Forgive me, I’ve been less on top of artsy news this week because I’ve been too busy trolling the internet at odd hours to keep up with this Jeremy Lin business. Yes, I am the world’s most intermittent basketball fan. But that’s beside the point. There are actually quite a few exciting things going on this week, like Capital M Literary Festival tickets going on sale, great indie films, a blind movie-watching experience and your last chance at several art exhibits! Click through for more.

What do fireworks, great action movies, fruit wrapped in baskets, fancy envelopes, new clothing and people getting fat have in common? You guessed it, they’re all things you see during Chinese New Year! As this year’s chunyun comes to a close, let’s take a minute and look back on some of the impressive figures that were rung up during the CNY period.

We’re still waiting for things to get back into full swing around here, but that means you have some time to: 1) take some photos to try and win a month or two’s rent money, 2) catch up on web news like the accusations of Han Han not being a real writer and China getting snubbed at the Oscars, and 3) sleep. If you don’t like those ideas, you can get your fill of more movie screenings, and aspiring thespians: don’t miss a workshop teaching you how to audition for the stage.

“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: Will Yorke, Owner, Vineyard Cafe and The Vineleaf

The venue
A mianbao taxi from 1997. The driver is happy and there would be a hole in the floor and the rear might open up and lose diners at any moment.

The starters
Meat-filled pancakes (roubing 肉饼) from Ping’an Roubing Dian on Ping’an Dajie, just west of Dongsishitiao. These would be served with ma doufu (麻豆腐) and guanchang (灌肠) (potato starch sliced, fried and served with a bowl of smashed garlic in water). Not because I really like guanchang, but just because the characters for the dish are the same as “enema.” Some restaurants translate it into English as “fried enema,” which is surely a unique dish.

This impeccably dressed Hunan native can often be found chatting up visitors at Approx, her Nali Patio boutique. It’s a goldmine for elegant jewelry and accessories by local designers, as well as pieces from her own collections. We asked P.J. about her recent segue from jewelry to clothing design.

Expats can breathe a sigh of relief. The list of performers for tonight's CCTV Spring Festival Gala has been announced, and Dashan is not among them. 

If you own a TV, like to watch Mandarin teaching shows and/or have spent any time at all in China, it is very unlikely that you've never come across the name Dashan (the name means “Big Mountain” in Chinese). The Canadian became an instant hit back in 1988 when he first showcased his Mandarin fluency during the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Since then, he's become such a sensation that most can't imagine him having a real name. (By the way, he does – it's Mark Roswell.)

Dashan is adored by the Chinese but hated by many Chinese-language learners. Let’s take a second to remind ourselves why:

Plastered T-shirts, a Beijing-based brand which has carved much of its identity around Nanluogu Xiang, is now expanding its creative reach. If all goes according to plan, their new shop – their second in Beijing – will open tomorrow in 798 Art District, right across from the UCCA.

“A Taste of Home” is a regular magazine column in which we ask the natives of a particular country to introduce us to their national cuisine.

A few months ago, if you’d asked me what “smushi” was, I’m not sure I would have had an answer. I might have guessed it was sushi battered senseless with the blunt edge of a meat cleaver or flattened out with a rolling pin. But I can’t be sure I’d even have thought it had anything to do with food.

“Mastermind” is a regular magazine column in which we quiz Beijing’s barkeeps on general knowledge as well as on a subject in which they consider themselves to be a specialist.

CONTESTANT: Xiao Shuai , El Nido
SPECIALIST SUBJECT: Absinthe

Who’d have thought that noise hypnotist Yan Jun, folk maverick Xiao He, academic guqin player Wu Na, underground multi-instrument nomad Li Daiguo and tea master Lao Gu would form a band together? They’ve played two shows in Bern and Basel, and their Beijing debut is scheduled for this month.