Visited Shanghai for the first time. The name itself evokes towering high rises, bright lights, and the rapidly evolving skyline. Apart from the sky-crapping razzmatazz, you can lift the lid to a treasure chest of the ancient Chinese history along the rickety Old Town. There are just so much to do and see!!!
The main reason I was visiting Shanghai last moth was for the grand opening of W Shanghai - The Bund. It is set amid the stunning panoramic views of Huangpu River. Adjoin to Huangpu River side, you can enjoy walking along the river side with an amazing view of Pudong skyline and Oriental Pearl Tower. It's also very convenient to the International Cruise Terminal Subway Station (line 12).

Below are some of the dos and eats I experienced during the stay. 
The room view though! 

Breakfast @ The Kitchen Table and lunch @ YEN Chinese restaurant. Both are located in the hotel itself. 
 

Relaxation time at AWAY Spa. The 1 hour session was perfect after a long-haul flight. Make sure you book your slot earlier, as told there are usually quite packed with appointments. 

Workout time on top of the building.

I was talking with the marketing person of W hotel and realised the scent of W Shanghai is so familiar. Then I got to know that they are using the same scent for all hotels. My memory must have recalled myself the scent when I visited W Singapore - Sentosa Cove few years back. 

It took us a while to get around the city because China basically banned app like Google Store, Goole Map, Instagram, Facebook and etc. Tips prior travelling to China is to download VPN app, Baidu Map, and 大眾點評 for food and shopping guide. I managed to visit some of the shopping district like XinTianDi and HuaiHai, and covered some restaurants and bars. 
#1 桃園眷村 
Fancy breakfast food, which I believe is more like a Taiwan local food. But the environment and taste was good though. 

#2 富春小籠
Trying to eat xiaolongbao without ruining your shirt, that's a skill there! 

#3 Seesaw Coffee (Jingan Design Center, 433 Yuyuan Lu)
There are many branches in Shanghai, hence I would recommend you go to the one located at the address above. Its high glass roof allows plenty of natural light, making it a beautiful Instagram-worthy space. 

#4 S.Engine Coffee 
Stumbled upon this coffee shop while strolling along HuaiHai street. Love their stairs and windows, which I was making full use of them for pictures :p
 

#5 Zeetea 
Quick stop to grab their tea because I was just visiting DOE store, which is just a few stores away. 

#6 譽八仙 (Yu Ba Xian) 
The Shanghai dishes leans towards a certain sugariness, and many of its most famous dishes are sweet. Not my favourite as I personally prefer saltier taste. 

#7 Speak Low
Speak Low is popular for a reason. They make really good drinks, with service to match. This does not come cheap, you'll pay about 80-120 RMB per cocktails. The bar is really packed, so better go earlier to grab seats. 

#8 Sober Society
Together with the Speak Low team, the cocktails at Sober Society are as expected - nothing short of excellent. The bar itself is aching smart and stylish, perfect for a night out! 

#9 The Bunker
Located at the second floor of The Barn by Green & Safe. This military camp-themed hidey-hole reminds me about the cafes I used to visit back in Sydney. Vibe-wise, the place is hit with the young local crowd, but not so much that you will struggle to find a table. 

#10 齊民市集
Not sure why I ended up having Taiwan hotpot, but it was indeed quite good as all their ingredients are organic and fresh from the farm. Very much like Ben's Grocer back in Malaysia, but extend to a hotpot version. 

We also managed to visit M50 Art District. This large creative district is the urban ghetto of Shanghai's art scene, set amongst the backdrop of restored factories and home to the infamous Shanghai graffiti wall. With a collection of modern and contemporary art galleries, you can easily spend 2-3 hours exploring. 

Thank you W Shanghai for taking care of us during this trip.  Hopefully we could come back again to eat more xiaolongbao.
Till then and to more adventures x