Small Talk With... Get the Scoop

Why do you think ice cream is the perfect summer treat? Ice cream makes people happy. You always see people looking very serious drinking coffee alone at coffee bars, but people sitting in ice cream stores are always laughing and happy. The weather is one excuse to come in. Also, since people have more money now, high quality ice cream is becoming more popular. So how many Cold Stones are there in Shanghai? We have eight stores in Shanghai and we'll have another 10 to 15 opening this year. And how many flavors does each store have? We have 18 flavors now, more than 30 toppings and we're getting more this summer, too. Wow, how many people do you serve on average each day during the summer? About 300-400. So what's the most popular ice cream flavor? Founder's Favorite is the most popular flavor and a classic one. It's a mix of brownie, caramel, fudge and pecans with sweet cream ice cream. Any new flavors we can look forward to? Mango Go Go Go is coming out soon. It's our basic sweet cream ice cream mixed with mango flavored ice cream and other toppings. Sounds delicious. What are the most popular toppings? The most popular toppings are Butter Finger and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup for foreigners, and brownie, walnut and almond for Chinese people. And your favorite flavor is... I love Berry Berry Berry Good. It's a mix of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries with our basic ice cream. It's so good--sweet and a little sour, and very delicious. You'll love it once you try it. You're in good shape, how do you keep so slim with all this good ice cream around? I don't keep fit on purpose. The job needs a lot of physical strength. Every day we need to mix the ice cream with toppings, scoop ice cream and clean the store, which is a lot of hard work. I finally have muscles in my arms now! What's another interesting thing people might not know about this job? How much passion it needs. Everyone who works here loves helping people, loves ice cream and likes to show their passion. When applying for a job here, everyone needs to perform during their interview, which we call an "audition." People can dance, sing or tell jokes; it doesn't matter how good you are, but what we look for are people who are interesting and have fun with other people.

Everyone Is Talking About... New Anti-Drug Laws

This is your visa, this is your deportation notice
Effective June 1, 2008, the Chinese government's newest anti-drug laws come into effect. What does this mean for any illegal-substance-loving foreigners? A trip through the Chinese legal system. The new restrictions emphasize compulsory rehabilitation (two to three years) for users, though we're willing to bet that, best case scenario, foreigners will face a one-way ticket back home after facing criminal charges (read: fines and / or jail time).

Touted as a "zero tolerance" law, it bans the production, sale, transport, storage, provision, possession and use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs including opium, heroin, methamphetamine, hydrochloride, morphine, cocaine and the more popular party drug, marijuana. It also sets strict rules on the clinical use of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and medicines that could be used to make narcotics and bans possession of these if not for medicinal purposes.

More pervasive is the citizen arrest style of enforcement. Namely, the law encourages people to report drug-related crimes, offering to protect and reward those who do. Further, if you think choosing not to take a toke while your friends do will save you, think again. Those "providing a place for others to take drugs or helping them to do so" can be prosecuted, fined, or detained for up to two weeks. If they deem your actions to not be a "crime," you can still be detained for five days or receive a fine for your (lack of) action. Owners of bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues are also being held responsible for the actions of those who frequent their establishments and can be punished for failing to report drug users to the police. Bottom line? This law affects everyone, so it may be safest to start adhering to the "Just Say No!" slogan of your elementary school days.

SHANGHAI DIGITS

➜ 2
The amount of yuan you can donate via SMS message when you text '2' to 10699-99301, the Red Cross's donation line, to help earthquake victims.
➜ 70
The number of times you have to fly back and forth between Shanghai and Beijing to qualify for a free international flight on China Eastern airlines–or 50,000 miles.
➜ 550
The average number of champagne bottles sold per week at Bar Rouge.

A SHANGHAI MINUTE

Subway Security
The Metro Police want to sift through your stash
If you plan on carrying luggage onto the Metro, prepare to be inspected. That new police officer hanging out drinking tea is manning one of the new security check panels and Fido is sniffing for more than just his next Scooby Snack. Medium to large bags and suitcases are now subject to inspection, the aim being to prevent dangerous or combustible items from being carried onboard, and sniffer dogs are also being employed at some of the busier stations. Authorities are particularly watching for items such as gasoline, oil paint and glue. If a passenger is found to be carrying dangerous substances, they will be asked to leave the Metro and take a non-public form of transportation. While the move is said to be aimed at ensuring greater security for the Olympic games, the timing of these new security checks coincides with a recent accidental explosion caused by a flammable substance on a public bus which killed three people.