Now that I'm back in the city, it's become a bit of a challenge to find sites that are new - at least to me. Last week, I stepped up to the challenge and made my first trip to 3 new sites and one old favorite, outlined below.
Discovery #1: Ritan Office Building (Ritan Shangwulou or 日坛商务楼)
S
The non-exciting exterior of Ritan Office Building
I first came across Ritan Office Building in a guidebook written in 2008. It promised that despite its drab exterior, one could find a mecca of authentic fashion bargains, including Marc Jacobs, Diana von Furstenberg, and BCBG among others. I was intrigued, but because we lived so damned far away, I only made one attempt out to search in 2010 - during which I totally missed the building (I may or may not have been distracted by the authentic German restaurant down the street).
Last week, bound and determined to see what all the fuss was about, I took the subway down to Yongan, bypassed the Silk Market, and headed north in search of bargain fashion. The guidebook wasn't kidding about the drab exterior. Situated near the south entrance to Ritan Park and across the street from the Vietnamese Embassy, one could easily pass by the rather unremarkable gray building. Luckily, they have a sign.
Inside, I was surprised (and I'm not sure why) to find myself in a dimly lit office hallway with no indication of high fashion to be found. A turn down the hallway took me to a series of small offices in which the treasure was buried. Like many small stalls in China, there were a fair amount of cheaply made fakes (Hint: If it has a Chole label and a 100RMB price tag, something's up). Next door to the fakes and cheaply made blouses, however, were the very products that earned Ritan its fame.
In one stall, in which I found BCBG and Lily Pulitzer (both of which appeared to be of good quality and had the tags slashed out - often a sign of the real thing), I tried on a fabulous pair of what I was pretty sure were Marc Jacobs (again, the tag was slashed) black ankle length skinny pants. The salesgirl who I had been chatting with since walking in (all in hopes of getting a good deal if I decided to buy something...and to practice my Chinese) suggested I slip on a pair of heels with the pants, after which I fell madly in love with the reflection of my newly lengthened legs (this is coming from a girl who HATES trying on pants).
While I suppose I could never know the exact origins of the pants, the fit and stitiching indicated that there were worth it - and so I engaged in about 5 minutes of bargaining in a desparate attempt to score the pants. I managed to talk the girl down from about 130 USD to 83 USD, but in the end, I let the pants go, reasoning that it really wasn't that great of a deal (after all, I could just go buy a pair of pants at a mall like a normal person with a receipt and all for that much). Although I ended up empty-handed, I feel confident that an entire day devoted to shopping, along with some hard core bargaining (and possibly a native Beijinger doing your bidding) could result in some pretty sweet finds.
While I suppose I could never know the exact origins of the pants, the fit and stitiching indicated that there were worth it - and so I engaged in about 5 minutes of bargaining in a desparate attempt to score the pants. I managed to talk the girl down from about 130 USD to 83 USD, but in the end, I let the pants go, reasoning that it really wasn't that great of a deal (after all, I could just go buy a pair of pants at a mall like a normal person with a receipt and all for that much). Although I ended up empty-handed, I feel confident that an entire day devoted to shopping, along with some hard core bargaining (and possibly a native Beijinger doing your bidding) could result in some pretty sweet finds.
If you go: There is no crowd, so get ready to enjoy some quiet(er) shopping. Don't buy anything with a tag still in it (a sure sign of a fake) and pay attention to quality, stitching, pattern matches, and seams. Be prepared to bargain!
Getting There:
Take subway line 1 to Yougan, get off at the exit to the Silk Market, exit the Silk Market and walk north. Take a left on Guanghua Lu and walk past the British Embassy. Look for the gray building with a sign on your right, across the street from the Vietnamese Embassy.
Discovery #2 - Beijing National Stadium and the Watercube...4 years later
The Bird's Nest...4 years later
Although we spent half of 2010 living in the former Olympic Media Village, a mere few miles from the famed Bird's Nest, I never actually paid a visit to one of Beijing's newest landmarks. The other day, inspired by the (relatively) cool weather and the free admission (clarification: you have to pay to go inside both the National Stadium and the Watercube, but it's free to look around outside) we made the trek southward to check out the site of the Olympics...about 4 years too late.
Google Maps suggested we go by bus and walk, which took a grand total of about an hour - not too bad considering our two mile walk to the bus stop. A bored looking security guard waved us through a gate (the baggage scan and metal detectors have been disabled since the games) and along with a large crowd of Chinese tourists, we were inside.
While the buildings appear to be decently maintained (unlike the poor Friendlies outside of our old apartment - see the 2010 Facebook pics), aside from taking pictures and listening to the 2008 Olympic theme song blasted over the loudspeakers, there isn't a whole lot to do. Up close, the Bird's Nest has some architectural intrigue, so it's pretty cool to walk around and get views from different angles. Although the Watercube looks great when it's lit up at night, it's essentially just as the name implies - a cube. We got a chuckle out of some of the ridiculous poses tourists were making in front of the structures, snapped a few of our own pictures, and imagined what it looked like 4 years ago. While it certainly isn't the most exciting site in Beijing, it was a pretty nice way to kill an afternoon.
While the buildings appear to be decently maintained (unlike the poor Friendlies outside of our old apartment - see the 2010 Facebook pics), aside from taking pictures and listening to the 2008 Olympic theme song blasted over the loudspeakers, there isn't a whole lot to do. Up close, the Bird's Nest has some architectural intrigue, so it's pretty cool to walk around and get views from different angles. Although the Watercube looks great when it's lit up at night, it's essentially just as the name implies - a cube. We got a chuckle out of some of the ridiculous poses tourists were making in front of the structures, snapped a few of our own pictures, and imagined what it looked like 4 years ago. While it certainly isn't the most exciting site in Beijing, it was a pretty nice way to kill an afternoon.
The Bird's Nest is pretty cool up close.
TV transmission tower
4 years already!?
The Watercube is cooler at night, but it's hard (impossible?) to predict when it will be lit up.
Tourists in matching t-shirts. Totally. Do. Not. Get. It.
If you go: Don't expect to be overwhelmed. It's cool to see famous buildings and reminise about good ol' 2008, but that's about all you can do here, unless you're in the market for some overpriced Friendly memoriabilia. Skip the interior tours, pass on the overpriced McDonald's, snap a few pictures, and consider it checked off the list.
Getting There:
Take subway line 5 to Datunlu. Take exit A1 (southwest) and follow Da tun lu west. Turn left to go south on An li lu until you come to Huizhong bei lu. Take a right, again heading west and you'll see the stadium.
Alternatively, take subway line 8 to the Olympic Sports Center stop and follow the signs.
Alternatively, take subway line 8 to the Olympic Sports Center stop and follow the signs.
Discovery #3 - Purple Bamboo Park (Zi zhu yuan or 紫竹院）
Living up in the 'burbs, I'm often disappointed at the lack of romanticized old Beijing charm (hutongs, tai qi, tea ceremonies) I see on a regular basis. A popular hangout since the Ming dynasty, with a history dating back to the third century, Purple Bamboo Park (mistranslated on several signs to "Black Bamboo Park") had the lao Beijing feel I crave from architecturally charming bridges, winding paths through lush bamboo, strains of traditional instruments, and plenty of older folks practicing tai qi and qi gong. Once home to the Ming dynasty Temple of Longevity, the park is now home to three lakes, bridges, flowers, trees, and plenty of bamboo. The shady paths were a welcone respite from the heat, noise, and crowds. While a sign suggested an admission of 5 RMB (under 1 USD), no one was in the ticket booth, and so we (along with plenty of other Beijingers) strolled the grounds for free. Although there's not a lot going on the in area, it's certainly worth it to take a break and check out the park if you happen to be in the neighborhood.
Purple bamboo!? This looks green to me!
Lots of Old Beijing charm
If you don't want to shell out the money to see the Old Summer Palace, the lilies at Purple Bamboo Park are just as pretty...plus there's no crowd!
If You Go: Supposedly, there's a 5 RMB admission. There's also a pleasant lack of drink, food, and ice cream stalls (maybe this has something to do with why it was so clean?), so bring your own water if it's hot.
Getting There: Take subway line 4 to Weigongcun. Take Exit D (southwest) and continue south on Zhong guan cun. Take a right and head west on Wan Shou Si Lu, and the park is on the left.
The Old Favorite: The West Pizza
Maybe not as big as wheel, but still really awesome
I've had my fair share of pizza in Beijing, and West Pizza is by FAR the best. While the American chains (Pizza Hut, Papa John's) seem to have their own take on what constitutes "cheese," West Pizza is one of the few places that gets it right. Located just outside the west gate of the Central University of Nationalities (Minzu Da Xue) and a short walk form the National Library, West Pizza isn't necessarily close to anything, but we'll gladly make the trek over when we've had enough noodles and gai fan.
West Pizza doesn't just get pizza right. They also have pasta, a decent salad, sandwiches, reasonably priced cocktails, and draft beer (!). If that doesn't get you excited, then allow me to mention the country western decor, jukebox with American music and....beer pong. It feels a little like your old college hangout. It tastes a little like home. And at 35-40 RMB for a small pizza (6 slices) and 10 RMB for a mini-pitcher of Yanjing beer, it's a decent bargain in a place where I've seen a crappy cheese-less pizza go for 20USD.
If you go: The longer you can hold out before going, the sweeter your experience will be. Wait until you can no longer stand to look at another bowl of la mian, and come prepared to fall just a little bit in love (this is also one of our Beijing date night spots!).
Getting there: Take subway line 4 to Weigongcun. Take Exit D (southwest) and continue south on Zhong guan cun. Cut across Minzu Da Xue, entering from the east gate and exiting from the west gate. Turn left, and look for the side on the side of a building.
Happy tourist-ing!
West Pizza doesn't just get pizza right. They also have pasta, a decent salad, sandwiches, reasonably priced cocktails, and draft beer (!). If that doesn't get you excited, then allow me to mention the country western decor, jukebox with American music and....beer pong. It feels a little like your old college hangout. It tastes a little like home. And at 35-40 RMB for a small pizza (6 slices) and 10 RMB for a mini-pitcher of Yanjing beer, it's a decent bargain in a place where I've seen a crappy cheese-less pizza go for 20USD.
If you go: The longer you can hold out before going, the sweeter your experience will be. Wait until you can no longer stand to look at another bowl of la mian, and come prepared to fall just a little bit in love (this is also one of our Beijing date night spots!).
Getting there: Take subway line 4 to Weigongcun. Take Exit D (southwest) and continue south on Zhong guan cun. Cut across Minzu Da Xue, entering from the east gate and exiting from the west gate. Turn left, and look for the side on the side of a building.
Happy tourist-ing!
