April 2011

the Beijinger - May 2011: Bespeak For Yourself

Beijing has come a long way in the style stakes in recent years, but Beijing's still not the friendliest of cities when it comes to kitting yourself out in decent clobber. What's a style-savvy Beijinger to do? If the first solution that comes into your head is "Well, next time you make your annual trip home, take an enormous suitcase and buy your wardrobe for the next 12 months there," you're missing out. The correct answer: Have your clothes made here!

the Beijinger team has spent the last month trawling the capital's fabric markets, talking to tailors and being fitted out for suits, dresses and even knitwear. You'll be hearing about the full extent of our adventures on the website in weeks to come, but in our May issue cover feature, we focus on the item that every gentleman needs, and no woman can resist: a good, tailored suit. We trace the story of a suit from measuring up to final fitting, and dissect the anatomy of a suit, right down to the smallest details you'll need to consider in having your own suit made. We also get expert insight from a round table of some of Beijing's top tailors, and provide you with all the essential phrases you'll need to ensure your trip to the tailor is a success.

While we weren't at the tailor's shop, we were looking into Beijing's recycling conundrum for our Ecology feature; in Dining, we warn you of the Seven Deadly Sins of buffet dining and send baguettes into battle in Taste Test; we look forward to a month of music festivals from rocking out at Midi and Strawberry to electronica at INTRO; in Bars & Clubs, and let you know how you can get personal with wine and beer; and in Sport, we give you the chance to design your own Beijing Guoan shirt (and win the real thing).

As if that wasn't enough, inside the magazine (or in those handy PDFs below 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 plus the chance to win even more things then before. Get a copy of the May issue while you can, or download the PDFs below.

Agenda's Green issue is out!

Despite the fact that China, in its growing pains, frequently finds itself at odds with mother nature, it's also true that these two things—China and nature—have a lot in common. They’re both larger and more complex than we can easily imagine, making them hard to predict and control. In fact, when we think of China’s incredible forward momentum, we often describe it as a “force of nature.” And this is perhaps what’s so worrisome about it. Nowhere is this more apparent than in China’s food industry, where safety concerns have been a source of panic and confusion. Luckily, though, things are starting to change.

In this issue we talk to some leaders in the local green movement. Marie-Paule Benassi, the first counselor of food safety, health and consumers of the EU Delegation to China, explains to us the current state of food safety, and gives us some tips on making our lives healthier. We also talk to green activist Shi Yanabout organic farming, and Robert Fabiano, General Manager of the JW Marriott Beijing, about their program to save the earths two most precious resources: honeybees and fresh water.

In this issue you will find interviews with Master Chef Justin Kam, chef de cuisine,Trader;s Upper East Hotel,
Marie-Paule Benassi of the EU Delegation to China –BEIJING, Robert Fabiano, general manager of the JW Marriott Beijing, Shi Yan, co-founder of the Little Donkey Farm, Terry Yu, general manager of LohaoCity Organic Shops, Philip McMaster, founder of the World Sustainability Project, Casper Johansen, CFO/COO of Seravia, Jocelyn Eikenburg, founder of The Wu Way, and Tie Ying, the artist.We’ve also put together a list of great bars with a view, organic certifications, organic resources in Beijing, and blogs and websites that will help you create a cleaner world!

Download the latest issue at www.agendabeijing.com

Agenda's Travel issue is out!

China’s literary history is full of accounts—mostly personal diaries—detailing the romance and the hardship of travel in the Middle Kingdom. If those ancient travelers could see the way things are now, they would be awed. Travelers zip through the countryside on high-speed trains, soar through the air in jets, and traverse vast urban jungles. More awesome still, they usually arrange the whole thing online. It seems that the world grows smaller with every click of a button.

But as we marvel at the way technology has shrunk our world, it’s important to remember that traveling for pleasure is not a luxury afforded to all. For a great many people, leaving home means going to work in the cities and factories. Luckily, there are people like Charlotte Cailliez and Tom Stader, whose projects safeguard and enrich the lives of China’s rural poor. You can support Stader’s organization, The Library Project, at an upcoming event on April 17 (check the calendar for details).

In this issue, you will find interviews with Victor Lee, regional director for greater China at American Airlines, Adam Guli, Powwow CEO and co-founder , Karl Granchalek, corporate pilot, Xiong Jie, marketing director of E-commerce at CITS, Matthew Jaskol, Trekiz.com co-founder Romain Bechet, imported products manager at Carrefour Beijing , Charlotte Cailliez, chairwoman of Children of Madaifu, Tom Stader, founder of The Library Project, and Ben Leary Ben Leary, CEO of Column Associates, as well as a list of the top tourist destinations for Chinese, 15 must-have travel apps and high-tech travel gear.

Download the issue at www.agendabeijing.com!

the Beijinger - April 2011: The 2011 Reader Restaurant Awards

Now that the funny business that plagues the first morning of April is past us we can get on with the serious business of our 2011 Reader Restaurant Awards. We sought out your opinion and asked you to tell us what you thought of the dining options in the city. We asked for your recommendations in over 40 categories and here's where we let you know what your peers have decided.

Not to be outdone by you, the reader, we also canvassed our panel of 13 dining experts and you'll find their picks in the April issue. You'll also be able to see the categories that were voted on solely by our team of dining editors - they didn't want to be outshone too much by readers and experts. It's all in our bumper recommendation-packed Cover Feature.

We don't want you to feel overawed by all of this awards talk so we've also packed the rest of the issue with the content that you expect. Our Ecology Feature is about the plight of the Yunnan Golden Monkey and the man doing everything he can to save them. We've a Dining Feature on skewers just as it warms up enough to enjoy them outside and a cheesecake taste-off, be warned, it gets messy. We also highlight the man who shoots supermodels, Peter Lindbergh, the upcoming Caochangdi Photospring and musician Joseph Arthur shares a few rhyming couplets with us.

As if that wasn't enough, Inside the magazine (or in those handy PDFs below 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 plus the chance to win even more things then before. Get a copy of the April issue while you can or download the PDFs below. Get a copy now - you can dine out on all the restaurant knowledge you'll get.