Link: http://dir.blogflux.com/cat/regional.html

Another places to surf around in the blogosphere.

Had an amazing opportunity to dine as a very cool but pricey venue today. YongFoo Elite, located in the old English Consulate compound. Mr. Wang, the proprietor, who also runs The Door, has embodied this venue with his dreams, his vision and his soul.
I could write this like a review but really I just wanted to share my impression of this place. It’s a private club that has a dining room open to non-members. It is located in a French Concession house that has been tastefully refurbished with some personal touches from the owner, an artist and collector of antiques. Rare pieces of furniture like an antique Gucci sofa set, a 19th century Chinese refrigerator, and lighting from pre-deco periods sourced from across the globe.

The actually feel is that there is a cross between Asian and Western, or in more politically more incorrect terminology, more of an “oriental- occidental” feel. The Main building is mostly classic western with some artistic touches, and while the annex building is a mish mash of Chinese pieces artistically combined to give an amazing feeling for most westerners. It looks and feels like a collection put together by British or American collector of Asian pieces. But words cannot carry the feelin one gets when walking through the garden or the annex building, only a visit can.
As photos are forbidden in the club, I can only refer you to website links that introduce this place.

http://www.yongfooelite.com/001e.asp
http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/shanghai/has/yongfoo-elite/
http://www.worldsbestbars.com/public/venue_listing.jsp?categoryId=96&currentVenueId=16543724

Hope you enjoy the place as much as I did, but be warned, the average dining cost there is about 500¥ pp for dinner, though you can get drinks in the garden it seems.

Collapsing Ceiling Buries 12 People

Chongqing- the collapsing ceiling of a chemical storage facility killed 12 workers on Monday. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.

Obama Presents New Strategy To Get Over The Recession

Yesterday president Obama presented his new investment plan which is focused on stable things like education, health care and energy for building a foundation for a long-term economic growth. Well, we’ll see if it works….

YouTube Blocked Again

China has blocked the website YouTube again. The Chinese ministry was prompted to block YouTube again as a result of a fake video, conducted by supporters of the Dalai Lama. It showed a Chinese police man beating a Tibetan protester to death. I personally dislike such a behavior and can totally understand Chinas reaction in this case. I also wouldn’t like others making up stories and abusing something like YouTube for offending and putting me down in front of others.

Old Man Falls Undamped From His Fifth-floor Apartment Into Depth

The word is that a 74-year-old man was probably causing fire by burning some joss sticks in his apartment in Minghang District. At the attempt of saving his life while climbing to a neighboring balcony he lost his strength and fell non-braked on a stainless steel roof on the first floor. The man sustained major broken bones but is not in a critical state. A blessing in disguise!!!

Financial Crises Becomes Noticeable With Fresh Graduates

March is called to be the best time for getting a bunch of job offers for fresh graduated students. Even though many people say the economic crisis has not a huge impact on Shanghai, many companies stopped recruiting. Consequently students are applying unsuccessfully. In my point of view, if somebody wants to work, there will be a position available. Sometimes there is just a little bit more patience and persistence needed.

Beijing: Trade pacts are signed between China and Uruguay

According to the China Daily: “Under the pacts, Uruguay recognized China's full market economy status, which will help China better protect its rights in case of anti-dumping charges.” Yesterday the Uruguayan Foreign Minister Gonzalo Fernandez came for signing the contract with Chinas commercial minister Chen Deming to the Great Hall of people in Beijing
Since China is Uruguay’s third largest trading partner, the aim is aid one another and expand trade with China amid the world financial crisis. .

Butte, Montana: Plane Crashed Into Ceremony

On their way to ski vacation, the plane of 3 families crashed into a cemetery, while trying to make a force landing in Montana. All 14 occupants were killed and are already identified by their loved ones. The causes for the crash remained unanswered up to now.

Pooops in Ganzhou

All of us know that most Chinese babies don’t wear any nappies. Like all babies they relieve themselves wherever they are. But there is something new. Actually children should be potty-trained when they get older. Not in that case. According to Shanghaiist.com there was a Chinese mother watched while she was helping her little daughter to poop twice on the streets of Ganzhou, Jiangxi province. The German comment to this: Mhhhhmmm! YUMMY!!! A little girl who is sideway-trained!

Guangzhou Plans To Set A New World Record

What do Chinese do when they want to attract more tourists? They build a high building or at least a sky-scratching-building. This time Guangzhou, Guangdong’s provincial capital, is trying to fly at a higher game by constructing the worlds highest ferry wheel. Building their own ferry wheel is very common and one of the best running crowd puller in china.

Supplier Got Arrested At Beijing Airport

Although people should learn their lesson at some time, it doesn’t seem to have happened yet. On his way from Lagos to Beijing via Doha a smuggler got caught red-handed. No wonder, he was just wrapping 87kg of his "special goods" in plastic bags and put them into his hold luggage. Because of overweight he had to pick it up from Beijing airport a few days later… Those plastic bags might have attracted attention of the custom officials…(More info on danwei.org)

Get Ready For The Aliens!!!

In the end of February 2009 journalists coincidentally noticed an UFO flying next to their plane on their way from Nanjing. Though it was quite far away they couldn’t clearly recognize what it really was. Fortunately those journalists were clever enough to take a picture before it changed its direction and flew away…. Watch out! They will also come to visit you!

Inner Mongolia Needs Artillery

It might be a little bit cold in Inner Mongolia recently. So cold that the artillery was needed to clear some ice blockers. According to the Shanghai Daily they were firing 105 rounds of ammunition to let the water of the Yellow River flow again. The freeze temperatures caused ice blockers of a length of 4kms in Urad Front Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A couple of days ago, dynamite was also used to clear blockers at other regions of the river.

A few says of SUNSHINE and all the blues went away…but we may have bits of rain yet before Spring finally arrives. Nonetheless, the warmer weather is welcome and soon all the patio dining places will be packed! I am hoping to see Sunshine peak through this week and have it sunny for the rest of the week, but we shall see!

This weekend looks to be a busy one with many things happening. Personally I just want to sleep this one away but I MAY just head out to the Zpark Bar opening tonight, as its only a couple hundred meters away from home so I can stagger back after that event. There are many music event happening this week including a Metal line up of bands on Sat night at Live bar that sounds rather interesting, or the Ultimate Facebook Shanghai party, hmmm…

Oh, my favorite wine bar now does BRUNCH! Starting this Saturday, Cuvee is now serving a brunch EVERY Saturday and Sunday from 12.30pm until 4.30pm. 135rmb includes an all you can eat Buffet, including some of our most popular dishes. Also includes 1 coffee/tea and free flow Juices and Perrier Water!! Will be interested to try this out soon! Bookings are advised if you want to come, as once the word gets around, it's going to be very popular. And yes, their amazing selection of wines and champagnes will also be available to order with weekly specials! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=71376821797

Happening now through March 22!- The 2009 Shanghai Literary Festival will happen at Glamour Bar, sponsored by the M-bars. The Shanghai Literary Festival has been growing steadily in clout, heady intellectual supposition, and attendance since its humble beginnings a few years ago, and has hosted writers, novelists, and luminaries like Gore Vidal, John Ralston Saul, and Amy Tan in years past. Noted speakers this year include historian and culture critic Simon Schama, oft-persecuted French/Turkish writer Elif Shafak, and the always estimable James Fallows. For more info: (http://mrestaurant.sylogicsgroup.com/mrestaurant/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=75%E2%8C%A9=en )

Friday, March 20- Zpark Bar Opening Party at Zpark bar in the new Renaissance Hotel at Zhong Shan park, Cloud Nine. This 25th floor bar opening makes it one of the few bars in the Zhong Shan Park area and will offer free cocktails from 930-1130pm. Music by DJ Mick and more. The Zpark Bar is located at 1018 ChangNing Rd, 25th floor of the Renaissance Hotel. 6115-8809 for info and rsvps.

Friday, March 20- Fabulous Earth- Earthday Celebration at Sin Lounge, sponsored by “ARUP “ known for their famous Beijing Aqua building will be sponsoring this event giving out Free fabric bags and will be educating us on how to help save our Earth. Rsvp robby at Mirage Events:: 13918961269, robby@mirage-shanghai.com

Arts For Charity Extravaganza (ACE Event) Saturday, Mar 21, ACE - 1pm to 4pm, A student initiated charity event! High school students from 10 international schools will showcase their talents in fashion modeling, fashion design, painting, music and art to raise funds for "Shanghai Healing Home", a charity aimed to help physically disabled Chinese orphans needing operations. Your ticket purchase will help raise funds for this charity. You will also enjoy a good show put on by the students. We have excellent raffle and door prizes. Don’t miss this event. Tickets available at event entrance. Tickets: Adults 200, Students 100, for more information, LOFT Shopping Mall, 508 Jiashan Lu, Luwan near Zhaojiabang Lu嘉善路508号近肇嘉浜路

Saturday March 21 - ShanghaiUltimate Facebook Party 10- 6am perhaps? Open bar includes beer, vodka redbulls, cocktails, spirits & mixers, and soft drinks. There is also an outside area where you'll be able to get bbq all night long! Price: (80RMB guys/40RMB girls) Location: Bar Hulu 5308-9191 ( 2/F, 500 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, The Bund near Nanjing Dong Lu 中山东一路500号2楼近南京) RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=68244767958

Wednesday, March 25th 7-9pm - Chatfest - Shanghai, Language Exchange Meetup will be held at Dunkin' Donuts ShiMen Yi Lu 239, near Weihai Lu. Come join italki.com's members in Shanghai to: find a language partner, practice a foreign language, learn about different cultures, and indulge yourself with some Dunkin' Donuts. Posted for http://www.italki.com

March 28-29, 10am, Kids Expo @ Shanghai Exhibition Center –The first exhibition of this kind and size launched in Shanghai by World Events Agency (the organizer of Expat Show), Kid Expo Shanghai will be a two-day event, dedicated to all the kids (aged 0-16) and their parents living in Shanghai.

As a comprehensive exhibition and an educative event, the Kid Expo Shanghai will be a perfect platform to show all the services related to the kids’ education and daily-lives, with the participation of kindergartens, schools, training centers, hospitals, toy and game manufactures, clothes brands, FandB service providers, sports centers, travel agencies… For inquiries email kidexpo@weacn.com or visit www.kidexposh.com

((Community Sponsor)) Remove CHLORINE and other contaminants from your water before you bathe or shower. Come check out the ShowerBaby water filter at DirectWay’s website or come for a demo at the store in Jing An district, 509 Beijing West Rd.
DirectWay is a proud supporter of the ShanghaiExpat Community! Clean drinking water? Chlorine-free showers? Reduced Detergent use for laundry for eco-friendly washes. Preview the whole line of fine Water filters on the web site at: http://english.obusiness.cn/yhhnj/en/water/productlist.jsp ((Sponsor))

Charity announcements:

Help save the lives of babies in need of critical life saving medical procedures. Two of the co-founders of this foundations are friends of mine that I have only the utmost respect for in that they truly work hard for what they believe in, saving children’s lives, one at a time. Please check out the BaoBei Foundation and donate to a good cause… Give the gift of LIFE! http://www.baobeifoundation.org

Helping Hand Shanghai is distributing an environmentally friendly re-usable shopping bag that can be bought to benefit a choice of Shanghai charities: Shanghai Sunrise, Charity Carnival, Second Chance Animal Aid or Roots and Shoots. Just go to the link for more details: http://www.helpinghandsh.com/ .

Regular event announcements:

Saturday Mornings: The Original Saturday Morning Coffee Meet – this event is an informal place where expats and friends can come and meet old friends and new expats, to compare notes of just simply chat over coffee. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Zhong Shan Park’s Cloud Nine Mall graciously hosts the event and offers attendees a discount on drinks and food during the event, every Sat morning from 10:30-12:30. Informally, many in the group will continue onto have lunch together before splitting off to the many activities of the weekend. A great way to start off each weekend. Feel free to contact me about this event as I personally host this one.

Sunday Brunch at XinTianDi is hosted by ShanghaiExpat at the Coffee Bean there.. This event goes from 12 noon- past 2pm and is also a good place to meet up with those in the community .

Wednesday Night Mixers at Malones has been on going now for four years and running strong. Every Wednesday night, Shanghai Expat and Malones come together to host this mixer as a great place to come for food, friends, and fun. Located on the third floor, the mixer is a private space for Shanghai Expat community members new and old to get together and relax and chat. Runs from 9-12midnight, weekly , 3rd floor loft at Malones, 225 Tong Ren Rd near Nanjing Rd .

Ok that’s it for now. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I used to rent an office a few blocks south of Xintiandi -- nice, big, cheap. Today, I'm bartering for -- much smaller -- office space near Jing An Temple.

However, a very large part of my business is conducted at Xintiandi.

I know, I know -- many expats think its one big overpriced tourist trap. It's true, there are a lot of tourist groups that find their way here. You can tell who they are because it's a large group of people following someone with a flag. But they don't usually stay long.

The reason that I love Xintiandi is for the people-watching. Especially in nice weather, you can sit outside at any of a dozen cafes and restaurants and watch people walk by. If you sit there long enough, pretty much everyone you know in Shanghai will walk past you, or stop for a chat.

You've got your Latin American barbeque, your German beer house, your Thai food and your Starbucks. There's even a gym and a movie theater showing foreign movies, in English. You can live here.

But there's a few places I always come back to.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF

This is the premiere location for Shanghai entrepreneurs. Free wireless access, good coffee, lots of little tables with uncomfortable chairs - for working on. And lots of soft, comfortable chairs for sitting in and planning your next business venture with your business partners. The food is also cheap, and much better than at Starbucks.

KABB

This place is a little harder to find. If you come in by Starbucks -- and this is where most taxis will let you off -- go straight for a couple of restaurants, then make your first left. KABB is at the end. You can tell you're there because if the weather is nice, all their outside tables are packed, while other restaurants around them are still empty. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is that their salads are huge. So are their desserts. The mile-high chocolate cake is, in fact, pretty tall. They make a mean Reuben sandwich, good burritos. The chicken pesto pasta isn't always on the menu, but if you ask for it, they'll make it. But the best reason to come to KABB is that they make the best Bloody Marys in town. And sometimes, you need a good Mary. At KABB, they come with a fixings kit -- pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, celery, and, yes, horseradish. It's the horseradish that really makes the Bloody Mary. If you're planning to have a business lunch there, schedule it for just before noon -- it's hard to get a table, otherwise.

PAUL'S

During the winter months, Paul's is a little tight and crowded for a business meeting -- even with the newly expanded seating area inside. But during the warm weather, it's a nice place to sit and watch people get out of their taxis -- maybe drinking a latte while waiting for your client to show up, before you head to the Coffee Bean for serious conversation. Or you can stop by Paul's on your way to the taxi line, to pick up some fresh-baked bread -- the best in town -- or a croissant amande. That's a croissant made with almond butter. It is wonderful. Paul's is the only place I've ever seen it outside of Paris. True, I haven't looked very hard -- I'm sure there are places in New York or London that make them. But if you just go to Xintiandi, you'll save yourself a trip.

STAPLES

Kitty-corner from Starbucks is Shanghai's best office supply store. There's a copy center in there, as well as a UPS counter. Sure, there are office supply stores on Fuzhou Lu, small and weird, with bizarre selections of office products. You'd have to go to ten of them to find what Staples has all in one place. And if Staples doesn't have it, pick up their giant catalog, from which you can get free delivery of office furnishings, white boards of all sizes, stationary and various and sundry office supplies.

THE MAGAZINE RACK

Around the corner from Paul's -- about three or four storefronts down -- there's a little tourist shop that sells maps, guidebooks, jewelry and other bric-a-brak. This shop also has a newspaper and magazine rack with the latest issues of the top sellers -- BusinessWeek, Time, Fortune, Forbes, and the Economist. If your client called you to tell you they're running particularly late, walk over and pick up an issue, then walk back to Paul's for a coffee and pastry.

THE FAKE ANTIQUE STREET

Occasionally a client will ask to see something touristy. Nothing beats walking east, past Xintiandi pond -- so pretty surrounded by all the high rises -- to the fake antique street. They can load up on Mao buttons, little red books, jade ornaments, red star T-shirts, and practice their bargaining skills in the process. One client -- an antique radio buff -- was able to find some vintage prizes here. He was the expert, and pronounced them authentic. The market is on Dong Tai Lu. If you've hit Xizang Nan Lu (Tibet Lu) you've walked a block too far.

CHATERHOUSE BOOKS

Okay, Chaterhouse isn't actually on Xintiandi, either. It's in the Times Square complex on Huaihai Lu, about two blocks north and two blocks east. But if you've got a little time on your hands -- and want to walk off that Reuben sandwich and the croissant amande -- then it's a quick enough hop. Chaterhouse is the first and only independent bookstore in Shanghai, not counting the hotel bookstores and that Garden Books place, which doesn't seem to have rotated its inventory in years. Chaterhouse is about the size of a Waldenbooks back in the States -- a mid-sized mall bookstore. But it's got a really decent selection of nonfiction business books, and plenty of leisure reading - mysteries, science fiction, and novels. The children's section is particularly well-stocked. If you walk in through the front entrance of Times Square, take the escalator on the left down to the basement. The bookstore will be in front of you, across from the Cafe de Coral. Personally, I like to shop for sales and marketing books here, since this is my weakest area. Once I'm loaded down with books, I usually stop by City supermarket, on the other end of the basement, for groceries, then catch a cab to go home.

Maria Korolov Trombly is founder and president of Hong Kong-based Trombly Ltd., which runs editorial news bureaus around Asia. Trombly Ltd.'s BrainTrust Editorial division provides corporate communication services such as press releases and white papers. And the China Speakers Bureau is the largest speakers' agency in Greater China, representing over 300 speakers and experts on topics such as economics and business, culture, and technology.