A month of Firsts

So far 2012 has been a year of firsts... who am I kidding, the last 6 months of my life have been full of firsts (moving to China for one). As the first month of my first year in China comes to a close, I'm amazed at how fast my anything-but-normal life has become, well, just that... normal. AH and I both share this sentiment. As odd as it sounds it's relatively easy to forget we LIVE in China. If only I could get Bravo and the Bachelor in real-time, even I'd have a hard time telling the difference (only half kidding).


But, back to the "firsts". As I mentioned in my last blog post, Year of the Dragon, China just finished celebrating the Lunar New Year and all it's splendor. While most foreigners skip town and head off to exotic locales like Bali or Thailand for a week, AH and I decided to stick it out in Shanghai. To add some context to this, everyone warned us Shanghai would sound like a war zone with fireworks going off all day, every day. On top of that most Chinese leave town and head back to their home village so most shops and restaurants shut down, basically the city is a ghost town for the better part of a week. Spurred by our recent documentary kick and viewing of "Last Train Home" by Lixin Fan, we followed the largest human migration (130 million migrant workers journey to their home villages for CNY) early in the week and ended up at Hongqiao Railway Station. Sounds a little strange, nerdy, what have you but it really was crazy to see and to think most of these people can only afford go home once a year. 

The human migration

Coolest kid mullet I've ever seen

We made a mini staycation out of it and headed to the Ritz Carlton in Pudong for Sunday night (think our equivalent of NYE in the states for the Chinese). The view of the Pearl Tower from our room was incredible and the fireworks that night were unlike anything I've ever seen. There's no big organized firework show, therefore EVERY Chinaman, woman and kid buys fireworks from their local stand and sets off their own. Not a patch of the sky wasn't covered with color at the turn of the new year. See the video below captured by AH from our hotel room...

Taking pictures of me taking pictures of the PT

Our local firework stand on Dagu Lu

Kids can set off fireworks too

More firsts:

We had our first (very light) snow of Shanghai...

Tony modeling the snow for me

We're more than half-way through the first detox either of us have ever done, 3 days of raw fruits and vegs down, 2 days to go. Inspired by the Everything Pretty Girls, click the link for the how-to.

We've planned our first Asia-Pac travel; Beijing in February (I may freeze there), Hong Kong in March and Vietnam (warmth, finally) in April. 

Great Wall Marathon I'm running/ panting my way through my first 10k (on the Great Wall no less) in May, Anthony is doing the half-marathon (show-off).

And last but not least, I started my first Etsy shop, inspired by beautiful things I've seen in China. Check it out and get yourself one, Esty Shop - Circle Scarves.

Love and miss you all!

xoxo,

J

The Year of the Dragon

We are BACK. It's official. I'm a Shanghai resident, well for 90 days at a time, legally, that is. My month long escapade of living out of a suitcase and jumping between West Palm, Wilmington and NYC has come to a close and 398 Da Gu Road has become home, just like that. After arriving Monday evening and sleeping through most of Tuesday, by Wednesday I was ready to hop back on the proverbial Chinese horse... er, dragon (it's almost CNY, Chinese New Year, folks, and coincidentally the year of the aforementioned creature). With a few comforts of home in tow, most notably Essa bagels -- thanks Mr. & Mrs. H...which I just remembered there's a few still preserved in the freezer, nom nom, 2012 high-glitter sunglass swag (see below, very popular with the locals, made in China, go fig but no where to be found here) and Christmas loot a-plenty, we were ready to ease back into our eastern lives.

...And may I say HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Yes about three weeks late in America, but hey, I'm about one week early in China, so it evens out). As I mentioned above, 2012 is the year of the dragon. Roar. This creature is supposed to bring 365 days of happiness, luck and fertility... mmk. Spare me the latter (for now) China! This got me thinking about what animal I supposedly embody...

1986: TIGER: You are sensitive, emotional, and capable of great love. However, you have a tendency to get carried away and be stubborn about what you think is right; often seen as a "Hothead" or rebel. Your sign shows you would be excellent as a boss, explorer, race car driver, or matador. 

Some of my closest friends have always said if I were an animal I'd be a lion (Anna and Erin, I'm talking to you), the hair, or more appropriately the mane, I can see it. And lion/tiger, eh, close enough. Not to mention I'd be excellent as a matador? Done and done. I've been looking for a new career path... 


And Anthony's while I'm at it...
1984: Rat (sorry babe, the Chinese said it, not me): You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the person you love. However, you have a tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist. Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or as a writer, critic, or publicist.

AH's animal sign is so accurate it's uncanny. Really. Those wise little Chinese got it so right again.


Check what animal you are (it's fun, I promise):
http://www.chinatoday.com/culture/zodiac/zodiac.htm


I'll leave you with some sights I've captured around China over the past two weeks with my new Canon Rebel T3i (Christmas gift from the Rat! I'm obsessed). We're off to try Bella Napoli http://www.bellanapoli-sh.com/?c=3 (with a couple from Detriot, MI, what up America!) and hopefully force ourselves into a carbohydrate coma.

CNY stalls (and Papa John's in the background)

Just fish for sale... on the street

CNY explodes

No trumpets in China?

Animal furs all around

Until next time

xoxo,

J