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May-May's Diary
Entry for June 5, 1998
Two places have opened up in the hothouse world of superfast growth that is the Shanghai nightlife scene, boys and girls!! There's the Pop Bar next to Eddie's Tree House on Yueyang Lu, a place called the ZV Bar on Nanjing Xi Lu to the west of the Jingan temple. Is there no end to this??!!! No, and a good thing too.
The battle of the big screens is about to hit us! Several establishments around town are trying to grab the lion's share of the World Cup beer-drinking contest. No! I mean soccer context. It all kicks off on June 10 and lasts for about a month, and you'll be able to watch all the games on large video screens at Zoobaa, Sasha's, O'Malley's, and normal Teevee sets at a number of other establishments. In fact, if you don't REALLY like soccer, this might be a good month to do some serious reading.`Catch up on the knitting. Learn Taichi, or enjoy the sites of Yanan Lu, changes by the second!!!
Speaking of Yanan Lu, it is interesting to see all the lovely old buildings that are being uncovered as the structures out the front are demolished to make way for the elevated highway. Shanghai is full of little surprises, isn't it, my loves??
More news of the Sunflowers, who are now playing six nights a week, three at Sally's and three at George V. I do hope all this work is not affecting the daytime teaching responsibilities of Shirley, Angel and Molly!! Shirley told me that they were rather unhappy that the all-woman band at Club Absolute was also using the name Sunflowers, and said that group used to be called Space Ship. Now, why would they change their name to Sunflowers when a band with that name already existed??? I think there's more to this story than meets the eye, and I will investigate further.
I had a fascinating conversation last night with a Miss Happy, a very stylish lady who has very strong views on a subject of some sensitivity. I have heard this argument before, but never put so forcibly. The argument is: that western men have no taste with regard to Chinese women. The ones the western guys choose as their girlfriends are in Chinese beauty terms, way down the scale. "Some of the girls you see with western men don't meet even the most basic levels of beauty standards," she said.
The concept here is not particularly pretty. I much prefer the idea "ge you ge jian" -- each to his own taste. We were sitting in a bar and we rated Chinese ladies according to a hastily-constructed score card, which I don't think will ever seriously challenge the Hang Seng Index. I asked her for her rating of some of the ladies nearby, then checked the numbers with a couple of western guys. In fact, there was not a big difference, but Miss Happy was unrepentent. I don't expect the theory to die there.
One question I didn't ask Miss Happy (but I will next time!)is: if a western guy expressed interest in you, would you be insulted??!!
Byeeeee!!!
Entry for June 2, 1998
Your intrepid and selfless guide to Shanghai's nightlife this evening did a tour along Maoming Lu to check on progress of all the establishments along that street. Here is my report, nightspot by nightspot -- there are SUCH a lot of places to visit these days!!!
First, nightlife past -- the Jin Jiang Bar of the old Jinjiang Hotel. It smells as it looks -- like an English bar. Business quiet. Music for the tune "Around the World" sitting on the grand piano, no sign of a pianist.
Tandoor Indian restaurant -- still my favorite Indian restaurant in town, and in fact still the only Indian restaurant in town, and I won't even consider the Curry House out on Maoming Lu, a few steps closer to the Cathay Cinema. Food - exquisite, business quiet. The space capsule lavatories are worth a visit.
Vivante -- the bar just south of Huaihai Lu opened last yearby the vivacious Mercedes Yao, who gained her name because she drives men round the bend!! No, I made that up, but it's probably true anyway!!! Business quiet, but Mercedes said she has started a Single's Night on alternate Thursdays. Starting June 11. "Lots of pretty girls," she said. Then after a pause: "And handsome men." Ah, then we're interested. Don't hoarde them, Mercedes!!
Next, heading south -- the Tao Yi (porcelain art) Restaurant, just south of Fuxing Lu, opposite the Ruijin Building. Now, this place used to be the best crab restaurant in town -- the Mingdu. But it closed about three months ago with no indication of why or what was to follow. Now all is revealed. I went there last night and found it to be the most extraordinary and special place that I have found in Shanghai in weeks!! It's like an old curiosity shoppe coffee house. You can make pottery, read magazines and drink pretty good coffee. You can talk to my friend the manager, Mr Wu Meisen, whose English name should be Mason.
Take my word for it, this is the coolest coffee shoppe in town!!!
A little further south, we have the Art and Cafe Cafe, open from 11:00 to 26:00 (isn't that cute??!!) which seems to have become a shrine to Michael Jackson. Some interesting art pieces on the walls, but in the evening the lighting is too gloomy to fully appreciate them. Business quiet.
Judy's Too -- French doors open to the night, coolness seeping out onto the road. Very pleasant.
And finally the magnificent Ruijin Guest House, which used to have a cosy little coffee shop in the enclosed verandah of the main house. No more. The coffee shop has been closed for renovations. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The coffee shop had reached the point where the stale smell of cigarettes was almost overpowering. Similar to where Enjoy coffee shop on Huaihai Lu will be in two months' time, unless they install a better aircon system!! Meanwhile, you can still have a drink and a coffee in the Ruinjin's karaoke room inside. But no view. Ah, well, all the more rerason to head out onto the lawn and go for a swing!!
Byeeeee!!!
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