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Find genius and creative products in China

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November 8, 2011 2011 Shanghai Autumn & Christmas offline bazaar – [bazaar]

With a population estimated to be over 23 million, Shanghai has plenty to offer to keep the newly arrived entertained. The Oriental Pearl City boasts a plethora of parks, scenic areas, restaurants,and bars. While the scenery of the Bund and the nightlife of the French Concession are certainly nothing to scoff at, they eventually offer diminishing marginal returns. For the creative mind, being around other innovative and artistic people is essential. Further, if you’re on a quest for unique products, Shanghai’s many shopping malls, with their cookie cutter-identical products, fail to suffice. However, Shanghai is home to many creative, entrepreneurial, and exceptionally-talented individuals, many of them expats. In order to find these hidden gems, there is nothing quite like visiting a bazaar.

Bazaars, or merchandising locations where goods are exchanged, have a history in the Middle East dating thousands of years. The word bazaar is derived from the Middle Persian words baha-char , literally meaning “place of prices.” Important cities such as Cairo, Baghdad, Istanbul, and Samarkand were all founded through the outgrowth of bazaars. These bustling markets are still a center of cultural and economic life in countries ranging from Ireland to Sri Lanka, proffering the quintessential setting for the universal opulence described by Adam Smith in the Wealth of Nations . China is actually the home to the world’s largest bazaar, the Xinjiang Grand Bazaar . Located in Urumqi, the Grand Bazaar covers some 4,000 m² and boasts over 3000 shops.

Bazaars have also become essential locales for finding upscale and cutting-edge products. Shanghai is at the heart of this trend, playing host to numerous markets. On November 17th, Bébémamie will hold a fantastic Autumn Bazaar , hosting over 50 vendors. Bébémamie’s event includes an ensemble of hard-to-find clothing, household items, jewelry, organic food and wine, offering an unrivaled cosmopolitan experience. Bébémamie ‘s bazaar will be held at the award-winning Shari Sushi Bar, allowing you the perfect outing.

With Christmas right around the corner, it never hurts to get a leg up on decorations and gifts. The Greenhills Bazaar in Pudong offers the perfect venue for doing so. If you can’t make that, Bébémamie is also hosting the Christmas Bazaar in Luwan on November 17th at Mandarin City. This one will feature some 30 community vendors, offering you an authentic Shanghainese twist on this Christmas season. Yet, perhaps the most spectacular of them all this holiday season will be the Parent Support Organization’s Christmas Bazaar , held November 19th at Concordia International School. Whether it is poinsettias, gift wrap, cards, or home-baked sweets, Concordia’s bazaar will have you covered this Christmas season.

If you’re looking for something Indie with a bit more edge, check out the November Night Market on Xingfu Lu. The monthly special will feature a variety of gorgeously-designed and unique items from imminent Shanghai designers such as nana&bird and Disco Kitty. For a look at the local design scene, the Night Market is a must-see.

Regardless of which events you decide to check out, Shanghai’s many bazaars offer you the perfect way to spice up you life and eliminate the plastic over-commercialization syndrome. Shanghai’s bazaars feature unique products you won’t find in stores, all crafted by highly-talented individuals. You may even find the perfect gift for a friend or family member, creating a win-win in each of your lives. By visiting bazaars, you afford yourself the opportunity to see the best of what Shanghai has to offer, all the while partaking in a millenia’s old tradition.

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