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Cola’s Coffee

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On my second trip to No. 46, I noticed a spacious new coffee shop just to the left of the main gate. Cola is proprieter of just opened Charity Share (益飨), which specializes in fair trade coffee and includes a fashion boutique in its loft.

因为咖啡够好，其实喝咖啡是外国人的传统
中国人很少能品出这个咖啡好不好
而且我们做fairtrade，其实外国人比较懂，因为从英国开始的，从欧洲开始的
他们会认，而且他们理念里会有要和fairtrade coffe这个概念
第三，我们的桌子椅子大部分都比较硬
中国人可能怕硬，但是我的很多外国客人喜欢坐硬的地方

She says Charity Share is the first bar or coffee shop in China to make promoting the public good its main theme. Her coffee shop is also the first in Beijing to receive a Certification Mark from the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. A portion of all profits will go to charities and the high-ceiled, roomy space will host numerous NGO fundraising events, auctions, etc.

Initially, she expects foreigners will be the main clients as they are both more picky about the quality of coffee and familiar with the concept of free trade products. Amusingly, she says the hard seats are another reason why foreigners will be more attracted to Charity Share than Chinese, who prefer softer seating.

Originally from Xinjiang, Cola came to Beijing in 1999 and studied Chinese at Beijing Normal University. In 2006, she received her Master’s in marketing from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She quit her media job in May to focus all of her energy on the new coffee shop. Her recent interest in being more civic-minded has improved her mindset a great deal. She is now more able to be contented with her situation and less aggressive. Interestingly, one cup of coffee a day is her maximum. Any more and her heart beats too fast.

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New Stylites Stomping Ground?

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Many comment that Stylites seems focused on just a few areas of Beijing: Nanluoguxiang, Sanlitun, and occasionally Xidan. Beijing really does lack public spaces frequented by stylish people. The city is spread-out and, sadly, car-addicted; those with the leisure or funds usually a minimum requirement for style rarely walk anyway. So we are very happy to announce a new area in which we hope to find more and more fascinating individuals to photograph and profile.

The Hutong Art Zone centered around No. 46 Fangjia Hutong is Dongcheng District’s answer to 798. It houses art galleries, performance centers, fashion boutiques, and cafés. Xinhua gives the details. Massive Chaoyang District has 798, Caochangdi, and a growing number of other highly commercialized art districts. What Chaoyang lacks is the charm of Beijing’s old city. More compact than Chaoyang’s art districts, 46 Fangjia Hutong is set in a leafy, quiet and historic neighborhood right in the middle of the old city. The Dongcheng District government is committed to encouraging creative industries in a bid to compete against the overwhelming dominance enjoyed by Chaoyang District in this field.

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A Man of Contrasts

Stripes on Stripes

Here, outside our local empire of contrasts Opposite House, with stripes on his stripes, this young man was booted for the rain that had been sporadically falling all day. At this über hip Kengo Kuma-designed boutique hotel, and in its environs, anything might happen – even the complete opposite of what you expected.

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Internet Issues

I really should have figured out a way to host this site in China, because access has suddenly gotten tough again. Please accept my apologies for the more sporadic updates.

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Vivienne Westwood Socks at Dita Opening

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Love this, mainly because they seem like a chic version of the notorious nylon pop socks, favored by so many in this city – though the wearers seem to become older and older as the youth become generally hipper. The hated skin-colored pop socks are also often paired with strappy footwear, typically of the plastic variety.

Vivienne Westwood socks

They were sighted on this editor (I am not allowed to mention the names and publications of others in the magazine business) at the opening party for Beijing’s first Dita shop at Huamao. Most of the glasses on sale are made in Japan as part of collaboration between Dita and the venerable brand Masunaga. Read more on Dita at High Snobiety.

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Cat-Headed Girl

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I’ve noticed a tendency among Beijingers to lament the passing of clear difference in appearance between the sexes. The refrain is that “these days everything is so confused”. A couple years ago, the youth did not yet have this predilection toward androgyny. Blame certain popstars. Of course, a few decades ago, there wasn’t much trace of the feminine along the gray, Mao-suited, streets of Beijing.

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A “cat-head” would likely be a crafty or stealthy person.