Happy Halloween!

I hate Halloween. You'd think that I wouldn't given the enthusiastic headline for today, but I do and I have since childhood. It all started here:

You can blame my mother; the bee was her idea. Can't you just sense my discomfort? Can't you see that I'm smiling awkwardly through the pain? We laugh now whenever we see this photo and recount Halloweens of the past. 

You wouldn't really know it's Halloween here in China -- no carved pumpkins, no spooky decorations on houses or in buildings, no one in costume. But the locals don't miss an opportunity to cash in on a holiday (any holiday). Candy is on sale at several markets, and bars are throwing parties tonight in hopes of attracting the expat population. 

And that is the other reason why I hate Halloween -- "its pure slutty and deviant essence." Call me a party pooper, call me what you will. Sorry to disappoint, but this expat won't be attending "In Lust We Trust."  

What I do like about the holiday... 1) babies in costume, especially when they don't know any better (points for chubbiness); and 2) costumes that are creative and intelligent (points for home-made craftiness).  

Watching Stormin' Sandy in China

Superstorm Sandy is making international headlines over here with constant coverage on CNN and BBC. Be safe, East Coast family and friends!  

On another U.S.-related note, CNN's slogan for the elections is: "The choice is America's, but the impact is on all of us." Something to keep in mind as voting day approaches :) 

To Chongming and Back

After more than 100 miles on bike and ferry, we're home from Chongming Island where we spent the weekend. Though my legs feel like jello and I'm still pretty exhausted even after a solid sleep last night, the trip was fun and rewarding. 

About 70 of us got going at around noon on Saturday, separating into three groups at certain points along the way for various reasons. A number of flat tires slowed us down, and we found ourselves behind schedule, having to take a later ferry over to the island. Once there, we rode on wide, open, and tree-lined streets as the sun was setting. This was a welcome change from where we had just been prior to reaching the ferry terminal -- on the freeway, riding alongside semis and breathing in exhaust fumes. Our lungs, no doubt, suffered; that part was no fun. (Day one stats here.)

But the reward was indeed handsome. After a much-needed shower and change, we gathered in the middle of a rice paddy field, at candlelit tables on a cement platform. A jazz band played in the background as we drank beer and began filling our plates with fluffy white rice and crayfish etouffee -- here,  a thick, spicy, tomato-based sauce with plump crayfish and red peppers. Although I'm pretty sure anything would have tasted good at that point, the food was amazing, and without shame, Mike and I went back for seconds. There were moments during dinner when I'd look up at the moon and down at my empty plate and ask, "Where are we right now?" Bliss.

The ride back home the next day was painful in that we had to do it all over again -- minus the bliss. Looking back, I would have liked to spend more time exploring the island (apparently, its wetlands and parks make Chongming quite the nature getaway). The route home was a better one (we stayed away from the freeway this time), but back in Shanghai, we found ourselves back on crowded streets and having to strategically maneuver around pedestrians, other cyclists, cars, and mopeds. At that point, I have to admit, I was done and ready to get off the bike.

Our reward Sunday? Burger and fries; my favorite fat-kid meal. And well deserved, I'd say. (Day two stats here.)

Zhoumo kuaile!

Happy weekend, everyone! Big Halloween plans? 

We're off to Chongming Island tomorrow -- on bikes! We're joining Factory Five for the First Annual Chongming Island Crayfish Festival. We'll be riding 30 km out to a place called Baoshan, hopping on a ferry to the island, then riding another 15 km to a sustainable black rice farm cared for by Good Earth Project (GEP)*. 

As a (very nice) reward for our workout, we'll be treated to live jazz and crayfish etouffee, prepared by one of Shanghai's best chefs, Austin Hu. (Back in September, we had brunch at his restaurant, Madison, and gave it five stars.) Dinner, we're told, will be served at tables under the stars and in the paddy fields. 

After spending the night at a local hotel (how bad can it be for one night?), we'll ride back home Sunday morning. Sounds fun, no?   

* I haven't been able to find too much information on GEP, but apparently their latest project is this black rice plantation on Chongming Island. They've worked to make it completely pesticide-free by importing Australian crayfish that live in the fields and consume its insects. The result is quality rice and fattened crayfish. This festival is a celebration of their achievement.  

More on Macau

I mentioned last week that we booked a quick trip to Macau for a long weekend in November. Asia's Vegas, here we come! But I stand corrected; come to find out that Vegas is actually America's Macau now that the Asian city has surpassed the former's gambling revenue.  

We've been researching things to do and places to see. For starters, we're staying at the Lisboa Hotel, chosen based on price (on the cheaper side) and location (in the thick of things). TripAdvisor ratings were also quite high, but the descriptions were the clincher: 

• "The interior is just way too corny and it looks like [you're] in a Portuguese grandma's house."
• "The bathroom looks like a spaceship. Water jets and rainbow colors everywhere. The design is borderline quirky and tacky." 
• "The lobby is (like the rest of the hotel) is one of the kitschiest lobbies I have ever seen."

Perfect! 

Of course, we'll get our gambling on, Mike at the poker table while I enjoy some blackjack. Come on 21! Momma needs new shoes!  (I'm practicing.)  

Like Vegas, Macau is home to some great restaurants. Our one splurge will be a meal here. Cantonese and Portuguese food will also be in order. (Macau is a former Portuguese colony, in case you didn't know; I didn't.) 

There are shows too, like the House of Dancing Water, and culture to take in, like the A-Ma Temple and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  

It should be an interesting getaway. Keep in mind that Mike has never been to Vegas (shocking, I know), and we had originally been seeking somewhere that would take us away from city lights. Ah, well. A different kind of trip, something new to see and experience. We're excited.  

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Top 10 Things I Like Most About the Tues. Night Rides

A Tuesday night bike ride means sore legs on Wednesday, but it was another fun journey through the streets of Shanghai. Here are the top 10 things I like most about these rides:

1. People's reaction to a group of 50-60 riders cycling together. You should see the look on their faces! And drivers' expressions when they have no choice but to yield to us. Priceless.
2. The sounds -- or lack thereof -- when we reach empty streets, and when the sound of a pedaling bicycle replaces the obnoxious noise of a honking car.    
3. The smells -- some good (think: burning incense, food), most bad (think: food, trash, sewers, and exhaust fumes).  
4. The different languages I listen to as I pedal. Last night, I heard French, Italian, German, and Korean.  
5. The visits to parts of Shanghai I never otherwise would have seen. 
6. The feel of lycra biker shorts. 
7. The fun of gliding downhill after pedaling hard uphill. 
8. The feeling of pain.  
9. The feeling of accomplishment.
10. The reward beer at the end of each ride. 

Watch Factory Five's video for a visual (the last scene, especially).  

And in case you're curious, here are the stats from last night's ride (courtesy of Mike's new iPhone app): 36.6 km (but don't forget to add a few more for the ride to/from the start/finish) in about two hours.       

Finding San Francisco

On our way to meeting friends for Yunnan food on Friday night, we happened upon a place called Pier 39. We peeked into the small restaurant, saw "San Francisco" inscribed on the wall and bread bowls with clam chowder on diners' tables, and promised we'd return. We ventured back Sunday afternoon to have our own taste of home, which really wasn't half bad (I've had worse chowder in the States!). Goes to show you can find anything in Shanghai. And by the way, it's 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and I'm sitting in a sports bar, drinking a cup of coffee and watching the Giants-Cardinals game.

Zhoumo kuaile!

What's everyone up to this weekend? No set plans for us other than a few errands to run, one of which may be a trip to the fabric market for custom winter coats now that the temperature is dropping. It's actually been quite lovely here, though I'm waiting for the cold to sweep in suddenly and forcefully.  

Mike and I have been discussing upcoming travel plans with the news that he's been given a few days off in November. We thought of escaping this polluted concrete jungle and its soundtrack of car horns; we thought of getting back to nature, hiking and swimming in Southeast Asia, going on some sort of eco-adventure. And then we looked into flights. And we weren't prepared to drop $600-700. So instead, we're going in a completely different direction and heading to... wait for it... Macau, the VEGAS of Asia! Stay tuned for more on our upcoming getaway. 

Before signing off for the weekend, I'd like to wish two of my very good friends, born on the same day in October, a very happy birthday. Sending love from China.   

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Ride Results

The ride last night was awesome -- challenging, but awesome. For details on how far we went and how long it took us, click here (and don't forget to add time and distance for our ride to/from the start/finish). Although I was mostly toward the back of the pack (bringing Mike down with me!), I kept up and was pretty proud of myself for doing so. After all, the pace was pretty fast and it was only my second ride with these guys. The outings are definitely a fun way to see parts of the city otherwise left undiscovered. I'll report back on next Tuesday's ride.   

On another note, I've been applying to jobs and just had to share what's on some of these application forms -- date of birth, gender, health status (!), and closest family member, his employer and job title. Yes, these are job applications and not medical forms! Imagine the outrage if these apps were found in the States.

Tuesday Night Rides

When we first got our bikes, I mentioned that Mike had gone on a couple of rides with a local bike shop that organizes group outings every Tuesday night. Having gone on a few practice rides, I joined the cool kids last week on my first-ever night and group ride. I say "cool kids" because most participants were young, hip foreigners seemingly embedded in the world of fixies (or, fixed-gear bicycles). I was just a mere visitor.    

At about 9:00 p.m., 30 of us set out on our velos, weaving in and out of traffic, ignoring the flashing headlights and constant honking, finding safety in numbers. Remember -- my previous bike-riding experience was limited to rides on the Santa Monica bike path and throughout the small city of Strasbourg. I equated bike rides to casual strolls in wide, open spaces. This was not that. But it was a challenge and it was fun! The pace was certainly faster and the distance, longer. If we had to guess, we'd say the ride last Tuesday was about 35 kilometers, getting to the meeting point in People's Square, then to the ferry that took us across the river, in and around Pudong, and back home. 

And tonight, we ride again.  

Djokovic wins!

As newly anointed fans of professional tennis (since last week), we attended yesterday's Shanghai Rolex Masters finals and watched a thrilling showdown between two-time defending champion Andy Murray and world #2 Novak Djokovic.  

First, there was a bit of lounging in some tennis balls at the Heineken booth: 

And yes, those are Northrop Grumman Ethics koozies for our Heinekens.

Then, there was the doubles finals. Three out of four were representing India (which I found interesting), and the match was exciting in its own right with the winning team (Paes/Stepanek) coming back after losing the opening set. 

And then there was Murray vs. Djokovic. It was an awesome matchup, with both players putting up a strong fight. Murray had taken the first set, but missed several match points and the opportunity to take the win. Djokovic was relentless and just wouldn't let him do it. I loved watching the passion of these two and found tennis to be quite different from watching basketball or football or any other team sport. Alone on the court, the player has no one to blame but himself for his missteps, and the intensity of the sport, the effort put forth is all on him. Needless to say, there were a couple of broken rackets and a lot of cursing at oneself at last night's match :).

Zhoumo kuaile!

We have our first visitor this weekend! A cousin of mine from LA is here in Shanghai for business and will be staying with us tonight. The plan? Food. Tonight, it's Guyi for spice-rubbed pork ribs and tomorrow morning, it's crepurritos. We'll also fit in "xiaolongboa," or soup dumplings, before he leaves for the airport. 

I can't believe I haven't told you about soup dumplings yet. Shanghai is known for them, and the dish is one of my favorites. It's essentially a pork meatball and broth wrapped in a thin flour skin. But beware of the broth. You don't want to order these when you're starving, or when you're likely to just pop one in your mouth. Trust me, I learned the hard way. To prevent burning your tongue, follow these fun instructions and you'll find that these delicious little things are so worth the extra steps --

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Best. Day. Ever.

It’s true what they say: You’ll never feel more beautiful, you’ll never feel more love, and it all goes by in a flash. Our wedding day was fantastic, and by day, I mean from 5:30 p.m. into the early hours of September 23. From the moment I saw Mike waiting for me at the end of the aisle, I couldn’t wipe the huge smile off my face. After that, it was a whirlwind of love and happiness with family and friends gathered from near and far to celebrate us. 

I wish I could tell you that the day was perfect and there’s not a thing I’d change. The truth is, I’d probably change a lot. The planning process started well before the decision was made to move to China. And yes, I had gotten a lot done before the move. But there’s only so much you can do ahead of time, and then there’s only so much you can do via email. A lot was crammed in those two weeks before the wedding. And I don’t like to cram. The other part of the equation was the homecoming after three months of living in China. It was hard to come back only to have limited time (and a limited attention span) to catch up with family and friends and old coworkers. And then there are all of the other typical wedding woes that have to do with guests lists and budgets and offending a person or two along the way (I’m convinced you can’t go through this sort of thing without doing so). 

BUT, it was the best day ever. Never have I felt more beautiful. Never have I felt more love. Never have I smiled so much. Never have I been happier. And it all went by in a flash. 

Side story: As I primped, Mike spent the earlier part of the day doing one of the things he loves to do, “park chilling”. It was a beautiful San Francisco day, and he spent a few hours at Dolores Park with some of our closest friends. When I heard, I admit, I got jealous, and I’m still bitter he got more park/friend time in than I did. But hair and make-up was fun (when do you ever get to do that?), and I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and confidence as I prepped to marry my best friend.

'Mooning in Bali

Since yesterday's entry was dedicated to our first few days back in Shanghai, I'll continue in reverse chrono order and tell you a little bit about our honeymoon in Bali. We chose Bali because it seemed like paradise conveniently located near Shanghai. In actuality, the two places aren't that close to one another, and coupled with a two and a half hour delay, it took us 19 hours to get to our destination. But it was worth it. 

Unhappy about the delay

We first traveled to Ubud, in central Bali, and took refuge in the Ubud Hanging Gardens. Perched on the side of a mountain and above the Ayung river, the hotel was gorgeous and its staff members, warm and friendly. We ventured into town a couple of times, exploring Bali's cultural center, its streets lined with temples, handmade jewelry shops and art galleries. Ubud is also home to the Sacred Monkey Forest, to which we, of course, paid a visit. We rode bikes through rice fields and attended a glorious, two-hour yoga session led by a Balinese instructor with sounds of the jungle in the background (just like those sound machines!). 

The second and final part of the trip was spent in Jimbaran for some much-needed beach time -- lounging by and swimming in the Indian Ocean. The highlight there was the three-pound lobster Mike devoured as we sat at a table in the sand with the tide coming in. 

Here are some photos of Ubud, the monkeys, the people, and the beach. 

And we're back!

After a truly whirlwind trip -- San Francisco for a few hours, then to Los Angeles, back to SF, Shanghai for 24 hours, and finally to Ubud and Jimbaran in Bali -- we returned "home" late last week. Shanghai welcomed us back with lovely fall weather (the stifling heat is gone!) and fewer crowds due to the national holiday week. It was Mid-Autumn Festival, another holiday whose significance isn't terribly clear, but involves a specific food item (remember Dragon Boat Festival and zongzi?). This time, it was mooncakes, which sound delicious in theory (who doesn't want a cake made from the moon?), but aren't. You'll have to take my word for it.    

While on the Shanghai leg of our honeymoon, we enjoyed all of our favorites we had temporarily left behind: a crepurrito breakfast and a visit to the Avocado Lady. Somehow, we also became professional tennis fans. The 2012 Shanghai Rolex Masters is in full swing (pun intended), so we attended yesterday's matches and bought tickets to the finals next Sunday. With Federer, Murray and Djokovic set to play, we'll likely see two of these stars battle it out.  

Food in the foreground, 
a happy man in the background

Although the honeymoon will never be over ;) -- we decided to end our two-week extravaganza on a high note with dinner at Mr. & Mrs. Bund, one of Shanghai's best restaurants and certainly comparable to top offerings in San Francisco, LA, New York and Paris. We started with two Kumamoto oysters (small, plump and delicious, and hard to find in China) and seared foie gras served with pomelo -- in an ode to the appetizers served at our wedding. The third starter was a tuna tartare served with a mini scoop of mustard sorbet. For dinner, we shared (although it's technically for two people) a wagyu beef ribeye, grilled veggies, and the best mashed potatoes I've ever had (and I don't particularly like mashed potatoes). They're called Aero Mashed Potatoes and the dish tasted like a cloud -- a light, fluffy, savory cloud of goodness. Room for dessert? Of course! A tarte tatin that Mike called a game-changer and a profiterole with Nutella ice cream. You read right. Nutella ice cream. Before you judge us, you should know that we were given a very generous gift certificate to the restaurant as a wedding present, and we didn't have lunch that day. 

And now with Mike back at work, reality sets in for me as I figure out how to spend my days. Do I continue Mandarin classes? Do I find myself a job? Or do I look for other classes of interest (cooking, web development, graphic design, photo editing)? I've given myself this month to figure it out, and I'm starting by looking for work. We'll see if I can find something that makes sense for my career, for me, personally, and for us, financially.  

P.S. Stay tuned this week for more on the wedding and the 'moon.