[My Weekender] with Panthea Lee

Panthea takes a victory lap - Nov 13, 09

Panthea Lee is a Jane-of-a-couple-of-trades. She edits and writes for rags and websites, puts on events sometimes -- and, no, she did not throw Pangea Day because it sounded like "Panthea Day" -- and generally just hustles her way around.

I'm not so much a weekend person. Not in the way Shanghai typically does weekends, anyway. I have a comfy flat, a cat, the interwebz, books galore, and 6209 6209 on speed-dial. What more could a girl want?

This weekend will be atypical though. It's my last one in town, so I'm making an effort to step away from Google Reader and canoodle with the city.

The festivities started early this week. Last night was a birthday, so we wound up at the Japanese joint in Donghu Hotel -- it's no Oyama, but good people made up for bad maguro -- and we toasted (and toasted, and toasted) Chris' big Four-Oh. Then it was a nightcap at the cozy, pint-sized Southern Cross for their whiskey selection and Moscow Mules.

Today, it's packingpackingpacking and errands. I've been doing the HealthClinicBankLandlordConsulateSecurityClearance dance all week. It's not as fun as the Macarena.

When I drop by, the American Consulate is busy preparing for Obama's visit. Too bad he's not arriving until Sunday, the day I head to the US. Sigh. Barry and I -- we're star-crossed, it seems.

His loss.

Friday night usually finds me at home solo, as most of the weekly magazines will have just released their new content online. It's pretty exciting. Tonight, though, I'm forcing friends to come round and help me pack. When we get sick of going through my junk, we'll pop around the corner to Charmant for the usual spread, and one last peanut smoothie. Leave it to us Taiwanese to make magic with just Skippy and ice. Genius.

My hot Friday night date? Frank (aka Dreamy McHands) at Yu Massage. Who needs a boyfriend when Number 11 does my body so, so right?

I'd love to hit the Roni Size show at Shelter, but post-massage, it's looking unlikely.

Saturday will be mellow. I usually work through the weekends -- freelance life! -- but I generally find excuses to pop by Wieden+Kennedy down the street. Ever wonder why advertising folk work so much? If W+K is any indication, it's because admen spend much of their workday tanning on the office rooftop deck. Seriously -- just drop by 1035 Changle Lu. Shirtless wonders galore.

I'll pop in for a final look at "Postcard", a solo show by Rodney Evans (he of Central Studios and SuperFuture fame) at The Foundry. A wicked sense of humour shines through the whole exhibit, but it's those tourrorist portraits I love best. (On the art tip, I'm sad to leave before MoCA's Animamix Biennial kicks off -- Nial O'Connor is working on an amazing piece for the show; I would've loved to see it live.)

There's talk of a paintball outing on Saturday. I've never been, so am definitely game. Or 10-pin bowling.

Yes, we are *that* exciting.

Final dinner in Shanghai? el Willy, as much for the grub as for the chef. Hailing from Barcelona, Willy and his food embody all the punch of his hometown. As the chef would say: sexysexy, indeed.

After that, those plush leather armchairs at Constellation 2 will be calling my name. The allure of free-flow Champagne wore off after Year 1, these days, it's mostly fancy-iced -- seriously, Constellation's ice is awesome -- whiskey affairs for our sorry lot. Smokey single malts and dark chocolate truffles amongst those nearest and dearest is my idea of Saturday night bliss.

Sunday morning generally means dim sum. The aromatic duck restaurant (aka Royal China) used to be my go-to, but since becoming vegetarian, I no longer need to shlep up Jing'an Mall. Might hit Shen Yue Xuan instead -- we did an outing there last Sunday, and one week on, I'm still drooling over those fried turnip cakes.

After that, it's sobbing on shoulders, clutching at ankles, and heading to the airport with my life in two suitcases. Cue: John Denver.

It's actually been three years to the day since I first touched down at PVG.

Thank you, Shanghai.

It's been dreamy.

• » Suzhou
• » Hangzhou
• » Putuoshan
• » Hainan