1 Laris (Fusion)

This chocoholic's paradise is treating patrons to an assortment of festive flavors. From traditional apple cinnamon, amaretto and cherry kierch to candy cane and vodka and fig, there's something to tease every palate. Laris' chocolate Santa is sure to be a big hit.

2 Gourmet ... Read more »

1. Little Sheep

It's not every day that you can get Mongolian food in Shanghai, much less Mongolian hot pot. And in the true spirit of this largely nomadic country, this restaurant gives you loads of flavorful meat at a price much lower than most hot pot joints that ... Read more »

1The Westin Shanghai

This widely-renowned brunch is certainly deserving of praise and repute. An endless array of mouth-watering choices lies

in wait at the sashimi bar and lobster station. Chinese delicacies

are served against a backdrop of live orchestral music and an

assortment of ice creams and sorbets beckon ... Read more »

1 Amylin's Pearls & Jewelry

These high quality fresh water pearls come from the family pearl farm in southern China. Renowned for not only its pearls but its unique designs, the store has attracted an exclusive clientele list that includes presidential personalities–the US's Clintons, Russia's Putins, and ... Read more »

1. PAUL

Quality is a tradition at this bakery which has been building a name for itself since 1889. With stores in Japan, Turkey, Morocco, Holland and the US, PAUL has finally landed in China. Each store's own unique flare coupled with the staple antique style sets the backdrop ... Read more »

1 Xu Liu Shan

If shopping-till-you-drop in the afternoon heat is putting sweat on your brow, pop into this quaint dessert café for a quick pick-me-up. Serving ice cold bowls of sago and mixed fresh fruit, aloe jelly fruit shakes and freshly blended juices, you are sure to find something ... Read more »

1 Windows Scoreboard

The mother of them all, this bar features extremely cheap strong drinks (¥10) with loud tacky music and is thronging with students and expats alike. The crowd is young—everyone’s in their 20-30s–and the place can get rowdy at times. That said, Windows is the ... Read more »

1 New Heights

With a 360-degree view of Pudong, the Huangpu River and the Bund, this sexy, upscale restaurant takes top honors for outdoor dining—all other porches pale in comparison. Take a date when in the evening to get lost in Shanghai's lights, or head over for brunch ... Read more »

1 Yinqixing Indoor Skiing Site

What? Skiing in Shanghai? Expect snow half a meter deep, a 380- meter slope, 80 meters wide in total and divided into three different segments. For ¥200, an all day pass is quite reasonable for late night fun on Fridays and Saturdays.

2 Super Brand ... Read more »

1 Concert for Unborn Babies (Film & Stage)

Shanghai Concert Hall Get prepared for motherhood and to double the audience at the Shanghai Concert Hall. This event will treat mothers (and babies) to soothing, soft-flowing classical compositions from famous artists such as Raimond Lap, who has been recording baby music since ... Read more »

The Lab: Most innovative

Fine tune your DJ skills at this no frills non-profit music environment. Use their equipment to learn how to spin, mix and incorporate sound through music ranging from Brazilian beats, jazz, soul, old school hip-hop and music from the 60s and 70s. Don't expect mainstream ... Read more »

City Diner (American)

The mother of them all, this Western-style greasy spoon churns out massive portions of burgers, shakes and 114 other dishes 24 hours a day. Conveniently located down the street on Tongren Lu, this is one of the most popular pit stops for bleary-eyed bar crawlers searching for ... Read more »

1 Chez Lily Restaurant

Located in the New World Mayfair Hotel, this magnificent vintage- style dim sum restaurant contrasts contemporary murals of summer flowers with upscale European-style outfits and tableware so delicate you'll be afraid to break it. Specials include grilled pork neck, shrimp dumplings and steamed barbecue pork ... Read more »

1 Moveable Feasts: For the foodie who hates fuss

You, too, can be the host with the most–without the pressure of organizing. Ignatius Lau’s Moveable Feasts takes the convenience of portable birthdays to a whole new level by catering to your choice of venues. Lau cooks, serves and ... Read more »

Email Mall at Jing'an Temple

Across the street from Jiu Guang Sogo Department Store, this two-storey mini shopping Mecca offers you finds from knock-off Anna Sui accessories to cute imported clothing from Hong Kong and Korea. Local designers also like to show off their creations here, so claw through ... Read more »

Marrakech

Surrounded by white-washed walls, gauze curtains and copper cutlery, you'll feel like you're not in Shanghai anymore, but rather on a Moroccan island hideaway where the romantic possibilities are infinite. We like the chicken couscous laced with raisins, almonds and nutmeg. See African listings.

Sun with Aqua ... Read more »

1. Take in an Indie International Film

The Cine-Club regularly offers a series of themed films, such as French thrillers this past December, featuring Luc Besson's heart-breaking "Leon." On Fridays, the German Consulate Films transports German culture onto the screen, but don't neglect the sprinkling of under-the-radar hits ... Read more »

Here are some of our favorites:

1 Jimix Seve: for artful bites

This artfully executed housewares store-cum-pizza parlor is a delicious combination of delectable thin crust pizza and high design kitchen items. That's one big Italian wedding we're liking. We recently tried the Pugliese, a savory mozzarella, onions ... Read more »

1 Figaro - for social intellectuals

This two-story Filipino cafe lined with faux bookshelves upstairs attracts an intellectual laidback crowd willing to exchange smiles with fellow surfers and the friendly staff. The rich brews are a step up from Starbucks, and frankly we feel smarter when we're surrounded by books ... Read more »