Mad About Shanghai

Cafe Spotting : Wagas

A friend of me recommended me to this one. Though there are many branches in Shanghai, I have not tried it before. Its actually quite cosy. I like it ! The pasta is strongly recommended too.

You can check out the rest of the branches here.

The City Brand Rankings

I share with you this chart from OglivyPR and PublicAffairsAsia.

Apparently, the two organisations polled a pool of respondents to rank 16 Asian cities in terms of their positive brand attributes. Respondents were asked questions on transport, infrastructure, political stability, crime rate, economic growth, culture, environment, sanitation and healthcare, amongst others to derive the ranking.

Shanghai actually topped Seoul and Osaka in this survey.

Any thoughts on this ranking? Do you agree? I wonder why Taipei is excluded.

Survey chart by: OglivyPR and PublicAffairsAsia

Meeting Point in Shanghai - Jing An

For those of you residing out of Shanghai, do you know where this place is?

This is one of the most common meeting point (at least for me) when meeting up with friends for after work dinner, with friends that have never been to Shanghai or with net friends that you have never met before.

Why? Prime reason is because this place is relatively central and its not difficult to look for entertainment, food or coffee a few minutes walk from there. Moreover, this structure is unique and quite big so you would not have to worry about people not getting to the right place, missing your description or getting lost.

Where? Just outside Jing An metro station.

So next time you are thinking of where to meet your friend, try here.

2012 Top Ten Most Expensive Cities

The latest report from Mercer:

Quite a surprise as I would expect Beijing or Sanghai to be in the list. Oh, I did not know that Angola is so expensive too.

Cute Hello Kitty Car Spotted

Spotted this cute car near Wu Zhong Road on the way to meet Jennifer for afternoon tea.

Oh by the way, in case you are wondering, RON 93 and RON97 are the two grades of petrol offered in China.

Bikes and Friends Cafe in Shanghai

Are you into bicycles ? If you are, I can recommend to you a cosy hang out place where you can chill out and talk to fellow enthusiasts about all things bike.

To make your discussions more comfortable, they serve food and drinks too!

One wall/ceiling is literally all glass which allows people sitting anywhere in the restaurant with a nearly 100% view of the 10x20m backyard terrace.  

There is even a monthly bike part/accessory flea market/swap on the first Sunday of every month

Address is :

Bikes and Friends Cafe

141 Fuxing Xi Road near Yongfu Road

Tel: 138 165 44697

La Boulangerie - French Style Bakery in Shanghai

If you are looking for a French bakery in Shanghai, you may want to go to La Boulangerie at 60 Yong Kang Road at the French Concession.

They specialise in bread, pasteries, cakes, sandwiches, tarts, coffee and even accomodate special orders.

They are open from 7 am to 7 pm.

Beijing Office Rentals Now More Expensive than New York

According to Cushman & Wakefield, a global real estate services company, Beijing has overtook New York in office rents. The report was released this month.

Thes are the top 6 countries in terms of having the most expensive office rentals:

1) Hong Kong

2) London

3) Tokyo

4) Moscow

5)Beijing

6) New York

More details can be found here.

Nothing like Hot Latte on a Cold Day

I love a hot drink (especially if it contains chocolate!) and waffles on a cold day.

Who doesn't?!

Happy Lunar New Year 2012 !

Lunar New Year is the biggest festival in the Chinese calendar.

The good thing about being Chinese in ethnicity is that Chinese gets to celebrate new year twice ! Once on the first day of January and the other on Lunar New Year.

Every year, about a month before the actual day, the largest human migration exercise in the world takes place, as millions and millions of migrant workers, children studying overseas, sons and daughters that have relocated out of the town where their parents stay, makes it a point to come home for the reunion dinner the night before the Lunar New Year starts.

To be exact, the estimated number of people participating in the rush home is estimated to be around 140 million! Or about the population size of Russia !

Rain,snow, overcrowding, pushing and shoving are not going to deter most from going back home to have the reunion dinner. To many, home is a place where they seek consolation and rest from the weariness of work, fighting it out in the big city or the unfamilarity of a new country.

This is does not happen only in China but also in countries where there are Chinese . To name a few more: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.

Then of course, we also have another group of people who either stay with their family or very close that long trips back home are not necessary. Nonetheless, they are also just as happy to be close to their loved ones, feasting and laughing. These are just some of the little things in life that money cannot buy.

I find it so apt that the most distinct values of the Chinese culture, family and filial piety are expressed in the biggest festival on the Chinese calendar.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, most would spend the day visiting relatives and friends or hosting them. Children love this festival as the Lunar New Year to them, means lots of delicacies, celebration and red packets (红包 - red envelopes with money inside as pocket money for them)

So, how what are your Lunar New Year plans ?

I wish all my readers 新春愉快! 吉祥如意! 心想事成！