the Beijinger

There are many people who might have a claim to being the "best bartender in the world," but with the 2010 Diageo Reserve World Class title (the World Cup of bartending) under his belt, Erik Lorincz of the American Bar at London's Savoy hotel, has to be in with a shout. So when you get the chance to make a drink with Lorincz, or simply sip one of his creations, you're hardly going to pass it up, are you?

Following last week's incident in which British guy on a tourist visa was caught on video allegedly sexually assaulting a Chinese girl and beaten up for his troubles, and this week's announcement of a 100-day crackdown on "illegal aliens" (thanks, Xinhua), this is the last thing foreigners in Beijing (or anywhere in China) need ...

Have you ever thought about how much your home environment affects you? Minus the “go” mentality that every metropolis instills in a person, each city instills its own characteristics. New Yorkers have become known for their work hard/play hard attitude, Torontonians are thought of as hipsters, Parisiens are famous for their love of black coffee and dark chocolate. And so on and so forth.

So, what attributes has Beijing instilled in us? Are there certain behaviors that would clearly distinguish us from residents of other cities? Here's a list of qualities to help you figure out just how deeply Beijing has gotten under your skin.

This month, Acid Live celebrates three years as Beijng’s pioneering acid jazz outfit. In those three years they’ve made an indelible imprint on the music scene in Beijing with their live shows becoming famed across the land. As they come of age (in dog years) and get ready for their big birthday bash, they reveal just how acerbic they’ve become down the years.

“Last Orders” is a regular magazine column in which we ask noteworthy Beijingers to imagine their final meal before leaving the city for good. This month’s host is Billy Kawaja, the owner and executive chef of Switch Grill and Culinary Capers.

The venue
I fell in love with my wife at Hooters over a bottle of Dom Pérignon and chicken wings, so we’d have to start the night there with a toast to our friends.

It's summer. There is no point attempting to deceive ourselves any longer. Turn on the office air conditioning and face the facts (and if you don’t have air conditioning, join the club). What exactly does summer mean in a city like ours? Well, short skirts. Also, perverts. The problem is real – as the Chinese police and just about any short-skirt-wearing young lady can tell you. But how to deal with it? Read on for our guide.

Ladies had their turn yesterday. Now for those of you fellas scratching your heads wondering what beachwear is like for you, read on. We want you to be looking your best at the Beijinger’s Ninth Annual Bar & Club Awards, and as ready for an afternoon of drinking in the sun as you’ll ever be.

After celebrating Mother’s Day with my wife and kids this past week, I began thinking about how holidays in general are celebrated in China. In my opinion, Chinese festivals can pretty much be summed up as follows: family, food and a dose of spiritual context.

Every Chinese New Year, I excuse myself from the dining table, assume my position on my mother-in-law’s couch and write a note to my family and friends. It is a time for nostalgia, for looking back on the past year and ahead to the next, and to send my best wishes to all the people that I regret not spending enough time with. It is also my excuse for escaping the frequent Chinese ganbei (“bottoms up”) toasts that come my way.

Squash is best known as something business types do in their lunch hour. That’s not entirely inaccurate, but it doesn’t do justice to a sport whose speed provides such a fantastic workout for both brain and brawn. When we asked the Beijing Expat Squash League a few questions, the answers came back rapid-fire from all directions …