Shanghai Shopping

My cousin Naomi came to Shanghai on Wednesday, 23rd August. She is my mom’s younger sister’s daughter. She is eight years younger than me. I never hang around with her outside of family events. She has been a preschool teacher for ten years. Now she is studying senior nursing because of Japanese low birth rate.

She was mainly interested in going shopping in Shanghai. I took her to Qi Pu St. where is a lot of whole sale fashion shops and fake brand stores which moved out from famous fake brand Shang Yang market (It was closed down in the end of July). There are two main department stores. Each store has 6 floors and tons of small shops inside. They carry shoes, bags, cheap young clothes, men’s, kid’s , lingerie, accessories and high end brand clothes. There were so many stuffs, techno music and lights. I was started having a headache yet I had a passion to find something hot! We were there from 8am till 4pm. My eyes got very soar and feet got swollen. I thought I would not buy anything because I am fat. Yet I bought several cute tops I can wear now and after birth. I also bought many scarves for Rachel, my sister in low in the US.

Next day I took Naomi to back door high quality fake brand shops in Shang Xi Rd. These shops look like small boutiques from out side but behind a heavy door to connect to a back room, there were tons of fake goods are imported from Korea. I am not interested in big brand names, yet I bought a cute red Prada bag which is big enough to carry dippers and bottles. I bought a Chloe’ wallet. I don’t know what Chloe’ is. It is supposed to be an Italian. I had to buy it. The wallet is functional but very cute and pink. I also bought a Chanel winter jacket (!!). I am pretty shocked by myself to buy a fake Chanel. I guess going to shopping with young single girl made me a little bit more bold (by the way, Naomi is not flashy).

Then we walked to Mao Ming Rd. where has many modern Chinese dress shops. Naomi bought two cute silk Chinese dresses which were very nice on her. After birth I want to get skinny and want to fit into a tight silky Chinese dress.

We went to a pirate DVD store in Gu Bei area. The store usually has very good quality and selection of US TV series and movies, but this time. They had no foreign movies. Police is cracking down pirate DVD stores. I guess red envelop (under the table money) is not working. Jesse is optimistic about the current situation. He thinks the demand is too high. I am pessimistic. The pressure from Hollywood could be very strong. I may not able to watch a new season of Lost.

I took Naomi to a lot of good restaurants mostly cheap(she rather spends money on her cloth). By the way, Naomi and I are the third generation of Yokohama resident. When we were growing up, we went to a Yokohama China town a lot. We are not easy to be impressed by Chinese food (on the other hand, we are easily satisfied by food, because we are not picky and we have a good digestion). We went to eat Beijing duck by Naomi’s request. Jesse took a day off from his busy schedule. (Actually it was a day before his business to Guang Zhou). Naomi was very happy with crispiness of fatty duck skin. Quan Zhu Da’s duck skin is like potato chips. Jesse was stuffed by fatty ducks again.

It is soooo much fun to have friends and family visit us. I wish I have more people come and see us and China.