Somthing about Italy

Does anyone hate Italy? Silly question perhaps, and that is just my point.  I am always happy while I visited, doesn’t matter what the season or weather. Doesn’t matter if I am alone or with friends, business or pleasure, I love it all. What is the magic?

Italy in many ways not particularly rich countries in the sense of ritzy scenes and money, but I am happy just sit in the local Cafés sip a cup of espresso, enjoying wine with friend on the curb side, the feeling were always the same.

Then it was the food and their wine and cheese and salad and my beloved olive oil, hummmm, I am hungry just thinking about it. But we got all that anywhere, even in Shanghai. It is just not the same. Can’t be duplicated.

Every morning, I get up and run to the restaurant and fill my plate with cheeses, eggs, and sausages. That is before I went back for fruits. As you all know I love cheese but in China, the selection is very limited. With the habits how I buy cheese. I will spend my paycheck for it. With price aside. It was the limited selection that is frustrating. If I act more like Chinese, then I will not have that worry.

Then it was the wine and the language. Every word is poetry in the Italian language, every bottle is great plus the prices were reasonable. Particularly at this time of the year, Chardonnays (My choice) are all fresh and crisp and any vino russo were rich and smooth.

Majority of the time in Italy, I never bother to be fuzzy, just ordering table wine or house bottle, similarly in Shanghai, that is because majority of the restaurants had only limited selections. Unless I am dinning for the evening in Italy, particularly when my wealthy friends are picking up the tab, then baby you are in for the treat of your life. Ha ha. On the other hand try ordering table wine in little Italy, NY, the taste will send you spitting it out faster than you can swallow it.

The fun of traveling sometimes is the surprises. I was taught something new on my recent trip. My Italian colleagues introduced me to a fresh fish bar. I was not sure if that is an Italian tradition, or something new, but like everything else, Italian made it their own. When my colleagues invited me to go to a raw fish bar in Milan, I though they meant going for Sushi, little did I know we went to a place that look like the seafood department in a grocery store in the US, except the fish were so fresh, they were not even displayed on a bed of ice. The place is beautiful and very Euro chic.

After you order what you like, they prepare it into thin slices or chunks, then sauté it with olive oil and a little vignette, and of course what every secret ingredients they put in, it is a slide of heaven for your taste bud. Order a glass of sauvignon Blanc on the side. Heaven just landed on earth. The cost is less than McDonalds, sorry, had to bring you back to earth some how. Sorry about that. I will be back there again ate my heart out in two weeks. Just can’t stay away.

I had been introduced to some fried dough in Milan before. It was very unique too. These are kind of Tuscany country food, you do not get it in the US. You order what every the filling you like, it could be sauce, or Cheese or hummus etc. then of course your vino. When the bread came you just spread it and have a great time. I am so fortunate to have friends introduce the sampling. Friends often accused me that I am rather picky on where and what I wanted to eat, that is not an entirely true description of me. If there is anything unique I may try it but there is a limited. If you do not agree with me, I will put your name down for to sample pig blood cake cube, or dug tongue on your next visits.  

The most amazing thing I encounter on my recent trip, top any chart. Can you ever imagine on any given casual Italian meal, pasta is not included? That is the fact. When I ask why, my colleague told me that Italian is on a health kick, everyone is trying to loose weight and cut out pasta.

Please no, tell me this is not correct information. Cutting out pasta is not the answer. On any given happy hour in the bar in big cities, their spread of antipasto is so impressive. I can have a meal there alone before I had my dinner. So figure that out. Is cutting out pasta alone will get you loose weight? You be the judge.

Chance Encounter Milan.

Are the Chinese really materialistic

There were lots of talks about China these days, and most of them are true, while others are not entirely correct, all depends on your own experience.

Many topics involve topics between the have and have not class in China. Just to name a few, the fight between people of Hong Kong and the mainlander over eating in the subway incidents, the protest on Italian retailer on favoritism of mainlander with hard cash, in HK vs. the natives. The stampede on the April release of I-pad end up in closing the stop and stop the sales, to Broadways show about doing business in China in NY. Almost everyday, there were news about China in the broadcast or on the web twitter that goes on and on, some times it get overwhelm. I do not ready them, but my mailbox is no less fill up of links and forwarded articles from friends and family. Now you know who you are…

Most western nations think the Nuevo rich Chinese are hunger for materialistic things, they seems to be not too sophisticated, and buy anything with the label and use and wear them when and whatever they like. There were malls cater specific to their taste (Glamour’s and the junky) all over China. That is certainly true in many aspects. You don’t have to join the party either.

However, their behavior is certainly no different than ours in our own culture in the US. In the 70’s when the rest of the country was in recession, and everyone wanted to move south to rich Texas for jobs, they encounter the rich, loud, unsophisticated, cowboy outfitted, big blond, hearty meat eater but cash loaded Texans, we put a label on them as well. Are these Texans unsophisticated? You can stay that just like at that oversize ring and the long fingernail. Yet how can you judge the by only their behavior, it is just the culture of the south. Perhaps you may think the deep tan cosmetic recreated California more sophisticated? Never the less that is entirely yours to decide.

As for the Chinese

Dig a little deeper why this is phenomenon happened
1. For starter, being a one-child society, most of the younger generation in China grew up showered with gifts and attention by their parents. They were pampered according their parents social means. What ever they asked for they usually gets. They bare no responsibilities force upon them, no need to share anything with siblings or extended families.
2. They saw their parents lived a life of changes; from sharing a TV with the village to an open society they can acquire anything with cash. The temptation to own everything is far greater the logic.
3. They also fail to grasps the concept that merchandise changes every season or month. The cycle of purchasing will never end. The rate of pushing new products is much faster pace than in any western society. Therefore they got caught in that circle of continue longing for the latest and the newest.

These are just some of the few factors that contribute to their buying. As for label conscious that is because in Chinese society showing off you have expensive goods means your family is well taking care of. Instead of the kind of show attitude in the western society, therefore the more expensive the label, the more they sell. Anything foreign is consider better quality, and in “most cases” it is true.

As long as China continues her path to prosperity, it does not seem to be a problem. Although the Chinese income, in the average compare to our own were rather low, cost of living is very reasonable. Most of the young and unmarried lives with their parents, therefore there is no apt rental cost, lunch is often left overs, average individuals do not have a car, their entire salary earned is for their own disposal. As ¬¬ saving goes there is no reason to, if they wanted to get marry or perhaps their parent wanted them to. They usually flip the bills. A dream, may be next time around you can select to be born Chinese, in China. : )

Therefore they have disposal income much more than any of us. Their buying powers are amazing, and it is an all cash society. Forget about your credit card. It is not welcome here.

They buy anything, shoes, cloth, watches electronics, games, music etc. Buying make them feel accomplished rather than show off. It makes them feel good. I am not sure if they even know what materialistic means.

They also love to eat. Not like us, going out to have a good meal in a nice place. Although the principles are the same, fill the stomach an find something that tastes great. For them however is more like going to a place to hang out socializing, food is secondly. Think again, they have no one at home to hang out with but their parents. Going to dinner is just an excuse for an escape from the planet of the “Parents”


What about saving for travel to experience the world? That is entirely difference story. I learn from my friends that in China, you have to provide proof that you have a reason to return before a visa will grant; (like having property or married). That is also the case for a foreign entry visa. The country you wanted to visit wanted to make sure you will leave, it is not as simple as get the round trip book a hotel and go. Still wanted to become Chinese? Plus for those that stock your parent in old folks home, there is a disgrace to do that to your parents. They are your responsibility when they get older. It is only fair isn’t it? Who’s been changing your stinky diaper for years? “Nanny”?
Sorry, you are not I, I have one.

This only my own experience, I am sure there are many more. You are welcome to make your own. I may not entirely correct, but it is my observation and lone encounter.

Chance Encounter Shanghai_ Spring