A day trip to She Shan Basilica

An easy day trip from the Shanghai city life, She Shan is great for a quick hike and a dose of fresh air. It’s also relatively ‘resort-like’ as there’s a manmade lake (and beach), Happy Valley amusement park and golf course.

We just went out for the day to see the She Shan Basilica (translated as the Basilica of Our Lady of She Shan or Church of the Holy Mother in China), which is perched on top one of the only hills I’ve seen since moving to Shanghai (flatter than Florida here).

The original church was built in 1863, but destroyed a few times due to fires and such. The current church took ten years to build and was finished in 1935 by a Portuguese priest and architect. It’s said to be the biggest cathedral in Asia.

It’s free to climb to and entrance is free, as well (which is pretty rare from my experiences with China when it comes to nature). They also hold mass there which is great if you plan accordingly or speak Chinese for that matter.

A few other attractions we came across while we climbed up were a few paths along a bamboo forest (free), a bamboo playground (RMB10) and an Astrology museum and observatory (RMB12). The best part however, is just getting outside and getting some fresh-er air.

To get there, just take line 9 to Sheshan than catch bus 92 right outside the station (don’t cross the street) and ride it for two stops. Happy Hiking (and praying?)!

Video: Chinese New Year 2012 – Shanghai

Although it wasn’t just one enormous spectacle like your typical thunderous, 30-minute long fireworks show, it was just as equally impressive.

Chinese New Year 2012, year of the dragon, after a teppanyaki dinner we headed to New Heights to see the fireworks as they were shot off all along the Bund. Freezing cold with a bit of snow, it was hard to stand outside for long, but here’s a short clip from our prime location:

Photography: Santa Monica Pier at sunset

Photos taken at the Santa Monica Pier, LA on January 4th.

Video: Chinese New Year 2011 – Hong Kong

Xīn Nián Kuài Lè, Xīn Nián Kuài Lè!

Happy Chinese New Year! This year, the dragon is roaring in. (My year, which apparently means I’m supposed to wear red underwear?) In honor of the celebration, I’m sharing my video from last year’s hoppin’ good time in Hong Kong:

Photography: San Francisco

This gallery contains 60 photos.

A collection of photos from my trip to San Francisco.

Watch the Burning Man ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go’ video

This video has been floating around on the internet for a bit now, but if you haven’t seen it yet, you should certainly check it out.

It’s a compilation of some pretty, let’s just say, artsy folk from Burning Man (yeah, time to get crazy) reading Dr. Seuss’s ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go.’ I don’t know about you, but as a frequent traveler, there’s a lot from that childhood fave that really hits home. While I’m not gonna recommend my kids (down the road, way down the road) join in on Burning Man, I’ll definitely be passing along a copy of that book to them when they graduate high school, just like my parents gave to me.

Anyway, back to the video. Cinematography is wicked. A few good laughs. Crazy stuff just worth watching.

Explore a ‘smart city’, Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is one of my favorite cities.

It’s what I call a ‘smart’ city, full of culture, art, history, politics, outdoor activities, free museums and exhibitions and all sorts of events. It’s a city that draws you in, beckoning to inspire, enlighten, pose for topics of discussion or heated debate and gets your brain cells flowing.

Capitalizing on enhancing education (especially by way of free), there’s no shortage of things to learn or places for both kids and adults to explore. It’s fresh, alive, invigorating, fun and place where you could never (well nearly never, there’s a lot of ground to cover) grow tired.

Sunset over the Capitol

With there being an endless list of things to do (trust me on this one, I keep crossing things off and then adding two more), here are my top picks for things to do in Washington, D.C.:

Eat a picnic, people watch, play frisbee, just spend some time out on The Mall. (In the summer attend the free concerts and movies).

Walk the monuments at night.

Museum hop. (Favorites: National Gallery of Art, Hirschhorn, American Indian Museum, Botanical Gardens, Portrait Gallery)

Rent a kayak on the Potomac.

Listen to jazz in the gardens (Sculpture Gardens).

Spend an afternoon at the zoo. It’s free!

Wake up early on the weekend and shop in Eastern Market. Then grab a coffee or brunch and relax for the rest of your day.

Drink wine on top of the Kennedy Center and watch the sun set.

Seafood dinner. Namely crab cakes.

Take the metro to eastern market, enjoy a beer or two at Ugly Mug and then take a complimentary bar shuttle over to a Nats game. (No insane metro traffic, get in the spirit with your fans (or foes) and enjoy the breeze as you sail on over to the game, all on the cheap!)

Shop in Georgetown during the day; enjoy a cocktail on the waterfront at night.

Read a book on the steps of the National Cathedral.

Head to the top of the National Post Office for the best view of the city.

Learn the facts at the Newseum.

Eat a cupcake or some froyo. They’re everywhere and they’re good! (Clyde’s has amazing peanut butter pie while you’re at it).

Walk, jog or ride through Rockcreek park.

Paddleboat on the Tidal Basin.

Party in Dupont or Georgetown (The Guard is a favorite).

Don’t go on a segway tour. Embarrassing.

Have more suggestions? List them below and I’ll add them in!

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Ending your year on a positive note

Happy 2012 everyone!

Sun setting on 2011

Ringing in the New Year I’ve decided to dedicate 2012 to a year of growth and learning. Starting this month I’ll be taking formal Mandarin classes so that I can say more than just ‘Hello,’ ‘You’re rude’ and ‘that’s too expensive,’ (oh. I can say ‘I like to dance’ too. My vocabulary is astounding).

I’m also going back to Shanghai renewed and refreshed, ready to explore more of the city, tackle new adventures in Asia and push myself to come up with all kinds of creativity for the magazine. (Guess this means I’ll have to include sleep, as well. Always one more thing…).

While I find it important to set goals for the future year (Am x-ing out resolutions for 2012. That was so 2010.), I also think it’s equally important to wrap up the previous year on a good note. You don’t want to look back on the year prior, think about the few bad experiences you had in December and conclude that ‘the year sucked.’ No, no. Always stuff the end of your year with as many positive experiences as possible and then, if you can manage, go out with a bang on New Years.

To wrap up my year of taking chances (2011), (and with an assist from expired visas) I spent the past three-and-a-half weeks visiting some of my favorite places and spending time with the people I love.

Washington, D.C., Arlington, VA, Jacksonville, Orlando and Saint Augustine, Florida and San Francisco and LA all made it on the itinerary. While the traveling (and time zone changes) wore me out (woohoo for the proposed sleep plan of 2012), the trips were 100% worth it. Seeing those who care about me and have supported me throughout all my ventures was the best holiday present I could have asked for and the best way to cross my t’s and dot my I’s on 2011.

Since I was three weeks old and on my first plane out of town (well, perhaps a few years down the road), I’ve realized how important it is to maintain contact with those who have impacted your life, not just because you will have a free place to stay no matter where you travel to next, but also because there’s a reason those connections were made.

Over the years, you might drift towards different interests, personalities change and you might not be the best friends you once were, but at one point in time, there was a reason you both got along so well. You made a connection, and no matter how big or small, there’s a depth to that spark of friendship that means a lot more than what’s on the surface. To be able to maintain that, despite your current differences, is something extraordinary; it says a lot about your character and values and is something you’ll be proud of later on in life. Plus, I’m sure grandkids love that kind of stuff; I know I did.

Thank you to everyone who has impacted my life in any way, no matter how big or small and here’s to wishing you all a new year full of excitement, love, challenges and adventures.

Stay tuned for photos and updates from my holiday travels.

What will 2012 be for you?

2010 was a year for adventures, 2011 a year for taking chances, and 2012 will be a year for growth and learning. What will 2012 be for you?

Any resolutions? Check out this quirky list of ideas to ‘better yourself’:
20 New Years Resolutions for 20-somethings

My Shanghai expat tweet

Surprise of the day. M and MX, an English/Chinese comic strip created a spoof about a recent ride I took through Shanghai: The one where I lugged a fake Christmas tree home on the back of my bike. Challenging, that’s all I gotta say.

Best Happy Hour in Town: Morton’s

Happy Hours, Ladies Nights, random specials…Shanghai is overflowing with daily deals.

There are some pretty good ones out there (hard to beat free-flow ladies night, irregardless of poorly made alcohol), but the one that tops the charts is Morton’s.

Located over in the Pudong side, they’re situated in the IFC mall with a fourth-floor balcony view of the Pearl Tower. The upper-class chain restaurant is known for its butter-like steaks and fresh seafood, but the Happy Hour is where its really at.

Monday through Friday, from 5pm to 7pm they host their ‘free steak sandwich, half-priced martini’ HH. Yup, you read correctly. Unlimited free steak sandwich appetizers and a choice of five speciality martinis for RMB34 each. (Martinis list: Cosmo, Appletini (favorite), Vodka, Chocolate and one more I can’t remember.)

Go straight after work, watch as the sun sets and the Pearl lights up, eat a hearty dinner of the finest steak sandwiches around and order two (or three, or four) martinis for the price of one.

And if you’re lucky, you might get catch dinner and a show:

Hai Di Lao. Hot pot heaven.

Food, glorious food.

Many of you know I’m a hot pot fiend. The soup-brothy bowls of goodness that can contain anything from veggies to fishballs to chicken brains (sick-nasty) to whatever the heck you want to dump in. Love em. Mostly go with veggies though, not a big chicken-brain-claw-intestine-beak type person.

Given my once weekly+ routine of hotpot, it might be hard to believe I’ve gone without China’s culinary gift to the world since I’ve been in Shanghai. I know, what kind of fan am I?

Well, all that changed yesterday when I was introduced to my new favorite place in Shanghai (yes, it beats out an English language book store. Let’s get crazy, shall we?).

Hai de Lao. Recommended amongst many in the Shanghai community, I had yet to become entranced by its spellbinding magnificence.

In what can best be described as a combination of hot pot meets Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes (you Eastern kids, you) meets T.G.I.F. meets the spa meets incredible customer-service (Chick-Fil-A perhaps? sans ‘have a blessed day’). This is Hai di Lao.

Not only is it stock full of hot pot goodness, but it has a salad bar-like stand for different sauces and toppings. There’s a guy dancing throughout the restaurant, practically ribbon-whipping pulled noodles in a way that rivals the artistic passion of a restaurant balloon artist and his helium concoctions. Waiting around for a table has never been so fun, or relaxing. At Hai Di Lao you can get your shoes shined, a massage, or a manicure while you wait…all for free! Yeah. I know. Totally awesome.

And when I thought I lost my scarf? They sent about six people running through the restaurant looking for it and then apologized to me, saying it was their fault because it was their restaurant. What? No way, it was me and my absentmindedness!

Imagine how dumb I felt when I came home and found my ‘lost scarf’ on the back of my door. Whoops.

But anyways, enough about the scarf. Back to Hai di Lao.

Awesome place, awesome food, awesome fun, solid prices.

In Shanghai? Check it out.