Lifelong Sichuan resident Lili did not open Jah Bar to make money. He opened this riverside bar just last month to create a haven for travellers, musicians, artists, and free-thinkers. Whether they are local to Chengdu or just passing through Lili hopes they will stop by to join him and his extended group of friends to play music, share stories and tips, or just relax on the plentiful sofas. After many years spent as a painter, musician, worker, and outdoors lover, Lili now aims to run a bar which mirrors his minimal and simplistic lifestyle.  Soothing home brewed red tea, Qingdao beer, a special Jah Bar fried rice, and egg pancakes with ketchup on the side are available for just 10 Yuan.
 
The name Jah Bar actually has 3 meanings. The first refers to the obvious Rastafarian name for god. The second is ’jia’ (家), the Chinese word for home, and similar in sound to ’Jah’. This name reinforces Lili’s goal of creating a home-like atmosphere for all of his guests. The last is ’home’, which like the Chinese word, reiterates the same mission for all foreign guests.
 
Every Friday night is a live musical performance, often featuring Lili with his harmonica and guitar. The ambiance is perfect, and each patron brings a more interesting story than the next. Be sure to pay a visit to Jah Bar when in Chengdu.
 
How to get there: Jah Bar is located on the south side of the Funan river on Linjiang Lu (临江路） very close to Lao Nan Men Bridge. Jah Bar is across Jiangxi Jie, the main street, from the impossible-to-miss big boat. Walk south on Nan Da Jie (南大街）, and go left as soon as you cross the river. From the south on Jiangxi Jie (浆洗街）, make the right turn right as you hit the river. Jah Bar is just a few meters from the main street. Look for the bar’s small red lights.

The newly opened Bookworm is both a restaurant and English language library in one. Following in the steps of the original Bookworm in Beijing, the restaurant serves pan-European cuisine, and guarantees the use of only the finest and freshest produce from local farms. The bookworm’s American head chef boasts more than 20 years of experience in 5-star establishments. Eclectic salads, pasta dishes, and crepes are only a few of the treats on the menu, whose dishes are amusingly named after various literary notables. If you aren’t too hungry, you can still pop in at any time of day; bring in a book or take one out. Then, pick up some tea or coffee and settle into one of the Bookworm’s cushy chairs.
 
Directions: The Bookworm’s address is officially on the 2nd section of South Renmin Road (Renmin Nanlu, 人民南路二段), but it’s actually located on a side street headed west, not more than 50 meters from Renmin Lu. Walking south of Renmin Lu, cross the American Consulate Road, continue past Zoe’s BBQ on the right side, and then turn right. You can’t miss the Bookworm on the left side.

Swedish DIY home furnishing giant IKEA has arrived in Chengdu, and local citizens have welcomed the mega-store with open arms. Customers lined up hours in advance to prepare for the grand opening of the store. Locals are impressed with the workmanship on IKEA goods while foreign residents are at least pleased with the prices. Many of the items, at comparable or equal quality, can certainly still be found for cheaper at other stores around the city though.

Old Bar is a perfect place to relax with a few friends in a quiet setting over beers, a bottle of wine, or some tea. Indoor and outdoor seating  is available, and the interior is divided up into many smaller and larger areas, some with couches, to allow for a wide selection of private seating options. Old Bar doubles as a comfortable tea house and/or cafe by day. Domestic and imported beers range from 10-30 Yuan while coffee and tea run the gamut of prices. Cocktails (~25-30 Yuan) and bottles of wine (minimum 75 Yuan) are available as well.

Old Bar is located in the trendy Yulin neighborhood in the southern part of Chengdu. It is just a few meters down the street from Little Bar. From Renmin Nanlu (人民南路） in the southern end of Chengdu head west on Yulin Donglu (玉林东路，East Yulin Street). It will eventually become Yulin Xilu (玉林西路，West Yulin Street). Old Bar is about a 10-15 minute walk from Renmin Nanlu.