Week Around the Ists
Interview: Coco Zhao, from jazz to M. Butterfly
Any Brits walking past the huge Marks & Spencer store on Nanjing Xi Lu (near Wujiang Lu) have spent the last few weeks dreaming of the clothes, accessories and food (but not weather) that they miss from back home.
Thanks to leaked documents delivered on Microfiche to Shanghaiist HQ (good job 007), we can give you a few sneak previews.
First of all, Womens wear (including the bedrock of M&S's reputation: underwear) will be available in UK sizes 8-18 with some items up to a size 20. Trousers and skirts will come in short, standard and long lengths, and bra sizes will range from 32AA to 40D.
Shoes will go run up to a UK 11 for men and UK 8 for women, and men's shirts from a 14.5 to 18 inch neck.
The list of available foods is causing mass outbreaks of saliva gland spasms amongst certain sections of the ex-pat community, selected highlights from the spread include:
- Fisherman's Pie
- Eton Mess
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Lemon Meringue
- Biscuits (over 100 kinds including M&S Jaffa Cakes, Custard Creams & Chocolate Digestives)
- Crisps (including Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Red Onion)
- Double Devon Toffees
- 6 kinds of Marmalade
- 17 kinds of Tea
- Yorkshire Bitter, Organic Cider
(It may not mean much to you, but we built an empire on this stuff goddamn it!)
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Pink rinses, daily mails, microwave shepherds pies...it's all coming back to me. Hopefully the Mexican three bean wraps will make it out here.
what about the Marmite yeast?
No Marmite- they only have their own brand of stuff, and I don't think anyone other than Marmite and Bovril bother making such a bizarre niche product.
No 3 bean Mexican wrap on the list I've got either. Sorry Gris Gris.
custard creams sounds yummy :)
but salt and vinegar chips, eww, we had it in sweden but no one bought it so they never produced it again, must be those weird brits who like them :P
but really looking forward to visit M&S next time in shanghai.
I have patiently waited for M&S Shanghai for 12 years - Hong Kong has had over twenty M&S stores for the last ten years!
However, it is here and very good it is too -
shoe size 12 (47) in slippers !! and not bloody mules!XXL sports shirts for men. And lots of clothes for women not just girls. And underwear underwear undearwear in good size range!! No towelling dressing gowns though.
Food a plenty (not fresh as in UK - but no complaints).
Recommend the rhubarb crumble - Carrefour have occassionally sold thin feeble stuff.
Fish pies (no bones! so not to local tastes!)
Good chocolate and reasonably priced wine etc.
Good biccies and let's hope like HK we can get mince pies at Xmas and Hot x Buns at easter.
A small cafe selling sarnies.
Unless you are English or know M&S this could be the best kept secret in Shanghai.
I won't have to spenfd my last day on UK hols having to fill a suitcase with M&S fayre!
Well done M&S keep it up ande let's have another store in Gubei - pronto.
NB The real Marmite(yeast extract)used to be sold at CitySupers it was made in and imported from South Africa - but just fine.
Now City sell Marmite in a red jar. This ersatz crap is from New Zealand and is Vegemite in disguise.
Has anyone ever seen parsnips in Shanghai?