Shanghai, China

I love Shanghai, a city filled with unique neighborhoods, cool boutiques, hip bars, delicious (well, for the most part) restaurants, and crazy markets.  

Things to note:

• Aside from concierges and people who want to sell you a fake watch/purse/golf clubs/luggage/shoes/shirt/jacket/briefcase/tie, there is NO English spoken.  Have your concierge print out the name of everywhere you want to go in Chinese before you hop in a taxi ... and don't forget to snag a little card from your hotel that reads, in Chinese, "Please take me to the (insert hotel name)." 
• Taxis, they are DIRT. CHEAP.  A couple bucks for a trip across town.
• Women should carry toilet paper.  Squatting into ground-level porcelain holes is normal.  People WILL cut in front of you - constantly - if you're not proactive. Be proactive!
• I'm pretty sure that chain smoking is required in order to be a resident.  99% sure.
• If you're a blonde, white American like me (or similar), people will take pictures of you.  Some will ask you to pose, some will want their photo taken with you, and some will take a photo and then pretend like they didn't.  It's actually endearing, but can catch you off guard!
• There is a LOT of construction :  on one block is an old Chinese community; the next, a high-rise condo building .
• Bring the Shanghai Luxe City Guide with you.
• The less high end you go, the better food you get. 

Places to dine:

• Di Shui Dong - W.O.W.  The decor is as drab as it gets, but the Hunan food is incredible!  It is SO spicy that people are literally sweating, and each table is filled with beers because you have to chug after each bite or a small fire will erupt in your mouth.  Aside from the bullfrog stew, the food - from the seschuan green beans to the banana dessert (covered in toffee and deep fried) is delicious.
• Din Tai Fung - Nice place, decent food.  The XLB's (Xiao Long Bao ... famous local dish of soup dumplings) are excellent.   
• Xiao Yang Shey Jian, a.k.a. Yang's Fry Dumplings - hole. in. the. wall.  Best dumplings in town, especially when you're at No. 88 (Chinese nightclub insanity! A must see.) until 4am the night before.
• Stormy Cafe - great little antique-filled coffee shop near Xintiandi.  
• Mesa – great brunch spot, filled with expats (who are, we should mention, also chain smokers).  It’s in the French Consession.

Places to drink:

• Tara 57 – Dark bar, great drinks, happy hour until 10pm … enough said.
• Dr. Wine – cool wine bar in the French Concession
• El Coctel – One of the coolest bars you'll ever visit.  Unmarked door, sunken bar, incredible mixology.  Western prices but very well worth it.

Things to do:

• Dong Tai Lu Antique Market - sooooooooo many cool little knick knacks, and Mao everything!
• Walk around the Xintiandi area- it's wonderful, like a little Paris in the center of the city!
• Spend time in the French Concession – huge neighborhood with SO many chic boutiques/bars/restaurants.  
• Stroll down Nanjing Road (once is enough)
• Little Tokyo – What do you get when you don’t need a Chinatown?  Little Tokyo!  This is a hot little area.
• Taiking Lu – An artist & designers’ enclave that exists in twisting, maze-like alleyways … in other words, awesome!!!  Café after café after shop after shop after gallery after gallery.  Yes, please.
• Zhujiajiao – One of the many water villages outside of Shanghai (this one is 50 minutes away; apparently there are even better ones further out).  Tiny little walking streets, bridges … like a Chinese Venice.

Things to not do:

• Market at the Science & Technology Metro Stop – You'll hear “you want Gucci purse?” so many times, you will vomit up the 569 dumplings you ate at Yang's.  
• Old Jesse – You'll read about this dinner spot everywhere – they say it’s a MUST for local Shanghai cuisine, and that local tycoons and celebs often fill the place.  Well, it’s disgusting.  And you'll likely ripped off.