Three Billion Served ...
China is addicted to plastic and feeds its need by consuming ultra-thin plastic bags at a rate of three billion a day according to Shanghai Daily; however, the nation is fighting the addiction and forbidding the free distribution of plastic bags by supermarkets and their production by manufacturers. Due to high usage, China's subsequent "baggage" includes the waste of precious oil resources, environmental degradation and littering. As of June, we'll be bringing our cloth tote bag to the shops, but we'll have to buy our own garbage bags from now on.

A Literary Feast
The Shanghai International Literary Festival is back with a line-up of over 50 authors from Christopher Koch, author of The Year of Living Dangerously, to Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, the authors of Puff the Magic Dragon. Book launches, panel discussions, seminars and kids' sessions offer a range of interaction. We're excited to participate and are grabbing tickets as soon as they go on sale Feb. 1, available online at http://www.mypiao.com. Be sure to check http://www.m-restaurantgroup.com for the most up-to-date schedule and info. See you there.

Forget You
China Mobile walked away from talks with Apple about bringing the iPhone to Shanghai ... officially (read: legally). The company, perhaps a little too used to its monopoly status, refused to pass go when Apple demanded a 20-30 percent share in the revenue. Guess we'll just have to hop a plane or "ask around" to get one.