Shanghai Get-together For Fodorites!
 

I have enjoyed posting trip reports and reading the experiences of others here on Fodors now for some time. But up to now, all of the experiences have been "remote". Until recently when "Shanghainese" and I started to correspond and we found that she was going to be in Shanghai, visiting her 100-year-old mother! And we were able to carve out some time to have a great get-together here in Shanghai where Aline (Shanghainese) was able to show us some her classic hometown (Shanghai) style food!

What a great treat it was! Great food, great company and great stories! And finally being able to connect with a fellow Fodorite in person! With so many things we all have in common, this is something we should do more often!

As a side note, one of most fascinating things we learned about Shanghainese that evening was that she actually attended the EXACT same school at which I am currently employed! The famous, Shanghai American School. Aline attended the school before it closed due to the civil war in the late 1940's. And this year we are celebrating our centenial! We were priviledged on many levels to share a meal with "Shanghainese"

Here is a link to one of the images we took that night:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=3&theater

Cheers,

Coke

Shanghainese looks too young to have a mother who is a 100!

As a fan, the great pleasure and privilege is all mine. If you follow their adventures, the Smith family is unusually special, and one will instantly fall in love with all 3 of them when you meet them, they are amazingly bright, charming and engaging, I hope to GTG with them again soon.

Hanuman -- Very flattering, note except for the waved/colored hair, all is natural, no nips/tucks/lifts.

we will be in S in late october and would love a mini GTG with any of you...

let me know: [email protected]

Bob - what date are you in shanghai? I'm wondering if we overlap at all.

25-30 October at the renaissance yu gardens

We'll be around! Keep in touch and let's go eat!

And Aline, the feeling is mutual! Cheers.

We will also be there 25-30 October at the Renaissance Yu Gardens and would love to meet one and all.

Aloha!

We will spend our last week in china in shanghai and the nearby vicinity so it sounds like we may overlap. We leave shanghai on nov 5th. Perhaps we can all meet for dinner on bob's last day.

Cool - when it gets closer, post and we can connect and plan a place!

i'm for it..

post a topic in early oct

Just came back from playing tour director for a couple of friends from N. Cal, I return to San Francisco on Tuesday, if you are there, love to meet any and all of you.

Alex...I was lucky enought to have a mini GTG in Hollywood last year with Aline and Michael..a most delightful couple. The pics of Aline's 100 year old mom are incredible...thanks again for sending those pics. And welcome home Aline.

Alex, if you meet Bob and Karen (RHKKMK) in Shanghai, please be forewarned. Take plenty local curency or credit cards with you. Bob is achingly slow to pick up checks. In colonial Needham, Massachusetts, his hometown, he is a legend in that regard.

Off Topic: Bob/Karen, don't forget the Lizzard Lounge in Cambridge for Syd's gig!

Stu Tower

Just curious - how much are you all paying for the yu gardens hotel. We have not made hotel reservations yet.

we are 3 nights in a suite (3 people) for a special deal--50% off---1640 per night (about $972 total) with full lounge privledges.

then 2 nights in a reg. club room for 1726 (3 people)..about $680.

rate change has to do with weekend rates (suite)... all booked on marriott.com.

i am very excited about the visit to S and the yu gardens hotel

Ouch...more than we plan to stay.

That would be " spend".

dgun:

we found very comfortable and convenient lodgngs, five years ago on pedestrian Nanjing Lu...it was a Ramada Inn at the time but may have changed hands. I think we paid around equiv. of $110. It is located a block from People's Park (morning tai chi) and next door to the luxurious Meridien, and across the street from the old Shanghai Department Store #1. It's a comfortable walk to the Bund and Yu Yuan Park. and there is also a tinker=toy little tram that will take you back and forth for a pittance. Check it out..try to find what it is now in case you can't find it listed. I recall that I sent you som Shanghai pics back in '07 or '08..but I'll send them again..no harm done. You will throughly enjoy China and Shanghai. What other regions/cities will you be visiting? I first visted China in '84 when touring was the only legal option(a very different China today)..but it was easy and fun to do it on our own in '07, just hiring local guides mainly for their car transportation! Didn't feel the need for one in Xian or Shanghai but we had very competent, fun guys in BJ and Guilin/Yangshuo/terraced rice paddies area.
Enjoy your trip. Seems like you've been planning it for some time now..either that or" tempus fugit"..stay well...and keep on traveling. Or like my Chinese grandmother used to say..zay gezint!
stu tower

Thanks bob & stu for your info on shanghai hotels.

As it turns out, I've been informed by bob that he'll be leaving shanghai on the 30th. We will probably be able to make it to shanghai on the 29th and would love to meet up with bob & Karen who we had the pleasure if meeting recently in Florida, along with other fodorites who will be there. If a dinner can be arranged for the 29th, we will try to make it.