[My Weekender] with Anita Hawkins

Anita Hawkins finds it hard writing about herself in the third person, so stalk here, here, here and 'ere.

I'm clinging onto memories of my 30 degree homeland and denying that I'm wearing layers I've forgotten about or that I'm making friendly with my heater.

It's my fourth winter in Shanghai and I'm still in denial.

So I ply my weekends with friends (body warmth), maybe a little too much consumption (distraction) and more distraction.

It begins by lining the start with chunks of lamb and polo moments, the Changde Lu Xinjiang Friday Market. But only ever so quickly, it's wet and I'm still in summer shoes. They remind me of the sun. Then onto something I've been holding out for, am lucky enough to get to Sushi Oyama where I shall exchange witty banter for the fourteen course $$$$$ price tag I've been a little too nervous to face. Tasty great beginnings.

And when I'm heavy and satisfied it's on to important stuff, it's my closest's birthdays this weekend, lovely Lin Lin and Ceilen. They would have been terribly busy with their own consumption at Lost Heaven up till this point but now we're slotted in to a booth at Chinatown. Maybe I'll get to see the whole show this time, though the last I saw, it was a throng of women biting each other, blood and flesh everywhere (Halloween). Am quite happy for that to be the final impression.

And they don't know it yet but when Chinatown ogling is filled, we all move collectively to Rich Medina at Shelter. Dance, dance, sweat. Ceilen is probably biting everyone by now -- this means the good times roll.

Then, home! My electric blanket and a refusal to get up and face the winter morning. Until Sammy calls and lures me out with the The Great Xiao Long Bao Bike Ride. I can't ride a bike, so it's a great reason to learn. But it's too cold anyway so I'll hop in a Dazhong and procrastinate the learning experience for a whole winter longer. Xiao Long Bao, Xiao Long Bao, Xiao Long Bao!

Now I hide with my heater, call all sorts of delivery numbers and retain body heat gearing up for body shots off DJ Plushophilia. It's a Badtastic Sexy Time tonight. They tell me 100rmb/body shot, if you're willing to offer up your body, you get 50%. I say bad deal, but good times.

At about 2am I disappear silently and ridiculously excitedly to catch The Motherfucking Gaslamp Killer. So. Hot. Can't wait to feel sweaty and maybe a little stifled this second night in a row at Shelter. Really.

After his magnificent and wonderous set I slip back into Badtastic and make like I never left by ordering McDonalds delivery and chowing out with the rest of them bar-side. Sorry guys...but I'm back!

I'd like to say that we would continue the night into a Party World where I get to jump on couches and slip out to a beautiful morning of ballroom dancing and backwards walking across Fuxing Park. But I think at this point I would have KO-ed on not-so-chicken McNuggets and be getting friendly with that electric blanket of mine again.

Sunday, if I could somehow get to Xiao Nan Guo without the getting dressed, going outside bit in-between, I'm so very there. Disposable underwear, cable in the sauna, all-you-can-eat, KTV in a muumuu. Sigh.

This would have been a better read if it were summer days. I promise that I would have done more culturally enlightening things like see Chen Wei at m97 or get some meditation in at Kundalini Yoga Studio. But it's not, and so I vote you stalk me at the places above and get me a little more body warmth for my winter denial. See you!