Come rain or shine, it’s always nice to have a place you can call your local where you can sip on your favorite adult beverage. Bars offering the latest on-trend craft beer are never too hard to find in Beijing, but those who prefer to mull over their day with a glass of vino may find it hard to find a place that is exclusively dedicated to providing respite for both the wine connoisseur and novice in this great city.

A nice selection of wine, consisting of French, Spanish, German, and Chinese

于是 (yú shì, “Thus”) by Cartelei is just that and for the more discerning of wine drinkers, this place is not only a lush and upscale haunt to try vino from vineyards far from these shores, but a place to enjoy the less appreciated and little known regional bottles of white or red wine made with selected grapes from the northern and southern provinces of China.

I’ve never been a fan of Chinese wine, but that said, I haven’t really tried enough to make an informed decision about the quality of what’s on offer. I’ve always been more inclined to choose something red and full-bodied on a wine menu and, when the occasion calls for it, something bubbly.

I went a little out of my comfort zone when visiting 于是 by Cartelei and decided to try something new. Nestled neatly in Central Park with a modern and stylish look and feel, this wine bar has carved out a unique place for itself by combining a teahouse concept by day with its ambient wine bar setting during the evening. Wines start at RMB 60 a glass and can be paired with a selection of classic and more unusually matched bar snacks.

Ice-cold, just as I like it

To start, I was served a glass of Bisol, Bel Star ice-cold Prosecco (RMB 78 per glass). Why is it important to mention the temperature of this bubbly beverage? This is the standard by which I first assess whether a bar is setting off on the right foot. There’s nothing worse than any bar serving you a room-temperature drink, unless of course it’s a glass of red. It’s not too difficult to find a decent Prosecco these days, and this one was perfectly balanced, slightly dry, and fruity.

Next came Tiansai, a white Chardonnay from Xinjiang Province in China (RMB 480 by the bottle). I’m more of a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio kind of momma, and although I’m certainly no connoisseur, I like to think that I know a thing or two about a decent glass of wine.  A Chardonnay is typically full-bodied and dry and is one of the most widely planted white wine grapes in the world. Flavors can range from buttery and rich to tart and zesty.

A good Chardonnay is perfect for drinking during the long summer months in Beijing and can also be paired with meaty fish and salty cheeses. A chardonnay should always be refreshing and robust, and I was pleasantly surprised that this bottle delivered.

As a nightcap I went to my staple, the Old Fashioned (RMB 110). I’m extremely fussy about how I take this cocktail and always enjoy it more if the mixologist goes heavy on the orange with a little sweetness to cut through the deep and hopefully heady notes of a good whiskey. The cocktail wasn’t made to these specifications but had the makings of a decent version of an Old Fashioned, if priced a little on the steep side.

Old Fashioned

The bar snack menu is in the middle of a transition and is being revamped for a launch next week. It’s always important that members of staff are knowledgeable about the entirety of their menu, from drinks to food, particularly if their price tag suggests that what they are offering is a premium product.

Canapés or tapas paired with alcoholic beverages are by far one of my favorite combinations and I always look to make sure that these are as described on the menu and of a high quality. Based on what I sampled, I agree with the need for the improvements that are currently being made, and I look forward to returning and enjoying a robust and flavorsome platter of yummy savory treats, but this time with a glass of red!

Mixed Platter, priced at RMB 88 

The owner, Leilei, truly has a passion for wine and has been successful in her endeavors to create an environment that reflects this passion, educates, and provides a beautiful setting in which to truly enjoy and appreciate good wine. This wine bar is a lovely place to enjoy a glass of vino after work, or to treat your loved one on date night. The bar also makes a good option for pre-dinner evening drinks. Private rooms are also available.

Happy hour is from 5.30pm – 8.30pm every day for all cocktails and house wines. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, ask staff to help you out, or even live on the wild side and ask to be surprised! Go check it out and see if this little hub has the potential to be called your local.

于是by Cartelei

Suite 101, Building 20, Central Park, 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang. 朝阳区朝外大街6号, 新城国际20号楼 1pm – 1am

Residents and businesses in an upmarket area of Beijing’s Central Business District (CBD), including the prestigious Central Park compound, have been left without hot water for five days, with the problem unlikely to be fixed before the weekend. The issue has been blamed on a burst water pipe, but residents have complained of poor communication from their landlords and an inadequate response from water suppliers.

“Nobody told me anything,” said David P., a US national working in finance who asked us not to use his real name. “I first noticed around 8 or 9pm on Friday (Oct 12), when I tried to take a shower. I called down to the guard, who said it was a problem with the whole area. The next day I saw a notice in the public lobby.”

Notice in public areas of Central Park

We contacted Beijing District Heating Group, who said that they expect supplies to be restored this weekend. For David P., this isn’t good enough.

“I feel like we’re supposed to be in a major international metropolis, and with this kind of problem, they should be able to fix it a lot faster than this. It’s kind of ridiculous.”

He also called for better communication with residents.

“That way we can plan, should I go out of town, or book a hotel.”

For those, particularly families with children, who have chosen to book into local hotels until supplies are restored, there may be considerable costs involved, with claims that hotels in the area have ramped up their prices to take advantage.

“I often have guests in Beijing,” David P. told us, “so I know what the prices are usually. After this problem, they went up 50 to 100 percent.”

Other Beijingers were unsympathetic, with those living in older compounds stating that this is a frequent problem this time of year. Hot water is often switched off for a week or two in preparation for the change over to winter heating. If this is the case in CBD, it would explain why it’s taking so long to repair a burst pipe. However, it would raise the question of why residents weren’t simply told in advance about the planned works.

For many residents, this has come as a reminder that China, for all its wealth, is still a developing country. Some are treating it as a minor inconvenience, for others, it’s a failure to provide a basic utility despite the notoriously high rents in CBD, which have shot up by 40 percent in the last year alone.

If you’re affected by this problem, in CBD or elsewhere, we can suggest a solution: water heaters can be purchased for as little as RMB 600 from taobao.com or jd.com. If your Mandarin is still developing too, just copy and paste the characters 热水器 (rè shuǐ qì, “water heater”) into the search box, and look in the listings for the phrase 包安装 (bāo ān zhuāng, “installation included”). If you’re renting, it might also be worth talking to your landlord about whether they will pay for or share the cost of the boiler, which is, after all, an enhancement to their property.

Photos: Pixabay, Amanda Zhang

Ocean International, the non-descript complex south of Central Park and East of The Place, has seen quite the pick up in dining options lately, with the opening of a Blue Frog and, very soon, the first downtown branch of Wangjing-based Thai restaurant Pak Pak.

The Ocean International branch of Blue Frog is the chain’s fourth in Beijing. Although the new location has been open for a few weeks now (friends say their signature burgers and daily two-for-one happy hour are as good as ever), they are celebrating properly with a grand opening party on December 4. Tickets are RMB 100, which gets you selected drinks and snacks from 6.30-11pm. See the event listing for more details. If their previous parties are anything to go by, this one is sure to be a doozy.

As much as we’re excited about a new Blue Frog, Pak Pak is the opening that’s really got our culinary fires blazing. With its authentic food and stripped back decor, the first branch in Wangjing was an instant hit when it opened in 2013, and we’re sure it will be a hit among CBD office workers seeking a quick and tasty lunch. Bespoke Beijing reports that the Pak Pak teamed traveled to Thailand to source new dishes and ideas for the menu, and that the new location will have a dedicated bar serving southeast Asian influenced cocktails. You can bet you’re life we’ll be there to try those out as soon as it opens.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on November 21, 2014.

Photos: via thebeijinger.com

Mamas and papas, take heed: BabyGro CBD is moving from its Central Park location due to sharp rent increases. On December 4, the store will be relocating across the street to Chaowai SOHO and is holding a week-long moving sale to cut down on its inventory. Discounts range from 10 to 50 percent off, so now is a good opportunity to pick up some Christmas gifts and baby essentials.

Note that the sale is only applicable to the Central Park branch, not the website or Shunyi store. For directions to the store, call 139 1171 5373.

Photo by Christopher Lay

For most high school students, coffee is a necessity to get through late nights and survive early mornings. Because of this, countless cafes have dedicated themselves to supplying the copious amounts of brew consumed every month. So, if you find yourself tired of the all too familiar Starbucks and Costa Coffee, here are three cafes you can try out in the CBD, each with something special to offer.

Central Perk
Sounds familiar? This cafe in Chaowai SOHO is based on the Central Perk from the well-loved TV show Friends. If you’re not already convinced of how great this cafe is, keep reading. On top of a wonderful variety of coffee and other drinks, this little coffee shop has many unique qualities, such as a TV playing Friends non-stop surrounded by cozy sofas. Famous scenes from Friends and other movie posters are framed on the walls, adding to the relaxed ambiance. The snug atmosphere makes for a good place to hang out with friends on weekends. On the down side, the extremely comfortable sofas are limited, as the cafe is quite small. Then again, the free Wi-Fi makes up for that inconvenience.

Moss Cafe
This is another cafe tucked away in Chaowai SOHO, C Building. Open every day from 9am to 10pm, Moss Cafe is a quiet delight. Spacious enough and not yet discovered by hoards of coffee addicts, it provides a quiet atmosphere where one can enjoy the company of friends on the large sofa in one corner and contemplate the tasteful artwork, or the peace to do some work or browse the Internet (free Wi-Fi!).

Not only does Moss Cafe make an excellent cup of coffee, but it also offers a large variety of food and drinks. A few that stand out include the apple ginger yogurt smoothie, mint lemon soda, baked cheesecake and homemade bagels, and bagel sandwiches in a variety of flavors. Not yet sold? You can enjoy an all-day breakfast of bacon and eggs/smoked salmon omelettes, bagel and cream cheese, a salad and coffee or juice, all for RMB 45. No joke. On the downside, smoking is allowed in the café, so you may have to momentarily endure the stench of tobacco.

Jamaica Blue
Although largely popular in Australia, this cafe is highly underappreciated in Beijing. It’s a terrible shame, for they make a wonderful coffee that goes above and beyond the usual. If the dearly-loved chai latte and flat white coffees are not familiar to you, you are not enjoying life as much as you should, and are urged to sample these coffees with utmost haste. The CBD Jamaica Blue can be found in the Central Park apartment complex, and there are another two located in Park Avenue near Chaoyang Park and Yosemite in Shunyi. Besides the moreish coffee, the cater to the Antipodeans of Beijing with their delectable quiches, sandwiches, and cakes. And, of course, the cafe would not be on this list if it did not provide free Wi-Fi.

To sum it up, no matter where you live in Beijing, these cafes are well worth the trip to the CBD.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2012 issue of UNIT-E. It was written by Katie Dark, a student at Yew Chung International School of Beijing.

About UNIT-E
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.

Photo by yoppy (Flickr)