Anti-Theft Starbucks in Shanghai

Before I came to China, I've heard stories of how women's bags and purses get stolen so frequently at coffee shops. I am a victim of having my 4-day-old COACH bag stolen in China, so I knew very well of this danger.

We went to starbucks with a friend (but I did not drink coffee because I boycott starbucks coffee, sorry) I noticed that there is a chain hanging down from the table.

I asked the Canadian friend (who's been in China longer than us) what the chain was for. He said, "OH, you don't know what this is?"

The purpose of the chain is for you to hook your bag to it, so when someone tries to snatch your bag, BAM! it will be stopped because it's chained to the table.

I find this facinating! Yes, women do have the tendancy to place their bag on the chair next to them, or put it behind their back. This is a big NO NO in China. Unless you want someone to take away your bag.

Halal Restaurant in Shanghai

On Tuesday, we met a lovely Canadian couple who was introduced to us by a friend from America. They are believers like us, and they really gave us strength.

They invited Erik and I to their home for dinner although it was not planned. It was so kind of them!

I had mint tea and lemon squares for dessert! (Oh, I SO missed having home made desserts). Erik had Swiss Miss hot chocolate!! YAY! We were so delighted to see Swiss Miss again!

So we went outside to buy some noodles and veggie dishes for dinner and we stopped by this "hole-in-the-wall" Chinese-Muslim restaurant on the side of the street. Their noodles are hand made and the man just churns out thin noodles by beating the dough and kneading it and just stretching it and folding it 9 times! And amazingly the fat dough magically shreds down into thin noodles!

We HAD to take a picture of him like a tourist...

hehe

Nanjing Xi Lu

A view of the skyscrapers from the overpass near Nanjing Xi Lu

American Steak & Eggs

Nanjing Xi lu

American Steak & Eggs!

updates! updates! and updates!

Well, my beloved camera that I had for many years finally broke...

so I've been taking pictures with my camera phone, and I didn't have time to upload all the pictures.

now that I downloaded the software, I can upload pictures onto my computer! yay!

hence, so many updates all at once! hehe

more exciting stories/pictures to come -

the ORIGINAL General Tso's Chicken!!!!

Oh yes, one of the beauties of China is definitely FOOD from all different provinces.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, Erik and I had the privilege of having the ORIGINAL version of the beloved General Tso's Chicken!!

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH it was so good.

We went to a Henan restaurant recommended by a fellow WAHOO that we met in Shanghai.

and we saw General Tso's Chicken, and we immediated ordered... mmmmm

my mouth is watering when i see these pictures. Shown in the picture; General Tso's Chicken, qing cai (baby Kailan) with mushrooms in oyster sauce (OHHHHHH!!) and the building shown in the picture is a Mongolian style villa. Very interesting!

seriously, Chinese-food in America is so bad.

...

Shanghai version of Georgetown ?

Last weekend, Erik and I visited "Nanjing Xi Lu" on FRI, SAT, SUN (three days in a row!)

we've kinda become experts of this place.. hehe

the impression I had when I saw the shops on renovated old two-story buildings was that it reminded me a little bit of Georgetown...

Thai Friday

Oh the wonderful Friday!

Last Friday, Erik found a Thai restaurant online, so we went to check it out -

because we were desperately craving THAI FOOD!

We went to a place called "Thai House" which Erik found good review on the internet.

When we arrived, we double checked and triple checked the address because we could not see a restaurant anywhere! We were at the right place, but no restaurant! Zenme ban (what to do!)! We saw a really ghetto looking back alley, with some cars parked on the side and the restaurant workers were squatting, hanging out, smoking on what seemed like a back door of a restaurant...

well, we asked where the Thai restaurant was, and the lady pointed us to the direction which was even more sketchy...

finally, we found the restaurant! which was located inside a building which supposedly is like an office building and randomly on the 2nd floor was the restaurant! (no signs outside though!)

but thankfully, the inside of the restaurant looked very normal and decent. How strange!

The food we had was kinda expensive (in Shanghai standards) but so AMAZING!!!!!

Happy stomach, happy face!

A Walk in the Park

Chang Feng Park

长风公园

this park is literally right next to our school. So Erik and i decided to check it out.

It was a sweet little park with a lake in the middle.

Some people were practicing rowing for the dragon boat racing (coming up next month!)

Discovering "Candied Yam" in China!

Do you know this Korean dish called "Mat Tang"?

Erik and I found something similar in a restaurant that serves Heilongjiang food.

I saw the description and it said "candied yam" and I was so happy! because, again, I was imagining candied yams that you would see with your thanksgiving dinner....

but instead, something else came out, which was still very delightful!

the "candied" part was different because it was more like glue-ish candied coat.

It really sticks in your mouth and it stretches so long and it hardens very quickly...

If you ever had Korean "Mat Tang" (which is the Korean version of candied yams) you will find it similar to this...

Chinese "candied yam" ! So sweet, crispy and Delicioso!!

Shanghainese Food w/ ZOEY!

The first week I was here, I was lucky enough to meet my UVA friend ZOEY!!! >_<

We had AWESOME Shanghainese food at Lu Jia Zui - So good!

and we had an beautiful night view of the Huang Pu river and the tall sky scrapers... with glittering lights...

I was surprised to find out that some of the apartments in the Pudong disctrict can cost a fortune!

So much disparity of wealth in Shanghai... Zoey was right: you can live as poor as you want or as rich as you want! you can still live....

I miss Zoey...............

Best XIAO LONG BAO ever!

droool....

the best xiao long bao (steamed dumpling) i've ever tasted!

i've ate so many xiao long baos but this one was by far the BEST ever!

and yes, ginger vinegar is so gooood!

location:

Huang He Lu near Ren Min Guang Chang

Jia Jia Tang Bao

Hiding from the Rain - at a cost!

Last friday, it rained...

and when it rains in Shanghai, the road becomes really wet and gross... black puddles you have to watch out!

i let my feet get dirty because I can just wash them and I would rather get my feet dirty than my shoes dirty..

so Erik and I go into this "Coffee shop" - kind of thinking in American terms.. like a local coffee place.. to hide from the rain...

BUT

we got on the elevator that led us to "U.B.C. Coffee" and the door opens and we see a red lighted fish tank with big red fish swimming inside and we hear a high pitched female voice, "huan ying guang ling, ji wei?"

Hmmm... we hear some oldie "trot" music and some middle aged person smoking...

and we sat at a booth with nice sofas..

it was kind of dark inside..not too much lighting.. hmmmmmm!

very different from a "coffee place" that we expected..







To our dismay, the coffee was really expensive (Chinese standard) and we had to order 2 orders..







So I ordered "mocha coffee" and Erik ordered "banana boat"







It was the most elaborate and intricately decorated banana boat I've ever seen!




But I will never return to U.B.C Coffee!

AND it didn't stop raining that day.. so we walked home in the rain...

I'm starting a BLOG?!

Hello friends & family!

Yes, I am starting a blog! wow -

I have arrived in Shanghai more than a week ago and I just want to keep my friends and family updated on where I go, what I do, what I eat and especially the special people I meet while I am here!

I'm taking language courses at East China Normal University (Hua Dong Shi Fan Da xue) in Shanghai and it's been the first week of class.

Facebook takes way too long to load anything, so I have decided to start a blog instead...

I'll keep you posted and hopefully this will help us keep in touch! :)