Ordering Shanghai-based event tickets

Check out Shanghai-based performances and sports events to see if you'd like to attend any during your visit.

http://sh.piao.com.cn/en_piao/

If you are going to be one of my guests, I can help you purchase tickets in advance, since the website doesn't accept international credit card (only does Western Union and wire transfer).  I will charge a service surcharge of $75RMB ($10USD) per purchase request of the same event; ticket and surcharge amount are first paid in USD equivalent via PayPal and then upon arrival be paid in RMB with a credit back in the PayPal amount.

Feel free to email me at faysrooms@gmail.com  if you have any questions.

Azul Viva brunch - walk away stuffed and happy

I've alway thought of Azul Viva as a night place serving tapas and the lighting would be too dark for brunch, when you want either outdoor seating or lots of skylights. I finally went there last Sat. and boy, the food more than made up for the lack of lighting! This is place that's determined to feed even the biggest eaters. For $120 or $150RMB, you can choose 2 or 3 courses from their extensive brunch menu. Included in the set, you get juice, sangria, or mimosa, AND coffee/tea, as well as a scone AND a muffin; you're half full before the dishes even arrive. For appetizers, we got the Italian antipasti plate and the spinach salad, which were both very tasty. The antipasti was $80 and the only appetizer that you need to pay an additional $15 for. For main dish, we had a veal steak and fries (also for $15 extra), smoked chicken sandwich, and the "best scramble you'll ever have." The pleasant surprise was the medium-cooked steak, which was tender and juicy. I have stopped ordering steaks at brunches because they are usually rubbery. Simple salt and pepper flavoring was all that the meat needed. The scramble came with spinach, asparagus, and baked tomato and was indeed pretty good, but I had little stomach space left frow chowing down the muffin/scone/bread that came with the antipasti. The ciabatta for the chicken sandwich was a bit too crumbly and could be a bit more chewy. We finished the meal with a rice pudding, in which the rice was slightly undercooked, but the vanilla/cinnamon flavoring was superb.

Many restaurants start off serving nice food but then deteriorate as the original chefs get replaced with apprentices and service get sloppy (this tend to happen when the owners open their 2nd/3rd locations). Kudos to Azul Viva as one of the older establishments for upholding quality. I'll definitely be coming back more often.

See other cafes and restaurants nearby.

Directions to the apartments

All of the apartments in the network are pretty close to each other, so I will give you some general directions:

From the PuDong Airport:

Option 1: Airport Shuttle #2 to JingAn Temple (cheapest)

Go out from exit 5-7 to the curbside and look for bus #2. This is a direct, non-stop bus to the "City Aviation Building" next to a Haagen Das shop near the JingAn Temple. The bus fare is $19RMB one-way, air-conditioned and very comfortable. Buses run 7am -11:00pm everyday. After 11pm, there's an owl line that will drop you off at the Huashan Rd exit off of the YanAn Expressway; the fare is also $19RMB one way. Take a 5-minute cab after you get off from the bus to go to the apartments.

The same shuttles also stop at the new Terminal 2.

Option 2: Maglev train + subway#2 or taxi from LongYang Station

I would recommend trying the Maglev train if you don't have a lot of luggage. The train goes up to a max speed of 430KM/hour and sometime even more. You will feel gleeful watching the traffic jam on the freeway as your train whizes by. The ride will set you back $50RMB one-way (by presenting a same-day paper flight ticket, you can get the fare down to $40RMB). The downside of riding the train is that 7 minutes later, you will have arrived at the terminal station that is still on the PuDong side, and you'd need to either take the subway into Puxi and take a taxi from there (~$60RMB). If you take the subway (line #2), ride for another half an hour in the Puxi direction and get off at the JingAn Temple station ($4RMB). The train operates from 7am - 9pm.

See fare table here

Option 3: Grab a cab

Make sure you wait in line to get the legitimate kind of taxi. There might be people approaching you asking if you would like to hire a car -- don't go with them. The cab ride should be about an hour and around $140-160RMB depending on traffic. If it's more than $200RMB, then you're getting ripped off. Take the Yan'An Expressway (Yan'An Gao Jia) and get off at the HuaShan Rd exit. We will give you more specific directions depending on which apartment you're staying at.

From the HongQiao Airport:

Cab: This is the most hassle-free option and cost about less than $30RMB. The only problem is that the waiting line for taxis is usually very long, but it does move at a reasonable speed. Take the Yan'An Expressway (Yan'An Gao Jia) and get off at the JiangSu Rd exit. We will give you more specific directions depending on which apartment you're staying at.

From the Shanghai Main Train Station or the South Train Station

Cab: Should get you to the apartment for $20-30RMB (the Main station is closer to downtown).

La Creperie - expensive galettes and crepes

I was walking down Urumuqi Rd to check out whether the new Village complex is open and also found La Creperie, which is at the end of Dong Ping Rd/TaoJiang Rd near YueYang Rd.  It's still in soft opening so they put up a sign to say they don't accept credit card and also don't give fapiao yet.  This is a lot more decent than some of the existing restaurants who always tell you they're out of fapiao.  There was a wine tasting instructor there teaching the staff on how to appreciate the Rosé wine. 

The interior was of Brittany style with wooden panels and flooring, with high chairs and tables.  I keep wondering what the small bowls on the tables are for, cuz they take them away when you're seated... the crepe menu is pretty extensive but the pricing is definitely not cheap.  The afternoon tea set is $45RMB for a crepe and a cup of coffee or tea (I was told that you get the coffee/tea for free and pay just the crepe's menu price but apparently there was some mix-up).  I order the stewed apple and caramel sweet crepe ($38RMB).  The crepe came promptly, with a big serving of the caramelized apple.  The taste is pretty good except maybe a slightly stronger alcohol taste.  I think the serving would look a lot prettier and more complete with some garnishes, like fresh fruits or whip cream.

  With the expensive rent around the HengShan Rd area, I can understand why the pricing is such.  So the thinking should be how to make your customers feel like money well spent by packing more into the dishes?  I was reading the crepe recipe books in the shop and realized that you can make crepes ahead of times and store in the frig for up to 3 days.  Hmm... I think I'll try that at home now that I got some good tips on making them...

DVDs - bring home the entire HBO collections

Yes, you can get them everywhere on the street but it's hard to check the quality. That's why I've been taking my guests to Movie Star, a DVD shop on DaGu Rd that carry everything you might want. From the latest movies to HBO hit shows and classic collections by famed directors, they have the nice box sets which are perfect as gifts for friends who will love you for getting them. The staff will tell you whether the version is a good one -- just ask. You can also bring back any defective ones for an exchange. They can also find anything for you, even if you can't remember the movie titles -- just tell them about the plot and they will dig it out! They are not the cheapest but I'd recommend this place if you want some quality guarantee. Round out your visit to DaGu Rd with dinner and a massage after you get the DVD's.

Shanghai Sculpture Space - fun outdoor exhibits + cafe

I took my house guests to check out the Body Media show 2 weeks ago. It was a really cool collection of multi-media creations by artists in Europe. It's a shame that the show wasn't advertized more broadly, and it was only in town for a few weeks. On the other hand, we really enjoyed the space and lack of crowds. There was also a permanent exhibit hall, which shows modern sculptures from Chinese artists. Most of some sort of social commentary and interesting. There's also a big grassy area outside that's strewn with funny pieces of sculpture. It would be pleasant to stay outdoors if it weren't for the heat. The Beca Cafe further down the lane is an excellent rest stop after a tour of the exhibits. They have a great afternoon tea set ($28) with yummy crepes and cheese cakes and also free wifi internet.

Taipan Spa - where foot massage meets KTV lounge

Taipan is a franchise owned by one of the wives of Macau's casino tycoon Stanley Ho. Upscale and lavishly upholstered, the private rooms resemble those in a KTV sans the microphone. They do have a snack menu from which you can order juices, pork filet sandwiches, curry rice places, and teas - all included in the price.  You can also reserve a big room that holds up to 8 people + 8 masseuses.  You can also bring your own DVDs (which you can buy right across the street) to watch on the  in-room LCD screen.  The foot massages themselves are ok but not spetacular, but it's a good choice if you're looking for an alternative place to hang out with your friends.

For body messages, check out Kang Jun Massage, which is a few doors down from Taipan on DaGu Rd.

KangJun Massage - don't go to Dragonfly!!

I always find it maddening that newcomers to Shanghai would right away get suckered into Dragonfly and plunk down like $1000RMB to buy a pre-paid card.  Apparently Dragonfly is the best in the business when it comes to advertizing to foreigners.  However, I must say that the newbie massage therapists they bring in from their ChongQing school are mostly too green and unable to find the pressure points on your body.  If you are one of those people who are just happy that someone is caressing you, then I guess anywhere will do. 

Being a certified massage therapist myself, I think I'm qualifed to rate massage places.  There several decent places to go for massage, but I love KangJun in particular because they have the massage skills to show for a very reasonable price.  AND they're located in the city center, unlike other good places which are most clustered in far-away GuBei and HongQiao areas.  They cater to a Japanese clientele so you know it's clean, albeit a bit cramped.  They have many branches around Shanghai, and the one on Dagu Rd is the closest one in the city center and also nicest one in decor. 

For $75 RMB, you can get a 1-hour Chinese-style full body massage or a foot massage.  I also tried their oil massage ($225/90 min) and ear candling ($120/60 min) , where they insert a hollow wax burning candle in your ears and suck crap out of them.  For the foot massage, they give you a nice pot of tea and some cherry tomatos.  My friend had bought a couch from them cuz they are so comfy.

If you have a big group and want a more social setting, try Taipan Spa just down the street on Dagu Rd.

ChengCheng - hole-in-the-wall homemade Chinese food

Mixed in among the trendy shops on XinLe Rd closer to DongHu Rd across from the Source, this 5-table dive serves some very tasty Chinese comfort food straight from the tiny kitchen behind. You can get sweet 'n sour pork, kungpao chicken that almost taste like those in the States, as well as tofu, claypotss/stews, and veggies of the day. The meal is completed w/ a bottle of chilled QingDao beer. The prices have gone a bit and I noticed they actually got an English menu now. You also take away the rice plates, which are as low as $8RMB.

See other cafes and restaurants nearby.

City Diner - 24-hour brunch and American burger joint

I always bring my guests to City Diner for brunch not only because it's owned by my friend Kelley but also it serves some of the most authentic American food in Shanghai. All of the items on the menu are from Kelley's own recipes, and they make their mayo from scratch. My favorites include the City burger, cobb salad, the carrot cake. However, I have noticed that both the service and food quality have gone down since it opened last year. Many people have complained about the service being uneven, and I'd have to agree: fresh brewed iced teas invariably mixed up with the nasty Nestle variety, chilli cheese fries served sans salt, salad served with the stems of lettuce. I will still continue to patronize but they really need to watch it in the kitchen and bring back some of the Filipino staff!!

See other cafes and restaurants nearby.

Whisk Cafe - killer chocolate cakes and drinks and other goodness

I took my houseguest to Whisk today for lunch. Didn't find the place in my Enjoy coupon book but decided to pay it a visit since it's been a while. We ordered some chicken arrabiata and pesto penne pastas, as well as an Italian chop salad with honey mustard dressing. Also got the Dark Granita chocolate smoothie, which is made of dark truffle. The servings were huge, enough to be shared between 2-3 people. Both the presentation and taste of the food were much better than some of the disappointing and overpriced places we went to recently. The paninis could use some more authentic bread but their panacottas and volcano cakes are heavenly. Espresson drinks are reasonably priced, and you must try their mocha -- it's perfectly laced with caramel -- yum!

I'm beginning to think it might be better for restaurants/cafes to NOT be listed in Enjoy; they might be cheaper and taste better...

See other cafes and restaurants nearby.

Gulistan - when Turkish meets Xinjiang Uyghur

I found this surprising authentic and atmospheric muslim restaurant after taking my visitors to shop for the fake stuff at the Tech Museum subway underground shopping street.  It's tucked in amidst a row of fastfood eats.  We ordered some lamb over rice and noodle dishes (standard Xinjiang fares) and also some yogurt dip with our doner kabop.  Everything was so tasty that even my ABC cousins who've had food trouble ever since they got to China had a smile on their faces.  We also got a free Uyghur guitar singing session from the waiter, who had just arrived in Shanghai from Xinjiang a week before.  I will definitely recommend this place to anyone who takes the trouble to go all the way out there to shop.  In Kurdish, Gulistan means the "Land of Roses" -- I had to look that one up...

Awfully Chocolate - cakes you have to have every week

I found out about this little cake shop on SH 2 weeks ago, and since then me and my friends have already gone back twice. They share the first floor of a pretty renovated old building on XiangYang Rd near FuXing Rd with Frangipani Nails. I wouldn't say it beat out my all-time favorite fresh whip cream choco cake from HongYe in Taipei, but it's up there. It only sells 3 kinds of 6" chocolate cakes -- pure chocolate, chocolate banana, and chocolate rum cherry. The cakes are not on display so there's not much to look at in the shop. They will also have a few ice cream products coming soon. This is a Singapore chain that also has opened a shop in Beijing. I asked about the delivery service and they said it will be available very soon. That's a very sinful service they'll be offering... They should also sell their cakes into cafes around Shanghai to expand their footprint. Sure don't want them to close shop like they did in Taipei...

For those who can't to buy a whole pie every week, you can get a mini satisfaction at Whisk Cafe, where they serve nice volcano chocolate cupcakes, which go perfectly w/ their mocha topped with chocolate syrup.

Citizen Cafe - idyllic afternoons and romantic evenings

Nestled on the short stretch of JinXian Rd near Shaanxi Rd, this low-key, classy cafe is a haven from the bustling streets of Shanghai. During the day, you can spend hours sipping on your coffee while surfing the net for free. At night, enjoy a candlelight lounge scene over some yummy martinis, romantic jazz music, and beautifully arranged flowers. They do a decent job on appetizers and light fares. I like their quesadillas, chicken wings, pastas and sandwiches. The fries are very good too. They also serve a nice but limited brunch menu on the weekends. If you're looking for a place to relax, this is it.

See other cafes and restaurants in the French Concession area.

Tian Jia Japanese Restaurant - it's all about toro sushi and king crab

If you want quality sashimi and sushi, this Japanese seafood trading company owned restaurant has the best toro in Shanghai. You forget what good fish is supposed to taste like after eating at those buffet style Japanese places. The original location on HuaShan Rd is tucked away in a service apartment hotel building on the 2nd floor, but you should go here instead of their newer locations because the food seems to be more authentic. At $250RMB/set menu includes 3 kinds of otoro, chutoro, and marinated toro sashimi, chirashi, and a hotpot with crabs, veggies, tofu, etc. it finishes with an ice cream as dessert. I'm not a big fan of crabs so it's really the toro that does it for me.

See other cafes and restaurants nearby.