The New York Times might have “All the news that’s fit to print,” but when it comes the best places to spend 36 hours in Shanghai, locals still have the upper hand.

The New York Times Travel section turned its lens on Shanghai last month for one of the paper’s “36 Hours in …” features. We give The Times props for cramming so many of the city’s highs (Shanghai World Financial Centre) and lows (Bund Sightseeing Tunnel) into this awkward chunk of time (at the 36-hour mark, visitors are no longer in layover territory, but it’s not enough time for a proper holiday, either), but for those looking to stray from the well-worn path of Bar Rouge and the Pearl Tower, we enlisted some Shanghaining and Shanghai transplants to share their itineraries.

Michelle Garnaut, proprietress of The Glamour Bar (which gets a shout-out in the NYT article), doesn’t miss a beat: “A back-street walking tour with Historic Shanghai co-founder Tess Johnston is a must.” Meanwhile, Jiaotong University graduate student, Shanghai native and nightclub fixture Samantha Meng Yun advises debaucherous visitors to explore hot spots Sin Lounge, Muse and live music haven Yuyintang, her favorite venues for drinking, dancing and moshing.

For those who like to be able to hear themselves think, Aymeric Besse, a business developer for a French company recommends a sunrise visit to Luxun Park or driving along the gaojia at 5am when the city seems to be completely silent. While The Times mentions MoCA and the Shanghai Art Museum, Besse urges visitors to get their fix of Chinese contemporary art at M50 (50 Moganshan Lu 莫干山 路50号).

For gastronomes, The Times suggests Crystal Jade, Lost Heaven and Yang’s Fried Dumplings, but why stop there? For those who want to dig a bit deeper, Shanghai is a food culture with a lot of options,” says Gary Wang, co-founder of The Lab and The Shelter, which is also mentioned in the NYT article as the haunt of the “hoodie-and-skullcap set” (skullcaps, really?). Wang recommends the xianglanianyu and other Hubei treats at Chu Xiang, and the Shanghainese cuisine (especially the deep-fried pork chop) at Fu Chun (650 Yuyuan Lu 愚园路 650号).

So how ‘bout it, NYT, up for another 36 hours?

By Abby Lavin