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The Urban Edit

Silliness

The Great World

The Great World
The Great World of the past. Pic credit: Chinese Posters.

Turning one hundred years old is no mean feat, so Bespoke’s hearty congratulations go out to the lovely Great World building near People’s Square that was built in 1917. Now, whilst you’ve no doubt whizzed past this grand old dame countless times (and seen the bright white spire that looms over the elevated highway) you might not know that back in her youth she was a bit of a goer.

Opened as the city’s premier ‘entertainment complex’ and later taken over by corrupt-policeman-turned-mob boss ‘Pockmarked Huang’, the Great World was said to be teeming with life of every kind – contemporary accounts tell of everything from opera performances and tightrope walkers to fortune tellers, pickpockets and pimps!

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3 Old School Shanghai Hotels

Taiyuan Villa, Ruijin Hotel Shanghai
Nice lawn, Taiyuan Villa

Shanghai’s stock of fabulous old buildings sometimes seems to dwindle by the day. As the city marches relentlessly toward its prosperous and harmonious future, one of two fates seems to befall our historical gems:

  • They are razed to the ground by teams of bulldozers and replaced by office blocks.
  • They are ‘restored to their original to condition’ (i.e. the architectural equivalent of a lobotomy is performed – we’re looking at you, Ruijin Intercontinental Hotel!).

There are still a handful of historic Shanghai hotels that, whilst bearing the brutal scars of decades of government management, retain just enough charm for lovers of creaky floorboards and original plasterwork for ‘Old Shanghai’ geeks like Bespoke to enjoy sneaking around. Here are a few of our heritage favorites with a big caveat: do not expect five star service at these joints (The Peninsula is full for a reason, right?). In fact, the lower you set your expectations, the better you’ll fare.

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Chinese Signs We Love For All The Wrong Reasons…

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a sign translated from Chinese to English can be the source of much merriment. Well the new ones that have gone up at Beijing airport are no exception.

We recently spotted this helpful warning on the back of the bathroom doors:

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Shanghai’s Michelin Starred Restaurants: The Bespoke Verdict

Michelin rolled into Shanghai back in September, sprinkling the city’s dining establishments with stars and kicking up controversy in the process. While many heavy hitters such as Ultraviolent and Otto e Mezzo Bombana picked up well-deserved stars, others were awarded to utterly obscure places or mediocre mall-based dim sum spots. Social media buzzed with rage.  What that devil was going on? Had Michelin’s inspectors unearthed culinary treasures that lay hidden from us all these years? Or had the brand lost its touch – or worse? Bespoke sent in a crack team of foodies and journalists to investigate. Yes, yes it’s a tough job but…

 Canton 8 (2 Michelin Stars)

Canton 8 Michelin Star Mysery

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