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China Attractions

Taikang Lu Shopping and Art Galleries

Taikang Lu offers yet another noteworthy shopping experience in Shanghai.  Like Xintiandi, Taikang Lu offers shops that are locally owned, yet decidedly upscale with a boutique feel. ...
Taikang Lu offers yet another noteworthy shopping experience in Shanghai.  Like Xintiandi, Taikang Lu offers shops that are locally owned, yet decidedly upscale with a boutique feel.  But unlike Xintiandi, the Taikang Lu area developed as an inexpensive warehouse district for up-and-coming artists. Cheap rent was originally offered for storefronts and work spaces. As the area developed it became an vibrant combination of upscale boutiques carrying high end jewelry and clothing, along with fantastic offices for artists and creative companies alike. 
  
While Taikang Lu has been cleaned up a fair amount, it is unlike Xintiandi in that it still maintains all of its original buildings. An authentic Chinese alley way and courtyard next to two historic warehouses set off Taikang Lu make up the primary shopping area. Shops have now begun to spill out onto the somewhat downtrodden Taikang Lu. 
 
A few of my favorite shops include:
 
L’Atelier Mandarine – Read my review on this wonderful shop carrying only a few very special items.  
  
Jooi DesignJooi Design – This is an ultra cool showroom and shop on the 2nd floor of the International Artists Factory (the same building in which you will find L’Atelier Mandarine).  The store carries primarily handbags and pillows with a few other unique accessories mixed in.  Their designs are bright and eye-catching due to the unusual fabrics and images that are used to make the items. Their products are also sold at Simply Life in Xintiandi.
www.jooi.com  
 
Casa Pagoda – This wonderful home furnishings store is one of the few shops that have spilled out onto Taikang Lu, offering a glimpse of what the street is to become. The Casa Pagoda designs are a mixture of modern, clean lines with Asian accents.  Beautiful leather sofas and chairs are contrasted with stained wood armoirs and bookshelves. Scattered around the showroom are great lamps and rugs that will definitely spice up your living room!
www.casapagoda.com
Address: No. 15 Taikang Lu 
 
InSH – This is a great stop on your way into the alley off Taikang Lu. InSH marks the entrance to the warehouse and courtyard area of Taikang Lu. Selling unique clothing and accessories, this store offers particularly tasteful Shanghai souvenirs with their fantastic “I love Shanghai” T-shirts. 
Address: No. 210 Taikang Lu  
 
Be sure not to miss ShirtFlag, Woe Scarf, and many other fun and unique shops in the courtyard area.  New artists and boutiques are also always popping up in the International Artists Factory, as well as the recently renovated smaller warehouse directly behind it.  Take time to explore the many floors in the two buildings, because you simply never know what you might stumble across! 
 
For a snack, coffee or lunch, try:
Kommune or Ups Café – both offer diverse menus and awesome coffee. 
 
How to get there: Lane 210 Taikang Lu is between Ruijin Lu and Sinan Lu.

Jade Garden

After a day at the Jade Buddha Temple battling tourists, I headed to Jade Garden with a couple of friends for a late Dim Sum lunch on the other side of town. We were pleasantly surprised by the calm décor and delicious food. I will certainly go back to this exceptional restaurant.  ...
After a day at the Jade Buddha Temple battling tourists, I headed to Jade Garden with a couple of friends for a late Dim Sum lunch on the other side of town. We were pleasantly surprised by the calm décor and delicious food. I will certainly go back to this exceptional restaurant.  
 
Jade Garden is located in a large building on Zhao Jia Bang Lu at the intersection with Taiyuan Lu (太原路). Despite its location on a busy street, the restaurant was very quiet and nearly empty, although I’m told that the place is packed on the weekends at dinner time and for early lunches.  We ordered several Dim Sum items, all of which were delicious.  Our particular favorites were the BBQ pork baked pastries, the pork dumplings in soup, the Shanghai style spring rolls (with pork and cabbage), and the grilled rice cakes. These cakes, a former staple of Shanghai street food, are now often served in restaurants as a reminder of old times.  For dessert we had a delicious mango and pomello pudding that was fresh and palate cleansing.
 
For the three of us, including one large beer, the bill came to 100RMB – a steal for three very happy stomachs.
 
Those who come ready to eat should definitely order the fried eggplant and pork; I’ve been craving this dish from the minute I finished my last one.  Jade Garden also serves an excellent version of traditional Shanghainese noodles.
 
How to get there: A taxi is probably the most convenient and pleasant way. Alternatively, take Metro Line 1 to Metro City at Xu Jia Hui, and then head east on Zhao Jia Bang Lu for about 15 minutes. However, this is a busy street – not my favorite to walk on. Jade Garden is on the left side of the street, just past the intersection with Taiyuan Lu.
 
Other Locations:
 
No. 895 Dalian Lu (虹口区大连路895号(近飞虹路))
Tel: +86 (0)21 5595 5385
 
No. 877 Dongfang Road (浦东新区东方路877号(近潍坊路))
Tel: +86 (0)21  5058 6088
 
No. 1121 Yan’an Zhonglu (静安区延安中路1121号(近华山路))
Tel: +86 (0)21 6248 5155
 
No. 127 Maoming Nanlu (卢湾区茂名南路127号(淮海中路口))
Tel: +86 (0)21 5403 7028

Shikumen Bistro

Shikumen Bistro provided me with the most memorable meal I have had yet in Shanghai, and remains among the top 5 meals I have ever had.  While Shikumen is a well respected restaurant within Shanghai, it is not on the radar like Jean Georges or M on the Bund.  It absolutely should be though. Despite its Chinese name, Shikumen features a French Mediterranean menu, but so subtle I did not detect any particular influence – I only noticed that I desired everything on the menu.
 
To start with we ordered drinks (the Shanghaipolitan was the big winner), and appetizers.  We then ordered three appetizers; a delicious fresh and salty tuna tartar, can’t miss lamb meat balls, and baked, garden-fresh zucchini fritters.  Each of the four of us ordered a different main course. We were each so pleased with our selection that we were practically unwilling to share! My choice was the lamb shanks with gnocchi. The dish was so hearty and rich that I’m still dreaming about it right now.  We also loved the vegetable ravioli, the mushroom and foie gras risotto, and the lamb chops with fresh vegetable.  Our waiter replenished individual servings of fresh baked bread throughout the meal. The meals were so filling that we sadly had to skip dessert, but I have no doubt it would have lived up to the high standards set by the rest of the meal!
 
The total per person, with drinks, appetizer and a main course, was about 500RMB.  If your budget allows, do not miss Shikumen Bistro!
 
How to get there:  Take Metro Line 1 to the Huangpi Nanlu Station. Head south on Huangpi Nanlu, and look for the sign for Shikumen Bistro on the right side of the street at the edge of the Xintiandi complex.

Park 97

The Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment Group consists of Baci Italian Cuisine, KazBar Lounge, California Club, Lux Shanghai, and Park 97.  Park 97 offers a great selection of late night entertainment for many groups in Shanghai.  Appealing to the well connected as well as full pocketed popul...
The Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment Group consists of Baci Italian Cuisine, KazBar Lounge, California Club, Lux Shanghai, and Park 97.  Park 97 offers a great selection of late night entertainment for many groups in Shanghai.  Appealing to the well connected as well as full pocketed populations in Shanghai – you will see many westerners, nouveau-riche Chinese, and American Born Chinese dancing and drinking amongst the two large floors at Park 97.
 
Upstairs at Park 97 often offers a band, although very little room to dance – I’m not sure what the reasoning behind that is. The last time I visited Park 97 there was a great Latin Band and many people had tried to create a dance floor in the only walking space available, I don’t really blame them, I wanted to dance too – but it made for a pretty claustrophobic environment.
 
Despite the claustrophobia, you can definitely come here on a Friday or Saturday night and find a great, engaging night. If you want a change of venue, head over to Guandi, only a few steps away, also in Fuxing Park.
 
Drinks are not cheap, but typical of expat bars – about 45-60RMB each. Depending on the evening you may or may not find a cover charge; call before you go to be sure if it makes a difference to you.
 
To get there: Take Metro Line 1, Huangpi Rd Station. Head west on HuaiHai Rd, passing under the overpass. Take a left on Si Nan Lu, then a right on Gaolan Lu into Fuxing Park.

Top China Tours

$238 Per Day

Private Hangzhou Day Trip from Shanghai by Bullet Train

Take in the highlights of beautiful Hangzhou on a private full-day tour from Shanghai. After hotel pickup and transfer by high-speed train to Hangzhou, your private guide takes you to see some city attractions, such as Faxi temple. Moreover, enjoy a tasty lunch at a local restaurant before heading to Longjing village. There, learn about the process of farming and producing dragonwell tea, the region’s most famous product. Finally, enjoy a scenic boat cruise on UNESCO World Heritage-listed West Lake before returning to Shanghai.

This is a private, full-day trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou. After you are picked up in your hotel lobby in the early morning, you will take a bullet train to Hangzhou. This is the fastest way to Hangzhou and you can experience train speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. Your tour begins at one of Hangzhou's signature sites, the West Lake. Enjoy a lake cruise to see the top ten West Lake scenic views. You will then be taken to experience the wonderful cuisine of Hangzhou at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will visit Faxi temple, a well-known Temple dating back to the Jin Dynasty. See its famous wooden Buddha. Here, you will see fewer tourists and more locals. Finally, enjoy a cup of green tea when you visit the famous Longjing village to see wild fields of Longjing tea bushes where the locals produce the world famous green tea- Longjing Tea. In the village, all locals are tea farmers and you will see the entire procedure of making the famous tea and will get the chance to taste the best quality emperor tea. Afterwards, you will take the bullet train back to Shanghai and you will be returned to your hotel.


$150 Per Day

Guangzhou

Day 1 Arrive in Guangzhou

Arrive in Guangzhou in the morning, you will be met and transferred to hotel, then visit Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The Memorial Hall is a very famous historical scenic spot. It is in memory of Sun Yat-sen, the great revolutionary forerunner. After that proceed to visit the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family. It is a unique site for offering up sacrifices to worship ancestors of 72 Chen families in Guangdong. This ancestral temple is also the largest, best preserved and best decorated ancient architecture existing in Guangdong province.

Day 2 Guanzhou Tour 

After breakfast, you will go to Yuexiu Park first, the largest and the most famous park in downtown Guangzhou. There are three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain. Then you will visit Temple of Six Banyan Trees, which is one of the four best Buddhist temples in Guangzhou and located on the Liurong Road (meaning the Six Banyan Trees Road). The Nanyue King Tomb Museum is a must-see Guangzhou attraction, which dates back to 2,000 years ago, is the earliest large scale painted stone chamber tomb ever found south of the Five Ridges. Buried with the tomb owner in a jade shroud are a gold seal and a lot of exquisite jade adornments. It has become a world famous museum. After the day tour you will be transferred to airport for your next destination.

$53 Per Day

Pingyao Highlights Walking Tour

Pingyao Highlights Walking Day Tour

With our guide to know the Ancient Pingyao better!

Our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 08:00 or 08:30, then show you the ticket office to get the ticket for the museums we will visit later.

First we will visit the 700 years old City wall, We will climb up from south gate and have a walk on the wall. We are not sure how many km we can walk, because of the renovating of the wall. Normally we will walk from south gate to the Yunlu Exit.

Then visit the Confucius temple, there is a old building named Dacheng Hall which is over 840 years old. From outside, we can see the big wood joints to lift the big roof around the building which is named Dougong. Due to this design, there are less columns inside the hall for giving the big space for the statues and the prayer. We have chance to see the Confucius statue and learn the philosophy of Confucius. If you like, you can pray for you and your children to get better study.

There is the Paper Cutting master named Wentao nearby the exit of Confucius temple. She is very smart and create the new style paper cutting with much more details and good wishes on it. Her products are made by hanks. It is worth to visit and buy as a souvenir from Pingyao. From the table standing and wall hangings. Please remember, take the red one because of red is the traditional and happy color. But the white one is the best. It is really difficult to choose, because of all of them are really nice.

Then you can have coffee break or tea break if you need at Chummy coffee, after this, visit the City god temple (ChenghuangMiao) which is most beautiful temple inside the wall. Because of the roof is covered by the colorful glazed tiles. There is not only city god and also the three money gods, Now you know why pingyao was the financial center.

Next we will visit the Ancient government building, to see the pingyao politics center in the ancient time. It is the complete building with officials bed room, kitchen and private garden. Follow the guide to look the official’s life from the 250km far away from the hometown.

Have a stroll in the alley to the Rishengchang exchange bank, which is the first bank all of china.You can not miss it.

After lunch, walk to the Ming and Qing street, this is the shopping street full of the stores on the both side of street. You can find alot things here , from post card to lacquered boxes, and wall panels. One more place to see, it is the Armed escort agency also named security and transport service for the business man before the bank founded.

Inlcusions

1.private english speaking tour guide servcie

2.bottle water for the tour