Sunday, March 27, 2011

I Hate Sunday Nights

It's getting to the point where I can no longer tell people I'm new to Shanghai. Though most people I talk to still consider me a newbie, I feel like I'm fitting in pretty well. Speaking the language definitely helps. Getting decent at haggling. I know the streets around my part of town, pretty familiar with the subway system, and anywhere I can't get, I tell it to the cabbies.

Work is hectic. I hate conference calls. I used to think it was cool to be able to work remote. That it was cool when the company gave you a laptop and a cell phone... But now I see how all those things do is enslave you. The hours are fine: 9AM to 6PM. It's the 9PM - 11PM conference calls that really bugs me. Gets in the way of my drinking...

Just a rambling of random thoughts to follow:

The weather here is starting to warm up. As predicted, the stench is starting to pick up as well. I don't even want to begin to imagine what the summer here is going to be like. For now, I'll just try and enjoy the Spring, short as it is.

Time really goes by fast here. I can't believe it's already been three weeks since my sister and cousin visited.

The 生煎包 is still my favorite food in Shanghai, though I've recently discovered the wonder of poached eggs.


This is from Maya, on 562 Julu Lu. It's a contemporary/fusion Mexican restaurant. The Maya Mary (their version of the bloody Mary) is pretty good. Mojitos there suck, surprisingly.

Had a family friend, Gene, visit from Singapore last weekend. He just started a job with Ikea (in their food department), and was in town briefly. Took him to a XinJiang restaurant for some lamb skewers.


Apparently, XinJiang is known for being dangerous. Most of China's thieves originate from that province. But they make one helluva lamp skewer.

My weight loss has kind of inverse-plateaued. Haven't gained anything back, but no longer dropping like it used to. I guess walking only does so much if I'm still eating my heart out every meal.


I bet this guy is getting a workout...

Oh, and to tie out with the title of this post, I HATE SUNDAY NIGHTS!!!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Buns and Buns

I have two favorite foods in Shanghai. They are the 生煎包 and the 籠包. Basically, pork buns and pork steamed dumplings. For those who know what I'm talking about, you'll know that 籠包 is usually known as 小 (little) 龍包. But you'll see why I decided to omit the 小.


This is 小陽生煎. It's my all-time favorite chain in Shanghai. These amazing pork buns are packed with juice. If you're not careful, biting into one could render your tongue scalded and your shirt soaked with pork bun juice. The proper way to eat one of these is to bite a little hole off the top and let the inside cool off before sucking out the juice. Then you eat the bun like any regular bun. Under normal circumstances, I'm not a big fan of sesame. But in this case, it's really the icing on the cake!


Now on to the 籠包. I don't call these 小龍包 because there's nothing 小 about them. See the green, yellow, and red things off to the side there? Those are straws. These 籠包 are are packed with juice, or soup, or whatever you want to call them because sucking juice sounds kind of nasty.


Anyway, you know how, normally, it would take two full steamed racks of 小龍包 to fill you up. Well, it just takes 3 of these!


And here's yours truly taking a literal stab at one of them!