"when you're around me, I'm radioactive"

BCBG Max Azria top. Replay denim shorts.

Goodbye Shanghai, my love! It's come to an end, this month of challenges and thrills and the feelings of absolute joy that I can recount on so many occasions. I'm guessing a massive contributing factor to that was the feeling of having pretty much no responsibility but to live life to the fullest, knowing this would all come to an end and that an expiration date makes everything that much more special. What I know for sure however, is that Shanghai has played a part in this time in my life where I was forced to become more independent, to seek out adventure and to grow into myself a little more. And the friends I've made along the way, well, they're all characters in a story that I'll be greedily reminiscing over for years to come!

Could not have spent the day more perfectly I must admit. I ended up crashing lunch with Viv and her family, eating in a hole-in-the-wall of a Shanghainese restaurant where I got to actually speak some solid Mandarin and try some delicacies that I would later find out were more foreign than expected (haha pig's tongue anyone?!) After lunch we made our way for dessert at the cutest little bakery, feasting on cheesecake and some much-missed english breakfast tea.

We made our way to the fabric market to pick up some last minutes finds, for Viv it was a carry-on tote and a jacket she'd had made and for me, some beautiful silk scarves.
Next stop: Pu Dong Airport. By this point it was really sinking in that Melbourne and my beautiful family and friends were only a few hours away (and that definitely made it a whole lot easier to get on the plane!)It seems my time in Shanghai is really over but I know it won't be the last China and I see of each other.


再见上海...谢谢给了我这样一个难忘的经验! 不要忘了我!


Love Jess

xoxo

"I'm in love with being queen"

Portmans dress. 

Tuesday...last day, last night, last chance to say goodbye to all these wonderful new friends and this crazy city that has been my home for a month. We spent a lazy morning, went to high tea at the Park Hyatt, made a trip to Vue Bar at the top of the Hyatt and spent the night saying our goodbyes at Perry's...doesn't sound too bad to me!

High Tea @ the Park Hyatt: We'd been looking forward to this one for a while, getting all girly glam and feeling like royalty. After a sea of complications however, we finally made it to tea at about 4pm...a lot later than expected! And that meant we couldn't get a spot by the window! However, we still had an absolutely lovely time feasting on mini macaroons, strawberry tarts and hot chocolate. Very classy way to spend the day at the Park Hyatt with views from the 87th floor that once again gave me a brand new perspective on Shanghai!

Vue Bar: Now, it was only by chance and sheer determination that I made it to this spot which my roommate had said "has the best view of Shanghai" but that I'd foolishly overlooked as a must see. I ended up venturing out into the city on my lonesome to meet some friends and make the most of my last night and my god, I'm so glad I did! Arriving at Vue Bar in the Hyatt, paying my 100 kuai entry (which included 2 delicious cocktails) and venturing up to the balcony/rooftop, I was literally speechless at not only the view but the effortless chicness of this Shanghai hotspot. And to think I almost didn't go! Finding the boys and ridiculously enough bumping into some friends I'd made at the start of the trip but had missed on every catch up attempt , it was the perfect way to see off the trip. There's even a hot-tub in the middle of this balcony! Incredible.

Perry's: After a few more hours with the gang, we made our way to Perry's, a dive bar where it seemed all the interns had congregated for a last-hoorah send off. Thinking about it, the contrasts of our day are a little comical, but just like the views of Vue made for an intoxicating decadence, this little bar in the middle of nowhere had a very laid-back feel, scrawling writing documenting a history of silly nights covering every inch of wall and table; the bar is famous for its' cheap buckets (which I avoided because they couldn't have been screaming 'fake alcohol' more if they tried) and its' intimate, backpacker-bar feel. We all got a bit emotional saying goodbye to each other over the roar of the top-40 and made our way home feeling very bitter-sweet. 

Love Jess
xoxo

"concrete jungles where dreams are made of"

Marc By Marc Jacobs Top. J Brand shorts. Karen Walker Sunglasses. 

It has finally reached the last couple of days of my internship and time in New York.  This post sums up some of my final thoughts on my internship experience as well as a task I almost forgot to mention but marked the beginning of trust between my boss and me – cue sentimental moment.

As I have mentioned before, running errands is what I do.  This particular errand occurred a number of weeks ago and was the first of a series of more ‘personal’ requests I received from my boss.  Yes that sounds creepy but no, not like that, this was strictly fashion business. I was asked to go my boss’s house and look through her jewellery box for pieces that she would be able to wear to the night’s upcoming CFDA awards (Council of Fashion Designers of America).  That’s right, my boss was off to one of the biggest award ceremonies of the fashion industry and I was going to contribute a small part to her outfit!

Her jewellery consisted of three animal inspired rings, think lions, elephants and snakes all by Jennifer Fisher!   Alongside the rings she wore a statement bone cuff also from Jennifer Fisher’s collection as well as an emerald ring.

On my last day in the office my co-workers threw me a going away party, which was so sweet.  We had macaroons, spritz and lots of laughs with a group of people who have become such close friends over such a short period of time! I can’t wait to come back and visit them.

Having worked in the industry for the past 6 weeks I have undoubtedly had the best experience I could have hoped for.  With my foot merely on the threshold of the door to the fashion industry, I think it will not be the last this industry sees of me!

 If I didn’t have it before, it is now a fact that I have well and truly caught the fashion bug.

Next up: Melbourne. Can’t believe how fast this past seven months has gone, but at the same time it feel like forever since I’ve been home! Jess, the countdown has officially begun…. <3

Love Bella

xoxo

"I'm on top of the world"

Alessandra cardigan. Angel Biba shorts. Wittner boots. Seiko watch.

So...this may very well be my last post in China-land and as cliché as it sounds, I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. With its ups and downs, my time in Shanghai has been unforgettable! In what has apologetically become the norm for me, I'm going to crank out a massive post about the last few days to get you up to speed.

Saturday: Yum Cha, a shop and a night at Bar Rouge for Bollywood Night. I understand that I have become a Shanghainese cliché of myself, with weekend habits and nights out as predictable as my fashion choices here (haha) - but you can't fight a good thing! We picked up some necessities, aka some gumboots and a backpack at Tao Bao market and headed home to rest and watch some Glee before heading out on the town. All our boy-friends over here bought an A-MAZING table overlooking the water at Rouge for the night so we headed there to bask in the lights of the Bund and feel like royalty. You really can't help but feel on top of the world when surrounded by friends in Shanghai's most exclusive club. We had a great night and it was definitely one that left me content with my time here - if that's the last night I get out and about, I'm a happy girl.

Sunday: Bento Brunch at En Shanghai and farewell drinks at Big Bamboo with all the other one-month interns. It was a great way to see everyone, most for the last time, although pretty much everyone was looking worse for wear after the previous night out. We headed back to Beef & Liberty for burgers and fries to finish off a busy weekend.

Monday: Last day of work!! Feeling like not only have we been in Shanghai forever, but equally in the office, our role here has become pretty self-explanitory so it's all the usual stuff. We said a sorrowful goodbye to the girls in the office, got gorgeous pearls as thank-you presents from the boss...and, finishing later than expected, rushed on the metro across the city to make it to Morton's to catch the end of happy hour. We stopped by a great sushi place in the IFC afterwards to complete dinner and headed home to rest up for our last day/night in Shanghai. How has this day come so quickly??

Love Jess 
xoxo

"lost in the city of angels"

All Saints Top.  J Brand Denim Shorts. Jack Rogers Sandals.

Another weekend means another adventure, and California sure doesn’t disappoint! This weekend my brother and I drove up to the city of angels for a bit of R and R!

Los Angeles is probably one of the most dispersed cities in America.  As such the freeways or ‘motorways’, as the American’s call them, are your number one form of transportation! These eight lane racetracks are some of the scariest roads I have ever been on and driving on the wrong side of the road in the wrong side of the car does not help the situation. Nonetheless we were able to somehow make our way around this huge city ticking off a number of tourist spots!

First up was Santa Monica Pier.  This site is famous not only for the theme park in the middle of the ocean, but also for being the last stop on the historic Route 66!  After a pic on the boardwalk there are a number of things to do like fishing, swimming or eating (my favourite)!

Next up we headed over to Burbank for the Warner Brothers Studio tour! This tour is a two and a half hours long and circles around the back lots of Warner Brothers 180 acre lot! Shows including Ellen, Pretty Little Liars, and my absolute favourite show of all time, Friends have all been filmed in these studios.  Having done the Universal Studios tour before (also in LA), I would have to say that this was my favourite of the two as it was a lot more movie and TV orientated.

If you’re looking to do some celebrity spotting, ‘The Ivy’ restaurant on N Robinson Boulevard is the place to be.  Not only is the entertainment great, the food is not too bad either!

My other recommendations for hot spots in LA include The Grove, The Getty Museum, Santa Barbara and Malibu.  Although this city is no New York (and let’s face it no other city can compare), there are still a few things that will make you say Wow!

Love Bella
xoxo

"last friday night"

Fossil jumpsuit. GAP denim vest. Wittner boots. 

What a hilarious fail of a day/night. The ridiculousness of this day may be difficult to surmise in a post, but I'll try. After a long day at work, the plan was for the boss and all the girls from work to celebrate a birthday and our time in the office on a dragon boat river cruise. That was the plan anyway. Clearly last thing Friday is the busiest time of the week because, while needing to be on the boat by 6pm, we were still doing last minute packaging at 5:30.

In the end, my workmate/roommate, the birthday girl and her mum and I were sent off in a cab to get settled before the rest of the gang arrived. At 6:55, we found ourselves rummaging for food at the empty and potentially dangerous buffet (ok, maybe it wasn't so hypothetical, it looked like salmonella on a plate) with no-one else from the office to be seen. So, inevitably, we ended up sipping at our luke-warm cokes as the boat and our 500 new friends left the docks. This meant another 2 hours before we'd see land and our work colleagues again, who ended up waiting out the time in a nearby Starbucks for us.

To be honest, while the views were pretty special and we eventually found a place where the crowds had temporarily dispersed and could sit and watch the skyline float past, it was bluntly 2 hours too long stuck on a boat.

When we docked, we ended up at a really cool restaurant called Tamarin Thai in the South Bund area where the others had been eating and enjoyed a cocktail and the birthday cake. It was a nice change of pace before we headed home to go out to Geisha. A little dismayed by the diversion from a much craved night at M1NT, Geisha turned out to be exactly as expected unfortunately for this girl but from the sounds of it, a good few of my friends found it just their speed. Cool vibe, a great outdoor patio but not what I was feeling for the night!

Until Saturday.

Love Jess
xoxo

"we can burn brighter than the sun"

Zara overalls. Belt from Florence (I designed it!). H&M ring.

This post is another fashion flashback to one of the most amazing experiences I have had whilst living in the US.

One word: Coachella.

Arguably the biggest festival in the world, but undeniably, Coachella is the most fashionable of them all.  This was my first festival experience and it has definitely left my expectations high!

Crop tops and daisy dukes proved festival staples, as people dressed to impress and also to stay cool in the desert sun.  Bright coloured sunglasses and face paints completed the festival image as many proved being stylish and practical all at once (who would have thought those two words could coexist!).

The main focus of the event was of course the music, and it was amazing, with my favourite performance being by Two Door Cinema Club. Other standouts included Passion Pit, Alt J, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Phoenix. 

But looking past the music it was the surroundings that really make this festival what it is.  Located in Indio, California, this desert show ground is around 40 minutes outside Palm Springs.  As an Art and Music festival, Coachella showcases some incredible art pieces that create an illusion of a musical dreamland.  The giant Ferris wheel was a definite highlight of the magical place as it provided an escape from the crazy crowds down below. Another eye-catching sculpture was the giant snail that rolled around with the words “If you want to go fast – go alone.  If you want to go far – go together” (very deep I know) printed on its shell. 

With irresistible snacks like watermelon (my absolute favourite) and an array of mini street cart food stalls, its safe to say we were more than satisfied during the festival.

I had such an incredible time both planning outfits for and actually at this fashion inspired festival. Hopefully I’ll be back sooner rather than later!  

Love Bella

xoxo

"looking like a model, making me stare"

We Love Superr shirt (Qi Pu Lu). Sportsgirl shorts. Wittner boots. Fossil necklace. Seiko watch. Alannah Hill wallet. The figures behind me are for the Novomovia art competition!

Ok, so it's Thursday...which means 3 posts including today's that should be up and flourishing in the blogosphere...so, apologies. Camera issues meant a serious delay on the weekend posts and I've barely had time to catch my breath as this week has sped by so quickly!! So, I think I'm just going to be super slack and try to surmise these last few days in one post because while they were lovely, not too many life-changing events occurred...although, there are a few gems!

Tuesday: Work work and no play. But we had a delicious sushi dinner that more than made up for it. Located in the Grand Gateway Shopping Centre in an outdoor eatery strip (in Xu Jia Hui) we enjoyed the freshest sushi with the weirdest, most Shanghainese names. Who would have thought a pearl tower sushi roll would be made of prawn and eel?!

Wednesday: JEWELLERY MAKING DAY! This was a day I'd been looking forward to a good while and it all but lived up to my fantasies of crystals and gemstones and natural stones and rocks and wonderful things. After a slow start and the peak of my indecisive nature, I managed to get into the swing of things and created a few pieces I'm really proud of. My efforts included 3 necklaces and 2 bracelets. I went a little crazy on the stone front, using every shade of emerald green, turquoise blue and flamingo fuchsia (yeah, I ran out of adjectives) that I could get my hands on. 
          
Barbarossa: Wednesday night, after much indecisiveness, Viv and I ventured into People's Square to grab some dinner and enjoy the benefits of being a girl, aka, everywhere in Shanghai has a ladies night and Wednesday was no exception. Eager to check out the famed Barbarossa in  People's Square Park, we popped in for a few chill (free) drinks and some delicious mini-burgers while relaxing in this Moroccan, Middle Eastern style bar and restaurant. The ambience was buzzing and the music effortlessly cool. Glad we made the trek because we're running out of time to explore Shanghai. 

Novomovia International Fashion Trade Show: Thursday more than blossomed!! We headed into work with the sole motivation of locating the infamous Novomovia International Fashion Trade Fair that's been happening in the building since Wednesday but that no-one seems to know about. We were tipped off by not only the blatant signage that no one at work seemed to understand but more bluntly, the pack of Russian, legs for days, gorgeous models that we saw at lunch the previous day. Decked in model essential slicked ponytails, smokey eyes, rocker tees and Isabel Marant wedged sneakers, we knew something fab had to be happening at this event! And well, our adventuring was all worth it! Located, funnily enough, just on the other side of the building (though it was a bit of a walk), we effortlessly and freely made our way into the expo to check out the stalls for brands like Mango and Joe's Jeans (both which devastatingly had their fashion shows the day before and were thus missed by yours truly). However, getting in early this morning meant we found the limited runway schedule and were able to make it to a show today!! We headed to lunch first with the boss at Element Fresh were I enjoyed the most delicious warm lamb salad and then headed back over to the expo in time for the show. 

For shoe designer Sue Comma Bonnie, the show was hip and fresh and all beautiful asian models! (refreshing given the number of foreign models we've seen galavanting around the building with their skyscraper legs) The girls were clad in sports-wear inspired metallic ensembles that allowed the crystal encrusted stilettos, bedazzled wedged pumps and striped silver platforms to shine. It was a really cool way to spend a day at work is all I'll say!

Love Jess
xoxo

"one of the boys"

Country Road skirt. Wittner boots (surprise, surprise!) - apologies for the sombre expression!

First day back in the workplace, and I'm already missing the heat and the wandering and the shopping because a girl can only do so much market research!! The report was a big success and our observation of trend right on point. And she loved my idea for a zodiac animal collection - in sync with the popularity of star-sign and horoscope jewellery collections at home.

Now we're moving on to focus on UK sites as they have been identified as the most highly developed online platforms, with extensive world-wide shipping reach to retail fashion products. We've learnt the rest of the week will be a little more hands on with a jewellery making workshop - fun! - but sadly not a whole lot else. It's my last week and I'm left a little unsure of how to apply the knowledge I've learnt to the workforce I hope to encounter...but only time will tell!

After a day at work, there was time to dash back to the house before cabbing it back across town to Abbey Road for another dinner and drinks with the boys. Very chill and relaxed, my cheese burger was phenomenal (and a reasonably priced 60 yuan) and the start of a much loved tradition for the last few days in Shanghai! 

Love Jess 

xoxo

"california here we come"

Karen Walker Sunglasses, Victorias Secret Basic Tee, Urban Outfitters Skirt, Marc by Marc Jacobs Watch

This weekend I ventured off to San Francisco for a bit of California fun in the sun! San Francisco is surprisingly similar to Melbourne, in terms of it’s size, culture, and unpredictable weather. I have summarised a few of my favourite places in this city by the bay!

One of the best things to do in San Francisco is eat. Asian food in particular is popular in San Fran, with Thai and Japanese restaurants around every corner. ‘Bangkok’ is one of my favourite Thai eateries and is located on Powell St.  The Korean BBQ shop in the Westfield mall on Market St is another great food spot that must be tried!

Union Square is the heart of downtown San Francisco and a one-stop destination for everything shopping related. The trams running through the main streets in Union Square make this a tourist hot spot.

After a shop you can take the F line trolley down Market St to the Embarcadero.  This waterfront is a buzzing public space with food stalls and craft markets lining the bay.  Walking down the row of piers you instantly feel like you are in a beach town with sea lions casually sunbathing on the boardwalk. Once you get to Pier 39 you have reached Fisherman's Warf where the famous clam chowder resides. The best fish market in my opinion is the ‘Chowder Hut’, located in the middle of the road.

Ghirardelli Square is a short walk from Pier 39 and must be visited by any chocolate lover in San Francisco. This original chocolate factory is no longer working, but does have an authentic machine located at the back of the store that you can check out. The free samples and large range of flavours makes it worth the visit!

The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most iconic feature of San Francisco. The views from the walking track are amazing as you can see the entire city, Coit tower and Alcatraz, the old jail of San Francisco.

Haight Ashbury is the original 'summer of love' location and one of the hippest neighbourhoods on the west coast. This hippy filled area will see an abundance of thrift shops and ‘medical’ marijuana available for purchase. My favourite of the second hand stores would have to be ‘Wasteland’. Located a little further down the main drag, this store has new clothes from brands including Mink Pink, Dimepiece and Evil Twin. But their collection of second hand goods was also the most impressive of the bunch with Acne sweaters and Stella McCartney clutches on sale.

I LOVE San Francisco and I'm sure you will too!

Love Bella

xoxo

"don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple"

Yeh, my outfit wasn't particularly inspired (Alessandra top. Reply denim shorts. Wittner boots.) so I didn't think it really warranted a picture as much as these cuties did!

So, after another great night at M1NT, we had to start the day off with our new weekend tradition: Yum Cha Brunch in the Longemont Hotel (level 3) next to our hotel. Having only just stumbled upon this place the day before, we were keen to get back for more!

After a delicious meal, we headed out to a migrant children's school a good half an hour out of town to visit the kids there with some fellow interns. With Hello Kitty shaped lolly pops and Disney colouring books in tow, we spent hours with the kids colouring pictures and playing their games (including a round of musical chairs that I totally dominated - ok, I came second, but the winner and her sister (twins) were pros at this one). These cuties were actually some of the first to accept me speaking Chinese as half normal and at the very least, acted like they understood me without complaint, so that was a massive win!

Abbey Road: Back at the hotel in the late afternoon, and feeling surprisingly energised after our time with the kids, I again ventured out into the French Concession to get some Sunday afternoon drinks and food with some new friends. We ended up at this really laid back bar and restaurant Abbey Road on the outdoor deck sipping at our happy hour drinks, rehashing stories from the night before until the sun went down. A lovely way to finish off another great, exhausting week.

About 10 days left until I'm back in Melbourne and reunited with my partner in crime Bella! I can't believe I've been here for such a short time and still feel like a semi-permanent fixture of Shanghai.

Love Jess
xoxo

"anything could happen"

Barbour Jacket, Country Road Pants, Tony Bianco Boots (As you can see from my outfit I was not entirely prepared for a Fashion Show appearance!) 

Now it’s my turn to apologise for the extraordinarily long blog post, but it was arguably the best day of my life so I thought it was warranted.

It began with a horrible day at uni, one that I hoped to turn around.  After convincing Ella to skip class and come with me, off we went to the Lincoln centre to take a few snaps of the fashion-clad individuals on their way to the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week. 

It was a slower day than the previous one with less people walking about, but after around half an hour or so the crowds picked up, as a new show was about to begin! Out came the heels and the glamorous women wearing them. There was an abundance of fur, feathers, wool, and leather on display, which was as much a fashion statement as it was practical with the weather being around two degrees. Fashion blogger Amiee Song from Song of Style and Danielle Burstein from We Wore What were just some of the chic guests I spotted. 

While taking in all of the fashion inspired people around me I was startled when approached from behind by a woman dressed in a floor length mink coat and two strings of pearls. “Are you here for this fashion thing?” she asked me.  “Umm if you mean the biggest fashion week in the industry than yes, yes I am.  I’m a blogger from Australia!” I replied (throwing in the blogger part so it seemed as if I belonged).  “What’s a blogger…?”umm okay it seems like she’s the one who doesn’t belong “I just write about fashion on the internet” she looked confused but I wasn’t too phased.  She continued to say “anyway I was just wondering if you wanted to come to the next show with me if you aren’t already going?”…Awkward pause…. “Excuse me” “do you want to go to the fashion show?” I actually started laughing at this point, confused and wondering if someone was trying to ‘punk’ me.

The rest was a blur. I was actually on cloud nine. As soon as we passed through the security checkpoint no one could take away the fact that I was actually AT NYFW.  My fairy God Mother, as I had rightly described this woman, had explained that her friend was running late and as such she could no longer attend the show.  I don’t know what made her pick me that day but I like to think that she somehow knew I would appreciate the show more then, well anybody.    

After sitting through my first ever NYFW show I was exhilarated and ready for more.  And it was only about to get better, if that were possible. Whilst waiting outside the catwalk I heard a familiar voice coming from behind. I quickly identified the voice as the one and only Leandra Medine or the ‘ManRepeller’ as more commonly.  Before I knew it I was professing my love for her and telling her how I had even blogged about her success at one point or another.  She thought it was cute and agreed to a photo.

Okay, in hindsight it was probably not the most professional of introductions, but it caught me so off guard that I really couldn’t contain myself. Ella was equally shocked as I think she was yet to witness my full fledge crazy.

Thinking the night couldn’t get any better, we somehow managed to get into ANOTHER show, this time by Zang Toi. After the amazing show we went and enjoyed the free gifts, drinks and nibbles on offer in the official NYFW hub. 

After staying inside the hub for as long as possible Ella and I finally left with smiles the size of 18-inch heels strapped to our faces.  I could never have imagined this experience would happen to me, but as the lady who gave me the ticket said “things like this just happen in New York”.  Amen. This is the most magical and best city in the world, hands down.

Until next time.

Love Bella

xoxo

"you are the piece of me, I wish I didn't need"

Viv and I headed to M1NT for the second time - not that you can tell but Zara jumpsuit. French Connection bag. Tony Bianco shoes. Seiko watch. 

After a big night Friday, all that could be done was head off to Yum Cha in the morning to recharge! Setting out to look for food, we were shocked to discover the Yum Cha we'd been craving since arriving in China had been all but staring us in the face the entire time, in the hotel next door.

The Longemont: Walking through the marble lobby of this glitzy hotel, we spiralled the staircase to the 3rd floor to find a huge restaurant - that ended up surprisingly cheaply priced. We feasted on dumplings, custard tarts and all that other good stuff as we shared stories and regained our strength. The new lazy brunch tradition has been all but cemented as of now.

The Markets: As my friend had missed out on a few good shopping days, we headed back to some of the markets (Tao Bao & Science and Tech) to pick her up some jewels, a few bags and a pair of uggs. Unfortunately, my 'foreignness' was all but cemented as not only were ridiculously high prices requested of me but, thinking I couldn't understand them, shopkeepers started throwing around statements as blunt as, "you're a foreigner" or "a pure Australian" and so we're going to charge you more. While shopping, especially bargain hunting, has always been considered a much loved sport of mine, there comes a time when it just gets tiresome and it's looking like I may have hit that point.

M1NT: Nevertheless, we headed back for a few hours to rest before heading out for M1NT for take 2. We ended up meeting some friends at their hotel and all hitting up my new favourite place together - and as expected, it didn't disappoint!

Love Jess
xoxo

"eat sleep rave repeat"

Top (from Qi Pu Lu). Angel Biba shorts.Wittner boots.

I have a confession to make, as well as an apology. In all honesty, my plans for this blog were to chronicle all my fashion adventures in Shanghai and it's ended up a girl's guide to Shanghai's nightlife. That wasn't really the plan when I came to Shanghai, but then I similarly didn't anticipate the wonderful friends I would make and the amazing nights we would share exploring a side of Shanghai I could never have imagined. It's really not until you're overlooking the city and the lights from one of the world's most luxurious club with a group of people you feel like you've known much longer than the 17 days I've spent in China that you just feel happy and lucky and giggly and that you cannot help but fall in love with Shanghai.

So, given my little prelude there, Friday was spent in classic 'Jess in Shanghai' fashion....a lazy lunch, a shopping trip, a late afternoon nanna nap and a night out on the town. Now, this night was a little different than expected, and if I'm being honest, not my favourite. Apologies in advance for a post that's a tad more morbid than the rest.

Qi Pu Lu: Hearing that we may in fact be able to snag a bargain at this wholesale clothing market, we headed off to finally give our wallets a workout (well, that was the plan). This strip has heaps of 5+ story building filled from top to bottom with retail shops selling at market prices - well, for locals at least. I once again struggled to get a reasonable price on anything, except for a few tops that can now revitalise my Shanghai wardrobe (2 silky crop t-shirts in turquoise and black) We were approached and followed on the street a little more than normal but keeping our wits about us, we were fine. The girls found a few things too, some t-shirts for their boys and a silky floral top reminiscent of something from Zara or Mango (the top levels are the most expensive and then the prices drop gradually as you move down)

The Shelter: When I say this club is an underground cave, I am not taking liberties with my description. We were literally in a cave with webs of tunnels reaching out in all directions. While the location could have been cool, neither the atmosphere or the music particularly appealed to this M1NT lover but friends enjoyed the 'dirty' RnB and the feeling of being somewhere edgy and underground (literally and figuratively)

The Apartment: We ended up club hopping a few doors down and this place was a bit more my scene, with music I recognised but still the atmosphere of these places had nothing on some of the other nights I've had out in Shanghai. Sorry.

But, God bless Saturday night and more M1NT adventures.

Love Jess
xoxo

"sorry I cannot hear you I'm kinda busy"

Witchery Knit Tank Top. Zara skort. Tony Bianco Boots. Longchamp Bag.

Competence would have to be the number one skill any intern needs, especially a fashion intern.  Running errands all day, whilst it may seem like an ‘easy’ or ‘low skilled’ task, (at least those are the preconceptions I had) is actually a tiring and strategy heavy job.  The number one rule for any errand runner, as I understand it, is to DO EXACTLY AS YOUR BOSS OR SUPERVISOR REQUESTS.  As in, follow their instructions like you would during airport security. 

I learnt this lesson the hard way, and as such experienced my most stressful day on the job.

Being asked to go and set up a new blackberry for my boss, whilst on the surface appears a simple task, soon turned out to be the most difficult of them all.

“Make sure everything that is on this phone get’s put onto the new one.” “Should you back up your phone beforehand just in case something goes wrong?”…. “No need, you’ll make sure the sales person understands how important this is right?”…..ummmm okay? And that was how my instructions were given. Very direct, but nonetheless impossible to ensure.

Four hours later I emerged from AT&T with a new blackberry that did not carry my bosses updated calendar, entire contacts list or email accounts, in fact the only thing in common with her old phone were the pictures we spent three of those hours transferring over. Terrified about what my boss’s response would be I returned to her office with the less than pleasing news.

“If my emails are not on the phone go and get my old phone back, I can’t function without it for another hour.”

There was one problem though; I had given the phone company the old phone, which was being wiped for a ‘trade and save’ deal I had agreed too. Back to AT&T I went, and two hours later I returned with a somber mood, a free leather case (due to the tantrum I threw in the store) and one of the three-email accounts set up.  Still not as my boss had requested but I was saved by the bell as the store was closing and I had reached breaking point.

In the end it was a job for another day. But as I mentioned earlier it was the first time I had learnt the importance of getting things right the first time not the second, third or in this case fourth…

Sorry about the less than glamorous insight into the life of a fashion intern, but it was something I felt I needed to share as I’m sure there are others who feel the same frustration!! Interns everywhere, I feel for you!

Love Bella

xoxo