March 2011

Agenda's fashion issue is out!

Fashion has come a long way since the fig leaf. Like everything else, the internet is democratizing fashion at hitherto unforeseen speeds, and a privilege that was once reserved for nobility and the elite is now at the fingertips of the people. In this issue, we’ve gone and found some of the key players in this industry to find out what the future holds, from the digital editor at of Vogue’s Chinese website, to Mbaobao, a Chinese briefcase and bag retailer poised to take over the world one click at a time.

We also talked to fashion designers Yves-Alexandre Kolter d’Ouradou and Vega Zaishi Wang, as well as Twice’s Tina Tian, about what makes China such fertile ground for fashion, and Summergate’s Dominique Bonnel shared some drops of wisdom that will help you drink wisely this year.

To get you started, we’ve stitched together a list of the best wine delivery companies, and asked the charming Miss Melody to recommend musicians that pair well with wine.

This month, you should be sure to stop by Chynna, one of Beijing’s most fashionable restaurants, to check out the cuisine of Beijing Hilton Wangfujing's visiting chef Lam Hock Hin, who will be serving up his sensational Cantonese creations starting April 14th. Then, hit the wholesale markets and accessory shops to outfit your wardrobe, and if bling isn’t your thing, be sure to check out our articles on this season’s best cell phones. Happy shopping!

You can download the latest issue of Agenda at www.agendabeijing.com

Agenda's Sports issue is out! (March 10-March 23)

Agenda prides itself on interviewing Beijing’s movers and shakers. In this issue we’ve decided to be more literal and check out what drives Beijing’s athletes and sports fans.

After two weeks of running, climbing, dunking and cruising, we’ve connected with some of Beijing’s (and the world’s) most passionate athletes, and found out what keeps them moving. Colin Dixon, Chair of the Beijing Gaelic Athletic Association and Financial Consultant at Tenbridge (page 20) taught us about the vital relationship between sports and his professional life, and Bruce Wimmer, Director of Consulting at Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations (page 22) sat down with us to talk strategy. Corporate espionage strategy, that is.

We also met the founder of Sinout Sports and Culture Company, Tina Qian, (page 24) who wants to inspire Chinese people to head outdoors through her promotion of the Banff Film Festival, and Rick Hansen, Canada’s Man in Motion, whose legendary four-continent journey has inspired thousands, if not millions (page 40). Lee Zheng, the senior fitness instructor at Doubletree by Hilton (page 29) and Celebrity Chef Josh Emmet (page 12) agreed with Qian that balance is the key, and Ritz Carlton Beijing General Manager David Wilson (page 30) showed us one incredibly cool way to find inner peace, while Julia Cui of Octagon filled us in on the future of sports in China (page 32).

As China grows, the international community is also getting involved in the sports scene, including Harlem Globetrotter Curley “Boo” Johnson (page 28) who will be launching a basketball camp in Macau. That’s definitely something that local basketball fan and founder of NiuBBall Jon Pastuszek (page 26) will want to write about.

Ready to move? Check out our list of the of the best team sports in the city, as well as the best sports bars, pub quizzes and deep tissue massages, where you can reward yourself for finally getting off the couch. That, plus Beijing’s best restaurants, bars, shops, spas, and events, as always. Enjoy!

the Beijinger - March 2011: Figure It Out

There are lies, damned lies and statistics but in this month's issue of the Beijinger we promise only to bring you the statistics. For our Cover Feature we've taken a look at the city from a new angle (or two), we've delved into dusty archives, we've crunched numbers, we've sketched out complicated diagrams and we've run multiple computer simulations ... all to deliver a vision of Beijing as you've never seen it before. Your eyes are in for a treat and your mind is in for a good work-out.

Elsewhere in the March issue you will find out that Tom O'Malley ate all the pies (for the Dining Feature), we're told how to make a lavish duck pie, we go Back For More to Bleu Marine for one of the city's best steaks and we bravely find out the hummus which we heart is in our Taste Test.

We've also got coverage galore of the literary goings on this month. There's slam poet Omar Musa, Marilyn Monroe's talking dog courtesy of Andrew O'Hagan, a massive slap in the face from Christos Tsiolkas, Emma Donoghue's bookshelf and Peter Hessler interviewing Yan Lianke.

Off the books, we caught up with "The Post-Emo Indie Emerging Church Christians band" Anberlin, the legendary LTJ Bukem and the organizers of Beijing's Country Fair plus - for a little break from Beijing - we bring you a look into the weird world of Tokyo tea houses.

As if that wasn't enough, Inside the magazine (or in those handy PDFs if you prefer), you'll also find the usual mix of the best events, new bars, restaurants and shops plus all of your old favorites like Ich Bin Ein Beijinger and Fashion 5-0 and the chance to win even more things then before. Get a copy of the February issue while you can or download the PDFs below. Get a copy now - you know it adds up.