Fatburger has opened up a new front in Beijing's burger wars with their first Mainland China branch in The Grand Summit complex just north of the Kempinski Hotel. We dropped in for lunch today (hat tip to Beijing Boyce for his timely twitter post) and found the place hopping on this, its first official day of business after a slight delay due to some issues with sourcing their beef.  Business was so brisk, in fact, it was hard not to feel a bit sorry for the forlorn O'Brien's counter (owned by the same management) in the corner.

Just as Yann Tiersen may not have recognized Yugong Yishan (the same venue he played on his first trip to Beijing in 2006, which has since moved from Chunxiu to Zhangzizhong Lu), the audience too may not have recognized immediately his electrified rendition of “La Valse d'Amélie.” For instead of playing it as a piano solo, despite having a keyboard at his disposal, Tiersen opted instead for a violin and the accompaniment of a four-person band.

Throughout the evening Tiersen himself switched seamlessly back and forth between keyboard, melodica, ukulele and guitar, in addition to providing vocals. But, for the most part, he was attached to the violin, playing so ferociously that many of the bowstrings had snapped by the show’s end. (Good thing it was, then, that two violins were readied on stage in advance.)

Located far outside the North Fourth Ring Road, the spa at Purple Jade Country Club is a secluded respite from city life. The debt to Thai spas is clear: The swimming pool is surrounded by tropical plants, while two open cottages next to the pool serve as treatment rooms, their decor unmistakably Thai in inspiration. Spa-goers shower at the treatment rooms in the main complex before moving on to the outdoor cottages.

The Art of War 12 Fighting Championship happened Friday at the Olympic Sports Center Gym, and it was about what you’d expect out of a mixed martial arts event billed as "setting the standard for the future of China's mixed martial arts industry”: loud, gaudy, over-the-top, packed with personality.

Ahh, the weekend. Some are good for partying, and some are good for sleep. Given all the partying that went on last weekend (with Labor Day and music festival madness and all), this one would be a good one for resting up and reflection.

No doubt there was a lot going on in Beijing. But there also happened to be a lot of Beijing going on in Chengdu, in particular at the first in what organizers hope to be many Zebra International Music Festivals.

On his third time back to Beijing, Japan's DJ Kentaro made a superb showing of his DMC World Champion skills at Mix Thursday night (Mar 26). His hour-and-a-half set started at midnight with quickly paced techno, climaxed on drum & bass, then cooled out on hip-hop à la DJ Premier.

Check out our interview with the man himself here. See more photos from the show below ...

In a recent interview, film director Jia Zhangke revealed that he thinks that 2009 is going to be his year. In the past, the director was known as a producer of independent, slightly controversial films - his 1997 effort The Pickpocket Xiao Wu - watch here earned him a one year ban on making films from Chinese film authorities. Later films, including Platform (Zhantai) - watch here, earned him a reputation in China as a director who was willing to sacrifice domestic box office success on the altar of foreign festival awards.

Mar 10
Beijing Guo'an vs Newcastle Jets
8pm. Workers' Stadium

Beijing Guoan got their new season off to a surprise start with a win in the first match of this year’s AFC Champions’ League. Going into the game as slight underdogs against a much-fancied Jets line-up, the Beijingers set about their task with vigor. Crisp interplay from a team that fielded four foreign debutants came as a pleasant surprise to the 32,000 crowd.

It may be March and it may have been International Women’s Day, but it felt a bit like Halloween last night at Yugong Yishan. The eccentric media artist Gudrun Gut from Deutschland did her spooky musical witchcraft, dressed in all black against a projector showing old movies. Call it electronica, experimental noise or performance art – whatever it was, there was a a strong crowd there to show their support.

And you thought it was Spring.