Posts

Shanghai Diaries_25/06/2019

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Walls make for great canvases. This beautiful artwork, made of broken ceramic, stands at the exit of the metro station, bringing joy to the commuters.  Location:  https://goo.gl/maps/NqNvXdWEAmcsHvLU9 #shanghai #newadventures #explorechina #nonperiodicoscillations #walls #dailyart #joy #metro #station #commute #museum #naturalhistory

Shanghai Diaries_22/06/2019

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Walking can be a boon, sometimes. Especially, when you see beautiful beasts like this drool worthy Zero Engineering ( http://www.zero-eng.com/ ) motorcycle! This beauty was parked in the entrance lobby of a nondescript coffee shop on Huaihai Middle Road and must have been so lonely. I wish I could hear her roar or better still, take her for a ride. I need to make better friends, real quick. Update: Zero Engineering is shutting down the business, as per this post on their Instagram page on 26 June 2019 :( #shanghai #newadventures #explorechina #nonperiodicoscillations #motorcycles #zeroengineering #ride #livetoride #custom #custommotorcycle #chopper 

Shanghai Diaries_11/06/2019

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Defunct industrial structures make for an amazing canvas on which unique projects may be developed and Shanghai seems to be in love with this model of development. I was walking down Wending Lu and came across Wending Living Style Plaza (www.wendingplaza.com.cn). Known formerly as the Shanghai Cold Rolling Steel Plant, the skeletal structure has been retained and sensitively retrofitted to function as a high end retail destination. The space is light, inviting and filled with natural light. There are a number of cafes with outdoor seating which makes one want to just while away time, hopefully, without a care in the world. The question that needs to be asked though is can this model be more inclusive and cater to a wider audience or will the dynamics of real estate compel all such developments to be targeted only towards the rich, adding to the ever widening social divide? #shanghai #newadventures #explorechina #nonperiodi...

Shanghai Diaries_24/05/2019

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Rushing for a meeting or going to a party or maybe you just want to look presentable but you can't go home? Fear not, for here is a kiosk for becoming "presentable on the go"!!! #shanghai #newadventures #explorechina #nonperiodicoscillations #fashion #citylife #rushed #kiosk #makeup #til 

Shanghai Diaries_18/05/2019

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Art and me? Well, sometimes, I happen to land up in such places because of N. So, this weekend we went to see the "All About Love Speaks Forever" exhibition by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. However, what excited me more, after reaching the venue, was the venue itself :) I've searched for the Fosun Foundation (Shanghai) (http://www.fosunfoundation.com/en/) building on maps for a while but wasn't able to locate it. You can imagine my excitement when I realised that I was standing right in front of it. Is it lame to get excited about a building? LOL! I don't care. Designed by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio, it is a beautiful, sculptural building occupying a prime plot on the historic Bund in Shanghai. The detailing and execution is immaculate. Imagine feeling orgasmic about the staircase handrail ;) Funny thing though - the venue detail webpage only features Heatherwick; nothing about Foster. ...

Shanghai Diaries_15/05/2019

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The walk down Changle Lu ( previous post ), where we saw those motorcycles with sidecars, led us to the lawns of the Garden Hotel which was the venue for Beernanza, an event dedicated to beer (duh!) and music. We were blessed with a warm, sunny, late afternoon entry when the crowd was still thin. Some of our friends waited for almost two hours to get in! Although everyone was guzzling down beer and gin+tonic, I had to be the #RealMan (someone had to do it, right?) and drink ginger beer - that heavenly, non alcoholic elixir for the chosen few. Believe me when I tell you, no one else would have had the courage to try it in Beernanza. The time finally came when our friend, DJ Baksheesh started his set and he really got the crowd grooving. Dancing in front of a speaker is something that I did after more than fifteen years. Insane! As with all evenings connected with Baksheesh, everyone ended up in Julu Lu. It was my first time there and I unders...

Shanghai Diaries_11/05/2019

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Walking down Changle Lu, enjoying the warm sunshine, I spotted these beauties in a little side lane. The new Shineray's engine was running and it sounded so good. I would have loved to hear the yellow one too. Spotting a BMW R nineT outside The Power Station of Art being revved hard was very satisfying. Owning a motorcycle is a prohibitively expensive affair in Shanghai although almost everyone is riding an electric scooter, which is quite affordable. One can only hope that in the future, this will change and motorcycles will find acceptance. #shanghai #newadventures #explorechina #nonperiodicoscillations #motorcycles #yellow #bmw #RnineT #shineray #powerstationofart #electric #scooter #ride #fortheride