Shanghai. July/August. Behind. the. Curtain

Transcription

1 Centre July/August Shanghai 2009 Behind the Curtain

2 Shanghai Centre Talk Dear Residents and Tenants: It is my pleasure to introduce myself in this issue of the Shanghai Centre Newsletter. My name is Ida Chen and I have been the Executive Housekeeper at Shanghai Centre since September Previously I spent the past 10 years in senior Housekeeping positions in Shanghai s major 5 star hotels including The Portman Shangri-la. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to be part of the team at Shanghai Centre, it feels like a big family helping each other so we can serve you, our loyal customer. The Housekeeping team has an important task to keep Shanghai Centre clean from top to bottom and inside out. My boss Kurt Sigouin always says when Mr. Portman designed Shanghai Centre he truly created a beautiful sculpture for Shanghai to enjoy, but gave us an enormous task to keep it clean! Ida Chen Executive Housekeeper Working 7 days a week 24 hours a day the Housekeeping team never rests as it takes care of everything from exterior window cleaning, building washing, landscaping, all common areas, offices, retail shops and most importantly our residents homes. Recently we developed our Cleaning Service Standards, this is our pledge to you that we are committed to providing you the highest cleaning standards to make your stay at Shanghai Centre as carefree as possible. These service standards can be found on our website at While we receive many compliments from tenants about our great service, I would also like to hear from you if you see areas where we can improve, so please feel free to drop me an at ichen@shanghaicentre.com, it would be my pleasure to personally assist you. Message from Tomoko レジデントの皆様 暑中お見舞い申し上げます Tomoko Ueno Japanese Customer Relations Manager 毎日とても暑い日が続いておりますが 皆様如何お過ごしでしょうか 上海商城では現在駐車場で大々的な修繕工事を行っており 皆様には大変ご迷惑をおかけしております この工事は 9 月下旬頃に終了予定になっております 先日までは新型インフルエンザが蔓延し 今は少し落ち着きを取り戻したようですが 上海商城では公共エリアの消毒清掃 また消毒液の設置を引き続き実施しております 現在お子様向けのサマーキャンプを実施しております ご興味のある方はマーケティング部 Jessie( 内線 :6621) までお問い合わせください また 7,8 月は Coffee Corner を企画しており 冷たい飲み物やアイスクリームなどをご用意していますので 是非ご参加ください 日本に帰国されたり 旅行に行かれたりするレジデントの方も多くいらっしゃると思いますが お体には十分お気をつけください また 今後も上海商城へのご意見ご要望をお待ちしております Shanghai Centre Management Office Suite 710, 1376 Nanjing Rd. West, Shanghai China Tel: Fax: Kurt Sigouin Property Services Director Tel: ext 6759 / Jenny Jiang Customer Service Manager Tel: ext 6627 Tomoko Ueno Japanese Customer Relations Manager Tel: ext 6678 /Alex De Ceuster Marketing Director Tel: ext 6615 Please direct all enquiries to marketing@shanghaicentre.net PRODUCTION Joseph Jones Editor / Tiger Hu Art Director / Samuel Zhang Product Manager

3 Cover Story Behind the Curtain The auditorium is awash with suppressed murmuring. The audience has primped and preened and the scent of perfume mingles with the lingering traces of greasepaint drifting out from offstage. Then, the lights begin to dim and the bubble of noise and expectation rises and dies as the great red curtains are winched slowly aside and the show begins. The Shanghai Centre s theatre, perched high above the atrium on the fourth level has seen many a glittering performance in its day. All the words a stage, wrote William Shakespeare, and Chinese, Asian and internationals stars have swept, swooned and strutted across the theatre s boards. From Cantonese actors to American pop singers, through to Australian children s TV show characters and Japanese classical musicians, the Shanghai Centre theatre has welcomed them all since its opening in During this time it has entertained not only residents of the Shanghai Centre, but the entire city, being one of the earliest theatres in Shanghai to bring modern, international performances to local audience using state of the art technology and facilities. The Many Faces of the Theatre Theatre Operations Manager, Fred Lu, who, with over 15 years of service is well placed to judge, remembers the Hong Kong ballet performing just after the theatre opened, to genuinely stunned audiences who had rarely seen a performance quite like it. For Fred the most challenging work he has ever been involved in was when the then president of the USA, George Bush, spoke at an APEC conference in the Shanghai Centre. The tightest of security controls were implemented and the entire building, says Fred, was isolated to keep it secure, especially as former president of the Russian Federation, Vladamir Putin, was also at the same conference. Fred s reminisces also highlight how the theatre can and has been used for exhibitions; conferences, (such as when Fred met his idol, Microsoft founder, Bill Gates); fashion shows, including last year s Louis Vuitton catwalk showcasing the French fashion house s latest collection; film screenings; and lectures and seminars, including a number of prestigious American universities who run academic courses for overseas students here. Naturally, the kind of perpetration for these events takes time; Fred estimates an average of three days for anything involving people, with plays and musicals obviously taking much longer. Phil Qiu, Theatre Sales Manager, and a man with a background in performing arts, believes that both the kind of show appearing at the theatre and the demographic of the audience is changing. While in the past concerts may have tended to be jazz and Shanghai Centre July August 3

4 Centre News Coming soon Green Massage & DingTaiFung With the opening of two new retailers over the next couple of months, you will have yet another excuse not to leave the building! DingTaiFung, Taiwan s most popular dim-sum place will open its doors in September and is promising to be a hit with residents and office tenants alike. And if you need to relax after work, Green Massage will be ready to deliver you a massage at Your Doorstep. The countdown has started New Art gallery We are happy to welcome Shanghai Basel Art Space to the Shanghai Centre! From mid-july onwards, this modern art gallery will occupy Suite 460 at the Atrium. We can expect monthly changing exhibitions and art-events. Check it out! Give yourself a real lunch-break SC residents and tenant can now benefit from a special summer promotion at Beauty Farm! Revive yourself over lunch with a relaxing 30min massage or 45min facial treatment For more information and reservation, please call or Chill & eat! Chill, Shanghai Centre s all-fresco café, has expanded its offerings with gourmet sandwiches, wraps, fresh fruit salad, ice-cream and a lot more. And all that with a great view of Nanjing Road! Three awards at once! Congratulations to The Portman Ritz- Carlton, Shanghai for being awarded Best Hotel Dining (Tables), Best Wine Selection (Palladio) and Chef of the Year (Palladio) by the readers of City Weekend! folk music, nowadays, he says, acts with a broader appeal are appearing, be they musical or theatre, and the audiences are increasingly more mixed in terms of age and background. Awe and Agility One of the most popular acts is the regular performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic troupe. The acrobats perform athletic feats such as building swaying human towers with nothing but a few rickety wooden chairs, juggling huge vases, and swinging unsupported by little more than a sash of silk high over the audiences heads, in a thrilling show. It is not just physical feats; the acrobats also incorporate Shanghai s long tradition of physical comedy in their routine. The slapstick styling of the two clowns who rush back and forth about the stage keeping a multitude of plates spinning on sticks has echoes of Laurel and Hardy or the Three Stooges. Watch out also for the knife-throwing act, which includes audience participation, we won t ruin the twist, but if you go, try and get your friend to volunteer! Don t be misled into thinking this is something just for tourists, the displays of agility, strength, speed and sheer courage make this one of the Shanghai Centre s relatively undiscovered treasures. Tickets are available from the booth directly outside the forecourt on Nanjing West Road and cost RMB100, 150, or 200. There isn t a great deal in difference on where you sit, although obviously the higher priced tickets have more central and consequently better views. Shanghai Showtime This October, the Shanghai Centre will be dancing to a different beat as CD International Entertainment Inc s original production Hollywood to Broadway, pitches up at the theatre for the enjoyment of all in Shanghai who enjoy a good sing-along. An original review show, it incorporates roughly 40 movies and musicals, and 60 songs dating back to the 1930 s. Some old favourites getting an outing are: Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables, so expect some great costume changes and old-fashioned thumping, toe-tapping numbers as musical favourites are wheeled out in a spectacle of pomp and bombast. The influence of popular music is not neglected, however, and Hollywood to Broadway also strives to give the audience a glimpse into the evolution of pop and rock n roll music through the ages with song selections by Elvis, The Beatles, and Abba. If you re a fan of popular show tunes, big dance numbers, and the ostentatious style, then this could be just the ticket for you! Although very popular in New York and London, this kind of variety show is relatively unknown in China. CD International Entertainment hopes to remind Western, especially American audiences, about their musical heritage and expose Chinese attendees to a new kind of cultural experience, as well as provide both sets with an evening of fun and music. The show will run for four months, taking in other cities in China apart from Shanghai. Tickets for the show will go on sale from mid-august onwards from the Shanghai Centre Ticketbooth (Tel: ). Curtain Call The theatre at the Shanghai Centre has already been the venue for some of Shanghai s most unforgettable evenings, musically and theatrically. With the great team behind it and the Shanghai Centre s commitment to bringing new and innovative acts to the increasingly cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, the future for culture will continue to look bright. 4 Shanghai Centre July August

5 Kidstuff Summer Camps From June 29 onwards, SC s youngest can once again enjoy a daily, complimentary summer camp at the Kids Club! Miss Lilly and her team have prepared fun events with a different camp theme every week. Older children (5 and up) can benefit from discounted Camp rates at the ever-popular Active Kidz Shanghai Summer Camps. For more info, please call Jessie at ext or check for detailed camp info. Mini Tennis After the huge success of the soccer practices, we will add another program to the SC after-school activity program: mini-tennis! All kids from age 3 onwards can join and weekly classes will start from September onwards. For more information and registration, please contact the Marketing department at ext Kids Day In China, June 1 is Children s Day and at Shanghai Centre we always make this event something special All SC kids were invited to the Kids' Club for snacks, followed by a puppet show performance from our favorite clown Yap- Gee Jee. To make it even more festive, everybody received their own sculptured balloon to take home. Event Schedule Jul 11 10:00-11:30 Coffee Morning Suite 353, Office Building 17 18:30-20:30 25 Cigar & Cognac Night Pool Bar, Suite 801, West Tower 14:00-17:00 Coffee Corner Chill, Exhibition Plaza Regular Events - Residents Only Monday 9:30-10:30 Yoga Class Aerobics Room, Ritz-Carlton Health Club Residents Only Aug 15 10:00-11:30 Coffee Morning Resident Lounge, Suite 801, West Tower :00-17:00 Coffee Corner Chill, Exhibition Plaza 10:30-11:30 Pamper yourself Morning Resident Lounge, Suite 801, West Tower Friday 9:30-10:30 Pilates Class Aerobics Room, Ritz-Carlton Health Club Residents Only Jun- Aug 29 9:00-12:00 7 Summer Camp Preschool, Suite 830, East Tower Resident kids only (3-5 yrs) Shanghai Centre July August 5

6 Retailer Section Long Bar After its long renovation, Long Bar, open since 1991, which in Shanghai is practically an institution, has reemerged to provide work-weary professionals with alcoholic beverages and a sympathetic ear. The interior remains much the same, at the request of the patrons, but the bar is offering a whole host of weekly promotions including mojitos and caipirinhas for RMB 25 on Mondays, free cocktails for ladies on Tuesdays, and half-price cigars on Wednesdays. While on Saturdays, selected bottles of wine are half price. Residents of the Shanghai Centre get a 10% discount on production of their tenant I.D. Suite 206A, Centre Retail Plaza, Couleur Chocolat For those craving to indulge their sweet tooth this summer, fear not, upscale French brand for all things chocolaty and confectionery, Couleur Chocolat, has found a home at the Shanghai Centre. With every product chocolates, confectionery, fruit jellies and candied fruits handcrafted in France and then flown directly to Shanghai, chocoholics will be in high-class, candy heaven. Proprietors, Michel and Sylvie, along with their lovely assistants, Lisa and Solène, are on hand to personally welcome you daily from 10 am to 10 pm to their cozy store in the heart of the Shanghai Centre. Suite 117, East Retail Plaza Centre Spotlight Gourmet Cafe Burgers is the name of the game for Gourmet Café and they turn out hand-made patties of the finest, imported ingredients, be it beef, pork, chicken, or vegetable. The interior, however, is far from your typical burger bar, with a chic design incorporating custom designed and built furniture, bright and clean colours and eclectic, personalized music soundtrack, making it an equally ideal place for a lazy Sunday afternoon, lunch meeting or hangout spot with a group of mates. Unsurprisingly burgers dominate the menu, including a foie gras patty featuring sautéed farm apple and orange chutney or Italian pancetta, aged Parmesan cheese and fresh basil pesto blend together with freshly ground, lightly seasoned beef. Other options include a selection of salads washed down with gourmet milkshakes and cocktails. Suite 111, West Retail Plaza, Theater Mikuni Shimokawa ( 下川みくに )in concert Mikuni Shimokawa, Japanese pop singer and songwriter will perform at the Shanghai Centre Theatre! The Japanese star published her first album in 2000 and she is celebrating her 10th anniversary as an artist by bringing her Asian Lovers Tour 2009 to Shanghai. She is best known for her songs used in anime, particularly the theme song of the Full Metal Panic and Detective Conan cartoons. Date: August 7, 2009 Time: 19:30pm Venue: Shanghai Centre Theatre Price: RMB 580, 380, 300 Event Recap Golf Tournament The 4th SC Annual Golf Tournament brought thirty keen golfers to the East Sea Golf & Country Club in Taicang. It proved to be a challenging course with lots of balls being hit out of bounce but a great day of golf nevertheless. As always, a big thank you to our sponsors for their generous donations! (Check out the complete sponsor list on the back-cover of the magazine) Summer BBQ Party This was one of the best Shanghai Centre BBQ parties ever! commented one of our long term residents The band rocked the house, the food was outstanding and everybody had a blast! What a way to start the summer holidays! Canada Day Celebrations As if one summer party was not enough, the SC Terrace Garden also hosted CanCham s Canada Day Celebrations A basketball tournament, Canadian food Fair, Carnival games, Idol competition, two bands and plenty of excellent f&b transformed Shanghai Centre into little Canada for one day We are looking forward to next year! All about Jade What makes jade so unique? Why is jade so omni-present in Chinese culture? And even more important: how to recognize real from fake jade? Answers to those questions and much more were given during a well attended lecture from Mr. Nuckles during our monthly Coffee morning. Charity Clothes drive A big thank you to all residents and tenants for your generous contribution to the River of Hearts Annual clothes drive at the Shanghai Centre! Your donations filled up more than 60 boxes which will be distributed to needy people in poor provinces in China. 6 Shanghai Centre July August

7 Centre Scene Out and About in Shanghai Centre 1 1. Group-picture before the start of the Annual Golf Tournament 2. The Consul General of Canada and the chair of Cancham cut the cake during Canada Day Celebrations at Shanghai Centre. 4. Prize Ceremony & lucky draw in Taicang 5. Residents in full swing during the Summer BBQ party 6. And the kids are having fun as well! Shanghai Centre July August 7

8 ADMINISTRATION SERVICES The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai Fax: Business Centre SHANGHAI CENTRE SERVICES Shanghai Centre Management Fax: Shanghai Centre Customer Service Ext Fax: Shanghai Centre Security Ext Wake-up call Ext.0 Apartment Room Service Ext East Residence Lobby Ext West Residence Lobby Ext Preschool Kids' Club Resident Lounge (Suite 801) Ext Reading Room (Suite 815) Ext Theatre ticket office Maintenance/Building Services Ext FASHION Dave's Tailoring Suite 105, West Retail Plaza Gucci Suite A03, Street Level, West Retail Plaza Marc Jacobs Suite A04, Street Level, West Retail Plaza Paul & Shark Suite A01, Street Level, East Retail Plaza Salvatore Ferragamo Suite A02, Street Level, East Retail Plaza Stefano Ricci Room , The Portman Ritz-Carlton Loro Piana Suite A05, Street Level, West Retail Plaza PERSONAL SERVICES Beauty Farm Suite 808, East Tower City Shop Level B, Exhibition Plaza FIORI - Nail Plus Salon Suite 210, East Retail Plaza Huashi Pharmacy Suite 206, West Retail Plaza Jazz Laundry Valet Suite 102, West Retail Plaza Major Shoe Repair & Key Service Suite 101, West Office Tower Post Office Suite 355, East Office Tower LifeLine Shanghai Suite 305, West Office Tower SinoUnited Health Suite 601, West Office Tower The Portman Ritz-Carlton Health Club Ext Level 7, The Portman Ritz-Carlton The Portman Ritz-Carlton Salon Level 7, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Toni & Guy Hairdressing Salon Suite 209, East Retail Plaza Wally's Digital & Photocopy Suite 105A, West Retail Plaza Parkway Health Suite 203, West Retail Plaza GOVERNMENT OFFICES American Chamber of Commerce Suite 568, East Office Tower Austrian Consulate Commercial Section Suite 514, West Office Tower Australian Consulate Visa Section Suite 406, West Office Tower British Consulate Suite 301, West Office Tower Canadian Consulate Suite 604, West Office Tower Canadian Consulate Visa Section Suite 668, East Office Tower Canadian Chamber of Commerce Suite 605, West Office Tower Irish Consulate Suite 700A, West Office Tower New Zealand Consulate Visa Section Suite 507, West Office Tower Philippine Consulate Suite 368, East Office Tower US Commercial Service Suite 631, East Office Tower US Agriculture Trade Office Suite 331, East Office Tower US Public Affairs Section Suite 540, East Office Tower RESTAURANTS / ENTERTAINMENT California Pizza Kitchen Suite 107, West Retail Plaza Chill Exhibition Plaza Ext.6003 Gourmet Cafe Suite 111, West Retail Plaza Element Fresh Suite 112, East Retail Plaza Hanagatami Japanese Restaurant Level 2, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Ext Long Bar Suite 206A, Centre Retail Plaza Palladio Italian Restaurant Level 1, The Portman Ritz-Carlton The Ritz Bar Level 2, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Ext Starbucks Coffee Suite 103, West Retail Plaza Summer Pavilion Level 2, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Ext Tables Level 1, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Tony Roma's Suite 109, West Retail Plaza Paul Bakery Suite 118, East Retail Plaza GIFTS & ACCESSORIES Alice Flower Suite 106C, West Retail Plaza Chaterhouse Booktrader Suite 104, West Retail Plaza Couleur Chocolat Suite 117, East Retail Plaza Emperor Silk Suite 201, West Retail Plaza Federico Buccellati Suite A06, Street Level, East Retail Plaza Lady's World Suite 326, East Office Tower Steven Artcraft Stuite 703A, West Office Tower The Portman Ritz-Carlton Gift Shop Level 1, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Ext Zhang's Textiles Suite 202A, West Retail Plaza Boutique Yaling Level 2, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Urban Tribe Level 2, The Portman Ritz-Carlton TRAVEL & BUSINESS SERVICES Aeroflot Russian Airlines Suite 114, East Retail Plaza All Nippon Airways Suite 208A, East Retail Plaza HSBC Suite 106, West Retail Plaza Jade Travel Suite 427, West Office Tower Malaysia Airlines Suite 560, East Office Tower Philippine Airlines Suite 735A, East Office Tower Turkish Airlines Suite 211, West Retail Plaza Vietnam Airlines Suite 531A, East Office Tower Jingao Travel Agency Suite 500, West Office Tower Shanghai Centre thanks all of our sponsors for the Annual Shanghai Centre Golf Tournament!