Week 21 - Jinmao Tower, Lujiazui

The Jinmao Tower is a landmark building on the Pudong skyline, and is home to the Grand Hyatt Hotel and a number of commercial offices.  It was built in the 1990s and was the tallest building in Shanghai for an impressive 9 years.

On the 88th floor is a cocktail lounge called Cloud 9. We have been meaning to go there for approximately 3 years, ok 2 and a half years, as we weren't going to go there when I was pregnant when we arrived!

Last Saturday, we finally arranged to meet a friend there for a drink, with plans for dinner out afterwards. Unfortunately, there was no view on this night as we actually were in the clouds in Cloud 9.

When we came out afterwards the wind was whipping and the rain was light, but the building looked spectacular disappearing into the clouds!

Week 20 - Road Gang, Luoshan Lu

I saw these people in orange jumpsuits for what seemed like ages as we were driving towards them in the school bus heading home. I loved how bright they were and how clearly they stood out, and also how many there were, industriously working.

I also saw the cones indicating the lane was closed, but for some reason our bus driver decided to stay in that lane until the last possible moment, therefore contributing to Shanghai's crazy traffic.

Week 19 - Mad Mini, Jinqiao

I spotted this car after school one afternoon last week parked in our compound.  

Now being a fan of "The Italian Job" and having looked after my Dad's 1960-something Mini motor for a long time in Sydney (another story), I feel I am a bit of a Mini connoisseur. Initially, I was attracted by the little Union Jack buttons on the grille and the shiny red body with crisp white stripes.

But I fell in love with the eyelashes... 

and thought I had to bring Jie Jie down to have a look.  But she was asleep when I got home. So I was glad I'd snapped this with my iPhone on the way past!

Week 18 - Dinner and Drinks, The Bund

We went out for a grown up dinner last Friday with some friends to Lost Heaven on the Bund, specialising in Yunnan cuisine, and also one of my favourite restaurants in Shanghai.  We started with a cocktail on the rooftop garden, super elegant and beautiful, then moved downstairs for dinner - a delicious selection of dishes. Then afterwards, decided it would be a great idea to have a look at the new Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund - so had another cocktail, in the Long Bar. The Waldorf Astoria was originally built in 1911, and along with the Peace Hotel (on the corner of Nanjing Road) has been painstakingly restored to its former glory - and this is in the foyer - stunning and beautiful, oh and my friends were too!

Week 17 - Ballet Recital, Jinqiao

Since the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit, Jie Jie has been having ballet lessons once a week with some of the girls from her class at school.  She has enjoyed going, but really to play in the cool indoor playground with her friends before the lesson, and has often said that 'ballet hurts' or 'it's too hard', but we perservered, and the half year of lessons culminated in a recital today, ranging from 3 year olds to 17 year olds en pointe! Jie Jie and her group did a very cute little chain dance, where they all ran around on tiptoe with their hands on the shoulders of the girl in front. She loved this tutu, and she loved getting dressed each week, but the strictness of the dance class, not so much!