Let's cool off in Shanghai style

The other night, Tim suggested that we go for a walk along the Bund after dinner.

It is said that a river gives life to a city. Huangpu river is the life water to Shanghai. It is the largest river in Shanghai which divides the metropolis into two regions - westside (Puxi) and eastside (Pudong). "The Bund" is then a common name used to call the area along the western bank of Huangpu river. It is one of the must-see tourist destination in Shanghai where many historical buildings built from the "International Settlement" era dated back 19th century were preserved.

(Buildings along the Bund feature a variety of architectural styles - Gothic, Art-Deco, Baroque... you name it!)

Why not, I said. All it took was a fairly short walk to the ferry terminal and there we were, the hustling, bustling Bund, in just about 10 minutes or so. What a luxury to live where we live.

The Bund was full of all kinds of activites in spite of it wasn't a weekend night. While we strolled through scattered crowd, we came to spot this - a few men stood idly and threw relaxedly a "spare tire" show. This fashion is a popular men's way to cool off in any steaming, sticky hot day or night around the city. Although, it wasn't the first time we see this for somehow, the scene looked intensively hilarious that night.

So we took this picture (the mane right behind Tim was also doing it). Sorry, gentlemen! By the wa, I just figure out that we can click on the picture to get larger view. Tim said this is something he may think about to try at least once before we move away. I am not sure if he dare to try. Yet, he has found an good excuse to pump up his "spare tire" with more potato chips. Hahahaha!

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Delivery Service

One of the great luxuries of living in Shanghai is that many things can be delivered to your home.
As we don't have a driver, this kind of door-to-door delivery service, which is relatively affordable or even is free, become very helpful.

The kind of delivery service we use the most on a daily basis is the "grocery delivery". Luckily we are in Shanghai now that buying foreign ingredients is no longer a pain. I heard that it was very different only five years ago. City Shop and Marché are the two grocery stores I like shopping at the most simply because they offer good selection of imported/foreign ingredients and good service.

City Shop is the major western food chain grocery store in Shanghai who's target customers are expats. The store offers free delivery for purchase over RMB 100 (about US$15). We can order by phone, email or fax, or drop by the store. Although our apartment is within walking distance to a City Shop, the delivery service comes in handy when I have to shop a lot or when it is bad weather or when I am just not in a mood to go out.
City Shop Website

I didn't know about Marché until I talked to my Japanese neighbor friend. Marché is a Japanese chain grocery in Shanghai who's target customer group is Japanese community. The store offers free delivery for purchase over RMB 100 to the area we live, for purchase over RMB 50 if you live closer to their Pu Dong store in Xianmei Garden. I like Marché for its clear ordering cut-off time and punctual delivery schedule.

(grocey I ordered by phone delivered from Marché)

Marché Pu Dong store: 1F No.4, Mei-Hua road, Xianmei Garden
021-50595316 (Mandarin speaking)
13918761347 (Japanese speaking)

SHERPA is a food deliver service that we like to use when needed. It delivers food for you from 172 restaurants throughout Shanghai. The service charge is based on where you live and where the restaurant is which is relatively affordable. You can order your meal by phone or online.
They try to put out the most updated menus of each restaurants online for you to browse which is very convenient
Sherpa website

Recently, I bought a few big pots of plants from a street vendor. The vendor who appeared to be 50-something rode his rickshaw for a good distance to deliver those pots to our apartment without any additional charge. I felt humble and a bit uneasey when I was standing aside to have this idle luxury watching this guy help to put all the pots in position around the apartment with dripping sweat wet him all over from the laboring. This experience reminded me of the living in the US. As paying labor cost in the US is sort like paying for an luxury item. I have been trained and became a Do-it-Yourself super woman during these years I lived there. With a car, a spacious living environment, and my hands, I seem to be able to bring even an elephant home by myself. In Shanghai, the rules of game are different.

Although, I often miss the "luxury" I had back in the US - driving my own car to take care of things by myself - the luxury of freedom on a personal level in every tiny bit of daily life activity. And I know we are and will still be a do-it-yourself kind of people. For now, the menu is different and we are offered with all kinds of "only-in-Shanghai luxury" on the plate. So why not trying to have a good appetitie to chow down every piece!

(27th April 2009 - I recently found out another useful delivery service to me. Chun Store 佳思多, a Taiwanese owned store, has opened a new outlet close to Lujiazui area and they deliver too. Their phone number 54867843 or 51387072

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Happy 4th July

I was a little disappointed when I found out that Tim needs to work on the 4th July. He has to follow company's local rules in terms of holiday schedule.

Whith nothing to get excited about, I decided to head out to IKEA to pick up some little things. I called Tim from IKEA around noonish to report to him that I saw a chair very similar to the one we just bought from the Staples (yes, Staples is here!) but is much more expensive.

Before hung up, I casually asked with no expectation in mind that when he planned to come home.
"I am leaving soon!" he said plainly as usual.
"What? why don't you tell me this morning so that I wouldn't go out." I complained a little since IKEA is a little bit far
"OK, I am coming home soon, too" I said
I quickly finished my business and hopped in a taxi to head home
By the way, that day, I paid total around RMB 90 for taxi to go back and forth IKEA to buy RMB 40 stuffs
Am I ridiculous or what?

Even with everyone reported in, we didn't end up with any magnificent plan. The humidity in the air drags people down. This was what we ended up with - a cuddly comfy, quiet, long, long family nap at home

Squarky happily curled up beside the bed and joined the family nap with babylike groans, sleep-talkings and a few his signature silent-but-deadly fart. We just love it! Ha!

That night we decided to, at least, eat something "4th July"
We decided to explore a newly opened street mall area nearby
We found "Johnny Moo", a retro style American dinner serves hamburger, milkshake, fries...
They have a TV playing all kinds of amusingly cheesy 80's musical videos




The place is brand new and the food is surprisingly not disappointing - at least burgers were juicy, not dried out and the nilkshake is thick. Burgers, milkshakes and fries... food that give you instant heartburns is what we need on this special day. As for veggies? I can wait for tomorrow. :)

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