Ed's note: The Good Doctor and I attended the 3rd annual Beijing International Film Festival on April 23 at the China National Convention Center. You can read my write-up here. The following is The Good Doctor's work. Jay Chou performs at the closing ceremony of the Beijing International Film Festival. I was lucky enough to be able to film, though I wasn't very close to the stage. Enjoy the spectacle as Hol ...

The Stand-up Showcase portion of the Beijing Improv Festival took place this past Friday. Here's my takeaway after watching the five finalists: It turns out that there's an honest-to-goodness, thriving stand-up scene in Beijing. If you're a closeted comedy nerd who'll only risk coming out to see live shows in Beijing when big name comics fly in from the States, I hate to break it to you, but Louis CK isn't ...

The 2013 Beijing Improv Comedy Festival is taking place right now. Here's what you need to know and what you don't about this premier comedy event: Who? Improv troupes from all over the world, including the Philippines, Australia, and comedy hotbed Turkey, as well as throughout China. But does it really matter? All you care about is whether or not they are funny. When and Where? It's happening right now, at ...

When I think of happy bears, I think of Baloo from The Jungle Book or George Wendt and Chris Farley. I absolutely do  not think of Asiatic black bears that have been imprisoned since birth in order to extract bile from their gall bladders. But I guess Fang Shuting, head of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has a different way of looking at the practice. “The process of extractin ...

Ed's note: The one you've been waiting for: The Good Doctor follows more than 100 merry Santas during the December 8 Beijing SantaCon. What is the collective noun for Santas? I'm not exactly sure, but we definitely need one after this. The music is Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, performed by the Tracson 5. Previously: Behind the Scenes with Beijing Improv. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

Photo from last week: a day like any other, only the sun is melting and we're all going to die. Or the sun admires itself in the water and bends down for a closer look. Or... ...

By The Good Doctor Ever wonder what would happen if you fuck with the public works department in Beijing? If you're like this unfortunate car owner, your vehicle will get paved over by a thick layer of asphalt. Let these photos (and video) be a warning. To see Beijing's latest installation piece, head over to Dongsi Shi'er Tiao hutong. I'm pretty sure the car won't have moved since I saw it there on Friday. ...

We visit the folks at Beijing Improv, where you should always expect the unexpected. Notes: Beijing Improv holds free, bilingual workshops every Wednesday night at the Hot Cat Club, as well as a theater show on the last Saturday of every month. You can find out more information here. Previously: Climbing the Waterfall. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

Some of Beijing's best expat climbers they take on the waterfall at Bai He. Featuring Simon Adams, Ben Cook, Dave Gliddon, and Joachim Corstiaans. To learn more about climbing in and around Beijing, visit Beijing Climbing Club. The music featured in this episode is Begging In Rome by Cut By Ice and Départ by OpenChords. Previously: Beijing's Cheapest Haircut. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

Ed's note: In lieu of Beijing Slice, here's The Good Doctor's video wrap-up of Beijing Design Week. Via The Good Doctor's Vimeo description: An introduction to the 2012 Beijing Design Week at Cao Chang Di. The video focuses on three designers, Carl de Smet, Nikolaus Wabnitz, and Nicole Condon, and highlights their exhibits from Design Week. Special thanks to Jon Korkidis and RAWR! Labs. Featured Music: Time ...

The Good Doctor, cooking instructor/amateur bowler Candice Lee, and Beijing Climbing Club head Simon Adams went on a mission to find the cheapest haircut in town. How low did they go? (Answer: very low. Xibahe Nan Lu just outside Third Ring Road is what you want.) The music is Crazy Glue by Josh Woodward. Beijing Slice is now on Facebook. Previously: Showcase at the Vanguard. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

The Caochangdi branch of Beijing Design Week is an eclectic mess. The posters have the wrong dates. Designers didn't finish their work on time, so you'll find empty spaces in the place of installations. Volunteers might sell you a button or a program that's supposed to be free. You'll wonder what some exhibits, such as a mishmash of geolocation balloons and a physical "chat room" called "The Real Network," ...

By The Good Doctor Every Tuesday night, the VA Bar has a showcase of talented expat musicians in Beijing. The shows include covers and originals and are totally free. If you like music and want to hang out with a community of people who also like music, you should check it out. Featuring: Steve Blaque, Renee Robinson, Simon Hooton, Phil Spencer, The Fruits Songs: Walk on the Wild Side, by Lou Reed (performe ...

By The Good Doctor I still remember my first encounter with one of these trucks of death. I was walking near Xinjiekou when everybody suddenly scrambled into the nearest shop. I couldn't figure out what was happening until I saw what looked like a firetruck watering the trees. Everyone else knew what I was about to learn: whatever chemical they were spraying, it doesn't discriminate between mosquito and man ...

Our man The Good Doctor makes his scheduled expat pilgrimage to Hong Kong: visa run! This video is the result. The music is by IFC Orchestra. Previously: The Creators Project. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

Here it is, The Good Doctor’s video from Saturday's The Creators Project at 798's Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts, featuring a long DJ set by former LCD Soundsystem lead man James Murphy. Take a long hard look, Beijing: this is you. Kind of. Not you. I don't recognize you. Come to think of it... aren't you a couchsurfer? What kind of candy do these floor tiles remind you of? Take a picture! It's a video ...

Former LCD Soundsystem lead man James Murphy in Beijing over the weekend for The Creators Project. Look for him again in this week's Beijing Slice. ...

The crew headed into the hutongs to watch Kin make tacos for his Taco Bar, a hole-in-the-wall joint whose reputation is spreading through word of mouth. The music is Mexican Fly, by Serakina. Video by The Good Doctor. Previously: A Taste of Home. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...

Ed's note: The Good Doctor has several more pictures like these on this Google+ album. You should check 'em out. One more set after the jump. ...

The Good Doctor, Candice and friends were recently invited to cook for Cambodian acrobats at Beijing International Art University. A chance to give hard-working kids a taste of home? Of course they accepted. The music that starts at the 4:12 mark is "Pagode Onirique" by Real Rice. Previously: Boating in Beijing. |Beijing Slice Archives| ...