Mad About Shanghai

Pic of the Day

Who needs a truck in Shanghai ?

A Wedding to Remember

Their wedding shoot at the famous 100-year-old Church of the Annunciation in Pengzhou , China .

Very early morning May 12, photographer Wang went about preparing to shoot wedding pictures for a young couple, this was the test shot before the shoot.

Pengzhou is located in the Sichuan province. It was morning May 12, 2008.

And then it happened.... the earth quake! 7.8 on the Richter scale.

Bricks fall from the building during the earthquake, which turned Wang from a wedding photographer into a journalist.

'Thank God we were only shooting from outside the church!' remarked a helper.

The stunned couple huddles together at the church ground during initial tremors.

'I shouted to people, 'Run! Run!'' said photographer Wang Qiang.
'The ground shook and we couldn't see anything in the dust.'

As the dust began to clear, the true extent of damage was only beginning to appear.

A cracked facade was all that remained of the 100-year-old Church of the Annunciation after the quake. Most of the church 'collapsed in 10 seconds,' said Wang, who lives in Chengdu , capital of hard-hit Sichuan province.

Soon after the quake, the people at the seminary set out for a nearby village, but residents warned them the route was blocked. 'We could still hear landslides,' Wang wrote in an online account of the disaster. So they stayed overnight in a tent and made it to the village the next day, thanks to help from a truck driver.

A scarf from a wedding dress lies forgotten in front of the seminary.
Wang said he thought the catastrophe would strengthen the bonds of  the couples who were there that day: 'Having gone through a life-and-death test, they surely will clasp hands and grow old together.'

No one was harmed at the above location.

They'll sure have a wild story to tell their children!

Pics of the flood in Southern China

It was emergency flood alert last week in GuangDong. Almost 18 million people were affected with more than 140,000 homes wrecked or damaged.

My colleague sent me these pics which are taken in Dong Guan.

People are literally fishing in the streets!

 

Free Publicity for your Restaurant !

Do you run a restaurant, cafe or any other types of eatery in Shanghai ?

Want to tell the whole of Shanghai your menu for the month without incurring any advertising ?

Post an event in www.shanghaiwhatsup.com.

Its totally free!

Fabric & Tailor Market in Shanghai II (Part 3)

If you are thinking of spending some serious money (Saville Row style) on suits.

Try Dave Tailor in Xu hui. Check out their web site here. They are reputed to be one of the best tailors in Shanghai.

Best New Hotel in Shanghai

According to Asiaone's list of top ten new hotels, one of them is found in Shanghai.

Its the JIA Hotel found in 931 West Nanjing Road. So, if you are from out of town and fancy trying a new boutique hotel in Shanghai. You can try this.

Prices starts from US$265. More details here.

New Xiang Yang Market (Part 2)

I popped by one of the "new Xiang Yang market" at Jin Hui Road recently as I happened to be that area.

Just at the main door, I was surprised to see two large posters pasted by the Shanghai Administration of Commerce and Industry. On closer inspection, I realised it to be a reminder to the tenants that it is an offence to sell counterfeit goods.

I didnt come across a Chinese version. So this is probably to let tourists know that the authorities are at least doing something to stamp out piracy.

I did a quick tour inside the premises and found significantly less blatant exhibition of imitation goods compared to my last visit there about a year back. However, I suspect if someone really wants to buy some fake LVs or Pradas, the stall owners should still have their own ways and means to get it.(Dont get me wrong, I dont support counterfeiters and I urge our readers to stay away from counterfeit goods too)

Nonetheless, I think its still a good place to get bags, leather goods and shoes. Non-imitations, of course.

The address once again:

Shanghai Hong Qiao Datong Tang Building

No. 461 Jin Hui Road

Ming Hang Area (near Wu Zhong road)

Quality of Living global city rankings – Mercer survey

Just released.

You can catch the survey here.

No cities in China made it to the list.

The Library Project

The Library Project collects books & donations to help under financed schools and orphanages in the developing world. Shanghai now has its first drop-off point at Bubba's Texas Saloon, near the Hongqiao Marriott.

If you're in the area, bring a book to Bubba's and help out orphanages & under-financed schools across China.

For more information, check out:
http://www.library-project.org

For what the Library Project has already accomplished, check here:
http://www.library-project.org/results.html

A bit of local press:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2007-12/21/content_6337509.htm

Pumpkin Soup at Bi Feng Tang

Bi Feng Tang [避风塘 (literally means the sheltered place)], is a chain of sixteen Cantonese restaurants in Shanghai.

Reasonably priced, conveniently located, prompt service and some delicious selections made this chain a very popular eatery in Shanghai.

Though the chain serves primarily dim sum, they do have some "house specials" that are simply delightful.

One of them is the pumpkin soup. Flavourful, rich and aromatic, the pumpkin soup tasted just like granny's cooking. Bacon, mushroom, tomatoes and potatoes are a few of the ingredients used. Oh, it is served in a pumpkin as well.

I didnt know about this item on the menu till one day Jennifer insisted to go to Bi Feng Tang for dinner just to try the pumpkin soup.I like it and went back again in the same week when the craving struck.

Of the sixteen outlets in Shanghai, my favourite outlet is arguably the one opposite Kerry Center. Cubicles just outside the restaurant allow you to dine al fresco, without sacrificing privacy. If it gets too chilly or warm, there are air conditioners and heaters in those cubicles too. The ambience is much better than inside the restaurant which is more casual and noisy.

The "cubicles" are next to the perched lanterns: