YOU'VE GOT GOT NUTHIN TO LOSE

Periodically I would like to recommend a "song of the day" or some musical influence that you may or may not enjoy.
One song that has been on my mind for quite some time now (thanks to the blessing of The Reverend Dave Gil) is "Deuce" by Kiss... "YOU KNOW YOUR MAN IS WORKIN HARD. HE'S WORTH A DEUCE." Yes, the painted ones hailing from Detroit. If you haven't seen Kissology, the DVD that was released last year, add it to your list. IT'S GOLD. PURE GOLD. I mean, who here got to see them in their prime? When they were considered "evil" and a bad influence of the youth of 197... When was that Dave? Trust me, it's worth the viewing. Gene Simmons doing his demonic parody, Ace Frehely with smoking guitar and Peter Chris singing Black Diamond? What's not to love? Of course there is the rhymless banter of Paul Stanley, but this is part of the beauty. These guys were to first to do what they did... are doing. So many acts have followed and immitated, it's countless. The music is bizarre and you may not be a fan. But it is so unique to them and only them... Loud. Rude. Simple. RocknRoll.

Old School Shanghai Apartment

So these are the new digs! It's a great spot right in the middle of Shanghai. When you enter in the downstairs you walk through a common kitchen area for the downstairs tenants. a little bizarre at first, but I have gotten to know the people downstairs a bit... by site anyway. They are usually cooking dinner, doing laundry... the normal stuff. So you go through the kitchen and then up a flight of stairs, through a door and then you are in my apartment. There is a landing with a front door and a bathroom and then inside the front door, you see the main living room and kitchen.





I love the fact that it is situated in a very old Shanghai lane community and near the French concession. When I get my stuff in February, I will be able to ride to work. Maybe a 15 to 20 minute bike ride? Should be pretty sweet. Really looking forward to it.

Studio...

Is where it happens. For those of you who are not familiar with the term Studio, it's the part of the agency where it all comes together. We create concepts, help those see their vision, and then produce it and get it out the door. Acutally Studio is a lot like the kitchen. When you have a party, where does everyone end up at the end of the night? (besides that Pointsette) The above is of me and Molly Lee. She is the Matriarch of WK Shanghai. She knows everything. EVERYTHING. Don't know how, but none the less... Anyway, it was a late night. Fun with rabbit ears. Always a good time!

I live in Shanghai...

Every day at least once that phrase comes from my mouth. Today I said it while riding in a taxi from Nanjing Lu to work.
Interesting that even though last night ended at 5 am for a Nike presentation, I was in the best mood. Sense of accomplishment? Maybe. Sleep deprived and amused by the dancing Panda's on the hood of the taxi? Probably. Either way, it was a good feeling. I was talking with Maya (oh by the way, in this "blog" I am going to refer to my friends and family by their first names only. If you don't know them, you should, and any case ask me) yesterday morning while waiting for the Art Directors to get back to us, and she asked me wether or not it had set in that I actually lived here. That it was for the long haul. I don't think so. Not yet anyway. So much has been happening it feels like an extended stay. Anyway, it's all fantastic. It's hard to describe. Anyway...

So! Here I am and this will be the place that hopefully I can put my thoughts (if you have a few pennies) in a somewhat timely fashion. I've been fairly good about emailing, but this will help. Shanghai. Indeed. So amazing. Shanghai is a mix of what China was and what it is and what it will be all at once. You can see the guys fixing power cables with bamboo laters as well as bamboo scafolding around construction sites, but then down the street LED screens and super modern buildings. Every day you see something new and different. That would also include when they bring you a bird on a plate that still looks much like the bird might look when it was sitting in the tree. Tasty.

I have an residence now in this perfectly old Shanghai apartment. It is situated in a lane with many other common buildings full of apartments. I love the fact that when I look out of my window that I can see the tops of old Chinese houses, complete with Bamboo drying racks, tiled roofs and interesting Chinese details to each buidling. Then, just above that, you can see the modern city taking shape. I will post a picture of what i mean soon enough. As far as that goes, I'll try and get as many pics as often as possible. Time. I've got a lot of it... filled with "stuff", but lots of time here.

We're off for dinner this evening at Zen in Xintiandi, a sweet place just off of Huai Hai Lu.
Take care -