A Trip to the Central Axis of Beijing

2018-07-25

The Central Axis of Beijing is the most popular travel route in the city. Tourists tend to start from Qianmen Street, then to the Forbidden City, Jingshan, Houhai and Nanluogu Alley. If you don’t like the stereotyped Beijing touring mass route, you can find the special nightlife guide here, which brings you another Beijing along the same Central Axis.

▶ 19:00 | Blue Note - Top-level Jazz

The Blue Note is the premier jazz club worldwide and the holy land of jazz for numerous culture celebrities and musicians. Founded in the New York, it later expanded to Milan, Tokyo, Osaka, Hawaii, etc. Droved by the Singer Jonathan Lee in 2016, the latest Blue Note Jazz Club opened on the former site of the US embassy in Qianmen. It is a huge event in the music circle so that a lot of musicians in China come to visit it. Blue Note has become a great place for enjoying a top music show.

There are performances nearly every night in the club. The players include jazz singers, performers, and orchestra in China and around the world, and the tickets are not unaffordable with different prices on the location. It provides elaborate French meals and drinks. Admission is divided into two periods each night. Cheaper Brunch concert suite will be sometimes provided at Saturday.

Address: B1 and B2, Building F, No. 23, East Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District 东城区前门东大街23号F座地下一、二层

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 18:00 - 23:30 (Brunch Show at 11:30)

Average Spend: RMB 120-380 (no meal included)

▶ 21: 30 | Page one - a 24-hour-bookstore

Near Qianmen in the south of Tianmen Square, the fourth Pageone Bookstore in Beijing is located on the opposite of the historical towers. This simple and modern bookstore is decorated with white book wall. The stunning store with three floors is ablaze with lights at night. One of the three floors is designed with a small tubular “shop-in-shop” for regular reading subject. Facing Qianmen Archery Tower, the huge French window on the third floor is the best viewing location of the entire bookstore.

Pageone in the Beijing Fun is not far from Blue Note. All Pageone stores open 24 hours, so you can enjoy a drink and glut your eyes in the rich lifestyle space. Pageone mainly sells books of design, art and original foreign edition, but it also has many Chinese best-selling novels and other books. And don't miss the beautiful potted plants and attractive stationery items.

Pageone in the Beijing Fun opens 24 hours, but it only opens the first floor during 22:00-10:00. (The vegetable and coffee areas are above the second floor)

Address: Floor E1, East Area, Beijing Fun, Qianmen 前门北京坊东区E1楼

▶ 23:00 | LOTOSCOMEHOME - Midnight Diners

Going to the north from Qianmen, you can find LOTOSCOMEHOME open in the Gulou at the back of the Palace Museum. The small store serves Japanese sukiyaki. Opening the door, you would be overwhelmed by an intense flavor of low key and art. You can find the exquisite decoration details and shopper’s good taste by the books for customers when waiting. Fresh and delicious, its specialty beef sukiyaki is without the greasy of spicy hotpot. With well-selected ingredients, it owns the unique taste by the beef. The unique method of “eating raw egg” with Japanese dipping sauce is worth trying.

Address: No. 238, Gulou East Street 鼓楼东大街238号

Opening hours: 10:00 - 02:00

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