can’t choose, I eat everything.

 

I lived in Japan for a while and there people used to call me “Miss” because I was very serious about my hair.

FULL INTERVIEW…

WHAT’S THE SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS?

I am very good at my job. If you give a customer a good haircut, he’ll be so happy he’ll probably pay more. If you’re good at what you do, then people will come and find you.

We were just 1 million people here, now there’s a population of 20 million. How do you express that kind of change in words? You really can’t.

FONDEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY?

My fondest childhood memory is of training to be a barber. I moved to Beijing from Shunyi (which is now just another Beijing district) when I was 15. It was quite hard and Beijing was so different, so exciting. Back then the Forbidden City was totally closed off to civilians. Even this area where I live used to be closed off to regular people – this used to be the ice warehouse, where they used to store ice.

HOW DID YOU START OUT?

I started learning when I was 15, in 1928, and trained for three years. At the end of my training, my boss gave me all the tools I needed, and I have been on my own ever since. I started in bathhouses in Dongcheng district, and stayed around the Gulou area. Being a barber is a tough job to learn – knives and scissors being so close to someone’s head. It’s a very tense profession.

DO YOU STILL CUT HAIR FOR OTHER PEOPLE, EVEN AT 98!?

No, not as much as I used to. I’ve been very ill for the past half year, but if someone comes and asks me, I’ll do it. Also, if someone is disabled and can’t get out of the house, I’ll go over there myself.

HAVE YOU GIVEN HAIRCUTS TO ANY FOREIGNERS OR ANYONE FAMOUS?

Japanese people often come to ask me to cut their hair, and I have a Canadian regular too. He loves it, he says he can’t get the same haircut anywhere else. General Tangzhenling used to come quite often. He was a general for the Communist Party. In truth, I don’t care about status. People are all the same to me. Everyone needs haircuts.

WHAT TIP WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG HAIRDRESSER STARTING OUT?

Many people actually ask me to be their mentor/master, and my advice to them is:  Cutting hair is not something mechanical. It’s like applying make-up, you should yield to the shape of the face and the head, and not just chase fashion. I mean, look at Wen Jiabao’s hair: his sides are really flat, then poufs out at the top. It really doesn’t suit him.

WHO CUTS YOUR HAIR?

Another barber, a friend of mine, used to cut my hair, but he died when he was 60.  Now my kids cut it for me. A haircut is not that big of a deal, but if it’s a bad cut, it’ll just feel awkward. When I was young I took my haircut really seriously, it had to be stylish. I lived in Japan for a while and there people used to call me “Miss” because I was very serious and fussy about my hair. Now it’s not a big deal.

YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING IN BEIJING FOR SO LONG. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CITY TODAY?

There have been so many changes, I can’t even start comparing the old Beijing and this Beijing. It is too huge a transformation. When I first arrived in Beijing, there weren’t even that many bikes on the streets, let alone cars. After 9pm, there would not be anyone on the streets. We were just 1 million people here, now there’s a population of 20 million. How do you express that kind of a change in words? You really can’t.

SO COME ON GRANDPA JING, WHAT’S THE SECRET TO LONG LIFE?

Not doing too much. If you work too hard in life, 24/7, without a break, you’re going to end up old and dissatisfied. I never did much when I was younger, and that’s why I am still going. Just take it easy.

 

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