[Shanghai] Catie Lo

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[Shanghai] Catie Lo

Catie Lo

Add: 105 Wukang Lu, near Fuxing Lu / 武康路105号, 近复兴路
Tel: 6473 4198 / 186-1024-6093
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 12pm-7:30pm [Sat-Sun] 12pm-8pm
Visited on: Mar 2012

The fun thing about walking around aimlessly in the Former French Concession neighborhood is that you stumble upon some hidden gems just like that. I passed by Catie Lo’s storefront by chance, and decided to venture in to this little boutique to see what they’ve got…

Clothes, shoes, purses, home fragrance, tea bags, greeting cards…and more. Shop owner Catie wasn’t there on the day of my visit, but her store staff told me that Catie is from Beijing, and a little bit of subsequent weibo stalking revealed that she was abroad in the U.K. for a while.

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[Shanghai] Cheers In Beer Delivery

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[Shanghai] Cheers In Beer Delivery

Cheers In

Add: 25 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu / 永康路25号, 近嘉善路
Tel: 6418 8400
Hours: 9am~10pm
Website: www.cheers-in.com
Tasted: Mar 2012

Why yes, Shanghai is certainly warming up! With the high at 22°C today, I say it’s beer time. Here are a few bottles delivered from Cheers In, a beer shop with 2 physical stores (click here for the addresses) and an online delivery service. Well then, let’s drink.

The afternoon started with La Trappe Blond Trappist (27 RMB, 330ml) from Abbey ND Koenigshoeven Brewery. Clear, sparkling, and golden blond in color, this beer has a fresh and fruity taste with a soft bitter aftertaste, and a smooth aroma with a bit of butterscotch and floral notes. 6.5% vol. alc., pouring temperature 8-12 ºC.

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[Shanghai] River Suite at The Waterhouse

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[Shanghai] River Suite at The Waterhouse

The Waterhouse at South Bund

Add: 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu / 毛家园路1-3号，近中山南路
Tel: 6080 2988
Website: www.waterhouseshanghai.com
Visited:  Mar 2011

If you’ve seen pictures from my previous post on The Waterhouse, you already have a good idea of what its style is like – broken tiles, exposed bricks, rough edges, and plenty of rust…the design is certainly not for everyone, but for those who do like it, take a look at its River Suite. Like the public spaces in the hotel, the suite has a minimalistic and bare look, but is comfortable nonetheless. A few characteristics that stood out: large bed to lounge on, open wardrobe, and an exposed bathroom (nope, no blinds…)

What’s included in the room: flatscreen TV, DVD player, safe, fridge, bathrobe, iPod docking station…and free wi-fi, thank you very much.

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[Shanghai] The Waterhouse at South Bund

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[Shanghai] The Waterhouse at South Bund

The Waterhouse at South Bund

Add: 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu / 毛家园路1-3号，近中山南路
Tel: 6080 2988
Website: www.waterhouseshanghai.com
Visited:  Mar 2011

The Waterhouse at South Bund, a venture of Singaporean hotelier Loh Lik Peng, is a 19-room boutique hotel reconstructed from a 1930s warehouse. Designed by Shanghai-based  Neri & Hu, this thoughtful restoration successfully infused modern touches to the original structure, resulting in sharp contrasts of the new and the old. Broken tiles, exposed bricks, rough edges, and plenty of rust, complete with eclectic furnishings and random phrases written haphazardly all over the building, The Waterhouse design is undoubtedly one of the most unique in town.

For pictures of the River Suite where I stayed at, click here.

The design of The Waterhouse has been applauded by those in the know – it is on the Conde Nast “Hot List” for 2011, as well at the list from Travel + Leisure, CN Traveler, and Concierge.com.

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[Shanghai] Hai Pai Afternoon Tea at Andaz

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[Shanghai] Hai Pai Afternoon Tea at Andaz

Hai Pai at Andaz

Add: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu, near Taicang Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: [afternoon tea] 2:30~5:30pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 258 RMB + 15%/set for two
Visited: Feb 2012

Fellow afternoon tea-ers, here’s a new spot for you in Xintiandi. Andaz Hotel’s Hai Pai, a fusion restaurant with a modern Shanghainese spirit, recently launched afternoon tea service in both of its compartments. The right side is of a modern Shanghainese decor, while the left is in the style of a French bistro.

Hai Pai afternoon tea (258 RMB + 15%/set for two) is definitely one of the more affordable hotel afternoon tea sets out there. What it includes: the savory – 6 small dim sums, 2 cheese and ham sandwiches, 2 smoked salmon sandwiches and 2 mini lobster tarts; the sweet – 4 flavors of eclairs, 2 green tea madeleines, and 2 honey lemon madeleines. The size is about just right – it won’t leave you stuffed, but you probably won’t be needing a full dinner after this either.

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[Shanghai] Strawberry Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula

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[Shanghai] Strawberry Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula

The Peninsula

Add: 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing East Road / 中山东一路32号, 近北京东路
Tel: 2327 6756
Hours: [afternoon tea] 2-6pm
Website: www.peninsula.com/Shanghai/en/
Price: 260 RMB or 340 RMB (with champagne) + 15%/person
Visited: Feb 2012

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

TSubtle tones of celadon green and ivory, triple-height ceiling with palatial columns, live music wafting down from the Minstrels’ Gallery performed by the Lobby String…it’s no wonder that having high tea at The Peninsula is every afternoon tea-er’s dream.

The Peninsula Afternoon Tea (260 RMB + 15%/set), a spread of exquisitely orchestrated British traditional fare, is served on a claw-footed three tier stand. If you are wondering why the set looks so pink, it’s because the current tea theme is strawberry – from finger sandwiches to scones to macarons, everything is adorned with a touch of pink.

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[Shanghai] aroom

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[Shanghai] aroom

aroom

Add: No. 15, Lane 120, Tai’an Road / 泰安路120弄15号
Tel: 5213 0360
Hours: 12~8:30pm
Price: 20~35 RMB/drink
Visited: Jun 2012

Aroom is a well-hidden cafe/shop on Tai’an Road – so well-hidden that you definitely won’t discover it if you weren’t specifically looking for its door. There are a few wooden tables and leather sofas for those who want to linger for the coffee and cakes, but the focus here are random objects collected by its owners (a Shanghainese couple, I hear). It’s one of those places where I get so busy trying to capture everything on camera, but there’s just too much…

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[Shanghai] CHI, The Spa at Pudong Shangri-La

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[Shanghai] CHI, The Spa at Pudong Shangri-La

CHI, The Spa at Pudong Shangri-La

Add: Pudong Shangri-La, Tower 2, 6/F, 33 Fucheng Lu / 富城路33号浦东香格里拉2号楼6楼
Tel: 5877 1503
Hours: 10am~12am
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Price: CHI Balance (1 hr 15 min) 1,280 RMB
Visited: Feb 2012

Mandala symbols, tribal embroidered textiles, Himalayan accessories, scented incense, Tibetan singing bowls – welcome to CHI, The Spa at Pudong Shangri-La. This 800 square-meter haven of tranquility, very obviously inspired by architectural aesthetics of Tibetan temples, combines Himalayan design elements with Chinese principles of harmony and balance. A mystical and truly enchanting space.

At CHI, spa treatments and products are tailored based on the Chinese philosophy of the five elements, in which metal, water, wood, fire and earth are in balance with the positive yang and negative yin energy within the body. To start, I was given five bottles – each with a unique blend of essential oils – and asked to pick out my favorite scent, which supposedly would be what my body needed the most at that moment. For me, it was the metal.

There was also a short questionnaire that helps guests determine which “element” is in need, with multiple choice questions about favorite colors, tastes, time of day, etc., and interestingly my result from this questionnaire is also metal! Coincidence?

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[Shanghai] Éclair at Andaz

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[Shanghai] Éclair at Andaz

Éclair at Andaz

Add: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: 7am~10pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 18 RMB/eclair, 30~50 RMB/coffee or tea
Visited: Feb 2012

Éclair at Andaz specializes in – you’ve guessed it – éclairs. But before we go on, here are a few words on Andaz for those of you who are unfamiliar with this hotel collection. It is Hyatt’s new line of contemporary, boutique-inspired hotels, located in hip cities around the world like London, New York, and LA. Shanghai’s Andaz, opened only a few months ago in October 2011, is the first in Asia and the sixth in the world. Next time you are in Xintiandi, be sure to drop by and check out its chic designs.

Back to Éclairs, where éclairs take center stage. These oblong-shaped pastries are made from pâte à choux, baked until crisp and hollow inside, then filled with flavored pastry cream and glazed with fondant icing. The word éclair actually came from a French word meaning “lightning” or “flash of lightning”…Why? Je ne sais pas.

Also available: a selection of chocolates, cupcakes, tarts, quiches, breads, and the likes.

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[Shanghai] The Public

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[Shanghai] The Public

The Public

Add: Sinan Mansions, Block 2, 4/F, Lane 507 Fuxing Zhong Lu / 复兴中路507弄2号楼4楼
Tel: 3368 9419
Hours: [Wed-Sun] 6:00pm~late
Price: 65~80 RMB/cocktail
Visited: Feb 2012

The Public, recently rebranded from The Apothecary, is a cocktail lounge in the Sinan Mansions neighborhood. It’s my preferred type of place where the music isn’t so loud – you can actually have a conversation. The drinks menu features fine cocktails that are hand-crafted from house-infused spirits and bitters, fresh juices, fruits and syrups, while the food menu lists an appealing selection of some all-time favorite comfort foods (think charcuterie and sweet potato fries)…and all held together by smooth and efficient service.

For those who are overwhelmed by the extensive drinks menu, take a look at their list of “Auspicious Eight”, an abridged collection of eight of The Public’s most popular cocktails.

Here are a few we sampled, starting with my favorite for the evening – The Kind (70 RMB): Ketel One vodka, grapefruit and lime juice, a tad of black pepper, cinnamon and lime syrups, house-made ginger beer, soda. “This Tiki-style Moscow Mule variation takes the too-easy original and pumps up the spice and fruit variables for a pungent, dry drink that’ll tickle your taste buds.”


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