At the end of my stay I chose to post a selection of photos from  that I gathered  around the web , magazines, books , journals and and travel brochures with the intent of preparing my trip, as I always do before I travel to a different country. sometimes it takes years until I finally feel I am ready to go for the adventure and discovery. It’s just as I felt I had already been there somehow through my vast research and as a consequence , in most places throughout the world, I feel naturally a  little bit at home.

In the super fast train that is taking me to Beijing in just a few hours, I  compare those with the ones I have taken and the experiences I have felt.

Many of those experiences are similar to the ones pictured in my visual composition, but I realize that much more  still needs to be discovered yet  , as Shanghai, the ”  Pearl of the Orient ” ,  is moving fast  and growing at the speed that  none  imagine .

I had the opportunity to check the old and the contemporary side by side, the luxury and the swamp, the beauties and the beasts of the financial world, the technological and the spiritual, the architectural  heights and the grounded temples or should I say the nights of temples and the grounded architecture?   oh my…..

Shanghai so long…..on my way to come back soon.

Joelle’s Tips:

Photos Credits:

All photos on this post are not mine, I have collected them during the years and no longer have credits for them.

If you are the author of any of those , please come forward and let me know I will be glad to insert your credit or remove it if I need to. Thank you.

Old Man, Watch , Eric Lafforgue 

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The Photographer : Chen ManShanghai Tang Spring/ Summer Ad Campaign presents The Rite Of The Phoenix, an inspiring tale of Re-birth.

This new campaign marks the second creative collaboration between Shanghai Tang and renowned photographer Chen Man with famous Lin Chiling and Hu Bing.

Shot by renowned photographer, Chen Man, Winter 2011 ad campaign  has been an artistic expression of the rapidly changing economic, social and cultural Chinese landscape in a series of beautiful images. A visual re-discovery of modern Chinese aesthetics as we followed Chinese  the same celebrities Bing and Chiling, as a sophisticated couple exploring the enchanting juxtapositions of ancient and modern day Beijing.

Through these series of powerful, evocative images, Shanghai Tang campaigns capture the undying spirit, charm, and economic might of China, a culture that constantly re-invents itself with captivating results.

On this link,  watch an interesting interview of photographer Chen Man in Chinese with subtitles in French!

Joelle’s Tips:

The fashion Brand: Shanghai Tang

The Photographer : Chen Man

I want the best, with the most interesting views, and the ” wow!”  factor.

With a collection of five unique restaurant and bars, The Peninsula Shanghai turns up the heat in a city where sophisticated dining is already an established art form, In character with the rest of the hotel, The Peninsula Shanghai’s restaurants exemplify the classic luxury of the Art Deco era, modelled on a rich nobleman’s mansion of the 1920s and 30s, when Shanghai was celebrated as “the Paris of the East”.

The hotel’s new signature restaurants, Sir Elly’s and Yi Long Court, feature two world-class chefs: Chef Dicky To in the prestigious Cantonese restaurant Yi Long Court and internationally acclaimed French Chef Arnaud Berthelier, who brings his own exceptional brand of modern European cuisine with French influences to the rooftop Sir Elly’s Restaurant, Bar and Terrace.

Not only will these culinary stars raise the temperature of Shanghai’s prestige dining scene with international panache and innovative and unique dishes, but the restaurants will also set new benchmarks for service and bring breathtaking glamour and elegance to the city’s dining scene.

Located on the top floor of The Peninsula Shanghai with some of the world’s most celebrated views, Sir Elly’s is a stunning and dramatic melange of red Chinese lacquer, black walls, highly polished wood, velvet upholstery and a combination of classic and contemporary ceramics in the characteristic Peninsula blend of historic and modern.

Once on the 13^th floor, a vibrantly colourful wall beckons guests to mingle around the circular bar, before dinner in the Art Deco dining room overlooking the Pudong skyline. Stairs lead up from Sir Elly’s coolly sophisticated interior to the breathtaking views from Sir Elly’s Terrace, where drinks and snacks are served and soft music and romance await, overlooking the twinkling lights of the Bund and the futuristic Pudong skyline.

The restaurant is named after Sir Elly Kadoorie, founder of The Peninsula Hotels’ parent company, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, and grandfather of current Chairman

The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie. Sir Elly , united in 1926, was a businessman of Iraqui Jewish origin. Following his brother Sir Elly’s footsteps, he became the director of the Hongkong Shanghai Hotels, Limited in 1938. His long association with Shanghai was expressed in the early 1920s by the building of Marble Hall, the family home, with later became the Children Palace. Later he donated medical facilities to the city such as the Tubercolosis Sanatorium and dermatological sector of the Sun Ya Sen hospital.

His extensive charitable activities were recognized  in the 1920s by the award , along Sir Victor Sasson of a First Class gold medal from the chinese government for promoting medical and educational work in China.

Sir Elly’s wife, Lady Kadoorie is also honoured with the eponymous Lady Laura’s Room, the largest and most elegant of the four exclusive VIP rooms which offer private dining in a style never before seen in Shanghai.

Sir Elly’s is the domain of celebrated French chef Arnaud Berthelier, newly arrived from the exclusive five-star The Dining Room in Atlanta, Georgia. A native of Lorraine, northeast France, and classically trained, his and classically trained, his international experience is as extensive as his repertoire. Modern European fine dining à la carte and tasting menus, all with a French touch, are his specialities, excelling in delightfully exotic combinations with accompanying exquisite wines.

New York-based architects David Beer  and Paris-based interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon kept the influences of the Art Deco movement in this noble and chic restaurant with a stunning modern twist.

Sir Elly, I now toast with a drink to your memory overlooking a magic Shanghai night view from your dreamed spot and I whispering looking at the sky, words of gratitude for all you’ve done!

Lehaim

Joelle’s Tips:

The Hotel : Peninsula Shanghai

The Interior designer: Pierre-Yves Rochon

“Female, born 1981, 1.62 meters tall, bachelors degree, project director at a foreign company, monthly salary above 10000 ?, looking for someone born between 82 and 74, bachelors degree or above with a sense of responsibility for the family. “

“My daughter doesn’t approve of me coming here. I stole this photo of her to bring to the market,” said the father who owns the sign pictured above. He has sent is 29-year-old daughter on 12 dates with men he found at the people’s square marriage market. “But it never works out,” he said, shaking his head.

Yes believe it or not  with a projected 24 million bachelors in China by 2020, Shanghai’s parents at the local marriage market have their work cut out and it is here , in the beating heart of this modern city , People’s  Square, where in large park, walking paths, greenery and two museums  parents and grandparents meet every Saturday or Sunday, rain or shine to find a husband or a wife for their children before they gets too old.

And on weekend afternoons that heart flutters and palpitates as doting parents hope to marry off their kids. Next to the modern art museum in People’s Square Park, crowds of them jostle and chatter, the bushes around filled with papers advertising height and weight, salary and education. “28. Good job. Local resident. Have house have car. Contact for a meeting,” says one.

I walk in the crowd , and I notice that men and woman are watching me close. The way I walk, the way I am dressed and I am certain they are wandering if I am to be married or just a journalist. I seem far too interested in the long array of personal advertisement on pretty shopping bags and hanging on long threads throughout the park.

Obviously a lot goes on this nuptial gathering.. Discussions, calculations, and heavy negotiations. Parents without their children consent arrange dates, meetings and potential matches for their kids. Some children, often too busy working to devote time to meeting a soul mate, accept their parents’ help. But its not easy even for a parent, and many also employ matchmakers. You will see a few on the pictures of this post, it is quite easy to recognize them as they look incredibly professional and have a walking office consisting of a wooden portable table and a chair.

Matchmakers broker meetings for numerous clients usually charging RMB 10-20 per pairing. “I’ve been a matchmaker for three years,” says Mr Zheng “There’s no large payment up front. If you get married, I expect a nice gift and maybe an invitation to attend the wedding. I already represent two American men. Interested?”

Joelle’s Tips:

Feeling lonely?

You can advertise yourself for free, but make sure to write if you own an apartment or a house, how many bedrooms , your yearly salary, your weight and heights, a pretty picture and your education as well. Don’t lie it will be a waste of time.  After all and Match.com , true love is hard to find nowadays and has become a highly valuable commodity, so my friend, I wish you good luck.

The Shanghai marriage market takes place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from about noon to three. It is found just inside gate 5 of People’s Square Park, 75 Nanjing Xi Lu., across from the Grand Theater. Take Metro line 1, 2 or 8 to People’s Square station, take Exit 9 to the ground level and turn left.

The Source : Cnn Go Gillian Bostboner

Like in every large modern city, traffic drives you mad and distances are a nightmare. The beauty of this place, is that I have the illusion to be everywhere with the speed of a glance at the same time.

On my desk next to my laptop an envelope with my name handwritten on it in a charming Chinese wooden lunch box filled with chocolates and homemade French pastries. It’s an invitation from  the charming and elegant  Cecilia Liu head  PR of the Peninsula to visit the most exclusive venue the hotel offers at the 14th floor of the building. The Rosamonde Aviation Lounge. 

Delighted with the invitation I call Cecilia  and agree to meet her at the lobby in 15 minutes. On my way in to the lounge, I realize that I am jumping straight into a world of adventure and romance experienced by the air traveller of the 1930, and a celebration of Chinese aviation history.

Throughout the the Rosamunde, I am discovering the history of commercial aviation in Shanghai in the 1930, with the development of CNAC, and EURASIA and other fascinating highlights of China’s aviation history through historical photos, posters, books original memorabilia and charming models.

As I enter the dining room with leather chairs, a spectacular world map is displayed showcasing time zones, the pioneering international air routes of Imperial Airways and Pan American Airways that connected Shanghai to the world in 1936 and the emerging domestic air routes in China.

Most impressive is the prominent full-size replica of a 1930 CNAC Loening Ait Yaght Amphibian , the Anking one of the six that were flown on CNAC s air routes in China beginning in 1929. I am invited to enter the beautiful piece of art and experience in person what was like to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, enjoy unique photos opportunities and sit in the luxurious appointed cabin, or by invitation sit on the pilot’s seat and take  the controls.

The Rosamunde , is also an exquisite dining , cocktail or meeting venue, may be reserved for exclusive corporate celebrations board meetings receptions and other important occasions. A Heliport is being prepared once the Chinese authorities will allow air transportation over the city.

My Lychee Martini is almost over and I am ready to fly!

Joelle’s Tips

The Hotel: Peninsula Hotel Shanghai  

Long or short pearl necklaces in different styles and shapes,  large and heavy colorful  shopping bags from the most luxurious brands, high heel shoes and bow ties, hype eyewear and 1930  vintage  furs on  silk Quipaos paired with Balenciaga boots, it is quite a scene!. The Chinese crowd loves to be in style!

And because  from New York City, it does not make sense to rush into the Armani, Gucci and Cartier stores unless you want to tour for their stunning  interior designs, I have preferred to experience the DIY at the various and notorious markets of  the city.  Not that I don’t have anything to wear but  let’s face it,  to have the opportunity to  tailor made a whole new wardrobe and accessories that will fit exactly my curves and style sounds tremendously  appealing to me.

The only problem is that I do not speak Mandarin yet and the bargain business , I know in advance, will be a tough battle . Will over pay? What can I do?  It’s of course a learning process so here are a few tips for you:

1) Fortunately all shop owners speak English as most of the customers are not necessarily Chinese.

2) The best method is to take an example of your clothes and get the tailor to copy it, that way you make sure the style is right. I took a formal Zegna suit .

3) You are getting something copied definitely have them remeasure you anyway and tell them to copy style/details of the piece you brought , not the fit. The fabric and the old piece are certainly not the same , so they will hang on your body differently and you will need different measurement. also the owner may consult you on how to improve altering the copy from  your original to fit even better ( ex raising the seam of your pants) . Go for it, it’s an opportunity.

3) Leave a contact and a phone number , even if they don’t ask. Tell them to call you if any problems. That way you don’t wait till your next trip to find out they could’n t finish your dress time.

I have enjoyed a whole new wardrobe, from shoes to suits, to shirts, purses, pearls , cashmere coats and of course goes without saying, a brand new suitcase to take everything back home!

Joelle’s Tips:

The ,Markets and Suppliers:
Shanghai  South Bun Fabric Market:

For excellent copies of Chanel suits . All colors and combinations in almost identical fabrics of the brand. Pearls Lace and ribbons are or may be added. If you wish to bring some back home to relatives and friends , the prices are extremely affordable , almost a 10% of an authentic Chanel but make sure to have a good eye as they have no sizes tags. Not a good idea to request a return or reimbursement.

Bright colored silks of all kind. Satins, Moiree etc. The pajamas though in my opinion overrated but worth the fun of choosing your own colors textures and matching robes.

The Quipaos are gorgeous the problem is that Chinese women do not have very accentuated curves and if you are a little overweight you must make sure to find the very good taylor that will transform the cut into more of a Westernized look to fit your shape.

The greatest deals of all is to tailor a cashmere coat. A wide variety of plain, shetland and pied de poule, marine style are available to be experimented in loco.

Stall 212 Rita – specialty blouses, Cashmere coats shirts.Huge choice of materials and extremely friendly.

Stall 248 Carrie- specialty: Leather and Suede

Hong Qiao New World Pearl Market

Hong Qiao New World Pearl Market offers far more than just the pearls. It is an enormous shopping venue which is spread out over three floors and offers shoppers a large range of items.
You can find knock-off bags, scarves, Chinese junk and treasures on the first floor, and wares on the second floor. Very hard to pick the pearl of your dreams as they all look similar and most sell at the same average price. I got two rows of white and pink pearls. Into the bargain the matching earrings into a pretty black velvet box. Prices very affordable.

Add: 3721 Hongmei Road, Huangpu,

Ostich shoes , ballarinas and matching purses in all colors. A pure delight!

Some other shoes will carry two brand tags at the same time.my advice is not to get them at any price.

Annie Wang Green Lotus Jewelry  #2-030-#g-31 Second Flor Chang Ning District

Tailor Made : Wu Hua Yan ShengenMei  Tel 13501861170 stall # 101,F NB 168 dONGmen Road

Qipu Road Clothing Market

Will go for a massage , a long bath and after , the night is long. I feel like enjoying myself.

At the superb spa entrance close to the magnificent 1900 style pool , two short ladies in a white uniform are waiting for me with a pair of slippers, a Jasmine pearl tea, a large glass of water and homemade cinnamon cookies . I put on a comfy robe and head to my Winter Energizer  massage.

Unfortunately I cannot free myself totally although pampered with sweet osmanthus flowers  as I am scheduled for a phone conference in one hour with New York and I am not sure I will be able to stay long in that beautiful bathroom .

Exfoliated ’til my soul with Espa flower rituals ,  I am now ready for my meeting I take advantage of the time I still have to enjoy my  luxurious 1930 bedroom suite. A fruit basket is set on the table with a bottle of Champagne on an ice bucket and a few chocolate delicacies. On the wall I realize I can choose the humidity and temperature of the room through an ultramodern thermostat.

Lights are on a dimmer and I decide to create for myself a pleasant and sensual ‘ mood” before I step into the blue wall to wall carpet of the immense  Mahogany walking closet upholstered with light blue silk and chinese motifs wall lamps shades.

The I-pod  on a well designed station by the window is playing ” lady sings the blues” . The view of Shanghai by night  at my feet is just spectacular. I want the same tune to be played in the bathroom.

Grabbing the small remote control and choose a new age channel on the small High Definition TV facing the bathtub, Light an aromatic candle laying at the edge of the impressive Marrara Emperador  brown marble slab countertop. Bath salts , and there you go the water is falling from a large impeccably  polished chromed faucet  adorned by a line of small lights into the sophisticated  jacuzzi  like a waterfall . Freshly watered aromatic towels are displayed  in rolls by my side in case I need extra refreshment

The noise is pleasant, calming, the overall adjusted surrounding temperature is just perfect and as I enter slowly into the water the music is my loyal companion for our waltz . I stop  moving ,  deeply breath for a few minutes, admire the beauty of  of an orchid on the sink and slowly without noticing I gently close my eyes.

The expected phone expectedly rings. I don’t know what to do. Shall I take it? I decide to fall in the call of duty. I pick up.  Suddenly I realize that all sounds of the water, music, TV are completely nulled. Yes my friends, the person on the other side apparently  does not notice I am  in a bathtub. Wow~  It’s called the ‘ business mode automatic button”

From now on my meetings will take place right here , at the bathtub of the Peninsula in shanghai.

Dress up in 15 minutes, my evening will start with a signature cocktail at the Compass bar,  ,  followed by a delicious dinner  in a private room at Sir Elli’s over a breathtaking view, ending at the elegant Salon de Ning reassempling of a 1930 house in Shanghai. I feel sexy .

And tomorrow ready to shop.

Joelle’s Tips:

The hotel:  The Peninsula Shanghai 

Tai chi ch’uan movements are known to improve balance, bone density, arthritis symptoms, immune function, mental acuity and cardiovascular fitness.  This is very beneficial also with the elderly as a means of preventing falls and injuries,  says Julie Reich, Director of Special Programs for SAGE who is promoting a New Jersey seminar on March 6/12 featuring the powers of  Tai chi .

The term t’ai chi ch’uan translates as “supreme ultimate fist”, “boundless fist”, “great extremes boxing”, or simply “the ultimate”. Note that chi in this instance is the meaning “life energy”. The concept of the Taiji (“supreme ultimate”), in contrast with Wuji (“without ultimate”), appears in both Taoist and Confucian Chinese philosophy, where it represents the fusion or mother of Yin and Yang into a single Ultimate, represented by the Taijitu symbol.

It’s 6 AM, Shanghai time, I look through the window at the sun almost rising through through the shadows of the Pudong skyline.

I was advised but the hotel concierge to  only drink a fresh fruit juice ,wear  loose comfortable clothing , flat-soled shoes clothes and a warm layer underneath. I have kept my China Airlines dark blue pajama and heading down the elevator .

On the hotel hallways leading to the exit to the Bund I quickly over look Chanel and Shanghai Tang luxurious store windows . Swarovski crystal bag and a Year of the Dragon  Nespressomachine capture my attention but I know now it is not the appropriate mindset.

I climb the tall stairs of  impressive People’s Memorial,  a concrete structure located at the confluence of the Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River  within the Russian embassy at my back and the grounds of the Huangpu Park at my left . Only a few kite runners are present in the paved area at this time and I am happy not  to have missed anything yet.

A solitary master is training alone with a sword, a few more habitué arrive all at the same time. The music coming from an old tape recorder is sublime and I can’t help  finding myself  falling in love with the beauty and tranquility of the surrounding energy and everyone’s movements. Overwhelmed by the social pleasure of practicing with locals and the on-going challenge of mastering a complex and fascinating art definitely enlightens my spirit.

Having  focused my mind solely on the movements of the form  for more than 2 hours now ( lucky I have practiced for a few years in the past)  helped me bring back a state of mental calm and clarity overcoming somehow my travel stress management . This aspects of focus and and calm are part of traditional Chinese medicine and taught to advanced t’ai chi students in some traditional  local schools.

Before I head to my delicious breakfast at the prestigious  Peninsula, I look bad a last time to the Bund  52 buildings view all in different architectural styles. The Asia Buliding, The Shanghai Club, The Mercantile Bank of India,The China Shipping Mercantil Company, the Consulate-General of the United Kingdom .

I feel peaceful but energized. I can now face that Chanel Bag.

Joelle’s Tips:

The study of t’ai chi ch’uan primarily involves three aspects:

• Health: An unhealthy or otherwise uncomfortable person may find it difficult to meditate to a state of calmness or to use t’ai chi as a martial art. t’ai chi’s health training, therefore, concentrates on relieving the physical effects of stress on the body and mind. For those focused on t’ai chi’s martial application, good physical fitness is an important step towards effective self-defense.
• Meditation: The focus and calmness cultivated by the meditative aspect of t’ai chi is seen as necessary in maintaining optimum health (in the sense of relieving stress and maintaining homeostasis) and in application of the form as a soft style martial art.
• Martial art: The ability to use t’ai chi as a form of self-defense in combat is the test of a student’s understanding of the art. T’ai chi ch’uan is the study of appropriate change in response to outside forces, the study of yielding and “sticking” to an incoming attack rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force. The use of t’ai chi as a martial art is quite challenging and requires a great deal of training.

Where to practice  in the US:  Tai Chi Org 
March 6 Seminar at Sage to feature Healing powers of Tai Chi






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