First of all, news on a massive party that only came out after our March issue went to print. The next YEN White party has been set for next Friday, March 26 at The Star Live. YEN regulars like Mickey Zhang, Patrick Yu and Blackie will be playing. Limited discount advance tickets are available from Lush or at ClubZone and cost RMB 50, regular advance tickets are available at RMB 80 from ClubZone, and tickets on the night are RMB 150 (including one drink).

George Zhou, who you voted "Best Bartender" in the Beijinger's 2009 Reader Bar & Club Awards, has left Q Bar, the massively acclaimed bar he created with long-time sidekick Echo Sun. A press release we received from Q Bar this morning states:

Like foreign devils confronted by imperial guards, we were met with suspicion as we entered. I heard “Do you have a reservation?” The real question seemed to be “Why are you here?” I was wondering myself.

Sanlitun stalwart Aperitivo has closed its doors to undergo what looks like a major renovation. Presumably the intention is to freshen things up and keep pace within Sanlitun's ever-competitive bar scene. Or maybe they've decided to rip out their popular patio on the basis that in a city where winter now lasts for six months and snow has fallen for the last three Sundays in February/March, having an outdoor terrace as your top attraction just doesn't make sense. Probably the former. Anyway, look out for more on Aperitivo's renovation - posters on the windows say the bar's new look will be unveiled by the end of March.

Complete with waitresses in milkmaid dresses and a stage set for live music, this is a cheery westside appropriation of Drei Kronen 1308.

Many a writer finds his muse at the bottom of an empty bottle. Sometimes the third bottle. With so many scribes in town for the Bookworm's Literary Festival, we consider where some of history’s famously tipsy scribblers might get inspired in Beijing?

Ernest Hemingway
Mojito

Very macho, that Hemingway. Shooting, fishing, bullfighting, womanizing … but drinking a minty highball? Centro is a long way from Papa’s more adventurous moments, but it’s unlikely the bearded one would object to their quality mojitos.

Centro. Daily 24hrs. 1/F, Shangri-La’s Kerry Centre Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (6561 8833)
朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心饭店1层

As the century turned, Beijing knew little of drum & bass. The Syndicate, a band of rowdy miscreants who dared to venture where none had gone before, changed that. Ahead of the crew’s sixth birthday party at White Rabbit on March 13 (RMB 50, 9pm), members Blackie and Slide tell us how they’ll up the ante in 2010.

the Beijinger: It’s been quiet on The Syndicate front for a few months. What’s been going on?
DJ Blackie: It really was a case of, in the wake of various movements and goings on in the Beijing nightlife scene, us pursuing various other projects for a short while. It’s also given us time to take stock and wait for the opportunity to hit the ground running. We’re super excited about where things are at in terms of clubs this year.

An Edinburgh Fringe in China? Sounds ambitious for a whole lot of reasons, but that’s what Split Work are hoping to do with the JUE Festival, an extended lineup of artists, performances, screenings and exhibitions in Beijing and Shanghai.

Until now, Beijing’s Australian bars have tended to be smaller, down-to-earth places for having a beer and a laugh with your mates, or whoever’s around. The Astral’s five-star location (complete with 15 percent service charge) suits sipping cocktails (RMB 68) rather than Coopers, but there’s a distinct Australian theme.

Fubar boss Chad Lager thrives on schemes and promotions that seem like madness. He launched Cinco de Drinko at Saddle Cantina, giving away half-price drinks for a whole day on the 5th of every month. Later, after moving to Tun, he did the unthinkable and started a ladies' night on Fridays - in Beijing nightlife, this was the equivalent of declaring the world to be round in medieval times. Both ideas worked. Then Chad went off to open Fubar, a "speakeasy" cocktail bar priding itself on large pours, quality drinks and good prices. All very sensible. Were Chad's days of dreaming up insane promotions over?