From Friday to Sunday this week, you can try out scuba diving in a big tank outside Carrefore in Minhang. Turn up from 3-6pm and qualified PADI instructors will kit you up with a tank and flippers and help you take your first breath under water.

No experience is necessary. It's a promo deal arranged by this group to encourage more people Shanghai to take up diving. While the waters in and around China are pretty filthy, some of the best diving in the world lies on our doorstep in the Philippines. You can get your PADI here in Shanghai with five pool dives and four in Qiandao Lake, which is the best place to dive within driving distance of the city. Big Blue PADI courses cost 5880rmb and they can be taught in English.

But for a taster, head to Minhang any day this weekend. Full details and maps here.

Here's a roll call of some recent openings around town. Let's begin with what's immediately walkable from SmSh HQ in the Former French Concession and radiate outward.

Following closely on the heels of Brioche Doree is Ravaud. Hailing from nearby Hangzhou, this small bakery/cafe offers "cake, bread, ice cream, western style set menu, chocolate." If you can read Chinese and would like to learn more, you can click right here. Dig the stock photo of the French baker guy.

A few blocks away on Jinxian Lu, we've got Le Vin, which does pretty much what it says on the packaging: wine. It's a tiny, quaint wine bar and retail shop. To go with that, they serve a small selection of charcuterie, imported cheese, olives and the like. It's a cozy, tucked away space with a postage stamp-sized patio. They also do an after work aperitivo deal: 48rmb for a glass of wine and a plate of finger foods.

Crossing the river to Lujiazui, Blue Frog's former Super Brand Mall space has a new tenant, a bar and pizzeria concept by the name of Matto. The word is Italian for "crazy," in case you were curious. They're doing over 20 different pies as well as a broad selection of salads, antipasti, pastas and grilled items. After 10pm they transition to a smaller menu of pizzas and bar bites like mini calzones and fried soft shell crabs. They've also got an extensive menu of cocktails, which looks pretty interesting: three different types of gin and tonic, seven prosecco cocktails, and even some beer-based concoction.

Finally, astride both sides of the river, we've got City Bull. This a re-branding of Julie's Food Experience. Remember that place? It was that Canadian restaurant that got its start in the Hongmei Entertainment Street. They've converted that branch along with the one in SWFC and the one on Jinyan Lu and they've add a branch on Nanjing Dong Lu. From what we can tell from their website, the concept borrows heavily from the suburban North American bar and grill chain paradigm. You know, TVs playing sports, random bric-a-brac on the walls, steaks, burgers, barbecued ribs, they even have a "Bloomin' Onion" on the menu. They're also doing a daily American-style breakfast and all that that entails.

Have at 'em...

The drum 'n' bass kids have a big one on their hands with this Friday night show. Sweatshop hosts in, London Elektricity, Tony Colman, founder of Hospital Records to The Shelter. First time he's been back to China since 2004, behind his new album Yikes!.

Tickets are 80rmb to get in, but if you want to get in for free, SmartShanghai is giving away two sets of two tickets to the show. All you have to do is email phreaktion AT gmail DOT com, with your name and mobile number and put this in the subject heading: "SmartShanghai / Sweatshop Guest List" and you and a friend get in for free.

Rad.

This is the way a pub closes, this is the way a pub closes, this is the way a pub closes. Not with a bang but with doubled rent. Such was the case with The Bulldog over the weekend. Saturday was the longtime pub's final night in business. A reliable source has indicated that the landlord decided he wanted twice the rent for the same decrepit space. Neither side was available for comment. The Bulldog's owners have already hightailed it back to Qingdao, and the landlord was unreachable. No word on what will become of the space, but, suffice it to say, the dog is thoroughly dead.