Everybody seems to do dim sum in this town on weekends. There are the local places that have been around for ages. Families gather at the large tables, the men armed with their Sunday papers and kids with the coloring books. These meals are supposed to be leisurely affairs. A good way to connect over some baskets of food that are spread out over a couple of hours. There are also the decidedly more trendy places, too, which are also meant for groups to gather, although the noise is and carts are replaced with more ambient music and a menu to boot.
Over the past year and a half, I’ve definitely been to a fair share of places. My top three picks:
1. Shu Zhai, 80 Stanley Main Street, Stanley
Made to look like an old Beijing teahouse, this is one of my favorite places to go on the weekends. It’s probably the ambience as much as the food that does it for me at this place. There isn’t one thing here that I’ve had that I can complain about, an everything comes served on pretty pottery (see pic). The dan-dan served here is my favorite.
2. Dragon-i, 60 Wyndham Street, Central
Better known as a trendy club and restaurant at night, this place does a great all-you-can-eat dim sum by day. All the regular standards are present, so there is no need to order off the main menu which is also available. I’d suggest reserving a spot since spaces are limited on the weekends. Once inside, however, the wait staff won’t make you feel rushed, and does a good job checking in on you to make sure you’re getting your fill of dumplings and other delights.
3. Dim Sum, 63 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley
I’ll also give a shout out to Dim Sum, my local parlor for fried and steamed goodies. Although it is short on character, it does make up for it in quality of food. The proof? There is often a long wait on weekends, so it’s good to get there early.
I can understand why people love Shanghai. It is urban, has great architecture, and is constantly evolving. Take the Maglev train into the city at 431 km/hour and you know that this is a city screaming into the 21st century fast.
I decided to meet Brian in Shanghai for the weekend. We stayed at the Jia Hotel, a hip, boutique spot that would be comfortable in any metropolitan city. And while Shanghai has all the trappings of a cosmopolitan city -- posh restaurants, upscale shopping -- there is still enough of old China that exists that makes this city a cultural destination.
By far, my favorite glimpse of Old China was a side trip we took just outside of the city to Xi Tang. This 1,700-year old water is considered the Venice of Shanghai, and it’s just as picturesque with a definitively Asian flair. We saw old stone bridges flanked by willow trees; square homes with intricate roofs decorated majestically with red lanterns; and women washing their laundry in the river – even on this cold day.
One could spend hours touring the 120 tiny alleyways of this city. Around every new corner seems to be lurking a postcard perfect picture, too. There are also great bargains to be had in the variety of shop stalls set up around the town -- look for the natively made blue and white batik goods.
Back in the city, though, you can forget that China does have a quieter side. As far as population goes, Shanghai is more than 3 times as dense as Paris, and 1.5 times more dense than New York. Older (more charming) buildings are being bulldozed at an alarming rate to make room for more high-rises and large skyscrapers, the most famous of which are on the Pudong side of the city. This is where you can see famous buildings like The Pearl Tower and The Shanghai World Financial Center, known to locals as The Bottle Opener.
After taking a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of the sky deck, we decided to spend a quieter
afternoon in the famous artist district off Moganshan Road. This enclave is home to painters, glass blowers and sculptors, with a good dash of restaurants and retail shops. It’s a great place to spend the afternoon wandering and picking up souvenirs. We ended our long weekend meeting up with friends and taking in a leisurely brunch in The French Concession. This old area of the city has beautiful sycamore trees that line the streets and parts of it are definitely reminiscent of Europe.
It seems that you can still find balance in Shanghai. There is the culture, the sophistication, the quieter streets and alleyways. Shanghai is a city that impresses on the breadth of what it offers and what it has the potential to become.
Other fun spots we visited in Shanghai:
Spin -- great pottery boutique. I could have bought everything.
Shintori -- warehouse-sized space that serves some of the city’s most fresh, if not most avant garde, sushi.
Kathleen’s Five -- glance around at what Shanghai might have been at this restaurant/bar on top of the Shanghai Art Museum, the former Jockey Club.
Vietnam wasn’t a place I was supposed to want to go to. My dad was all but avoiding the issue about my upcoming trip. But his Vietnam was worlds away from the Vietnam we visited.To be fair, there is still plenty about the country that echoes its past. Farmers still tend to their rice paddies wearing conical hats. Hawkers sell their fresh baguettes on poles by the roadside. Fisherman hurl nets off small boats to take in a day’s catch. There is still so much village life left in Vietnam, and its refreshing to
see that it hasn’t exchanged its soul for tourist’s cash … at least not yet.
Most of the cruise operators in Halong Bay offer a two-day or three-day sail. If you have the time, go for the three-day option. On our extra day, we were able to spend it sailing on a private junk, and we even took a tour of one of the fishing villages that call the islands home. It’s worth seeing how people live in this remote part of the world. The one-room school that the students attend, the outdoor restaurant that exists solely for tourists like ourselves and the large government building -- what could they need that much space for?
Back on our tour ship, life stood in stark contrast. We had a big stateroom decked out in lacquered teak. Evening entertainment included cooking demonstrations, squid fishing and kayaking, and meals were served with white table linens. Sipping cocktails on the main deck while watching the sun set behind the cliffs was something I could have enjoyed for yet another night. But we had other places to see in Vietnam,
Our next stop was at Tam Hai island. Getting there was an adventure in itself: Plane from Hanoi to Denang, two hour car ride, followed by a boat to get us to the island. But upon seeing Le Domaine at Tam Hai, we felt as if we had discovered Paradise Island.
The resort is a quiet place set along the beach with huts placed thoughtfully spaced among the beautiful tropical forest. Days are spent lounging by the pool, kayaking down the inlets or finding shells along the beach. This was not a cultural excursion, but Le Domaine takes relaxation seriously. One of my favorite aspects was dinner. Tables are set out on the beach and meals are served with fine china and silver. Want to enjoy an after-dinner cocktail or dessert? The staff puts out a couch and sofa table by the waves for you to enjoy your final hours before bedtime.
Of course, one can only be so rested, and while Le Domaine was a much needed and appreciated pit-stop, we had one more destination in mind: Hoi An. The town is considered a World Heritage Site for being on the map since the 10th century as an important trading port in the South Asia. The Japanese once owned part of the city, which was sectioned off by the now famous Japanese bridge. Tourists can still walk over the 16th century structure and cross easily between both sections of town.
My husband and I took up residence at The Life Heritage Resort. The rooms are designed with a definitive modern palate, although the exterior oozed old-world imperial charm. But we didn’t come here for the hotel, we came to see the city.
Hoi An is a small town, but it is chock full of small arts and crafts stores and tailors who can riff off any designs you may be coveting. In truth, it’s a tourist trap. It’s a great place to walk around for the day and pick up some unique souvenirs -- we made out with some lanterns, and kitchenwares -- but it isn’t a place that you can take up residency for too long without getting bored of the hawkers and their calls.
On our second day, therefore, we visited the nearby China Beach. This long stretch of sand was perfect for strolling, and I especially enjoyed playing in the cooling waves on a day that soared close to 100 degrees outside. Yes, Vietnam is hot in summer. Hotter than any place I’ve ever been. And remember, this is not a first world country,
so air conditioning is spotty at best ... when it’s available. In fact, a walk from our sun chaise to the ocean resulted in a couple of heat blisters from the sand. It’s hot!!
Back in Hoi An, we spent our last day getting last minute adjustments to some dresses I had made and watching the comings and goings of the market. One remarkable thing is that it seems only women are in charge of the business transactions. We watched women fishing, hauling the catch and selling their vegetables. Where were the men?
There is plenty that we didn’t see in Vietnam, but that only leaves many excuses to return. Beautiful scenery, fresh food and pristine places will beckon us back soon.
