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15 Favorite 15

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h s W i e hinese it may be, but Shanghai’s story is pure Hollywood: Lu an g N A precipitous rise, a crashing fall, and a stirring comeback shot on C ud

P u through with glory, glamour, and greed. Echoes of a rich and deca-

nel n Lu

Lu ima Tu Center L xing a

Park g dent past are again luring the masses toward the bright lights at the in u W Lu

Lujiazui n F Na Shanghai m n Pu e sha Century Ave. d ng mouth of the Yangtze River. Shanghai is China’s new frontier, and a ho Moments en Z m

World Financial o here are 15 of its most exciting outposts: r Nanpu Bus Station P er iv e R LUJIAZUI d i u Oriental Pearl TV Tower rs p e g iv n R a Z Mall u Lu ho n a NANPU BRIDGE H r Lu ghu Lu 1 Riding the Maglev. With a thrill-

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g a

Super Brand u L Lujiazui Xi Lu Xi Lujiazui n gh u ing top speed of 431kph (268mph), o n L

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g Nan L n

Riverside qi D

n Dong n n

uang

G o a Lu Tunne Lu o

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h h the $1billion mark, there’s some-

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Z

i L Cathedral

Yan’ Park Dongjiadu

Yuyuan Garden x

City God Temple

n u

Gucheng

e thing peculiarly Shanghainese about F

The Bund u w

L

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n what, in any other city, would have n

BUND i a

Huangpu Central Hospital h

ou Lu m

Nan Lu S

n been a workaday airport commuter uy

L

Bund u e u

Y Confucius Temple u a F n L m i R enan a H u Shanghai Museum of Natural History See p 7, . Museum h train. 1 Mosque Historical

Fuyou Rd

Holy Trinity Cathedral g LUJIABANG RD

n u

o L

Zhong Lu h Lu

Z u Henan u t

u L 2 Sipping cocktails at a sky-high Fuzhou Lu Fuzhou n

a ie L

Lu

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g X

g n L

a iyuan

n z

i L

X hotel lounge. Shun the crowds and

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Dong Lu Dong

d i

Bird, Fish, Flower & Insect Market

g

hassle of the Oriental Pearl TV n

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LAOXIMEN Renji u DASHIJIE

u

L G Ningha

Tower and soak up stunning EAST

Antiques Market

u

g

nxi a L

Sh Hospital n

Shuguang Hospital Lu

a u

360-degree views of Shanghai with b o g

k

HUANGPU a

Shanghai Concert Hall

u i n

j

NANJING RD n

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o

Lu Lu

u a g

g a cocktail glass in hand. The Grand

i Lu i

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n H

Zhong n

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a Park fe

o L Liyuan Park

u

h Huaihai Park

ing h Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall n

Z

Jiujiang Lu Jiujiang Hyatt and the Le Royal Méridien are

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z x

e

u u

i

g

F m LUWAN Taipingqiao

N n

s a top choices. See Chapter 7, (p 108). i an i

G l

nguo Dong Dong nguo

X

u Park n Experience the Maglev. Museum i

L a i Shanghai

e i

B Square J

ng J ) a Park d z g e

Xi PEOPLE’S SQ at n RD

u v i People’s

j le 3 Dressing up for a Bund dinner Xintiandi

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u e

MoCA L

a C ( N h L n g

e a y ngdu N a

SOUTH N w

g or e

on th e u date. Shanghai’s posh riverside

n -South Fr p 6 Taking an after-dark drive

D HUANGPI a a D

Art y

XINZHA RD g

g

n strip contains several standout

i along Yan’an Lu. What was once a n j

i

e House Museum Shanghai

e Shikumen Open

Park F

u Fuxing u B

u Museum L addresses. Jean Georges at no. 3, M f L

Shanghai burbling brook that divided colonial ijin

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uzhen ei L ated) g Lu R Q B lev

W u y (e Grand Theater nan d wa on Si on the Bund at no. 5, and Sun with

ng ess in Er Lu concessions is now an elevated sci- e Art Center r )

Zh

n h p Ruij b

C x Lu gu

o d i

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t Taikang Road a

h i t e j Zhou Enlai’s

a u u Aqua at no.6 are all suitably showy, fi super highway offering lumines-

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o Da ha L

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h i

rt u a

o v

i L X

h N Y n Lu ngjia e i

Lu u Ruij though Mr. & Mrs. Bund, at no. 18, l Z u Huai cent views of the city’s neon i L o

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e e u

m ( Yo

Datian i Former Residence g h g

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y n

n

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u n Lu is my pick. See Chapter 6, (p 101). nightscape. Take a drive between 7

i Na a SOUTH SHANXI RD x a

o L an

ha i u g S

h J

w u

Lu n Damuqiao L

Z

sheng r e L u ng

a

and 10pm when the city sparkles. i

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n en E h

Lu r

i

Hua im a

a c 4 Shopping at the Super Brand

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’

Sh h

X

Zho n i

RD

n n n a

e a See p 25, . 7 g g y

a ng a ia

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W Y

g Nan Lu

WEST n Mall. High taxes, the strengthening in

u a y

xi Nan Lu

n iang

L X RD

an

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Taixing Lu i

ux

Sha

Y

X Lu

NANJING u

F

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L Park RMB, and the rise of the super-rich

g 7 Searching for swinging Shang-

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HANZHONG

Wuging Lu Wuging e

l

n u

i

g u j

L Xiangyang

u

u n

L n

g an L combine to make brand-shopping a

u yu hai at a jazz bar. In the East’s great a l a

h Tai

gning Lu in

u j

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hu n N i J

Shanghai ianguo

g Jia Center ghu L J n e

Arts Center expensive in Shanghai. Where other a Shanghai n sin city, jazz became the soundtrack Exhibition Ch B International Do malls tend to favor the elite, the gar- Bus Station to sleaze during the 1930s. JZ Club,

Crafts Museum

Hengfeng Lu Shanghai Arts &

u gantuan Super Brand Mall is reason- the House of Blues and Jazz, and the n L n

u Lu RD a ably egalitarian. If nothing else, it’s ngsh Fairmont Peace Hotel’s legendary a Hengsh h CHANGSHU C great for people watching. See p 78. Jazz Bar are all now family-friendly JING’AN TEMPLE Park

Jing’an

g Lu g establishments, but the music

Lu n

Lu o 5 Streetwalking around Tianzi-

Jing’an Temple

Library n

i n n Xi

Shanghai p retains that seductive edge. See

g g

ai Zh ai

ua n fang. A series of interlinking alleys

n a y

Temple K

u aih Chapter 8, (p 124). JING’AN u uxi

Hospital Huashan W

Ballroom u

H in a quiet corner of the French Con- F

Jade Buddha

L

Paramount

u

L

g

n

a

k

u L

u n

a cession has quietly morphed into h s Taking VIP seats for ERA: 8

W a u n H

a the coolest neighborhood in town.

n Intersection of Time. Old-style Garden

u Dingxiang H It’s a rawer, earthier, and— acrobatics are blended with elegant Xingguo Lu frankly—better version of the more modern choreography and terrifying n sha famous Xintiandi. See p 13, 1. Hua stunts in this breathless and

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A polychrome glazed pottery statue of a Heavenly Guardian on display at the Shang- hai Museum.

gateways, and marble flooring lends the one-time Shanghai Race Club and 7.30pm—you can chill out here the feel of a European national gal- after a long afternoon in the nearby lery, and displays include both tradi- museums. 231 Nanjing Xi Lu (inside tional and contemporary painting. People’s Park). y 021/6318-0220. Don’t miss the period photographs www.barbarossa.com.cn. $$$$. and stunning colonial fittings in the stairwell (by the entrance to the res- 6 Nanjing Dong Lu. Sliding by taurant, a worthwhile lunch stop). If People’s Park’s northern edge is alternative art is your thing, try the Shanghai’s most famous street, for- Museum of Contemporary Arts merly the central thoroughfare of (MOCA) (see p 46, 8) located in the International Settlement. Nan- the park’s former greenhouse. jing Dong Lu, east of the park, is a Exhibits change regularly but the visually stunning fusion of neon- offerings are invariably fun, youth- washed advertising hoardings and ful, and exuberant. The third floor elegant colonial architecture. It’s an restaurant, Moca on the Park, is essential after-dark stroll, though be good for an afternoon coffee or aware that this is a favorite spot for cocktail and has great views across loitering scam artists. Ignore all the tree line. @ 90 min. See mini- approaches and continue all the tour p 85, 4. way to the river. @ 1 hr. Metro: People’s Square (Lines 1, 2, and 8) Tucked away within the greenery of and East Nanjing Rd. (Line 2). People’s Park, 5 + Barbarossa is three stories of maharajah chic filled 7 +++ Mr. & Mrs. Bund. My with North African antiques and the favorite Bund restaurant should be latest trip hop beats. The seduc- a non-negotiable part of your itiner- tively lit drinking dens upstairs make ary. However, thanks to the extraor- it one of the choice spots in Shang- dinary 4am closing time (Tues–Sat), hai for a sunset drink and—with a your visit can be fitted around your half-price happy hour between 5.30

!"#$%&'''$$%""()*+,!'-./00111'2"#$%&'''$$%""()*+,!'-./00111'2 &3''3''111'4(&156 15 The Best The Pinyin & Navigation

Pinyin, literally “spell sound,” is the name of China’s official sys- Days Two in tem of Romanizing Chinese characters. Having learnt a few basic rules, pinyin produces words that can be pronounced by English speakers pretty much as they appear. These familiar forms appear alongside more intimidating Chinese script on all road signs, and a grasp of the basics will prove invaluable in navigating the city. Note that many Shanghai thoroughfares are divided up in northern, south- ern, eastern, western, or central sections, and may be further subdi- vided by numbers. For more on pronunciation, see p 165. Road Lu East Dong Avenue Da Dao West Xi Street Jie One Yi Lane Long Two Er North Bei Three San South Nan Four Si

8 + Bund Nightlife. Round off party plans. Certainly Paul Pairet’s your day with drinks on Shanghai’s eccentric dishes seem to make most upmarket bar strip. Bar Rouge more sense in the twilight zone. (p. 108) is one floor up from Mr. & Menu items marked ‘pp’ were per- Mrs. Bund (p. 101), and Lounge 18 sonally crafted by the man himself; (p. 110) two floors below. At some don’t leave without trying his most point, get some air, and take a river- famous creation, the lemon and side stroll to my personal pick of the lemon tart. 6F, 18 Zhongshan Dong bunch, Glamour Bar (p. 125), enjoy- Yi Lu. 021/6323-9898. www. y ing the Bund’s imposing after-dark mmbund.com. $$$$$. visage as you go.

Throngs of shoppers on Nanjing Dong Lu, Shanghai.

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Shanghai has several restaurants with links to Michelin-winning Z to A Dining chefs, Jean Georges Vongerichten (Jean Georges) and Jason Atherton (Table No.1) to name but two, but few superstars are actually based in the city (Tang Chi Keung of the Peninsula’s Yi Long Court being a notable exception). Foremost among the scores of overseas chefs now based in Shanghai is young French master, Paul Pairet, who established a global reputation for the Shangri-la Pudong’s Jade on 36 restaurant before moving across the river to open Mr. & Mrs. Bund in 2008. His new concept restaurant, Ultra- violet, is due to open in late 2011.

flourishes are testament to the +++ Mr. & Mrs. Bund THE chef’s love of Asia. 4F, Three on the BUND FRENCH The Bund’s best Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (nr. restaurant, serving up legendary Guangdong Lu). y 021/ 6321-7733. favorites like steamed lobster in a www.threeonthebund.com. Set citrus jar, lemon and lemon tart, menus from RMB598. Lunch & dinner alongside home-style French dishes. daily. Taxi. Map p 91. It’s chic without being overly stuffy and stays open till 4am, five nights a M on the Bund THE BUND MEDI- week. 6F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. TERRANEAN This is not necessarily 021/6323-9898. www.mmbund. the most flamboyant dining choice y com. Main course RMB80–130. Taxi. and the food—a combination of Map p 91. classic European, Moroccan, and Middle Eastern —is merely good + Palladio JING’AN ITALIAN An without being exceptional, but enduring star of the hotel-restaurant thanks to the stellar service and circuit, Palladio serves the best Ital- superb views it retains a certain ian food in the city. Pastas and risot- cachet. 7F, 5 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu tos are simply prepared, while the (nr. Guangdong Lu). y 021/6350- meat and fish mains use premium 9988. www.m-onthebund.com. Main ingredients. Degustation set menus course RMB118–248. Lunch & dinner help to offset high tariffs. 1F, Port- daily. Taxi. Map p 91. man Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu. 021/6279-7188. Main +++ Madison FRENCH CONCES- y course RMB125–350. Lunch & dinner SION INTERNATIONAL My favorite Mon–Sat, dinner Sun. Metro: Jing’an spot in Shanghai for fine dining Temple (Lines 2 and 7). Map p 92. minus the fuss. The vast majority of menu ingredients are locally ++ T8 XINTIANDI INTERNATIONAL sourced before being cultured into Everything about T8 reeks of exclu- exquisitely presented, sauce-flecked sivity—cuisine is modern interna- packages. 3F, 18 Dongping Lu. tional, with dining divided between y 021/6437-0136. Main course a luxe Balinese upstairs room and a RMB128–198. Dinner daily. Metro: slick, contemporary alternative at Changshu Rd. (Line 1). Map p 92. ground level. It’s my favorite up- scale spot in Xintiandi. House 8,

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