Jules eating guide to Malaysia & beyond

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Starbucks, The Bund in Shanghai

One of the best Starbucks location anywhere I reckon .. This outlet is located on the East bank of the river overlooking the Bund just opposite the Shangri-La. However, the selection was no different from any other Starbucks in the world!

Pastry selection

Mmmh ... slurp slurp.

Splendid views from our outdoor table! It was cool in Shanghai, barely 20c with a slight breeze, very nice!

Interesting McDonalds kiosk selling sundaes and icecreams along The Bund, near Starbucks ...

Huangpu River - Beautiful view of The Bund, Shanghai

Shot in full manual with camera positioned on a slab of marble, ISO-100, 15 second shutter speed, and F5.6 ...

Shangri-La and Hooters in Shanghai

Add: 33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, CHINA
Tel: +86 21 6882 8888

A magnificent hotel with great views of The Bund ...

I couldn't believe it, Hooters in China! Didn't go in though ... went to Starbucks instead, haha!

Here's an excerpt from the Shanghai Star (November 2004)...
The owl may be the logo found on the sign outside Hooters, which opened recently in the crowded Shanghai City Centre, but the US restaurant chain's true trademark found inside - is its scantily-clad waitresses.
Scantily-clad waitresses in clingy shirts and orange high-cut shorts pose for a group photo.

The first Hooters outlet in China opened last month, offering customers its signature combination of cold beer, chicken wings and waitress with clingy shirts and orange high-cut shorts.

"We know some people will question what we are wearing. But in Shanghai you will see more girls wearing less on the street, " Feng said.

Out of more than 1,000 girls in Shanghai who applied for the position, only 80 were selected.
"The most important thing is their personality," said Jiang. "We are looking for the open-minded girls."

With the help of four Hooters waitresses from the US, the 80 Shanghai workers received an intense two-week training that covered everything from applying make-up to memorizing the menu.

The girls seem to like the part-time job, despite the 8 yuan (US $1) an hour pay, because - unlike most restaurants in China - they can accept tips from customers. The waitresses said another reason they are happy at Hooters is that their work schedules are very flexible.

Ps. A really REALLY insightful and funny interview with a Hooters gal on ...
Shanghaiist.com interview

Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower

View of the rather interesting looking Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower by night ... What do you reckon it looks like!!?

We walked all around the structure!

Wikipedia
The Oriental Pearl Tower (Chinese: 东方明珠塔; pinyin: Dōngfāng Míngzhūtǎ, Official Name: 东方明珠电视塔) is a TV tower in Shanghai, China. The Oriental Pearl Tower is located at the tip of Lujiazui in the Pudong district, by the side of Huangpu River, opposite The Bund of Shanghai.
It was designed by Jia Huan Cheng of the Shanghai Modern Architectural Design Co. Ltd. Construction began in 1991 and the tower was completed in 1995. At 468 m (1,535 feet) high, it is the tallest tower in Asia, and the third tallest tower in the world.
The Oriental Pearl Tower belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers.
The tower has approximate coordinates 31°14'30 N and 121°29'42 E.
On 7 July 2007, Oriental Pearl Tower was host to the Chinese Live Earth concert.

The Spheres in the tower
The tower features 11 spheres, big and small. The two biggest spheres, along the length of the tower, have diameters of 50 m (164 ft) for the lower and 45 m (148 ft) for the upper. They are linked by three columns, each 9 m (30 ft) in diameter. The highest sphere is 14 m (46 ft) in diameter.
The entire building is supported by three enormous columns that start underground.

Observation levels
The revolving restaurant inside the 2nd-highest sphereThe tower has fifteen observatory levels. The highest (known as the Space Module) is at 350 m (1148 ft). The lower levels are at 263 m (863 ft) (Sightseeing Floor) and at 90 m (295 ft) (Space City). There is a revolving restaurant at the 267 m (876 ft) level. The project also contains exhibition facilities, restaurants and a shopping mall. There is also a 20 room hotel called the Space Hotel between the two large spheres.

Antenna spire
An antenna broadcasting TV and radio programs extends the construction by another 118 m (387 ft).

Chinese symbolism in the design
The design of the building is based on a verse of the Tang Dynasty poem Pipa Song by Bai Juyi about the wonderful sprinkling sound of a pipa instrument, like pearls, big and small falling on a jade plate (大珠小珠落玉盘/大珠小珠落玉盤/dà zhū xiǎo zhū luò yù pán).

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Xinjishi traditional Shanghai cuisine, LuWan District

Went for dinner one night in Shanghai with my team, and we chose a famous restaurant called Xinjishi. It was a really good meal! This is the building alongside, the moving lights remind me of a 'graphic equaliser'!

Add: 181 Long Taicang Road, LuWan District, Shanghai, CHINA
Tel: +86 21 6336 4746

Funny! What's a CANON BALL FISH !!!?

Slurpppp ... so refreshing, local chinese beer. Tsingtao!

Butter fried fish - Way too buttery! Poor fish doesn't have a very 'happy face' too!

All these were good too ... Braised Shanghai cabbage, Abacus Yam and pork, and Honey Pork Ribs.

Fried noodles - Deeeeeliciously simple!

The most famous dish in the house ... Grandma's Braised Pork. So oiley, so fat, but so darn tasty!

The final damage?

A very reasonable RMB 351, or RM$167. Good service, authentic food, nice decor ... must return again!

Minute Maid orange juice @ Shanghai

Whilst I was in Shanghai, dropped by at the local convenience mart, to pick up the following ...

Minute maid - Orange juice with pulp. Slurp, so refreshing! About RMB 7 (or RM$3.50) only. Some research online revealed that ... Minute Maid Pulpy Orange was launched in China in 2004 and has already become the leading juice drink brand across all regions in the country.