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May-May's Diary
Entry for March 13, 1998
Boys and girls, what an exciting time I'm having. Life just seems to get
better every single day. I'm planning on pulling my spring wardrobe out of the
boxes, over the coming weekend. Time to put the winter stuff away, and expose a
little more skin!!
I am constantly amazed at the speed with which the nightlife in our city is
growing. You have to admire the courage of some of the investors who gamble on
business continue to grow. It's not possible that everyone will succeed, but
there's a real trend towards local people using the bars and restaurants that
originally catered to foreigners. This has to be good news. After all, there are
a lot more of us than there are of them!!!
However. One of my very bestest friends told me the other day that she believes
this going to bars is just a fad, like bowling and karaoke, and that bar culture
is basically alien to Chinese tradition, in which alcohol consumption is done in
large groups with food. Not twos and threes chatting over a quiet beer in a
gloomy bar. What do you think? Is this just a fad, or are the bars of Shanghai
here for good? Send me an email,
tell me what you think.
Oh, I must tell you the name of that coffee shop, I forgot to pass on to you
yesterday. Tap on the knuckles for May-May!!! It's called Enjoy and it's just to
the west of the Changshu Lu intersection on Huaihai Lu, not far from the Sunshine
Cafe. Just gorgeous!!
That's all for today. Time for me to get some beauty sleep. Ah, it's tough being
a career girl!!
Byeeee!!!
May-May's Diary
Entry for March 12, 1998
Oh, boys and girls, I have just about had it with this absolutely
disgusting dreary weather we're getting at the moment. In the past, it
didn't really bother me too much. I used to lie in bed in my heavily
curtained boudoir most of the day, arising in the late afternoon for a
coffee and orange juice and perhaps a bowl of congee, before preparing
myself for a night on the town. The weather had little impact on me. But
in my new role as a nightlife establishment consultant, I am seeing more
of daytime Shanghai than I would like to, quite frankly.
(Quick aside: I am always suspicious of people who use the phrases
"quite frankly" and "to be honest". It suggests, probably accurately,
that they're lying most of the time. I leave you make your own judgement
as to whether or not that includes me!!!).
But honestly, enough is enough. We are blanketed, we are
suffocating, my darlings, in greyness!!! There is only one
answer. We must all move to the old May-May timetable of sleeping
during the day!!
There is a new coffee shop on Huai hai Xi Lu, which I truly think is
worth investigating. It is Taiwanese owned, but Japanese in style, which
means lots of different kinds of coffees. And ladies in kimonos. No!!
I'm just making that up. But, frankly, there was a very nice atmosphere,
and good coffee, but no esspressos or lattes. What I failed to note, my
loves -- and for this I apologise profusely -- is the name and address
of the establishment. It was one of those late night visits which are
something of a blur. I can't imagine how I could possibly have failed to
record this vital information. But I promise I will include it in
tomorrow's exciting installment of my diary, which is not to be missed.
Honestly.
Byeeee!!!
May-May's Diary
Entry for March 11, 1998
Boys and girls, I have more news on Casa Romano, the new nightclub on
Huaihai Lu, just next to the Lisboa massage parlour (my favorite
place in Shanghai for a vigorous work-over!). Jesse, the charming
entertainment manager there, has retired to concentrate on her singing
in the Golden Age club down the street and to move into the glittering
world of advertising, but the music continues.
I saw a local music group there two nights ago which, to be kind, needs
to practice a bit more. But I understand a new black group has taken up
residence there. The last band, 911, opened Casa on Dec 30 and then had
a long holiday while various licencing issues were sorted out. they left
last week. I haven't been to see the new black band yet, maybe tomorrow.
But anyway, darlings, you can count on me to keep you informed of
developments.
I see the people at Shanghai-ed have started a rating system for
restaurants around town. I warned them that this could cause all sorts
of discussion, given the totally subjective nature of the exercise, but
they feel it is worth doing to give their readers -- that YOU my love!!!
-- a better idea of what to expect. So with a teensy bit of reluctance,
I have agreed to pass on my views and opinions on the probably hundreds
of restaurants I have visited in the past few years. As you can probably
guess, I don't cook. I have an a-yi, an old family retainer who would
gladly make me fourteen meals a day. But I prefer to eat out, in order
to better sense and observe the shifting sands of Shanghai's nightlife
world. If you are opinionated and well-fed and would like to take part
in this exercise too, I have asked by the people at Shanghai-ed
to let you know you're very welcome. Just send them an email!
Byeeee!!!
May-May's Diary
Entry for March 10, 1998
I'm getting busier and busier during the days, boys and girls, which is
both interesting and frustrating, because it takes away from the
carefree way in which I move between the many nightspots of our fair
city in the dark hours. But you have to go where events lead you, and I
seem to be becoming a sort of consultant on nightlife venues. I quite
like the idea of doing a small, stylish place myself, actually. We can
call it May-May's. The drinks would be quite expensive to discourage the
great unwashed, although special discounts will be given in a side room
to my friends the taxi drivers of Shanghai. May-May's would be intimate
and warm with subdued lighting. I would hold court in the corner. I have
so many friends, it would be full all the time. And then I would
lose interest, butterfly that I am, and would stop going so regularly
and people would go elsewhere looking for me and business would decline
... Hmmm. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all.
I was in Sasha's yesterday on Hengshan Lu, looking at how things are
going in the latest entry to the high-end of dining and drinking
western-style. You can't miss the building -- it's on the corner of
Dongping Lu in the former Soong family compound now occupied by the high
school attached the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. There's a lovely man
named Sean who is playing guitar and singing there, and he is definitely
worth listening to. And looking at! Outside the villa, a bit more work
is needed on cleaning things up, but it will be lovely sitting outside
during the summer. I wonder if they are going to make use of the Soong
Family pond just round the corner?
Byeeee!!!
May-May's Diary
Entry for March 9, 1998
Hi boys and girls! What an extraordinary evening I had!!. I sat at
dinner with a gentleman who spent a large portion of the meal explaining
to me how he believed in a religion that involved the worship of
jellyfish. He seemed sincere and reasonable. The concept seemed possible
as he explained it. Is this some elaborate plan to get me to succumb to
his charms, perhaps? Or could there really be a Great Jellyfish that
envelopes us all with his tendrils? He said the philosophy was based
upon an ancient Chinese belief, and I do remember something reading in
school about the world sitting on the back of a giant turtle. It's not
too much of a leap from there to jellyfish, I suppose. Keep your eyes
and ears peeled for references to this Jellyfish sect.
My friend the cuddly man-mountain Matthew at the Cotton Club tells me he
is plotting a guitar festival which will take place on March 25 and 26,
in his club and at the Blues and Jazz Bar on Sinan Lu. More than a dozen
guitarists have already been roped in to the event, apparently. I had no
idea that there were so many strummers in Shanghai!
Byeeee!!!
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