TaiKang Lu Shopping, aka Tian Zi Fang (田子房） by xiaodi zhang at 06/23/2008

Comments (0 )

I first discovered the neighborhood around TaiKang Lu, Sinan Lu, when I first moved to Shanghai three years ago. I asked a local friend where I could find a laid-back neighborhood, away from the tourists and bars, a place with interesting shops and cafes. To my delight, she introduced me to Tian Zi Fang.

The entrance to Tian Zi Fang is located on Taikang Lu, halfway between Sinan Lu and Ruijing Lu. If you drive too fast, you will miss it. Flanked by a pottery studio and a boutique, the entrance is not particularly eye-catching. As you walk through the entrance， however, you will start to notice this alley is no ordinary expat hangout.

Immediately, I noticed there were hardly anyone else in the alley. I passed a couple of mediocre art galleries, and a few jewelry boutiques. So far, I wasn't impressed by what I saw, but I was already happy to be away from the crowds. As I walked forther into the alley, I discovered a small quartyard, filled with empty tables for a cafe, and a handful of shops. That's where I discovered Jo ma Arts, which is where I would find too many beautiful things. 

At that time, three years ago, that was basically the extent of Tian Zi Fang, a handful of galleries, boutiques and a cafe. One of the things that made it unique was the fact that all of this was nestled inside a traditional Shanghainese nonghang, which is equivalent to the Beijing hutongs. Built around 1920s, these Shanghainese neighborhoods are known for their tight living quarters, narrow alleys, and traces of art deco architecture and influence.

How quickly things have changed in three years! If you go to Tian Zi Fang today, you will no longer enjoy peace and tranquility. Instead of a handful of cafes and shops, you will find at least ten cafes alone, and five times the number of boutiques.

While it can feel a little too crowded, most of the changes are welcomed. Instead of a short stroll in an alley, you can stay in Tian Zi Fang all day, walking from restaurant to shop to cafe to restaurant. Also, this is probably the only place in Shanghai where the locals hang out with expats side-by-side. Grandmas and grandpas come out to chit chat outside of cafes, while expats sip on expensive coffee inside the cafe.

You might wonder if the local residents mind if the cafes and shops have taken over their neighborhood. In fact, it was the local resident board that started this craze in the first place. Around two years ago, the local residents joined together and started renting out their apartments to investors. They got a lot more from the investors than they would from the market, so more and more started renting our their apartments. As a result, I find new shops every time I go back to Tian Zi Fang, which is almost every week.

If you want to check out a place where expats go when they get tired of XinTianDi, go check out Tian Zi Fang!

Weekend in Shanghai for Jetsetters by xiaodi zhang at 06/03/2008

Comments (0 )

A couple of friends visited Shanghai over Memorial Weekend. They were motivated by a frequent flyer special and flew non-stop from Chicago to stay only for the weekend. The idea of flying all the way around the world just for a weekend seemed incredulous to me, but they pulled it off. So, this blog is dedicated to them and other like-minded jetsetters who have no qualms about taking 11 hour flights for a weekend in Shanghai.

Please note these recommendations are not for everyone. They are for the well-traveled business class regulars who prefer 5-star hotels over hostels, incredible interior design over a hole-in-the-wall, and a rare find over a tourist spot.

Day 0:

• You traveled so far for only two nights, you might as well treat yourself to the best bed in town. If spetacular view is your thing, go w/ the Grand Hyatt. If you want to be next to the nightlife and can stand the noise, try Xintiandi's boutique hotel, 88 Xintiandi. If conservative comfort is more your thing, try JW Marriott.

Day 1:

• Brunch is best served French. If you are able to get out of bed at a reasonable hour, take a cab over the French Concession for the best bread/butter/cheese in town at Franck. While it doesnt serve traditional brunch food, Franck's entrees and salads more than make up for it. The location is also perfect for getting a taste of life in the French Concession (for very well-to-do expats).

• Trinkets that you wont find in Chinatown. Shanghai would not be Shanghai without a healthy dose of shopping. Its also nice to buy gifts for the poor blokes back home who weren't able to fly to a different continent for the weekend. My favorites are Spin for beautiful ceramics, and Taikanglu (Tian Zi Fang) for everything from cashmere scarves to tibetan jewelry. Be warned, everything is over-priced, but then you are paying for the most charming atmosphere in Shanghai.

• Dinner theater, Shanghai style. Get a taste of Shanghainese food along with a favorite Shanghainese pastime activity, listening to Chinese opera. Check out Xian Qiang Fang for all of the above and beautiful decore (restored art deco building filled with chinese antiques). Remember to bring your camera and sneak a few pictures during the performance (dont ask for permission).

• If you are still able to stand, check out the local jazz scene at  JZ Club for great local and international jazz.

Day 2:

• Its all about the dumplings! You cannot come to Shanghai without eating at least one XiaoLongBao (aka xlb's), or 20, which is what usually happens. These legendary dumplings are best experienced at DinTaiFung at XinTianDi.

• Time for the Bund! Traditionally, the best time to check out the Bund is at night, but I actually prefer the day. Start out on the West side of the Bund. Several buildings have great views. My personal favorite is the historic and unpretentious Peace Hotel. After you explore the West side, take a cab to the Pudong side. If you are not staying at the Grand Hyatt, you have to check out the hotel atrium. Grab a cup of coffee and admire the amazing architecture, not to mention the view.

• Time for some R&R. All that food, shopping, and walking can be exhausting. Time for a traditional Chinese foot massage! 90 Minutes seem like a long time for a foot massage, but you wont feel that way after. The most popular is still Taipan on Dagu Lu.

• Upscale Chinese food that needs to be franchised globally. Check out the famous South Beauty franchise, not only for its great food (not necessarily by local standards), and jaw-dropping decor (not always a good thing), but also to check out why this is one of the most profitable business franchises in China. The owner has demonstrated that street food can be turned into gourmet under the right design and lighting.

• Sleep is for the flight back. You cant come to Shanghai and leave without experiencing its famous (or infamouse depending on where you go) night scene. The conventional options are XinTianDi, Hengshan Lu and Fuxing Park. If you want a taste of where local expats like to go, check out Muse.

After your whirlwind tour, you will come away an even stronger believer that anything is possible (in China).

What happened to that restaurant? by xiaodi zhang at 03/10/2008

Comments (0 )

Yesterday, I organized brunch with a couple of friends at a cozy cafe on Jianguo Lu. At noon, when my boyfriend and I showed up at the location, we couldnt find the restaurant! We found instead, a high-end Australian restaurant! Too late to change plans, we ended up having brunch there instead and, luckily, it was pretty good.

The crazy thing is that this was the 2nd time this happened to me in the last couple of weeks. Restaurants seem to be opening and closing in Shanghai faster than ever. I have found the victims are often smaller, cozier, more intimate places.

The pace of change in Shanghai is truly amazing. While some venus are closing, there's just as many new restaurants, clubs, and shops opening up all the time. A perfect example is the shopping area that has sprouted around Taikang Lu 210 Nong.

Two and a half years ago, there were ~10 samll shops located in Taikang Lu 210 Nong. Converted from an old residential area, the shops were very small and featured a lot of indepent designers. It was one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon, just walking around and grabbing a cup of coffee w/ friends.

Fast forward a couple of years, and there are now over 30 small shops in this area. A dozen cafes have popped up alone, and a ton of small shops have opened up, selling everything from Tibetan art to cashmere sweaters.

I am totally thrilled by this change and find myself going to Taikang Lu almost every weekend.

I just hope that my fovorite shops stay open long enough for me to feature them on HopStix!