Author: life-china

Ebikes and shared bikes may rule the streets, sidewalks, alleys, crosswalks and pedestrian-only areas, but there's still something to be said for owning your very own two-wheeled velocipede. Don't forget your helmet and three separate padlocks. Giant 1475 Changning Lu, near Qiuyi Lu View ListingTaxi Printout Giant has a vast, sprawling network of franchises in Shanghai, and they vary wildly in size and quality of service, but they all stock Giant bikes. This one, near Zhongshan Park, is the best one we know about. They stock bikes in all shapes, sizes and configurations, including...

It’s the world's top track-and-field circuit, with the world's best athletes. (At least the ones not playing in the NBA Conference Finals.) They’ll shimmy into their aerodynamic tights at on Saturday night for the second stop on the league's 14-city, five-month, summer track-and-field circuit. Based in Europe, the Diamond League operates more or less like Formula 1: competitors at each stop accumulate points and at the end of the season, a champion is crowned in each event. A whole lot of cash and prestige is on the line. This Year’s Lineup This year’s...

, the Taiwanese restaurant chain, is Shanghai’s version of American politics. It’s divisive and highly partisan and people dig in hard either for the brand or against it. I am for it. Deeply for it. Shanghai’s Nanxiang town may have given birth to the xiao long bao; Taipei perfected it. My love for the restaurant goes back far — 1987 far, at least. That was my first meal at Din Tai Fung on Taipei’s Xinyi Road that I remember, sitting on the second floor and demolishing a plate of fried rice and a fried pork chop. The...

Jun Nishio came to Shanghai from Kobe, Japan more than a decade ago. After consulting for various Japanese restaurants, including the Maguro Takewaka (竹若金枪鱼) group, he teamed up with Sam Norris to open Xime, an understated and hip Japanese spot at The Center. He grew up in his grandfather’s tofu shop but his global travels have given him an eclectic palate. Here, a few of his favorites in the city. Ding Te Le (顶特勒粥面馆) This is a 24-hour afterparty venue that I frequent, specializing in traditional Shanghainese yellow croaker noodles. They come in...

Tess Johnston first came to Shanghai in 1981 to work at the American Consulate General. In 1996, after over thirty years in the diplomatic service, she retired and stayed on to research, write, and lecture. She and her co-author, Shanghai photographer Deke Erh (Erh Dongqiang), have published 25 books, including fifteen volumes on Western architecture and the expatriate experience in old China. She also co-founded Historic Shanghai. This story is her, in her own words. Photo by Frank Langfitt. On Arrival When I first arrived in 1981, I was staying in what used...