Results tagged “asshanghaiist”

During our times in the suburbs of New Jersey (don't hate), the American restaurant chain Applebee's was always a friendly place for meals with family and late night gatherings with friends. All of those nostalgic feelings came rushing back as Shanghaiist read some rumors on the internets about the opening of the chain's first outlet in China. With our curiosity peaked, we decided to go check it out. As Shanghaiist and accompanying guest entered the...

Remember the pre-op transsexual who was detained in Shenzhen early last month for going on her one-(wo)man demonstration on the streets, holding a placard that says, "I want a sex change, even if it means death!" (我要变性！死了都要变!), and attracting a huge crowd before the police led her away? Well she has gained quite a lot of media exposure in the last two months or so. And just yesterday, Phoenix Princess (凤凰格格) announced through a Youku video that a few sex-change hospitals have gotten in touch with her thanks to the kind help of various media outlets and netizens, and that if nothing goes wrong, she will undergo sex-change operation very soon. As Shanghaiist understands from an American friend who also happens to be a pre-op transsexual seeking surgery in China, many hospitals offering sex-change operations are now competing to work on high-profile cases like Phoenix Princess and herself in their bid to establish themselves in the field, so they may use them as successful case studies to attract new clientele from around China, and eventually overseas. We wish Phoenix Princess all the best for her upcoming surgery!

As Shanghaiist recently reported, AIDS in China continues to be a serious, rapidly growing problem. Much of the current epidemic stems from illegal blood selling in Henan Province during the mid 1990s. Dr. Gao Yao Jie , an activist for AIDS patients in Henan Province, estimates that up to1 million people are infected in Henan province alone. In spite of this, HIV/AIDS still has a reputation in China as a disease of “marginal groups” like drug users, prostitutes, and men who have sex with men. This stigma keeps many infected persons from getting tested or informing their families/friends/lovers of their condition.

Ever heard of Space Bar? Not many people have. It’s a well-kept secret in the gay community that just opened up a couple of months ago.

This past week featured an appearance by two very special ladies, drag queens Gwen and Bling (see photo). Their website describes them as follows:

That’s right, Shanghai’s No. 1 fag hag ran into a sleuth of bears or "pandas”, as they prefer to call themselves, right in the heart of the French Concession. As Shanghaiist has previously mentioned, the city has its very own bear bar, Bobo. (See here for updated address.) Located in the basement of a swanky apartment complex, fortunately or unfortunately, the small drinking establishment was not filled with wild, gigantic, hirsute men as in Shanghaiist’s vivid imagination.

Shanghaiist headed over to Xujiahui Park last weekend to meet French artist Patricia Peides, who is visiting Shanghai to participate in the first Shanghai International Biennial Urban Sculpture Exhibition, part of the 2005 Shanghai Art Fair.

China's internet thugs are are it again, this time attempting to block popular internet telephony services, namely Shanghaiist favorite Skype:

It's official: the women of Wisteria Lane are coming to China -- and with them the explicit exploits, controversial storylines and salacious gossip that has made Desperate Housewives such a runaway success worldwide. The show will premiere in September on CCTV-8, in the nightly segment "Everyday Jiayi" with two episodes screening per day.

Xinhua news reports that as of August 5, Kentucky Fried Chicken is introducing traditional Chinese breakfasts into its menu. The report states that Chinese people have traditionally viewed breakfast as an important meal, but with the growth and change of the city, finding a decent bowl of zhou (粥), the watery rice that has long been a staple of the Chinese diet, is becoming increasingly difficult.