Curated, Opinionated Shanghai Living

News, updates, everything we've got...
- Restaurant R.I.P. (For Now): Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse
  
  News from the steak world: Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse will be closing this week. The rarefied, expensive bastion of 1,100rmb bone-in rib-eyes and cigar-chomping customers will be packing up its things and leaving the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin Hotel on Sunday, January 27 for unspecified reasons. They hope — don't we all — to find another place and re-open by April. Read the full statement after the jump. Read on
- Great Things Combined: Laser Tag, Roller Skates and Alcohol This Weekend
  
  What mad genius. See if you can follow: Laser tag, roller skates, neon and the distinct possibility of horrible, horrible injuries. It's either the set of a seminal sci-fi flick from 1982, or it's a Friday night at RIINK. Oh, it's the latter? Laser & Roll, going down this weekend. Apparently RIINK has a slick neon lasergun system that you wear as you skate. It's four people per team, 100rmb each gets you a pair of skates and a drink, a laser gun, a neon light-up garment that strangers can shoot at until you're all out of health bars, and access to the Game Grid. Innovation in the party space! Have at it.
- P.F. Chang's and Most Sister Restaurants Close, Some To Reopen in Pudong Airport
  
  If you didn't get the lettuce wrap, you missed your chance. Citing poor business, operators HMSHost made the decision to close down P.F. Chang's, the "American bistro in China," pride of the 8th floor of 800 Nanjing Dong Lu. That was December 31, it opened in April, that works out to just shy of nine months. We didn't hate it. They also closed down Sushi Groove, Mango Chili and the Crystal Jade on that floor, but The Dining Room and Jones the Grocer remain open. HMSHost, a gigantic food services company that mostly runs restaurants out of airports, says they're keeping their options open for a P.F. Chang's comeback. So that's nice. In more nice news for frequent flyers, they've started construction of a The Dining Room and Element Fresh in Pudong Airport. Slated for September. Maybe.
- In The Cinema: Deadpool 2, Alita, Captain Marvel, and More
  
  Deadpool in China? A film about the Huangpu River dead pigs incident? Two Chinese sci-fi films on the same day? The next few months are full of surprises. And more after the Oscar winners are announced: A Star Is Born? BlacKkKlansman? Bohemian Rhapsody (with the gay scenes edited out)? Exciting! Read on
- Money Money: Govt Stats Say We All Have More $$$, and We’re Spending It
  
  Do you feel richer this year? Because the government says you are. Says we all are, and we’re spending more! That's the takeaway from the latest government statistics. Consumer spending in Shanghai during 2018 increased by 7.9% to 1.27bn rmb. That's because we all have more money — 68,034rmb in disposable income each, on average, or 8.7% more than 2017. A lot of that is going to online shopping, with online retail sales up by 15.8% over 2017 to 151 billion rmb. Just in Shanghai. The rosy glow of individual prosperity comes even as overall economic growth in Shanghai keeps slowing down, from 6.9% in 2017 to 6.6% in 2018. (If you're curious, Shanghai's total economy is worth 3.27 trillion rmb.) The decrease in growth was described as being “within a reasonable range” by Shanghai’s Municipal Bureau of Statistics, and when compared to the global GDP growth rate of 3.7% in 2018 (says the IMF), it sure sounds “reasonable”.
  
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- Burners Talk: Dragon Burn People Meet Tonight to Plan This Year's Burn
  
  Dragon Burn Art Collective kicks off 2019 with their first meeting of the year tonight to start the planning of Dragon Burn 2019, China’s answer to Burning Man. We spoke with Mike Pratt, part of the Burn’s “Ministry of Art,” to learn more about the group of artists who make Dragon Burn what it is: a five-day outdoor festival filled with sights, sounds, souls, and "radical self-expression". Read on
- 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.
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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
Happy Hour

For 98rmb you get two drinks, either prosecco, aperol spritz, or a Botanical Feast cocktail, and a sampler plate of finger food to share, Monday to Friday from 5-7.30pm.

Nightlife | MOMÉNTI

BOGO Roasted Chicken

Every Monday, Windows is offering a buy one and get one free for a roasted chicken dinner from 5pm til 9pm. 45RMB for two.

Dining | Windows Scoreboard

Super Flight Mondays

All day, every “Super Flight” Monday, get 50% off on one flight of the day of four 5-ounce pours. The January flight includes a lineup of White Geist Berliner Weisse...

Nightlife | Stone Brewing

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

23 Jan 2019

Ramen is Rameney?

emmgant on Ramen Samurai Ryu

Ramen never speaks to me the way a lot of other Japanese food does. It’s never struck me as super flavorful, but I’m also always saying that all Chinese noodles in Shanghai are bland. I used to live in Xi’an, so I was spoiled by flavorful spices, which is what I expect when I... Read more
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