It’s that wonderful time of year, once again! Yup, that rainy December afternoon when you’re desperately dashing around town trying to find something for the folks back home. Well, the good news is that there’s plenty of creativity in Shanghai these days and loads of good stuff if you know where to look.
So, in the spirit of seasonal goodwill we thought we’d share a few of the items that we’ll be putting under the Bespoke Christmas tree this year. We also have a fabulous cushion cover from Beijing Postcards to give away to a lucky winner – scroll to the bottom of the post to find out how to win.
One of our favorite things about China is having our minds broadened by having so many of our core beliefs brought into question. We can’t tell you how many times our notion that some things are ‘just universal’ has been completely shattered. 
The Chinese market of your dreams. Open air, noisy and chaotic, you can bargain till your heart’s content. From genuinely old propaganda posters and ‘antique’ buddhas, to beautiful Miao minority embroidery and hand-crafted shadow puppets. 
Forget Gulou– we’re going to go out on a limb and say that Dashilan has the greatest concentration of cool coffee shops per square meter in Beijing. That’s right – from artisanal Soloist Coffee at 39 Yangmeizhu Xiejie (where they brew only the finest and you can recline in old salvaged armchairs) to Berry Beans, an early 20th century brothel that’s been converted into a gorgeous café with a little terrace (No.7 Zhujia Hutong).
Hunan resto The Southern Fish (166 Yangmeizhu Xiejie) flew under the radar for years until they made it onto Travel + Leisure’s hip list. And they’re not the only ones. Inde Japanese chain Suzuki Kitchen (10-14 Yangmeizhu Xiejie) has one of the best spaces on Yangmeizhu – a beautifully zen long room, filled with light and with its own kooky picnic area out front.
