Curated, Opinionated Shanghai Living

News, updates, everything we've got...
- Karaiya: People Behind Haiku Open Hunan Restaurant This Week
  
  Ten years ago, or more, when Japanese restaurant Haiku was at peak popularity, I remember one of the owners whispering to me about his idea for a Hunan restaurant in Shanghai. After threatening it for more than a decade (and opening it in Beijing), that conversation has finally turned into reality. Karaiya in the new Xintiandi Plaza, across the hall from The Nest & co's Rye & Co project (more here) "opens" this week after a hush-hush trial operations period. The restaurant is more Spicy Moment at Kerry Centre than Wulumuqi Lu Hunan dive, with large paintings of qipao-clad beauties on the walls, dim lighting and a re-imagined take on the classic two-color fish head (it's a whole fish). They are technically open now but that mall is slowly getting up to speed. If you're looking for a new place for a spice fix, wait until this weekend and then put it on your list.
- Paint by Numbers: These Were Shanghai's Most Popular Exhibitions and Museums in 2018
  
  Some pretty interesting stats from the state-owned media outlet 'Cultural Shanghai' (文化上海) on how public art in Shanghai has evolved. Most notably, the last six years have seen a big jump in privately owned museums, as rich benefactors push culture to the masses. In number terms, Shanghai had 89 museums by the end of 2018 (compared to just 34 in 2012), and 67 of those were privately owned. The rest were state-owned. Read on
- Peppa Pig Stageshow Is Back This March, In English!
  
  Holy moly, there's been a lot of Peppa Pig going around the internet these days, like this adorable super-viral trailer for her new movie. People can't get enough of her! They're hounding her in the streets, and we're here to add to the deluge. The little pink piggy is on tote bags, cups, earrings, phone cases, shirts, sweaters, stickers, FamilyMart dumplings and Ferrari custom decals, and now, she's back on stage! In English! On March 16 and 17, at the Daguan Theatre inside the Himalayas Center, it's the whole gang, in glorious, actual, real-life 3D. Tickets are already available over on SmartTicket, starting at 180rmb.
- Good People: Adopt a Puppy from Hangzhou This Weekend
  
  The Rooster is hosting a Puppy Adoption Day this Sunday (January 20) from 3-6pm. Is now the time to add a new furry friend into your life? Organized by Fosters4Hangzhou, the event is a direct response to a new Hangzhou law that bans daytime dog walking. The law caused a lot of pet owners in the lakeside city to abandon their dogs, and hence, an increase in rescues. This batch of around 20 dogs (mostly young puppies!) comes directly from those rescues. All the puppies have been vaccinated and de-wormed; adult dogs have been sterilized. Alternatively, SmartShanghai's classifieds have pets who need a home too. Do a good thing!
- Jazz Trumpeter / Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis Coming To Shanghai in March
  
  Jazz fans! This one's for you: Wynton Learson Marsalis is coming to Shanghai, leading the Jazz at Lincoln Orchestra for a one-night show on March 15. The orchestra itself is made up of 15 of the finest soloists, ensemble players and arrangers in jazz music today, but the real appeal is the man himself. He's a big deal in music circles. The artistic director at New York's prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center and a nine-time Grammy Award winner, in 1983, aged 22, he became the only musician to win Grammy Awards in both jazz and classical music in the same year. The next year, he did it again. He's the first musician to win a Pulitzer. That's not normally for musicians! Tickets start at 180rmb over on SmartTicket. The program's currently set to feature Duke Ellington, Marcus Printup, Lester Young, Neal Hefti, John Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis' own work, a Chinese melody, and more.
- Restaurant R.I.P.: EQ and Sushi'O on Yanping Lu Shut Down
  
  The CNY reaping! In the latest news, EQ Nordic Eatery on Yanping Lu has shuttered its doors just over a year after opening. With the demise of their popular Bundside spot and the one in Global Harbor, that brings an end to EQ in Shanghai. For now. Bummer. Their Scandinavian sensibilities will be missed. Just a little further up the street, Sushi'O closes today after six years on the block serving popular budget sushi. They've still got their original Yongkang Lu location, as well as the one in Found 158 and they continue to do deliveries.
- Watch This: Er Guang Wonton's Name Stolen and Franchised
  
  Interested in the intersection of trademark law and a bowl of steaming hot wontons? Then watch this short video (on YouTube; VPN it) that explains what happened to local favorite Er Guang Wonton — victims of trademark squatters who have stolen their brand and begun to franchise it. So we called Er Guang today and asked how to tell the difference. Click-through to find out! Read on
- Ticketing Now Open for Jason Mraz in May, Get Them Fast
  
  The gates of Mraz have swung open. Ticketing has now begun for the epic Jason Mraz, who will be performing his blue-eyed soul in Shanghai on May 15 for a single engagement with Shanghai. That is all. They will sell fast. If you want to go, it's time to buy. And, hey, conveniently, you can do that right here with SmartTicket.
- R.I.P.: Boutique Cinema Cinker Pictures Has Closed
  
  Like sand slipping through your fingers, Cinker Pictures has gone back to the Earth. The private cinema, which opened about a year in Taikoo Hui, has closed for good. Their phone number has been suspended, their online listings deactivated and their associates have been telling us this isn't the temporary "upgrade" their WeChat account suggests. A shame for those who reveled in the private feel of this dinner-and-a-movie-in-one-package idea, for sure. See what we thought of it in its early days right here and perhaps console yourself with another high-spec, high-tech movie theater in town.
- New Restaurants: Shanghai is Having a Hot Pot Moment
  
  Shanghai is going through a hot pot moment right now. The city has never lacked for places to dunk things in scalding broth; there are 7,900 hot pot restaurants in Shanghai, according to Dianping. But this year, there has been a crazy fragmentation, with new niches being created and filled in the time it takes to swish a piece of hand-cut lamb around a qingtang stock. As evidence, I present four new-ish restaurants all trying to put their own spin on the genre. Read on
- Shanghai's Most Photographed Cafe, The Original Seesaw, Closes Friday
  
  You've definitely seen pictures of it. It's the one with the atrium skylight and the spiral staircase. According to a post on their WeChat, the Seesaw Coffee on Yuyuan Lu which launched an empire, is closing Friday, January 18. Opened in April 2012, it's been a staggering 7-ish years, which is like 6,000% longer than most coffeeshops in Shanghai. Also makes it possibly the first wanghong cafe, before wanghong even congealed as a concept. They're giving away free coffee from 9am-4pm, with 200 goodie bags of freshly roasted beans going to first comers. Expect crowds, and people taking pictures. Read on
- Cum Again: The Sexiest Performance in Shanghai This Week
  
  Feeling like your sex life could use a pick me up? This Saturday, Cum Again presents an evening of sexual empowerment performances, hosted by DomiKnow, a woman from New York City. Cum Again is a movement, open to all genders and sexualities, to encourage sex education and communication in a positive, healthy way. "50% of women don’t achieve orgasm," DomiKnow says, and she’s hoping to change that. But she understands that such topics can be taboo in China, even in the more forward-thinking cities like Shanghai. "I muted all my colleagues on my WeChat moments, because I don’t want to offend my boss," she says. Read on
- Xinfab Closing (Again) After Brief Reopening, Looking for New Digs
  
  Non-profit "fablab" (stands for "fabrication laboratory") Xinfab has announced it'll be closing at the end of January, according to a post on their website. If this sounds a little familiar, it's because the same thing happened back in 2018. It's hard out there for non-profits, and Xinfab's had a rocky road even by those standards. They're actively seeking anyone who might be able to help them get a new home for the 3D printers, laser cutters, and power tools they offer to members looking to get their DIY on. If you happen to have, or know of, an appropriate space that hasn't been turned into a cafe yet, you can get in touch with them via their website, or their WeChat channel (search Official Accounts for "xin_fab"). Good luck out there, boffins!
- Free Booze Alert: Abbey Road Courts Disaster for Customer Appreciation Day
  
  Probably shouldn't boost the signal on this sort of hubris, but 1) free booze makes the world better and 2) we're here to build a better world. Abbey Road, a cozy, live-music spot on Taojiang Lu is celebrating Customer Appreciation Day (capitalism eating its own tail), by offering two free drinks for all customers, starting at 4pm, this Saturday, January 19. Says so right there on the flyer! Shanghai, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
- This New Gelato Shop Has Lines Out the Door — In Winter
  
  Just in time for the bone chilling Shanghai winter, Grom gelateria has opened its doors on Nanjing Xi Lu. Like a Milan fashion house, this Turin-based brand boasts branches in New York, L.A., Paris, London, and a host of other major metropolises. Its stock in trade is gelato "how it used to be made". This means no artificial flavors, colorings, additives, preservatives or emulsifiers. They operate their own farm, where they grow many of their own ingredients, experimenting with various fruit cultivars, discovering those best suited for gelato and sorbet. It's all explained in a looping video on a high-def monitor mounted on the wall. Read on
MORE NEWS

Articles

ALL ARTICLES

WHAT’S ON

Today

23
Thu

24
Fri

25
Sat

26
Sun

27

Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Or...

One of the world's preeminent conductors, Neapolitan-born Riccardo Muti has been the tenth music director of the renowned 127-year-old Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 20...

Arts | Shanghai Oriental Art Center

Candor pres. 'Black Mirror'

A brand new Cabaret show with Dark Circus Experience — 'Black Mirror" — a tantalizing stage show about the demons that devour us. Don't miss out on this exciting ne...

Arts, Nightlife | Candor

Dragon Burn Art Collective

Hang with the Burners and learn about this year's Burn, happening in May and lasting five days. This event will school you on interactive projects you can create or get i...

Community | Daliah
XIA | 下

A very special Fourth Edition of XIA | 下 - Celebrating a triple Birthday Bash of some of the crew! To celebrate special guest Cruel Buddhist joins with an unique musica...

Nightlife | Dada

Candor pres. 'Black Mirror'

A brand new Cabaret show with Dark Circus Experience — 'Black Mirror" — a tantalizing stage show about the demons that devour us. Don't miss out on this exciting ne...

Arts, Nightlife | Candor

Ladies Laugh

Ladies Laugh at Lychee is back again in the new year with a packed lineup of some of the funniest ladies in town. Both men and women welcome. Free.

Nightlife | Lychee
Marco Corola

Big name techno DJ comes in to Celia courtesy of Mixmag for a 3-hour vinyl set. 250rmb pre-sale or 300rmb on the door.

Nightlife | Celia by Pulse

S.T.D. presents Chromeo

Whey-hey, it's Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo! Coming to Shanghai! Formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel, they draw thei...

Nightlife | Arkham

Queen Tribute Concert

Queen! Men! Myths! Legends! Mixing stadium rock, metal, glam, and Freddie Mercury's operatic vocals, Queen exploded into the rock arenas around the world with the over-th...

Arts, Nightlife | The Pearl
Magic Piano & The Chopin Shorts

A kid-friendly introduction to the music and works of Chopin, Magic Piano & The Chopin Shorts combines 3D animation with live musical accompaniment to bring several short...

Arts | Shanghai Oriental Art Center

Queen Tribute Concert

Queen! Men! Myths! Legends! Mixing stadium rock, metal, glam, and Freddie Mercury's operatic vocals, Queen exploded into the rock arenas around the world with the over-th...

Arts, Nightlife | The Pearl

Cosign 1 Year: Objekt / Job Sifre

Celebrating 1 year of Cosign, a weekly event at ALL club. Objekt: Despite releasing only a small handful of records since his eponymous white-label debut in 2011, the Ber...

Nightlife | ALL Club
Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic

Watch as seasoned comedians and newbies alike try out their newest jokes for free. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's cringey, but it's always free.

Nightlife | Comedy UN

Chinese New Year Party

Celebrate the Chinese New Year... Brazilian style? Why not. Live samba and feijoada, a mix of rice and beans and pork. Wear red and get a hongbao to use at the bar. Free ...

Dining, Nightlife | Barraco

Sourdough Bread Workshop

Learn the secrets and intricacies of sourdough bread making. Take sourdough starter home from the workshop (a 100-year-old sourdough starter from Alaska) as well as your ...

Community, Dining | Agora Space

ALL EVENTS

GALLERIES

- January 19, 2019
  
  MVP Secret Party
  
  @ The Pearl
- December 22, 2018
  
  Menace II
  
  @ Arkham
- January 12, 2019
  
  MVP Events On Top
  
  @ Park Hyatt Shanghai
- December 31, 2018
  
  Bar Rouge Gold New Years' Eve 2019
  
  @ Bar Rouge
- December 31, 2018
  
  Samba De New Year’s Eve Party
  
  @ The Peninsula Shanghai
- November 23, 2018
  
  Wellington Winter Christmas Bazaar
  
  @ Wellington College International Shanghai
- October 22, 2018
  
  Summer Camp
  
  @ Freesoul Montessori Kindergarten
- October 22, 2018
  
  Montessori Time
  
  @ Freesoul Montessori Kindergarten
- October 22, 2018
  
  Charity
  
  @ Freesoul Montessori Kindergarten
- October 18, 2018
  
  Graduation Ceremony
  
  @ Freesoul Montessori Kindergarten

SMARTREVIEWS

21 Jan 2019

The best soup you'll find in a mall?

MichaelRussam on Song Fa (IAPM)

Song Fa is a Singaporean chain that specializes in Bak Kut Teh, a complex pork rib soup that has roots, I believe, in the Chinese communities in that country and Malaysia. At Song Fa they do versions with various parts of the pig, the classic being the ribs. They also serve up the broth as the... Read more
18 Jan 2019

Very Thai, very.

delfinash on Very Thai

You might already heard that I wasn’t a big fan of dining at shopping malls until I came to China. People change, right? Well, now I love discovering good restaurants in the middle of the malls. Recently opened Lu One Mall in Xujiahui road brought a nice gastronomic offer to the city, no... Read more
17 Jan 2019

Trendy, relaxed and fine dining: all in one.

delfinash on FOGO

Up in the 6th floor and three blocks away from The Bund, you will find a bar, a lounge, two terraces and a restaurant all in one. You can either choose to have a full date dinner with your other half, a couple of drinks after office with colleagues or a snack with friends. It's a place suitabl... Read more