At Bespoke we’ve had our share of celeb customers (Johnny Depp, Katy Perry, Tyra Banks to name drop a few), and this November some of the most powerful peeps in politics and biz will fly to Beijing for the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
OK, so Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin aren’t our clients this time… but what if they were? Where would they stay, eat, drink and party in Beijing? It’s this kind of rigorous self-analysis that keeps boutique travel companies like us at the top of our game.
Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
Eat: Opera Bombana
Thanks to Google, we’ve learned that Obama’s favourite meal is his wife Michelle’s shrimp linguini. Modo do a nice seafood linguini, but this is the prez of the free world, so let’s take it up a notch with Opera Bombana’s lobster tagliolini with bottarga di muggine, rocket and ciliegino cherry tomato sauce.
For dessert, we’d love to suggest the ‘Italia’ (strawberry, mascarpone, pistachio ice cream in chocolate and hazelnut shell) but Obama hasn’t liked ice-cream ever since working at Baskin-Robbins as a teenager. Better stick to the tiramisu, mister president.
Read our review of Opera Bombana here.
Party: Yue Fu
Obama might have been nicknamed “Bar” by his late grandmother but the president rarely drinks, so a straight-up boozer isn’t going to cut it. ‘Bar’ is a big fan of jazz maestro Miles Davies, so we’d send this cool cat to Yue Fu, a discreet 75-seat jazz venue with a concert hall vibe and a sparkling sound system in the new MOMA.
Stay: Westin Chaoyang
This is the Obama clan’s regular pad when in the ‘jing. The Jinmao Presidential Suite clocks in at 320sqm and comes with private butler service, 6-seater dining room and all mod cons, naturally. It’s also reassuringly close to the US embassy, should any diplomatic shizzle require the president’s attention.
Insider knowledge
Obama is the 44th president of the USA, which is a profoundly unlucky number in these parts. So we’d recommend POTUS wears lucky red underwear throughout his trip – readily available from Nanluoguxiang (a quick motorcade diversion won’t hurt).
Vladimir Putin
President of Russia
Eat: Moscow Restaurant
Harking back to the grand old days of the USSR, Moscow Restaurant has been ladling up borscht since 1954. One of Beijing’s first foreign eateries, this grand old commissary will be a timely reminder to Putin of the close historic ties shared between Russia and China. Putin will probably want to make a grab for the chicken Kiev, but the creamy Moscow seabass comes with a Bespoke recommendation. Vodka is just 10 kuai a shot, too – prost!
Party: Chocolate
Making sure the president’s motorcade gives LGBT hot-spot Destination a wide berth, we’ll make a beeline for glam underground nightclub Chocolate. The buxom Russian dance troupe here speak Vlad’s language, and might inspire him to get up for a bare-chested boogie.
Stay: Legendale Hotel
Showy, European-inspired glamour is the order of the day at this regency-style hotel. The Legendale’s Presidential Suite goes all out with a decadent French theme of royal blue and gold, and comes with a Jacuzzi and a sauna to unwind after a long day of meetings.
Do: Houhai Lake
Putin’s outdoor ruggedness is his USP, so for the ultimate Beijing manliness exhibition, it has to be joining the old boys for a Speedo swim in soon-to-be-frozen Houhai Lake. A good way for Vlad to flash those pecs in what could be the defining photo of the APEC forum.
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About the author: Tom O’Malley is Propaganda Secretary at Bespoke Beijing. A lifestyle journalist, guidebook author, glutton and bon vivant, Tom is a tireless crusader for fine food, hospitality and tourist experiences in China’s capital.