Huxley, the ever enterprising owner of the soon(alas)-to-be-demolished Nanjie, has been obstinately refusing to accept the death of this most prosperous of his bars since the builders started taking over the surrounding site a couple of months back. When the front gate of the car park in which it is sited was bricked off, he promptly set up this illuminated sign to reassure his regulars that it was still possible to get in through a small break in the perimeter a couple of hundred yards up the alley to the right. (Now, Huxley's English is pretty damn good, but we are all prone to moments of dyslexia when under stress.)Next, he came up with the idea of running a 50kuai all-you-can-drink-and-eat promotion from 6-9 in the evenings to try to keep a little custom alive until the very end (a faded, hand-written sign on his outside 'terrace' defiantly announces that the bar will carry on serving "while the last brick is standing"). Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to have worked. Access is now rather tricky; the general ambience is a little too Sarajevo in the '90s; and the fickle Beijing bar crowd has already transferred its loyalties (to other, less deserving venues - like the appalling Rickshaw). I've been there a few times in recent weeks, and the place has been pretty much deserted. Last night - my sentimental farewell to The Car Park - I was there entirely on my own (at least, until a couple of refugees from The Bus Bar showed up: African 'entrepreneurs', down on their luck). Still, I was able to take a few photos just before the sun went down; I pigged out on the excellent, peppery beef kebabs, baked potatoes, pizza squares, and some surprisingly decent draft Carlsberg; and I said my silent goodbyes to a favourite haunt of the past.
When you slip through the hole in the perimeter wall round the side, this is the sight that now greets you. Not particularly welcoming!
Ah, the celebrated "Shut up - just drink" slogan. At least that will live on in another Huxley's bar somewhere. 
This sign is now all that remains of the 'Red Ball' football club and bar, another victim of the car park's redevelopment.
Yugong Yishan, my favourite music bar in the city, is in its last week of operation. Difficult to see how it keeps going when it looks like this..... but the late-night, spliffed-up muso crowd are perhaps not so troubled by their surroundings.
And The Bus Bar was never a very inspiring spectacle from outside - but it looks positively forlorn amid this desolation now.
Amazingly enough, it's not just the bars and restaurants around the edge of The Car Park who are facing imminent eviction. Some people actually live here, albeit in the most meagre of circumstances.
And a token 'arty' shot to finish with.So, a last fond farewell to The Car Park and its trio of GREAT, grungy bars. You gave us two very good years.
2 comments:
It was fabulous. I saw some of your crowd tonight. but mainly spent the evening lounging on the orange construction beam equipment placed within 10 feet of the YGYS door.
That's right folks, construction beam. for a crane. the many orange triangular sections of which were stacked two high like a schoolyard monkey bars. On top of which drinking party-goers climbed up and lounged the night away.
I saw several photographers, so I'm sure pictures will emerge. It was a sight to see.
The whole place is a construction sight. debris from Red Ball's demise littered the floor, making me question my choice of sandal footwear. Even the Red Ball sign is gone now. all that remains is the outline and debris -- crumbled brick and shattered glass.
I swung over to nanjie mid-night and saw several memorable faces. After meeting up with friends there, we sauntered back over to YGYS and saw the crowd had doubled, no longer making it possible to sit on the orange crane monkey bars, it was now standing-room only amidst the contruction materials.
My big disappointment of the night was the lack of live music. but my fascination with construction and the party scene amidst it all took over and I forgot all about my goal to check out Beijing's rock scene...
that said, maybe someband/someone turned up later to play inside. after a certain point in the night, it was obvious the party was outside and i didn't bother to go back inside to check.
of course i eventually called it a night (hence I sit here blogging abuot it) but I'm sure the party continues... and will continue, even as I crawl into bed for a recharge.
recharged (sort of) 5 hours later. heading into work for one of those "fun" Sunday in the Office moments (a major reason for not seeing the party through its end last night). Tempted to swing by YGYS on the way and see if, in fact, the partiers last night were invited to tear the building down.
those who aren't in the Jing may think I jest, but it's really not that far-fetched. Considering the number of U.S. safety codes bended just for last night's party, trust me, handing out pickaxes and hammers to a drunken sleep-deprived crowd is not that inconceivable.
Post a Comment