Cranes are Up and Re-constructing!

Please bear with us as we work hard to put on a new splash of paint on the whole of us. The new site is coming very soon and you’ll not be disappointed. Please check in again the next month or so.

 

Please help however you can.

When TBL felt the May 12th earthquake in Beijing, we were surprised, nervous and worried. And then we saw the news about the good people of Sichuan, and we became sad.

This is why we all have to do something, donate money, clothing, blood. Create awareness, tell your friends, your colleagues, your apartment doorman or even a stranger on the street. Simply because it’s the right thing to do.

For starters, here’s a link for anyone to go do whatever they can – THE RED CROSS.

Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone.

 

Real Beijing Air Report Late April

Where are the so-called promised blue skies? 101 days to the Olympics, and it bugs us at TBL that we have to wait that long before we dare to breathe.

Crap! Our receptionist’s face just passed out!

And here’s a little funny image to show you how much we despise the local weatherman for their lousy predictions. The foreign-based weatherman however, is right on the money today. Kudos!

 

Pool ain’t the same in China.

Open air pool hall. Now the entire neighborhood can see you getting hustled.

 

Logo Designs for a Music Website

We were asked to come up with some designs for a upcoming website in China that features new indie rock music from the US and also from the Chinese underground rock scene. They called it “DAKAI” which means “open up” in Chinese. It’s a cool site that allows music from these two worlds meet up and share their talents.

The first idea is a play on the letter “A” and its similarity to the Chinese character of “Open.”

The second is an visual of an open box that could contain many musical goodies that is available inside Dakai.com

The third was inspired by the elevated doorstep normally found at the foot of traditional Chinese doors. This elevated doorstep are meant for preventing unwanted elements entering the home, and in this case we’re talking about the lack of access between the western world and China.

That’s why a website like Dakai.com will step up (no pun intended) and allow an easier path for the world of music.

 

So unoriginal it’s unreal!

Being in China, TBL strives for original thinking and fresh new approaches in their work. We’re just doing our best to counter the shamelessness of those copycats and plagiarists out there.

Here are some unbelievable examples.

Below is our personal favorite because it’s actually quite a creative spin on the original logo.

 

Journey to Central China Part 3

Kung Fu. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Shaolin.

These are names most of us often associate with the martial arts world in China. And it was a pleasure for TBL to be able to see the real deal at the famous Shaolin Temple.

In the past, they’re known as a sacred temple that only allows potential students entry if they’ve earned their worth, like kneeling outside the temple for days. Now, anyone can pop in for just the small fee of 100 yuan.

The Pagodas inside the temple grounds are amazing to look at. They’re actually a sort of tombstone to the dead masters over the centuries.

There was one in particular that had the funniest carvings on the side. See for yourself.

 

best cover ever, of mariah’s “kan lee”

The talent is unreal, reviving the classic to a whole new level. Mariah should just retire and use this as infomercial material. Guaranteed to sell another million CDs!

 

Sidecar Gangstas!

The TBL crew loves the natural outdoors, the undiscovered country and WWII-era German sidecar bikes.

Say hi to the official TBL bike!

It was a nice 6 hours ride to our destination and back -The Yellow Flower City section of The Great Wall. Along the way, we saw some beautiful sceneries and quite a few neat stuff.

There were livestock roaming the roads, grannies giving us the evil eye and a really shy donkey.

At a pitstop, we also came across a sign asking for an entrance fee to a trek across a river dam. The sign in English says 5 Chinese yuan, while the locals only need to cough up 3. Smile your way to the bank, granny.

On the way back down the mountains, we came across an overturned car. We were more intrigued by the staring folks than the actual car. They just stood there motionless for lord knows how long.

 

Real Beijing Air Report April 2008

CCTV Building Skyline. April 9th. Noon and grimy. Acceptable for a 5m dash outside and back into the oxygen bubble.