First few things we did as new visitors to Shanghai,
was visit a couple of the tourist spots.
It’s one of those things which you do just so you can say, “Oh yes, i went there,” before graduating your way up to the more interesting hidey holes of the city.
My favourite picture of the day *cough* was this cat in the window.
It’s such a jolly cat!
I just stood there staring and laughing back at it.
I even continued laughing to myself when i looked back at the picture i took, while walking around the area.
Clem thought i was a bit crazy (but he knows that already).
I don’t usually do the whole perching on some rock and taking a touristy picture.
But don’t know why i succumbed to it this time.
Maybe i was thinking why not, who knows, maybe in twenty years time i can look back at a picture of myself sitting on a rock in china and have good memories.
Yes that would totally happen.
Of course Wilson didn’t miss out on the holiday.
He got a free flight.
We also went to the City God Temple that was built during the the Ming Dynasty (after 1403).
After the opening of Shanghai Port, merchants swarmed around the temple and surrounding areas and fostered a flourishing market. Today, the market around the temple is rebuilt into a large-scale tourist and shopping center of traditional Chinese features.
Dom, Clem, Serge
top, baci; floral leggings, copenhagen; scarf, vintage from london market
We separated a few times while walking around the temple.
Clem found me in a corner with rather gleeful look on my face…
… I found a fan.
You have no idea how a fan will be your best friend in the stifling heat of a temple!
Here’s another picture of the fan because it was my favourite thing in the temple *blasphemy!*
I was invited to the Arthur’s Day media event in Sunway (oh i HATE Sunway!) the other day.
Terrified of the traffic that plagues KL every single evening,
especially during Ramadhan month,
i left for the event venue at 6 pm as it was to start at 7 pm.
Traffic was, as expected, crawling.
So i soothed my nerves by listening to The New Pornographers (their name is nothing like their music!)
and telling myself that a many-a Guinnesses were waiting for me at the end of the journey.
That actually helped.
Then…
I ended up being early and cursed myself a bit.
Cos who goes to an event right on time these days :p
Check out the massively lit Guinness logo as the doorway!
Impressive for a media event.
Walked in and was elated to spot someone i know and chat to a lot – Patrick!
Patrick and i recalled that we met at the very same Guinness media event a year ago
and have been drinking buddies since.
Guinness really does bring people together
Had an awesome time catching up with him,
and am planning to double date with his girl and him heh.
They were making everyone raise their Guinnesses and shout “To Arthur!”
Crowd super layan.
Mark Jenner (pictured in left below), Marketing Director of Guinness Anchor Marketing, went up to announce the list of artistes whom are to perform at Arthur’s Day in Kuala Lumpur this year.
It wasn’t a boring speech… and i believe one of the few that i’ve seen everyone in the room pay attention to!
Guess his drinking since 5pm did help him
Artiste line up for Arthur’s Day on 24th September 2010 are:
He was wondering and wondering whether he should take a picture with her,
and with some pushing from FourFeetNineAud,
he kancheong-ly asked us to hold the many things he was clutching in his hands so he could get a picture with her.
I found myself holding his water bottle.
Who brings a bottle of mineral water to a Guinness event?!
But he was such an adoring fan, i couldn’t help laughing.
SmallSerena + AdamPoserPan
Serena’s hair is like a few years ago when i first knew her!
And Adam… Adam you need to cut your hair okay.
Adam, FourFeetNineAud, TimTiah
I don’t know Audrey that well, just from what i read off her blog and i like how she expresses herself there.
That night… i was standing next to her when face lit up and she went,“Ooh!!”
So i thought she saw a friend or something.
Kononnya when i turned around, it was a tray of food going past us.
I just BURST out laughing cos i don’t usually see people so openly excited about food.
And anyone who gets THAT excited about FOOD is good in my books!
DJ Fuzz, Mizz Nina + Pop Shuvit
I left the event after 3 Guinnesses and went home to Clem,
where i showed him the doorgifts i got at the event – a Guinness glass + a silver keychain in the shape of a Guinness bottle.
Straight away, i proudly (and okay, slightly drunkenly) hung the keychain off my Anya handbag.
Guinness. On my Anya.
Haha, i’m leaving it there cos that’s how much i love Guinness… as much as fashion!
Thinking bout it, just this year alone, i’ve drank Guinness in Singapore, Spain, New York, and London. (the links actually take you to posts where i mention drinking Guinness in it :p)
In London, there were times where i’d insist to Yishyene that we MUST go to a pub,
just so i could have Guinness.
And i was really happy she strengthened our friendship by agreeing it wasn’t so bad (she doesn’t really drink but erm after hanging out with me so much she does now haha) and having a few pints with me. I even took pictures of her sipping it while i cooed, “I’m so proud of you!” like a pleased mother.
Ugh i digressed!
Back to Arthur’s Day!
Last year’s celebration featuring the Black Eyed Peas brought 15,000 people to Sunway Lagoon.
This year, will probably be as massive.
Tickets are priced at RM98 (regular), RM198 (VIP) and RM350 (mosh pit)
and can be obtained thru Axcess Tickets or Galaxy Hotline.
There will also be 2 contests on the Arthur’s Day website,
whereyou get to win tickets to Arthur’s Day,
and even a trip to Dublin!
Man of Vision Contest
[click to enlarge]
All you have to do is try to spot as many Guinness elements as you can in an image provided!
Print it out if you think it helps you!
You can get hints by following @GuinnessMY or liking www.facebook.com/guinnessmalaysia.
Each hint is connected to an element in the illustration you need to submit. I.e. The hint given is “How far Arthur saw into the future”. The illustration element that goes with the hint is a shop with ‘9K’ as its lot number and a sign saying it’s leased. The answer is “9,000-year lease”.
Here’s another hint for you: There are 40 facts. Spot them all and stand a chance to win.
Compile all your answers and email contest@arthursday.com.my
with name, IC no., and mobile no.
Grand Prize – Trip to Dublin and a pair of Arthur’s Dayy Mosh Pit tickets worth RM350 each
The fastest submission with the most correct answers wins the Grand Prize (Deadline: Sun, 19 Sept 11:59)
Weekly Prizes – A pair of Arthur’s Day Mosh Pit tickets worth RM350 each
Answer all ‘clues of the week’ as released on Facebook or Twitter correctly before the end of the week. First all correct entry wins the weekly prize!
Week 1 contest period: 23 Aug – 29 Aug
Week 2 contest period: 30 Aug – 5 September
Week 3 contest period: 6 Sept – 12 September
Week 4 contest period: 13 Sept – 19 Sept
Consolation Prizes – A pair of Arthur’s Day White Zone tickets worth RM98 each
Top 15 fastest submission with the most correct answers win a pair of Arthur’s Day White Zone tickets.
If you reckon spotting things in an image isn’t your thing,
then you could go for the contest below!
Man of Action Contest
First, you have to ‘Like’ www.facebook.com/guinnessmalaysia
Then, choose your favourite song and recreate it any way you want on video – sing, dance, re-enact the music video, anything goes.
Upload your video performance onto YouTube.
Your video must feature a mention of Arthur’s Day 2010 in the title, e.g: “Arthur’s Day 2010: <insert own title>.”
Copy the embedded code or URL from your YouTube page and post it on the Guinness Facebook page together with your name and video title.
Grand Prize– Trip to Dublin and a pair of Arthur’s Day Mosh Pit tickets worth RM350 each.
The most creative entry of all video submission as decided by the judges will win the Grand Prize.
Runner-up Prizes – A pair of Arthur’s Day Mosh Pit tickets worth RM 350 each
Another 4 most creative video submissions as chosen by the judges will win a pair of Arthur’s Day Mosh Pit tickets.
Consolation Prizes – A pair of Arthur’s Day White Zone tickets worth RM98 each
All other video submissions that comply with the guidelines and are deemed relevant by the judges will win a pair of Arthur’s Day White Zone tickets.
All winners will be announced on Tues, 21 September 2010
‘Twas my first time in China, and i thought it ironic:
1. i was going with a French family.
2. i couldn’t speak a single word of Mandarin to save any of us.
Okay so i know a grand total of six words in Mandarin – ‘no’, ‘thank you’ and ‘i don’t know’.
Knowledge of 3 Mandarin phrases in China = Super Fail. *covers face with hands*
Random notes about Shanghai:
1. I LOVE THE FOOD
The one thing i was most excited about was being able to eat different types of Chinese food – Shanghainese, Hunan, Si Chuan – loved them all. So different from Malaysian Chinese dishes, and spicier too. I was really lucky to pick up an issue of TimeOut there, which happened to have a feature on Cheap Eats. The TimeOut team basically combed thru the city selecting the best places with a varied selection of yummy and affordable food. That issue became my bible when i was there and i carried it around EVERYWHERE. More posts to come JUST ABOUT FOOD later!
2. Taxi/MRT fare is cheap
Before i went to Shanghai, people were telling me that it’s expensive and i was expecting something like Copenhagen. So far, no other place beats Copenhagen in terms of price where a pack of gum in a 24-hour costs RM5. The way i judge whether a city is expensive is by observing prices of their petrol/transport, food, alcohol :p, rent, and basic amenities like mineral water, gum, etc. I don’t think Shanghai is expensive… getting around was incredibly cheap, with MRT/subway tickets costing RMB3 (RM1.50) a trip; and cab fares usually around RMB12-25 (RM6-13).
3. It’s really clean.
The roads were exceptionally clean, probably due to the World Expo going on. Occasionally i’d come across some smears of shit (sorry but there’s no kinder way to put it) on the pavement and i’d gingerly hop over it, inwardly screaming for my shoes.
4. Good luck finding someone who speaks English.
I probably came across one person daily who spoke English. Waiters, taxi drivers, store attendants, all don’t speak English. Most of the time, one person in a restaurant could speak English if you’re lucky. If i went to a Western restaurant there was no problem at all. All the Chinese people were really nice to us (but i told Clem i bet it’s because he’s white) because the ONE time i was alone and smilingly tried buying something in the pharmacy, the girl rolled her eyes at me and refused to try and understand my gestures.
5. The city is massive.
I never thought of Shanghai as an ultra megalopolis till i went there. See for yourself! >
[Pix above taken by Clem, have to give credit, nanti the fellow say i steal his pics -_-]
We went to Cloud 9, a bar on the 87th floor of the Grand Hyatt with a spectacular 360 degrees view.
i’m wearing > top; gift from mum
pants; h&m
shoes; kg
scarf; flea market
Clem + his mummy Dom
Serge + Dom
We also took long walks around the less commercial areas,
which were my favourite!
Lanes where no tourists ventured,
filled with colour,
locals going about doing their daily thing,
and clothes hanging everywhere.
People taking care of their old, and young.
[click for larger view]
[click for larger view]
Saw quite a few men (like the one above) who liked to walk around with their shirts hiked up above their tummies.
[click for larger view]
I really like the picture above for some reason.
The red and green garments sticking out yet blending in with its surroundings.
I wasn’t joking when i said clothes hung everywhere.
On strings tightened from one building to another,
on telephone wires,
below low rafters and roofs,
over shop entrances,
on chairs and parked bicycles,
heck, i even saw someone’s bed comforters hanging on the highway divider (wish i took a picture of that now!).
Ever since coming back from Shanghai last Friday,
Clem and i have been holed up at home,
enjoying being indoors too much to venture out.
Which is terrible and lazy, i know.
But it feels SO GOOD to just stay at home, make drinks, watch DVDs and just hang out with each other sometimes.
I couldn’t help thinking, “I can’t believe it, my favourite thing to do on a Saturday night is stay in with Clem.”
To give us some credit, we did some major running around Shanghai for a full week,
so much so till i got blisters which he bought plasters for.
Not knowing how to say ‘plaster’ in mandarin to the girl in the pharmacy,
he played charades and acted out something cutting him,
blood spurting out with a wooshing sound and sticking something on with a smile.
She immediately handed him a box of band-aids.
Another reason i’ve been so reluctant to go out, is a new book i’m currently stuck on.
After finishing The Last Empress on my last day in Shanghai (i thought it apt to read a book about China while in China!),
i couldn’t find a single magazine nor book in English in the Huang Zhou airport and resorted to Clem’s World Without End.
Previously, i’d turned my nose up at his book, not comprehending what could be so interesting about life in the 1300s.
And he was trying his best to get me to read it.
Now that i’ve started, i’ve been making excuses for him to entertain himself with something other than me so i can curl up on the bed to read.
2 days and over 300 pages later, i was ignoring his pleas for me to get out of bed so we could go out and eat.
After he tried for an hour, StephTheVolcano smsed me out of nowhere,
saying we were having an impromptu girlie meet up.
I suddenly found some enthusiasm to get out of the apartment and jumped out of bed to take a shower.
Book vs. Lovelies…
Lovelies win hands down.
glasses, balenciaga; necklace, me & zena; dress, bali
SpankyCammy insisted i looked like a Guinness pint,
cos my dress was black and my gold necklace looked like the harp thing.
I told the girls a revelation i had in Tioman. Me: I know what i want to be when i grow up! SpankyCammy: Aren’t… you already grown up
Me: No. *denial* I want to own a guesthouse by the beach… or in the forest when i grow up!
It’d be awesome.
I can decorate each room in all the crazy ways i want.
And Clem can help out.
+ + +
Olivia planned a get-together for JP’s birthday at WIP @ BSC.
and cursed myself a bit.
