Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rupt, then these venues do have their place. These are major destinations for tourists, but
they can also be great places to pick up winter sweaters, T-shirts, sweatpants, scarves, and
even costumes for fancy dress parties. For clothing that doesn't conform to mainstream
styles, weave your way through the boutiques in 3.3 and Nali Patio, both places wedged
between the north and south sections of Taikoo Li Sanlitun. Some of the stores here sell
shoes or garments created by local designers, and some sell pieces that have been person-
ally imported by the store owners. The major malls, mentioned above, are the places to find
brands such Gap, Zara, G-Star, H&M, and so on. Young people in particular like to shop at
Joy City in Xidan (Line 1) and at Qingnian Lu (Line 6).
Cosmetics
If you have particular preferences for cosmetics, you might find your appearance starts to
look a little shabby in Beijing. Major brands such as Clinique, Clarins, Estée Lauder, Mac,
Bobby Brown, and Sephora are all here, but the color ranges can differ from what you can
get at home, particularly for foundations. Meibocheng Beauty Supplies City (
美博城美容
美发用品商城
), across from the south end of Qianmen Jie, is a maze of wholesale vendors
selling everything from hair treatment products and shampoos to fake nails. Online store
www.lefeng.com
is popular with locals for major brands, but Strawberrynet.com is a good
option for international brands and colors, and given that products ship free of charge from
Hong Kong, they usually arrive in just a few days.
Electronics
For electronics, the major zone in Beijing is Zhongguancun, Beijing's own Silicon City.
Enormous buildings sitting side by side become multistory burrows of digital wares. The
main concentration of shops and markets is between Haidianhuangzhuang (Lines 4 and
10) and Zhongguancun (Line 4) subway stations. It can be extremely overwhelming and
headache-inducing. For those who balk at the commute to Zhongguancun or simply prefer
something more mentally manageable, an alternative is Buynow (
百脑汇,
B
ǎ
in
ǎ
ohuì
),
situated on Chaoyangmen Waidajie just north of Ritan Park. Beware that both places
have their good share of fake products, and bargaining will be essential. Online stores
www.amazon.cn
and
www.jd.com
are great for everyday items.
Grocery Shopping
While you might not be able to get each and every item that usually fills your pantry,
Beijing does have a lot of options for grocery shopping. “International” supermarkets are
easily found all over the eastern side of town, and the major chains favored by expats in-
