Chill on the summer solstice

The longest day of the year is this weekend, so the summer solstice can mean an unpleasant roasting even if the temperature doesn't set a record. But a little planning will help you get by the day. Here are three great ways to beat the heat.

Shanghai

Get high, get cool

Relax in the cool evening breeze from the Huangpu River and enjoy amid summer night's dream amid the stunning view from the 58th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, Pudong. Dine or share a few drinks with friends in the hip eatery Flair, which features Asian tapas and a raw seafood bar. A seasonal treat of 16 cocktails, specially created to go with celebrity guest chef David Thompson's Thai menu, were such a hit that the bar will be serving the mall summer. Thompson and his intriguing dishes have gone back to Bangkok though. Our choice (pictured) was Thompson's own choice: the Koh Chang, a sassy refreshment that combines Martell cognac, fresh ginger, a citrus wedge, fresh lemongrass, sugar syrup and ginger ale. It's 130 yuan ($21) for one, but you'll want two.

Flair at the Ritz-Carlton, Pudong, 8 Century (Dadao) Avenue, Lujiazui district, Shanghai. 021-2020-1888.

Hong Kong

Every day is sundae

Family-friendly Bubba Gump's new "Build your own Sundae" activities are fun for all age groups. Available as a dessert option throughout the summer and priced at HK$48 ($6)(plus a 10-percent service charge) , children and families will be able to make their own vanilla sundaes and decorate them with a choice of scrumptious toppings: chocolate syrup, snickers pieces, Oreo cookie crumbs, rainbow sprinkles, gummy bears, fruit pieces and whipped cream. There's also a summer drinks menu with three non-alcoholic drinks for children.

Bubba Gump Seafood Co, 3/F, The Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road, Hong Kong. 852-284-2867.

- Mike Peters

Beijing

A sporting toast

Thanks to the ongoing World Cup frenzy, you can enjoy what some call Brazil's national drink right now at many restaurants and bars around China. But the caipirinha is a year-round crowd favorite at Alameda, inspired by its former chef Geraldo Thomazini. Mixed with the distilled sugarcane liquor Cachaca, the Alameda version is made with your choice of lemon, strawberry, passion fruit or mango. Nestled within an alley of an alley in Beijing's Sanlitun, Alameda boasts an affordable lunch and dinner menu and a drinks menu sure to help you beat the heat.

Alameda, 81 Sanlitun Lu (Road), Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6417-8084.

- Kurt Nagl

World Cup beer

If beer is your bevy during any sports event, Lin Lounge at Double-Tree by Hilton Beijing is ready with two special deals: six bottles of Carlsberg at 168 yuan net, or six glasses of Carlsberg draft beer with fried chicken at 288 yuan. You can enjoy replays of matches on a big screen and get served by bartenders wearing shirts of competing nations.

Lin Lounge, 1/F Double Tree by Hilton Beijing, 168 Guang'anmenwai Dajie (Street), Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6338-1999 Ext 1728.

- Ye Jun

(China Daily 06/21/2014 page12)