The best things to do in Shanghai this week

Image: courtesy Warner Bros (Aquaman)

It's December which means the countdown to Christmas is on. If the stress of the holiday season and the thought of present shopping is getting to you already, there's a stress relief class as well as the return of the annual Meditation Marathon this week. There's also the new Aquaman movie if undersea heroics and trident throwing are more your jam. Read on for our pick of the best things to do this week.

Things to Do

Photograph: courtesy organiser (Cordyket)

Stress Relief Workshop at un Caffè Bar

Stressed out? We feel you. Chill out and reconnect with your senses at a workshop by Cordyket at un Caffè Bar. During an evening of mindfulness, relax by exploring techniques and strategies that will help you reduce stress and anxiety, enhance work and academic success and personal growth. 

📍Un Caffè Bar, Seventh Floor, 77 Jiangning Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Tue 4. 7.45-9.30pm. 99RMB (including one drink). Extract the QR code to purchase tickets.

Community Center Shanghai Christmas Bazaar

Support international charities and give back to the community at this Christmas bazaar organised by not-for-profit Community Center Shanghai (CCS). There'll be about 60 gift and food vendors and visitors can shop for Christmas decorations and handmade crafts as well as sample food from around the world. 

📍Shanghai Racquet Club, 555 Jinfeng Lu, near Baole Lu. Fri 7. 10am-3pm. 

Shanghai's Fifth Annual Meditation Marathon

Described as a marathon without pressure, winners or losers, this event will bring together a like-minded and peaceful community in the midst of the big city. All-day activities include two different spaces running simultaneously – one hosting hours of 'still' meditation and the other offering a more active practice. 

📍the clinic, Fifth Floor, A501, Building B, 118 Jiashan Lu, near Yongkang Lu. Sun 9. 9am-6pm. Free. Extract the QR code and follow the instructions to sign up. 

Jing'an Christkindlmarkt

The traditional German Christkindlmarkt is back in Shanghai. Think baked apples, chestnuts, gingerbread, mulled wine, rum punch, beautifully decorated wooden stalls offering handicrafts and all the good stuff that makes this the most wonderful time of the year.

📍 Tonglefang, 537 Haifang Lu, near Xikang Lu. Fri 7-Sun 16. 4-9pm on weekdays, midday-9pm on weekends. 50RMB, including 1 mulled wine/punch (Sat-Sun); free (Mon-Fri); free for kids below 12 years. Extract QR code to book tickets. 

The Paulaner Bräuhaus Christkindlmarkt

Grab a cup of spiced glühwein, a bratwurst or two and take a stroll in the spacious garden which will be lined with decorated wooden huts. Find everything you need for the holidays at this authentic German Christmas market including real Christmas trees, wreaths, seasonal artisanal produce and handicrafts.

📍 Paulaner Brauhaus, 555 Expo Avenue, near Guozhan Lu, Fri 7-Sun 9. 3-10pm (Fri 7); 11am-10pm (Sat 8); 11am-9pm (Sun 9). 30RMB. Tickets are available at all Paulaner restaurants. Free entry for children under ten years. 

Music & Nightlife

Photograph: courtesy Swimful

Ambient Night

Brilliant organisers Hippo Tank are back with a super chill night of music at cool new creative hub Subland. Swimful, Charm and Far Infinity are the artists performing.

📍Subland, Bldg 8, 51 Runanjie, near Zhizao Ju Lu. Fri 7. 7-10pm. 

Farewell Naomi Fitch

Longtime star of the Shanghai music scene, Naomi Fitch, performs her final concert at Shake. As a resident of Cotton Club for two-and-a-half years and one of Shake's original singers, she's captivated audiences across the city and directed shows like her legendary Prince and Amy Winehouse tributes. Expect a night of her favourite classic soul tracks with the full band, plus support from Courtney Knott and Matt Cooper.

📍Shake, Third Floor, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, near Jinxian Lu. Fri 7. 10pm-2am. 150RMB.

Eating & Drinking

Photograph: courtesy Chope

Boxing Cat Brewery Ten-Year Anniversary

For Boxing Cat's tenth anniversary, they're unveiling the Sugar Daddy Imperial Porter – a dessert porter with crème brûlée notes. There’ll be DJs, paired snacks and a raffle of an all-expenses-paid trip for two to visit the Wuhan innovation brewery.

📍Boxing Cat Brewery, 26A, Sinan Mansions, 519 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Sinan Lu. Sat 8. 8.30pm-1.00am. Free. 

HAI Spirits

HAI Spirits, the mini-festival series by BottlesXO, is back for a Christmas edition this week. Slurp on boozy pumpkin spiced lattes, 'spiked' mulled wine and beer cocktails made with Stone Brewing's hoppy craft brews, all while supporting a worthy cause – proceeds will go to Heart to Heart Shanghai. 

📍Stone Brewing Tap Room Shanghai, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Sat 8. 4pm-midnight. Free entry; 50RMB per cocktail; 150RMB to sample five different cocktails.

Cider Bomb

Get your cider on at Comma, with a host of ciders from Coldstream Brewery and various prizes to be won.

📍Comma, 178 Xinle Lu, near Donghu Lu. Sat 8. 5pm-late. Free. 

Film

Image: courtesy Warner Bros (Aquaman)

Aquaman

Getting a China release a week before the rest of the world, in the latest adventure from DC, Arthur Curry (Jason Mamoa) – son of a lighthouse keeper and a sea queen – learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Cue ocean-based heroics, cool visual effects and a lot of trident throwing.

📍On general release from Fri 7.

Attack Of The B-Movies: The Room

Everyone loves to hate a bad movie. In the second edition of Attack of the B-Movies, local comics and b-movie enthusiasts toast and roast the infamously so-bad-it's-good The Room (2003).

📍Cages Bar and Sports, Third Floor, Jing'an Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Thu 6. 8-10.30pm. Free.

Crazy Rich Asians

Bursting with attitude and heart, Hollywood's first Asian-centric rom com in years makes up for lost time in a big way. A handsome Oxford-educated college professor, Nick Young (Henry Golding), flies his girlfriend Rachel (Constance Wu) to Singapore to meet his family and it turns out they pretty much own the place. Cue unfeasible extravagance that somehow manages to feel inclusive.

📍On general release.

Johnny English Strikes Again

Your favourite kooky British MI7 agent Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) gets dragged out from retirement for a mission to crack down on a cyber attack that has put its current agents in danger. 

📍On general release.

Art

Photograph: courtesy Modern Art Base

Qiu Anxiong: Mythological Creatures, New Classic of Mountains and Seas

Modern Art Base presents acrylic paintings from Qiu Anxiong's ambitious and frightening animation trilogy titled New Classics of Mountains and Sea, which took him 13 years to make. Inspired by the ancient Chinese cosmography of the same title, Qiu tells a dystopic story of a land overrun by mythical creatures.

📍Modern Art Base, Bldg 2, 10 Jianguo Zhong Lu, near Chongqing Nan Lu. Until Sun 16. 11am-7pm (closes on Monday). Free. 

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