• Christian Dior's high drama ads with Marion Cotillard will soon feature Shanghai, with a David Lynch directed 12-minute piece entitled “Lady Blue.” Says Galliano, “In the David Lynch film, Marion is reciting a poem that he wrote, and was inspired by the Pearl Tower itself. The words and building fuse in the picture he paints on-screen. Shanghai is such a vibrant and inspiring city.” Well, it's got more than enough twin peaks... [Fabsugar]
• Oops! Despite it being advertised on the official Shanghai ticketing website, the Gwen Stefani tour dates for our city are fake. Her Gwen-ness will not be coming in May, instead "Gwen and the guys are in the studio working on the upcoming No Doubt album." [Shanghai Talk]
• SmartShanghai informs us that Phoking, Nam 1975 and the California Pizza Kitchen in the Portman are all closing down. Tony Romas in the Portman is still around though, because their owners made a deal with the devil... or something. Seriously, how is it still around? [SmartShanghai]

Tired of getting stood up by people who call to reserve cabs and then fail to show, Shanghai's taxi drivers will implement a customer rating system, reports the Shanghai Daily (via CRIENGLISH.com). Customers who habitually leave taxis hanging will have their phone numbers blacklisted and will end up like the rest of us, running around frantically trying to find a cab during rush hour in the rain because the taxi line at the Portman stretches all the way to California Pizza Kitchen. more ›

We all know that California is famous for its pizza. Wait ... no it's not. Still, the California Pizza Kitchen, a mainstay in malls across America, is a welcome addition to the Shanghai restaurant scene, even though they tend to put some crazy shit on their "hearth-baked pizzas." CPK, as they refer to themselves, opened an 88-seat branch in Shanghai Center on Tuesday. It's right next door to the Haagen-Dazs. more ›