I few things to share from the last week...

Recently, I got a "back stress relief" massage from my Green Massage place.  I thought, yeah, perfect just focus on the back.  Well, I certainly got more than I bargained for.  The massage was nice and I felt like he was really working out the kinks in my back - but then towards the end he started the back "scraping" part. They use this small little plastic tool to get deep and really get the blood flowing.  Although it did loosen things up for me nicely, I don't think I will choose this type of massage again.  Check out the aftermath:

haha the result of back "scraping" - I should have known!

Last Sunday, we sent off one of our own.  Nathan Hubbard, another Lilly 6-monther finished up his time in Shanghai last week.  He was working on an assignment here in Marketing for the Alimta brand and Oncology team.  It was nice to have someone with a good deal of experience to ask questions and I have already been able to learn from some of his experiences.  Nathan is off to the San Francisco area to do another short term assignment in sales!  To send him off we went to a new restaurant in an area called the Sinan Mansions - a Peruvian place called Chicha.  It was pretty small, and although they did not seem to have any of the reasonably priced bottles of wine from their menu in stock, the 7-course meal was only 200 RMB and quite yummy and filling.  Below are you few pictures from our night out:

Nathan and Darren - not sure what's going on

Kimberly and I, with our dessert to share

Steffanie and Darren - so grateful for them!!!!

Weekends in Shanghai

Weekends in Shanghai offer no shortage of things to do and see.  For me, its a balancing act of exploring but not doing too many things that I want to share with Adam, my family and other guests in the future!

Luckily, on Saturday, I had a partner in crime - Kimberly, another Lilly 6 month-er from Indy, working in Global Health Outcomes.  She is about a month ahead of me, so we are both still exploring!  It always great to have someone to run around with.  Our first stop was at the South Bund Fabric Market.  I visited this for the first time last weekend, and I'm sure will have many more in the future as I get brave enough to have some clothes made.  However, today's task was Kimberly's first fitting for a traditional dress she was having made for a wedding coming up.

The beautiful silk patterns!

Next, we headed towards the Yuyuan Gardens and Bazaar.  Mostly, I just wanted to see where this was and what was going on.  I've heard great things about the Yu Gardens and wanted to check it out before I attempt to take Gretchen next weekend!  More picture to come when we really explore it!

View of Pudong from outside Yuyuan Gardens

The streets of Yuyuan Bazaar 

Next, we headed to the Bund area.  The buildings along the Bund once housed numerous banks and trading houses from many different nations.  It was initially a British settlement, but was eventually combined with the American settlement as the International Settlement.  The architecture is very cool and it radiates with history!

Buildings along the Bund

The reason we headed to this area was because Kimberly had heard about this open mic thing at a place called Glamour Bar.  When she invited me earlier this week, I was like oh yeah great! I love live music! However, she said no actually its poetry! Oh wow - not really my thing, but ok well I've already committed so I just went with it.  Its better than hanging out by myself on Saturday afternoon!

Glamour Bar

I was skeptical as first, but the Glamour Bar turned out to be one of the coolest places I've seen in Shanghai.  The space is extremely unique and amazing views of the Bund area.  Aside from a being a really cool bar, they also have a ton of books and do a Saturday book exchange - I will have to remember this! The company also has a restaurant upstairs that has rooftop dining and the views.  This will be next stop for Brunch when I have my first guest!

View of the Bund from Glamour Bar

Beautiful backdrop for the poetry reading.

Next, we each headed home for a little rest.  We met back up and headed over to Steffanie's house (my boss).  They were having a potluck with several people from their church.  It was wonderful to meet some more new people and I'm so grateful that Steffanie and Darren opened their home to me! There were about 10 people from all over the world - Brazil, Korea, London, Singapore, and us! We had chili and Krispy Creme donuts - it was awesome!  Kimberly and I finished the successful day with foot massages at Green Massage! yes, please!

Ever since last Saturday when I discovered Element Fresh at the Kwah Center with an awesome outdoor dining space, I had been craving one thing on the menu.... the Elvis Presley, they call it.  Peanut butter and banana french toast! amazing!  I headed there early Sunday morning about 10am, because I know how busy they get and the outdoor tables are hard to get.  I had decided I would take the subway but when I got out of the building I realized it was too nice of day to go underground.... so I decided to walk the 25 minutes to build up my appetite.  Mission accomplished! I was starved when I arrived, but got a perfect table and camped out for a couple hours - reading and enjoying my bottomless cup of coffee.  

Brunch at Element Fresh

From there a decided to give it a second try at walking around the French Concession.  Last weekend, I was not really there - but I did a little extra research this time.  From the picture you can see the beautiful trees lining the street - I knew I had found it.  Really looking forward to when they bloom, even though my allergies will probably wig out.  I found a ton of cute cafes, restaurants, and shops - that I hope to go back to when Adam gets here!

street in French Concession

A few other funny things that happened today....

Well, I guess I know where to go if something doesn't agree with my stomach!

A local pharmacy advertising Cialis on the store window.
Somehow I don't think this is an approved promotional material!

I attempted laundry for the first time today.  I didn't realize that that 2.20 on the screen is actually the number of minutes that the wash cycle will take... 2 hours and 20 minutes! I have 35 to go - I'm anxious to see what took so long.  Oh, and then I will start the dry cycle, which will probably take double that.  So inefficient, but has to be cheaper than sending it all out to be washed! That "laundromat" style at the Continental isn't looking so bad after all!

Absolutely no English on this thing and really uninformative pictures! hmmmm...

And finally, bad news my friends... the day has come.  No more episodes of Glee available on Netflix. :( Guess I will have to get started on something new while I wait until my first episode of Season 2 downloads from iTunes (currently 5 hours remaining).  Boo for slow download speeds! 

Really looking forward to having my good friend Gretchen visit next weekend, after the audit trip to South Korea.  Adam will be here in less than 3 weeks, time is starting to fly.  Hopefully Hannah can come for a few weeks this summer! All visitors welcome - when else are you going to know someone living in an awesome apartment in Shanghai, China??? Make it happen!

Don't mind if I do!

Well, I made it through the first 3 days of official work here in Shanghai. I felt that I needed to reward myself - plus my back has been a mess since I arrived.  It could be the hard as a rock bed, extremely anti-ergonomic work station (I won't have a desk until April 18), or just the shear stress and uneasiness of this place. I've been hearing a lot about the massages here, the low price, but varying quality, and I felt like I needed to start figuring out what will work for me.  I am spoiled when it comes to full body massage... I usually get one once a month at the Spa at the Villa in Indy (Jeff does wonders), so I am no stranger to the 60-min deep tissue massage and I hoped I could get something similar.  I had heard from a colleague that Green Massage, a place really close to the office was good and really professional, an important characteristic here in China, as many places are, well, rough around the edges.  So, I stopped in on the stroll home from work about 7 on Friday evening - and they said they could get me right in - great!  They had a host of different offerings, but the catch is you have to buy a "membership" - essentially pre-pay a bunch and then work down the credit.  I went with the lowest one - RMB3,000, which will get me about 10 60-min massages, at under half the price at home.  I was committed to going with the package and was working out the details with the girls at the desk - when a familiar face walks out refreshed and relaxed.  It was the General Manager of Lilly China (highest person at Lilly China), a French man, who tells me "oh so great, best place in town, you have found it!" This was very reassuring!

It turned out great, very clean, professional and he went to work on my back - just what I needed!

On Saturday, I didn't do much - went for a stroll around an area called the French Concession.  It was area different than any I have seen here, but yet, still bustling with many people on a Saturday afternoon.  All kinds of restaurants and shops line the streets, and many consumers lining the narrow sidewalks.  I enjoy the weekends in Shanghai because you get to see all the cute little Chinese children out with their families.  I get lots of stares all the time around here, but I don't mind when its from children - even when it feels like they are looking at me like I am from another planet!  The stroll finally led to lunch at Element Fresh - a staple for the ex-pat in Shanghai. It was my first experience at the place I had been hearing so much about, and boy were they right! Fresh yummy food with lots of variety - plus fresh juice and smoothies - gotta get my fruit! I finished up the walk with a stop at L&J Nails - I deserved a pedicure after all the walking.... Unfortunately the day took it out of me and I went to bed around 7pm - not so good for the jetlag adjustment, as I was up at about 4am Sunday.....

Sunday... after a morning workout and skype with Adam and the parents, I was off to brunch with Kathleen and Malorie.  Kathleen is the girlfriend of a friend of mine from IU who has worked in Shanghai on and off for over a year. She is local Shanghainese and amazing to have around.  Malorie is a friend of Michael and Kathleen - she is originally from Colorado but has been in China for about 18 months - currently she is working at a company like groupon that is getting into the major markets here in Asia - pretty interesting set up.  Anyway, we met for brunch at a small little Italian place, called Osteria, not too far from my apartment.  Kathleen had made reservations for us at a spa that happened to be just next door! Even though I had just has a massage, I couldn't say no! It was only like $25 for a 60min massage... this place was more localized but still the girl did a good job.  She kept telling me how beautiful I was... I could get used to the place... just wait til they see Hannah Stewart, talk about beautiful!

Kathleen and Malorie post massage

Next, we took a taxi down to the South Bund Fabric Market.  This place was unreal.  Stalls and stalls of tailors and clothes makers ready and willing to make you whatever your heart desires.  Dress suits, shirts, silk shirts and dresses, tweed coats, wool coats, formal dresses, linen any way you can imagine it, as well as local traditional Chinese attire.  It was bit overwhelming and I was only interested in getting the lay of the land during this trip and will not be scouring the web trying to find the perfect thing to have made.  More details to come on this in the future...

The final stop of the wonderful little Sunday afternoon was securing me a local Chinese phone.  It pretty easy here, and even easier when you have a friend that can speak in Chinese to the woman at China Mobile.  We managed to get me the cheapest phone in the case, but boy does it bring back memories...

It even has snake! T9 is hard to remember!

The afternoon ended with Kay and Mal sending me on my way for my first subway or "Metro" ride.    We boarded to Metro at People's Square the biggest station in the line with 20 exits to the street...it was packed and wild busy even on a Sunday afternoon! I can't imagine rush hour times! Luckily, I made it home safe and will probably try it again...

Metro sign at Huangpi Lu - my home stop!

Well, after my first dinner ordered to the office (Element Fresh again!) and 8pm call with Indy, I'm ready to call it a night! Good news is, I think I'm finally adjusted to the jetlag... no more excuses! 

Peace and love!