Fabric market and street grub

Awhile back, nicole and I went to the fabric market to buy new coats. Inside (the fabric market is indoors) are endless rows of booths filled with bolts of fabric stacked high above your head, and coats, suites, dresses, even pajamas hanging from all angles.

Actually, I went in with absolutely no intention on buying a new coat, but then as I walked past one of the booths, I stopped and looked at a jacket. Big mistake. The lady working the booth ensnared me immediately. "Try on. You try on."
"Um, I'm just looking."
"Try on. Try." At this point she has the jacket off the mannequin and is wrapping it around my shoulders.
"Really, I'm not looking to buy a new coat."
She slips my arms in the sleeves, and starts pushing me toward the mirror.
"Go look."
"Really. I'm not...hmmm" I catch my reflection and pause. Not bad, not bad at all. In fact, I rather like it. Oh no, now she knows I like it. There goes one bargaining chip.

Five minutes later, I'm getting measured for my very own black cashmere coat. Oh well. Now, if it'll only get cold enough in Shanghai for me to wear it.


Here is me surprising cole with picture. I even used the flash. We're such tourists.

The entrance of the fabric market.

Outside of the market were many many street vendors because the fabric market is a popular destination for those crazy white folk.
Me on my china cell phone. These days my hair is even longer; I can even comb it.

Also outside of the market, just a street to the right, underneath a highway overpass, was amazing street food. I'm pretty sure these were vegetable dumplings, but considering how good they were, I don't really care what was inside. These cost us 3 rmb for six, something like 40 cents.

To go with the dumplings we had made-to-order chow fun from this cart. I didn't catch all of the ingredients but it was something like, flat noodles, soy sauce, oil, an egg, sprouts, three kinds of spices, two scoops of msg, and a spinach-like veggie topping.
Mmmm....
The msg did make us really thirsty though. Nothing that funny tasting china diet coke couldn't wash away.
That night, cole and I went to Best Buy (yes, they have a Best Buy in Shanghai, the only one in China) and I couldn't help but play their Hello Kitty guitar. I am seriously considering buying it because there just isn't anything like this back home.

In my free time, I've taken to learning how to play anime theme songs. The two latest have been Naruto season 2 theme, and Beck. I know, I know, such a dork, and china is definitely not helping in that respect.

I'll leave you with this video of cole and me in our new coats. The lighting is our horrible industrial dorm lighting (we have nice soft white bulbs now, courtesy of ikea lamps) so we're not looking our best. I also can't seem to act not embarrassing. It's a talent I have.