>If you're looking to throw an awesome New Year's hotel party on the semi-cheap in Shanghai, this might be your chance. Authorities announced yesterday that on December 31st, various tourist spots and hotels in Pudong will offer half-off discounts. Hotels included in the promotion are the Pudong Shangri-la, Ritz-Carlton, Radisson, Ramada Plaza, Grand Hyatt, and many others (totaling 28). See the full list (in Chinese) here. more ›

If you’re busy working on your New Year’s resolutions (a.k.a. a list of overambitious goals that you’re just going to discard by March) put it away! New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the year that’s passing instead of worrying about the one to come, so head out and join your fellow Shanghailanders for a snazzy end to 2009. more ›

By Derek Sandhaus more ›

With the holiday season in full swing things usually slow down in the music scene. But this weekend there are a few shows that should get us through to the New Year. more ›

For those who left the country during Spring Festival, or like us, those who can't afford living in an expensive high-rise compound, video and photo sharing websites allow us to join in on the action (or, if you were trying to sleep during the fireworks, relive the nightmares). We especially enjoyed the the above video of the Yangjiang Fireworks Festival in Guangdong — it's almost 17 minutes long. more ›

Sunday. Usually, a quiet, contemplative day in the Blogosphere. But not here in the Ist-a-Verse. Nonono! Just look below and see all of the wild and crazy stuff our staffs are up to. more ›

Maybe you have never been to Shanghai. Or maybe you've been here before and miss the place. Or perhaps, like Shanghaiist, you live in Shanghai but rarely have the need/desire to go to Peoples Square. Well, this website offers a virtual way to transport yourself to the big mass of concrete and grass -- all humans and dogs please stay on the concrete! -- in the center of Shanghai (but not that real center of the city ... more on that soon). panoramas.dk offers a scrollable fullscreen 360-degree night image of Peoples Square taken in 2002. The site has hundreds of similar images from all over the world -- a neat way to truly be a virtual tourist (and save on airfare). more ›

新年快乐! Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Chinese New Year! Happy Year of the Dog! Happy everything from all of us here at Shanghaiist. Eat well. Drink well. And don't forget to let go of the firecrackers. more ›

Here's an interesting one: a competition to find the sound that is most representative of Shanghai. Set up by the British Consulate and the Shanghai Oriental Publicity Service Centre, the competition requires contestants to record an mp3 file of the sound they choose, and write an explanation of it in 100 words of less. more ›

You can almost hear the buzz surrounding the upcoming opening of the new Cotton's bar/restaurant in Shanghai all the way where Shanghaiist currently is holed up for the holidays. Wait ... no ... that's just the 3 a.m. train rolling by. (Damn jetlag.) But anyway, sources who happen to still be in Shanghai tell us that lots of people who enjoy a good drink and a good chat are talking about the impending return of one of the friendlier faces to grace the Shanghai scene. Contrary to popular belief, however, New Year's Eve is not the first chance you'll have to check out Cotton's new digs. Local party planners Matt & Flo are throwing a Christmas Eve bash there on -- you guessed it -- Christmas Eve (Saturday). Here are the details, ripped from the party email: more ›