2009 Dec 08 Bar News: White Rabbit Reopening, Obiwan and Q Bar Team Up
A few new openings and updates ...
White Rabbit will complete its eagerly anticipated move to Tongli Studio in the next few days. It's officially open for business again as of Friday. Rabbit regulars like co-owner Yang Bing and Donald Summer will play along with Jiong Jiong on Friday; Ben Huang and Mickey Zhang will play on Saturday. Free entry both nights, and - perhaps most difficult for most former White Rabbit regulars to get used to - doors open at 9pm. Look out for our full interview on the new club with White Rabbit co-owner Thomas Gaestadius on the blog on Thursday.
There's a fine new cocktail/whiskey bar called Twilight down in Jianwai Soho. It's on the third floor, in behind the large branch of Starbucks. It's run by the people behind Japanese bar er, who are also investors and managers at current bar of the moment, Apothecary. The drinks are excellent, so if you live or work around there be sure to stop by. They also have lunch specials and pizzas, pasta etc.
Is anyone getting tired of hearing - or more likely reading - that Wudaoying Hutong - most famous for the Vineyard Cafe - is "the new Nanluogu Xiang"? It seems the people at music bar-cafe Mao Mao Chong prefer the original - they're moving to a space on Banchang Hutong, just east off Nanluogu Xiang. They tell us the new space is "a larger version of the old one, set in a traditional Beijing house with a rustic, high-beamed ceiling complemented by a modern concrete and wooden bar, modern artworks and lighting, giving a relaxed homely atmosphere while still being a cool bar." The new location should certainly provide them with ample opportunity to attract new customers. If you never visited the old venue, check out their new spot when it opens later this month.
Meanwhile, it seems Obiwan is set for a facelift, intriguingly aided by the people at Q Bar. The talk is of a combination of Obiwan's music policy and laidback attitude with a bit of Q Bar's class. We first noticed this news earlier today on Beijing Boyce, but weliveinbeijing.com have the full story: read their report here.
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