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There's no need to feel down on YMCA street
By Xu Wenwen |
January 28, 2013, Monday
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ALTHOUGH a strip between two wider roads, Qingnian Road in downtown Hangzhou is well-known in its own right, for a century ago the Young Men's Christian Association of Hangzhou was established there.
The global YMCA opened its first premises in China in 1895, and the national organization founded its Hangzhou base in 1914.
By 1919, the association had 2,000 members, including many local celebrities. The 500-meter-long street where the YMCA is located was given the appropriate name of Qingnian Road - qingnian means youth.
In the past, the association ran a primary school, night schools and painting and dance courses, held concerts, parties and games, presented lectures and organized academic communities and volunteer groups.
The YMCA building became well-known landmark because of its Western look. The red-brick facade of the main building features Italian-style Tuscan pillars and arched windows, while the black brick tower has a clock on each face and water on top.
Today the YMCA is still based there but seldom holds cultural activities. Most of the area has been converted into shops. Shanghai Daily visited the historic hostel and two Qingnian Road cafes.
YMCA InternationalYouth Hostel
The new YMCA hostel opened last April, its 26 rooms on the third and fourth floor of the main building. The wooden doors, stone stairs and arched windows retain the 1980s look of when the old building was previously renovated.
The organization's Christian origins can be seen in the religious paintings and old black-and-white photographs hung on stairways.
The cost of a bed in a shared room is around 50 yuan (US$8), standard rooms are priced at around 200 yuan, while larger suites, with sofas and en-suite bathrooms, cost between 300 yuan and 400 yuan.
Recently, the organization built a one-story building in front of the main premises as its lobby, in a similar "simple European style," said manager Zhou Qiang.
Address: 27 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8755-5788
Website: www.yhotel.cn
L'amour Cafe
While the YMCA hostel is on the third and fourth floor of the main YMCA building, L'amour Cafe occupies the first and second.
This is the fourth branch in the city, and they share similar vintage European decor. However, this one is larger than others, functioning as a cafe and bar.
Previously the site was a seniors' center with 1980s decor. The owner of L'amour, Xia Jiqing, who used to be an art teacher setting about transforming the old place. Xia has used a dark green and red color scheme and dim lighting from flower-shaped lamps.
Enhancing this ambiance are dozens of oil paintings and watercolors - abstract and works with a Christian theme - by Xia and artist friends.
Customers who prefer plenty of light can take a seat in the area to the front, enclosed by removable French windows among Italian Tuscan pillars.
This bright, long space contains more than 20 seats, plus three pianos for music lovers.
L'amour's menu provides standard and Italian coffee varieties, plus tea, milk tea and milk shakes. Order more than one coffee and get it for half price. The menu includes pasta, baked rice, sandwich and snacks.
A band plays every night from 8:30pm to midnight.
Address: 27 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8506-6473
Northfei Cafe
Run by the vice president of Hangzhou Coffee and Western-style Food Association, Northfei Cafe is a slick operation. It imports raw coffee beans and bakes them both for its own use and to supply other cafes in the city.
It offers coffees made from beans from Africa, Brazil, Columbia and Yunnan Province of south China.
The cafe is quiet and is simply decorated in a courtyard style. On its walls are art photographs and certificates of merit that Northfei baristas earned home and abroad.
One recommendation is the chocolate hazelnut latte that won the Creative Coffee Award in the 2009 World Baristas.
Irish Coffee is also a signature beverage, not only for its taste but for the spectacular way in which it is made. Customers are invited to watch as the barista sets a glass of Irish whiskey and a glass of syrup alight, blending the two by pouring the flaming liquid from one glass to the other.
Once whiskey and syrup are blended, an icy cream topping is added, so that a sip combines the coffee's heat and whiskey strength with the cream's sweetness, coldness and softness.
Milkshakes, cocktails and four kinds of cigars are also on the menu.
Address: 3 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8780-1616
The global YMCA opened its first premises in China in 1895, and the national organization founded its Hangzhou base in 1914.
By 1919, the association had 2,000 members, including many local celebrities. The 500-meter-long street where the YMCA is located was given the appropriate name of Qingnian Road - qingnian means youth.
In the past, the association ran a primary school, night schools and painting and dance courses, held concerts, parties and games, presented lectures and organized academic communities and volunteer groups.
The YMCA building became well-known landmark because of its Western look. The red-brick facade of the main building features Italian-style Tuscan pillars and arched windows, while the black brick tower has a clock on each face and water on top.
Today the YMCA is still based there but seldom holds cultural activities. Most of the area has been converted into shops. Shanghai Daily visited the historic hostel and two Qingnian Road cafes.
YMCA InternationalYouth Hostel
The new YMCA hostel opened last April, its 26 rooms on the third and fourth floor of the main building. The wooden doors, stone stairs and arched windows retain the 1980s look of when the old building was previously renovated.
The organization's Christian origins can be seen in the religious paintings and old black-and-white photographs hung on stairways.
The cost of a bed in a shared room is around 50 yuan (US$8), standard rooms are priced at around 200 yuan, while larger suites, with sofas and en-suite bathrooms, cost between 300 yuan and 400 yuan.
Recently, the organization built a one-story building in front of the main premises as its lobby, in a similar "simple European style," said manager Zhou Qiang.
Address: 27 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8755-5788
Website: www.yhotel.cn
L'amour Cafe
While the YMCA hostel is on the third and fourth floor of the main YMCA building, L'amour Cafe occupies the first and second.
This is the fourth branch in the city, and they share similar vintage European decor. However, this one is larger than others, functioning as a cafe and bar.
Previously the site was a seniors' center with 1980s decor. The owner of L'amour, Xia Jiqing, who used to be an art teacher setting about transforming the old place. Xia has used a dark green and red color scheme and dim lighting from flower-shaped lamps.
Enhancing this ambiance are dozens of oil paintings and watercolors - abstract and works with a Christian theme - by Xia and artist friends.
Customers who prefer plenty of light can take a seat in the area to the front, enclosed by removable French windows among Italian Tuscan pillars.
This bright, long space contains more than 20 seats, plus three pianos for music lovers.
L'amour's menu provides standard and Italian coffee varieties, plus tea, milk tea and milk shakes. Order more than one coffee and get it for half price. The menu includes pasta, baked rice, sandwich and snacks.
A band plays every night from 8:30pm to midnight.
Address: 27 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8506-6473
Northfei Cafe
Run by the vice president of Hangzhou Coffee and Western-style Food Association, Northfei Cafe is a slick operation. It imports raw coffee beans and bakes them both for its own use and to supply other cafes in the city.
It offers coffees made from beans from Africa, Brazil, Columbia and Yunnan Province of south China.
The cafe is quiet and is simply decorated in a courtyard style. On its walls are art photographs and certificates of merit that Northfei baristas earned home and abroad.
One recommendation is the chocolate hazelnut latte that won the Creative Coffee Award in the 2009 World Baristas.
Irish Coffee is also a signature beverage, not only for its taste but for the spectacular way in which it is made. Customers are invited to watch as the barista sets a glass of Irish whiskey and a glass of syrup alight, blending the two by pouring the flaming liquid from one glass to the other.
Once whiskey and syrup are blended, an icy cream topping is added, so that a sip combines the coffee's heat and whiskey strength with the cream's sweetness, coldness and softness.
Milkshakes, cocktails and four kinds of cigars are also on the menu.
Address: 3 Qingnian Road
Tel: (0571) 8780-1616
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