community talk:
Wacky Fun for the Young at Heart

Flora.Hedge, 2010-10

Why should kids have all the fun? Extracurricular activities for adults crop up around Shanghai so frequently it can be hard to keep track of what’s on for grown-ups. TALK scoured the city for some off-the-wall activities sure to make the hours fly by.

Spiritual Shanghai

Living in Shanghai, chaos, crowds and the constant honking of taxi horns takes its toll on our chi, but Spiritual Shanghai is here to the rescue, offering a monthly meeting guaranteed to revitalise your aura while learning about alternative de-stressing methods. Meetings include discussions on healing remedies, ranging from the classic meditation and yoga practices to the unconventional feng shui and tarot card readings. Spiritual Shanghai is non-religious and non-profit, offering seminars featuring guest speakers and the opportunity to explore Shanghai’s growing spiritual scene. The event takes place on the first Monday of every month from 7.30 to 9.30pm.

Anna Maya Vegetarian Café. 3 Taojiang Lu, near Hengshan Lu. Tel: 139 1838 0385. Web: www.spiritualshanghai.com

Tri

What do you get when you cross rugby with basketball? No, this isn’t the start of a bad joke. The answer is Tri, the latest full contact sport to hit the city. Using a cone-shaped ball, known as a squib, tri-ers follow the basic tenets of rugby, but aim for hoops instead of advancing to the try line. Just to add a bit more confusion to the sport, the field is circular and there’s three teams vying for eternal glory at once. Though somewhat chaotic, Tri provides an exhilarating and energetic game for competitive sports fans in search of a new challenge. Games take place every Saturday at 3.30pm.

ECNU’s Old Stadium. 3663 Zhongshan Bei Lu, near Jinshajiang Lu. Web: www.trifederation.org. Email: [email protected]

Jewellery Classes

So Tiffany’s doesn’t carry that east west petite bezel amethyst ring you dreamed up when you were eight? Never fear. Master jeweller Yves Lemay can help you make your gemstone dreams a reality with his jewellery design workshops, including basic theory classes and supervised hours of modelling wax carving, Lemay gives you all the tools you need to start designing your own necklaces, bracelets and pendants. Not only a relatively inexpensive way to look ‘oh so fabulous darling’, jewellery making is both an impressive and interesting hobby (not to mention a great homemade gift for friends or family). Lemay promises each student at least two completed pieces by the end of the course.

Yves Lemay. Room 1601, No 4, Lane 88 Wuning Nan Lu, near Wuding Lu. Tel: 3422 4046. Web: www.ylemay.com

Fencing

Shanghai Extreme Fencing Club offers classes for sabre-wielders of all ages and skill levels. The club delivers professional teachers in a friendly environment so beginners can master basic moves quickly, allowing them to battle friends and fellow fencers in no time. Not only a great conversation starter at your next cocktail party, fencing is a competitive and exciting way to stay fit, burning up to 500 calories an hour while toning and strengthening muscles. Private and group lessons can be arranged, so gather up some friends give it a try. En garde!