As summer reaches its soupy boiling point and bands start falling off the stage in a sweaty drunken haze (Bedstars!), I decided that it was time to get out for a night of open-air fun. My destination? Wudaoying Hutong.   Running between the Lama Temple and Gulou, Wudaoying has recently gentrified into a competitive hot spot with new storefronts turning over seemingly every month. My original plan was to map out a single night of fun. But after wandering around, I decided no fewer than three would do. Try ‘em out.

For the Hippie Rolling into Wudaoying from Yonghegong, your first stop should be Nengmao Store, a little clothing shop that sells 70s-era track gear and sneakers. After picking up some inappropriately short running shorts, move on to Natooke, Beijing’s one and only fixed-gear bike shop, and work up an appetite with a little bike polo. Next, head to The Veggie Table, just past Natooke, for the best vegan meal in town. Even more exciting than the food are the drinks, which include freshly-squeezed juice and an exciting mix of gourmet cocktails. Walk off your meal with a stroll to Brand Nu, a boutique that re-sells used items for the benefit of poor rural women. Next, go home. You have drum circle early in the morning.

For the Rock ‘n’ Rolla   Alas, there’s no greasy Xinjiang place here, but the Sand Pebbles Lounge offers up the American equivalent—Mexican. Though the food is mediocre, SPL offers a tiny, tree-enclosed rooftop where you can take in the evening sky. Next head east toward VA Bar, a tiny but charmingly gothic venue for live music. Weirdly, they don’t serve any Chinese beer here, but if you’re really rock ‘n’ roll, you’ll buy Tsingtaos and pound them around the corner. After you’re good and drunk, head to the notorious School Bar for some absinthe and, if you’re lucky, a DJ set by one of Beijing’s underground luminaries. Finish the night by throwing up in the fish tank, getting in a fight with the bar staff and passing out.

For the Classy   Start off your night buying some classy vintage clothes at classy vintage boutique Old News. Next, head to the classy, ivy-covered Spanish restaurant Saffron for some fancy tapas and wine. Finish off the evening at The Yard, a classy bar that exists where, up until recently, three less-than-classy families used to live. Drinks are expensive but The Yard’s exquisite, open-air courtyard more then makes up for it with a stone patio, a moat, and a giant, old, very classy tree.