Life After Zhongshan

Metro Line 2 now extends further into Shanghai's western reaches with the addition of four new stations following the Zhongshan Park station: Loushanguan Lu, Weining Lu, Beixinjing and Songhong Lu. These four stations will feature a self-service ticketing system. If you're one of the lucky residents whose daily commute will change for the better, the first east-bound metro from the Songhong Lu terminus station, heading towards the Zhangjiang High-tech Station, departs at 5:42am; the last train of the day from Zhangjiang High-tech to Songhong Lu leaves at 10:30pm. If heading west-bound from Zhangjiang High-tech to Songhong Lu in the morning, the first train departs at 6:38am, with last return at 10:53pm.

New Hotline Dial-a-Seat

Intended to assist people make reservations in Shanghai's restaurants, the 5757-5777 hotline has recently implemented English service. The number is a play off the Shanghainese pronunciation of 'I eat.' The the number five sounds like 'wo', which means 'I' and the number seven is similar to Shanghainese 'eat' or 'qie'. You may recognize the jingle as it is used by some of Shanghai's cab companies. Visit the hotline's Chinese website at www.57575777.com and be on the lookout for their new Chinese DM magazine.

Yummy Renovations

We popped into City Diner this Saturday for our weekly fix and discovered they've torn down the former open kitchen's wall and replaced it with a snazzy wooden bar, lending the space an airier, classier feel. On the Maoming Lu front, it appears that Blue Frog will soon have a new neighbor. The Pane e Vino Ristorante and Bar, with its lemon yellow interior, (we say perfect timing, what with our seasonal depression) looks set to open soon.

Department Store Switch Up

Lane Crawford department store in Shanghai Times Square at 99 Huaihai Lu shuttered its doors recently, but shoppers fear not - a new Maison Mode store will open in its place in late March. Maison Mode's currently location, at 1312 Huaihai Zhong Lu, will close near the end of 2007.