The wine and spirits sections at Jenny Wang and Jenny Lou have certainly grown over the past few years. Offer after offer spotlights wines from every country and region as well as imported and local spirits and beers. However, where these supermarkets struggle is in their lack of product knowledge. If you’re looking for a certain wine from a certain year or want a recommendation for a full-bodied red, you’ll likely come unstuck. Despite being staffed by "experts," it’s unlikely that the sales clerks will be able to assist you unless you have excellent Mandarin.

That’s why it was refreshing to come across Arcadia, a new wine store near to Yosemite Villas. It’s a relatively small shop but stocks a good range of reds, whites, champagnes, spirits, and beer. The guys that run the store speak excellent English and are keen to help you find what you’re looking for. They provide plenty of suggestions and were able to describe some of the different wines on display. If you want something specific, they’re happy to try and source it for you. They also deliver, in case you’re looking to stock up or plan for a barbecue.

Arcadia is no Pinotage, which has an excellent range of high-end wines and experienced sommeliers to guide you. But what it does have is a solid selection of wines in the RMB 55-82 range; some great Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc in the RMB 100 range; and – much to my surprise – Pimm’s, a British summer fruit drink. (Think Hugh Grant, regattas, and Wimbledon.)

This being Beijing, I wasn’t overly surprised to see that some of the shop space was reserved for…porcelain. Yes, porcelain. So if you need some tequila for your margaritas and a nice ceramic bowl for your nachos, Arcadia is the place for you. With the adjoining vegetable shop and Tasty’s also close by, it’s a wonderful addition to this small parade of shops.

Arcadia
100m east of the south gate of Yosemite, Section A. Houshayu, Yuyang Lu, Shunyi District (Li Liming: 137 1878 1806, liliming689@126.com) 顺义区榆阳路后沙峪优山美地A区南门东边100米

Photos by Sally Wilson

The International Exposition Center is up and ready to go for the 19th Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF). From Aug 29-Sept 2, all are welcome to attend and browse book selections from over 60 countries. The Republic of Korea is the Country of Honor this year. For more detailed information, visit their website here.

We are soooo happy to see that Tasty’s is back! Sharing building space with the fruit lady (locals know where this is, on the back side of Yosemite across from the husband-wife car wash business), Tasty’s is selling their frozen bagels and bagel pizzas, as well as their freshly baked cookies, brownies and more. Stop by or call 152 1049 8467. My girls are thrilled to know that the yummy cinnamon buns are available again…

Sports Beijing has begun its fall line-up of numerous sports for kids of all ages. Registration can be completed online; payment is made either at the Sports Beijing office (2/F, Lido Country Club) or at scheduled time in international schools. For a full listing of the programs available as well as all of the registration information, go to www.sportsbj.org.

Something of major concern for those of us who living in neighboring compounds and/or have teenagers: information was posted on Beijing Café about the dangers of teens partying near River Road (also known as Dead Ayi Road, next to the Wenyu River). Yuyang Road is the one that goes past Pinnacle Plaza, curves around and runs parallel to River Road (past River Garden, Capital Paradise, etc.). In that turn from Pinnacle to River Garden, teenagers are apparently going in the back area by River Road to have a fire pit and alcohol parties. A witness has seen them walking and riding bikes on the very dark road, where too many people have seen the results of serious and fatal accidents. Be careful!

Things are always changing around the Shunyi area, and now is no different. As 2011 winds down and we prepare for 2012, there are a few popular places that may be in a different location when you come back from holiday.

*Imagine Photography Studio will move from its current location (it was beside the former Roundabout location) to Pinnacle Plaza! In unit 503, the studio is now next to Baskin Robbins. They can be reached at 8472 7478. 

*Tasty’s café, outside the exit gate of ISB, is currently having a pre-moving sale on their frozen foods until the end of the year. At the moment, they are finalizing plans to move nearby – in the small section of local stores by the popular “fruit lady.” Along Yuyang Road just before the newest Yosemite villas section (across the current hutong neighborhood) will be a great place to stop as you go between compounds in the area.

*Mrs. Shanen’s is staying put as long as that section of stores remains. However! If they need to relocate, they already have a place by Luoma (Roma) Lake secured. Next to Malacca Legend, their address would be No. 17 Luodonglu, Luogezhuangcun Village, Houshayu, Shunyi (贞的餐厅新地址： 顺义区后沙峪镇罗格庄村罗东路17号（罗马湖边）.The phone numbers will remain 8046 4301 and 6435 9561. Patrons can call after the first of the year to see if there have been any changes in location.

*And just to make it seem more like the inevitable, another building in that section has come down. Space near Smallville restaurant is now flattened, and it’s assumed that there will be more to come. Rumor had it that there were no buyers for the land, so all those retailers and restaurants would remain; time will tell, perhaps after the first of the year.