Friday Funny Dec 31, 2010

Well, hard to believe, but true. It's the end of 2010. Another day, month, year, decade bites the dust. I'm not going to get philosophical, I'm not in the mood.

For 2011, I wish all of you...

Lots of love,

Elizabeth

Friday Funny Dec 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

In honour of the holiday, I am posting a few Friday Funnies for your viewing pleasure. 

My favourite Christmas dessert

'Cause that's what Christmas is all about, right?

You can't say the Chinese aren't optimistic!

May you all have a wonderful holiday!

Love,

Elizabeth 

Elizabeth "Christmas lunches" one last time Dec 9, 2010

It's all right, don't cry for me. I'm sure there will be more lunches in 2011. I'll survive a few weeks without a midday gourmet meal from a high-end restaurant. 

This luncheon was given by the Shanghai Expat Association (SEA) at the Jean-Georges restaurant, a glamourous establishment on the Bund. 

The table setting 

A lot of glasses...it was a wine tasting lunch, after all. 

That just meant a different wine matched to each different course.

The room

First course-my choice
Champagne mango salad, goat cheese, black olives and frisee
Better tasting than it looked

First course-my neighbour's choice, hence the angle
Foie gras brule, dried sour cherries and candied pistachio

 Main course-my choice, my neighbour's was the same
Grilled beef tenderloin and crunchy potatoes, smokey tomato compote

Dessert-everyone's choice, can you blame them?
Jean-Georges chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream

To top it off, handmade chocolates

Now you know why I go to the gym, just roll me out of there.

I saw the kitchen as I was rolling out...

...and the rows of shiny dome covers.

I really like the repetition of that shape.

The second floor atrium

Looking across...

...and looking up with better lighting

The elevator foyer ceiling

This was almost a combo lunch/photography tour. 

The architecture was fascinating. 

It was quite the luncheon. Jean-Geroges isn't exactly in my snack bracket, so I probably won't return until next year's festive meal. Good thing there are tons of other restaurants to check out! 

Elizabeth and Vivian get artsy... Dec 8, 2010

...with some help from JR, a French renegade street photographer who goes only by his initials and turns his photos of people into building-size posters. His latest instalment was in Shanghai called "Wrinkles of the City". JR is also the recipient of the 2011 TED Prize. 

More info on him lifted from another website:

Last Wednesday, shortly after the announcement, the New York Times wrote a short introduction to JR’s work called ‘Award to Artist Who Gives Slums a Human Face‘. The project JR is currently working on in Shanghai, The Wrinkles of the City, deals with memory, aging, a city under transformation:

The project starts with portraits of elderly people who represent the memory of a city past. JR interviews each person and records the changes witnessed in the city. Then these portraits, printed in monumental sizes, are pasted in the very same city in various places that inspire JR and represent the city’s heritage. Memory can stumble and fall – disappear any minute as the elderly leave us – JR shows us that it is important not to forget what the elderly have to pass on to younger generations. Without any judgment, JR just gives us bits of history in an artistic, yet poetic, social and above all, human way.

Vivian agreed it would be cool (*thud* that's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor) to check out these posters before they were torn or fell down. So off we went to Red Town, a former steel factory converted into an arts complex with outdoor sculptures, a museum, gift shops, cafes and arts-oriented business offices. 

The one photo poster

Up closer to give you an idea of scale

This window was on the left side of the building.

Really close, maybe too close.

Back off, Mum!

The other poster

One of the numerous outdoor sculptures

Where's Vivian?

Vivian indulging her inner photographer.

More sculptures

The only bad part of our visit to Red Town was the timing. We went late afternoon when the light was fading. Guess that means we'll have to go back...Cross your fingers that I can get Vivian to come with me!

Elizabeth does the Bund Tourist Tunnel Dec 6, 2010

The Bund Tourist Tunnel stretches under the Huangpu River from Puxi to Pudong, or Pudong to Puxi, if you like. It's supposed to be a high-tech, educational, multi-sensory trip in an unmanned tiny train car. The music and lights are billed as "futuristic". You'll see very shortly that this is not the case, but it's an activity that every self-respecting expat must do, just to say they've done it.  The cheesiness factor alone was worth the 55RMB (about $8CDN, pricey as far as tourist attractions go in Shanghai). My friend Eliza and I decided we would give it a shot so we could cross off "Bund Tourist Tunnel" from our To Do lists.

A portion of the introductory sign. 

This was an accurate indicator of events that were to unfold. 

This was just the escalator down to the mouth of the tunnel. You know the ride was going to be terrific if there was this much faux foliage. 

The mouth of the tunnel with the little tiny train cars.

Turning it around...the suspense was killing me!

Here we go! How futuristic was this!

Woo! I thought I could see 2012 from here!

Ooooohhh!!!

Aaaaahhh!!!

You have to image that all this was accompanied by the most unintelligible, disconnected commentary.

It just got better. 

I don't know if you can make it out in the photo below, I lack the skills and equipment, but there were three inflatable, flapping figures in the tunnel, similar to the ones you would see advertising a new discount store opening. Eliza and I could not figure out the reason for their presence, but they sure made us laugh.

No clue what this was, but it was a lovely colour. Just trying to get my 55RMB worth. You know me, frugal with a capital "C".

Finally! Something in Shanghai I don't need to revisit. Once was enough fun.

To Do List
Bund Tourist Tunnel

Elizabeth drags Rakesh on a tour Dec 4, 2010

Rakesh was a very good sport about accompanying me on this Shanghai Expatriate Association (SEA) tour to the Lupu Bridge, one of the four spanning the Huangpu River. The Lupu Bridge is famous because it is the world's second longest arch bridge.

I will now quote from the Lupu Bridge brochure because it is informative and amusing:

"...the Lupu Bridge functions as a sightseeing attraction. The viewing platform...is installed at the top of its giant-bow-like arch lib [sic]...which enable [sic] sightseers to enjoy the 300-step-plus walk up the 'slope'.
Climbing the Lupu Bridge-one of the most modern wonders of the world...it also will be an unforgettableexperience [sic].
Getting ready:The experience begins with a comprehensive briefing and a full-prepared [sic] you.
Now, ... as you climb up... a breath-taking view is about to unravel before your eyes. 
Picturesque sights will be jumping into your eyes [I love that image!] all along the climb, upon reaching the climax, everyone will feel the fulfillment and enjoyment. [Hmmm. You supply your own comments.]

Believe you me, there will be Friday Funnies posted from this outing.

Onto the bridge, so to speak.

Here's a poster showing what we were climbing.

Exactly. Pretty steep and extremely high.

The bridge trusses at ground level. I hope I used the correct word.
Not ground, silly, trusses.

Here is the tower housing the elevator we took to the first platform.

Rakesh at the first platform, making sure he is a "full-prepared him" before the climb up the slope, which was fairly significant, especially when I look at it again. I find the older I become, the more jittery my stomach is with regards to heights, swings, spilt blood, medical needles, enclosed spaces...the list grows.

Anyway, I focused on the stairs and didn't stop for any photo opps 'til we reached the top. I am turning into a big suck, I know. My days of blithely skipping up bell tower stairs in old European cathedrals are gone. *Sigh*

At the top, looking back down the slope...be still my guts...

I have to comment on the excellent design of the steps which became broader and less steep the higher one climbed. It made it easier for me to focus on grabbing the railing with a death grip.

Ships heading to sea, taking advantage of the outgoing tide.

Looking up the Huangpu River

Overlooking one of the Expo sites to the east

Closer look

The building in the centre was the UK Pavilion, aka the Seed Cathedral, with its acrylic seed-filled rods

After I stopped clinging to the railing, Rakesh took the opportunity to snap me with the Puxi side in the background 

Yours truly with the other side, Pudong, now in the background. Those "picturesque sights jumping into your eyes" are the China Pavilion buildings. 

Let's see if it helps if I move out of the way. 

A little bit...

Closer look at the China Pavilion. Feel free to go to Google images if you really want to check out this building. I had another shot of it on my Expo post. Geez, that seems ages ago! 

Equal exposure time 

Going back down to safety as we know it.

Hope you enjoyed your bird's eye view of Shanghai! I don't think I'll be repeating it any time soon, but it would be a very good test of any anti-nausea medication.