24 Hours in Beijing With Poet Anthony Tao

To kick off the Year of the Snake, we’re debuting a new series called 24 Hours in Beijing, in which we ask some of the capital’s movers and shakers how they’d spend a full day in the city.

We start with American expat Anthony Tao. Tao is a published poet, a former journalist, and the head of the Beijing branch of the Spittoon Literary Collective, and he has called this city home for 16 years. Read on for his ideal 24 hours in Beijing.

You have 24 hours in Beijing – how do you start your day?
I’m not a morning person, but a more motivated me would start at Beihai or Jingshan Park, where elders who definitely are morning people get a leg up on the day with their exercises at dawn. After some people-watching, I’d mosey up Houhai Lake, wave at the swimmers who are there no matter the season, and arrive at the Drum and Bell Towers (Gulou – more on this area later). The light should be perfect for photos.

What's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Now we’re talking. I’m not a total gourmand, but I make a point of sampling local fare when I travel, so this is exciting to think about. There are a lot of cafes in Gulou, but my favorite coffee shop is self coffee at Beixinqiao. The area has a remarkable concentration of cafés and restaurants, so you can’t go wrong. For breakfast: I’ve noticed shouzhuabing and jianbing are getting bigger and bigger, packed with egg, potato and meats, almost like a bona fide burrito, but still for very cheap – it’s perfect for an early bite, especially if you’re on the go. I wouldn’t mind a stroll through the nearby hutongs, and hopefully taking time to admire the stately toon trees.

For lunch, there are some authentic spots closer to Yonghegong, including a noodle place that does Beijing dalumian and another that does zhajiangmian. The lines can be long around lunch, so I’d aim for a bit later, maybe 2pm or so. Little Yunnan is also in the area, which is always reliable. And if I need a post-lunch coffee, there are many options at nearby Wudaoying Hutong.

I’ll make my way toward Sanlitun for happy hour, grab a drink at a classic spot like Jing-A or Revolution. Dinner is a tough decision. There are so many choices in that area, including some hidden gems around the embassy area of North Sanlitun, but we had a late lunch, so I’ll power through. Since we only have 24 hours, I’ll want to lay eyes on some of the buildings in the CBD. I wouldn’t mind stopping for a slice at Big Joe’s or maybe a wine at Trio if I’m running low on energy. Let’s call this “supper.”

Post-supper, where are you headed and how do you wind down for the night?
The sun goes down and the drinking portion of this day accelerates. I’d make my way back toward Gulou, but with two stops along the way: Golden Weasel, which shares the same spot as self coffee, for a cocktail – an Espresso Martini or Silk Coffee Negroni to ramp up the night – and then uh-huh wine bar at Jiaodaokou South. I should be sufficiently hungry again for “dinner” – perhaps dumplings at Xiaolaoman or Sichuan at either Zhang Mama’s or Ogawa Bistro (which has white wines that pair beautifully with the spice). There are so many fashionable cocktail bars in this area – Obstzimmer by MMC, Non-Binary, Dali Dali, etc. – that I’d be tempted to pop in for one more before hitting up Modernista for midnight shots and dancing.

What is your must-visit spot in Beijing and why?
Queenies, aka QS. That’s how we end this night, and we all know why. They do great sandwiches, even at 4 am. 

READ: Beijing's "Ghost Markets": A Brief History & Where to Find Them

Images: Anthony Tao, Uni You, Nancy Lee