Friday Funny Nov 25, 2011

As seen during a recent day trip 

Must be the dogs' entrance.

Vivian and I shake our little tushies near the catwalk Shanghai Fashion Week

Yes, I know hers is way smaller than mine. There. I bet you all to stating the obvious. So how many Brownie points did I score by taking my teenage daughter to an Italian fashion show during Shanghai Fashion Week? Let's put it this way, the exasperated eye-rolling took a brief, but very welcome, hiatus. OK, Vivian's not really like that, I just wanted to portray a stereotypical teen.

At any rate, I had one more pair of tickets up my sleeve for a show Sunday afternoon, October 23.

Vivian caused a minor sensation when she arrived. 

I will take all credit for supplying at least half her genes.

We look like we should be in some celebrity magazine!

Not so happy here, waiting to get in.

All smiles now as the show is about to begin.

An incredible number of photographers

at the end of the runway.

On the catwalk, on the catwalk...

Lots of leather and fur

 I like to think these animals died of old age. 

Still coasting on the cool mum vibe...

Elizabeth experiences three degrees of separation Oct 11-21, 2011

I am very fortunate in that total strangers, based on nothing more than a kind word from a friend of a friend,  actually want to spend time with me when they come to Shanghai and they trust me to show them around...suckers!!! No, really, they do have a good time, or at least that's what they tell me...


The latest friend of a friend of a friend (not a typo) was Monica, who was in Shanghai for two weeks. We did some of the usual activities, like the South Bund Fabric Market, which I will not inflict on you again, and some different things which you will see, just hold your horses!


So here we go, completely out of order, but who cares?


First photo up, a champagne luncheon with the Shanghai Expat Association (SEA) to hear author, Paul French, speak on his latest book, "Midnight in Peking". 

Monica had her book signed and bought one for me, too!
See? She must have had a good time with me.

Thanks, Monica.

The next photos were taken towards the end of her visit. We went to Red Town. What is Red Town? I knew you were going to ask, so check out my previous post. Ah, man! I can't even find that one. Read this instead:

City Weekend Shanghai Says 

The remains of the old Shanghai No. 10 Steel factory in Hongqiao now houses the Shanghai Sculpture Museum and a collection of cafes, gift shops, galleries and offices. Pitched as a "creative zone," it has become popular with families and weekenders who come to picnic among the freestanding sculptures in the grassy central areas.

One of these clowns is not like the others...

Caught me!

On another day, I took Monica to Fuxing Park and 

she tried out the exercise equipment.

On yet another day, we visited Qi Bao, a water town in Shanghai.

Yours truly buying bread, a safe bet, from a local vendor.

This last event was probably the most exciting one!
I scored tickets to a fashion show during Shanghai Fashion Week.

Waiting to enter the huge tent that had been 
set up in Fuxing Park.

In the tent, VIP section, naturally.

The hoi polloi outside wondering who we were.

Riiiight...these were the celebrities they were trying to snap.

No, I had, and still have, no clue as to who these two are.

We didn't know these guys either, but that didn't stop us from getting up close and personal.

Yes, obviously they were models.

Speaking of models, I snuck a peek backstage.

The show was about to begin!

It started with a ballet of sorts.

You can tell I found the opening very interesting.

There were also live drummers.

Bring on the fashion!

Hey! This was our backstage model friend!

More fashion...

The end of the show and Monica's last day.

So pay attention all you friends of friends of friends! 

Come to Shanghai! 

You never know what sort of glamourous activities await!

Elizabeth walks again Oct 12, 2011

As you know, I wasn't fired after the first tour I co-ordinated, so off I went on the second with Spencer Dodington, as planned. 

This day's adventure was called "The Bund". Instead of walking along the more popular waterfront side, we explored the lesser known streets behind the Bund. We started at the historic Astor House Hotel, the first Western-style hotel in Shanghai. Built in 1846, it was originally known as the Richards Hotel. 

As it says on the hotel's website:

 To make it the most deluxe western hotel in the city and one of the best in China and in the Far East alike, the hotel was restored in 1907 to a neo-classic Baroque structure.
Over the past 150 years, Astor House Hotel retains its glorious architectural essence, and helps to epitomize the historical nature of the city of Shanghai.
In 2002, the first phase of renovation project was accomplished and the renewen [sic] building recovered its elegant mien again. 

I think they did an excellent job.

The front desk

The lobby

Detail of the original wood pillar

The terrazzo floor is also original.

The ballroom

Notice the pattern on the floor.

The original beautiful inlay
 Just looking at it makes you feel like whirling around the dance floor.

A closer look at the ceiling

Hard to believe that this hotel was used in the 1990s as Shanghai's Stock Exchange and then a budget youth hostel.

A store in the lobby

The dress I will wear if I am ever invited to 

an event in the ballroom.

The Russian Consulate across the street

This used to be the American one until it 

was moved to the French Concession. 

Looking back at the Astor House Hotel.

I couldn't wait for the bus to move to take a better photo or I would have lost the group. You can't lose the group if you're the co-ordiantor.

We crossed over Suzhou Creek to continue our tour.

Yes, this is a water gate. It prevents the Huangpu River, which empties into the East China Sea, from flowing uncontrollably into Suzhou Creek. That's Pudong in the background. In the right foreground you have the Monument to the People's Heroes. There are three gigantic concrete projections meant to look like rifles. The monument was built in the 1990s to commemorate the revolutionaries who died. 

Looking back at the other side of the Russian Consulate 

with the Astor House behind it.

Huangpu River sightseeing boat

Spencer explained the feng shui of this bend in the Huangpu and the Oriental Pearl Tower. Here goes my attempt at paraphrase...There is a bend in the river where all the bad qi (energy) from both directions collects; it kind of gets stuck. (Hey! I didn't invent this feng shui stuff. I'm just repeating what I was told.) Anyway, that's the reason why back in the 1800s the Chinese didn't mind giving the foreigners the land near this bend for their concessions, bad qi. Later, when the Chinese government decided it wanted to construct something, they built the Oriental Peal Tower and used all the feng shui principles to combat the bad qi. Hence the round shapes (yin) balanced by the straight (yang) lines and the Tower's location right at the bend of the Huangpu in the "dragon's jaws". Spencer was far more articulate than I am here. That's why he's the guide and I'm the humble co-ordinator. 

Bridge over the Suzhou Creek 

There was a bride having her photo taken.

We were to see many more in the course of our walk.

Suzhou Creek Bridge looking west.

I like the criss-cross effect of the beams.

Old buildings 

Yeah, I'm that specific.

Another bride with her photographer and crew

This red brick edifice was once a boat house.

Nice.

The Broadway Mansions, an Art Deco style apartment building. 

There is now a restaurant on the third floor with a great view of the Bund. During WWII, all the war correspondents stayed at the Broadway Mansions and had an excellent vantage point for all the action. 

Once upon a time, this was the British Consul's residence. 

Built in 1855, the black and grey brick is local, and the red brick is imported. The building features a style called comprador after the type of houses built for Portuguese compradors, or traders, in Macao. The Chinese workers who built those houses only knew that one style when they had to build European-type homes in Shanghai. I liked the verandahs, a tropical touch. 

More brides! 

The primping! The staging!

Let me fill you in on what happens vis-a-vis bridal photography in Shanghai. The bride and groom have all their photos taken before the big day. There are special businesses, one-stop shops, so to speak, that cater to the engaged couples' needs-outfits for the photos, photographers and albums, wedding favours, invitations and so on. The couple rents their outfits, which can be quite elaborate, and either goes to a studio for the shoot or heads outside to various scenic spots around the city. I love seeing these couples. I especially get a kick out of it if I can see that the bride has on her jeans and sneakers under her fancy rented wedding dress! 

Moving along, we came to the Scottish Presbyterian Church.

Next, it was down Hu Qiu Lu, a road in an area that is being restored to its former glory and dubbed the Rockbund due to the influx of funds from a Rockefeller development corporation and the street's proximity to the Bund. The buildings in this area are stunning, in my humble opinion. Let the parade of architectural styles begin.

Note the Art Deco vertical lines.


Close up of the top of the building

The lighter coloured projections are an 

Art Deco version of gargoyles.

More buildings with those vertical Art Deco lines

Close up of stylized cloud detail


Clouds are considered good luck symbols by the Chinese, 
as you remember from previous posts.

Spencer pointed out that this was Chinese Art Deco.

Not Art Deco of any type, but Queen Anne Revival.

Great attention to detail

For those of you wondering, yes, my neck does get stiff after these walks. Occupational hazard, I guess.

Another example of amazing architecture

Now for a pop quiz. Which one of these buildings is Art Deco?

The one above or below?

Bravo! The one below, which is now above. So confusing...

Close up of window detail

The ol' ying yang, right, Dad?

Close up of the top of the same building

Look carefully and you will see abstract 

lions on either side of the roof.

We left the Rockbund and continued walking on Beijing Dong Lu. (I don't think that was really the name of the street, but how would you guys know?) At any rate, we were out of the up-and-coming area and back into "regular" Shanghai.

An old, interesting building 

A very old interesting building

This is one of the eight? five? (clearly I wasn't paying as much attention as I thought!) original farmhouses that remain in urban Shanghai. Wild, huh? Here's a teaser, on the next walking tour I did with Spencer, we actually got to go inside one! Very cool!

 A lane house's old and original stained glass windows, made by Chinese male orphans who were taught this trade by the Jesuit missionaries. 

We were all amazed that the glass was still intact. 

Fellow tourists

These ladies obviously weren't from my neck of the woods.

I love seeing Chinese tourists from other parts of the country. It makes me feel good to know I'm not the only one in Shanghai walking and gawking.