To be honest, I'm not sure the neighbor's laundry is doing it for me. Maybe let's give them until next Monday to create a little intrigue.
> 25 February 2007. Location Undisclosed, Shanghai.
> 24 February 2007. Location Undisclosed, Shanghai.
Jane came over this morning. It's been two weeks since she was last over and I was relieved to see her. Dust bunnies were running rampant. Jane is my ayi, my cleaning lady cum cultural translator. She betters both my living conditions and my cultural understanding. The yellow chrysanthemums, she told me, are for funerals. White and yellow mums are a big no-no in Chinese culture, never to be used except in the time of death.
In Curse of the Golden Flower, Zhang Yimou relies heavily on the use of yellow chrysanthemums visually, only pretending to use the symbolism for storytelling. Overall the movie was terrible, though Gong Li and her gold hair pins were stunning. Nonetheless, people will probably watch this movie anyways.
Three Wrong Reasons You Will Watch This Movie
1. Sucker for corporate advertising
Surely Sony Pictures will put their back into marketing this thing as art house opulence with cultural intelligence, even though some of the costumes were inspired more by Korea than the Tang Dynasty.
2. Gratuitous breast shots
See what happens when boobs are squeezed out of tops like toothpaste and the women wearing them walk in staccato.
3. Jay Zhou -- featured starlet
Cast I'm sure to attract younger audiences, he was believable for precisely 3 seconds of the entire movie.
I'm not convinced the movie wasn't just an extravagant (and putrid) commercial for Liuligongfang; the ostentatious use of glass would have made the set more beautiful if the set designer had a clue about color. The halls lined with glass columns were like regurgitated gummy worms. See glass panels in doors and windows below. The sweeping scenes of yellow chrysanthemums were beautiful, but anything in volume has a wow factor, doesn't it? Even if Zhang Yimou had filmed mountains made of M&M Peanuts, it would have been impressive. Anyone else miss Zhang Yimou on a smaller budget?
Curse of the Golden Flower -- believe it.
> Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
note
As the signature flower suggests, much death does occur in the director's latest failure to emulate the success of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
The funny thing about shopping in Shanghai is the exposure to designer labels I was otherwise unfamiliar with. Tsumori Chisato is the perfect example of a designer I'd read about, but hadn't seen a collection of. Suddenly I was seeing her name in all the boutiques and it's quirky and it's cute and it's bohemania...bits and pieces from her real collection all mashed up and distorted. A strange education being taught through kaleidoscope images. The take-home assignment was trying to work the equation backwards and figure out what the looking glass was pointed at.
Well, last week I finally got my first taste of the real Tsumori and her clothes were much more beautiful and more special than I had imagined. I wanted to take a proper picture to share with everyone, but the shop girl didn't like that idea. Below, the only picture I was able to take before she ixnayed the camera action...the colors, the colors!
> February 2007. Xintiandi, Shanghai.
And this is what I had been seeing in the boutiques:
> February 2007. Xinle Road, Shanghai.
Quite a difference. But let's face it, the Chinese didn't invent knock offs. In Western countries, designers are used for "inspiration". In China, they're used for marketing.
It's not a lemon. It's a common vegetable, but in an unusual form....
> February 2007. Botanical Gardens, Shanghai.
Ever since I made the comment about the pink and red bikini briefs, they haven't been showing up...
> 23 February 2007. Undisclosed Location, Shanghai.
> 22 February 2007. Undisclosed Location, Shanghai.
Something strange happened today. I found a pair of boxers hanging in my backyard. Being on the ground floor, I've had the occasional candy wrapper or cigarette butt fall in, but underwear was something I was not expecting. I wasn't sure what to do; my first thought was to fling it onto the balcony of the neighbors directly above me. But when I looked up, I saw they weren't the only ones doing their wash today. Plus I've noticed that the same 2 pairs of jersey briefs keep showing up on the laundry line overhead. It's actually a little disconcerting; everyday, it's one pink and one red. But anyways, never boxers. So I didn't think it would be theirs. And it wouldn't be fair, would it? I mean, it's unusual for underwear to show up in one's backyard, but imagine if sopping wet, unidentified underwear showed up on your balcony? How would you explain that to yourself?
In the end, I decided I'd let whoever it was come knock on my door to claim their property and left the house. It's now 5:45 and no knock, no note, no show.
I wonder do I chuck them now? Or ought I wait for them to dry first?
> February 2007. My Backyard, Shanghai.
> 21 February 2007. Location Undisclosed, Shanghai.
> 20 February 2007. Location Undisclosed, Shanghai.
Though typical apartments have laundry rooms with washing machines, most do not have dryers. I don't have one; and neither do my neighbors. Instead, I have been using a drying rack placed inside the laundry area; my neighbors hang their laundry outside on bamboo sticks.
I'd like to do a little experiment...I'd like to see what I can find out about my neighbors just by taking a picture of their laundry. Maybe nothing. This probably goes against all ethical judgment from an American viewpoint...but keep in mind (at least I will to assuage the nagging guilt) that laundry is hung for all to see everyday (except rainy ones), on every street. No, really. So here it goes....
> 19 February 2007. Location Undisclosed, Shanghai.
Wait one hot New York minute. What the f is this?
That’s what I wanted to say after standing outside in the cold for 3 hours and realising that the sad little sparks flying off along the Bund were as good as it was going to get. I realise Macy’s isn’t spending millions of $$ to put on a show that the most hard-to-please people in America are going to get hectic to watch, but for several reasons, I expected a much better fireworks display last night:
1. It’s Spring Festival, the biggest holiday in the most populated country in the world; where children get one month off from school; where no amount of money will convince migrant workers to stay in the factories; where absolutely every one of the billion plus population will observe. Think Christmas with the Falwells.
2. It’s China; they are busting ass to get their good sides on tv screens across the First World.
3. It’s SHANGHAI! People have MONEY here! And they care about looking good!
4. Considering how easy it is to buy firecrackers and how families will set them off on sidewalks throughout the city, wouldn’t you think the fireworks along the most famous strip in Shanghai would try a little harder?
Maybe it’s not about the tourist dollars. Maybe it’s about family.
Click here to listen to the sound of gum being snapped watch the fireworks along the Bund.
> February 2007. Pedestrian bridge on Zhaojiabang Road, Shanghai.
The best ad campaign I've seen since moving to Shanghai. Tell me, does UPS have the same campaign in the States? The relay race concept makes a lot of sense for the Olympics, but could work either way.
Another image of the campaign in another city....just as effective.
> December 2006. Luggage claim, Beijing.
Thankfully many of the public condom machines are not located in clubs or bars. That would be too obvious. Instead, one kuai condoms are readily available on quiet streets far far away from unpremeditated acts of transmission.
> February 2007. Hunan Road, Shanghai.
currency converter
> one kuai ~ 12.5 cents
As anyone with experience will tell you, shopping for sex gadgets is a stale affair; customers are normally assisted by a middle-aged woman in a pharmacist's coat. Although...the man in the doorway looks ready to lend a helping hand.
> February 2007. Dongtai Road, Shanghai.
no......wait, really?
GRADE A, ABRIDGED, or VOID?
> February 2007. Fuxing Road, Shanghai.
related facts
> Chrysanthemums represent autumn, joviality, and long life.
> Yellow chrysanthemums symbolise slighted love.
currency converter
> A single stem was RMB2.00, or a George Washington quarter.
Fish is an essential part of a New Year meal, representing a lack of want; people will intentionally leave dishes unfinished to indicate they have more than enough to go around.
> February 2007. Carrefour, Shanghai.
note
> The fish pictured above is not real.
> February 2007. KWah Centre, Shanghai.
For a survey of over-the-counter fireworks and the fun to be had with a match and a fistful of change, read Light Fantastic! from city magazine 8 Days.
> February 2007. Everywhere, Shanghai.
Customers receive a free chocolate pig with their milk purchase.
> February 2007. Dongjiadu Road, Shanghai.
Chinese New Year is February 18th this year and fast approaching. A few images in acknowledgement...
> February 2007. Dongtai Road, Shanghai.
> February 2007. Simple Xinjiang restaurant on Fuxing Road, Shanghai.
Few people who've never been here (and even some who live here) don't know that China has a Muslim province in the northwest called Xinjiang. One of the most fascinating regions and definitely the top of my list to travel to, eight countries border the province -- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tadjikistan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Its people are a visual catalogue of all the different influences from its neighbors. Besides the Silk Road, the province is also known for its wine, raisins, lamb skewers, naan (more similar to the Uzbeki kind than Indian), and desert.
apologies
>This was a lightning speed synopsis of a place truly more inspiring than my writing.
Designer labels dominate the boutiques in the French Concession. Almost never are they authentic, but store owners swear to God they are (as the light burns in the Buddhist shrine behind the counter). Don't be mistaken; the quality and variety is MUCH better than what you find in Chinatown; truly not even the same realm of Fake; in fact more like a sophisticated version of H&M; ok definitely not real, but good enough that often I can't tell how thick the wool is being pulled over my eyes.
The way I see it, there are three levels of inauthenticity:
> GRADE A: They're off-the-truck (pieces from actual production orders)
> ABRIDGED: Modified versions of the real versions (e.g. substituted fabric, simplified construction, stock hardware)
> VOID: Nothing was inspired by the name on the label, except for the logo font.
Help me figure it out....this cute dress says Diane von Furstenberg. Was it part of her Fall 06 collection?
>February 2007. Fuxing Road, Shanghai.
The cab I was taking today got into a little fender bender. It was clearly the other driver's fault; a classic case of not checking the sideview mirror before changing lanes. Look at how these two drivers resolve the issue.
1. Bumper (left) remains calm, even patting the Bumpee (right) repeatedly on the arm and says the damage is negligible; essentially, "let's forget the whole thing". Bumpee isn't falling for it and presses his point by throwing a hissy fit.
2. Passenger from Bumpee's cab approaches to pay her fare and go on her way.
3. Passenger decides to join the discussion, expressing her opinion that as cab drivers, they should consider each other colleagues and settle the matter simply and cheaply. Bumpee reviews his points for everyone who has already heard them.
4. Bumper, seeing that Bumpee's anger is faltering, takes the opportunity to quickly hand over RMB100 before he regains strength. Both drivers then return to their cars.
5. From where I was sitting, it looked like my driver (the Bumpee) was bullied into settling for RMB100 so when he gets into his seat I immediately start saying how it was the other guy's fault. For the next 10 minutes, my driver rants about how wrong the other guy was while exalting his own merciful qualities. When he stopped to breathe, I asked about the damage, but he said there wasn't any.
[thoughtful pause]
I'm confused. What was the money for then?
currency converter
> RMB100 ~ grand total of $10.25
I bought frozen dumplings last week for those desperate-and-lazy meals. And I got to thinking that someone needs to develop a line of whole wheat Chinese food products...
Pan-fried Whole Wheat Dumplings + Whole Wheat Wonton Soup + Steamed Whole Wheat Pork Buns = GOLD!
> February 2007. Off of Lujiabang Road, Shanghai.
acknowledgements
> Post dedicated to Bartek (currently on his Blonde Ambition Tour of Thailand) for coming up with the headline.
SENSE
This is a classic Shanghainese dish. My sister loves ordering it at Congee Village on Allen Street. Now, what is it?? Click on image for closer look...
> February 2007. Dongjiadu Market, Shanghai.
hint
> Normally sliced when served.
What is this? I really don't know. It looks like a foot-shaped coconut. Click on image for a closer look...
> February 2007. Dongjiadu Market, Shanghai.
In China people live and breathe karaoke. But it's not the loud, ridiculous karaoke you'd find at Sing Sing on B between 5th and 6th...and certainly no surprise visits by a male dancer in uniform. No, in my experience, karaoke with locals is a fairly sober event. Songs about heartache and general misery, voices so soft and sweet as to lull you to sleep, and bodies slumped wearily against the couch fill the room. Sometimes watermelon juice is served.
But wait....
Yesterday I was reunited with the Back Dorm Boys, two Chinese students thought (by me) to be the start of a karaoke revolution. THIS IS GREAT..... AND SO IS THIS!
acknowledgements
> For first introducing the I Want It That Way video to me years ago, I want to thank Ms. Handan, a graduate of Beijing University and now oral and written translator for the Shenzhen city government. Sometimes you can catch her on the local evening news. AND she has a great singing voice.
> Thanks to Eric from NBA Shanghai (marketing) for knowing what I was talking about and telling me their name in English!
additional sources
> http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/housheboy: Chinese site, lots of pictures. They seem to have won some sort of award. Can anyone fill me in on what the award is?
> http://twochineseboys.blogspot.com/: English site....they're looking for a translator!
Two days ago I noticed ants were sunbathing by the window. I was stumped as to why they were hanging around and how I could convince them to leave.
Turns out the flower attracts ants.
acknowledgements
> Thanks to Jane, who came over yesterday, for educating me.
> November 2006. Near the Antique Market, Shanghai.
One of my favorite things about walking in China is seeing people treating the sidewalk like it's their living room. They may not be blasting their boombox or hooking up their tv's to the lampposts like they do in Harlem, but it's the same idea.
Anyone come up with a different headline?
> August 2006. Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
OK, seriously, I've noticed most middle-aged and older women have short hair. It must be related to the Cultural Revolution -- anyone know exactly what the short hair is about?
How about another headline for this picture?
> August 2006. Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
Looking at this lady makes me sad. I hope her friends were on their way...
Different headline, anyone?
> December 2006. Dongjiadu Road, Shanghai.
Have an alternative headline?
> January 2007. Near Moganshan Road, Shanghai.
Some fish and pork hung out to smoke on a sidewalk. There will be more pictures of uncooked meat coming on this site....be warned. In the meantime, anyone have another headline?
> January 2007. Moganshan Road, Shanghai.
Having 6 sinks could be really cool, actually. Just not those sinks.
Headline suggestions?
SENSE
NONSENSE
This 2-storey house takes up about 2 bike lengths x 1 bike length of a dirt patch. A talented realtor might be able to sell it as a "cozy, no-frills pied-a-terre" IF this was a duplex apartment in Manhattan, where a utility closet in the basement of a co-op can cost $50,000. But it's not. By Shanghainese standards, this place is a dump. However, it sits on an intersection just a few blocks from Jin An Temple, the city's Columbus Circle in terms of the expensive glass-and-steel retail and office space available. Rumor has it, the owner of this humble abode was offered 4 million yuan for his little piece of heaven. He said no. That's a lot of cash for a country whose top college graduates earn an average starting salary ofjust 72,000 rmb/year.
I want to know what is blocking the deal. Is the owner holding out for more? Does he have a body buried under the floorboards (assuming there are floorboards)?
currency converter
4 million yuan ~ USD500,000
72,000 rmb ~ USD9000
cited sources
> I got the offer price from a real estate agent that probably had absolutely nothing to do with the property.
> The average starting salary is based on conversations I had with a few cab drivers and 1 postal worker.
Shanghai enjoyed blue skies most of this week as well as temperatures in the 60's F -- not something to take for granted, as these locals demonstrate.
A street sweeper uses his broom to cushion his tushy while he naps. Looks like he's been snoozing for awhile; he's going to have to hustle if he wants to keep up with the shade.
This cab driver would rather kick back and read the paper than look for a fare.
I saw something that looked like an ivory head of lettuce on a stalk 20" long and knew I had to have it. The shopkeeper used a single sheet of the local newspaper to wrap around the stems. A guilt-free purchase at RMB12 for the bunch.
How much is a single carnation at the corner bodega is these days?
related facts
> Agricultural workers represent 60% of China's population
> Pink carnations represent a mother's undying love
currency converter
> RMB12 ~ a buck fifty
