Zhoumo kuaile!

Mom's here! She got in last Thursday, and she's already walked our neighborhood, eaten soup dumplings and Hunan (spicy!) food, gotten a foot massage, and made a first visit to the fabric market. She's here for three weeks, and it'll be fun to show her our daily routine in Shanghai. Although I think Mike and I provide our guest with rose-colored glasses... not that life is so hard here (we have a driver for God's sake), but it's not without its challenges -- and we show our guests the good stuff!  

The plan is to take a few day trips while she's here -- back to Hangzhou (hopefully in better weather) and Xian (to see the terracotta soldiers). In the meantime, we're celebrating Easter together and her birthday on April Fool's (really).   

Wishing you all a happy weekend and a happy Easter if you're celebrating! 

Fatty Tuesday: La Maison Gourmande

There are lots of Frenchies here in Shanghai, and lots of French restaurants, which makes this francophile a happy girl. "La Maison Gourmande" is a cafe around the corner from us, and, intrigued, I had Mike meet me there after yoga class a few Saturdays ago. I thought we'd have a quick coffee and croissant, but little did I know that we were in for much more than a casual bite.  

Instead of simple breakfast options, the menu offered plates of substance like a beef stew, which Mike ended up ordering. I got the set brunch, which was a collection of small bites grouped into three courses -- the app, the main, and the dessert (below). The food was playful (like the bite of chocolate lava cake inside of an egg shell) and presented beautifully. And it was good -- I wouldn't call it amazing, but overall, very good. The meal, however, came at a hefty price, and I'm not sure I'd do it over again. When it comes to a weekend brunch, I think I prefer quick and casual over formal and pricey.  

Before

After

Shanghai Pajama Party

So apparently it's totally okay to hit the streets of Shanghai in your PJs (and we're not talking "sweats and an old t-shirt" kind of PJs; we're talkin' the whole shebang -- matching pajama sets).  

This one's my favorite 'cause it was taken at about 6:00 one evening, when it was still daylight, in what's possibly one of the busiest and most crowded parts of town.

She even has on fuzzy slippers to match!  No shame. 

Zhoumo kuaile!

A slightly belated post to wish you all a happy weekend. I'm on my own until Monday; Mike is Stateside for a "China break" and to celebrate the wedding of good friends (congrats Nat and Ian!). Here's what's on his list to bring back:

• Red vines
• Sour patch watermelon
• Swedish fish
• Cadbury candy-coated chocolate eggs ('tis the season)
• Toothpaste (to counter the above)
• Floss
• Chai tea
• Trader Joes' Temptation trail mix (the one with the angels, but they should really be devils 'cause you can't put that bag down) 
• These shoes
• And maybe these 
• And maybe two dresses, a tee, and a tote (online shopping! Big thanks to mom for accepting, signing for, and storing our packages.)

I'm keeping myself busy, making plans with friends and taking yoga classes (they keep me sane in a sometimes insane place!). And thankfully (in this case), Monday is almost here.  

  

Chivalry is not dead

I may not have seen men open doors for their ladies or pull out their chairs, but I have seen one trend among young Romeos -- carrying his Juliet's purse. Here's photographic evidence that chivalry in China is not dead:

Fatty Tuesday: Homemade Enchiladas

We've been dying for good Mexican food. Yes, you can find Mexican in Shanghai, but it's fancy Mexican, in restaurants with nice tables and chairs, made by Chinese cooks. It's not good, dirty Mexican (and I mean that in the best possible way). I've been spoiled with authentic burritos and tacos and quesadillas for most of my life -- what can I say?      

So we took it upon ourselves to make enchiladas at home one evening. The challenge, yet again, was finding all of the ingredients. Here's where we went:

• Yasmin's, the butcher, for chicken (as close to organic/grain-fed/cage-free as we're going to get here)
• Avocado Lady for veggies, a jar of jalapenos, sour cream and corn tortillas (we had to buy a pack of about 50 and freeze what we didn't use)
• Enchilada sauce from City Shop for almost $4/can (there'd be outrage at home for that kind of price for a canned good!)    
• Cheese at Pines, the slightly cheaper City Shop (aka, foreigner-friendly market)

The result was so tasty, we made them again the following week.     

Zhoumo kuaile!

Before I pass out on the couch after a long week of work and a sore throat/stuffy nose/hacking cough, I wanted to wish you all a happy weekend. After a good night's sleep, I'm hoping I'll still be up for this tomorrow -- 

Spring has not yet sprung

On Saturday, I was riding my bike in shorts and a tank top; last night, I had to bring the scarf and the gloves back out. Spring has not yet sprung (and I have a cold to show for it). So I thought I'd share a few more winter Shanghai Street Style pics.  

Remember how I mentioned that UGGs (or some form of them) was all the trend, mostly among young women?  Key word: mostly... 

And then there are these:

Fatty Tuesday: Sichuan Citizen

Remember my initial restaurant observations? 

• Most restaurant menus in Shanghai are ten to 20 pages long. 
• Thankfully, almost all of them have pictures; some of them have funny translations. 
• It's no wonder that they may be out of what you order (out of 100+ options, they have to run out of a few items on some nights). 
• Food comes out almost instantly. "How is this possible," you ask? I think I'd prefer not to know. Let's move on.  

After sifting through the book-sized menu at Sichuan Citizen, we decided on fish, bok choy, kung pao jiding (you know what that is, right?) and honey walnut shrimp -- which is somewhat amusing since most of these dishes are considered very American Chinese food. (And here I was, proud of myself for finally dedicating a Fatty Tuesday to Chinese food.)   

The star of the show was the fish.  But be forewarned -- for those of you who require clean filets, boned and skinned, don't order fish in China, because this is what you'll get, eyeballs and all:

At fancy restaurants in China, waiters bring the fish you ordered to your table alive and in a bucket as proof of freshness. Sichuan Citizen was not fancy -- no show of squirming fish -- but it was good. Next time we go, though, I'd probably order other dishes since there isn't a shortage of choices.

And in the News...

More than 2,800 dead pigs found in Chinese river.  

Lovely.  

Read more here.  

Zhoumo kuaile!

Check out that weather! Mike and I just came home from a restaurant across the street where we sat outside, eating dinner and having a few beers. Before the weather turns (from 81 degrees down to 48!), we'll go on a long bike ride to and around Pudong, across the river.  

What are your plans for the weekend?  

And on TV...

I've alluded to the Chinese government's not-so-impressive attempts at blocking media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogger; thank God for VPN!) -- but is this really necessary?  

Do you think Kate Upton knows her boobs get blurred out in China?

It's getting warmer!

It was warm and sunny today, and the air quality wasn't so bad; spring is coming! But before it does, I must tell you about a winter trend among the young and old, both males and females (although most prevalent among young females) -- UGGs (or some variation of them) in different colors, different heights, with different embellishments (fringe, fur, sparkles, and other bedazzles). 

A couple of funny things to note:

1. UGGs here are actually called "U-G-Gs," I've been told.  
2. As you can probably imagine, there are a plethora of blatantly fake uggs around these parts. (I call them fuggs.) You can easily spot them by their collapsing ankles, when the structure of the boot simply folds inward due to overuse and being counterfeit.    

These are "GG&UUs". 

Collapsing ankles!

And in case you were wondering, the American trend of UGGs with skimpy shorts or skirts hasn't crossed the Pacific (thankfully).    

Zhoumo kuaile!

I've neglected my little blog, but the good news is that I made it through my first week of work. And because I want to keep fun stuff separate from work stuff (read: I don't want to get fired), you'll have to ask me "offline" (the corporate jargon is back!) about the job.  

Please be patient  as I figure out how to fit blogging in my daily routine. In the meantime, I wanted to share this fantastic outfit, sported by an elderly woman (in her 80s at least) on the subway (doesn't the pole just make the photo?). I know you can find funky, older ladies everywhere (in NYC or SF especially, I suspect), but something about seeing this lady in China just struck me as especially charming.