I ain't never coming back

Friday afternoon the editorial staff had a going away lunch for one of our assistants  who was offered an editor position at another magazine in town. We all taxied down to the Bund and ate at Table One - a new haute cuisine place with a chef who's the protege of somebody important. A couple bottles of wine, 25-day aged beef, cod, ceviche in a martini glass, caprese salad, lamb and duck followed by cheese, chocolate bubbles, basil ice cream and some other desserts I've now forgotten. Basically, it was hard to get anything done that afternoon.

On Saturday I went to my first pole dancing class at a studio my Italian friend Dani introduced me to. There I learned I don't have near the upper-body strength to be a stripper. I was lucky to spin around that pole once. The class was taught by a Russian lady who mostly ignored me, which was merciful. I don't think any amount of push ups will get me in good enough shape for that business. The studio offers other slutty exercise classes (sexy dance, chair dance, etc.) for us pole incompetents, but I think I'll stick to salsa.

Saturday night I went out to a bar with a silly name (Mesa&Manifesto...pppptttbbb!) and mingled with Chef Mike's industry friends (somebody's birthday party). This British catering business guy told me about how he'd never eaten a corn dog until he was asked to provide them for the USA Pavilion at Expo. 

Today I woke up and could barely lift my cell phone to check the time - that's how sore I was from stupid pole class. I beat it down to the French Concession for a historical society walking tour. I got to see the complex where Yao Ming grew up, Madame Chiang Kai-shek's old digs and quite a few other one-time estates that have been snatched up by the Communist Party and now serve as local party headquarters. 

After that I grabbed a kebab in the Turkish restaurant across from my Church. American girl eats kebab seated next to Indian family in the French Concession. I'd call it a world-is-flat moment, but Thomas Friedman is such a pissant.

Then after church I went home for a quick change and went down to the Bund for a literary open mic at Glamour Bar - a very cool place with gorgeous views of the river and Pudong. 

AND THEN I went to an Italian restaurant for a party for an Italian luxury brand entering the Shanghai market. There was a mini fashion show and a couple of hand bags on display that each cost more than I make in a month.

Last weekend I scored a free trip to Suzhou from the Marriott. This week I'm going to Hong Kong to sort out my visa.

Right now - Sunday night - I'm exhausted. 

But Shanghai is glamorous.