Taikang Lu – Old and New Shanghai
January 19, 2009 by Nik
Filed under Feature Highlights, Uniquely Far East
When a young girl first starts experimenting with make-up, her enthusiastic application of various creams, powders and glosses can leave her looking like she’s heading for an audition with the circus. That is an apt analogy for Shanghai, a city in such a mad rush to grow up and match other metropolis like Paris, London and New York. Bold, bright symbols of progression are embraced with the kind of fervor a devoted fanatic might reserve for a beloved rock icon, sometimes to jarringly gaudy effect.
Taikang Lu, a quiet blend of old and new in the midst of the cacophony that is urban Shanghai.
Which is why Taikang Lu is so refreshing. A quaint little street lined with boutiques, art galleries, cafes and antique stores that blends the old and new, Taikang Lu is a far cry from the bright lights and shimmering skyscrapers of downtown Shanghai.
The scuffed, mottled exteriors of the boutiques and cafes help Taikang Lu maintain a sense of longevity and authenticity while the sparkly new interiors speak to the affluence of the city’s growing middle class. As recently as the mid-nineties, Taikang Lu was just an inexpensive warehouse district for aspiring artists. Rent was dirt-cheap and the area relatively unknown. Then the renovations began and in came the boutiques, cafes, galleries and wineries filling up the area now famed for the incongruity of the shabby facades that conceal abundantly lavish wares. The maze of cobbled alleyways can be a bit tricky to navigate. Be prepared to duck under flailing bits of laundry, make way for oncoming foot traffic and dodge delivery cyclists as you make your way around.
The thing I love about Taikang Lu is that is smells so good. Whether it’s the aroma of coffee wafting out of the cafes, the warm scent of fresh baked goods or the woody smell of sanded picture frames – nowhere else in Shanghai smells quite like it. Fans of Chinese art, premium coffee, good wine or designer accessories will be delighted with the variety of choice here.
Get your caffeine fix at Kommune, Maui Coffee or The Green Apple Café. Or sample the best in Chilean wine from the aptly named Chilean Wine Shop. Glismatten, The Swiss Fondue House, is a decadent treat not to be missed. Dieters beware! There’s also New York Pizza and tantalizing Vietnamese at Ginger Indochine.
With your appetite sated, while away the afternoon with visits to the dozens of antique stores and art galleries. Start at Casa Pagoda, the traditional Chinese furniture store and work your way around via InSH (custom designed T-Shirts), The Pottery Workshop (chic ceramics) and Nuzi (art supplies and stationery). Ladies who worships at the altar of the classy handbag will find their church at the fabulous Jooi Design. Back on the main street you may pass the occasional street artist doing portraits of passersby. These are slow (a single picture can take half an hour) but if you have the time, the results are invariably worth it.
A great place for people watching.
Taikang Lu is also great for people watching. Paradoxically, this is also one of the least appealing things about it. The sight of heavily manicured fashionistas sipping their lattes next to the wizened vendor selling his handicrafts just to try and make ends meet, make the Taikang Lu experience seem surreal and a little pretentious.
But whether you’re a bohemian backpacker on your own or a luxury traveler visiting with your family, Taikang Lu is certainly worth a visit. Get there by taxi – there are no bus or subway links to Taikang Lu. Tell the taxi driver you want to go to “Taikang Lu” – he will likely drop you off on the corner of Taikang Lu and Sinan Lu, from where your exploring can begin.
