We came across this store during a stroll on Jianguo Lu. Having recently bought an Astro Boy (60s Japanese anime) DVD, we were quick to notice an inflatable Atom Boy or two smiling blankly next to some flashing Christmas bulb lights in a display window, and we had no choice but to go and walk in. According to Jeff, the co-owner/manager (he wasn't that specific), while both he and the other guy had day jobs doing design and other such stuff, that they had collected a bunch of old toys and other kitschy items (transparent, inflatable Hitchcock pillow with the director's silhouette and some fake "bird shit" stains on them—a reference to a certain movie about creepy birds) and decided to sell them. The store is tiny, but strangely cozy—Jeff sat in a sofa chair, drawing some weird sci-fi type illustration while we perused the goods. We didn't ask much about the prices, but if you're interested, check out some of the photos we took of the place to get a sense of what they are selling. Also, check out their origami business cards—a piece of black paper with a map and their address folded into a black swan. more ›

This many come as a shock to some of you, but some of us here at Shanghaiist can be, well, a little cynical. No! Surely not, you say! Ah, but true, my friend, but true. For example, we never took much notice of the restaurant Nuova Vita, near the intersection of Fuxing Lu and Ruijin Er Lu. It had existed pretty much since we moved to the city, and considering its age and curious lack of hype, we had it pegged as traditional Shanghainese Italian fare—canned sauce, rubbery noodles, with prices fit only for a Roman Pontiff. more ›

If you have a real job, you'll likely be working. But if you're like Shanghaiist -- and you're also American -- you may be watching some good, old fashioned ganlanqiu ... American football ... the National Football League conference championships ... the two games that determine the contestants in Super Bowl XL (40, not "extra large"). The Pittsburgh Steelers play at the Denver Broncos in the American Football Conference championship at 4 a.m. And with a somewhat more bearable 7:30 a.m. kickoff, the National Football Conference championship pits the Carolina Panthers on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. more ›

While Shanghaiist has been here long enough that the picture to the right didn't seem wrong at all, it's true that Shanghai traffic can be a little crazy sometimes. And while we have personally been hit by a taxi (and several bicycles) it may be getting worse, despite efforts to the contrary. A few weeks ago Shanghaiist noticed that the intersection of Jianguo Xi Lu and Ruijin Er Lu was becoming rather, well, fortified. The sidewalk corners had been fenced in, and there were so many traffic wardens and police that we took to avoiding the intersection whenever possible. After all, when in a rush, the last thing we want is to have to stop at a red light. We did notice, however, a large number of signs standing on one corner, and had to investigate. It turns out that the signs are part of the most recent city-wide initiative to promote traffic safety that began in June. How? Well, whenever the police stop someone riding or walking the wrong way, they politely escort them over to the corner, where a warden attempts to educate them about the specific law they've violated. With the aid of pictures. Pedestrians, she informed us, are the biggest problem here. Strange, considering the police car turning left through a red light as she spoke. "In China we don't talk about that," she responded. more ›