How're you doing out there? You okay? Get your return flight rescheduled yet? We miss you. Weird times, right? Hard to know what to believe. We just want to keep you updated on what's been happening. Here's what the last week has been like in Shanghai during what all the Chinese media are now calling the Special Period (非常时期).

The weekend saw a bunch of places get the green light after the massive crackdowns of the last two weeks, just in time for some 20-degree weather and sunshine at the start of the week. We've listed something like 60 places that are open again, but there are also new restrictions in place. Many places close at 8pm, no more than two or three people allowed at a table, a meter or two required between guests, and masks on at all times when not actively eating or drinking. Enforcement is spotty, but venues aren't taking as many risks. Big nightlife spots like TAXX (though El Santo in Found 158 opened today) are probably staying shut until the coast is 100% clear. Still, there are few customers even at the places that are open. It seems the city is not quite ready to go back to its ravenous dining-out ways. Coffeeshops are generally open, though hipster favorites like Gregorius only get crowds on the weekends, as opposed to every day. Supermarkets, wet markets and Avocado Lady are open. Gyms, which have been doing online classes, might start reopening from next week. Self-quarantine is still in place, and strictness still depends on your compound. Almost all have implemented some sort of a physical pass you have to carry with you. Some neighborhoods barely look up as you saunter out. In others, you need to apply for a daily pass to exit the gates, and they'll only grant one every day or two for grocery shopping. If you're thinking of coming back now, be aware that you'll have to register with your neighborhood committee and they'll tell you to quarantine yourself for 14 days. It's not legally mandated, but if you start an argument with your bao'an and they call the police, you're going to have a bad time. Street life is quiet, but it's an uneasy quiet, and you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Schools haven't given a back-to-school date yet, though most have started some form of online classes, including public schools and universities like Jiaotong. Watch the schools. When the kids are allowed back in groups, things will really be moving towards normality. A lot of offices are back, though. Ours, for example. Temperature checks in the lobby seem universal. Some companies are working in shifts to avoid everyone crowding in together. The metro is busier than last week, but it's still mostly a ghost town and operating on reduced hours. Road traffic is coming back, but you can still get a Didi in less than a minute. Taxis will slow down as they pass you on the street to see if you need a lift. Whoever heard of such a thing. That's life in Shanghai right now. It's definitely not normal. Let's call it tentative.