Getting ready to ride a China Bullet Train from Shanghai to Hangzhou.

Speeding through the countryside at 350 KM per hour. Over 225 miles per hour.

That small building?

Shanghai

I was looking out my office window just now.
The head of HR came into the room, and caught me gazing out of the window.

"Wow," I exclaimed. "Quite an amazing view!!"

"What is that building?" I asked, pointing at the tall brown building you can perhaps see in this picture below.

"I don't know she said."

"What? But that building is so tall. How can you not know what it is?|"

"Well, it is not so tall. Our building is over 80 stories. And now in Shanghai, there are building well over 100 or 110 stories. So that building is only 50 or so stories. It is small. Or normal here in Shanghai. Maybe it is a hotel or something..."

That is how it feels here in Shanghai.

When I was in Boston, I worked in the Prudential building. It was 52 stories - and was nearly the tallest in Boston. Taking the elevator up to the 38th floor was amazing.

But today, my work is on the 56th floor. And the building continues many stories after that. And yet, this building is also nearly the status of normal.

That is Shanghai!

The view from the office where I am working today:

Duck Duck Goose!

Day 2 - Shanghai August Trip

Duck, Duck, Goose is a traditional children's game often first learned in pre-school or kindergarten^[1] then later adapted on the playground for early elementary students. The object of this game is to walk in a circle, tapping on each child's head until one is finally chosen to be the new picker.

My story of Duck, Duck Goose is a different one. Even though I am tired tonight, I am typing this out quickly, and dedicating it to Andy.

Today was my first day aback in the office here in Shanghai. Even though there are well over 1,000 people at this company, it really is a good place to work.

Early this evening, I was on Skype. So was Andy - from Sweden. We marveled at the idea of what was happening. I was sitting out in an industrial area of Shanghai, in Pudong. Andy was in Sweden, on the way to an author tour, in a TRAIN, heading for Stockholm. The train had wireless service. I had it here in the hotel. And ta-dum! We could have a video and audio call.

Each night, I go through a dilemma while in China. Some evenings, I am invited out for dinner. In those cases, I am inevitably asked, "What would you like to eat?" My answer is a usual "Whatever is your favorite, as long as it is local." That answer gets eyes to light up. And off we go, usually to a fancy place that is a favorite of the individual when they get to use their expense account.

When I am on my own, a new challenge happens. I always love new food. But it is the emotional turmoil of new adventure that I grapple with. Sometimes you just want something comfortable so the meal is not such a large drama. That is when most people simple go to their hotel restaurant and play it safe.

I have a "no-hotel" policy as part of my food ritual. I always get out - and seek adventure. And preferably, I look for new places.

I was tired last night from jet lag. And while I wanted to just relax, Andy through down the gauntlet by telling me he had read my blog, and was looking forward to the next installation. When you have a journalist (and five book published author) you feel honored - and also nudged to get out there and eat, photograph and write.

Adventurous eating does have some rules, that if followed properly, at least keeps you a bit safe. I look for restaurants where many locals are. I look for restaurants that have a few pictures in the window. That means they have gone through the trouble to photograph their food, and likely have at least one English version of a menu. And if not, at least they have a book of pictures where I can point to.

Usually when I enter one of these restaurants, everyone is usually so flustered to have a foreigner there that they run around trying to figure out what to do with me. They look at each other in fear. They know I might ask a question in English, and few will know what to say. For some reason, I also end up being offered a table in the middle of the room. I suspect that culturally, that is the preferred table, as restaurants are also places to be seen. (Unless you are with your second lady - which is another blog post). I try to opt out of those center tables. If seated there, then every item I ordered is scrutinized by the rest of the diners. If I order safely, they look at each other and agree that I have ordered the typical food. If I order adventurously, then I really become the center of attention. And of course, my chopstick skills, my "chew and spit skills" (used for meat and fish dishes with bones intact) and my drink choices are always quick whispered topics of discussion.

I had spotted a restaurant near my hotel the last time I was in Shanghai. It seemed very busy. And very local. With Andy, and a few faithful readers in mind, I trudged off for the adventure.

It was indeed popular. I could tell from the menu they gave me that this was actually one member of a chain of restaurants under the same name around China. THey prided themselves in ``factory" produced food.

My menu had pictures, titles of the food, but descriptions were all in local characters. One page on the front cover seemed to explain their specialities. And so, I ventured to order the interesting things in life.

My meal ended up consisting of:

Bi Feng Tang Fresh Prawn Dumplings

Deep-Fried Duck Chins with Salt and Chili

Slice Goose with TeoChew Spiced Sauce

Stir-fried Shuidong leaf Mustard

It was definitely and adventurous meal. I can't say there was anything I would absolutely refuse to eat again. But There wasn't much I would rush to have a second time.

Of course, the house specialty, and most daring for me was the Duck chins. I have had a chance to have duck tongue and duck feet, both of which are exactly what they say they are. I wasn't so sure what a duck chin would taste like. Or do they even have a chin. Is that the same thing as their "waddle?" (how in the heck did I even know that name!?) As you can see in the picture, what you are really getting is the duck cheek. And to be honest, there wasn't even much there. The skin was tasty. The few bit of meet around the cheek are was good. But the turn off is that the cheek is near the eye. And that is just weird.

I think it is interesting that they cover the beaks with tin foil. I guess it is just to weird or more weird to be eating with the bills exposed.

I am glad I did it As I would tell my nieces and nephews, another thing to add to the first time list!

Recovery Day - Shanghai, China

Day 1 - Shanghai China Trip No. 3

It is my third visit this year to China, and my fourth trip to Asia. I arrived last evening after a gruelling 18 hour trip, from Boston to San Francisco (just two hours layover so no trip home) and on to Shanghai.

I will try to post a few things each day, since so many people tell me they are reading my blogs when I write them from China. I will still plan to include my culinary adventures - since that excites me. But since several folks have said, "Is that all you do - eat," I will also try to include one non-food cultural item each day.

HOME and BREAKFAST

Usually, I stay in a "service apartment" - which is a less expensive hotel, and a cross between living in an apartment, but run like a hotel. But since this is a longer trip, I requested a more modern location, one that included wireless connections, a small workout room and beds that were not as hard as a rock. For the next 16 days, my home will be the Pudong Century City Radisson hotel.

This hotel is a modern hotel, and is part of the "Blu" line of Radisson's - a modern sleek version of it's traditional line. My new home literally looks like this - except for oranges. My fruit plate has a single dragon fruit in it. Have you tasted them before?

 

RECOVERY DAY

Last year, I tried the idea of arriving on a Sunday night, and starting work on Monday morning. But after nearly 22 hours of no sleep - and trying to battle jet lag, I was a basket case. I now require a recovery day when I arrive to China, mostly to just try to sleep two nights in a row before having to concentrate on my work.

BREAKFAST EXTRAVAGANZA

The breakfast buffet, which comes with the room, is amazing in this hotel. It is on the level of a nice Sunday brunch that many hotels serve. One side of the restaurant features Western food, including everything from quiche to pancakes to fresh made egg, pastry and cereals. The other side of the restaurant features all sorts of Asian food from around the continent.

It is tempting to rush in an d try a little of everything. But by day 5, you are tired of everything. I have decided to focus on one item or country each day.

Since I had just arrived to Asia, it was time to get the stomach ready for what was about to come. I opted for noodle soup and century eggs - a very popular dish morning, noon and dinner across Asia.

 

Similar to a pasta station or an omelet station,  you first pick out your type of noodle. I opted for thin rice noodles. From there, you add vegetables and tofu balls. The plate is given to the chef who boils your noodles and vegetables, and returns them to you in a rich chicken broth. I then added on soya sauce, chili sauce, some pickles and some sesame oil.

I am a huge fan of noodles. For me, this is a great way to begin the day - and a great dish for  my first breakfast in Asia.

And this mildly spicy soup also is a good way to test out if your stomach is ready for the experience it is about to get over the next 16 days.

I mostly worked today on normal emails, proposals and research. The day was gray and rainy. Unfortunately, there are more smoggy and grey days here than there should be. Pollution is still not friendly to China. 

After spending a little time in the gym (using my iPad to watch downloaded versions of Damages - great syndicated television show by the way), I headed out for dinner.

I am staying in a concrete shopping area known as Century City. It is anchored by a large Carefours - which is basically the equivalent to an upscale Walmart. But it is large. And where it comes also comes many restaurants. There are at least 20-30 in the area. I have tried a few in past trips, but this will be a big test to see how many - and how adventurous I can be.

Knowing that my local colleagues will be taking me on adventures of long meals at upscale Chinese restaurants, I decided to head for a new Taiwan Noodle house that has opened since my last visit. Taiwan is known for their beef noodles. The noodles are homemade and toothsome. For Taiwan Beef noodles, the noodles are covered with a savory broth/gravy. 

 

I could make a choice between noodles with braised beef fingers, beef tendon, heel muscle or belly tripe.
Hmmm. Which delicious item to choose?

I decided on the beef fingers - knowing good and well that cows don't have fingers. Phewww. Close call.

What I ended up with is a bowl of noodles, with some pretty fatty braised beef shank meat. The broth was delicious. The meat was fatty. But here in China, lean is not good. Still left over form the days when beef was rare and fatty part was good for the diet, lean is still not revered.

It was a pretty delicious soup. Or should I say noodles with beef gravy? I can't say that the meat was that much fun - since it was sort of gristly. But it was tasty and good for a night  meal.

I then walked back towards my hotel.

On the way back, I saw a shop that featured two things: Coffee and Bouquets. But not your ordinary bouquets. It is popular for women to want to keep their flowers here. And so - what better way to solve that problem than this:

  

As you can see, it is a bouquet of 12 pink teddy bears. For about 220.00 RMB ($35 to $40) you can have a whole bouquet of bears. Or - as my new met friend wanted me to know - I could also choose a smaller bouquet:

Sadly, no one hear to give a bear bouquet to. And so, instead, I opted to purchase a cup of coffee from one of her coffee machines. (she both sold the machines - and used them to make Italian coffee). Coffee in the late evening is not good for me, but she looked so cute. And no one was stopping at her shop!

That is Day 1. More adventures to come. However, I am not sure if I will get through. The Chinese Govt blocks blogs here - especially that of Google and Blogpost. Usually, the first time you restart your computer, it then resets the IP address - and you can't use Facebook, Google Groups or Twitter again.

And so - who knows. Maybe I am back with Day 2. Or not!

11 hours. 39 minutes. The long flight to Shanghai.

Fortunately. A flat bed for sleeping. Lots of movies. And lots of time by myself. Errr. Or time with 250 close new friends.

But I am upstairs in the plane. Much more enjoyable.

Morimoto food.

Foie Gras Chawan mushi.
From Iron Chef Morimoto.
Napa Valley.

Egg custard. Mixed with foie GRAS (goose liver). Topped with pieces of duck breast.
heaven. heaven. heaven.

When do Oysters die?

Sitting here in Napa, at my favorite oyster bar - Hog Island.
I had to smile.
To the right of me, (the picture below), a son and mother is eating oysters. Well - mostly the mom. The kid is trying a few. Until just now.

He asked the Oyster Bar Tender, "When is it that the oysters die?"

"Do you really want to know?" asked the waiter?

"Yeah!"

"They die when they hit your mouth."

He thought about it, realizing that oysters are not only raw, but numbly alive when they are served to you.

That was the last oyster he ate.

Not me. Bring 'em on!

Another beautiful California sunset. Come have a glass of wine with me!

Palos Verdes California. Nice place for a speaking job.