The CBD Revealed
It may sound improbable or even ludicrous, but it’s true: There is life teeming amongst the clouds of dust rising from the construction sites that make up our beloved CBD.
In the spirit of honesty, though, we must admit that the lifespan of the average CBD establishment seems a mite shorter than that of venues in luckier climes – just look at the survival rate of the bars and restaurants from one CBD Area Guide to the next. Jianwai Soho stands out here as a particular culprit of demise.
But all is not gloom and doom. All these closings mean fresh faces to take their place – and it also gives us impetus to update the Immersion Guides CBD Area Guide for the December issue of that’s Beijing.
The fall 2007 CBD guide features a cleaner and simpler design and color scheme, while building complex layouts and expanded coverage of the Tonghui Canal area bring additional detail and depth. Increasingly flush with "Places", the map now also offers Shin Kong Place, China Central Place and Soho Shangdu to the already existing The Place and China World.
While the CBD is not rich in bars (nor kind to many existing rinking ventures), a wave of restaurants (Alla Osteria, MareNostrum, Olio, Yuki et al) have opened, as well as new salons and spas, including the award-winning Thann Spa. New stores bring eye candy like artsy ceramics at MetroBodhi, European designer wear at Dress Code and high-end natural body products at Korres and Stenders.
And, now, a shout out to our favorite CBD places – the ones that make the hard slog through the dust-choked air worth it: Beard Papa, Green Bean, Hatsune, Time Cafe, Dongjiao Market, the bathrooms of Lan, Le Cafe Igosso and Alona Studio.
So you see, this swath of white-collar legoland does hold more than simply roads that are a constant work in progress – there's plenty of excitement and delight. And we suggest you explore it quickly, because who knows how long things will stay the same? Even the jidan guanbing sellers on Jianguo Lu might disappear.
Links and Sources:
tbjblog: New Sanlitun Area Guide
tbjblog: Chaoyang-Lido Area Guide
tbjblog: The New Haidian Map is Out!
tbjblog: Booming ‘Burb
