Chinese Tea Ceremony & Tasting
DATE: Monday, March 1
TIME: 10:15am registration; talk begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: 227 Yongjia Lu near Shaanxi Nan Lu
COST: RMB 200 (includes talk, tea tasting & light pastry)
Please bring your SEA membership card
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Friday, February 26. Under subject, please type: "Tea" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
Pouring Watercolor: Brushless Painting with Stefanie Vallee
DATE: Wednesday, March 3
TIME: 10am registration; class begins at 10:15am
VENUE: Origin, Tai House 39, Lane 155 Jian Guo Zhong Lu (near Rui Jin Lu)
COST: RMB 200 (includes class, materials & snacks)
Please bring your SEA membership card
Anyone can create a colorful painting by pouring yellow, red and blue straight from the paint palette to the paper. Even those who cannot draw can experience "painting" and unleash their intuitive artistic talent. Stefanie will teach us how to create a simple abstract painting step by step. No prior drawing or painting experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided.This is an easy and fun introduction to watercolor painting.
Today's class will be followed by a selection of fresh organic items from the Origin menu. Origin is situated in a 3-storey historic lane house, one of Taikang Lu's most impressive buildings. This area's architecture is a combination of lofty factory spaces and typical shikumen style houses for which Shanghai has become so well known.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Monday, March 1. Under subject, please type: "Painting" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
Chinese Tea Ceremony & Tasting
DATE: Thursday, March 4
TIME: 10:15am registration; talk begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: 227 Yongjia Lu near Shaanxi Nan Lu
COST: RMB 200 (includes talk, tea tasting & light pastry)
Please bring your SEA membership card
Back by popular demand! Song Fang Maison de The located in a bright, inviting French Concession lane house, is one of the best places inShanghai to experience China's tea culture. Lined with quirky retro-style tins, this stylish retreat offers exquisite teas, expertly selected and blended by Chinese and French masters.
Being fluent in the language, owner Florence Samson has learned how to select tea from true masters from plantations throughout the country, taking great care to source and sell some of the finest Chinese teas available. In today's class, Florence will talk about the history ofChinese tea, the families of tea and their qualities and health benefits.
The shop's tea ceremony specialist will prepare three premium teas: a green, an oolong and a black tea.This event is more than just a tea tasting-it's a discovery of the best in Chinese teas. Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Friday, February 26. Under subject, please type: "March 4th Tea" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
Gangs of Shanghai: A walk with Spencer Dodington
DATE: Saturday, March 6
TIME: 10am registration; tour begins at 10:30am
COST: RMB 200
Please bring your SEA membership card
During the heady days of 1920s and 1930s Shanghai, Chiang Kai-shek's control of the city was in the hands of two main groups: the wealthy and the criminal. Wealthy merchants and foreign capitalists supported Chiang's KMT with the understanding that there would be no reforms that threatened their interests. The Shanghai criminal organizations were dominated by two secret society groups called the Green Gang and the Red Gang. One of Shanghai's most notorious mob bosses, Green gangster Du Yuesheng, plotted the expansion of his vast empire from a villa in the French Concession.Once Du's headquarters, the 70-year-old French Concession villa-now the meticulously restored 5-star boutique Mansion Hotel-will mark the start of Spencer's walk in this central section of the Concession. He will talk about the days when "Big Eared" Du presided over one of the world's most sophisticated and powerful organized crime syndicates. Comfortable walking shoes and a camera are a must.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Thursday, March 4. Under subject, please type: "Gangsters" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
SEA Coffee
DATE: Monday, March 8
TIME: 10am
VENUE: J.C. Mandarin Hotel, 1225 Nanjing Xi Lu
COST: RMB 50 members, RMB 100 non-members
Reservations not required.
SEA Day Trip: Shanghai Opera School
DATE: Tuesday, March 9
Pick up: Portman hotel (Starbucks)
TIME: 9am
RETURN: Approximately 1pm
COST: SEA members RMB 200, Non-Members/Guests RMB 250 (Guests must be out-of-town residents and foreign passport holders. Children under 12 not allowed.). Please bring your SEA membership card.
On this trip we will see the beautiful costumes and colorful make-up of the Chinese Opera. We will see the performers doing their daily training as well as a show which involves acrobatics, fighting matches, martial arts and singing.
For reservations, contact seadaytrips@yahoo.com. Please provide name, SEA membership number and mobile number. Reservations will be confirmed by email. For detailed booking rules, see March Courier pg. 11.
The Soong Sisters: Champagne Luncheon & Talk with Amy Adams
DATE: Thursday, March 11
TIME: 10:30am registration; talk begins at 10:45
VENUE: Jazz on 37, Four Seasons Hotel, 500 Weihai Lu
COST: RMB 200 (includes 3-course luncheon with tea or coffee & champagne)
Please bring your membership card to the event
"One loved money, one loved power, and one loved China."The story of the Soong sisters-Ai-ling, Ching-ling and May-ling -has been shrouded in mystery, obscured in conflicting news accounts and colored with the hues of legends.During their lives (the last of the Soong sisters passed away in 2004) these three women were among China’s most significant political figures of the early 20th century. Each of them played a major role in influencing their husbands and, along with their own power, they ultimately changed the course of Chinese history.Here, Amy Adams will share their stories and their influence on present day China.
Today's talk will be followed by a 3-course luncheon (with generous champagne!) at the Four Seasons.
MENU:
Salad: Wedge of bibb lettuce with goat cheese, crisp onions & balsamic glaze
Main: Grilled petit filet mignon, haystack potatoes, roasted asparagus & horseradish jus
-OR- Rosemary-grilled chicken breast with panzanella salad & roasted tomato vinaigrette
Dessert: Seasonal fruit tart with raspberry sauce; champagne, tea/coffee.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by March 9. Under subject, please type: "Soong" and include your choice of main course. Please include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are welcome!
Talk for Charity: Revolutionary Art Posters with Linda Johnson of Madame Mao’s Dowry
DATE: Wednesday, March 17
TIME: 10:15am registration; class begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: Madame Mao’s Dowry, 207 Fumin Lu
COST: RMB100 (all proceeds will benefit charity) Please bring your membership card to the event
Please join Linda Johnson of Madame Mao's Dowry for a fascinating talk on Chinese propaganda posters from the Cultural Revolution (1966-1978). These posters reflect a wide variety of styles, techniques and influences including European Structuralism, Realism and Chinese ink and folk art. The posters, originally displayed in homes, schools, factories and work units, were designed as propaganda for a largely uneducated audience. Most posters from that era were destroyed, making the remaining works highly collectible; their price reflects their rarity and condition, as well as their aesthetic appeal.Light refreshments will be served after the talk.Proceeds from the talk will benefit a local charity.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Monday, March 15. Under subject, please type: "Madame Mao" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
Spencer Dodington Walk: The Historic French Concession
DATE: Thursday, March 18
TIME: 10am registration; tour begins at 10:15
VENUE: Ferguson Lane, 108 Wukang Lu (near the intersection of Xingguo Lu)
COST: RMB 200 Please bring your membership card to the event.
Our French Concession walk, led by Spencer Dodington, always gets rave reviews so you won’t want to miss it!Spencer will share his knowledge of the history of Shanghai architecture with us as we walk through the residential streets and lanes of this charming area of the French Concession. We’ll start from the interesting enclave of shops and bistros at Ferguson Lane. Comfortable walking shoes and a camera are a must.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by March 16. Under subject, please type: "FC Walk" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are welcome!
Weekender: Lupu Bridge Walk with Spencer Dodington
DATE: Saturday, March 20
TIME: 10:30am registration; talk begins at 10:45 followed by tour
VENUE: 909 Luban Lu, below the bridge on the Puxi side
COST: RMB 200 (includes bridge fees) Please bring your membership card to the event
Please join us for this interesting tour of Shanghai’s Lupu Bridge, the world’s longest arch bridge and Shanghai's window onto the Expo site. During the past year, the Expo site has changed daily as more national and corporate pavilions have been erected on both sides of the river. From the top of this bridge, one of four that spans the Huangpu River within the city, one can see most of Shanghai's modern landmarks. The walk and talk will take about 90mins. Please meet below the bridge on the Puxi side.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Thursday, March 18. Under subject, please type: "Lupu Bridge" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are welcome!
Laris Champagne Brunch & Book Talk: Through the Looking Glass: China's Foreign Journalists from Opium Wars to Mao by author Paul French
DATE: Sunday, March 21st
TIME: 10:15am registration; talk begins promptly at 10:45am
VENUE: Laris, 6th Floor, No. 3 the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
COST: RMB 200 (includes talk, book signing, 3-course brunch & champagne)
Please bring your membership card to the event
Please join us for this fascinating talk by author Paul French on his latest book Through the Looking Glass: China's Foreign Journalists from Opium Wars to Mao, which explores the China press corps between the 1820s and the revolution of 1949.The men and women of the foreign press in China experienced the country’s history and development - its upheavals, revolutions and wars. They had front row seats at every major twist and turn in China's fortunes. They reported on the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion, saw the Summer Palace burn, endured the Boxer Rebellion, witnessed the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and captured the birth of a Nationalist China and its struggle for survival against rampant warlordism. The China press corps were themselves a cast of fascinating characters: editors who engaged in sword duels, reporters who drank and philandered, spies and scoundrels. Most did their job ably and professionally, some passionately, and a select few had rare flair and touches of genius.
Paul French is a popular speaker and a writer who has lived and worked in Shanghai for many years. His previous books include the critically acclaimed North Korea: The Paranoid Peninsula and a biography of the legendary Shanghai adventurer, Carl Crow, titled Carl Crow-A Tough Old China Hand.
Following the talk will be a book signing, and a 3-course brunch with free-flow champagne.
Menu:
Appetizer: Goat cheese crusted with roasted nuts served with eggplant hummus and rocket leaves-OR-Chilled foie gras with lavender jelly, rhubarb & brioche-OR-
Beef carpaccio with truffle vinaigrette, marinated chantarelles, basil and capers
Main: Wild duck breast with spiced pumpkin puree, braised cabbage leaves & pancetta-OR-Poached eggs with creamed spinach, toasted brioche, prosciutto & hollandaise-OR-Pan seared black cod with lemon, shimiji mushrooms and cauliflower puree
Dessert: Chocolate chip pancakes with caramelized bananas and coconut caramel-OR-
Pandan leaf-infused pannacotta with fresh mango puree
Laris Signature chocolates
Champagne, Tea or Coffee
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Thursday, March 19. Under subject, please type: "Paul French" and indicate your choice of appetizer, main & dessert, and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
SEA Day Trip: Beijing Opera Clothing & Jewelry Factory
DATE: Tuesday, March 23
Pick up: Portman hotel (Starbucks)
TIME: 8:30am
RETURN: Approximately 5pm
COST: SEA members: RMB 150, Non-Members/Guests RMB 200 (Guests must be out-of-town residents and foreign passport holders. Children under 12 not allowed. Bring a packed lunch). Please bring your SEA membership card
This (heated) factory has between seventy and eighty workers, mostly craftsmen, who do amazing embroidery and jewelry work on clothes made especially for the Beijing Opera. We will tour the factory and have a chance to purchase some interesting pieces. (Cash only)
For reservations, contact seadaytrips@yahoo.com. Please provide name, SEA membership number and mobile number. Reservations will be confirmed by email. For detailed booking rules, see March Courier pg. 11.
Museum Talk & Tour: Chinese Bronzes
DATE: Wednesday, March 24th
TIME: 10:15am registration; talk begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: Meet at Shanghai Museum main entrance, lobby area
(side facing Yan'An expressway)
COST: RMB 200 (includes talk, tour, tea & coffee and any entrance fees)
Please bring your membership card to the event
Few works of art are as remote or unique to Western eyes as ancient Chinese bronzes. These beautiful ritual vessels, which constituted the mainstream of Chinese art for nearly 1500 years, are often of unsurpassed technical refinement and define the very essence of early Chinese art. Join us for this engrossing talk by Joe Zhou about Chinese bronzes. Joe, an English-speaking ex-departmental curator with thirteen years experience at the Shanghai Museum, has a particular interest in this important Chinese art form, and his insights will help you appreciate the Museum's pieces on display.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Monday, March 22. Under subject, please type: "Bronze" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
Shanghai Photo Safari: The Bund with Lois Webb
DATE: Thursday, March 25
TIME: 10:15am registration; walk begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: Astor House Hotel lobby, No. 15 Huangpu Lu near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (north side of the Garden Bridge)
COST: RMB 200 Please bring your membership card to the event
Please join us at the Bund for a visual (not informational) walk of Shanghai’s iconic landmarks along the Huangpu River where we will concentrate on technical tips for capturing better photo images.Lois Webb, organizer of the Shanghai Exposed photography club, will host this walk and share her tips for taking quality snapshots.(Lois is a professional graphic designer and image maker with 17 years experience.)Beginning at the Astor House Hotel, this is a fun, casual event focused on a pleasant walk and good photographs. Comfortable walking shoes and camera are a must.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by March 23.Under subject, please type: "Bund Photo" and include your membership number.Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome! Note: the Bund construction is scheduled for completion by late February or early March.However,surprises are a way of life in Shanghai and if construction is not completed,we'll select another interesting area of Shanghai for this event.
Weekender: Tour of Shanghai's Historic Jewish Ghetto
DATE: Saturday, March 27
TIME: 10am registration, walk begins promptly at 10:15am
VENUE: Peace Hotel (front doors), 20-45 Nanjing Dong Lu (Heping Fandian)
COST: RMB 250 (covers transport, entry fees & funding for community-based projects)
Please bring your membership card to the event
Back by popular request! Join us for this fascinating historical tour of Jewish Shanghai. For one hundred years, from 1850 to 1950, waves of Jewish immigrants – from India, Russia and Germany – had a significant impact on the economy and development of Shanghai. This tour, led by Dvir Bar-Gal, an Israeli journalist, will take us from deluxe hotels to the Jewish "ghetto" alleys. Along the way, we’ll view such interesting landmarks as the Ohel Rachel and Ohel Moishe synagogues. Comfortable walking shoes and camera area are a must.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Thursday, March 25. Under subject, type: "Jewish Ghetto" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
The Old City & Disappearing Dockland with Duncan Hewitt
DATE: Sunday, March 28
TIME: 10:15am registration; walk begins promptly at 10:30am
VENUE: Cool Docks, 505 Zhongshan Nan Lu (South Bund close to Fuxing Dong Lu)
COST: RMB 200 Please bring your membership card to the event
Back by popular demand! Shanghai is a city of remarkable change. Unfortunately, some of the casualties of that change are the unique and irreplaceable lanes and streets of the old city. Narrow alleys, traditional Chinese stores, restaurants selling delicious dumplings-this was pre-war Shanghai. Redevelopment has seen the construction of a newer Shanghai, however, a small part of Old Shanghai still exists. Join journalist and author Duncan Hewitt, a former BBC correspondent and long time resident of Shanghai, as he takes us on an interesting exploration of the backstreets of the "original" Shanghai-the walled city which long existed before the arrival of foreigners in the 19th century-and some of the fast disappearing village-like neighborhoods. Comfortable shoes and a camera are a must.
Please email specialevents@seashanghai.org by Friday, March 26. Under subject, please type: "Docklands" and include your membership number. Reservations will be confirmed by email; SEA cancellation policy applies. Visiting family members and out-of-town guests are most welcome!
...And don't forget to check the tour schedules for SEA China Tours and International Tours:
Please contact Country Holidays at 3222-0616
...And every...
Monday 1pm to 5pm, Fun Bridge
Second Tuesday, 10am, Art & Architecture Group
Wednesday, 10am to 12pm, Badminton Group
Thursday, 9am to 1:45 p.m., Intermediate Duplicate Bridge
Thursday, 10am to 2pm., Craft Group
Thursday, 11am to 3pm, Quilt Group
Friday 9:30am to 12:30pm, Mahjong
Third Sunday for brunch, Book Group