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| Asian clothing store |
| 05.07.05 (8:17 pm) [edit] |
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| Fares of Beijing cabs may go up |
| 02.10.05 (4:18 am) [edit] |
Beijing cabs may soon charge extra because of the gasoline price hike. The plan has already been submitted to the municipal government.
Since the gasoline price went up Wednesday, the second time in rise this year, taxi drivers will have to spend an average of some 500 yuan, about US$60, more a month, China Radio International reported Friday.
Meanwhile, increased fuel prices are also putting pressure on public transportation.
In Jinan, the capital of east China's Shangdong Province, cabs have been charging passengers an extra yuan to compensate for higher gas prices.
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| Hair Goes¡ |
| 05.30.04 (10:22 pm) [edit] |
Summer is coming, and as Shanghai's princesses begin to shed their fur coats, they start thinking about how to shed their unwanted fur as well.
Wax it or zap it? Shave or slather on cream? The potential hair removal choices are many. Fear not, though: that's braved the many de-furring options on your behalf to help you find the one that suits you best.
Cream depilatories are a popular choice. Advantages: Less pain, effective, no permanent hair follicle damage. (Who knows? Next year, the gorilla look might be back in.) Disadvantages: The caustic ingredients irritate some people's skin and can occasionally cause chemical burns. Where to get it: Cosmetic counters at department stores or supermarkets.
It might sound banal, but shaving is by far the most common hair removal method, either manually or using an electric shaver. Advantages: Inexpensive, fast, usually painless. Safe, can be done almost anywhere (except on the bus to work). Disadvantages: Many believe that the more you shave, the thicker the hair returns. Where to get it: Electronic products stores or big supermarkets.
Waxing is an ancient and temporary method performed professionally. Advantages: Fast. Disadvantages: Ouuuucccchhhh!!!! Hairs can break off at or below the surface, raising potential for skin infection. Where to get it: Many spas and beauty parlours provide this service.
Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal technique that's been around 125 years. Advantages: That hair won't be growing back any time soon. Disadvantages: Expensive, painful, difficult for large amounts of hair. In rare cases can result in infection, partial to full hair regrowth and lasting skin damage. Where to get it: Professional cosmetic hospitals.
A newer method of permanent hair removal is by laser, which is intended to blast hair follicles into oblivion while sparing surrounding tissues. Advantages: Long-lasting. Safe if performed properly, useful for large areas like the back or legs. Any regrowth likely to be lighter and finer. Disadvantages: Expensive and some find it painful. Improper treatment can cause burns, lesions, skin discoloration lasting several months or patchy regrowth. Where to get it: Professional cosmetic hospitals. Don't try using the laser in your home CD player.
No matter which method you choose, always consult a professional beautician or doctor beforehand, and be specific about which hair you want removed - unless you're going for the Telly Savalas look.
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| Treating Teeth with Wisdom |
| 05.25.04 (11:25 pm) [edit] |
There's a Chinese saying that when you have a toothache it's yaomingor "like dying." Despite this and the growing trend for Chinese people to show greater concern for their precious eating tools, most people still don't take tooth problems as seriously as they do other diseases.
Nevertheless, "Oral health is not only important to our physical health but also to our psychology," says Cai Zhong, director of the Sino-Canadian Shanghai Dental Centre. "The WHO (World Health Organization) has listed tooth condition as one of the prime indicators of a human's state of health. Plus, there's no doubt that people with clean and healthy teeth are more confident in day-to-day life."
The major tooth problems affecting Chinese people include decayed teeth, dental calculus and gingivitis, all of which can develop into serious oral (and other) illnesses. "Tooth problems can cause heart disease and impact on your overall health condition", Cai warns. "So people should see their dentist for a check-up every three to six months."
However, many people won't visit a dentist until they suffer acute tooth problems such as toothache. "I only see my dentist when I can't take the aching anymore", says Xi An, a Shanghai girl who was having a tooth filled at the Yangpu Dental Clinic.
Despite the best efforts of dentists, unfortunately our pearly whites are doomed to lose their gleam eventually due to ageing. Many problems, though, can be prevented through effective (but not excessive) tooth brushing. "I'd rather use the term 'wipe off' than 'brush'," comments Cai.
Also, according to Cai, it's important to vary your toothpaste. "Don't stick to one brand or type of toothpaste. It's just like taking antibiotics - the oral bacteria become "drug resistant" to the toothpaste you use."
So the expert advice seems to be - if you want to keep your teeth happy and healthy - brush often, see the dentist and upset the mouth bacteria with frequent changes of paste. After all, it's much better to smother your teeth with tender loving care than keep them sitting in a glass by your bedside.
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| Treating Teeth with Wisdom |
| 05.25.04 (11:24 pm) [edit] |
There's a Chinese saying that when you have a toothache it's yaomingor "like dying." Despite this and the growing trend for Chinese people to show greater concern for their precious eating tools, most people still don't take tooth problems as seriously as they do other diseases.
Nevertheless, "Oral health is not only important to our physical health but also to our psychology," says Cai Zhong, director of the Sino-Canadian Shanghai Dental Centre. "The WHO (World Health Organization) has listed tooth condition as one of the prime indicators of a human's state of health. Plus, there's no doubt that people with clean and healthy teeth are more confident in day-to-day life."
The major tooth problems affecting Chinese people include decayed teeth, dental calculus and gingivitis, all of which can develop into serious oral (and other) illnesses. "Tooth problems can cause heart disease and impact on your overall health condition", Cai warns. "So people should see their dentist for a check-up every three to six months."
However, many people won't visit a dentist until they suffer acute tooth problems such as toothache. "I only see my dentist when I can't take the aching anymore", says Xi An, a Shanghai girl who was having a tooth filled at the Yangpu Dental Clinic.
Despite the best efforts of dentists, unfortunately our pearly whites are doomed to lose their gleam eventually due to ageing. Many problems, though, can be prevented through effective (but not excessive) tooth brushing. "I'd rather use the term 'wipe off' than 'brush'," comments Cai.
Also, according to Cai, it's important to vary your toothpaste. "Don't stick to one brand or type of toothpaste. It's just like taking antibiotics - the oral bacteria become "drug resistant" to the toothpaste you use."
So the expert advice seems to be - if you want to keep your teeth happy and healthy - brush often, see the dentist and upset the mouth bacteria with frequent changes of paste. After all, it's much better to smother your teeth with tender loving care than keep them sitting in a glass by your bedside.
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| Heart to Heart |
| 05.10.04 (2:49 am) [edit] |
Helping voluntary organisations to help others
A city should be more than glittery skyscrapers and great nightlife - the brains and the brawn means little without a beating heart behind them. Happily, Shanghai's booming economy is also spawning a vibrant voluntary sector with a number of well-managed organisations and hundreds of thousands of volunteers spreading a little love and compassion throughout the community.
We visit five volunteer organisations operating in Shanghai. A whole lot more than raffles and ladies' morning teas, these associations run the gamut from phone book to stem cell collection, campus clubs to slick cyber organisations. So straighten that halo and read on for a glimpse of yet another Shanghai scene.
Lending a Hand
Launched earlier this year by a handful of young professionals, Hands On Shanghai has already signed on seventy volunteers and is recruitng between five and ten new members each week. Organiser Richard Brubaker describes the group as "a really good mix" of expatriates, Chinese and local volunteers, generally in their 20s and 30s. All you need to join is motivation and an Internet connection - this is very much a cyber-generation thing.
Hands On connects those with the desire to become more involved in their community with local charities and institutions needing assistance on short-term projects. It adopts a corporate-type structure in order to maximise efficiency and centralise control over the group's varied activities.
"Every Monday we send an email to our volunteers telling them what's happening in the coming week," says Brubaker. The projects generally require two to three hours' commitment in the evenings or three to four hours on weekends and volunteers can sign up according to their schedules and interests. "We cater to professionals who don't have a lot of spare time and [don't have] the belief that money alone works. We help them logistically by designing the projects for them."
Hands On works in partnership with several local charitable organisations. Members help with the administration of Shanghai Sunrise, which raises funds for poor migrant children so that they can attend school. They play with orphaned and handicapped children at three local orphanages, and children's groups such as Gift of Life and Project Hope. And help out at the Shanghai Children's Museum (see Children's Story) and Roots and Shoots, where they are involved in environmental projects like tree planting, phone book collecting and building a new chimpanzee house at the Shanghai Zoo.
For further information email info@handsonshanghai.org, or visit www.handsonshanghai.org.
Marrow Minded
Volunteers can give a bit of themselves - literally - by donating their stem cells. The Shanghai Bone Marrow Contribution Club, an artery of the Red Cross, is working to increase the number of Shanghai residents registered with the local marrow donor programme from the current 38,000 to 100,000 people.
Healthy stem cells are in desperate demand worldwide to combat deadly diseases like leukemia. "The problem is, it's very difficult to match marrow types and therefore we need to improve our database," says Gong Xiaoqing from the Contribution Club.
Don't be turned off by visions of spongey brown goo or bone-sucking operations: it only takes a small vial of blood to be typed as a stem cell donor. In case your tissue traits match a patient's, more blood is donated, the stem cells separated and the remaining blood returned to the donor's bloodstream through a sterile needle. Easy.
Because stem cell traits are inherited, a patient's most likely match is with someone of the same racial or ethnic background, so Asians in particular are encouraged to join the registry and become committed donors. Applicants should be between 18 and 45. Obviously, they must be free of blood related or infectious diseases, even common colds. "The same as in all blood contributions," explains Gong.
Donating blood aside, the Shanghai Bone Marrow Contribution Club also requires volunteers to assist patients, process registry information, as well as raise funds and educate the general public.
Shanghai Bone Marrow Contribution Club is a Chinese-speaking organisation. For more information, visit www.gs-club.com.cn. You can also contact Gong Xiaoqing at ggxopg@online.sh.cn or 6352 3875.
Breaking out of the Bedroom
Shanghai Youth Volunteer Association is the largest, longest established and highest profile volunteer organisation in Shanghai. It has been in operation for over a decade and boasts some 300,000 registered volunteers.
The only real criteria for joining the group is being between 14 and 35 years old, healthy and "very devoted to the community work" says Li Jin of the Association. Basic Mandarin skills are preferred.
Currently the Association is involved in three projects in Shanghai aimed at helping the poor, elderly, and Mother Nature. But it is a couple of high-profile upcoming events - namely the Shanghai Formula One and 2010 World Expo - that has many full of volunteering fervour.
Already one member of the Association is working with the Formula One event planning committee, and recruitment of volunteers has begun for the race in September. Says Li, "1,200 volunteers are needing during the race, and more are needed before for Grand Prix track and stadium maintenance, so the total number will be over 2,000." Even though college English is a requirement for helping with this international event, 7,000 people have already applied.
On an even greater scale, "We're already in training for the World Expo in 2010," Li adds. The Association plans to set up a World Expo Youth Volunteer Team of over 100,000 for the event, and many more will be involved in education campaigns to increase understanding of the event and English language ability in the community in the lead up to the Expo.
To register with the Youth Association, contact Li Jin at 6262 7700 ext 2093, or shyouth@online.sh.cn. For more information, visit the Chinese-language website www.shzyz.org.
Pulling Your Green Finger Out
The Environment Protection Cooperation of the East China University of Science and Technology is one of several groups tackling the considerable environmental problems the city faces. Their offensive is conducted on three levels: university, local community, and further afield to neighbouring provinces.
On campus they arrange the collection and recycling of used batteries with special boxes placed in each dormitory. They organise environmentally themed lectures and last Christmas, in an effort to educate students about the environmental cost of greeting cards, they undertook a project where instead of cards, people could send fruit anywhere within the 13 universities in Shanghai. "It was to raise awareness," says the EPC's Wei Jun-jing who reported that 200 people and countless oranges and apples took part.
On a local community level they work with resident committees distributing flyers and posters and organising 'games' which encourage the sorting of rubbish. Occasionally volunteers are sent to the Zoo where they tell children stories about protecting animals. "Volunteers go out and stop inane things like feeding plastic bags to the animals," says Wei. "Unfortunately we do not have much free time to go to the Zoo so the scope of this project is limited," she laments.
Venturing out of town, members give up between a week and a month of their summer vacation to undertake university research projects like sampling, testing and interviewing locals about environmental issues in the nearby provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
After an interview to check "if they have enthusiasm to keep going with the work," the organisation gladly accepts volunteers and has hope for the future with a steady stream of junior greenies from the nearby middle and primary schools getting involved.
For information or application, email ourgreenwaves@163.com.
Paws for Thought
The Small Animal Protection Association is Shanghai's only charity given over to the protection of animals - and boy is it's work cut out. Most shocking is not the numbers involved but the human callousness that their work reveals.
Many people take up pets without understanding the long-term commitment of caring for them. They treat them like toys and abandon them when the novelty wears off, or when the animals become pregnant. The Association receives around ten calls a day from pet owners who no longer want their furry friends. Other times pets are just dumped on their doorstep - literally.
Recently ten stray cats, some injured or pregnant, were rescued from wasteland at the intersection of Changle Lu and Chengdu Lu. Rescuing does not mean one-off tree-climbing, fur-flying heroics - although that is not unheard of - but also involves providing temporary shelter for animals awaiting adoption, for which basic expenses are covered. Volunteers are called on to help rescue animals as well as update the website, man booths at Pet Shows and educate the public.
Members are required to be responsible and able to deal with emergencies. In return they get that Superman sensation of saving lives, small rewards from the Association, and maybe even a lick on the cheek.
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| Golfers Go for Gold - Shanghai BMW Asian Open |
| 05.08.04 (2:32 am) [edit] |
The grass is looking greener this month in Pudong. The biggest Chinese golf tournament of the year, the BMW Asian Open will tee off at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club from May 13-16. A sign of China's rise in the golf world, the Professional Golf Association of America (PGA)'s European Tour has decided to hold its first event on the Chinese mainland - and the US$1.5 million prize has lured some of golf's biggest stars into participating.
Two players that will surely add some spice to the greens are John Daly, known both for his hard hitting on the course, and hard drinking off, and the fierce Australian competitor Greg Norman. Daly's unpredictable antics and 300 yard-plus drives have made him a hero of backyard hackers everywhere.
Aging Aussie Norman, the 'Great White Shark,' remains popular despite plummeting in recent world golf rankings. The first player to earn US$10 million on the pro circuit, Norman was recently elevated to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Irishman Padraig Harrington, the highest-ranked player in the tourney, will defend his title won last year at the Ta Shee Country Club in Taiwan.
Local fans will also have something to cheer about, with number one ranked Chinese golfer Zhang Lianwei also competing for the BMW Asia crown. Zhang, the first Chinese national to win a European Tour event last year in Singapore, arrives in Shanghai hot from an appearance in the Masters at Augusta.
In an interview on the PGA's European Tour website, Ulrich Thum, managing director of BMW Group China, explained the importance of bringing first-rate golfers to China. "BMW is excited to bring some of the best professional golfers to China with this historic first playing of the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai. With its blend of performance and style, world class golf shares many similarities with the world-class automotive engineering of BMW."
With millions of dollars in career victories, these guys might indeed drive BMWs, but John Daly, for example, shares more attributes with a beer truck than those beautiful Bavarian machines. Head out to Pudong and watch these guys drive (on the fairway that is) and decide for yourself. 8)
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| The Future is Almost Here |
| 04.28.04 (10:12 pm) [edit] |
Rumour has it that Wong Kar-wai's maddeningly belated 2046 (four years in production so far) doesn't even have a script. In a 2001 interview, Wong revealed, "It's a futuristic film, but not a science fiction film. There are three stories in the film, and each one is adapted from a Western opera - Madame Butterfly, Carmen and Tannhauser." We know little more.
Wong began filming 2046 while still working on his last feature, In the Mood For Love, and considers it a continuation of that film - though knowing Wong, probably not a straightforward sequel. Tony Leung, the depressed protagonist, plays essentially the same character in 2046, though this time he is a novelist rather than a newspaper editor.
The one thing that seems clear about 2046 is that Shanghai will be the focus. Wong was born here and his family later lived in the Shanghainese community in Hong Kong, from which he drew inspiration for In the Mood For Love. The new film will feature both 1960s Shanghai and a Blade Runner-esque Shanghai of the future.
In a November press conference in Shanghai, Wong revealed that the title refers to the end of the 50 years of autonomy the Chinese government has promised to Hong Kong, as well as to a sci-fi novel that Leung's character writes based on a one-night tryst with a prostitute in room 2046 of a hotel. It apparently does not refer to the release date. He also helpfully pointed out that, like the last film, 2046 will be about changing emotions set against an unchanging background.
Wong's usual crew is on board: Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong (as a robot loved by two men), Chang Chen - and Zhang Ziyi will play a robot too. Word on the street is that Gong Li is now being worked in as well. Wong has promised a lot of digital effects, which he blames for the delay (the hoped-for Lantern Festival release fell through; a Cannes premiere is the latest release floated). Fans are certainly expecting a super-slick hipster masterpiece. After all, they haven't waited this long for any old movie.
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| Worth the Wait - Waiting For Godot! |
| 04.25.04 (8:30 pm) [edit] |
The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre has two hot propositions for theatregoers this coming summer. The first is a production of Waiting For Godot that has been feted across the board as a near-definitive version of Samuel Beckett's most famous work. The Gate Theatre, the prestigious Dublin-based company, first staged this production last year to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the play's original Paris debut, and it has earned nothing but acclaim since.
For a play in which, famously, nothing really happens, Waiting For Godot continues to captivate and confound audiences. The plot, such as it is, centres on the down-at-heel Vladimir and Estragon and their futile wait for Mr Godot, a figure so obscure that they can't even remember why they started waiting for him in the first place. As they observe though, at least waiting for Godot passes the time - passing time, as Beckett may be telling us, being all that life really amounts to.
Nonetheless, you could do far worse than spend an hour or two of your pointless existence watching this one - although you should expect to leave the theatre with more questions than answers.
Then in July comes Shakespeare's Othello, brought to Shanghai by English theatre company Cheek By Jowl. Another highly respected outfit, Cheek By Jowl has a reputation for staging no-frills productions packed with the very brightest talent.
And brighter than most is Nonso Anozie, a rising star of the British stage, cast here as Othello. Anozie first attracted attention two years ago in an RSC Academy production of King Lear, when his portrayal of Lear met with rave reviews. Anozie's interpretation of the Moorish general and his tragic surrender to the "green-eyed monster" is therefore eagerly anticipated.
Watch out too for the well-respected Jonny Phillips as the villainous Iago, the scheming counterpoint to Othello's guileless action man. Iago is the play's truly enthralling character, driven to engineer Othello's demise by what Coleridge famously called "motiveless malignancy". In other words, Iago has no particular reason to be so nasty. He just quite likes it.
Waiting for Godot will be performed from May 20-22 and Othello from July 13-18, both at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre. For more info and tickets, please call 6473 0123.
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| Cross Cultural Explorations |
| 03.24.04 (7:10 pm) [edit] |
[b]Saving Chinese art on the cross[/b]
This second feature in our Shanghai Artists Series focusses on the work of abstract painter Ding Yi.
Ding Yi is literally an artist working at cross-purposes. But if that sounds a bit unproductive, consider this: in just over 15 years, Ding's produced hundreds of variations on one elementary theme - the intersection of the vertical and horizontal line. And all in the pursuit of one elusive goal.
"There are no restrictions when you paint a cross," says Ding, "it's so simple and gives so much freedom." The artist compares his efforts to an ongoing "scientific experiment" in pursuit of "absolute art" - art that is freed of its cultural baggage.
Ding's quest for freedom began in 1983 as a student at the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Institute. There he sought insight into his own cultural heritage through the medium of Chinese traditional painting. Instead of release, though, he found restriction.
"Creativity is not allowed in traditional Chinese art," Ding insists. "You have to study for at least ten years before you are allowed to go your own way. For me, the imposition of artificial boundaries in art doesn't encourage inspiration, rather it destroys it. Art must be liberated from tradition."
That Ding chose the cross as his symbol of rebellion against conformity may, at first, seem paradoxical. In the West, the cross and its religious associations are forever fixed. Yet it appeals to the artist, in an altogether different context, one that carries no Christian allusions at all. In 1988, Ding unveiled his first series of paintings, titled Shishi (Cross), referring to the technical term used in colour printing, which divides paper into quadrants.
Fifteen years later, this fundamental symbol has become Ding's trademark, the one constant key to his creative works. "The only way to express art," he says, "is to express everything without leaving out the most simple thing."
At first glance, Ding's repetitive use of the cross might strike the viewer as monotonous. Especially in contrast to the artist's environment - the ever-changing Shanghai. Yet there are parallels between Ding's art and the city: in the early 1990s, before Shanghai's economic boom, Ding's crosses were painted in sombre tones and designed with ruler and tape. Changing along with the skyline, his latest series features free-hand painting and neon hues that dance across the canvas.
It's difficult to see where Ding can carry the cross next, but he insists there's plenty of life yet in the theme. "This experiment won't stop until my inspiration ends," he says, "when I've explored all its variations. I don't see that happening any time soon."
DING YI (b. 1962)
1983, Shanghai Arts & Crafts Institute
1990, Shanghai University
Selected exhibitions:
Appearance of Crosses (Berlin 2003)
Paris-Pekin (Paris 2002)
The First Triennial of Chinese Arts (Guangzhou 2002)
Ding Yi: Fluorescence on Tartan (2000 Beijing)
Ding YI: Crosses '97 (1998 Shanghai)
Yokohama Triennale (2000)
China! (1996 Bonn)
China Avant-Garde (Touring Exhibition 1993)
Exhibition of Today's Art (Shanghai 1988)
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| No Ice, Thanks |
| 02.26.04 (11:57 pm) [edit] |
Winter is here - and don't we know it. While many of the city's tipplers hibernate at home or head to warmer climes for a few Sex on the Beaches, those left behind find the number of revellers is low, the chill factor is high and taxis are scarce. But not all is bad news for those loyal souls who stick to the Shanghai bar circuit. To thaw the barroom freeze during late December, the city's bars and clubs tend to roll out the drink specials to tempt back patrons while also adding warm weather brews like Glűhwein (mulled wine)to their menu.
A staffer at German restaurant and bar Paulaner Brauhaus told that's that despite its prime tourist-catching real estate at Xintiandi, bad weather sees fewer drinkers cross their threshold: "There is definitely a big change," he said. Also, those who did venture out to Paulaner like to sip red wine, Glűhwein, coffee or hot chocolate, rather than summertime favourites like their homebrewed wheat beers. Well-established bars Face and Vino see no need to change their existing formulas. However, Face does sell more hot and infused drinks while Vino reports selling more red wine.
For some bars, winter is a season to consolidate, and for others it's a time to try new ideas. At the venerable old Irish bar O'Malleys, winter is "a chance to recuperate," according to general manager Sean McIlroy. He uses the downtime to focus on training his staff, maintain the premises, and this year, renovate the latest addition to their stable, Sasha's and Fernando's restaurants. Mc Ilroy also sees to it that his customers can always enjoy a seat by a roaring fire. "I have two or three customers who come in religiously for the fire, which makes the inside cosy," he said. One customer - either a frustrated Boy Scout or a closet pyromaniac - turns up every day, helps the staff light the fire, has a couple of drinks, then goes home. In general, McIlroy says, bars "have to make themselves more attractive." Perhaps McIlroy should give Ton Hall a few tips. This bric-a-brac shop cum bar has a beautiful fireplace but no fire.
At Maoming Lu, Macau Portuguese Restaurant, which has a large streetside bar, is supplementing its fondness for loud Frank Sinatra music with a live band that will perform until late, six days a week. Manager Manuel De Jesus is also awaiting permission from local authorities to construct a permanent transparent cover over his outdoor area. Watch this space for news.
If there is one word to describe how lounge bar Amber is going to fill your winter nights, it is "education". Don't worry, they're not going to fly in Mary Poppins or start holding quiz nights¡ oh, sorry, they are. "We're going to start a Sunday quiz night," said Amber's marketing manager Kate Whitton. "It's not going to get the bar heaving but it is something people can do with their friends." Perhaps more interesting will be their wine appreciation classes - highbrow stuff for those who missed out on finishing school. Amber has teamed up with wine distributor Force Eight to host wine tastings. Once a month they will offer free flow of four wines of a particular type, region or grape plus some solid snacks on the side. A guest speaker will introduce the wines as you introduce them to your palate. "This is for people to enjoy themselves and learn about the wine," says Whitton.
Arch, the outpost of style and culture in Shanghai's flatiron building at 439 Wukang Lu, is also planning to educate Shanghai's drinkers this December. Manager Leslie Chen recently set up an afternoon book exchange and she is considering running movies or poetry and fiction reading some nights.
So whatever your poison - or what you like to have with it - Shanghai's bars and clubs should have something on to tempt you out of hibernation. :D
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| Moaning about Maoming |
| 02.17.04 (9:30 pm) [edit] |
It's time for Maoming Lu's bar barons to face the music
Dear Bar and Club Owners of Maoming Lu,
We, your loyal patrons, have drunk, partied and eaten on the leafy south side of Maoming Lu for nearly a decade. We owe you much and wish you well. Please take the few suggestions below as advice from an old friend.
1. A Certain Kind of Lady
If you go to a bar in Shanghai you want a drink, right? If you go to a hairdresser in Shanghai you want a¡ Well, anyway the point is that the number of fair and feisty ladies in your hostelries and hangouts (and just outside them too) is becoming a bit disproportionate. Please, do your best to rid yourselves of some of these well-manicured mistresses of the night.
2. Traffic Traumas
It's 3.30am, and you're sitting in a stationary taxi 95 per cent plastered and dying for some dim sum. Meanwhile some guy with a megaphone and dark glasses is doing his best to cause a nocturnal traffic jam. Bar owners, please sort out your guanxi with the arms of the Luwan traffic law.
3. Seeing Red
"Yes, she's my girlfriend. Thank you, I think she's very beautiful too. No, she doesn't want a rose. Now get lost!" Call us uncharitable, moody, Scrooge-like - perhaps we are, but couldn't you use your influence to cull these jejune flower sellers a little? Maybe we could just have one 'No Flower Hawking' day a week. It drives us to distraction!
4. Busted!
Now we realise this is a little out of the hands of the humble bar owning proletariat, but if we do have to endure a two-week drought while the great and the good talk policy, then please Mr and Mrs Barman give us a nod the weekend before. There is nothing worse than turning up to a party at 3am all switched on and ready to rock, only to find a busted and bolted club.
5. Bloody Sunday
You said that you loved us! You promised us the world! We had a great night together! And then in the morning you weren't there¡ Yes, bar and club owners of Maoming Lu, you always disappear before the sun gets high leaving us fuzzy-headed and in desperate need of a breakfast Bloody Mary. How about keeping it rolling for all the 24-hour party people who just can't fit all of your charms into one night time?
We hope you take these words to heart, Maoming Lu - and remember, we offer them with only the best intentions. While we may give you a hard time, we realise just how much we depend on you. Oh - and keep those drinks specials coming.
Yours faithfully,
Your Shanghai Patrons
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