The price of food!

I'm not imagining it. My ayi has mentioned it to me but I kinda 'forgot' about it (because, well 5 RMB is a lot of money to her!).. but man! Everything has been going up (something to do with the weather down south I think?) - Rice, meat, fruit, veges. Imported food not so much but that was always expensive anyway.

They say it's cheap to eat in China.. well only if you like Chinese food!

Last week I went to City Shop in Gubei. First time I've been in all the time I've lived here (LOL). I bought so many bits and pieces and it ended up costing me almost 500 RMB! I nearly had a heart attack! I was actually looking at prices too when I was buying stuff and usually choosing the cheapest option.

Everything that I like to eat is damn expensive eg cheese, breakfast cereal/muesli, Western style bread (ie bread that is not sweet) and pastries.. etc.

A box of ordinary cereal (from Germany or UK) costs up to 100 RMB!
A packet of 250g shredded Coon Cheese (from Australia) costs about 40-50RMB. It costs less than that for the 500g size in Australia! ARGH!

This really really sux cos hubby and I both do not have huge appetites and do not really like Chinese food all that much. Plus recently we have barely eaten out at all and been cooking a lot more at home but really, eating out is still SO much cheaper than cooking at home.. so why bother?

So anyway then I went to Carrefour a few days later and only spent about 150 RMB.

Yesterday I went to Zara on Nanjing West Road. I just felt like going to Zara and never been to that store before. It was absolutely FREEZING yesterday. It must've been around the 0 degree mark for sure. Anyway there was no sale on and I didn't find anything I particularly liked/had to have (plus they were selling Spring/Summer clothing like t-shirts and sleeveless dresses, and I was thinking WTF? Because it's still SO cold)

Anyway so then I walked around looking for somewhere to eat. Since it was 3pm now (Yes I tend to eat breakfast and lunch very late) not a lot of places were opened. I ended up going to the top of Plaza 66 and had lunch at Zen. It was OK but I was not that impressed. First of all, the water in the tea tasted like tap water, even though according to them it wasn't (and it cost 5 RMB for the pot), second of all they took forever to come to me when I tried to grab their attention (when there were hardly any customers there at that time and enough staff) and thirdly, well there was no thirdly. The portion of my lunch was huge and I took the rest home and had it for dinner.

Then I went next door to the Shanghai Centre to go to Paul's. The most delicious bakery ever! But boy oh boy are they expensive. The smell in there drives me crazy and I want to buy the entire store! But alas the prices are a real turn off. In the end I got 3 things and it cost 82 RMB - a berry tart thing, an apple thing, and a breadstick thing with olives and herbs in it.

Then I went to City Supermarket and bought some stuff. I was disciplined this time and didn't go overboard (after my last experience) and spent around 100 RMB. I was supposed to buy rice but the variety wasn't that great and to be honest didn't want to carry such a heavy thing so this morning got my ayi to buy it for me from the supermarket across the road from our place, when she went to buy other stuff.

On Monday I asked my ayi where she got her puffy goose down jacket from and she told me she had it made at this place... I couldn't believe it. It looks so professionally done like something you'd buy in a store and I never thought you could do this. I have wanted a longish goose down jacket for so long but was trying to be 'good' since I already got that white cashmere coat made and I already own a goosedown coat (but it's only waist length). During CNY I tackled the shops (BAD mistake, it was crowded as anything) and tried in vain to search for one amongst the crowds. I have so many criteria and just gave up. Plus it was impossible to try anything on and I HATE the rude unhelpful salespeople.

Anyway so my ayi told me I could get it made at this place and she only paid 190 RMB. I nearly died!! $30 for a custom made goose down coat? Can you believe it? I paid about $200 for mine in Australia and it's not that great. She even told me she thought it was 'ugly' haha. (I bought it in 2004 just prior to going to Europe). Well there are like NO choices in Australia.. and are all freaking expensive. Anyway so I was getting really excited dreaming in my head of colours and styles.. then this morning she tells me that that place has closed down since Spring is coming! ARGH!

I know it happens in every place around the world but I really really hate how in winter they bring out summer clothes and in summer they bring out winter clothes. I remember seeing these goose down coats when it was still 38 degrees in summer. ARGH!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

What I've done lately...

23 Dec - Went to Xujiahui to take photos of the lovely Christmas lights and trees at night.

24 Dec - Went to a wedding. There were about 250 guests. It was nice and romantic but for us guests nothing really to do. Plus the room was just filled with smoke and making me quite sick. The food was very good though and the band (which was right behind us on a big stage) were awesome.

25 Dec - After a late night didn't feel like doing much. We swapped presents and that's about it.

26 Dec - Went to Novel Place, Xujiahui. First we went to Green Massage at Suite 102, 88 Xingen Lu just off Tianyaoqiao Lu (near Novel Place). We had a 70min all over body massage for 132 RMB each. The place was really nice. It looked like a spa you'd get in a 4-5 star hotel. The lighting was low, and everything seemed tranquil and nicely designed. They gave us silk satin robes to wear (mine was a purpley brown colour, and hubby's was a khaki green colour) and we put our own clothes away into a locker. The way the locker locked is the same at our gym, with a magnetic device.

Then, we were ushered into the massage room with 2 tables inside. They gave us a beautiful wooden Chinese oval shaped box to put our key inside and then this box was put underneath the beds. It was definitely the most thorough massage I think I've ever had and the best butt and leg massage. Afterwards we put back on many layers of clothes, paid, before venturing out into the cold air.

We had dinner at Blue Frog and we think we ordered exactly the same thing as the first time we went to Blue Frog. I ordered nachos (70 RMB). It is fantastic!

Afterwards we did some grocery shopping at City Shop just opposite it.

27 Dec - Stayed at home and bummed around not doing much.





28 Dec - Caught up with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. We tackled the mega huge "Qipu Lu" wholesale stores. I'd read and heard about this place but never been because 1) it's a bit further out of town and 2) I heard how huge it was so I knew I'd need a lot of time, energy and MONEY. I had time but didn't have that much energy or money but still.. I went there with her and it was great fun. We saw some fake label clothes but I had a sneaking suspicion they were the real deal. I know skeptics would say "Sure, how can you tell? Are you sure?" but I really think I can tell. First of all the styling is Western, the sizing is Western, the quality of the fabric and the sewing, but also the tags both sewn on and the cardboard tags. The printing on fake clothing is usually pretty crap and riddled with spelling mistakes etc whereas on real branded items it's not. Sometimes there are even barcodes and prices listed on the tag (in American dollars).

Afterwards we went back to her place for tea and for dinner. We chatted about everything under the sun, watched a bit of tv, it was great fun and I didn't get home till almost 10pm.

29 Dec - Another bumming around at home not doing much day.





30 Dec - Met up with the same friend again and our hubbies met for the first time. We had dinner in a Japanese restaurant and then hubby and I had a massage (foot, since we'd just eaten). It was FREEZING as anything when we came out.

31 Dec - Wasn't quite sure what to do for NYE. Didn't want to go to the Bund as I knew it'd be mega crowded. Ended up having dinner in Itoya on Huaihai Lu. Yep that's 2 Japanese restaurants in a row! (Btw the food at the first place is good but not as good as Itoya. The service at the first place is really good and the service at Itoya was crap). Then we walked down to Xintiandi. It was pretty crowded with people and the roads were blocked off and there were police everywhere. Since Chinese people don't drink alcohol much it was very tame compared to what I'm used to in Sydney with stupid drunken idiots everywhere thinking they are 'funny'.

I recalled the first time we went to Xintiandi in September and how hot and humid it was and now it was freezing and very dry. So dry that hubby and keep on 'charging' each other every time we touch. Same with strangers too. My hair (now waist length) keeps flying everywhere too and sticking to things. Static electricity is kinda erm.... annoying?

Anyway we got there just before 10 and it was still OK. We realised we had 2 hours to kill. We didn't have a plan and just wandered into that small shopping centre at the end of the XTD block. We went up to the top and I saw a manicure place. I suddenly had this idea it would be good to do as I could kill a lot of time with it. So that's what I did and hubby just rested in a chair there.

After about an hour (including 20mins waiting for an available staff member and 10 minutes drying time) it was done. I got a hot pink colour (don't know the name) by OPI. It was pricey but heck we were in XTD! I also got little diamante thingies - one on each hand, but one of them has already fallen off :( It cost 150 RMB in total.





After that we went back out and went to the famed French bakery, Paul. (photo from shanghaiist). It's only a very small bakery (as most bakeries are!) and really really crowded. Nevertheless we were served quickly and we ended up getting a raspberry custard tart, a slice of apple pie, and two croissants for 90 RMB. Pricey - yes, delicious - you betcha!!

Then we went back to the other side of XTD to get ready to watch the countdown on the big screen. By that time it was about 11:40 or so and it was getting more and more crowded by the second. Towards the last 10 minutes it really was like sardines in a can. Stupidheads also thought they wanted to move through the crowd at the last minute and not getting very far. Also I couldn't see a great deal due to tall people, people wearing bunny ears and lit-up devil's horns on their heads, and people holding helium balloons. Still, the good thing about the crowdedness was that it made us all surprisingly warm. My hands (despite wearing thick fleece lined gloves) had gone from frozen to thawed our warmness. Mmm... toasty.

So we watched the countdown, they we saw and heard fireworks. The fireworks were only a block away but behind some buildings so we couldn't see everything but it was OK. Enough excitement for me I thought. :) After that there was a mass exodus of people pushing towards one direction so I guess we just followed everyone.








Hubby thought it would be impossible to find a taxi, I chose to think positively and what do you know. Voila! We got one almost straight away. The traffic wasn't too bad either. We passed Xujiahui on the way home and saw there must've been a big even there too. I was almost kicking myself we didnt go there instead! There was a massive stage outside Grand Gateway and lots of policemen around. They were just starting to pack up the stage when we drove past and I saw 20 policemen standing around.

Eventually, we got home at around 12:45am.

I will say one more thing - I'll never complain about Sydney being cold ever again. This is the girl who thought 15 deg was very cold and 10 deg is downright freezing. After surviving the last couple of days where it has consistenly hovered around the 0 degree mark I will never take for granted Sydney's moderate climate ever again. Also I still find it so hard to understand how a place that gets to 38 degrees in summer can get to -5 in winter!

Also I have been wishing and wishing .. why won't it snow?
I've tried to read up on why and now snow forms but find it all a bit complicated. I think it has to be rainy or cloudy for it to snow? Since it's been sunny the last few days and will also be the following few days, I doubt it'll snow. Boo hoo.

Paris-New York-Shanghai

Shanghai has a lot of free English colour magazines that let expats know what is going on around town. I LOVE these magazines! I can't believe they are free. They are printed on good quality paper and the writing is excellent. There are reviews on everything under the sun from books to movies, theatre shows, restaurants, places to take the kids, extra-curricular activities - arts & crafts, sports, new store openings, massage parlours and spas, hotels, and more.

My favourites are City Weekly, That's Shanghai and Talk. Hint is good too but too thin. Not only do they talk about events going on in Shanghai but there is also funny news about the rest of the world, gadget reviews, stories on people who work/live here, great travel (airfare and hotel) deals to nearby cities or international destinations. There is so much to read (and look at) they keep me occupied for ages. You can get them at most foreign-orientated restaurants (eg Blue Frog, Wagas, Element Fresh, Tony Roma's and more) although not every restaurant has every mag and some come out weekly and others come out monthly. You can also buy Talk in City Shop supermarkets and That's Shanghai in the bookstore in Carrefour Gubei (for around 18 RMB each). But why would you want to buy them when you can get them for free?!



In the December issue of Talk magazine there is a page of book reviews. The review for Paris-New York-Shanghai by Hans Eijkelboom really caught my eye. I love pictorial books like this! It kinda reminds me of Colors magazine which I used to subscribe to for many years. This is what the reviewer had to say:

Though Hans Eijkelboom is, in theory, a photographer; in practice, he is more an anthropologist with a camera. Paris-New York-Shanghai presents ad project where, every day, he photographed one type of person or scene (sleeping train passengers, outdoor markets, etc). By documenting the same concepts inthe same concepts in three cities, the Dutchman presents a unique interpretation of global city life. The format both unites the cities and highlights the subtle and not-so-subtle nuances between the past, present, and (possibly) future global capitals.

I can't wait to check it out!

The rain, the fabric market and Times Square

Part I : Fabric market

Well as if the cold weather wasn't bad enough it started raining this morning! Ah, if there is one thing I despise as much as cold temperatures it's the rain. It's funny because ever since I was fairly young I can remember telling people I hate the rain and they always say to me "I love the rain, I love the smell of the rain." Maybe I'm weird but give me blue skies and sunshine any day!

Back home we are having droughts and water shortages because it doesn't rain enough and everyone welcomes the rain (fair enough). I don't think it rains here that much either (the grass is not that green, or maybe it's just the pollution covering the greenness ;) ) so anyway I've been told that the rain washes away the pollution (if only for a short while) so I guess that's a good thing.

I was feeling particularly gloomy to go with this gloomy weather and finally decided to make my trek out to the fabric market. I have been to both of them and not once have I ever gotten anything made for myself! I was missing out... wasn't I? Anyway I actually wanted to get some cushion covers made for our couch since I've only ever seen hideous patterns in the shops. Well that was easier said than done!

Since they specialize in making clothes they pretty much only sold dress fabrics but in the end I did find a store that sold cotton fabric with various prints, designed for the export market so they weren't too hideous, tacky and Chinesey ;) like the ones I saw in the stores that sold fabric for making bed sheets and quilt covers.

I had been planning to get a nice winter coat made but I was still umming and erring about the colour. I don't look that great in black unless it's black pants or a black top (but not both at the same time), but a black overcoat just makes me look totally blah. I already own a nice dark grey one but that's at home. I have a red wool/cashmere one which I brought from home, and a camel one which I bought in Shanghai last time I came (and I brought it back 'home'!) and my other non wool/cashmere coats/jackets are blue and dark khaki green/brownish colour.

The colour I wanted was white/cream/beige which I think really suited me. But the practical side of my brain kept saying "Noooo, are you crazy?! It's going to get sooooo dirty! esp if it rains, when there are crowds, when the underside of your sleeve rubs against a table or something, etc."

So although I had collected various pictures on the internet I didn't print them out and bring them today because I wasn't expecting to have any coats made today because I still wasn't 100% sure of which colour to get.

So, as I am roaming the three floors of this building (the Dongmen Lu one, not the Lujiabang Lu one) I came across various coats that had almost exactly what I was looking for. I wanted white/beige cashmere with a black trim. I just got this idea into my head and that's what I wanted and to my utter shock and amazement there were samples there with that colour scheme! I saw at least 3 shops with coats in this colour scheme. I felt the fabric and was tempted to try them on but nah.. I was getting sidetracked. Back to cushion covers...

... But wait! What is that? Is that what I think it is? OMG it is the most perfect thing ever. I have to stop at this stall to try this coat on. OMG. The cashmere is so soft and so thick and mega warm (and has an interesting texture to it) and it has a lovely black satin trim on the lapel/collar and black satin covered buttons, just gorgeous. I ummed and ahhed for ages and managed to knock almost 200RMB off the price (don't know if that is good or not) and told her the changes I wanted - double breasted instead of single, buttons all the way up to the top, concealed pockets also with the black satin trim, the vent at the centre back, shoulder pads,... I think that's it. I am very particular. So I pick it up in 10 days time, fingers crossed it (and the cushion covers) turn out!

PS - if you are a fashionista the fabric market is a dream come true. Floors and hundreds of stalls of fabrics in oodles of colours all under the one roof (with escalators and toilets! ha!) Samples at every store of potential creations. Bring your own pictures or view their samples or their books with colour photos. All tailor made to fit YOU and all at a bargain price! Due to the rain and the fact that this market is lesser known and that it was a weekday it was actually pretty quiet (just the way I like it and why I think I got a good price) but I still saw a few foreigners walking around, and walking out with big bags of clothes!

* Shiliupu (ex Dongjiadu Lu market)
Dongmen Lu near Zhonghua Lu

* South Bund Spinning Market
399 Lujiabang Lu


Part II: Times Square

I've been past there a few times but have only been inside twice. Both times I seem to have some kind of bad luck there. The first time I went (about two months ago) I wanted to go to Slice Deli to pick up some pies. While I was there I thought I may as well have lunch there. So I ordered my smoked salmon bagel thing and found a table and got some magazines to read while I waited. I waited, and waited, and waited.. almost 30 mins later (no exaggeration) I was totally starving (think it was almost 3pm) and asked them where my order was. Would you believe they 'forgot' about it and had not even started to make it? I was fuming on the inside be remained calm. They tried to placate me with some home made sweet potato chips. Hmm... Not only that, you are not allowed to smoke inside that cafe and these stupid locals were puffing up like no tomorrow and they let them do this for a while before finally telling them they couldn't or had to go outside.

I had heard of this great bookstore, Chaterhouse which apparently sold a large number of English books. So I went downstairs and checked it out. Large selection? Yeah if you like fiction! Hmm... The only thing I wanted to look at was a Lonely Planet (or other brand) travel guidebook on Japan. They actually had a great selection of English travel books but NONE on Japan. There was one on every single country on the planet but none on the one country I was interested in. I asked the very unhelpful saleslady why and she just said "It's a very popular country." Hmm...

So then I went to Cityshop. After all my time in Shanghai it was the first time I had been to this foreign-goods orientated supermarket. Although this store was quite small I was pleasantly surprised by the range of goods. It even sold Australian muesli bars and biscuits!! Woohoo! I bought some lovely bagels from there and made something out of them and my husband complimented me on them and that's a rarity given how rarely I cook! The reason I am mentioning the bagels is soon to come.

Then I went back to Slice to pick up the pies. They charged a whopping 5RMB more just to have a hot one instead of a frozen one. Why would I go all the way to this deli (pay 55 RMB for lunch which is about the same price as I'd pay for something similar in Australia) and then bring home a frozen pie?? Ridiculous! So of course I had to get the heated ones (esp. given we have no oven at home). They were delicious but too small and expensive I think (typical expat pricing).

Today:

First I went to Zara to see if a bag I saw in the Superbrand Mall store was there as I was still keen on it. I looked over the two storeys and it wasn't there. The only thing I wanted to see and it wasn't there. Actually that's not entirely true. I think the stock must get sold out heaps quicker in the Times Square store as the SBM store had other stuff that I guess was sold out at TS too.

I went to Slice Deli again (glutton for punishment I guess) and ordered something different. I wish I hadn't though. The bread was rock hard and it was cold. Not just the bread, but the fillings as well. Everything was cold. And hard. So hard I could not for the life of me cut it. So I asked them to heat it up for me. So it was better, but still impossible to cut. I actually had visions of something out of a movie - of the bread flying off my plate, across the room, and landing on someone else's table (or worse - their head). Then I realised why, the knife was a butter knife (blunt as anything). I only got through the top layer and then gave up and ate it with my hands.

Then I went to Cityshop to get these fantastic bagels again and they had sold out! I couldn't believe it. The one thing I wanted in that whole supermarket was sold out. They had every other type of bread there, just not the one I wanted - ARGH! OK so I pushed the cute little trolley around and picked up random stuff that caught my eye. Then I went to queue up. There were only two people in front of me (each buying only a small number of goods) so I didn't think it would take long. While the guy in front of me was being served, this man out of nowhere carrying some onions just pushed in front of me and dumped his onions on the conveyor belt.

Ok, ok, ok... another day, another time he may have gotten away with it (especially since he only had one item and I had about 7 or 8) but given my mood, given this crappy weather, given that I constantly have polite Japanese people on my mind.. he was not going to get away with it! I said to him in my very basic Mandarin, "There's a queue you know? Do you think you don't have to queue?" I actually thought he would argue with me but he didn't say anything. He just kinda sighed and huffed and moved back a bit, but didn't give me enough room to actually get my trolley next to the conveyor belt. Hmmm... To my amazement the guy in front of me actually smiled at me and applauded me and said, "What you did was right." I couldn't believe it. Only in China, right?! Ha!

P.S. I can't believe I was wearing 5 layers of clothes today. (it was 14 degrees).

P.P.S. I also went to the Pu'an Road Children's market today to get some socks. Since I didn't bring over that many from home and never wore them during summer, my wardrobe seems to be suffering a major sock shortage. Plus I'll soon need to wear two pairs. This place is the best I've come across for buying socks. There is a store near the entrance. You go down the stairs go in, and turn to the right and it's one of the first stores there that only sells ladies and kids socks. Socks of every description and colour. As much as I like the cutesy ones they are all too short. I just got plain black (how boring). Ankle length, knee-high length, and also some black tights. 7 items for 60 RMB. Now my tootsies are prepared for winter!

Pu'an Lu Children's Market
10 Pu'an Lu near Jinling Lu (and near Times Square on Huaihai Lu)
普安路10号 近金陵路

P.P.P.S Today I came across the friendliest taxi driver ever. I dunno how long it took to get to the fabric market (but it cost me 30 RMB to give you an idea) but we talked the WHOLE way there. Crazy! Me and a taxi driver! He basically asked me all about my family (as every local seems to love to do) - where they come from, blah blah blah. And I asked him where the fabric market stallholders get the clothes made. Cos I was thinking wouldnt it be a lot cheaper for us if we could just go to the factory ourselves and get the stuff made there? He told me that most of the fabric and the factories are located in Suzhou or in the outskirts of Shanghai in the Songjiang area (interesting!) We also got talking about Australia, and wool, and he said he had heard of some tourists who went to Australia (from China) to buy some 'Australian wool' clothes, came home and looked at the tag and it said "Made in China" and felt very very jipped. I told him it may still have been Australian wool but the labour would've been done in China. Baaa!