It is possible to find Western food stuffs in China.  They are pricey, but when it comes time to get my holiday cooking on, it’s worth it.  We decided to host Christmas Dinner in Kunshan- at our co workers house, since they have a 3 floor townhouse- they place where you can gather 19 people and feed them with tons and tons of food and ply them with lots and lots of drinks.

Christmas dinner prep started a few days prior to Christmas eve- made Irish Creme fudge (from scratch, in China, with no candy thermometer.  Take that Martha!), peanut brittle and over the next few days added rice krispy treats, spiced nuts, chocolate no bakes, roasted garlic. Danielle came into town Friday night to help (and to watch American Horror Story with me on netflix- who can watch that alone?)  Early in the AM we loaded up 4 large grocery bags with the supplies, made our way out to Bubbas Texas BBQ to pick up our pre cooked USDA hua ji, or turkey, gravy and stuffing.  I asked my boss if his driver could take us, cause there was no way I was going to be able to lug all those groceries out there on the high speed train.  no.way.jose.

We arrived in Kunshan at noon, right on time.  Started with the prep work around 1:30….I had a lot of helpers in the kitchen with me.  We had differences of opinion on how to peel the potatoes I wanted to go for speed, given we needed to peel about 14 of them, they want to conserve potato and not ‘waste’ food. But we managed to peel them all up,  mash them up (the guys had a potato masher, AWESOME)  and then served the first course at 6.  Turkey at 7. The turkey amazingly fit into their HUGE toaster oven, so we were able to warm it up and as a result  everything went off with out a hitch- man, did we feast!!!   Turkey, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (yes, I found campbell’s cream of mushroom soup but no French’s fried onions), green beans with toasted almonds,  maple glazed carrots, stuffing, gravy, patas bravas, garlic and chili shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, roasted garlic with crackers and french bread, home made salsa and all the deserts I mentioned above.  Our host, Dom, said a heartfelt grace and we chowed down. The crew consisted of us expats, an Irish girl, Chinese co workers,  Mexican from Texas, a southerner from Virginia,  an Indian with an English accent, an Indian from Indiana… you get the picture.

After dinner we started up the Wii, played some bowling, then somehow it involved into a dance party with some Micheal Jackson moments, line dancing, Indian dancing and me attempting to learn some Irish folk dancing from Sarah.  I am sure I would have been a better student had I not had a few cocktails by that time of night.

We had such a great time bringing expats together and introducing our Chinese co workers and friends to the wonders of Christmas- like home made egg nog.  And Patron shots.   Only thing missing was snow….. but I can live with out that.  Friends become your family when you live so far away and I am blessed with some truly exceptional friends.   Merry Christmas!

On December 4th, I got up early, like many a half marathon mornings.  Walked into the kitchen, made some coffee, had some bread with peanut butter, pulled on my CWX compression capris, donned my running shirt, pinned on my bib…. all the paces I go through for getting ready for many a race back in the states.  Except, instead of getting ready to run The Strip like I did in 2010 on the same weekend- I was getting to run the Bund- the main strip in Shanghai.

I have been attempting to keep up with the running, but between working late and wanting to explore the city I have been less than strict with myself.  Gone are the days of taking a long lunch and banging out 4 miles in sunny Carlsbad, or waking up early and meeting my running buddy for a seaside run. Now, get up early and dodge and weave through crowds of spitting, smoking and slow walking Chinese to log my miles.  Yeah… sleeping in after going out with friends always sounds like a better option, now doesn’t it?

In order to sign up for this race, I needed to have a doctor sign a release form, stating my blood pressure, heart rate and that I was in good enough health to run the race.  In order go to see the doctor I had to pick one, make an appt, take time off work, etc, etc.  This lead to me procrastinating and not getting it done… which lead to me missing the deadline to sign up for the race. Luckily, a friend was able to put the word out and found a girl who couldn’t run the race!   He brought me the bib on race weekend, and I was good to go.

I stepped out into the frigid December air and walked to the metro… briskly, receiving the normal amount of bewildered looks – ‘what is that crazy white lady doing at this time of day in that outfit?’ – and the runners started to make themselves apparent.  Just like other races in the states, they gave up gear check bags- which I opted not to use- but many people did.  You can always tell a runner heading to a race by the bag on their arm- filled with dry clothes for a post race change, food, water, etc.   Given the balmy 39 degree start to race day I opted to wear my wind proof jacket and a long sleeve running shirt.   The jacket ended up being a great butt warmer as I tied it to my waist at the start of the race.

The start took place on the Bund, right next to the Huang Pu river. The start was like many a start in the states- crowded- people jostling and bumping- runner nervously chatting. Waiting for the starting bell- wondering if it’s nerves or do you really need to pee again before the race starts…..  finally, we count down  “San, Er, Yi”  ‘3,2,1’ and off we go.  Just like other races, my gun time and chip time were about 5 mins apart- takes that long to cross the starting line.

And the runners are off!  Down the street, dodging brightly colored garbage bags that people wear to stay warm, random gloves, clothes, jean jackets (no, really jean jackets too).  About a mile into the race, we come upon a large wall and I hear hooting and hollering.  I look my left, and startled to see no less than 50 dudes, lined up, all taking a leak… and more runners joining them.  Guess they did decide they needed to pee.  I laughed and almost wanted to stop and take a picture, but I kept on running.  Along the route, there were many Chinese cheering- mostly upper middle aged folks, but man, where they enthusiastic!   There were the just run of the mill on lookers, but then there were the ‘drum gangs’ as I call them.  In the AM, you can pass by any square and happen upon a group of 10-20 50+ women doing some type of synchronized dancing or drum beating, or fan dance or tai chi…. some days they are all dressed in matching track suits- which they decided to wear for the race.  I must have passed over 20 such ‘gangs’, some with drums, others with pom poms, or fans…. cheering and waving.  It made me smile, and when you waved back, they cheered harder.  The best was the group of middle aged MEN, wearing black track suits, waving silver pom poms.  They looked like some acid trip cheer leader squad…

The route was point to point, meaning start at the Bund and run into Pudong.  That means crossing the Huang Pu river.  Than means the Nanpu Bridge.  They shut the traffic along the route- so we got to run up the cork screw entrance ramp of the bridge- what an awesome sight to look up it and see almost a mile of runners before and after me.  Very inspiring, even if it was an incline.

 

NanPu interchange

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Run run run… and run some more.  Until I say a porta potty and decided since I wasn’t running for time, I would take a pit stop.  7 mins later and a few ounces lighter, I head back out.  I decided to wear my Amphipod running belt, fill it with gatoraide, and in the GU loops stash some single serve honey packets.  I didn’t know where to buy GU, so I figured some honey would do the trick.  It did, and I was happy to have my own water/gatorade supply.  The water stations were erratic, and instead of electrolytes, they had tea- no joke.  Some of the aid stations they handed out water soaked sponges (um, it was like 50 degrees out).  Run run run some more… play list hitting all the right songs at the right times to get me through the tough spots.  I see the finish line, look to the left and right and see if I can locate my co workers Danielle and Dom who came out to cheer me on… not seeing them, I focus in on the finish line and use up what I have in the tank… run run run, sprint…. cross, finish, stop Garmin.  It was not my fastest race, but it wasn’t my slowest.  And it was my first international race.  I’ll take that.

Like any large city, Shanghai has its different shopping areas and recently we ventured into the fabric market near the south Bund area.  The fabric market is home to dozens and dozens of tailors there is a large building, three floors, with just shops and shops – samples on mannequins or hanging for passerby to view and decide they just can’t live with out that cool looking, asymmetrical zipper black cashmere coat.  Can you tell I got sucked in?

A co worker need to go and pick up his jackets and shirts recently, so we all hopped in a cab and headed downtown.  We come upon the market and man, it is packed.  On one side of the street are some little shops- were James Tailor (hahaha get it?) is located.  We walk in, and take it all in.  There is some fabric here, but mostly just as a representation of what they have available.  They also have books with pictures of suits, shirts, coats that you can choose from in case you don’t have something already in mind.  But I did!  I came prepared!  I had heard you could take them a picture of something that you wanted and they could make a pattern and sew it for you. I had taken a photo of a jacket that I liked so I wanted to test out this theory.  As our co worker was getting his jacket, I showed my picture to the tailor.  He and I discussed the details of the coat, but couldn’t figure out how to text him the pic, so he asked me to come with him.  I thought we were going upstairs to get fitted or something, so I really didn’t tell my co workers where I was going. Turns out, the tailor intended for me to go with him.  The shops usually have two or three people working in them, so my co workers were talking with the shop owner.  And when he meant go with him, he meant on his e scooter, down the block to a place where they printed out the photo of the coat from my iPhone.  Let me tell you , cruising down a crowded street on the back of the tailors e scooter was fun, but also scary.  I was thinking “hmm…. could this be the start to one of the “Locked Up Abroad” shows? Luckily it wasn’t… we printed out the pic, headed back to the shop and I breathlessly told me co workers all about my little ride.

We looked over the bigger picture with the tailor, confirmed the details like button, collar, length and then I got measured.  Not only are the prices reasonable for a coat, it is custom  made for you.  I got a dark charcoal cashmere pea coat-ish jacket, custom tailored, for $125.  That is less than a new coat at H&M.  Well, that price was after some haggling, and some how in my broken Chinese I convinced them I was a student. (RIIIIGHT) so they gave me a discount.  I will send them some business for sure.

Two weeks later we (me and my weekend roommate Danielle, who is a co-worker but lives in Kunshan, so she usually comes and spends the weekend with me in Shanghai) go to our final fitting.  The coats fit, so we pay the remainder on our coats (you need to put a deposit down) and head across the street to the building that houses 3 floors of tailors.  But before we make it across the street we stop for some street snacks… I had a nice large, hot spring roll and Danielle got scallion pancake like burrito like thing with veggies… they were tasty and perfect fuel for some more shopping.  Up and around and down we go… We choose another coat.  We both got the same one, but man, is it awesome.  And $100 USD. And I was pulled into another shop by this nice looking long sleeve cowl neck dress on a mannequin.  That, custom made heavy jersey dress was only $32 USD.  I found my new shopping destination.  And I can take them a picture and get it made for me.  SCORE.  I picked up my new coat and dress this weekend, hopefully after completing my first half marathon in Shanghai on Sunday.