wootsome

Tonight I’d managed to get a diverse group of friends together for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Shanghai. I’m happy to see everyone having fun, in great conversations despite some of them meeting each other for the first time. We dropped by Shelter after dinner to check out Global Hotpot night. I’ve never been to Shelter on Thursdays, I think I might start going there more often even though the music was not electronic.

P/S You know J, I’m surprised but delighted to see you drop by at the last minute. I didn’t expect you to turn up but you did, coming to hang out with my friends and all.

Everyone’s paying attention to hear R explain…

… his family tree !

MMM shows she can still have alot of fun when JF is not around.

And a parting mirror shot (I so hate my bangs currently).

• Just when I’m flustered over life after Black Books, XR told me to check out ‘Allo ‘Allo!, could be a possibly remedy. Haha, it is!

Groper in chief? - Look M, your President.

Tibetan dissident poet Woeser Tsering speaks out

Chinese fender-bender, in five scenes - Definitely a classic Chinese characteristic we’ve all grown used to.

Things we’d rather you not say on the web, or anywhere else

Zero-G Watch - I like.

The young lions might be the true ones - Good job, Team Argentina. Great idea, great execution.

• The Telegraph has just opened a new bureau in Shanghai.

Spicy fish with the girls and L’s cousin, R at Chongqing restaurant Xingfu 131. I think I’ll come back for the spicy bull frog with Sichuan peppers, the fish tastes average to me even though it is a namesake must-try.

Addicted to Black Books. I heart Bernard Black. Possibly good to know that the entire series (all three seasons) is up at Youtube.

J mexicano non favorito broke an entire pack’s worth of cigs in a bid to put me on the right path to quit.

I’ve successfully resisted kebabs the entire weekend, a good start… got to restart my running routine next.

JD made me gazpacho as promised, and he actually got up early to prepare it. I think I’ll rather have that over a fancy champagne brunch any day.

Finally went to do the Lupu Bridge climb today, I like it. It’s probably one of the few worthy touristy things to do in Shanghai that I will recommend to friends.

I was strolling through Kashgar’s old town when I kept spotting one stenciled sign after another, everywhere as I walked. A systematic defacement and infringement into the average Uighur’s living space. I find it blatant and disrespectful. More here.

• A good piece of investigative journalism

• The Type A personality in me wants one.

L’s cousin, R just got into town and the girls heart him already. Pity he’s a little youngish though.