Checking in with Out's correspondents as they criss-cross the world...
Who: Chris Schmicker, writer, February 2012
Where I Went: Shanghai, China
What I Did: Fought the crowds of local teenagers in Tianzifang, a labyrinth of narrow shopping streets. Explored the bookshops and boutiques along Julu Road and Dongping Road in the French Concession. Uncovered some of the city’s hidden Deco landmarks (including a hotel that was once the private residence of Shanghai’s most loathed crime boss) with a guide from Newman Tours. Strolled along the canals of Zhujiajiao, an atmospheric old water town an hour outside of the city. Donned period costume ($5) for an impromptu photo shoot in the historic Yu Gardens.
What I Bought: At Spin Ceramics I picked up a handsome zisha-ware jar made from unglazed yixing clay (a purplish-brown clay traditionally used to make tea pots) and capped with a wooden lid and foot. While it may not be quite what Spin had in mind, I’m currently using it to store dog treats on my kitchen counter.
Where I Stayed: The Puli, Shanghai’s slickest design hotel. (No relation to the adorable Hungarian dog breed.) The place was conceived as an “urban resort,” which means a killer spa with tea-centric treatments, a bamboo-fringed terrace bar, and a stunning third-floor pool bordered by low-slung daybeds with views of the local park that borders the property.
What I Ate: Lots of xiaolongbao, the city’s famous soup-filled dumplings. Cold drunken chicken marinated in baijiu, China’s merciless clear liquor. (Liquor and sugar are perhaps the two most essential ingredients in Shanghainese cooking.) Songshu guiyu, or sweet-sour fish, split and scored to look like a squirrel (don’t ask), and studded with pine nuts. And the morning after a long night of drinking, an enormous bowl of rice congee, liberally laced with chunks of salted duck egg.
What I Skipped: “Chicken of the field,” the kinder name for cooked frog. No thank you.
Tianzifang shopping
Shanghai Deco
Zhujiajiao water town
Yu Gardens
Spin Shanghai Merchandise
Puli Room
Puli Hotel Pool
Songshu guiyu, or sweet-sour fish
