Curious carnivores seeking to sample Turkish food would do well to seek out this cozy tavern a short stroll south of Hooters.

Multicursal mastermind Leon Lee, previously of jazz-spot OT Lounge, has opened a new bar, Apothecary, in Sanlitun’s Nali Patio. His partners in the venture comprise a dedicated team of fellow Beijing food and drink impresarios (Max E. Levy – Chef du cuisine at The Opposite House’s Bei, and the duo behind Er whiskey bar: Motonari Uchiyama and Daisuke Onishi). Together, this brain trust has created a contemporary cocktail bar infused with the buzz and vigor of a vintage New Orleans joint, boasting a vast selection of fine beers, liquor and Creole food. Agenda sat down with Leon to discuss cocktail crafting, the inspiration behind Apothecary and jazz in Beijing.

As the Gongti branch celebrates five violaceous years of business, the new incarnation of this Beijing Thai institution has opened in a renovated traditional courtyard dwelling.

Roundabout Charity Store is holding a special toy and book day this Saturday (January 30) to raise money for Beijing foster home, Agape Family Life House. The foster home offers orphans suffering from brittle bone disease the care they need and a place to call their home. The organization is currently in need of new wheel chairs and Roundabout is hoping to raise enough money to buy 20 of these for children in the foster home.

Born in Japan and raised in France, Maika Endo first arrived in China in 2000 with an “intuitive conviction” that this was the place to be. After working in marketing (Maika was once the Marketing Manager for the company that now produces Agenda) as well as promotions, the 30-year-old self-described “spa junkie” set up Kocoon Spa in Sanlitun’s Nali Patio with her mother last year, and her quest for perfection took her on a globe trotting expedition to learn age-old techniques from revered masters. We sat down recently with Maika to discuss the ins and outs of running a spa in the capital.

Beijing is home to one of the world’s most exciting live music scenes, with shows ranging from straight-up punk to blues and jazz to experimental techno on any given night. One key factor in keeping these scenes going is the myriad of venues, each with their own distinctive feel and character. Here are our picks for the best.

The Romanesque statue greeting your entrance hints at an eccentric, grand interior. Sure enough, Greek columns coexist with paintings of the English countryside, and red leather is paired with chintz cushions.

Irish pub Danger Doyle’s has already made its mark on the sports bar map in its relatively short existence. The man that made it happen is local impresario and bar scene veteran, Glenn Phelan.

Beijing has many charity groups that are in need of volunteers and resources over the holiday season and beyond, so there’s no better time than now to get out there and make a difference.

Beijing-based charity Little Bird provides hope to migrant workers by helping to solve industrial disputes, providing legal counseling and career guidance. This grassroots organization is the first labor NGO established in China that can work directly in the community with migrant workers. Little Bird founder Wei Wei, a former migrant worker himself, sat down to tell us more about his organization and the difficulties that migrant workers face in China.