Published by Swiss James on 30 Oct 2009
I’ve been hitting all the tourist spots lately- they’re all very crowded.
Yu Yuan:
The ferry to Pudong
and Taikang Lu:
I’m thinking about having weekend in Hong Kong to get away from it all.
Published by Swiss James on 29 Oct 2009
Kids today eh? I get them, I’m down with the youth.
They don’t care about whether Ross ends up with Rachel, how to hitch up their trousers, or spell basic words.
No. All they want these days is squid heads, roast string, and a little cole on the side.
@The Science & Technology Museum.
Published by Swiss James on 29 Oct 2009
There’s a new podcast up at WoAi’s gaff.
If you’re not down with the whole concept now- it’s basically WoAi, Dingle and me sitting around a table trying to make each other laugh. No matter how long and painful that may be.
At the end we do a song on the Ukukukulele.
It’s a simple formula, but we’re simple folk. Check it out episode 9, and all the others at WoAi’s lair.
Published by Swiss James on 28 Oct 2009
Normally I do my software engineering seated on a Chaise Lounge, dressed in a fine linen suit, sipping on private stock. This week though, we’re testing on site so it’s all a bit different.
Published by Swiss James on 27 Oct 2009
Every tuesday here on ISpy we take a look into the fascinating world of footwear.
It’s a wild ride my friend, so come with me now, step into my weekly world of shoes….
This week I received a letter through the electronic mail.
Dear Dr Swiss
as we all know, the hot look that’s wowing the fashion world right now is the Shanghainese Street Sweeper.
I’ve got my faded blue coveralls, the hair full of cigarette ash and have grown my little fingernail to the required 3 inches. When it comes to the shoes though, I have hit a major snafu.
Me and Kate Moss were shopping down at Carrefour when we bought what we thought were genuine FeiYue shoes, and yet something doesn’t feel right with them. Have I bought fakes?
Help me Dr Swiss, you’re my only hope.
Mackers.
xx
Well Mackers- firstly, you’ve come to the right place (so that’s good news), however you have bought fakes (so that’s bad news). Do you know what though, when it comes to that funky oppressed Chinese peasant look- what could be more authentic than fakes? They’re probably rarer than the real thing too.
For the best selection of the real thing (including some one-off custom jobs) head down to Culture Matters on Dongping Lu (near Henghsan Lu- opposite Vargas Grill). For the fakes- head down to the docks and look for a guy with a wheelbarrow full of nail clippers, pan scrubbers, and shoes that say “FeiYin”.
Real uns down at Culture Matters
Published by Swiss James on 26 Oct 2009
It’s Halloween coming up- the time when condemned souls walk the earth, rivers run with blood of unknown provenance and children will find their plastic Vampire teeth mildly uncomfortable.
I was walking around by Yu Yuan at the weekend (the old town really- those side streets near Yu Yuan) and I spotted a bunch of halloween decorations for sale.
Deeply chilling I’m sure you’ll agree- I would give the address for the shop but when I went back to find it the next day…IT HAD COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED*
I’m still in two minds about my costume- a lot of people have said that when I take my shirt off I look a lot like Jason Stackhouse from True Blood, but others have said I’m a dead ringer for Don Draper out of Mad Men.
*Not really- in Nanshi (near the Bund) try:
225 FuYou Lu near Anren Lu
福佑路225号 近安仁路
If you’re in Gubei / Hongqiao you can get decorations at my buddy Steven’s parents place:
Star Box
Shop E16 Hongqiao Flower Market
Published by Swiss James on 23 Oct 2009
As you can probably imagine, I’ve had a lot of interest in my advert for a 3d portrait of a cat.
As yet I haven’t really pulled a trigger on any particular deal, but I thought I’d give an update as to how the negotiations were going.
Published by Swiss James on 22 Oct 2009
the Barbietini
It says something that Shanghai was chosen to open the World’s first Barbie megastore. It says something alright, and I hate to think what.
The store itself is a nightmarish riot of pink plastic, blonde hair and spoilt children. I could happily have lived the rest of my life without visiting it.
But how can you resist the bar on the top floor which sells drinks called the Bubblicious and Ken-tini?
You can’t. I went last Saturday.
Maybe it’s best not to think about whether it’s OK to have a fully stocked bar at the top of a Children’s toy shop.
Staggering drunkenly past a 5 year old girl eating pink cupcakes is weird- I haven’t done that since I got fired from Disneyworld for puking in my Mickey Mouse head.
David Laris runs the place however, and if anyone knows anything about selling Martinis to gay men, it’s him.
The drinks (45-55RMB for cocktails) are delicious, the service was bang on (very friendly, free shots), happy hour (5-7 every day) is a 2-4-1 bargain and the burgers on other people’s plates looked good.
“John” and friends
Here’s the main point though- next weekend is Halloween. Can you think of a better, camper place in the world to kick off a fancy dress party?
Barbie Cafe (6th Floor)
550 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Chengdu Lu
Opening hours: the website says till 2am on Fri & Sat, 10pm on a school night. I’ve read 9:30/10pm elsewhere though.
Call on 6171 6036 to make sure, or reserve a table.
