the Beijinger

Tucked away behind Pacific Century Place just off Sanlitun, in what used to be the research facility for the Beijing Machinery and Electric Institute, is now 1949, a neo-industrial factory-chic dining and entertainment compound. Behind the brick walls lays a quaint courtyard-like commune, which features indoor and outdoor restaurants, cafés, bars, gardens, terraces, a private members' club, and a contemporary art gallery. The restaurants each serve a distinct style of cuisine.

So you thought the Polaroid was dead? Apparently not.

Platform China in Caochangdi, which prides itself on promoting the new and the emerging, have made the humble medium the focus of its current group show, running till July 19.

The curator, Qiu Xiaofei, is intrigued by the Polaroid’s uniqueness within photography, that once the image appears it becomes the only possible copy. Inevitably a Polaroid will look over-exposed or much too dark, but there is nothing you can do. This sets the Polaroid entirely apart from the work of a digital camera, or one developed in a darkroom, and gives it its own plucky integrity. A Polaroid is always simply itself.

The hottest thing about Sharon Stone’s character in Basic Instinct wasn’t her lack of panties – it was her ice picks. Here are ours:

A new branch of Gustomenta, the Italian gelato chain, is moving into the space soon to be vacated by April Gourmet on Xingfuxun Zhonglu (the strip running parallel north of Gongti in Sanlitun). April Gourmet is shuffling across the street into smart new digs.

Nearby on Xindong Lu, there’s more frigid fun to be had with the arrival of Swensen’s, an ice cream chain accompanied by sister restaurant Prima Taste Kitchen. Both Singaporean-run neighbors occupy the spot previously belonging to tapas joint Mare.

Across town in Nanluogu Xiang, another new gelato joint - Mr and Mrs - has commenced trading. You can find the happy couple about halfway down the street on the west side.

It's fourth of July weekend and that means there's more action around town than you can shake a foam finger at. If there's one nation on earth that knows how to party it's the good ol' US of A. Check out their willingness for applying face paint as evidence. Woo-hoo. Here are all of the Nightlife events this weekend, and below is a round-up of some of the picks.

Bodycode’s ethos is to “unlock the psyche via the body,” which is a bold statement for any DJ/producer. However, Bodycode specializes in bold statements – which explains why tonight’s upcoming set at White Rabbit (10pm; RMB 70) is completely live. We caught up with him before he unlocks your psyches to see if we could unlock his.

the Beijinger: You’re South African, you’ve lived in London, Lisbon and Berlin, and you tour the world – has this affected your music?
Bodycode: Yes, I’ve lived in all those places and the funny thing is that I don’t consider myself to belong to any one place. I guess I’m nomadic by nature; I think you can sense that in the style of my music. My one pseudonym, Portable, means to be able to take it with and around you. Though in each country the music was affected by the general atmosphere of the people and most definitely by the weather!