Sunday, March 8, 2009

Shopping











Greetings from Shanghai!








Happy Daylight Savings Time!


Here in China we don't change time - it's always way too far ahead of the rest of you.


Today Mike and I went to Mass and then he came home and was a cranky person - he finished up the paperwork for our 2008 taxes.


I went out to the dry cleaners and I thought you'd be interested in what I saw today.


The first photo is the dental clinic close by. It has a huge tooth out front of the shop. I never see anyone in there and maybe that's a good thing. Today it looks like someone is standing there talking on their cell phone. Maybe they are calling for help. Who knows.
The second photo to your right is the area around the corner. A little old man sells little items here every single day. I tried to buy hair clips here a long time ago and he wanted me to pay a fortune for them. I moved along. He's got inserts for shoes, hair combs, pony-tail holders, panty hose and knee highs.
The next photo is of the little shop where you can get the scrunchies to use with your shower gel and scrubbies for your dishes in the kitchen. Haven't stopped by this shop. I have no clue what the prices are but there seems to be a brisk walk-in trade.
The last photo is the Elephant dry cleaners. You buy a card for 1,000 RMB and take it with you. They give you a 60% or so discount on your dry cleaning and they use the money on the card each week. The information on the card tells them where you live so they can deliver it to you. If we take it to them on Sunday, we usually get it back on Thursday. This week they will deliver it on Wednesday - or cheeng shi san. See, I am leaning something.
I have to cancel the Chinese lesson this week. Mike is leaving Shanghai on Tuesday afternoon for an audit trip to Suzhou. Needless to say, this will be the first time I've been alone in this apartment - alone overnight in Asia period. I'm not liking it but I know Denice and CeCe are upstairs so what can go wrong? He'll be back on Thursday. I'll be so busy during the day that I probably won't even think about it.
Monday I'm going to the Shanghai Expat Association Coffee and a jewelry class - making a bracelet tomorrow.
Tuesday I'm managing the Spencer Dodington walking tour of Yu Yuan. I don't know if it is the gardens or just the tourist trap or even just the area. It is supposed to be a beautiful day so that is good - CeCe and I already took a walk in the rain and it wasn't fun. CeCe and I really like this area and there are lots of shops there. I need to take a curling iron back that I bought last week. I wanted a big fat one and the guy handed me the box and like an idiot, I never looked inside. It turned out to be a wee little skinny one so I was pretty angry once we got back in Skip's van. I paid 45 RMB for it - about $6.25 so I really want to get the right one.
Wednesday we're going to the Fabric Market. I'm the guinea pig this week. Right inside the door is a cotton knit stall and I've been wanting to get some twinsets made so this week I'll pick up two - a black one and a green one. I'll let you know how they look later in the week.
Wednesday night I have a meeting at the Irish Consulate - final plans for the remainder of Irish Week AND the HUGE St. Patrick's Day Parade that will happen this Saturday. You do know that it's the BIGGEST one in China! Just mentioning that the Parade in Pittsburgh is the 2nd largest in the US. I cannot believe we won't be there this year. The first year we haven't been there with Kate. She'll stand in for us though and she's already planning to be at Finnegan's Wake after the parade. Can't wait for photos. I'll share mine next week with you.
I'll be writing another blog shortly about the Opening of Irish Week here in Shanghai. Mike and I belong to LeCheile - the Irish organization here and we spent Saturday afternoon preparing finger food for an art gallery event and the event at the Times Square Mall with the Irish Consular General and the Luwan governor. Stay tuned for those interesting photos. As a tease, I now know where Kate gets her skill at catering - her DAD! He made a great cheese platter - don't miss the photos - eat your heart out Eric!

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