Be a traveling barista

In Beijing, there is a small group of people who have quit their 9-to-5 routine jobs and decided to set themselves free. They have become baristas, or, in other words, coffee makers.

Scientists team up to smash web rumors

The explosion of dubious information available on the Internet has made every day a possible April First Fools’ Day. New publishing channels like microblogs make it faster than ever for users to spread gossip and news.

Heading back to the kitchen

Distrust of food safety peaked last month when garbage oil and prohibited additives were found in star-ranked restaurants. Cucumbers at open-air markets tested positive for female hormones, and iced teas from Taiwan were found to hide carcinogens.

Celebrities go ‘kawaii’

The younger generation has been greatly influenced by Japan’s cartoon culture. For many young people, cute and child-like images are the way they can best express their ideas.

The Smurfs are back in town

The lovable, blue-skinned cartoon characters are making a huge comeback thanks to the new 3D movie scheduled to premiere in Chinese theaters this August. Smurf fans looking to recapture their childhood can also look forward to a re-mastered version of the 272-episode animated TV series in Chinese.

Outlets feed capital’s fashion obsession

Two new outlets opened on the city’s outskirts during the first 10 days of the month with a third opening this week. The outlet boom has been a result of industrial mass manufacturing and overproduction.

Electro music resurrects the neon look

Electronic music climbed back onto the billboards in the US this summer with new singles by Ryan Farish, Rihanna and Britney Spears. The influence of these pop giants influenced many of the lineups at INTRO Electronic Music Festival and Strawberry Music Festival.

Foodie group ranks campus cafeterias

Beijing may be famous for its incredible variety of restaurants, but one group of gourmets says the city’s cafeterias are also worth a look.

Buyers’ shops define city’s fashion future

Buyers’ shops first appeared on the mainland in 1999, when prominent Hong Kong fashion retailer I.T. Group opened its first store in Shanghai.

Get bit by the collecting bug!

Whether it’s the diamonds hoarded by European royals or the skulls picked up by wartime biologists, everyone collects. Most personal collections hone in on a specific category of oddities that carries a personal meaning to the collector.