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<\/a>Get rowdy at a Goan game.<\/p><\/div>\n
Let’s begin with Gongti. A short abbreviation of the Chinese word for the Worker’s Stadium<\/strong> (\u5de5\u4eba\u4f53\u80b2\u573a – g\u014dng r\u00e9n t\u01d0 y\u00f9 ch\u01ceng), this is the area where the city’s mediocre football club – the Guoan<\/strong> (\u56fd\u5b89 – gu\u00f3’\u0101n) – call home. During the spring and fall months, you can head to the stadium to catch a game – an experience not to be missed in Beijing. Pick up a profane t-shirt on the street, pound a few Yanjing beers (they don’t sell alcohol in the stadium), and head in to join the unruly masses of Chinese fans. There’s no better place to learn Chinese curse words than at a Guoan game; plus, where else will you ever be where it’s perfectly acceptable to yell “stupid c**t<\/strong>!” (\u50bb\u5c44 -sh\u01ce b\u012b)?<\/p>\n When nighttime rolls around, the area around the stadium turns into a bumping club scene. Whether you’re looking to join in the meat market at Vic’s or Mix, dance all night to international DJs, or dive into the Chinese club scene, you can find it all here.<\/p>\n The Village, as I will always call it.<\/p><\/div>\n Bustling SLT.<\/p><\/div>\n Just a few blocks away from the Worker’s Stadium, you’ll find the area known as Sanlitun. A few short years ago, this place was the dregs of Beijing society. It was full of sleazy bars, ladies of the night, drug dealers, and hammered drunk backpackers and expats. Ok, well, it’s still full of all of those things, but at least it has a nice fancy shopping mall as well! Tai Koo Li (or the Village, as most Beijingers will always call it), is a prime example of China’s rush to modernize – high-end Western brands, boutique shops, a cinema, and dozens of fancy bars and restaurants.<\/p>\n For shopping, you can check out Yashow Market<\/strong> (\u96c5\u79c0\u5e02\u573a – y\u01ce xi\u00f9 sh\u00ec ch\u01ceng). It’s incredibly touristy and everything is fake, but you can bargain there and get things for dirt cheap. Just don’t be surprised if they fall apart or break down. If you’ve got a higher budget, the Village is full of options and famous brands such as Nike and Apple.<\/p>\n Practice your haggling skills here!<\/p><\/div>\n 1\/2 price burgers are there if you know when to go!<\/p><\/div>\n Options abound for dining in and around the Village. Great deals can also be found here; drop in Blue Frog on Monday for buy-one-get-one burgers or Flamme on Tuesdays for the same deal on steaks. There are also plenty of Asia restaurants, such as Spice Spirit (Chinese) or Hatsune (Japanese). You can get a craft beer at the Drive-Thru over in SOHO, or a strong cocktail at the always-fun Stumble Inn.<\/p>\n The local xiaomaibu – my favorite spot.<\/p><\/div>\n Mmmm… street food.<\/p><\/div>\n Thankfully, for those of us who prefer street food and a beer that costs less than a dollar, the back street continues to be the place to go for debauchery in the Chinese capital. Every night, revelers pack the street, either sitting down for some hot and spicy soup or kebabs, pounding cheap beers at one of the many xiao mai bu <\/em>(small shop<\/strong> – \u5c0f\u5356\u90e8 – xi\u01ceo m\u00e0i b\u00f9), or downing cheap liquor in very questionable bars.<\/p>\n If you dig a little deeper, there’s even more to SLT. Over in Sanlitun South, you’ll find Beijing’s best pizza and free beer on Tuesdays at the Kro’s Nest, awesome Mexican and Thai food, and even more bars. For tons of people who call Beijing home, SLT is the preferred place to see and be seen.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>