Winter is coming...
So they say that the winter in Shanghai is a wet and cold weather, means that the cold will chill you to your bones, as compared to a dry winter in Beijing where the cold is only on the skin surface.
Despite a wet and cold winter, here are some essentials at home that you should be equipped with for the winter
1. Humidifier
The weather will turn dry and your skin/face will feel tight after a bath, so a humidifier in the house keeps the humidity level higher than outside. Also, your AC heater also makes the room drier than usual so switching on the humidifier before you sleep keeps your body hydrated.
2. Moisturiser/body lotion
When your skin is dry, it starts to itch. When it starts to itch, it never stops. Slapping on body lotion and moisturiser will prevent your skin form being dehydrated. Apply 2 times a day, in the morning and after your shower in the evening.
3. Heater/radiator
The winter is really cold, especially for me, someone who had never spent more than a month in winter weather so a heater or radiator in the room really saves your electrical bills as compared to switching on the AC, and it's less dry.
4. Room Slippers
The floor is too cold, especially in the morning, and TCM says that the cold which travels from the floor to your feet to the rest of your body affects your body functions. No idea on that one..
The rest of the stuff like thick blanket, thick pyjamas or sleeping socks will probably be helpful for some who are more sensitive to cold.
Stay warm in the wet Shanghai winter!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Monday, 26 November 2012
11.11
November the 11th is a very popular day for the Chinese!
1. It is known as the Valentines Day for all singles, because of the 11 which looks like two single person.
2. Its a online shopping festival known as Double One Festival for taobao.com and its subsidiary Tmall.com when you get huge discounts on almost all the items you buy stuff online.
I, for one, was camping at home to get some very good deals to prepare for winter. The event was huge, with hourly discounts on stuff for 1yuan, the festival was hugely successful.
Just look at the numbers:
A whopping total of 19 Billion yuan spent on online shopping, Tmall alone had 13 Billion yuan of sales, tabao had 5.9 Billion yuan. Its so crazy!!!
So the next time you want to buy something near November, wait till 11th November for great discounts.
1. It is known as the Valentines Day for all singles, because of the 11 which looks like two single person.
2. Its a online shopping festival known as Double One Festival for taobao.com and its subsidiary Tmall.com when you get huge discounts on almost all the items you buy stuff online.
I, for one, was camping at home to get some very good deals to prepare for winter. The event was huge, with hourly discounts on stuff for 1yuan, the festival was hugely successful.
Just look at the numbers:
A whopping total of 19 Billion yuan spent on online shopping, Tmall alone had 13 Billion yuan of sales, tabao had 5.9 Billion yuan. Its so crazy!!!
So the next time you want to buy something near November, wait till 11th November for great discounts.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
Zhu Jia Jiao
My friends were here for the weekend so I brought them to Zhu Jia Jiao, a bus ride away from Shanghai
Here's how to go from Wikipedia:
The most affordable way to get to Zhujiajiao is to take a bus from the bus station at the Puanlu（Chinese: 普安路）bus station near People's Square.
Be aware, People's Square is a very large metro station with twenty different exits! To get to the bus stop at Puanlu, exit the metro from Exit #1 and follow the street (Xizang South Rd.) toward the Yan'an Elevated Road. Cross the street going under the elevated road and turn right. Walk underneath the elevated road as it runs along a park (housing the Shanghai Concert Hall) on the left side. At the first street crossing, you should see bus stops on your left. The bus to Zhujiajiao is one of the first ones on the left after crossing the street. Make sure you take the bus line called Hùzhū Gāosù Kuàixiàn (Chinese: 沪朱高速快线) - they usually use pink buses.
This should take around 1 hour and the fare is about 12 yuan. The buses each way leave every 15-30 minutes. There are other bus lines, but they can sometimes take up to 2 hours. These cheaper options do not take the main highway, are much more crowded at peak hours and stop at every stop, filling the bus to absolute standing capacity. Don't worry about where to get off, Zhujiajiao is the end terminal. Also, make sure you don't miss the last bus back to Puanlu, which departs at about 9 PM.
you actually don't need a ticket to get into the town (unlike Xitang), but u could get enterances to some attractions with the purchase of tickets.
The Qing Dynasty post office looks vey interesting.
Using dianping app, we found a restaurant for lunch.
Most restaurant sells the same stuff, seafood.. meat.. vege.. etc. so its just a matter of taste and price.
We walked around the ancient river town, its very similar to xitang but the river is much closer to the walkways and its smaller.
Its really a lot like venice (athough I haven't been to venice before) with the river by the side and some riverside dining or coffee sipping would be perfect in this weather.
You can see these everywhere, most of the shops sell the same old things but we didn't buy it because it looks too fattening.
you actually need less than 5 hours to finish the entire town so it could be a half-day trip and then head back to shanghai for more exploring.
Here's how to go from Wikipedia:
The most affordable way to get to Zhujiajiao is to take a bus from the bus station at the Puanlu（Chinese: 普安路）bus station near People's Square.
Be aware, People's Square is a very large metro station with twenty different exits! To get to the bus stop at Puanlu, exit the metro from Exit #1 and follow the street (Xizang South Rd.) toward the Yan'an Elevated Road. Cross the street going under the elevated road and turn right. Walk underneath the elevated road as it runs along a park (housing the Shanghai Concert Hall) on the left side. At the first street crossing, you should see bus stops on your left. The bus to Zhujiajiao is one of the first ones on the left after crossing the street. Make sure you take the bus line called Hùzhū Gāosù Kuàixiàn (Chinese: 沪朱高速快线) - they usually use pink buses.
This should take around 1 hour and the fare is about 12 yuan. The buses each way leave every 15-30 minutes. There are other bus lines, but they can sometimes take up to 2 hours. These cheaper options do not take the main highway, are much more crowded at peak hours and stop at every stop, filling the bus to absolute standing capacity. Don't worry about where to get off, Zhujiajiao is the end terminal. Also, make sure you don't miss the last bus back to Puanlu, which departs at about 9 PM.
you actually don't need a ticket to get into the town (unlike Xitang), but u could get enterances to some attractions with the purchase of tickets.
The Qing Dynasty post office looks vey interesting.
Using dianping app, we found a restaurant for lunch.
Most restaurant sells the same stuff, seafood.. meat.. vege.. etc. so its just a matter of taste and price.
We walked around the ancient river town, its very similar to xitang but the river is much closer to the walkways and its smaller.
Its really a lot like venice (athough I haven't been to venice before) with the river by the side and some riverside dining or coffee sipping would be perfect in this weather.
You can see these everywhere, most of the shops sell the same old things but we didn't buy it because it looks too fattening.
you actually need less than 5 hours to finish the entire town so it could be a half-day trip and then head back to shanghai for more exploring.
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Xitang
Xitang is an ancient river town 1hour bus ride away from Shanghai.
It is well known because Mission Impossible 3 was filmed here. Remember the scene where Tom Cruise was running along the river?
Yeah, they were proud of it that they put up pictures of Tom Cruise in most of the attractions in the town.
In the morning we took a 1 hour bus ride from Shanghai North Bus Station for 32rmb to arrive somewhere near the town.
Entrance fee was originally 100rmb, but you could get a lot of discounts from external vendors like YHA (youth hostel association) in Xitang.
We got ours for 60rmb from one of the hostels.
In a nutshell, the place was very beautiful and well preserved.
There are a lot of places to eat, you can use dianping app to see how the restaurants are rated.
One of the highly popular cafe in the town is the Postcard cafe called 猫的天空之城 where you could purchase all kinds of postcards and get them to keep it to whichever date and they will send it to you on that date. its pretty cool, its like receiving a postcard from the past.
I had a cheesecake pudding and their signature milk tea for 40rmb. just average, nothing special.
Most of the shops in the ancient town were selling the same things, mostly food.
But the famous snacks are the ones opposite the postcard cafe, as you notice with queues.
It takes an avereage of 5 hours to check the whole place out (including eating).
Most people would recommend staying a night there for bar-hopping but I didn't have time to stay, perhaps another time then.
It is well known because Mission Impossible 3 was filmed here. Remember the scene where Tom Cruise was running along the river?
Yeah, they were proud of it that they put up pictures of Tom Cruise in most of the attractions in the town.
In the morning we took a 1 hour bus ride from Shanghai North Bus Station for 32rmb to arrive somewhere near the town.
Entrance fee was originally 100rmb, but you could get a lot of discounts from external vendors like YHA (youth hostel association) in Xitang.
We got ours for 60rmb from one of the hostels.
In a nutshell, the place was very beautiful and well preserved.
There are a lot of places to eat, you can use dianping app to see how the restaurants are rated.
One of the highly popular cafe in the town is the Postcard cafe called 猫的天空之城 where you could purchase all kinds of postcards and get them to keep it to whichever date and they will send it to you on that date. its pretty cool, its like receiving a postcard from the past.
I had a cheesecake pudding and their signature milk tea for 40rmb. just average, nothing special.
Most of the shops in the ancient town were selling the same things, mostly food.
But the famous snacks are the ones opposite the postcard cafe, as you notice with queues.
It takes an avereage of 5 hours to check the whole place out (including eating).
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Bloc
I went for another restaurant during restaurant week, this time it was recommended on a magazine and it was new in the dining scene so I wanted to see if BLOC was an underdog.
First up was the usual: Bread with garlic butter
It was okay, not as freshly baked but the garlic butter was worth highlighting which complemented very well with the bread. The bread were in small sizes so that you won't be full from too much bread.
Fresh fruit salad with goat cheese
A refreshing start to the meal, I love the fresh salad that has blueberries and raspberries, rockets etc. The berries added crunchiness and a little sweet touch to the salad. I'm not sure for others, but the fried goat cheese was too overwhelming for me. The smell overpowered the rest of the fruits and vegetables. Or maybe I'm just not used to goat cheese
Salmon loaf
At first I thought it would come as a piece of salmon fillet but it was like a bread with salmon bits. For many years, my mum used to cook for lunch and put the food into the fridge so that I can heat it up in the microwave for dinner. I know how microwaved food taste like. Enuff said. The loaf was rather disappointing, not only it is microwaved but it was too much for one to eat. The mashed potato was okay, nothing bad about it but sun-dried tomatos is a refreshing touch to the loaf, which has too much flour.
Only for restaurant week, they were giving patrons a free shot of honey infused vodka from a nitros can
It was unexpected because it is in a form of foam and served fresh on your table.
I love it because of its acquired taste of honey and ginger and mixed very well with vodka.
One shot is definitely not enough.
Molten chilli chocolate cake with ice cream
I didn't taste any chilli though. The cake was average, perhaps overbaked because my cake was burnt on the bottom and the chocolate lava didn't flow out when i half-ed it. I am an ice-cream person, and I hate ice cream with shards of ice in them, it only means that they did not prepare the ice cream fresh but they scooped the ice cream into the cup and put it in the freezer.
For 168, the meal was worth it but I won't go for its regular menu. The best part of the meal was probably the shot of honey vodka. The service was very good, waiters could converse very well in English and very friendly with introduction of the food and checking with you occasionally.
It was okay, not as freshly baked but the garlic butter was worth highlighting which complemented very well with the bread. The bread were in small sizes so that you won't be full from too much bread.
A refreshing start to the meal, I love the fresh salad that has blueberries and raspberries, rockets etc. The berries added crunchiness and a little sweet touch to the salad. I'm not sure for others, but the fried goat cheese was too overwhelming for me. The smell overpowered the rest of the fruits and vegetables. Or maybe I'm just not used to goat cheese
At first I thought it would come as a piece of salmon fillet but it was like a bread with salmon bits. For many years, my mum used to cook for lunch and put the food into the fridge so that I can heat it up in the microwave for dinner. I know how microwaved food taste like. Enuff said. The loaf was rather disappointing, not only it is microwaved but it was too much for one to eat. The mashed potato was okay, nothing bad about it but sun-dried tomatos is a refreshing touch to the loaf, which has too much flour.
Only for restaurant week, they were giving patrons a free shot of honey infused vodka from a nitros can
It was unexpected because it is in a form of foam and served fresh on your table.
I love it because of its acquired taste of honey and ginger and mixed very well with vodka.
One shot is definitely not enough.
I didn't taste any chilli though. The cake was average, perhaps overbaked because my cake was burnt on the bottom and the chocolate lava didn't flow out when i half-ed it. I am an ice-cream person, and I hate ice cream with shards of ice in them, it only means that they did not prepare the ice cream fresh but they scooped the ice cream into the cup and put it in the freezer.
For 168, the meal was worth it but I won't go for its regular menu. The best part of the meal was probably the shot of honey vodka. The service was very good, waiters could converse very well in English and very friendly with introduction of the food and checking with you occasionally.
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Nougatine by Jean Georges
It was restaurant week in August!!
Just a brief introduction, Restaurant Week is a cool concept of introducing up class restaurants with an affordable menu, compared to their regular menu.
Initially we wanted to go for Jean Georges but it was fully booked a few days after reservations open.
One fine day I decided to revisit the reservation website again and found a few slots opened up so we were up for a Tuesday dinner.
Nougatine was at 3 on the Bund, opposite M on the bund. A restaurant with dim light, even at the restrooms, the atmosphere were nice and cosy.
We were sitted by the side of the restaurant with a view of M on the bund,not facing the river.
The waiters carefully placed our fork and knife on our tables with a slab of butter. We were wondering what the butter was for without bread.
Our appetisers came first, Foie Gras Brûlé, Cherry-Yuzu Compote and Crispy Crab Beignets, Black Pepper Sauce and Pear Salad.
Foie Gras was quite good, melts in your month and I particularly love the Cherry-Yuzu compote which is full of flavours and the cherry tasted of a few months of soaking in Yuzu juice. The cripsy crab beignets were too small and forgetable.
The waiter then carried a basket of bread for us to choose from so we took sour dough and rasin and walnut bread. I love the way its bite-size, just enough for one person as compared to a whole bread (Mr. and Mrs. Bund). Both were absolutely delicious. When my friend tore the Sour Dough into half, the cracking of the shell of the bread so perfectly reflected the crispy outside and soft chewy inside of the bread with a hint of warm moisture in the air. Listening to that sound can make me so satisfied. I took a bit of butter with my warm raisin walnut bread. The raisins were not from those sunrise packet of raisin but it was so full and juicy. The lightly toasted walnut complemented the raisins with a crunchy bite. It was probably the best raisin walnut bread I've ever had.
The sour dough didn't fall behind too, paired with butter - sweet, salty, sour all in one bread.
Eating bread was good enough for this meal. But it wasn't the end!
Carmelised Onion soup was next. Dipped with melted cheese breadstick, it was just alright, not as good as we've expected it to be.
The patron at table right beside us had a cod fish. Being a lover of fish and not having good ocean fish for a while, I quickly changed my main to cod fish. Another added point for the restaurant for being able to adapt to my order change promptly.
Grilled Beef Striploin, 11 Flavor Condiment, Potato Purée and Herbal Spinach
The beef was medium cooked, a little bit overcooked for a few seconds (a little difference in texture for beef) I've had china beef for a while so I was so relieved having good quality imported grass-fed beef. The flavour of the steak proved to be grass-fed, but I can't tell which part of the cow it was. The best steak I had was Morton's in San Francisco, nothing could beat that but this was very close. The steak was seated in a bed of spinach and mashed potato by the side.
Slowly Cooked Cod with Aromatic Black Beans and Truffle Juice
The cod fish was well cooked, soft tender, just the right texture for the fish. Fish is one of the more difficult things to cook because of its exact timing - too short, raw; too long, too hard. The essence is beneath the fish, a sea of black beans with truffle juice. Like lemon to oysters, it perfectly complimented the cod fish. I particularly liked the bits of avocado.
Desserts were the famous Jean Georges Molten Cake with vanilla ice cream, which was kind of average. The best was, again, at Morton's, the heavenly molten chocolate cake which was the unbeatable best dessert I've ever had.
The waiter offered us coffee or tea after the meal but we were too full to take in anything. My friend asked for the regular menu and it was at least 800rmb so it was a real steal in restaurant week!
The service is excellent, the waiters were very attentive and professional. Water was filled regularly and our glasses were never empty. When a waitress broke a wine glass near our table, they offered to change our plates and water because there might be bits of broken glass. They even managed to change my main course one course before it was served.
I've planned to go for one more before the week ends!
Just a brief introduction, Restaurant Week is a cool concept of introducing up class restaurants with an affordable menu, compared to their regular menu.
Initially we wanted to go for Jean Georges but it was fully booked a few days after reservations open.
One fine day I decided to revisit the reservation website again and found a few slots opened up so we were up for a Tuesday dinner.
Nougatine was at 3 on the Bund, opposite M on the bund. A restaurant with dim light, even at the restrooms, the atmosphere were nice and cosy.
We were sitted by the side of the restaurant with a view of M on the bund,not facing the river.
The waiters carefully placed our fork and knife on our tables with a slab of butter. We were wondering what the butter was for without bread.
Our appetisers came first, Foie Gras Brûlé, Cherry-Yuzu Compote and Crispy Crab Beignets, Black Pepper Sauce and Pear Salad.
Foie Gras was quite good, melts in your month and I particularly love the Cherry-Yuzu compote which is full of flavours and the cherry tasted of a few months of soaking in Yuzu juice. The cripsy crab beignets were too small and forgetable.
The waiter then carried a basket of bread for us to choose from so we took sour dough and rasin and walnut bread. I love the way its bite-size, just enough for one person as compared to a whole bread (Mr. and Mrs. Bund). Both were absolutely delicious. When my friend tore the Sour Dough into half, the cracking of the shell of the bread so perfectly reflected the crispy outside and soft chewy inside of the bread with a hint of warm moisture in the air. Listening to that sound can make me so satisfied. I took a bit of butter with my warm raisin walnut bread. The raisins were not from those sunrise packet of raisin but it was so full and juicy. The lightly toasted walnut complemented the raisins with a crunchy bite. It was probably the best raisin walnut bread I've ever had.
The sour dough didn't fall behind too, paired with butter - sweet, salty, sour all in one bread.
Eating bread was good enough for this meal. But it wasn't the end!
Carmelised Onion soup was next. Dipped with melted cheese breadstick, it was just alright, not as good as we've expected it to be.
The patron at table right beside us had a cod fish. Being a lover of fish and not having good ocean fish for a while, I quickly changed my main to cod fish. Another added point for the restaurant for being able to adapt to my order change promptly.
Grilled Beef Striploin, 11 Flavor Condiment, Potato Purée and Herbal Spinach
The beef was medium cooked, a little bit overcooked for a few seconds (a little difference in texture for beef) I've had china beef for a while so I was so relieved having good quality imported grass-fed beef. The flavour of the steak proved to be grass-fed, but I can't tell which part of the cow it was. The best steak I had was Morton's in San Francisco, nothing could beat that but this was very close. The steak was seated in a bed of spinach and mashed potato by the side.
Slowly Cooked Cod with Aromatic Black Beans and Truffle Juice
The cod fish was well cooked, soft tender, just the right texture for the fish. Fish is one of the more difficult things to cook because of its exact timing - too short, raw; too long, too hard. The essence is beneath the fish, a sea of black beans with truffle juice. Like lemon to oysters, it perfectly complimented the cod fish. I particularly liked the bits of avocado.
Desserts were the famous Jean Georges Molten Cake with vanilla ice cream, which was kind of average. The best was, again, at Morton's, the heavenly molten chocolate cake which was the unbeatable best dessert I've ever had.
The waiter offered us coffee or tea after the meal but we were too full to take in anything. My friend asked for the regular menu and it was at least 800rmb so it was a real steal in restaurant week!
The service is excellent, the waiters were very attentive and professional. Water was filled regularly and our glasses were never empty. When a waitress broke a wine glass near our table, they offered to change our plates and water because there might be bits of broken glass. They even managed to change my main course one course before it was served.
I've planned to go for one more before the week ends!
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Learn from Jean Georges!
I rarely go for cooking lessons because I learn from the internet, but the master chef Jean Georges is here to teach!
Latest Update: It has been postponed due to Hurricane Sandy, please go to their website for more updates.
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
How to fight loneliness and unfamiliarity
I have been there.
Being alone in a unfamiliar city can be depressing.
Here are some ways to improve your situation!
1. Socialise with your colleagues
2. Join a gym/yoga class (I find yoga really effective)
3. Go explore aound Shanghai
4. Travel out to nearby cities like Hangzhou or Suzhou
5. Do the housework yourself (instead of employing the Ah Yi)
6. Search the web for meetups like shanghaiexpat.com or shanghaing.blogspot.com
7. Learn cooking for yourself
Live in the present!
Being alone in a unfamiliar city can be depressing.
Here are some ways to improve your situation!
1. Socialise with your colleagues
2. Join a gym/yoga class (I find yoga really effective)
3. Go explore aound Shanghai
4. Travel out to nearby cities like Hangzhou or Suzhou
5. Do the housework yourself (instead of employing the Ah Yi)
6. Search the web for meetups like shanghaiexpat.com or shanghaing.blogspot.com
7. Learn cooking for yourself
Live in the present!
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Mr and Mrs Bund
Somebody came to visit me in Shanghai and I wanted to bring him to one of the best and famous restaurants in Shanghai: Mr and Mrs Bund. I had always wanted to eat there so this gives me the perfect opportunity!
Some reviews online said that reservations for dinner were extremely difficult, sometimes 2 months full so I decided to have lunch and managed to make a reservation a week before.
The place was well decorated and we were seated just beside the window by the river. The view of Pudong would be spectacular if not for the rain.
The bread is good, but too large for a person's portion. A good suggestion would be to cut into a smaller size so we could eat easily and try more bread.
Foie Gras Light Crumble was quite good with the lightly toasted bread. Smooth on the tongue with a little bit of spices and crunchiness
The steak came in a clean white plate, no blood and I thought it was just average. Nothing to pick about, its just a normal ribeye.
Black Cod in Bag
It is cod fish boiled in a bag of herbs and beans. The piece of fillet was in the bag of sauces and the server cut it in front of us like a performance. The server placed the fish on a bed of jasmine rice and poured the sauce all over it. Very Chinese. The two sides that we ordered, spinach and mashed potato was just average.
Desserts were spectacular.
Lemon and Lemon Tart
The inside of the most famous Lemon tart
The lemon skin was exceptionally delicious, I have no idea how they made that thing. It contained blood orange, a little bit of fresh cream and other citrus mix.
"A lemon is hollowed out until the skin is translucent, then poached and candied in sugar syrup. As each order is placed, the lemon skin is filled with lemon sorbet, lemon curd, fresh orange and grapefruit slices, and vanilla Chantilly cream. The result of this 3-day process is a simply presented lemon with a delicate stick of sablé balanced dandily on top. Slice open the candied yet bitter lemon rind and out oozes the sweet-tangy blend of sorbet, curd, and Chantilly. It’s no wonder that this has been garnering oohs and ahhs from the patrons of Mr and Mrs Bund."
Molten chocolate cake in a sea of raspberry sauce. It was really really good. See how the lava just flow out of the cake. I have an urge to have molten cake whenever I see this picture.
The mains were just okay, but I would particularly go there for desserts.
Mr and Mrs Bund serves a late night Menu, which is exactly the same as the Lunch set Menu from Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30pm to 4am.
The price is the same, 200RMB for an appetizer and main or a main and a dessert; 250RMB for all 3 courses.
The place was well decorated and we were seated just beside the window by the river. The view of Pudong would be spectacular if not for the rain.
The bread is good, but too large for a person's portion. A good suggestion would be to cut into a smaller size so we could eat easily and try more bread.
Foie Gras Light Crumble was quite good with the lightly toasted bread. Smooth on the tongue with a little bit of spices and crunchiness
The steak came in a clean white plate, no blood and I thought it was just average. Nothing to pick about, its just a normal ribeye.
Desserts were spectacular.
Lemon and Lemon Tart
"A lemon is hollowed out until the skin is translucent, then poached and candied in sugar syrup. As each order is placed, the lemon skin is filled with lemon sorbet, lemon curd, fresh orange and grapefruit slices, and vanilla Chantilly cream. The result of this 3-day process is a simply presented lemon with a delicate stick of sablé balanced dandily on top. Slice open the candied yet bitter lemon rind and out oozes the sweet-tangy blend of sorbet, curd, and Chantilly. It’s no wonder that this has been garnering oohs and ahhs from the patrons of Mr and Mrs Bund."
The mains were just okay, but I would particularly go there for desserts.
Mr and Mrs Bund serves a late night Menu, which is exactly the same as the Lunch set Menu from Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30pm to 4am.
The price is the same, 200RMB for an appetizer and main or a main and a dessert; 250RMB for all 3 courses.
Monday, 3 September 2012
September
Its 1st September and the first day of school for the kids!
Traffic jams, late-for-work-mums, noisy kids in school field, the singing of their National Anthem etc.
And its Autumn!
When you are no longer greeted by a blanket of hot air once you opened the door in the morning, you know its gonna be a very good weather to go outdoors!
Traffic jams, late-for-work-mums, noisy kids in school field, the singing of their National Anthem etc.
And its Autumn!
When you are no longer greeted by a blanket of hot air once you opened the door in the morning, you know its gonna be a very good weather to go outdoors!
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Red Ruby
Have you heard of Red Ruby?
If you were not local, you would probably not. Me neither.
One fine day when my colleague brought this cake back and somebody asked if it was 红宝石 (Red Ruby). My colleague explained to me that Red Ruby is a famous old-school Shanghai bakery, very popular among the locals.
My first thought was, the cake looks very average and normal. It should be like those traditional cake, dry and oily.
I didn't expect it when I took the first bite.
The freshness of the butter and milk filled my mouth instantly, first layer was the milk from the cream, secondly the butter from the sponge cake. The sponge was very moist and not overly sweet and the cream was just nice, not too oily or sweet or thick. There were bits of crunchy and chewy bits (Nata de Coco, i think) in between the sponge cake layers which added extra surprise for me.
Overall, the cake looks ancient but the taste was very modern.
It was so good I finished it instantly, indulging in my wonderful world of cows, milk and butter and forgetting my belly woes.
2 pieces of goodness for 13RMB!
Red Ruby outlets can be found all around Shanghai. Exact locations can be found in dianping.com
If you were not local, you would probably not. Me neither.
One fine day when my colleague brought this cake back and somebody asked if it was 红宝石 (Red Ruby). My colleague explained to me that Red Ruby is a famous old-school Shanghai bakery, very popular among the locals.
My first thought was, the cake looks very average and normal. It should be like those traditional cake, dry and oily.
I didn't expect it when I took the first bite.
The freshness of the butter and milk filled my mouth instantly, first layer was the milk from the cream, secondly the butter from the sponge cake. The sponge was very moist and not overly sweet and the cream was just nice, not too oily or sweet or thick. There were bits of crunchy and chewy bits (Nata de Coco, i think) in between the sponge cake layers which added extra surprise for me.
Overall, the cake looks ancient but the taste was very modern.
It was so good I finished it instantly, indulging in my wonderful world of cows, milk and butter and forgetting my belly woes.
2 pieces of goodness for 13RMB!
Red Ruby outlets can be found all around Shanghai. Exact locations can be found in dianping.com
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Online Shopping and helpful websites
Before shopping online, you gotta activate your ibanking or phone banking services and have a valid address.
Oh and they don't have English versions.
1. Taobao.com
- The most famous and visited website in China, you can find ANYTHING there.
- Owned by the Alibaba group
- Sells EVERYTHING, its so scary and i suspect they have a website for selling human organs (just kidding...)
- Tmall is like a shopfront, has better quality goods but more expensive
- Largely depends on the reviews for good and reliable products
- Most products deliver for free to your area, delivery time varies
2. Yihaodian.com
- Sells groceries in the beginning but now expanded to selling almost every household items.
- Well known for its good quality goods.
- Has a delivery fee for most items but will be waived if total cost exceed a certain amount.
- Very fast and efficient (I ordered the night before at 9pm and I received it at 9am in the morning)
3. dianping.com
- Similar to Yelp, User reviews for almost every shop in China.
- Very very helpful in decision making.
4. 360buy.com or suning.com
- Famous for electronics and gadgets. I haven't use it yet.
5. ctrip.com
- Similar to Expedia or Zuji.
- The largest website in China for booking flights and accomodation, domestic and worldwide.
This page will be updated regularly.
Oh and they don't have English versions.
1. Taobao.com
- The most famous and visited website in China, you can find ANYTHING there.
- Owned by the Alibaba group
- Sells EVERYTHING, its so scary and i suspect they have a website for selling human organs (just kidding...)
- Tmall is like a shopfront, has better quality goods but more expensive
- Largely depends on the reviews for good and reliable products
- Most products deliver for free to your area, delivery time varies
2. Yihaodian.com
- Sells groceries in the beginning but now expanded to selling almost every household items.
- Well known for its good quality goods.
- Has a delivery fee for most items but will be waived if total cost exceed a certain amount.
- Very fast and efficient (I ordered the night before at 9pm and I received it at 9am in the morning)
3. dianping.com
- Similar to Yelp, User reviews for almost every shop in China.
- Very very helpful in decision making.
4. 360buy.com or suning.com
- Famous for electronics and gadgets. I haven't use it yet.
5. ctrip.com
- Similar to Expedia or Zuji.
- The largest website in China for booking flights and accomodation, domestic and worldwide.
This page will be updated regularly.
Monday, 13 August 2012
Shanghai Metro
Since I am taking the metro to work everyday, I shall give an introduction to the metro lines in Shanghai.
The public transport system is very developed in Shanghai, the metro has a total of 11 lines and you could actually explore whole of Shanghai taking the metro.
I think line 2 is the best and most convenient because it goes everywhere, including the major shopping areas, the bund, financial district, domestic and international airport and high speed train stations. Staying near line 2 indeed has its perks.
Out of the station
Some big stations has Family Mart, which will be populated in the morning for a quick breakfast. Illegal taxi drivers/motobikes will be waiting for you at the end of the escalators so beware and take god care of your belongings.
The public transport system is very developed in Shanghai, the metro has a total of 11 lines and you could actually explore whole of Shanghai taking the metro.
I think line 2 is the best and most convenient because it goes everywhere, including the major shopping areas, the bund, financial district, domestic and international airport and high speed train stations. Staying near line 2 indeed has its perks.
Fares
From wikipedia,
The base fare is 3 yuan (US$0.45) for journeys under 6 km, then 1 yuan for each additional 10 km. As of April 2010, the highest fare is 10 yuan (US$1.5).
Single-ride tickets can be purchased from ticket vending machines, and at some stations, at a ticket window. Single-ride tickets are embedded with RFID contactless chips. When entering the system you tap the ticket against a scanner above the turnstile, and on exit you insert the ticket into a slot where it is stored and recycled.
In addition to a Single-Ride ticket, fare can be paid using a Shanghai public transpot card. This RFID-embedded card can be purchased at selected banks, convenience stores and metro stations with a 20-yuan deposit. This card can be loaded at ticket booths, Service Centers at the metro stations as well as many small convenience stores and banks throughout the city. The Shanghai Public Transportation Card can also be used to pay for other forms of transportation, such as taxi or bus.
Before the ride
I'm always amused by the security checks. Yes, before entering the gantry there'll be an x-ray machine for the bags and security will prompt you for a bag check.
I heard from my colleagues that they had it set up for the World Expo in 2011 because of the high influx of tourists but it has became a norm now.
The catch is, although they raise their arms to stop you and say 宝宝检查 (bag check) , many people just ignored them and moved on. Occasionally, they will stop you if you have a large bag.
It always cracks me up to see their helpless expressions and restless voices but everyone just ignores them, sometimes I feel so sorry for them.
From wikipedia,
The base fare is 3 yuan (US$0.45) for journeys under 6 km, then 1 yuan for each additional 10 km. As of April 2010, the highest fare is 10 yuan (US$1.5).
Single-ride tickets can be purchased from ticket vending machines, and at some stations, at a ticket window. Single-ride tickets are embedded with RFID contactless chips. When entering the system you tap the ticket against a scanner above the turnstile, and on exit you insert the ticket into a slot where it is stored and recycled.
In addition to a Single-Ride ticket, fare can be paid using a Shanghai public transpot card. This RFID-embedded card can be purchased at selected banks, convenience stores and metro stations with a 20-yuan deposit. This card can be loaded at ticket booths, Service Centers at the metro stations as well as many small convenience stores and banks throughout the city. The Shanghai Public Transportation Card can also be used to pay for other forms of transportation, such as taxi or bus.
Before the ride
I'm always amused by the security checks. Yes, before entering the gantry there'll be an x-ray machine for the bags and security will prompt you for a bag check.
I heard from my colleagues that they had it set up for the World Expo in 2011 because of the high influx of tourists but it has became a norm now.
The catch is, although they raise their arms to stop you and say 宝宝检查 (bag check) , many people just ignored them and moved on. Occasionally, they will stop you if you have a large bag.
It always cracks me up to see their helpless expressions and restless voices but everyone just ignores them, sometimes I feel so sorry for them.
The metro system is really modern, the train comes very frequently and I haven't met a train fault/delay before. Especially during peak hours, the train comes almost every 30 seconds, which is really amazing. I was reading twitter feeds everyday about Singapore's MRT delays and faults so somehow I was glad I was here.
Train manners like queueing up behind the gates to get into the train, letting people alight before boarding is a norm here. Occasionally someone will rush into the train the moment the door opens, not allowing passengers to alight first and you will realise that it's probably some rude tourist from the North. When that happens, I will forcefully push my way out of the train. They really need to learn some logical train manners.
In the train
The underground metro is relative clean, and you could actually eat and drink on the train. I always have my breakfast on the go. The announcements are made in Mandarin and English, so there's no problem understanding.
Don't be surprised if you hear loud music coming from one end of the cabin, its probably some beggers on train trying to get some loose change. They will stop the music once the train door opens to avoid being chased out and blast them once it closes. Its kinda irritating and locals usually ignore them.
Oh one more thing! During peak hours, suspicious old people will be standing around the stations, around the escalator area and platform. They are actually collecting newspapers from the commuters who bought/took newspapers, but the market is always too saturated for popular stations like Lujiazui that you will feel kinda sad for the ageing population here.
Other than that, I'm glad that smoking is prohibited in stations, rubbish bins are everywhere and restrooms are on the platforms.
Out of the station
Some big stations has Family Mart, which will be populated in the morning for a quick breakfast. Illegal taxi drivers/motobikes will be waiting for you at the end of the escalators so beware and take god care of your belongings.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Shanghai Traffic
The traffic is crazy in China.
After 1 month or so in Shanghai I still have difficulty crossing the road.
In China, zebra crossings are non existent.
See what I mean? Then what is the zebra crossing for when no vehicle gives way!??!?!?
Another thing, China traffic law says that vehicles can turn right red, but that doesn't give you the right of way over pedestrian!!!!! Many times the car just brushed past me with 3cm allowance from my body and my toes are 1cm away from being crushed.
Sometimes you can see black cars parking by the side of the traffic junction and shouting some stuff, they are illegal taxis to ferry people to nearby places for some cash. I have never taken before so I have no idea how they work.
Bicycles and motorbikes have disregard for the traffic lights and traffic rules. My colleague describes the traffic rules as flexible. Saha. They can go on the roads, go on pedestrians walkways, go in different direction from the cars and stop anywhere they want on the road.
Here comes the biggest irony:
Here comes the biggest irony:
Bikers without a helmet on the road are actually legal drivers.
Bikers with a helmet on the road are illegal, because they are illegal taxis.
Oh wells, my colleague said the situation in Shanghai is much better than the rest of China, they only honk. In Beijing, they pull punches. HA yeah, I'm glad I'm here.
Oh wells, my colleague said the situation in Shanghai is much better than the rest of China, they only honk. In Beijing, they pull punches. HA yeah, I'm glad I'm here.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Chinese Restaurants
It was orientation week so we eat as a large group in Chinese restaurants.
Chinese cusine was almost same as Singapore with the usual chicken, vege, soup, tofu etc, but most were spicy, with the numbing effect because of a special spice that they use.
They eat almost every part of the animal - including internal organs.
Some uncommon food includes pig/cow/duck intestines, frog legs, cow tongues, cow stomach etc.
I usually don't eat them.
I am a fan of fish and I have to say, I miss ocean fish.
The fish here tastes of soil and has lotsa of bones because it's river fish.
Other than that, they don't really serve desserts after.
Another thing that I totally hate - smoking in an air conditioned room. People just light up while eating!
HOW CAN PATRONS EAT!?!
Not only the smell stinks up the whole restaurant, ashes on the food, poor patrons at the restaurant risk having lung cancer by breathing in second-hand smoke!
Totally Irresponsible!
Typcially, waiters were prompt and efficient, they just lack that smile and kindness.
Updated: My colleague said the smoking trend is decreasing because the city has tightened its regulations but it still happens regularly. hm....
They eat almost every part of the animal - including internal organs.
Some uncommon food includes pig/cow/duck intestines, frog legs, cow tongues, cow stomach etc.
I usually don't eat them.
I am a fan of fish and I have to say, I miss ocean fish.
The fish here tastes of soil and has lotsa of bones because it's river fish.
Other than that, they don't really serve desserts after.
Another thing that I totally hate - smoking in an air conditioned room. People just light up while eating!
HOW CAN PATRONS EAT!?!
Not only the smell stinks up the whole restaurant, ashes on the food, poor patrons at the restaurant risk having lung cancer by breathing in second-hand smoke!
Totally Irresponsible!
Typcially, waiters were prompt and efficient, they just lack that smile and kindness.
Updated: My colleague said the smoking trend is decreasing because the city has tightened its regulations but it still happens regularly. hm....
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Important for new visitors (Aliens) in China
Yeah, we are aliens according to the Chinese Government. Please do register yourself at the local police station if you are staying in China for at least a day or risk being fined 500rmb.
I didn't know that at first, until a police officer knocked on my door to take down my name and I went to register. I found out that every time we exit and enter China we got to register again.
Yes, registration is very important. They will issue a document of temporary residence in which you need for various situations, like in case you lose your passport or you need to extend your visa etc. and its written in the immigration card that you filled in before you step into China.
Just remember to bring your passport, rental contract and other documents to the police station.
Back of Arrival/Departure Card
1. Aliens who do not lodge at hotels, guesthouses or inns shall, within 24 hours (72 hours in rural areas) of entry, go through accomodation registration at local police station.
2. Aliens holding visas Z,X or J-1 shall, within 30 dyas of entry, apply for Residence Permits to the exit-entry department of the public security bureau of the city where the applicnts reside.
3. Aliens shall not be emplyed in China without permission of the competent authrities of the Chinese Government.
4. Aliens who reside or stay in China shall carry with themselves thier passports or Residence Permits for possible examination.
5. In case of emergency, please dial 110 to seek help from police.
KINDLY REMINDING FROM THE POLICE
1. In accordance with the Chinese laws, foreigners, Hong Kong residents, Macao residents, Taiwan residetns and Chinese nationals settled abroad, should each time go to the local police station to go through the registration form or temporary residence within 24 hours after the arrival. it can be done through a hotel if they stay in it.
2. Foreigners, Hong Kong residents, Macao residents, Taiwan residetns and Chinese nationals settled abroad should go through the above procedures again within 24 hours after they change thier place of residence.
3. For Taiwan residents who have bought or rent residence for thier own accomodation, if they reenter the mainland within on year after applying for temporary lodging registration and thier residence address has not changed, they don’t need to go through procedures for temporary lodging registration. But if they reenter the mainland more than one year after applying for temporary lodging registration or if their address has changed, they should go through procedures for temporary lodging registration.
4. When long-term foreign residents in China wish to temporarily leave thier residence and loge elsewhere, they should report to and register with the local police station for temporary lodging in compliance with the regulations. They don’t need to go through procedures for temporary lodging registration again if they exit and reenter China multifply without changing place of lodging and within the validity of the resident permit.
5. When a foreigner, or a Taiwan resident in Shanghai wishes to apply for, alter or extend his/her visa (endorsement) or resident permit, he/she should each time provide his/her valid registration receipt of lodging issued by the local police station.
6. If a permanent foreign resident in Shanghai changes his/her passport or residence address etc, he/she should timely report to and register with the police station located in his/her current residing place for lodging registration and then go to the Shanghai Entry and Exit Administration to go through relevant procedures for the change of residence address within 10 days.
I didn't know that at first, until a police officer knocked on my door to take down my name and I went to register. I found out that every time we exit and enter China we got to register again.
Yes, registration is very important. They will issue a document of temporary residence in which you need for various situations, like in case you lose your passport or you need to extend your visa etc. and its written in the immigration card that you filled in before you step into China.
Just remember to bring your passport, rental contract and other documents to the police station.
Back of Arrival/Departure Card
1. Aliens who do not lodge at hotels, guesthouses or inns shall, within 24 hours (72 hours in rural areas) of entry, go through accomodation registration at local police station.
2. Aliens holding visas Z,X or J-1 shall, within 30 dyas of entry, apply for Residence Permits to the exit-entry department of the public security bureau of the city where the applicnts reside.
3. Aliens shall not be emplyed in China without permission of the competent authrities of the Chinese Government.
4. Aliens who reside or stay in China shall carry with themselves thier passports or Residence Permits for possible examination.
5. In case of emergency, please dial 110 to seek help from police.
KINDLY REMINDING FROM THE POLICE
1. In accordance with the Chinese laws, foreigners, Hong Kong residents, Macao residents, Taiwan residetns and Chinese nationals settled abroad, should each time go to the local police station to go through the registration form or temporary residence within 24 hours after the arrival. it can be done through a hotel if they stay in it.
2. Foreigners, Hong Kong residents, Macao residents, Taiwan residetns and Chinese nationals settled abroad should go through the above procedures again within 24 hours after they change thier place of residence.
3. For Taiwan residents who have bought or rent residence for thier own accomodation, if they reenter the mainland within on year after applying for temporary lodging registration and thier residence address has not changed, they don’t need to go through procedures for temporary lodging registration. But if they reenter the mainland more than one year after applying for temporary lodging registration or if their address has changed, they should go through procedures for temporary lodging registration.
4. When long-term foreign residents in China wish to temporarily leave thier residence and loge elsewhere, they should report to and register with the local police station for temporary lodging in compliance with the regulations. They don’t need to go through procedures for temporary lodging registration again if they exit and reenter China multifply without changing place of lodging and within the validity of the resident permit.
5. When a foreigner, or a Taiwan resident in Shanghai wishes to apply for, alter or extend his/her visa (endorsement) or resident permit, he/she should each time provide his/her valid registration receipt of lodging issued by the local police station.
6. If a permanent foreign resident in Shanghai changes his/her passport or residence address etc, he/she should timely report to and register with the police station located in his/her current residing place for lodging registration and then go to the Shanghai Entry and Exit Administration to go through relevant procedures for the change of residence address within 10 days.
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
First Impression
Even before I got to Shanghai, I got a taste of China at the airport.
Initially I wanted SQ, but the timing wasn't too good so I had to take China Eastern, which was filled with China locals.
Loud talking, pushing, running kids, etc. oh wells.... at least the ride wasn't too shabby.
The first time I got out of the airport, a blanket of moisture engulfed my body, similar to Singapore but it feels way hotter. Is the weather always like that?!
The 40 minutes cab ride from the airport to my hotel was a roller coaster. Speeding, aggressive overtaking, honking etc.
If you think Singapore taxis drive aggressively, you should really come here.
Some first impressions of Shanghai, maybe compared to Singapore:
1. The air quality is terrible. There is like a constant fog in front of me, I couldn't see the tall buildings far ahead.
2. The traffic is crazy. The traffic lights were insignificant and honking everywhere. Motobikes and bicycles everywhere, ignoring traffic lights and constant honking. Don't they realise the more they honk the less significant it gets?!
And I really had a hard time crossing the road.
3. One of the thing I really hate - people spitting on the road. TOTALLY UNHYGIENIC AND GROSS.
4. The crickets are really really loud and they seemed to be making music in harmony. Scarily loud but cool.
5. The summer here is way hot and humid. Maybe worse than Singapore.
Its gonna be a long while for me to get used to this.
Or perhaps I haven't explored the good side of Shanghai.
I miss Singapore already, why did I sign up for this.....
Monday, 9 July 2012
Introduction
I have never been to China.
I have heard many many things about the place and the people.
Never in my years of study that I would never have thought I would be posted to Shanghai for work.
Well, once in a lifetime experience.
So I've decided to start this lifestyle blog to serve as a experience log for me as well as a guide for future young adults coming to work in Shanghai.
Feel free to leave any comments/feedback/questions!
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