Shanghai Residential

ADRIENNE FARRELLY, an Aussie who has been exploring the real estate world of Shanghai since 1994, shares her experiences and advice regarding moving to and living in Shanghai. www.shanghaiprops.com Check out our Archive page to view all our past blog posts and find more helpful information! Why not Bookmark this site for easy access?

[adriennefarrelly]

China: Cheap Flight Tickets

You know what it’s like. Stay in one Chinese city too long and you start to get the “travel bug”. China, like elsewhere in the world has websites that give you the best deals. So, if you’re looking to come to China, Cheapoair.com is the best way to find a flight to Beijing or Shanghai. Once in China however, there’s absolutely no need to use the websites you used in your own country. Sites like expedia charge over TWICE the rate than it’s Chinese counterpart charges so it’s really a no brainer to go local. One challenge of course is the language and if your Chinese isn’t up to scratch you probably feel a bit disadvantaged. There is no need to worry however cause I am more than happy to help guide you through China’s cheapest website using zilch Chinese language skills. If you are looking to travel then follow this guide and find a cheap flight to another city. If you’re planning a move to Shanghai and need to find a new home, contact me, Adrienne Farrelly at [email protected] and I’ll be happy to give you a tour of our new homes. 

CTRIP

Ctrip is probably the best choice if you don’t want to go through the hassle of looking through a Chinese website. Sure they have an English site but it often has errors.  Ctrip’s Chinese version offers direct flights between Shanghai and Beijing while the English version has none!! UGH!!

Chinese Choices

If you ask any Chinese person where they buy their inland flight tickets, the majority will say qunar.com. This site is not the easiest to maneuver if you cannot read Chinese but it sure holds the greatest rewards! The site not only has the lowest inland deals, but often has extremely cheap international tickets. The site often displays round trip tickets to Hong Kong for only $100 USD after taxes from Shanghai. This site often has flash deals; I once saw a round ticket to Cambodia from Shanghai for only $170 USD. The catch was the plane ticket was for the next day. This site is perfect for anyone wanting to go on a spontaneous trip.

How to use Qunar.com 1. When you first arrive to the website, the top menu looks like the below options. You will choose the tab which I have highlighted.

2. Unless you view this blog right after I post it, only then you will see the same deals that are shown below.  This page has a list of international roundtrip tickets, one way international flights and inland one way flights. The prices listed below do not include tax or additional surcharges.. This site does not add the surcharges until you have selected a flight. On inland flights there is a 170 RMB surcharge for fuel, and airport fee regardless of distance. Most Airlines also offer a 20RMB insurance that you can opt to buy. International flights on the other hand have taxes. A round trip ticket to Hong Kong you will be looking at spending around 400 RMB in taxes. Which is sometimes more expensive than the flight itself.  You may be wondering what the special price button does. On the website this function is not user friendly. I would recommend downloading their app for Android and Iphone. I will discuss the app later on.

3. If you already have in mind the city you would like to go to. You can type in the search boxes, don’t worry if you don’t have know the city’s Chinese name, the box’s recognize English; such as Hong Kong, Harbin, Seoul, Siem Reap and Macau which greatly differ than their Chinese pinyin. I am not sure why are the top they have an inland, and international flight search box. International flights can still be searched in the left box. In my case I have searched a one way flight from Shanghai to Tokyo. I choose an international flight to greater emphasize the saving that you can receive if you are flexible with the time of vacation. The below picture shows plane tickets to Tokyo for 1100+ 600 taxes. On the right hand side it shows round trip tickets than can be purchased that will save you over 800 RMB. The round trip price is 1400+Tax. However I still find this a bit too expensive let’s look at the option that I have highlighted.

4. After clicking on the last sections highlighted option. It brings up a calendar. On this calendar it shows the cost of the cheapest ticket on that day. You are able to scroll through and check by month. Usually plane tickets are cheapest between 8 and 12 weeks of the current date. As you see below if I choose to leave in March instead, the price of a ticket drastically lowers from 1100 to 399. The tax is usually relatively constant. There is always a different tax on tickets leaving China and coming into China, since the countries have different tax rates.

5. In the picture below I have highlighted an option which allows you to change which ticket you are searching for. If I clicked the option I will then be searching tickets from Japan to Shanghai. This is important if there are no cheap round trip suggestions. Round trip suggestions usually come up if it’s the same airline that offers a cheap going and return ticket; this may not always be the case. Then you can use the calendar option to find the cheapest going and returning tickets. However in my case an option came up to choose an 800 RMB round trip ticket. As shown in the bottom right hand corner.

6. I have clicked on the bottom right hand corner 798RMB round trip ticket. The next screen below is given. As you can see with tax the ticket comes up to 1879 RMB, which comes up to a little over 300 USD for a round trip ticket to Tokyo.

7. After than menu I have clicked on the orange button next to the 798. The ones below are for one way tickets if you choose to buy them separately.  You will notice that the price has shot up to over 2000. This is because it includes an optional 150 RMB insurance. You can remove the insurance or keep it. The insurance includes such things as lost luggage reimbursement, if you get injured you will receive money, and for every 8 hours your luggage is delayed you will receive 500 RMB, and a few other things. This is the information that you need to put in. After this page, you will need to pay, by using a Chinese bank account.  Make sure under the Identification scroll down, you choose 护照 or passport.

Air Asia This site has an English Version, so it is easy to use. If you are looking for cheap plane tickets to Southeast Asia, this is the site for you. They offer the cheapest flights to Malaysia. I have seen roundtrip tickets from Shanghai to Malaysia for Only 1600 RMB tax included. They often have promotions on the front page of the website, for flights between certain times. These promotions can be a bit deceiving since you rarely find prices at that price. However the site still boasts some of the cheapest flights to Southeast Asia and once you are in Southeast Asia, flying city to city is dirt cheap. This site does not offer many inland China flights, but if you are looking for an out of the country excursion this is a great option. Apps

Earlier I mentioned the usage of apps to find flights. Luckily there is a qunar app, and an airasia app. The qunar app is perfect if you already have a desired city that you would like to travel to. The app will then give you the cheapest prices in the next 3 months. Then you can go to their website and purchase the ticket. The air Asia promotion app has a feature to check best prices. You input the city that you are traveling from and the city that you would like to go to. This application is in English but has some flaws. The biggest flaw is that after you select the city which you are traveling from it does not filter out cities which do not have a connecting flight with that city. I would recommend using airasia website search option in congruence with this app to find the best price. The app lists the cost of the flight to that city and from that city for a whole month; you can scroll through future months. There is no 3 month limit like qunar’s app. The second problem with the app is that you must hit a refresh button on the top left to refresh prices to this day and time, if you do not refresh this before searching it may show outdated prices.

Common City Names

Chinese Cities

上海 Shanghai

北京 Beijing

南京 Nanjing

杭州 Hangzhou

苏州 Suzhou

成都 Chengdu

重庆 Chongqing

昆明 Kunming

西安 Xi’an

哈尔滨 Harbin

三亚 Sanya

青岛 Qingdao

大连 Dalian’

广州 Guangzhou

深圳 Shenzhen

International

香港 Hong Kong

澳门 Macau

首尔 Seoul

曼谷 Bangkok

东京 Tokyo

新加坡 Singapore

悉尼 Sydney

巴黎 Paris

巴厘岛 Bali Island (Indonesia)

吉隆坡 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

胡志明市 Ho Chi Minh City ( Vietnam)

台北Taiwan

马尼拉 Manila (Philippines)

金边 Phnom Penh (Cambodia)

暹粒 Siem Reap (Cambodia)

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

China Train Ticket Guide

China is a land of hidden wonders with some of the world’s greatest travel locations. Without a strong grasp of the language it may be frightening to ride a train or buy a train ticket. Train tickets are one of the trickier things to buy in China. There are not many websites with English that offer train tickets. Luckily since there are fixed prices that companies can charge for tickets, prices are the same year around. There are also small train ticket agencies located through the city. These agencies charge a fixed 5 RMB for each train ticket you buy. Applications such as Dong Dong trip are able to locate ticket agencies near you. You can download the free version for searching trains and ticket agencies. I would suggest that you use this app or Ctrip to figure out the train number that you plan on taking. Write down the train number then write down the Chinese characters for the two cities.  This way you just have to hand them a piece of paper, and not have to yell across the counter at a Chinese lady.

Train tickets start to be sold 10 days before hand. You must bring your Passport in order to purchase. A word of advice, during the holidays, such as the days leading up to Chinese New Year (February 19th) the trains are jammed packed. Since the majority of the 1.3 billion people want to return to their home towns to visit family, they begin to sell standing tickets. One of my friends purchased a train ticket online through a Chinese website, when he got to the train station, all the seats were taken. He then had to endure the 13 hour, standing train ride to Xian. After reading this article I hope you will feel comfortable enough to leave your Shanghai Apartment and board a train to your desired destination.

Different Train Types

K – Slowpoke train.  The Chinese government refers to these trains as “fast trains” They can reach 120 Km/hr. These trains also have a lot of stops, so the maximum speed is never held for long. Many of these trains are outdated; during summer of 2012 I rode a few of these trains. In the majority of these train’s second class (hard seat area) the air conditioning was not working. It was like being in a sauna full of few of sweaty Chinese men,  a rancid smell of Body Odor along with the smells from mushrooms and fish that some riders were taking home to the family. And be prepared to see a lot of bellies as when it’s hot, Chinese men like to roll their shirts up over their bellies.

T- Express trains. These trains reach a speed of 140 Km/hr and are far cleaner than their K counter part. They run from major city to major city with a limited amount of stops and are equipped with soft sleepers and hard sleepers. The term hard sleeper is a bit misleading. You do not have to worry however as the hard sleepers you will not be sleeping on slates of hard rock. If you order a soft sleeper ticket, don’t expect a memory foam mattress. The softness is about the same between the two bunks however the size is different and the amount of bunks in each cabin is different. In hard sleepers, there are 6 bunks per room The bunks are laid out in three in a row from top to bottom. If your ticket says 上卧 be prepared to do so climbing. In the room on each side the beds are stacked up in threes.  Since there is not enough head room for the middle and top person to sit on their beds. It is common etiquette for the bottom bed person to allow people to sit on his/her bed. While in the soft sleeper cabin there are only 4 bunks per room. The bunks are also slightly wider and there is also a legitimate door that you can lock in your room. Compared to the hard sleeper it also has a little curtain.

Z- Direct Express trains. Some of these trains are only equipped with soft seats and soft sleepers. This train can reach 160 Km/h. These have a limited amount of stops and are efficient for traveling long distances since they maintain their speeds.

D- Bullet train. These trains reach a max speed of Km/h often travel between major cities such as Nanjing and Shanghai. G-Fast Bullet Train. These trains are the fastest that China has to offer, reaching a max speed of 350 Km/h. These trains usually run long distances with minimum stops. Bullet trains only offer seat tickets. This train can travel from Shanghai to Beijing in 5 hours compared to the D-train counterpart taking in excess of 9 hours.

Return Policy

If you miss your train, you will not have the option to cancel your ticket however depending on the railway station, some stations may let you get on the next train leaving if they feel sorry for you. To cancel your ticket and get a refund you must go to a train station and bring your passport with the purchased ticket. You are not able to cancel your ticket at a ticket agency. If you cancel your ticket before 48 hours before hand there is a 4% fee. If you cancel your ticket between 24 and 48 hours before departure there is a 10% and within 24 hours there is a 20% service fee.

Change Tickets

Train tickets are allowed to be exchanged if the train has not departed yet. A ticket can only be changed once. You are allowed to change the time of the ticket to an earlier or later time. You can also change the destination that you wish to travel. If the train you wish to change to is a different price, you will pay or receive the difference.

Traveling by train within China is now a convenient and quick journey, but finding the perfect home in Shanghai can be quite the opposite experience! Shanghai Properties is the most experienced, recognized, and trustworthy agency for expatriates in Shanghai. We specialize in expat housing; making sure to fulfill your every need and provide superb customer service. Go with the most trusted and experienced expatriate property agency!

Contact us at [phone] if you have any lingering questions or doubts. Or, mail me at [email protected] if you would like more details or have any questions.

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

Further reading for Train ticket booking Mobile App:

http://english.ctrip.com/trains/

[adriennefarrelly]

Chinese New Year: Year of the Sheep

The Year of the Sheep will see the usual billions of fireworks set off to celebrate its arrival and as the New Year’s dawn arises, a thin haze of smoke will still remain in the streets as if there were a war the night before. This February 19th, 2015 is the Chinese New Year day and New Year’s Eve is all about family, food and fireworks!! If you currently live in China and have never experienced a Chinese New Year, you are in for one enormous treat so grab some earplugs and a camera and leave your Shanghai apartment and enjoy one of the biggest fireworks festivities you will ever see in your life.

Chinese New Year has some of the same traditions as Western New Year, just without the obligatory countdown. Most Chinese stay up all night with their family, eat loads of traditional dishes, play cards and watch popular variety styled TV shows.  Many choose to set off fireworks and firecrackers throughout the day and evening so if you live in a crowded area don’t plan on sleeping.  If you do want to get some shut eye make sure you fill your ears with a good set of plugs as the sound of firecrackers will be heard all night long and days and nights after. This holiday period is traditionally a 15 day event however the time off work is usually 3 to 7 days.

History

There is a story behind Chinese New Year, the legend says a wild demon named nian or (year) would come at the end of every year to terrorize the local villagers. The legend says that the villagers were able to scare off the demon by using loud noises and bright lights such as fire crackers.

New Years Eve Dinner

This is the most important meal of the year. Chinese New Year’s Eve is on January 18th. This is the holiday where everyone returns to their hometowns to have a dinner. This year is the Year of the Sheep, if you were born in the year of the Sheep you are supposed to wear all Red on this day including underwear. In Northern China, the two main dishes are fish and dumplings. The family traditionally sits together and watches TV while making dumplings. A coin is sometimes hidden in a dumpling; whoever gets the dumpling is believed to have good luck for the upcoming year. They eat fish because there is a Chinese idiom that says 年年有余 which means to have more money than you need. Fish or 鱼 and 余 have the same pronunciation. Others choose to eat noodles because the noodle is a symbol of longevity in some parts of China. At midnight the fireworks begin, the first person in the Family to set off a firework is believed to have good fortune for the year. The other belief is that setting off fireworks wards off the evil spirit. Another tradition of Chinese New year’s is to stay up all night, because of this tradition plan on hearing fireworks for the remaining of the night.

Money

Chinese Families during this time also give the younger generation red envelops or 红包 "hongbao" filled with cash. The amount of cash ranges from a few hundred to tens of thousands depending on the families economic situation. These envelopes are usually given by adults to children. Younger generations are not expected to give money to their parents and older relatives until they are married.

Decorations

Before New Year’s Chinese families will do a complete clean of their apartments. They do this to get rid of the old and welcome the new. After they finish cleaning their apartments, they put up an assortment of decorations. These decorations are always red, since red is a sign of good luck. Some of these decorations include paper cuttings, the Chinese character 福 "fu" displayed upside down and wall hangings. They put the Chinese symbol 福 upside down because the word for upside down is 倒 "dao" and it has the same sound as the word to arrive. 福 meaning is happiness, and good luck. Thus they believe that putting the symbol upside down will bring good luck and happiness. You might also want to put one on your Apartment’s door. Who knows it might bring you luck.

Unlike Westerners, the day of Chinese New Year’s and the entirety of the 15 day festival when greeting people you are expected to say Happy New Years.

The First Few Days of the New Year’s the majority of shops are closed, outside looks more like a ghost town. Do not expect on catching a taxi for a few days, they will also be taking these days off.

Taboos

Most of the traditional superstitions involved with New Year’s are not widely followed however they are worth mentioning.

Using scissors or knives on New Year’s Day would cut off good fortune

New Year’s day do not wash your hair, washing you hair signifies washing away good luck

If you cry on New Year’s Day you will cry the rest of the year

Your appearance on New Year’s Day sets the tone for the rest of the Year

All debts should be paid on New Year’s Day, and nothing should be lent

Sweeping on New Year’s Day signifies sweeping away good fortune

It is considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom

No foul language should be used on New Year’s Day, and refrain from using the number 4 since it Chinese it sounds like “to die”

Consuming meat or slaughtering animals on New Year’s Day is considered bad luck

Preparing food on New Year’s Eve for the upcoming days signifies that you had abundant wealth that is brought over from the previous year

Days Following

After Chinese New Year’s eve the family will not throw away their trash until the second day of the New Year. If you throw away your trash it is believed that you are throwing away your households money.

The first five days of Chinese New Year families go from one relative’s house to another eating dinner.

In traditional China on the 7th day of New Years everyone was considered a year older instead of by their individual birthdays. This tradition is less practiced now since of growing importance of individualization. However some still do follow this tradition.

The 15th day of Spring Festival is also known as Lantern Festival and is a day where Lion Dances can be seen, along with some of the most fascinating lanterns. Kids walk down the streets and pull a rabbit shaped lantern down the street. This day is traditionally a Full moon making it the perfect skyline for lanterns. It is also the second noisiest night of the year when fireworks are once again let off to mark the end of the holiday season.

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Chinese Zodiac Symbols

Some people say that you are a match based on your personality and life style, while others might believe you may have been destined to be together. Chinese believe that depending on the year that you were born you fall under a certain animal. Each animal has distinct characteristics. This is one of Chinese traditional beliefs.  On this upcoming Chinese New Year, all people born under the year of the Horse should wear all red including underwear to avoid an unlucky year.

History

Chinese Zodiac’s were originally established in the Han Dynasty (206-220) to count years. They watched each animal’s life style and characteristics. They chose the number 12 since; there are 12 time periods in a day, 12 months in a year, and 12 full moons in a year. Each animal is also associated with an earthly branch.

There is a Chinese folk story that explains the order of the animals.  The Jade emperor announced that 12 animals would be selected for calendar signs; the first 12 animals that arrive would be selected. There are multiple versions of the story, a widely believe one is the day before the race, the cat asked the rat to wake him up early to go to the Jade Emperor. The rat forgot to wake up the cat and ran along. While on the path to the Jade Emperor, other animals started to pass up the rat. The rat saw the Ox and asked if the ox could carry him, the condition was that the rat had to sing to the Ox on the way there. While they were arriving at the Jade Emperor’s palace the rat leaped off the Ox’s back to become the first on the list. This story also explains why the cat hates the rat so much.

You can check out which animal you belong to here.

Below you can check if your animal accurately describes you.

Rat

Strengths – People born during these years are usually smart, wealthy, adaptable and successful.

Weaknesses – These people are usually timid and in the need of courage.  They are not capable of taking a leader position. They are easily guided by their greed and personal interests.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility- Dragon, Monkey, Ox

Avoid – Sheep, Horse, Rabbit

Ox

Strengths- These people are most likely honest, industrious, and cautious. They are strong leaders that have dedication and like to be in charge.

Weaknesses – They are not the most sociable, and are not easily persuaded. They are often very distant.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Rat, Snake, Rooster

Avoid – Horse, Dog, Sheep

Tiger

Strengths- They are usually well respected, are able to express themselves, active and love challenges.

Weaknesses- These people are often self-centered, with a short temper and do not look far into the future. They also come in conflict with authorities and seniors.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Horse, Dog

Avoid – Snake, Monkey

Rabbit

Strengths – These people are usually very sensitive and compassionate. They also have an extremely strong memory. They are very peaceful and hate arguing.

Weaknesses – People born under the Rabbit lack the ability to think deeply before action. They may also pass up many good opportunities.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Sheep, Pig, Dog

Avoid – Rat, Dragon

Dragon

Strengths – People born under the year of the dragon are ambitious, lively, energetic, intelligent and not easily discouraged.

Weaknesses – They can often be arrogant and impatient, and not be able to control their moods.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Rat, Monkey, Rooster

Avoid – Ox, Rabbit, Dog

Snake

Strengths- People born under the sign of the snake are usually financially savvy and do not have to worry about money. They are also wise and good tempered.

Weaknesses – They often doubt others, and are very suspicious. They prefer to rely on themselves.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Ox, Rooster

Avoid – Pig, Tiger

Horse

Strengths – They have great communication skills and want to be the center of attention. They are cheery and like large groups and entertainment

Weaknesses – These people may often not listen to advice. They are also quickly to jump on the newest trends and lack a deep enjoyment. They are often wasteful and are not able to handle money well.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility- Tiger, Sheep, Dog

Avoid – Rat, Ox, Rabbit

Sheep

Strengths – People born under the sign of the sheep often are clever, kind hearted, and have a deep passion for art and religion.

Weaknesses – These people are often moody and pessimistic. They can also be indecisive and puzzled about life.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility- Rabbit, Horse, Pig

Avoid – Ox, Dog

Monkey

Strengths – People born under the year of the Monkey are quick witted, lively, and excellent problem solvers. Have a strong desire for knowledge and great memories

Weaknesses- They easily feel jealous and suspicious. They also are quick to look down upon others.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility- Rat, Dragon, Snake

Avoid- Tiger, Pig

Rooster

Strengths- People born under the year of the rooster are quick thinkers, honest, warm hearted and capable.  They often have a quick mind and hot temper.

Weaknesses – They are often quick to change passions. They also believe they are always right. Often narrow minded and vain

Zodiac Sign Compatibility- Ox, Dragon, Snake

Avoid- Rat, Rabbit, Dog

Dog

Strengths – People born under the year of the dog are often faithful to their career and love life’s. They are able to keep secrets. They are also very straightforward.

Weaknesses – These people can be sometimes distant and cold. They are also known for their sharp tongues.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Tiger, Rabbit, Horse

Avoid- Ox, Dragon, Sheep, Rooster

Pig

Strengths – People born under the pig often have a clam appearance and strong heart. Often honest and frank and are not afraid of difficulties and problems.

Weaknesses – They are too trusting and can easily be tricked.  They are also very impulsive and not able to communicate well with others

Zodiac Sign Compatibility – Sheep, Rabbit

Avoid – Snake, Monkey

Notes

When going out in China, don’t be afraid to ask them what animal they are. 你的属相是什么(Ni de shuxiang shi shenme). It just may help you find your soul mate or avoid someone that you were destined to hate.

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Chinese New Year in Shanghai 2015

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, has been celebrated for over 4,000 years. It is the most important and traditional festival that China celebrates each year and it can be compared to celebrating both Christmas and Easter combined into one! It is a very special time where Chinese make a great trek across the country to return to their hometowns to spend time with their families. It comes on the first day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar and lasts for half a month. This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 19th where you will hear and see millions of fireworks exploding throughout Shanghai culminating in an amazing crescendo at mid night where the city skyline literally disappears from all the smoke.

For Chinese New Year 2015, China will welcome the Year of the Goat (or the Sheep/Ram). Among the Chinese animals these are said to be some of the most favored because they are gentle and calm, yet very powerful through perseverance. In order to celebrate the Year of the Goat, at Shanghai Properties we have our own “Goat Sale”. Working with OxFam Unwrapped we can help newly arrived expats AND more needy people in developing countries. Oxfam Unwrapped charity gifts transform the lives of people living in poverty by providing education, clean water and other living essentials.

When you use our agency to find your new home or refer a friend, we will use some of our commission to buy “a goat” or another precious gift of your choice from Oxfam Unwrapped to give to a family in need.

To take advantage of this opportunity just mail your housing needs and contact details directly to Adrienne Farrelly at [email protected] and she’ll be in touch soon to explain how you can help the whole global community. You can view some of the gifts to give here. These are examples of gifts to help a family in need: - Water for a School - Women’s Empowerment - Water for a Family - Hygiene Kit - A Well - Literacy Classes - Orphan Care & even more!

Adrienne and her team at Shanghai Properties wish you and your family a very Happy Chinese New Year and we hope that if you are in Shanghai during the Spring Festival, you have a great time celebrating!

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at [phone] or [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties “Expat Agents Speak Your Language”.

[adriennefarrelly]

David's Kind Testimonial of our Services

"Shortly after arriving in Shanghai I was desperate to find a house. I used Joanna Real Estate but after being shown a few properties at a crazy high rental price (and being stood up in the middle of winter) I decided to call Adrienne at Shanghai Properties. Adrienne spent about 1 hour talking to me, asking me what I wanted, what I liked and most importantly what areas I would like to live in. We narrowed it down the The French Concession or XinTianDi.

We started at looking at a beautiful apartment in The FFC but it was far to local, with that feedback Adrienne and Lee (the consultant I dealt with) narrowed the search down to XTD. We look at small, medium and large apartments for days (spread out over a few month) and Adrienne would call me every few weeks to see how I was, and see if there was anything that I had found or areas I discovered that I would like to investigate more.

We managed to find a 225 mt2 apartment in XTD that we liked and began to start the negotiations. After a week of playing verbal tennis, we finally got the go ahead (and at 7k-10k lower than the average market price).

When we moved Lee helped me move, and even came to help me at IKEA to buy essentials.

The whole process was such an ease. Adrienne’s 20 years of living here made looking for a house so easy. She pointed me in the direction of Local food and supermarkets as well as showing me some of her favorite Shanghai places.

If I move again in Shanghai I will definitely be using Shanghai Properties and would not hesitate in recommending her to anyone else looking for a house in Shanghai."

Thank you David for your kind words! So happy to help you find your special place here in Shanghai.

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at [phone] or [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Renting Serviced Apartments in Shanghai

Serviced Apartments in Shanghai 

Serviced apartments in Shanghai are short term rental apartments located in a purpose built block or long term residential apartment block. They provide varying standards of services that are similar to hotels – housekeeping, facilities, concierge, serviced items etc. Shanghai has loads of different styles of serviced apartments from pretty down beat cheap ones to over the top luxurious where all you need is a suitcase and everything else is provided. Make sure before you sign and pay, that you know exactly what is and isn’t included in your serviced apartment in Shanghai. Often they have extras that are paid for so make sure you check on these.

Low budget service apartments in Shanghai

If you are staying in Shanghai on shoestring and need a short term serviced apartment you may want to consider some of the cheaper serviced apartments available. Here are a few characteristics of these types of apartments:  - Typically best suited for singles and couples - Can do daily, weekly or monthly rentals  - Have low quality fit out and basic services (basically, you get what you pay for)  - Serviced items such as pots, pans, crockery, cutlery and bathroom essentials are not always included (ask at reception if they have extras package) - Serviced items can be rather limited ie: no bottle/can openers, iron/ironing boards so make sure you check  - Housekeeping is usually available 2-3 times a week  - Linen should be changed daily and sheets changed once a week - The front desk’s service level and English abilities can vary greatly depending on person

NOTE: Some of the lower end serviced apartments aren’t in convenient or such pleasant locations. Before confirming your choice, feel free to contact Adrienne Farrelly at [email protected] for her free advice on best locations for your stay.

List of Low Budget Serviced Apartments in Shanghai

Here is a list of cheaper serviced apartments in Shanghai. Check these out if you are working with a tight budget but still looking for a comfortable and convenient place to live. There are multiple options in both the Puxi Districts as well as Pudong so you can find the one that best suits you!  PUXI AREA Changning District Huntington Terrace  Address: No. 728 Hongling Rd., Changing, Shanghai  Website: www.hotel525.com/en/hotel-40201186.html Rooms Available: Standard – 45 SQM. (12,106 RMB/Month)  Deluxe King – 50 SQM. (15,147 RMB/Month)  Deluxe Twin – 52 SQM. (15,147 RMB/Month)  2 Bedroom – 117 SQM. (27,010 RMB/Month)

Zhongshan Park Apartment  Address: 1310/13F, 99 HuiChuan Rd., (near Changning Rd.), Changning, Shanghai  Website: www.apartmentcn.com/en/shanghai/ChangNing_HongQiao_ZhongShanPark.asp Rooms Available: Superior Queen – 42 SQM. (8,400 RMB/Month)  Superior Twin – 42 SQM. (8,700 RMB/Month)  Family Room – 50 SQM. (9,000 RMB/Month)

Huangpu District

Mayson Shanghai Bund Address: 1210/12F, Wuchang Rd. 258, (near Shanghai Bund), Huangpu, Shanghai  Website: www.apartmentcn.com/en/shanghai/Huangpu_Shanghaibund.asp Rooms Available: 1 Superior Bedroom – 30 SQM. (7,800 RMB/Month)  1 Riverview Superior Bedroom – 40 SQM. (8,100 RMB/Month)  1 Riverview Deluxe Bedroom – 45 SQM. (8,400 RMB/Month)  1 Family A Bedroom – 50 SQM. (9,000 RMB/Month)  1 Family B Bedroom – 60 SQM. (11,000 RMB/Month) 

Tianci Serviced Apartments  Address: 429 Guangdong Rd., Huangpu, Shanghai  Website: www.tianciserviceapartmentshanghai.com/rooms.htm Rooms Available: Standard – 38 SQM. (12,136 RMB/Month)  1 Bedroom – 65 SQM. (12,136 RMB/Month)  1 “Sight-Seeing” Bedroom – 88 SQM. (14,235 RMB/Month)  2 Bedrooms – 100-124 SQM. (18,463-23,512 RMB/Month)

Green Court  Address: 55 West Beijing Rd., Huangpu, Shanghai  Website: www.greencourtservicedapartshanghai.com/rooms.htm Rooms Available: Studio – 33 SQM. (14,660 RMB/Month)  1 Deluxe Bedroom – 61 SQM. (17,033 RMB/Month)  1 Executive Bedroom – 67 SQM. (18,250 RMB/Month) 

PUDONG AREA  Diamond Court  Address: No. 1166 Biyun Rd., Pudong District, Shanghai  Website: www.diamondcourtshanghai.com Rooms Available: 1 Bedroom Deluxe – 98 SQM. (11,000 RMB/Month) Twin Bedroom – 135 SQM. (12,000 RMB/Month)

Evershine Hotel  Address: No. 1436 Pudong South Rd., Pudong District, Shanghai Website: www.evershinehotelshanghai.com/index.htm Rooms Available:  Special Promotion – 35 SQM. (9,946-12,927 RMB/Month)  Standard Deluxe – 75 SQM. (13,718-15,026 RMB/Month)  Superior Duplex (low) – 70 SQM. (15,026-16,364 RMB/Month)  Superior Duplex (high) – 70 SQM. (16,090-17,428 RMB/Month)  River View Duplex – 70 SQM. (17,155-18,463 RMB/Month)  2 Bedroom Duplex – 105 SQM. (30,386-31,694 RMB/Month)  Kinghouse Serviced Apartments  Address: Zhangyang Rd., Lane 1500 (near Taolin Rd.), Pudong, Shanghai Website: www.villable.com/Property_Details-lang2-2939-Kinghouse%20Serviced%20Apartment.html Rooms Available: 1 Bedroom – 77 SQM. (12,000-14,000 RMB/Month)  2 Bedrooms – 94 SQM. (14,000-17,000 RMB/Month) 

Mayson Shanghai Pudong  Address: Building 3, No. 150 North Linyi Rd., Pudong- Lujiazui & Expo, Shanghai  Website: www.apartmentcn.com/en/shanghai/PuDong_LuJiaZui_Riverside.asp Rooms Available: 1 Bedroom – 78 SQM. (12,000 RMB/Month) 2 Bedrooms – 125 SQM. (18,000 RMB/Month)  3 Bedrooms – 159 SQM. (21,000 RMB/Month)  4 Bedrooms – 205 SQM. (24,000 RMB/Month) 

Ramada Plaza Pudong  Address: 18 Xin Jinqiao Rd., Pudong, Shanghai  Website: www.ramadaplazapd.com/en/reservation.html Rooms Available:  Deluxe King Suite – 72 SQM. (9,521 RMB/Month)  1 Bedroom – 102 SQM. (12,927 RMB/Month)  2 Bedroom – 142 SQM. (14,170 RMB/Month)  Shanghai Acme Riverside Address: No. 1, Lane 588, Changyi Rd., Pudong, Shanghai  Website: www.the-acme.com/en/contact.asp Rooms Available:  Big Bed Room – 57 SQM. (13,984-15,103 RMB/Month City River Room – 56 SQM. (18,086 RMB/Month) Deluxe Executive River View – 57 SQM. (21,255 RMB/Month) Deluxe River View Suite – 122 SQM. (24,239 RMB/Month)

PS. Before you consider renting, make sure you are aware of serviced apartment scams and how to recognize them and avoid them. 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Your Personal Rental Property Checklist

Looking through rental properties is exciting but can be an exhausting and overwhelming process. Whether you’re pressed for time or eager to make a decision, you could settle with a rental property that only partially meets your needs. No matter if you’re using an agent or searching yourself, it’s extremely important to make sure you’re paying market price when you decide on a property.

  To help you navigate the rental minefield we’ve created a rental property checklist with some tips to help you filter your rental search and find the property of your dreams in Shanghai.

  To start off, we suggest you make a detailed outline of your needs and create a MUST HAVE list and LIKE TO HAVE list so you can view each property with a clear idea of what your wants and needs are. 

The Property

- Is the property developer or privately owned? - Who handles the maintenance? - Is it 24/7 English speaking? - Does the property have central heating or wall mounted? - When was it last updated?  - Does the property require updating in the kitchens, bathrooms or rooms?  - Has the property been altered in any way?  - Has the property been recently decorated?  - If you have pets then ask if it is pet friendly?  - Are the rooms big enough for your requirements? - Are there enough bathrooms?  - Is there enough storage for all of your belongings?  - Does it have basic facilities you may need like a dishwasher, oven, or washing machine?  - Does it have a home office?  - Are there enough outlets in convenient locations?  - What is and isn’t included in the property lease?  - Are the windows double-glazed? - Is there damp anywhere?  - Has the property been well maintained?  - Does it have a private or shared garden?  - Does the property get enough natural light?  - Why is the previous lessee moving out? - What are the compounds facilities like?

Location - What are the closest methods of transportation?  - How far away is it from your work?  - How far is it away from international schools?  - What are the neighbors like?  - What is the community like? - Are the surroundings noisy?  - Are there any restaurants or bars nearby?  - Where are the closest shops? - Is it close to any major roads or flight paths overhead?  - Is there allocated parking if needed?  - Are there any plans for development near or around the property?  - What is the area’s crime level?  - Overall, could you see yourself living there? 

Once you decide on the perfect property to rent, you’ll then need to prepare for the big move! Whether you’re moving into a house or an apartment, there are many things to consider at both the old and new locations. Here is a count-down moving checklist to help you manage the move.  6-8 Weeks Before Moving - Book a moving company  - Pre-plan and schedule repairs to be done  - Redirect your emails  2-4 Weeks Before Moving - Organize your contents insurance - Disconnect current utilities  - Connect all utilities for the new property  - Change your address (banks, license, subscriptions) - Discontinue any delivery services - Transfer all your accounts (payTV etc)  Day Before Moving - Complete packing - Confirm details with the moving company  - Clean as much as you can  Moving Day - Complete your condition report  - Change the locks of your new property (check with landlord beforehand)  - Final clean  - Check the old property to make sure nothing is left behind  If you have any other questions or personal concerns, feel free to contact me at [email protected] and I’d be happy to assist. Happy hunting! 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

What Makes A Good Real Estate Agent

As the Real Estate game here in China is different from the one back home, not all agents strive for Western standards. Still, as a client one should not compromise on some very important points. How can you tell if your agent is working on your behalf or his/her own? Below are some helpful tips to help you navigate through using a real estate agent in Shanghai. Also, keep an eye out for our “Shanghai Property Rental Guide” that we will be posting about very soon. We plan to include multiple posts with helpful information regarding the different types of property rentals in Shanghai, the difference between living in certain Shanghai districts, how to make sure you are getting your money’s worth, navigating both Chinese and Western real estate agencies, understanding your leasing terms and conditions, and more! We are passionate about helping expats finding the home of their dreams in Shanghai and this information will surely help you accomplish just that!

A good property agent will show you properties that match closely the criteria that you give them at a price that is close to your budget in the areas of Shanghai that suits you best. They will let you know if your housing requirements and budget are reasonable for the area and advise you accordingly. If you have a good pro-active agent there is no need to see more than 10-15 properties.

 Your real estate agent should be able to answer most of these questions:

property’s décor/style and furnishings

any renovations

past tenants

the landlord’s background 

landlord’s location

compound’s management & facilities

estimated number of expats

distances to shops, bars, restaurants, subway and major roads. 

If you have a good agent then stick with them and let them find you the right Apartment in Shanghai. Using too many agencies can ruin your chances of finding a good home quickly because good agents will feel less likely to work hard for someone who is using three or more different agencies. So, if you find a good agent then give them some time to do their search and a chance to find you your new home. 

  Conclusion

The easiest way to overcome the problems of finding your rental home in Shanghai is to use the services of a trusted and recommended agent that is experienced in dealing with expatriates and their whole relocation process. They will understand your needs and can quickly source the best home for you at the right price. 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

New Year Resolutions 2015

The New Year is upon us once again, and with it, brings feelings of hope and renewal with a desire to make changes in our lives for the better. What are your New Year resolutions for 2015? What do you hope to accomplish or achieve this year? 

Here are some tips to help you make it through the year with your New Year resolutions firmly by your side. First let’s start with the most common of New Year resolutions. Here are the top 10:

Lose weight

Get organized

Spend less, save more

Enjoy life to the fullest

Stay fit and Healthy

Learn something exciting

Quit smoking

Help others in their dreams

Fall in love

Spend more time with family 

How to achieve your goals

Goals are hard to achieve and even harder when abstract and immeasurable. Instead of wanting to “Enjoy life to the Fullest”, figure out what it exactly means to you. Is it visiting different countries, going out more or seeing your friends? If so, try to make the goal more specific such as “visit 2 countries this year”. How often do you hear “I really lived life to the fullest this year”? This was number four on the most set goals in 2014. Many successful practitioners use SMART goals for helping their clients achieve their goals.

Specific - who, what, when, where, why and how Measurable – when will you known it is done Attainable – is it realistic? Relevant – How does it fit into your life now? Time-based – When will you achieve your goal, what’s the time line? Measurable

For example, if your goal is to lose weight, be specific on how much you want to lose and how you will lose it. It must be measurable! Looking in the mirror every couple weeks and guessing your loss won’t help you stay on track. Realistic

Make sure the goal is realistic. If you weigh 600 pounds and are trying to lose 500 in a year to become a bikini model, seriously, it is not going to happen unless you amputate or choose liposuction. Ask yourself if losing weight is relevant to your life right now and is it something you are able to do? Are you really driven to lose weight? Time based

Goals need to be time-based. You can set miniature goals every couple months, such as lose 10 pounds by March. Share

Make sure you tell people about your goals. Having people there to support you will increase your chances of succeeding. If your goal is to lose weight, find a workout partner. You will feel as if you are obliged to show up, otherwise you will be letting someone down. If your goal is to help others, commit the time to volunteer for organizations. Positive

Always ensure your goals are positive. If your goal is to be a better student, don’t word your goal as “miss only 2 scheduled classes” word it as “attend all classes”. The wording of a goal plays an important part. If you have worded the goal negatively, there is a negative association with the goal. For example if you partied last night, and you wake up groggy, you will say to yourself “it is only one class”. This kind of thinking leads to a snowball effect. After you have missed 2 classes, you will have the mindset that you have already missed two another one won’t make a difference. Ignore the goals focus on the process

Goals are always accomplished by hard work and diligence. Simply setting a goal won’t make it happen. You must develop a process to make that goal happen. Simply setting a goal like “to learn a foreign language” is just a thought. However, putting in motion your study plan is how you will learn that language. Putting aside scheduled time each week will get the job done. A kid’s goal may not be that he wants to learn math, but since an allotted time each week is set forth for he/she to do so, the child will eventually end up learning it. If you have a goal, you must come up with a process or system to achieve it. Reward yourself

Make sure that you reward yourself for achieving your goals and mini goals. This will keep you on the track. Looking at kids, you can see how a little reward here and there can make the world of difference in the child’s participation. You can watch a small kid work 10 times harder for a teacher, if the teacher offers a sticker. This sticker will without a doubt be lost before the kid returns home. As adults, not much has changed. Our sticker is an hour of free time a trip to a massage parlor. Rewards for achieving miniature goals do not have to be big. Having someone else verify the completion of these goals will limit any cheating. After achieving your one-year resolution, have something big in mind or something that you will truly look forward to. Choose 1 goal!

Make sure you limit the amount of goals you have set. Goals can be compared to football players. Tackling one football player is a hell of a lot easier than trying to tackle a whole team at once. The more goals that you have set the more confused you will be on where to begin. You will immediately be neglecting goals, from lack of time. Make sure you choose the goal you want to achieve and prioritize it. Trying to prioritize too many things at once is a recipe for destruction.

Did you know? The University of Scranton has done some research on goal setting. People who explicitly set goals are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than someone who has not explicitly set a goal. You can check out other fun new year resolution statistics here.

Another interesting post with fun facts about New Years Resolutions can be found here. At Shanghai Properties, our 2014 New Years Resolution was to help many expats find their dream homes in Shanghai, and we succeeded! As 2014 has come to a close, we want to give a big THANK YOU to all our followers and loyal clients. We had a great year at Shanghai Properties and it wouldn't of been the same without you! 

In addition, we have decided to extend our Holiday “Goat” Sale until the Chinese New Year (which is the year of the goat coincidentally!), so make sure to spread the word. Choose to rent through us, and with Oxfam we can both help a family in need this holiday. 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

New Year's Traditions in Other Countries

Many countries have their own unique traditions of welcoming a new year. The Chinese hang or paint red characters on their doors that symbolize happiness and good fortune, Danish break piles of dishes to symbolize friendship and brotherhood, Brazilians eat dishes with many legumes which symbolizes wealth and prosperity, Americans celebrate with champagne and football, and Japanese traditionally eat long noodles to symbolize longevity. However, Scottish New Year traditions are still quite famous and widely practiced today, called Hogmanay.  

The Scottish New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay or Night of the Candle. Special foods such as haggis, three-cornered biscuits, cheese, shortbread, oatcakes, currant loaf and scones are exchanged as gifts and enjoyed along with the best cold cure of all, the water of life, Scottish Whisky!

An integral part of the Hogmanay partying is to offer warm hospitality to family, friends and strangers and wish everyone a Guid New Year. The simple and basic underlining purpose is to clean away the vestiges of the past year and welcome the New Year on a happy note.  Days before the New Year, Scots clean and scrub their houses including emptying fireplaces of coal. A purification ritual is typically performed by burning juniper branches, which are then carried through the house to remove any bad omens, germs or lingering diseases. 

Another important aspects of Hogmanay is the foot footer tradition, where the first person to set foot into your home on New Year’s day will decide the family’s luck for the rest of the year. Traditionally, this person should be male, tall and dark-haired because when a blonde stranger arrived on your doorstep during Viking days, trouble would soon follow. The first footer must bring a lump of coal for the empty fireplace, shortbread or a black bun slice and whisky to eat and drink and salt to symbolize fortune.

On New Year’s Eve, it is also custom to have large torch and bonfire ceremonies. Even in modern times, some magical firework displays and torchlight parades are quite similar to ancient Scottish Hogmanay pagan parties. Traditionally, townspeople will dress in cattle hides and run around the village being hit by sticks. Festivities would also include bonfire lightings, rolling blazing tar barrels down hills and tossing torches. By doing this, evil spirits are warded off so a fresh year can begin.

In fact, one of the most spectacular fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen on the North East coast of Scotland. Huge fireballs, weighing up to 20lbs are lit and then swung around on five-feet long metal poles. Around 60 men carry them as they are marched up and down the streets. The fireballs are believed to consume any remaining evil spirits. 

No matter where you are from or where you are right now, we at Shanghai Properties hope you enjoy your New Years and New Years Eve 2015 with your own special traditions! :) Cheers to a New Year! 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Shanghai New Year Events 2015 in your Neighborhood

Am sure you’ll want to head out to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Shanghai and see in 2015. As we know, taxi’s are rare as hen’s teeth on New Year’s Eve so the team at Shanghai Properties have put together a helpful list of local restaurants, bars and clubs in your neighbourhood so you can easily “walk” to and perhaps “crawl” home in the wee hours of the New Year and not spend your New Year morning furiously trying to flag down fully laden cabs.  

  Check out below locations for some fabulous local New Year’ s Eve 2015 dinners and parties:

  HUANGPU

Mercato

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/7223/Mercato

Pelhams

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5840/Pelhams

Paulaner Braeuhaus Xin Tian Di

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/237/Paulaner_Brauhaus_(Xintiandi)_shanghai

Jean Georges

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/444/Jean_Georges_shanghai

Chi Q

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/11209/chi-q

Waldorf Astoria Long Bar

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5761/Long_Bar_Waldorf_Astoria

Light Salt

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/10526/light__salt

Bar Rouge

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/473/Bar_Rouge_shanghai

Le Royal Meridian

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/2514/Le_Royal_Meridien_shanghai

Mr & Mrs Bund

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4290/Mr_&_Mrs_Bund_shanghai

Three on the Bund

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/8592/three_on_the_bund

Boxing Cat Brewery

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5401/Boxing_Cat_Brewery_Sinan_Lu

Peninsula Hotel

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4765/Sir_Ellys_shanghai

Hakkasan

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/8941/hakkasan

Windows Scoreboard

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5330/Windows_Scoreboard

Just on the Bund

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/11807/just_on_the_bund

Windows Garage

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/7070/Windows_Garage

MINT

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4016/M1NT_shanghai

Mexo at the Bund

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/9163/mexo_at_the_bund

Nougatine

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4356/Nougatine_shanghai

Grand Brasserie

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/6102/Grand_Brasserie

Hakkasan

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/8941/hakkasan

Whampoa Club

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/435/Whampoa_Club_shanghai

  JING AN

Maya

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4003/Maya_shanghai

The 15151 West

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/9764/the_1515_west_chiphouse__bar

Calypso

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/10745/calypso

Kartel

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/6564/Kartel

URVC

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/11523/urvc

Windows Too

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/137/Windows_Too_(Jingan)_shanghai

The Spot

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/2205/The_Spot_shanghai

Tomatito

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/11360/tomatito

10 Corso Com

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/10125/10_corso_com

  PUDONG

Kafer

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/6308/K%C3%83%C2%A4fer

Paulaner Braeuhaus Expo

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/6182/Paulaner_Brauhaus_Expo

Park Hyatt Shanghai

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4181/Park_Hyatt_Shanghai_shanghai

Vue Bar

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/3230/Vue_bar_-_Hyatt_on_the_Bund_shanghai

Kerry Hotel

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5926/Kerry_Hotel_Pudong

Pudong Shang ri la

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/824/Pudong_Shangri-La_Hotel_shanghai

Paulaner

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/236/Paulaner_Braeuhaus_(Binjiang)_shanghai

  XU HUI

Kee Club

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4104/Kee_Club_shanghai

Paulaner Braeuhaus

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/482/Paulaner_Braeuhaus_(Fenyang)_shanghai

Arkham

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/8430/arkham

Cs Shanghai

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/210/Cs_shanghai

The Apartment

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/5314/The_Apartment

Liquid Laundry

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/11200/liquid_laundry

MAO Livehouse

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4662/MAO_Livehouse_shanghai

Kee Club Shanghai

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4104/Kee_Club_shanghai

SASHAS

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/1316/Sashas_shanghai

Zapatas

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/415/Zapatas_shanghai

Ambrossia

http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/235/Ambrosia_Teppanyaki_shanghai

  Happy New Years from Shanghai Properties! :)

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

New Year's Eve 2015 in Shanghai

Well, it’s that time of the year again! Time to create new goals and resolutions, reflect on the past year and the year ahead, and prepare to welcome a new year with new experiences and surprises. What accomplishments from 2014 are you most happy about? What challenges have you overcome and grown from? Here at Shanghai Properties, we have enjoyed a wonderful year, and hope you did as well.  If you’re celebrating New Year’s Eve 2015 in Shanghai, here are a few New Year’s Eve parties and events happening around the city. We hope you enjoy the last few days of 2014 and have a great time celebrating! 

1) 3D Laser & Firework Show at the Bund Certainly a sight you don’t want to miss, every year at the Bund you can watch the amazing New Year’s Eve firework show. Multiple cruise boats set across the Huangpu and set off a beautiful display of fireworks and lights. The show usually begins at 11pm, with the laser show climax beginning 15 minutes prior to midnight. Just a word of caution, it will be crowded and difficult to get taxi afterwards, so come prepared! The Oriental Pearl Tower will also have its own set of fireworks that night.  Have a look to check out past firework shows at the Huangpu:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuavulyP-9g The Bund between Fuzhou Lu and Hankou Lu or Binjiang Avenue between Lujiazui Xi Lu and Dongyuan Lu 福州路至汉口路之间的外滩或陆家嘴西路至东园路之间的滨江大道, free of charge, 11 p.m.-12.05 a.m.

2) Bell-ringing at the Longhua Temple If you’re interested in welcoming the New Year in a bit of a traditional fashion, you should visit the Longhua Buddhist Temple. Many Shanghainese and locals visit the temple to make a wish and then ring the huge bell. There are bell-ringing ceremonies on both New Year’s Eve and Lunar New Year’s Eve. There will also be traditional Chinese lion dances, fireworks and folk performances.  Longhua Temple, 2853 Longhua Lu, near Longhua Xi Lu 龙华路2853号, 近龙华西路, admission: RMB 200, reservation hotline: [phone]. Bell-ringing ceremony runs from 10 p.m. on December 31 till 2 a.m. on January 1, 2012.

3) TECHNOW at Mao Live House  All techno and dance enthusiasts are sure to attend this 3.5-hour blow out on New Year’s Eve at the Mao Live House. The evening with feature three techno lords from the Austrian and German group, Mushido. They are currently touring between Berlin, Tokyo and Shanghai, and will bring in the New Year here in Shanghai. In addition to the music, there will be a crazy neon light show. All guests receive two free drinks and a special gift package.  Mao Live House, 3/F, 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, near Jianguo Zhong Lu 重庆南路308号, 近建国中路, [phone], 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m., RMB 80 (presale), RMB 100 (at the door). Buy ticket via www.technow.co.

Other great bars and clubs to check out for some cool New Year’ s Eve 2015 parties are The Shelter, Light & Salt, Bar Rouge, Arkham, Cirque Le Soir, Zapata’s, The Apartment, MAO LH, etc. On New Year’s Eve, many of these places have drink specials, unique dance performances and awesome DJs. In particular, M18, M1NT and Vue have good indoor views of the Huangpu where you can watch the fireworks show. 

4) New Year’s Eve Dinner at The Portman Ritz-Carlton Simply looking to enjoy a nice, delicious New Year’s Eve dinner with close friends and family? There are many great bars and restaurants in Shanghai where you celebrate your New Year’s Eve. There are some great New Year’s Eve 2015 dinner specials at the Portman Ritz-Carlton, as well as The Mercato, Whampoa Club, and more.  The Portman Ritz-Carlton, 1376 West Nanjing Rd, Jing’an, Shanghai 南京西路1376号静安区上海市 [phone]

In the end, 2014 has been a great year for us and we have very much enjoyed helping many expats find new homes and offering advice to those wanting to move to Shanghai. We want to thank all of our clients for choosing and supporting Shanghai Properties and hope to assist even more next year. In addition, we have decided to extend our Holiday “Goat” Sale until the Chinese New Year (which is the year of the goat coincidentally!), so make sure to spread the word. Choose to rent through us, and with Oxfam we can both help a family in need this holiday.  Have fun celebrating and Happy New Years from Shanghai Properties! :)

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Christmas Day 2014 Events in Shanghai

Still scrambling to make some plans for your Christmas in Shanghai? Here are a few events that you can take advantage of on Christmas Day. Whether you’re with family or friends, there is something for everyone to enjoy! Happy holidays and Merry Christmas from us here at Shanghai Properties! Enjoy your 2014 Christmas in Shanghai! Ice-skating in Hongkou Don’t miss out on one of the best winter traditions! Head over to the Hongkou Swimming pool, where annually their outdoor pool is turned into an outdoor ice rink. Snow-skiing and Snow-boarding in Minghang Did you know that skiing was an option in Shanghai? Well, surprise! It is and you can experience it for yourself at the Yingqing indoor skiing center in Minghang district.

Santaville Kerry Parkside presents Santaville, a festive Christmas market featuring vendors hawking gifts and Christmas treats and drinks. In addition, there will be live performances and carolers as well as a merry-go-round and other fun stuff. Free Entry. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10am-10pm, Christmas Eve & Day 10am-10pm. Christmas Wonderland The Kerry Center Christmas market, Christmas Wonderland, begins early December and is open every week until the beginning of January. The market will include activities for children such as a Merry Go Round, snow slides, and Santa’s house. Food and drinks are available such as Gluhwein, hot chocolate, and more. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10am-10pm. Free entry.  

Beef & Liberty Throughout the month of December Beef & Liberty will be offering their uniquely indulgent take on the traditional Christmas feast, the Sweet Baby Cheesus. The Sweet Baby Cheesus comprises not one, but two 3 1/2 ounce Cape Grim beef patties layered with the three kings of cheese: Colston Basset Stilton, Brie de Meaux and crowned with a Parmesan crisp, cranberry jelly and bacon, onion jam and jus. The Sweet Baby Cheesus hamburger also comes in a set with seasonal sides of parsnip chips drizzled with maple syrup. The hamburger is 138RMB. Mr. & Mrs. Bund From Wednesday 24 to Wednesday 31 December 2014, get ready for festive fun dining with family and friends in style at Mr & Mrs Bund. Four festive set menus will perfect your Christmas through to New Year's Eve. Sharing set menus start from 800RMB per person: Frenchy, PP Festive, I love Truffles and Splurge. Prices are subject to 10 per cent service charge. Call 6323 9898 for bookings.

Jean-Georges Enjoy Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges’ elegant interpretation of classical Christmas dishes in a refined environment overlooking The Bund. At 6-6.45pm - Four-course Festive prix fixe menu at 998RMB  per person 

6-10pm - Six-course tasting Menu at 1,288RMB  per person. Prices are subject to 10% service charge. Call 6321 7733 for bookings.

M1NT M1NT Restaurant proudly presents its Christmas Menu for 24 and 25 December that Chef Michael Jakovljev has created especially for the occasion. Price: 988RMB per person (for wine pairing set add 488RMB). For bookings, phone [phone] or email [email protected]

Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou Hotel Every Sunday in December and January, Feast at the Sheraton Hongkou features a Christmas Brunch with a themed buffet of oven-roasted juicy American turkeys, lamb racks and Christmas hams all with lashings of festive sauces and gravy. 388RMB plus 15 per cent (Christmas eve - 24 December dinner). Call 2601 0480 for reservations.

  2014 Super Pillow Fight Party

Certainly one of the weirdest, coolest events of the year. It is just a massive pillow fight at the Mao Livehouse. Beat on your friends and strangers in the name of Christmas. There’s some bands and DJs playing as well. Price at the door is 200rmb including a pillow, or you can get tickets pre-sale for 168rmb. There’s a session at 7:30pm and 9:30pm on both December 24th and 25th.

Naked Holiday Season Package Naked Stables in Moganshan has holiday packages starting at 1088rmb+15% per person. Cost includes one night at Naked Stables, gluhwein, ginger bread man decorating, a bonfire with marshmallows, winter sampling lunch at Kikaboni, holiday rosemary massage at naked Lead Spa, the Land Rover Experience, horseback riding, morning yoga, a Naked Farm tour, and a breakfast and buffet dinner at the Farmhouse. Special Christmas and New Years Eve packages available. Available daily until December 31st. Winter Afternoon Tea The Lobby in the Peninsula Shanghai has a festive holiday afternoon tea available daily until Christmas. It features a teared stand of savories and sweets along with a glass of chilled bubbly. 300rmb+15% per person, 460rmb+15% for two. 840rmb+15% for two including one glass of champagne each.

Not to mention, this year at Shanghai Properties we are offering a present to all our special clients. Curious? Check it out!

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Christmas Eve 2014 Events in Shanghai

Looking for some Christmas fun to close out 2014? Look no further! Here are multiple Christmas Eve events in Shanghai to attend this holiday season. Happy holidays and enjoy your Christmas in Shanghai!  Ugly Sweater Christmas Party Craft brewery and restaurant Boxing Cat Brewery hosts yet another ugly sweater party on Christmas Eve at their Sinan Mansion location. Dinner is served buffet-style, with free flow drinks. There will be an ugly sweater contest with a prize as well. 

The Cabaret The Library Distillery in Light and Salt is getting nice and naughty for Christmas Eve with burlesque dance acts by Olga. Starts at 10pm. Table reservations recommended.  Christmas & Bachata Party  Enjoy Latin heat all night on Christmas Eve at this underrated top-floor bar near Yu Garden. There’s a free Bachata class from 9pm, music by the Los Amigos Trio, and a Christmas party. Free entry. Dress code is gold and silver and they are giving away a bottle of champagne to the best dressed! 

Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet  The Infinity restaurant in the Radisson Blu Hotel showcases festive favorites like roast turkey, a deluxe seafood bar, sushi and sashimi. 388rmb per person. Add 50rmb for all-you-can-drink soft drinks and beer. 

Christmas Eve at the Waldorf The Grand Brasserie in the Waldorf hosts an extravagant Christmas buffet dinner with all the traditional trimmings. There is also musical accompaniment from their resident jazz band and entertainment for children with a special visit from Santa Claus. 1188+15% per person and includes red and white wine. 468rmb+15% for children. Lasts from 6-10pm. 

2014 Super Pillow Fight Party  Certainly one of the weirdest, coolest events of the year. It is just a massive pillow fight at the Mao Livehouse. Beat on your friends and strangers in the name of Christmas. There’s some bands and DJs playing as well. Price at the door is 200rmb including a pillow, or you can get tickets pre-sale for 168rmb. There’s a session at 7:30pm and 9:30pm on both December 24th and 25th. 

Santaville  Kerry Parkside presents Santaville, a festive Christmas market featuring vendors hawking gifts and Christmas treats and drinks. In addition, there will be live performances and carolers as well as a merry-go-round and other fun stuff. Free Entry. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10am-10pm, Christmas Eve & Day 10am-10pm.  Christmas Wonderland  The Kerry Center Christmas market, Christmas Wonderland, begins early December and is open every week until the beginning of January. The market will include activities for children such as a Merry Go Round, snow slides, and Santa’s house. Food and drinks are available such as Gluhwein, hot chocolate, and more. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10am-10pm. Free entry. 

Naked Stables Holiday Season Package Naked Stables in Moganshan has holiday packages starting at 1088rmb+15% per person. Cost includes one night at Naked Stables, gluhwein, ginger bread man decorating, a bonfire with marshmallows, winter sampling lunch at Kikaboni, holiday rosemary massage at naked Lead Spa, the Land Rover Experience, horseback riding, morning yoga, a Naked Farm tour, and a breakfast and buffet dinner at the Farmhouse. Special Christmas and New Years Eve packages available. Available daily until December 31st.  Winter Afternoon Tea The Lobby in the Peninsula Shanghai has a festive holiday afternoon tea available daily until Christmas. It features a teared stand of savories and sweets along with a glass of chilled bubbly. 300rmb+15% per person, 460rmb+15% for two. 840rmb+15% for two including one glass of champagne each. 

Not to mention, this year at Shanghai Properties we are offering a present to all our special clients. Curious? Check it out!

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

[adriennefarrelly]

Christmas Churches in Shanghai 2014

Christianity arrived in China after Buddhism, with the first documented case from the 7th century.  Currently, according to the CIA World Factbook, China’s Christian population is around 3-4%. A 2008 article on the Economist estimates that China has about 130 million Christians but the official government figures are much lower at 21 million. The vast differences in these figures could be because 20-50 million officially belong to a church, with the majority members of Protestant churches and the rest attending “house churches” which are private gatherings in homes. 

Interestingly the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) oversees Catholics in China, although it is not recognised by the Vatican as the CCPA does not acknowledge the Pope and appoints its own Bishops.

With over 50 million copies of the Bible printed in China it has earned global status as the largest gospel spreading nation. 

Christmas Service in Shanghai

I guess we all know the reason for Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. For those wanting to attend one of the Christmas Services or Masses in English, German or Korean at one of the Churches in Shanghai, you will find some details of local churches below.  1) St. Ignatius Catholic Cathedral Address: 158 Puxi Lu, near Caoxi Bei Lu, Xuhui District  Tel: [phone]

When: December 24th (Christmas Eve Service)  10am: English service 5pm and 7pm: Chinese service  December 25th (Christmas Service)  12pm: English service 8:30pm: Chinese service  2) St. Peter’s Catholic Church  Address: 3/F, 270 Chongqing Nan Lu, near Hefei Lu, Huangpu District Contact: [email protected] When: December 24th (Christmas Eve Service) 3pm: German Service 8:30pm: English Service 10:30pm: Korean Service December 25th (Christmas Service)  11am: English Service  3) All Saints’ Methodist Church  Address: 425 Fuxingzhong Lu, close to Danshui Lu, Huangpu District Tel: [phone] When: December 23rd, 24th, and 25th  7pm: Chinese service No English services

4) Hengshan Community Church  Address: 53 Hengshan Lu, near Wulumuqi Nan Lu, Xuhui District Tel: [phone] When: December 25th (Christmas Service) 11am: English service  5) Hong En Protestant Church  Address: 455 Hongfeng Lu, near Mingyue Lu, Pudong District Tel: [phone] When: December 24th (Christmas Eve Service)  9:30-10:30pm: English service  6) Saint Francis Xavier Church  Address: 175 Dongjiadu Lu, near Wanyu Jie, Huangpu District Tel: [phone] When: December 24th(Christmas Eve Service)  6pm: English service December 25th (Christmas Service)  11am: English Service 7) Sacred Heart of Jesus Church  Address: 151 Hongfeng Lu, near Biyun Lu, Pudong District Tel: [phone]  When: December 24th (Christmas Eve Service)  9pm: English Service December 25th (Christmas Service)  10am: English Service There is certainly a lot to know and learn about the fascinating history of Christianity in China. Perhaps by attending one of these services is one of the best ways to learn! If you are curious, here is a list of Christian terms in Chinese that you might find useful.  Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from Shanghai Properties! We hope you enjoy your Christmas in Shanghai!  Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties Sources:  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html http://www.economist.com/node/12342509   http://www.christiansinchina.com/basic-facts-about-christianty-in-china/

[adriennefarrelly]

Where to Find your Christmas Turkey and Holiday Ham in Shanghai

Looking forward to the perfect Christmas dinner this year? As we all know, the winter holidays represent the time to gather with friends and family and enjoy delicious food together. However, a holiday meal is not complete without a roast turkey or honey baked ham! Luckily there are many places in Shanghai to eat out or order in your complete holiday dinner. Here are a few convenient locations located throughout the city.                                

Where to Buy  There are many international stores and shops in Shanghai to pick up your very own Christmas turkey or Christmas ham. While you're there, you can buy all the holiday trimmings you'll need or even find information about how to bake a turkey or how to prepare some leftover ham recipes!  1) City Shop  This high-end international supermarket chain has many Christmas goodies to choose from and enjoy. Some examples are their Norbest turkeys for 78 RMB/kilo and American-style roasted turkeys. While you’re there you can also pick up some California wine country stuffing and giblet gravy for 880 RMB.  Address: Multiple Locations such as B1/F, Times Square, 99 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Pu’an Lu Tel: [phone]) Yasmine’s Many foreigners are familiar with this delicious butchery for their high quality and various kinds of deli meats. This year you can also get your own six-kilo turkey from Yasmine’s for 450 RMB or choose the perfect holiday ham from their multiple varieties, which range between 150-250 RMB per kilo.  Address: (Pudong Branch) 178 Biyun Lu, near Heisong Lu (Puxi Branch) 93 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu  Tel: (Pudong Branch) [phone]  (Puxi Branch) [phone]) Avocado Lady If you’re on a tight budget this holiday but still dying to get your hands on a delicious turkey, you should visit the Avocado Lady where you can get a six-kilo turkey for just 25 RMB/kilo. She also has many vegetables perfect for roasting or dish trimmings all for reasonable prices.  Address: 274 Wulumuqi Zhong Lu, near Wuyuan Lu  Tel: [phone] 

Where to Dine If you're just looking to enjoy a nice Christmas dinner with close friends or family, these are some recommended restaurants to check out! It's a guaranteed good time with free-flow drinks and a variety of traditional dishes and holiday treats.  1) Shanghai Slim’s (December 24- 25 from 6pm)  Check out this restaurant to enjoy a family style feast featuring a variety of holiday classics such as roast turkey, beef, and ham. There will also be free-flow drinks such as California wines, beer, and eggnog as well. 488RMB/person all-inclusive.  Address: Sinan Mansions, Block 26D, 523 Fuxing Lu, near Sinan Lu  Tel: [phone]) Southern Belle (December 24 from 6-10pm) If you’re looking for a home-style Christmas dinner this year, Southern Belle has just the thing! Their holiday feast features ham, turkey and other holiday favorites. You can enjoy it for just 298 RMB/person and 128 RMB/child. Children younger than four can eat for free.  Address: 433 Changle Lu, near Xiangyang Lu Tel: [phone]) Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou (Every Sunday in December) For the perfect weekend holiday treat, visit the Sheraton in Hongkou to enjoy a Christmas brunch featuring many traditional favorites such as oven-roasted turkey, roasted lamb rack and glazed Christmas ham with a variety of sauces and gravies. 308 RMB/person plus 15% most Sundays. The price increases to 388 RMB/person plus 15% on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day.  Address: 59 Siping Lu, near Hailun Lu  Tel: [phone]                            

For Deliveries If you’re feeling a little bit tired this holiday and just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy some delicious dishes that are pre-made for you, try these home delivered Christmas turkeys and hams. You can select your desired side dishes and even choose if you want roast turkey or honey baked ham or both!  1) Party On  Get your turkey or ham to go from Party On to host your own small Christmas party this year. You can choose from whole herb-roasted turkeys with cranberry sauce and homemade gravy, maple glazed ham, chestnut stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, and even pumpkin pie!  Contact: [email protected]  2) Bloc  For the perfect Christmas delivery package, try Bloc’s homemade breads, roasted turkey, honey glazed ham, braised beef stew, apple and chestnut stuffing, buttered carrots, rocket salad, sweet potato gratin, garlic mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Their package is enough to feed 8-10 people for 1980 RMB but they have smaller packages as well. You must reserve in advance.  Address: 2/F, 139-19 Changlu Lu, near Ruijin Lu Tel: [phone] Contact: [email protected]  3) White Lotus Another delicious option is White Lotus and their Christmas meal with roast turkey with apple and sausage stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, honey glazed ham, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, balsamic vinegar glazed carrots, buttered green beans, leek fondue and sticky date pudding. Their package is enough to feed 8 people and it is priced at 1448 RMB.  Address: 1/F, 1930 Creative Garden. No. 244 Liaoning Road, Hongkou Tel: [phone]  Contact: [email protected]  Eat up and enjoy your Merry Christmas in Shanghai! 

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  [phone] or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties