Local Talk: Wuyuan Lu

By Jamie Barys, 2011-01

Wanna Nail

So you wanna have your hands turned into an ode to the 2010 Shanghai Expo? You’ve come to the right place because Wanna Nail’s in-house manicure designs include an elaborate China Pavilion that glides seamlessly across two nails before turning your thumbnail into a bright blue Haibao. Now you can keep the spirit of the Expo alive with just a flash of your spirit fingers. If bedazzling isn’t your style, Wanna Nail subscribes to the salon religion known as OPI and boasts a wall full of varying shades of pink to prove it. If you’re lucky, they’ll even play Ratatouille on the overhead TV while massaging your feet pre-pedicure.

165 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu. Tel: 6431 3937

Baby No. 1

Baby No. 1 might just be the cutest darn pet store in Shanghai, and you can tell the owners really love their animals. Pictures of their prize-winning pups are on display, and you can meet a few of their well-heeled canines in person, all dolled up with the doggie wardrobe they sell. They also import products from doggy treats to cat toys, and offer kennel services if you don’t want to leave poor Fido with the ayi next time you skip town.

#1, 270 Wuyuan Lu, near Yongfu Lu. Tel: 3461 1950

100 percent

The quirky lifestyle store imports funky lamps, eccentric tchotchkes and metal fans shaped like the city of Shanghai. With designs from Danes, Frenchies and Japanese on hand, 100 percent is a hit with interior designers and apartment dwellers who hate the impersonal, sterile feeling of Shanghai’s pre-furnished apartments. Whether you’re looking for a twisted bookshelf made out of wrought-iron words or a top hat-cum-ceiling lamp, this homeware boutique has a piece of furniture that perfectly sums up your individuality.

72 Wuyuan Lu, near Changshu Lu. Tel: 5404 1678

BBQ

Grimy doesn’t even begin to describe what looks like just another nondescript hole in the wall, but one quick glance at the pricy Western menu will leave you bewildered. To answer your question, yes, they actually are selling Kobe Beef for RMB 580 per cut. You’ll also find salmon and burritos on the poorly-translated menu, but don’t let the Chinglish fool you. This is the best bet in the city for a RMB 35 steak sandwich.

127 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu. Tel: 400 820 2817