Digital marketing consultant
Whitney Ng could happily live on coffee, pasta and Muji stationary. She loves meeting creatives from all around the world and finding a home in obscure cities. Currently based in Jing An, Shanghai, Whitney started out as a freelance writer and photographer in Perth during the rise of blogging and social media. For Whitney, Shanghai is unlike anywhere else in the world—she saw the potential, decided not to look back and has made this corner of the world her new home.
Where can you find legit street food in your city?
One of the best things about living in Shanghai is that each street corner is literally lined with great eats. When I first arrived, I wondered how so many stalls can afford to operate in such close proximity to each other, all whilst offering roughly the same thing ... but over here, it just works. There’s enough foot traffic and the locals all have that ONE vendor that they swear by. I’m a sucker for sweet soybean milk and savoury millet flour pancakes in the mornings. Streetside barbecue in the small hours is a must-try in Shanghai—you can get almost any kind of meat, vegetable, steamed bread or seafood on skewers. They charcoal grill it right in front of you and season it with a blend of spices (each cart has it’s own unique spice mix). You can get a decent feed on the street for 9 Chinese yuan [about $1.50] or less.
Shanghai is one of the world's most vertical cities.
Shanghai locals take their street eats and meats seriously by staying loyal to specific vendors.
What’s the one thing that you can find in Shanghai that you can’t find anywhere else?
I think that this a really tough question because of Shanghai’s history and how much international influence it has received. Therefore, it’s hard to pin-point any one thing that you couldn’t find anywhere else in China or around the world. However, I will say that there is something uniquely special about Shanghai that always seems to draw you back in. I spent a month here in 2013, and in that short time I decided that this is a place that I could potentially call home. Two years later, I’m back here for good. And I’m not the only one who feels that way either—most expats who I've met feel drawn to this place and eventually, whether they leave for one week or one year, all say the same thing: That there’s just that “something” about Shanghai that will always make you want to come back. This city truly has a spirit that you really have to live in to believe.
Where is the ultimate first date spot?
One of the best things about Shanghai is that there is always an exhibition rolling through town one weekend or the other. Since I’ve been here, I usually go to a show or gallery at least once a week, which is something that I hardly experienced in Australia. First dates can always go either way, but I think that starting out somewhere quiet is a good start—this is a very big and very busy city, so it’s always soothing to go anywhere that let’s you take a little break from that every now and then. Visiting a great restaurant and ending the night off at one of Shanghai’s unique speakeasies is also mandatory. A few recommendations for date night dinner and drinks are Speak Low, Vis-a-Vis and VaBene Shanghai.
The Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) is dedicated to comtemporary art with ever-rotating exhibitions. The museum celebrated it's fifth anniversay this year.
If you're an architecture and design dork, The Waterhouse at South Bund is the hotel for you.
Which historic building or symbol best represents the heartbeat of Shanghai?
As far as iconic goes, I would have to say the Lujiazui skyline, which includes the Jin Mao Tower, the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai Financial World Centre and the Shanghai Tower. This is the shot that every photographer wants and the sight that every tourist associates with Shanghai. Personally though, I would say that the heartbeat of Shanghai for me would be the Former French Concession area. It’s tree-lined, airy and has a soulful combination of both Old Shanghai and New Shanghai. I find it’s the only place in Shanghai where I can start my mornings off with a cup of coffee and a crisp, buttery croissant and then walk two blocks down to have some of the city’s fresh-out-of-the-pan, ridiculously moreish dumplings.
Which hotel in town would be the perfect place for a staycation?
The Waterhouse at South Bund. Architecture wise, it has everything that I could ever want for my future home and is conveniently situated right next to one of my favorite restaurants in Shanghai, Table No. 1. It’s located in it’s own little cultural precinct which is a little ways away from the heart of the city—that definitely helps to kick start some much needed R&R. I could happily spend a few nights there.
Where do you go to photograph the most epic views of your city?
Local Instagrammers are known for their heartracing rooftop shots that capture our bustling city below. These designated areas are spotted around the city and for safety reasons, the exact locations are a heavily guarded secret amongst the community. But not all is lost—if you’re in Shanghai for a few days and are looking to capture the city, head up to any rooftop bar along The Bund to capture that iconic shot of the Lujiazui skyline. If vertigo isn’t a problem for you, experience Shanghai from the observation deck of the Shanghai Financial World Centre (SFWC) which offers a pretty killer view at 474 meters above.
Eat, Drink, Be Merry
1. Table No. 1
2. Farine
3. Egg
4. Beautiful Concept
5. Speak Low
Try This
1. Go to an exhibition at West Bund, the Power Station of Art or Long Museum
2. Create your own custom *insert clothing item here* at the Shanghai South Bund Soft-Spinning Material Market
3. Go cafe hopping around the French Concession
4. Tick things off your touristy bucket list via Zhujiajiao, Yu Gardens and The Bund
5. Experience one of Shanghai’s many rolling art fairs, pop-up markets and festivals over the weekend.
Stay and Play
1. M50/Moganshan Road
2. Three on the Bund
3. Yong Kang Lu
4. Xintiandi
5. Anfu Lu
Check out Whitney Ng’s photography and writing on her blog littlelofts.com. She hopes it will help you ease long train rides and diffuse potentially awkward conversations. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @littlelofts for a daily dose of Shanghai cafes, architecture and #foodporn.