The outbound beer

I mentioned a few months back that I had fallen into a habit of going to one particular 7/11 to pick up a few beers of an evening for home consumption - because I happened to have found this place that sells tall cans of local favourite, Yanjing, sells them at a reasonable price, and keeps them cold. It's still not that often that you find even one of these elements in place in a neighbourhood store in Beijing; to find all three together is a little piece of heaven.

And I consoled myself that at least I was earning my beer now, working off most of the additional calories, because this sainted supermarket was a stiff 20-minute walk away.

My habit, I must now confess, has expanded in the last month or two - and with it, my waistline.

This supermarket is on the way to my local bar street, Nanluoguxiang; and to my new favourite Muslim restaurant, just off the top of that street; and to the wonderful Pool Bar, just a couple of doors further along; and to my lovely friend Dishy Debs' apartment; and to favourite music bars, Jianghu, Salud, and MAO Live House. And so, thrifty fellow that I am, I have taken to stopping in there to pick up a cheap beer to get the evening started before I head to one or more of these other venues. Nanluoguxiang is a further 10 minutes away - which is just enough time for me to finish one beer (if I drink fairly quickly as I walk).

It's always just the one beer, honestly. But of late, I have been doing it every single time I go out.

The guy behind the counter in the store thinks it's terribly amusing.