CITY GUIDE >Photo
Summer fling
By Michael Engstrom (cityweekend.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-07-21 17:20

The Competitive Date

Though no one wants a fight on the first date, getting down and dirty with a little competition can be fun. Let game time begin by grabbing a pint and getting physical on a foosball or pool table at The Goose and Duck. When all scores are settled, hustle over to Nanluo Guxiang's Kiss Kiss, where locking lips for a slow ten seconds in front of fellow patrons will win you a free plate of cow tongue-see which of you can stomach more. Afterwards, see who's more full of the bull in a binge-drinking contest at the all-you-can-drink-for-100 yuan Luna Bar. The last one standing should somehow get you both over to the bowling alley at Gongti 100, for a sobering round of nine-pins. And if you haven't had enough yet, take each other on in a karaoke-off downstairs at Tango. Whatever the outcome of all these battles is, be prepared for a more primeval display of prowess at the other’s flat. You see? Everybody wins.

The Nookie Date

Before you get yourself implicated in this highly risque tryst, be sure to check an online urban slang dictionary for the meaning of the word "nookie." Once confident in your abilities, go Geppetto-style and head to Whale Inside. Hotly submerged in pitch darkness, dining is put on the back burner here, as word has it even the waiters, all of whom wear night-vision goggles, try to get in on the action. For dessert, try the VIP couches at Capital Times Cinema in Xidan's Joy City Mall: adjust your eyes and enjoy each other. Afterwards, head over to Bed Bar for a glass of red wine or a sweet cocktail, lay down side by side on the bar's kang-style beds and sneak kisses when the waitstaff isn't looking. As on any good date, you'll need a breather, so it will be a good idea to catch some fresh air on a quiet stroll through Zhongshan Park, where you'll hear more than a few leaves rustling. If a park official interrupts, just tell him you are a university student who still lives in the very puritanical dormitory, and he'll likely let you continue. If he makes you stop, you can always find some alone time in one of ReMix's private KTV rooms.