View From My Laptop: Lush Cafe
By Kim
Part coffee shop, part performance space, Lush in Wudaokou is a popular hangout, especially among foreigners.
Besides a Western menu that includes real burgers (35 RMB or USD $5), Lush also offers free pizza delivery, an awesome 80s/90s soundtrack on repeat (Madonna - "Take a Bow," Will Smith - "Men in Black") and free wireless internet.
I spent the afternoon at Lush working on a paper. Somehow, finding a good study spot and free wireless in Beijing is almost easier than finding those things in Honolulu, where many places charge for wifi, blast loud music or shoot you dirty looks if you sit there for more than 2 hours.
A cup of coffee, though, is still 15 RMB or USD $2. And unlike Honolulu, you'll probably find at least one person smoking inside the cafe.
The cafe is located on the second floor of a large bookstore with Chinese and foreign titles and has a very cool view of Wudaokou's busiest intersection.
Quarterlife Café
July 16th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Kim, again thanks for sharing and for your insight.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:35 am
good find Kim! aside from the one selfish person smoking and songs like "Men in Black" on repeat it sounds pretty decent. the atmosphere looks so gloomy though. seriously though who still smokes!?
what do you just drink bottled water on a daily basis? what'd you eat today?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Kim....For the best pizza in Beijing, try "The Kro's Nest" at Beida University, GongTi and BeiTai. Yup, Olaf "the Kro" Bauer studied Chinese at the University of Hawaii and has slowly been building his "beer and pizza" business. He might be able to tell you about other UH grads working in the city.
Check it out! http://www.thekrosnest.net/
July 16th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Hi Kim! Sounds like the place to be. Carve your name in one of those nice chairs,and you'll be all set. Bring some Hawaiian music in and ask them to play it while u work and drink coffee. You did bring some Hawaiian cd's along didnt u?
July 17th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Lush Cafe seems like an upscale wireless hangout. Two dollars for a cup of coffee? Wow! Western style cafe with western prices. I guess it is the hidden cost for free use of the wireless internet. You must have felt at home, no different than hanging out in the Kailua cafe.
The traffic at Wadaokou's busiest intersection is orderly and uncongested, not like what we experienced in some of the cities we visited.
I don't think I can survive in some of those places. Even crossing the street was a nightmare! However, the traffic flow consisting of bicyclists, motor scooters, motor vehicles, and teeming pedestrians proceeded so smoothly like clock work that it made for a beautiful picture of tapestry.
I enjoyed watching the traffic flow in different Chinese cities from a comfortable seat in the tour bus. They were sights to behold!