All You Cats: Beijing Is the Brand New Thing

Hong Kong is old hat, Shanghai is oversold and even Lhasa is getting pass. But Beijing? This formerly stodgy, sprawling, communist capital is the new thing. There is a rave on the Great Wall every summer, and Starbucks opened in the Forbidden City last October. But how do you separate the merely new from the truly hip? Here’s our guide.

Like Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong or Leicester Square in London, Beijing’s Bar Street, Sanlitun Lu, in the northeast of the city is the place to start. To reach the trendiest spots, it is constant push and shove past row upon row of Westernized joints and miniskirted cigarette and beer girls. The narrow space between the sidewalk seating and lines of inching taxis in the street throngs with people, mostly Chinese, who have come to check out the foreigners at play. Drinks are pricey, music is loud and there is more than a hint of illicit sex in the air. But something a little smoother is just around the corner.

Beijing’s choicest cocktail crowd gathers on nearby Xingfu Cun Zhong Lu, at the Neo Lounge, which is minimalist, marble-topped and features a large Buddha stoically surrounded by champagne bottles. All your favorite Western poisons are available. Also on tap: the deafening cacophony of bright young things, local and foreign, that is part of the scene from Tokyo to Toronto. To be part of it, call (86-10) 6416-5615. Too tame? Pop around another corner to Club Vogue, on Gongti Dong Lu, where the state-of-the-art sound system has channeled the dubby deckwork of some of the world’s leading DJs. The club is a favorite among visiting out-of-town celebrities. Subdued souls should pick a weekday night, when Vogue offers a passable dinner menu and live jazz at a volume that permits conversation. To reserve, call (86-10) 6416-5316.

Just east of the Sanlitun area, the ever-expanding Loft, a spot popular with chuppies, is a study in mixed metaphors. Its TV-lined industrial interior sports metal-tube chairs inspired by traditional Chinese designs, and a sizable dance floor. Go through the small art gallery to reach a tented beer garden where a lone cellist plays on a balcony, occasionally obscured by smoke from the barbecue. A couple of caveats: some regulars complain the sound system needs an overhaul, and the crowds tend to move on by midnight. But if beer and kebabs are your thing, call (86-10) 6501-7501. Another notable in the neighborhood is the Velvet Room, featuring a canal-side location and intimately arranged sofas. Run by a well-known local DJ, it is a frequent haunt of Beijing’s ber-hip crowd; phone (86-10) 6460-9365. Other hot venues nearby include Club Orange and Jazz-Ya.

For something a little more raw, try the bars and clubs clustered around the universities in Haidian. In the 1980s this area40 minutes northwest of the city centerwas a hotbed of student activism. Now, in the hutongs across from Peking University’s West Gate, local and foreign DJs spin regularly at Solutions. For directions, call (86-10) 6255-8877. Or try First Avenue Caf and Bar at (86-10) 6264-0702. The atmosphere at both places is plain wild.

Ten minutes away by cab is Wudaokou, at the intersection of Wang Zhuang Street and Cheng Fu Road. Chock-full of Korean restaurants, the area is also long on live music. While rock ‘n’ roll still rules the scene, Beijing’s punks are trying to recreate the 1977 they never knew, with sweaty, muscled guitarists screaming unintelligible, over-amplified lyrics to an equally sweaty, pogo-ing audience. For hard rock at one of the city’s most active venues, try Get Lucky, which has concerts every weekend featuring some of the Beijing underground’s best and brashest. To find out who is performing, call (86-10) 6429-9109. Looking for punk acts? Head to the Bus Barconstructed from three sawn-up busesnear Xueyuan Lu and the fourth ring road. To catch a ride, call (86-10) 6207-1631. Then there is the oddly named Happy Paradise, a club, bar and daytime ice rink in a dingy section of dilapidated hutongs, 300 m south of the railway track. Call (86-10) 6232-6821 for more information. It may not be the height of sophistication, but it is defi-nitely cool.