[My Weekender] with Heejung Jun

Heejung Jun is a fashion designer and consultant. She also runs a new blog, focusing on the Shanghai fashion scene, called www.hee-j.com.



One of my favorite things in Shanghai is the weekend. When I think of the weekend in this city, I think of colorful nights, glamorous parties and meeting cool stylish people from all over the world, all chatting in different accents. I think about flying through the French concession on my bicycle, old Shanghai movies, wearing pajamas outside, morning coffee in lane cafes, visiting galleries... so much to do on a Shanghai weekend.


Since I started my fashion blog though, all of the above has taken a back seat to work, work, work on the weekends. With my two Korean writers, Yuri and Haru, we spend the days working on projects and doing meetings. At night, we explore new places and go to new events for content. Luckily, I love my job and don't mind working all the time. I get to meet many creative, inspiring people and do many fun things. And the best part is being in Shanghai... one of the most multicultural and varied places in Asia...


This weekend we're shooting a new project themed around "love" in Shanghai -- it's easy to make love, hard to find love -- and we're shooting couples... Anyways, after Friday dinner with my clients from Tokyo at isola, the new swanky white Italian Restaurant in the IFC Mall, I'm going to a model casting at D2 in the Cool Docks -- hopefully I can find a cool gay couple willing to publish their love... Saturday, I'm scouring the French concession to look for shooting locations and I'll have brunch with my staff at Amokka on Anfu Lu. In the late afternoon, I have a meeting with the photographer to discuss the project, hopefully at Baker & Spice if they have seats. For dinner, I'm going out with a friend at Korean cozy restaurant Annion to drink their premium Mak Gul li (Korean Rice Sake) and eat spicy Korean food. After dinner, we'll head to Cafe Sambal to drink wine in their upstairs lounge.



Sundays, I try to break from working and socializing, trying to enjoy my private time. First, in the morning I'm going to the Korean United Church on Hongzhong Lu (Korean Town) to be better person, of course, and afterwards I'll go to a boxing gym in Red Town called "Hero". Also to be a better person of course... Spa is after that. I like the one in the Ambassy Club. And with my spa-partner, we'll hit Goga for dinner, a cozy Cali and Asian restaurant. And finally to the DVD store. I'm working on a charity early next year and have to pick up some documentaries for a little research. So it's DVDs on the couch and then to bed... ready to start another beautiful week!