Forgotten how to have fun in Shanghai? Finally free to travel? Consider these three options; you could do one or you could do all.
Tufting
So you think you’re tuf-ting? Ever wanted a mirror with a tufted frame? Do you have no idea what tufting is? It’s the latest trend in DIY activities and it’s all over social media. By way of a quick explanation, tufting is designing then making your own carpet. The size is entirely up to you but the maximum is 50 x 50 cm.
If you’re not sold on the tufted mirror frame, here’s what else you can do. Play with silicone to design your own phone case, play with wax to design your own candles, play with paint to make your own cartoon figurine or play with T-shirts to customise your look!
All this awaits at DlY-Tufting, located in Oasis Plaza in Puxi (上海白兰路 137弄绿洲广场A座1103), which also serves as a perfect destination with a wide variety of other fun attractions therein.
Back with the tufting, be aware it isn’t the cheapest option (that happens to be the DIY-perfumed wax ornaments); the cost of the carpets depend on size. Think 50 x 50 for around ¥318 and 40 x 40 for ¥268. They take around 2 hours to complete. That carpet-framed mirror, if you’re looking for that Y2K aesthetic, goes for about ¥258. Some of the other crafts won’t be ready to take home that same day, so keep that in mind when planning your expedition or when choosing a craft.
Ice Cream
If tufting brings back that Y2K feel, time now for a deep dive into the 80s. It’s a visit to the museum where you don’t just look at the exhibits, you can also eat what you see! The Museum of Ice Cream, on Dongyu Lu in Pudong (上海东育路 500弄1-9号前滩太古里木区一楼W-L1-14号) can only be described as an ice-cream-shop photo op where the the camera always eats first!
While the decor may be faithful to the 80s (and matched by pink-uniformed staff), they do reference both older and more contemporary times. Try the “Justin Timbershake” or the “Melon John”.
This is truly a place designed with social media in mind. You can choose from a delightful array of pink and yellow backgrounds with artificial pink metro carriages, pink hanging banana backgrounds and a selection of ice cream themed backdrops. An average price of ¥163 per person includes the entrance fee and a couple of servings of ice-cream. And if you’re in the mood for shopping, check out their merchandise.
Bouldering
So you’ve sat around tufting and gorged on ice cream. But let’s face it, taking selfies doesn’t count as exercise. Better go bouldering at Pongo, a.k.a. Orangutan Climbing Gym.
If you’re looking for a fun workout, this is how to look smart while working off your calories. Bouldering is the sport which merges your physical capabilities and your problem solving skills.
But unlike your typical rock climbing, bouldering doesn’t involve using a harness. While it may be a bit more dangerous, you can only fall as far as you can climb which is not usually that high. And in their mandatory safety demonstration, you will be taught how to fall safely, if not very gracefully, before each session.
A range of difficulty levels is available, suitably challenging for all proficiencies. It can sound daunting to first try, being both mentally and physically challenging with several routes to one answer. A visit to Pongo on Zhizaoju Lu, also in Pudong (上海制造局路 833弄26号魔方公寓内) costs around ¥77 per person.
