SmartShanghai

24/01/2025

What’s open, what’s going on, what to see, do, eat, drink in Shanghai for CNY.

What’s open, what’s going on, what to see, do, eat, drink in Shanghai for CNY.

14/01/2025

This award-winning VR journey lets you explore the International Space Station and float among the stars in breathtaking realism. Walk through 1,000 square meters of cosmic wonder—don’t miss your chance to step beyond Earth! It’s as close as you’ll get to being an astronaut—no training required.

https://www.smartshanghai.com/articles/things-to-do/embark-on-a-journey-beyond-earth-at-the-infinite-xr

30/12/2024

It's not too late to book your New Year's Eve Party tickets: https://www.smartshanghai.com/events/nye_parties/

15/08/2024

08/08/2024

American artist William Wegman has a new solo exhibition up at Fosun Foundation, next to The Bund Financial Center (BFC), showcasing his well-known series of 20x24 Polaroids and digital dog portraits. On display at “Favorite Models” are 60 large-format prints of his prized Weimaraners, dressed up and creatively styled, and often in charmingly anthropomorphic poses.

Dog lovers, previously unfamiliar with his work, will be enthralled by this series of images – now spanning work from multiple decades, as the artist explores the unique relationship between dogs and their human owners. With each portrait, his beloved dogs are transformed into characters, objects, or become a part of an artfully arranged tableaux.

Graphically appealing and immensely likable, these highly detailed large-format prints are best viewed in person. At the end of the exhibit, there is a 12 minute documentary of Wegman discussing his work and process, although you can also find plenty of artist profile videos about William Wegman’s work online. I particularly liked watching his process and getting to see his storeroom of dog props, costumes and various doodads that he accumulated over the years.

“Favorite Models” is a pet-friendly exhibition if you wish to bring your furry companion, although you may be asked to show proof of vaccination or a dog license. At the moment at BFC, there is quite a bit of inflatable dog-themed public art outside – and the Fosun Foundation, itself a now-iconic architectural structure with its shape-shifting facade, is also worth a visit for those who have never been. Perhaps make an afternoon of it with your fur baby.

01/08/2024

Didn't think Pudong Airport needs another terminal ...

https://www.smartshanghai.com/buzz/city/pudong-airport-gets-yet-another-terminal-and-better-food

01/08/2024

New: Experience Shanghai like never before. Connect with our team for tailored recommendations and hands-on help to find the perfect service.

https://www.smartshanghai.com/concierge/

25/07/2024

Chilling with Tradition: Gelato Shop Infuses Ice Cream with Chinese Herbals
Just in time for Shanghai’s high heat, Zhong Yao Tang opened on Xiangyang Road that offers gelato infused with Chinese herbal ingredients. The names of the 16 flavors will give you some idea of what awaits you. Some of the gelato names are a nod to their Chinese herbal influences, such as Pei Pa Koa, which includes ingredients similar to those found in the ubiquitous Pei Pa Koa Chinese cough medicine. For those not familiar with it, it is a staple in Chinese and other Asian households, and great for soothing the throat and helping to alleviate a cough. (I’m half Chinese, and my siblings and I grew up on that stuff. We liked it so much my parents had to hide it so we wouldn’t sneak swigs of it when we weren’t sick.)

Other gelatos are named Chinese Afternoon Tea, featuring longan fruit, red dates and rice milk; Ginseng Jasmine Tea, which lists its ingredients as hydrangea, Chinensis and lime. You might also want to sample the Xi Gua Shuang, which includes watermelon and mint.

I was able to sample the Eight Immortal before it ran out. One of the ingredients is hydrangea, and I liked that it was sweet, but not overly sweet. Watermelon, lime, red date, ginger, chrysanthemum, chamomile, or black tea, are among the other ingredients in some of the gelatos.

The manager said she wasn’t expecting many expats since the flavors feature ingredients often used in traditional Chinese medicine and the names can be difficult to translate. In the short time the shop has been open, she already had to change the small signs describing each flavor to include English and cater to English-speaking customers.

Also worth trying are four teas, served cold, with ingredients that include apple, sugar cane, snow pear, loquat candy, Hawthorn fruit, guava, rose and/or lemon.

& DRINK
Zhong Yao Tang

267 Xiangyang Nan Lu, near Yongkang Lu Xuhui District
襄阳南路267号， 近永康路

12 mins walk to South Shaanxi Rd

03/07/2024

Artisanal Italian Street Food at Ragù
You may have seen one of Ragù’s Italian meatball cones go viral earlier this year when an influencer raved about them online on Chinese social media. Since then, they’ve sold thousands of them and although the queues have died down a bit, it’s still the shop’s best seller. They’re so tasty, this reviewer could easily eat two or three of them in one sitting.

Ragù is chef Filippo and partner Yan Murari’s new(-ish) Italian street food restaurant in Shanghai. The Ragùlicious Philosophy, which is proudly displayed on a plaque on the way in, is to serve handmade food products in an artisanal way with ingredients imported from Italy.

The restaurant offers some traditional dishes like 11 varieties of pizza, some pasta dishes (like lasagna, gnocchi, etc), and even polenta. What sets them apart are their street food items, such as the panzerroto, which kind of resembles a smaller version of a calzone but deep-fried – available here as a savory snack with a mozzarella cheese filling, or as a sweet snack with a nutella filling.

Other tasty items include their Italian burgers (choice of Italian meatballs, donkey meat, beef cheek, or even gelato). Also the aforementioned Polpetta Cono (the Italian meatball cone) which is their own unique creation, likely only exists at Ragù and nowhere else in the world (!)

Ragù is located across the street from URBN Boutique on 176 Jiaozhou Lu. Nearest cross street is Xinzha Lu.

Ragu

176 Jiaozhou Lu, near Xinzha Lu
胶州路176号， 近新闸路

8 mins walk to Jing’an Temple

02/07/2024

[Shanghai Streetside]: July 2024

A monthly photo gallery of all the fashionable people rocking fashionable clothes out there out on the streets of this fashionable city. Strike a pose.