Teilani wrote:

jesslsk wrote:Just noticed this thread has been "downgraded" from the top board...

(...).

Yes, noticed it too.
True, there is no offical SHExpat representative at our Saturday meeting. But still ...I feel slightly offended somehow. We are the "original" one, and we do still meet every Saturday. Yes, it is usually the same crew showing up, but newcomers are always welcome. So why demote us ???

On the bright side.... if we just keep posting a lot, we will still be on the top of the board. HA!

By the way, not sure who of you regulars can be there this Saturday (21st), but I have to be in the office. (Don't you just looooove this Chinese custom of substitute workdays for holidays?)
Planning to be back the week after. Happy CNY!

Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday!

Thanks!

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday! Thanks!

Fine, except that it's NOT in the afternoon exactly!
Some show up for coffee as early as 10:30 or 11:00 -- and by 1:00 or 1:30, we are gone for lunch.

For some expats (such as me), a Saturday gathering fits better into our schedules than the Sunday one.

woyechijing wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday! Thanks!

Fine, except that it's NOT in the afternoon exactly!
Some show up for coffee as early as 10:30 or 11:00 -- and by 1:00 or 1:30, we are gone for lunch.

For some expats (such as me), a Saturday gathering fits better into our schedules than the Sunday one.

Yeah, I understand, but we may change the time as to the condition of the events in the future. Since now our Sunday coffee meeting covers average 30ppl each week. You guys can go to the Saturday one but we have to state that it's not ShanghaiExpat's event!!!

Happy New Year!

SHEX EVENTS wrote:You guys can go to the Saturday one but we have to state that it's not ShanghaiExpat's event!!!

Okay buddy, okay! We understand! You have said this thrice

SHEX EVENTS wrote:

woyechijing wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday! Thanks!

Fine, except that it's NOT in the afternoon exactly!
Some show up for coffee as early as 10:30 or 11:00 -- and by 1:00 or 1:30, we are gone for lunch.

For some expats (such as me), a Saturday gathering fits better into our schedules than the Sunday one.

Yeah, I understand, but we may change the time as to the condition of the events in the future. Since now our Sunday coffee meeting covers average 30ppl each week. You guys can go to the Saturday one but we have to state that it's not ShanghaiExpat's event!!!

Happy New Year!

Forgive a grumpy old man who no longer lives in Shanghai......but did participate in the Saturday Coffees on a regular basis for the 5 years I lived in Shanghai....

So it is not an "official event"....which basically means no discount and no useless sign.

Big Deal....

Would it kill the current SHEXPat staff to still support this by having it listed as an activity?

Do nothing more than ask Coffee Bean to reserve a portion of the back room?

What's with the thinking on this????

The whole point of Shanghai Expat is to help build communities and networks....

One already exists that requires ZERO true effort from the ShexPat staff.....and you kill it?????


Jeesh.....


And as long as I am being grumpy and pissy....This is a Forum for Ex-Pats. Your credibility in handling this issue would be much better if you at least communicated in proper English?????

Your note....
Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is the marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat haveonly 2 Weekly events, one is the Wedensday night mixer and the other is theSunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many memberswho would like to go to Zhongshan park at onSaturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday!

p1atl10 wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:

woyechijing wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday! Thanks!

Fine, except that it's NOT in the afternoon exactly!
Some show up for coffee as early as 10:30 or 11:00 -- and by 1:00 or 1:30, we are gone for lunch.

For some expats (such as me), a Saturday gathering fits better into our schedules than the Sunday one.

Yeah, I understand, but we may change the time as to the condition of the events in the future. Since now our Sunday coffee meeting covers average 30ppl each week. You guys can go to the Saturday one but we have to state that it's not ShanghaiExpat's event!!!

Happy New Year!

Forgive a grumpy old man who no longer lives in Shanghai......but did participate in the Saturday Coffees on a regular basis for the 5 years I lived in Shanghai....

So it is not an "official event"....which basically means no discount and no useless sign.

Big Deal....

Would it kill the current SHEXPat staff to still support this by having it listed as an activity?

Do nothing more than ask Coffee Bean to reserve a portion of the back room?

What's with the thinking on this????

The whole point of Shanghai Expat is to help build communities and networks....

One already exists that requires ZERO true effort from the ShexPat staff.....and you kill it?????


Jeesh.....


And as long as I am being grumpy and pissy....This is a Forum for Ex-Pats. Your credibility in handling this issue would be much better if you at least communicated in proper English?????

Your note....
Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is the marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat haveonly 2 Weekly events, one is the Wedensday night mixer and the other is theSunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many memberswho would like to go to Zhongshan park at onSaturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday!

Thank you for your efforts to edit my paragraphs. I am not a native speaker in English. I think the same thing will also happen to you if you type in Chinese!

For Saturday's meeting, when it was started,I was not here! But one point I know is that we have moved the Saturday's meeting to Sunday! It means: no Saturday meeting organized by ShanghaiExpat! but,as I mentioned, if you guys want to join the Saturday's meeting, its ok! However, its not officially organized by ShanghaiExpat!

Thanks!

p1atl10 wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:

woyechijing wrote:

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat only has 2 Weekly events, one is Wedensday night mixer and the other one is Sunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many members would like to go to Zhongshan park at Saturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday! Thanks!

Fine, except that it's NOT in the afternoon exactly!
Some show up for coffee as early as 10:30 or 11:00 -- and by 1:00 or 1:30, we are gone for lunch.

For some expats (such as me), a Saturday gathering fits better into our schedules than the Sunday one.

Yeah, I understand, but we may change the time as to the condition of the events in the future. Since now our Sunday coffee meeting covers average 30ppl each week. You guys can go to the Saturday one but we have to state that it's not ShanghaiExpat's event!!!

Happy New Year!

Forgive a grumpy old man who no longer lives in Shanghai......but did participate in the Saturday Coffees on a regular basis for the 5 years I lived in Shanghai....

So it is not an "official event"....which basically means no discount and no useless sign.

Big Deal....

Would it kill the current SHEXPat staff to still support this by having it listed as an activity?

Do nothing more than ask Coffee Bean to reserve a portion of the back room?

What's with the thinking on this????

The whole point of Shanghai Expat is to help build communities and networks....

One already exists that requires ZERO true effort from the ShexPat staff.....and you kill it?????


Jeesh.....


And as long as I am being grumpy and pissy....This is a Forum for Ex-Pats. Your credibility in handling this issue would be much better if you at least communicated in proper English?????

Your note....
Hi,Thanks for your efforts! This is the marketing department from ShanghaiExpat. Now we ShanghaiExpat haveonly 2 Weekly events, one is the Wedensday night mixer and the other is theSunday Coffee Meeting. For the Saturday one, I think it was long time ago our original marketing department organized it. Later on we cancelled it for some reasons. But there are still many memberswho would like to go to Zhongshan park at onSaturday afternoon. That kind of occasion we can't control because its the attendees preference. But we have to state is it's not our ShanghaiExpat's weekly event and no specific staffs and special deal there. Our coffee meeting event is on Sunday instead of Saturday!

Lastly, the reason why we moved this post to regular section is not we don't want to hear any news from this group. It's only because we don't want our members to feel confused: Which is the official ShanghaiExpat Sunday Coffee Meeting? The announcement section only can be used for ShanghaiExpat events. So that's why we move this thread to the regular section. Please understand!

Cheers

Wow, so Saturday is now officially an unofficial event... Too bad. I'm finally going to be headed back into town after a year of absence and my favorite Saturday activity is no longer official? Oh well. At least if it's still going on... Y'know, come to think of it, in all the years I've come out to the Saturday events, I don't recall ever really seeing a strong ShExpat "theme" to the Saturday gatherings anyway. Just old friends getting together to talk, share some coffee, a meal, and maybe some afternoon activities. Seems a little silly that the website has to "authorize" certain events.

Well, at any rate, for the old timers that do happen to remember me, I should be back in town in late March, so I hope to still see you all hanging out. (Besides, I had promised teilani I'd bring some black licorice the next time I was in town!)

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Thank you for your efforts to edit my paragraphs. I am not a native speaker in English. I think the same thing will also happen to you if you type in Chinese!

For Saturday's meeting, when it was started,I was not here! But one point I know is that we have moved the Saturday's meeting to Sunday! It means: no Saturday meeting organized by ShanghaiExpat! but,as I mentioned, if you guys want to join the Saturday's meeting, its ok! However, its not officially organized by ShanghaiExpat!

Thanks!

You are correct. I am not a native Chinese speaker. But I am a Marketing Professional. And when I do marketing in languages other than my mother tongue, I enlist proof-readers who ARE native in that language..... to make sure that my organization is using the language correctly in order to insure we present ourselves in the most professional and credible manner possible.

Just a thought you may want to consider......

SHEX EVENTS wrote:Lastly, the reason why we moved this post to regular section is not we don't want to hear any news from this group. It's only because we don't want our members to feel confused: Which is the official ShanghaiExpat Sunday Coffee Meeting? The announcement section only can be used for ShanghaiExpat events. So that's why we move this thread to the regular section. Please understand!

Cheers

Boy! I guess the target audience for ShexPAt must have gotten incredibly dumber since I left. For the time I was there (back when the smart ones attended!) we were somehow able to figure out that there were TWO events. One on Saturday. One on Sunday......

Why? Because it is not always convenient to meet on Sunday. Hence an opportunity to meet on Saturday.
Marketing 101. Listen to your customers.....

Please do yourself a favor. I am sure you are a nice person trying really hard to do what you are told.
Bring this up to the current management...and ask why they cannot continue to "sponsor" a coffee meeting on Saturday. No discounts. No Sign. Just a call to Coffee Bean reserving the back room. And preserving the Announcement for those of your target market who would prefer to meet on a Saturday on the front page.

Or....is there something else going on with Coffee Bean we are not aware of?

Thanks....and kindest regards.
P1ATL10

@justaboi: I am still here (and still waiting for the licorice ). See you in March!

@P1atl10: Thanks for the support. I also don't understand what the big issue is. Guess you cannot be listed on the top board unless you are "official", and to be "official" it seems you need to have a deal with CBTL and a SHEX banner. (Or maybe it is much simpler: the SHEX marketing team cannot handle two official ones? Too complicated? )

Indeed none of the group that currently meets on Saturday works for SHEXpat. However, we met because we saw the meeting announced on the SHEXpat "announcement of events"-board.
Anyway, at this moment I no longer care whether we are "official" or not. We can still meet and have fun. I will just post regularly, so we are somewhere in the top of the list and relatively easy to find for others.

So, for any new "laowai" in SH who want to meet other expats, but for whom Sunday is not convenient; you can join us on Saturday! Be aware though that we are not an "official SHEX"-meeting, and we are not affiliated to SHEXpat in any way (apart from the fact that many of us knew Michael personally) .
*imagine a full flung disclaimer here to prevent any potential mix up with any of the offical SHEXpat events*

There are always at least 3 people of the regular crew and the group gets as big as 15 on a busy week. There is no banner to guide you to where we are (we are not official remember?), but as we occupy the middle of the CoffeeBean we are hard to miss. (Unless of course you left both your tongue and every cell of your brain at home. )

Note: this was written by a non-native English speaker.

Just to make things clear, the Saturday meeting is not an official Shanghai Expat™ Event and is not officially sanctioned by the official Shanghai Expat™ marketing team via the official Shanghai Expat™ announcement section of the official Shanghai Expat™ forums, because the official Shanghai Expat™ Events and Marketing department didn't mention that fact enough times.

As far as I am aware, there was never any real decision to make this meeting unofficial until now. It just slowly fell out of favor with the incoming expats (probably due to location). While I do understand that the marketing department doesn't want to split their time between the two (hey, it's hard to be in two different places on two different days...), it does seem strange that they would so publicly pull their support for a tradition that has stood for so long. It just seems like there is some other motivation at work here.

As for the claim that it's "confusing" to have more than one coffee meeting listed, I find that a bit insulting. To imply that we can't distinguish between two different events on two different days at two different locations is silly. I, for one, welcomed the flexibility of being able to choose which day I wanted to have coffee when I moved here a little over a year ago. If clarity is really the only concern, then re-sticky the thread with an [Unofficial] appended to the title; it could easily replace the "Original" and would prevent anyone from thinking that you have anything (officially) to do with it, thereby freeing you from any liability.

BTW, love the disclaimer Teilani ^_^

Last Saturday we were with 9 people, including 3 new faces.
Funny how true the saying "Speaking of the devil" is. We were just discussing the recent "official/unoffical" tiff going on here, when two gentlemen showed up asking "Is this the unoffical meeting?"
It was nice meeting you gentlemen, and hope to see you again this Saturday.

Oh, a warning: Contrary to the plans discussed last week, I will be in SH this Saturday and plan to come for my regular fix of coffee. So, "I'll be back" (imagine very poor Schwartznegger impersonation here)

Honestly... The SHEX EVENT's post makes me think this forum is run by local...

I can understand SHexpat has certain new policies or "control" requirements, but I'm sure there is a better way to explain it, instead of such attitude. After all, "exclusiveness" should not appear in this community.

I do appreciate the effort of SHexpat management, but seems like proper training to the staff is needed.

^ LOL at the first line... sproken like a true "local" Jesslsk!

Almost Saturday again, so time for the next episode of the "original" (and recently relabled as "unoffical") coffee meeting for expats. Same place, same time, and don't forget to bring your sense of humor.

Wow, maybe this event needs a boost.

I started this event so many years ago and I must say that without members like P1at!o and the like, it would never have sustained so long. It is important to add that it WAS indeed a sanctioned event when we started this event AND was also sponsored by various sponsors including Coffee Bean Cloud Nine and various other vendors who came out to show products, talk about donations for good causes, and even help book exchanges there, all to take part in the expat community. What this was NOT was a corporate sponsored event with official hosts, though certainly I made every effort to attend for almost 5 years every week.

But we branded this coffee meeting as the original because I helped start the original Coffee meetings in 2003 on SATURDAYS because it was convenient for members to get together, meet new people, and sometimes hang out the whole weekend after meeting new friends. We hung out for coffee, then did lunch and then sometimes went Karting, or shopping, or sometimes straight to drinking.

Anyhow, unofficial or not, I am proud of this event and and so glad to see that a new generation of expats have taken it under their care. This is the original coffee meeting in spirit, and will always be the Shanghai Expat Community coffee meeting. Thank you all for your continued community involvement.

Rowenoake wrote:Just to make things clear, the Saturday meeting is not an official Shanghai Expat™ Event and is not officially sanctioned by the official Shanghai Expat™ marketing team via the official Shanghai Expat™ announcement section of the official Shanghai Expat™ forums, because the official Shanghai Expat™ Events and Marketing department didn't mention that fact enough times.......

...As for the claim that it's "confusing" to have more than one coffee meeting listed, I find that a bit insulting. To imply that we can't distinguish between two different events on two different days at two different locations is silly. I, for one, welcomed the flexibility of being able to choose which day I wanted to have coffee when I moved here a little over a year ago. If clarity is really the only concern, then re-sticky the thread with an [Unofficial] appended to the title; it could easily replace the "Original" and would prevent anyone from thinking that you have anything (officially) to do with it, thereby freeing you from any liability.

BTW, love the disclaimer Teilani ^_^

Hahaha. I love your comment. Well put.

Thanks for the post yu....it's quite sad to see Shanghai Expat turned over to local staff.
For me it feels like the beginning of the end.

Looks like we are more a marketing opportunity these days -:
wfoe-representative-office-and-visa-t138227.html

BONNIE wrote:Thanks for the post yu....it's quite sad to see Shanghai Expat turned over to local staff.
For me it feels like the beginning of the end.

Looks like we are more a marketing opportunity these days -:
wfoe-representative-office-and-visa-t138227.html

So, since Michael died, his widow has sold the company to a local concern.Is this it? So, moderators are all local, as is the new proprietor, right?

BONNIE wrote:Thanks for the post yu....it's quite sad to see Shanghai Expat turned over to local staff.
For me it feels like the beginning of the end.

Looks like we are more a marketing opportunity these days -:
wfoe-representative-office-and-visa-t138227.html

I guess the Advertising SPAM rules to not apply to ShexPat support staff....

ATP wrote:So, since Michael died, his widow has sold the company to a local concern.Is this it? So, moderators are all local, as is the new proprietor, right?

No, wrong on all counts!

Now lets leave this thread to the good people and their Coffee Meeting

Good people? Ha Ha.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.....SAD

Mod4 wrote:Now lets leave this thread to the good people and their Coffee Meeting

Why do you say "their" coffee meeting? You're welcome to join us!

And we don't just sit and drink coffee all the time, we do other stuff as well -- dinners, trips to places near Shanghai -- a trip to a place far from SH is also being planned.

p1atl10 wrote:

BONNIE wrote:Thanks for the post yu....it's quite sad to see Shanghai Expat turned over to local staff.
For me it feels like the beginning of the end.

Looks like we are more a marketing opportunity these days -:
wfoe-representative-office-and-visa-t138227.html

I guess the Advertising SPAM rules to not apply to ShexPat support staff....

I was thinking the same thing when I opened the most recently weekly SHEX email. I swear a good third of it was blatant advertising. Personally, it makes me wonder if it's not actually a good thing we were so unceremoniously dropped. At least now we don't have to get beat over the head with advertising.

While I understand that this is a business, there are limits to what your "clientele" (read: the expat community in Shanghai) are willing to put up with. I don't want to go to an event where I feel you've brought me in just to make money off me; I want to go because I will meet like minded people with whom I can relax and have a good time. Luckily, the SATURDAY meeting has been able to provide such an environment. I can't say the same for the Official Sunday Morning Coffee Meeting™. In a certain sense, it has always had more of a "meat market" vibe to me, and I know I'm not the only person who has felt that way. At least one of the new people we had two weeks ago came to our meeting because they were dissatisfied with the Official™ one (and, might I add, returned again last week). For all their boasting about how many people are attending the Sunday Coffee Meeting™ each week(it was 49 this week, no 70, no 54!), I have to wonder how many are actually repeat attenders. That, I feel, is the TRUE test of how well your event is going.

Regardless of the "official" status of this coffee meeting, it will happen weekly and good people will continue to attend. That is the spirit of the Shanghai Expat Community. How the business side of things chooses to harness this energy to fund more events is a whole other story.

That said, in support of this event, I will try and show up this coming Saturday at the Cloud Nine Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves for part of this event, and I welcome any other old regulars or new folks to continue coming out as without the energy and participation of you all, ShanghaiExpat would not be what it is today. Of course it seem s I may need to figure out the new timing of this event as I used to get out there by 10:30 but perhaps it starts much later these days?

yu888 wrote:That said, in support of this event, I will try and show up this coming Saturday at the Cloud Nine Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves for part of this event, and I welcome any other old regulars or new folks to continue coming out as without the energy and participation of you all, ShanghaiExpat would not be what it is today. Of course it seems I may need to figure out the new timing of this event as I used to get out there by 10:30 but perhaps it starts much later these days?

Great, look forward to meeting you!
Yes, 10:30 is a bit early by today's standards. I will try and be there by 11 or 11:30 -- so that's Saturday, Feb 25. And these days, we meet in the front section of CB (the non-smoking area).

ok, will do what i can to make it. limited time in town but will try and make it

Hey folks, it was great to revisit this coffee meeting last weekend and find a small but dedicated regulars still meeting on a regular basis, including a few from the "old days"! You folks have certainly earned the title of the "Original Coffee Meeting" and have done the event proud. This event is a community promoted event that has sustained because people WANT to make it happen. THAT my friends is what the Shanghai Expat Community is all about. Thanks for welcoming back! I look forward to popping in when I am in town,

For those considering whether or not to attend, this group is very welcoming of newcomer expats in search of a place to hang on Saturday for coffee and then lunch. So pop on by!

Thanks for the warm review. It was nice meeting the (in)famous originator, as I had only heard tell of you in stories. Of course, we always welcome you any time you are in town. The same goes for anyone else who would like to stop by; we're pretty casual, and we rarely bite. Please be advised, though, we are a much smaller group than the Xintiandi one. So if you show up and only see a few expats sitting together, walk right up and introduce yourself. Chances are, that's us.

Since I don't think it has been stated in a bit, here are the (slightly) changed details of our "meeting":
We have a tendency to stagger in one by one from 11:30-1:00. Meetings are casual and open to all expats new or old (locals are also more than welcome as long as you aren't just there to practice your English). Sometime around 1:30 we typically head out for some lunch either in the mall or someplace nearby. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or coffee), please come on by and hit us up.

yu888 wrote:Hey folks, it was great to revisit this coffee meeting last weekend and find a small but dedicated regulars still meeting on a regular basis, including a few from the "old days"! You folks have certainly earned the title of the "Original Coffee Meeting" and have done the event proud. This event is a community promoted event that has sustained because people WANT to make it happen. THAT my friends is what the Shanghai Expat Community is all about. Thanks for welcoming back! I look forward to popping in when I am in town,

For those considering whether or not to attend, this group is very welcoming of newcomer expats in search of a place to hang on Saturday for coffee and then lunch. So pop on by!

YU....Any "Newbie initiations"?

Or is that another tradition that has died?

Although getting the appropriate implements in place was always difficult....it was always a good time!

But Shanghai has changed since then I suppose.

Probably not near as easy anymore to get small farm animals and a bottle of Olive oil into the Coffee Bean anymore....

Sigh....

HA, BLOODY HA!