My Weekender is a weekly SmartShanghai column written by changing authors selected from the Shanghai community. According to the various tastes, interests and backgrounds its authors, My Weekender serves as a window into what residents in the city are doing with their time off.

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[My Weekender] Thomas Thompson

Cocktails and art with Thomas Thompson - Nov 27, 09



Thomas Thompson is the PR/Marketing manager for el Willy restaurant.

To those of you who already met me, I have a confession to make: I may look dynamic and utterly stressed out, but deep down I am the laziest, ease-loving couch potato you will EVER know. On the other hand, there is nothing that I love more than sipping a well-executed drink before ending up frantically dancing half-naked on a podium.

Living in Shanghai does not help ease-down such a paradox: both lifestyles are so easily available that it's sometimes hard to choose between the Coolzey pizza/DVD/sofa combo and the full-on night out. Yet, when facing the choice of either going into hibernation or make the most of what the city has to offer, one sometimes has to give one's butt a nice big powerful kick.

Winter times call for indoor activity cravings, and this season has lots to offer. I will thus be rushing to the Ke Center to see Coco Zhao perform in M. Butterfly while this surely not-to-be-missed play is on, before heading for dinner at Mr Willis (that is to say, if I manage to book a table -- geez that place is packed). As el C¨®ctel is not yet open (and with what I've tasted during the trials I'm getting as impatient as a 5-year-old awaiting Father Christmas to bring over her first Barbie), Constellation 2 or Mardi Gras will be great to enjoy what can decently be called a cocktail.

Saturday morning, off to... work -- but quite light-headed. After all, my weekend really begins on that evening, and the Saturday Organic Brunch in el Willy supplied by Fields is always about good vibrations which creates a working environment even nicer than usual. After work, home with my two beloved roommates, comfort food and straight to bed: nothing worth going out, the kick in the ass can wait until next week, no? Or maybe Chinatown...

Over the past few years, the art scene in Shanghai has become increasingly rich in content, and the economic crisis has considerably cleaned up the offerings; making it less likely to see the same things from one gallery to the other. I cannot wait for Paul Lisak coming to ARTinCapitals (Dec 9th), but will head to Art+Shanghai to take a closer look at their latest exhibition -- the previous one, "Being & Nothing," was absolutely outstanding. If time allows after lunch at Annamaya, maybe take another look at Udo Spreitzenbarth's photo exhibiton at 7Tangram (m50). That¡¯s what I call a Sunday afternoon.

No Enjoy party at SIN this week, which is synonym for a delighting dinner at Maya or a chocolate orgy at Whisk -- extra cocooning touch before getting back to work.

A little bit light you may think? I'll finish my week-end in Shelter next Wednesday...