SHANGHAI

SHANGHAI SHOPPING/MISCELLANEOUS:

1. Dragonfly - nice place to get a massage or your nails done. Various locations, not all offer the same services. Good pricing (particularly for the massages) and open late hours. They do not ask you any questions relating to your medical well-being so you should know whether or not a certain treatment is right for you. www.dragonfly.net.cn.
2. Simply Life - sells unique pieces for the home, many of which are imported like Alessi from Italy. Various locations such as Xintiandi and Dongping Lu.
3. Lapis Lazuli - sells home accessories, including a lot of ceramic dishes. 9 Dongping Lu 6473-1021.
4. City Shop- great supermarket where you can find imported food items that you miss from home. Various locations http://www.cityshop.com.cn/.
5. Silk King - makes clothing from a pattern or picture. Good quality, but more expensive than the fabric market. Various locations www.silkking.com.
6. Jinjiu Antique Furniture - lots of antique and new furniture, can also make from a picture and has various stains. Showroom - No. 2028 WuZhong Road 6278-9656; factory - No. 88 Riyong Road 5914-6551, open 9-6pm. John Zhang speaks English there, www.jinjiufurnituer.com.
7. Cozy Home Furnishings - makes custom cushions in various fabrics (mainly striped), good quality. Contact Carolyn Zhou 6471-0723 or 137-6407-7577.
8. Fenshine Fashion & Accessories Plaza - many of the retailers from the old market on Huai Hai Road are here. 3 floors of merchandise. 580 Nanjing (W) Lu near Chengdu (N) Lu.

SHANGHAI SIGHTS:

1. Shanghai Museum - worth a visit. Has lots of Chinese furniture and art and the museum shop is good too.
2. Taikang Road - Art street. Great place to wander around with neat shops. One I liked was Shirtflag (there are other locations) which sold cool shirts with Chinese national symbols/pictures on them.
3. Outdoor Antiques Market - didn't think it was worth it, although you can pick up some souvenirs here. Be willing to look around.
4. Xintiandi - great place to walk around, shop, and have a coffee or something to eat.
5. The Bund - should go and see it. Good viewing from one of the restaurants for lunch like M on the Bund.

SHANGHAI BARS:

1. Blarney Stone - typical Irish bar. Good place to go.
2. Sasha's - large bar set in a old house. Great place to go, with lots of outdoor seating. Also has a pool table inside. 11 Dongping Lu 6474-6628.
3. Cotton's - great bar set in an old house with a large outdoor garden, complete with four poster bed. 132 Anting Lu 6433-7995.
4. O'Malley's Irish Pub - Irish pub obviously. Lots of seating inside and out and usually a good place to hang out. 42 Taojiang Lu 6474-4533.
5. Paulaneer Brauhaus - German brewhouse and restaurant. A few locations, the one in Xintiandi is big with lots of outdoor seating, good for people watching while having a beer.
6. Upstairs at Park 97 - big club with a few different bars downstairs. Busy, loud, live band, pool table. #2 Gao Lan Road, Fuxing Park (corner of Si Nan Road) www.lankwaifong.com.

SHANGHAI FOOD:

1. JW Marriott - great Sunday brunch with or without alcohol included. Make a reservation 5359-4969. Chinese restaurant is very good too.
2. Simply Thai - our favourite Thai restaurant. Very good food, especially the green chicken curry. Moderately priced for Shanghai, with a few locations. www.simplythai-sh.com/simplythai/.
3. Coconut Paradise - Thai food, nice setting. Good prices and food. 6248-1998.
4. Element Fresh - various sandwiches, salads, fresh juices and smoothies and more. Really good spot and very busy during peak times, but fast turnover. Various locations, great for lunch. www.elementfresh.com.
5. Jean-Georges Restaurant - French fine dining at a fine dining price. Good food and good views of The Bund (located at 3 on The Bund) 6321-7733.
6. Laris - International fine dining, with good views of The Bund (3 on The Bund) and good food 6321-9922.
7. M on The Bund - International menu, good food and views of the Bund. Good spot for lunch (usually has specials) with an outdoor patio to take pictures from. 6350-9988.
8. New Heights - another favourite with good views and ambiance. Varied menu at moderate prices, with good desserts. Make a reservation because it's quite popular, located at 3 on The Bund 6321-0909.
9. VaBene - Italian restaurant in Xintiandi. Overall it was okay, but you can find better at a similar price. Setting was fairly nice. Best to make a reservation for most dinner spots in this popular area 6311-2211.
10. 1001 Nights - Middle-Eastern food, with a belly dancer show. Food was okay and priced accordingly. I personally would not return, but others like it. 6473-1178.
11. California Pizza Kitchen - pizza, pasta, salads, etc. Moderate pricing and fairly good food. Located in Shanghai Centre, 6279-8032.
12. South Beauty - Sichuan food, very good. Made a reservation, but was brought to a dirty table. Difficult to order a cocktail as English was limited, and then waiter got it wrong and we were made to feel extremely uncomfortable while they decided whose fault it was, ours or his. They gave us the benefit of the doubt after quite some time and when the waiter returned he was limping!?! This was a bit concerning. Overall the service was not good, but the food was. Would probably not return due to the poor service, dirty table, no napkins, etc. Make a reservation if you decide to go, various locations.
13. Shanghai Uncle - Shanghainese food. Like many Chinese restaurants the location we went to was very large. The food was good, but not as good as we expected from what we read in the guide books. I think it is something you could miss in your visit to Shanghai. If you go though, make a reservation as it seems to be popular.
14. Luna - located in Xintiandi. It is usually quite busy and the food is fairly good at moderate prices. Has indoor and outdoor seating. 6336-1717.
15. Slice - one located in Shanghai Times Square mall 93 Huaihai Zhong Lu. Pretty good place for lunch and can buy cheeses, olives and other things to take home.
16. A Future Perfect - Really good restaurant in a nice house with outdoor seating too. Serves meats, fish, pasta, and more. Old House Inn, lane 351, house 16 Huashan Lu near Changshou Lu intersection (you need to walk down a lane to get to it) 6248-8020.
17. Casanova - Italian Restaurant, pretty good, need a reservation. No. 913 Ju Lu Road 5403-4528. www.casanova.com.cn.
18. Yin par le garcon chinois - good Chinese restaurant, need a reservation. Old Jinjiang Hotel gate no. 2, no. 59 Maoming Nan Lu 5466-5070 or 5466-5078.

SHANGHAI HOTELS:

1. Radisson Plaza Xing Guo Hotel - 5 star boutique hotel. Hotel is set in a large property, but the traffic can be heard from your room depending on where it's located. Rooms are nice, good gym and pool, but restaurants are lacking. Expensive for food and very limited menu, but cozy lounge. Would not recommend as a first choice, but would stay here again. Is not located in the main tourist areas, but easy taxi ride to anywhere.
2. Regent - modern hotel with large rooms and bathrooms. Good restaurants,bar area, gym and pool. Service was very good from concierge. Would stay here again. Family Mart next door for water and snacks.
3. Crowne Plaza - good hotel, was previously a Holiday Inn. Italian restaurant is quaint and good. The service from the front desk and concierge is lacking. The gym is tiny and lacking as is the pool. Good value for money however, and easy taxi rides to any tourist spot. 7-Eleven type shops just across the street for water, etc.
4. JW Marriott at Tomorrow Square - great location right on Nanjing road, near shopping and some tourist sites. Newer hotel with great rooms. Has a pool, gym and spa (good service). Restaurants are good and the Sunday brunch is delicious with great views of the city. Would recommend and would definitely stay here again.
5. La Residence - serviced apartments located in the French Concession area. Very good value and location. Clean, basic rooms. Offers 24 hour service at the front desk for your needs. Across the street there is a 7-Eleven type store.