Shenzhen Data Sheet - Printable Version

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - ball dont lie - 01-24-2016

Quote: (01-24-2016 06:57 AM)Fortis Wrote:  

Hey Balls,

I play 4000 + utilities but I live 1 stop away from work, so i'm willing to pay extra so I can wake up early as hell, work on side projects and leave my house 15 minutes before work and still be early.
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I finally got access to RVF on my laptop again, so I'm going to drop some data for you guys.

4000 is alright. If the salary is a couple thousand more than in a 3rd tier city its the same price essentially. End up with the same after apartment cash.

Drop some data on Shenzhen, would like to hear more about that place. I'm trying to fit Philippines and Guangdong into a 5 week schedule, will have to see how it plays out, especially since Spring Festival is right in the damn middle. I hate that holiday.

I will definitely be in Guangzhou after the Spring Festival. I'm pissed that the Saturday after the holiday people have to work, makes that weekend probably be pretty boring, few people going out.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 01-24-2016

Just to let guys know, China has extended the Visa Free Transit program to six days - meaning you can fly in from a foreign country into one of a few enumerated airports in China, spend six days in China, and then leave the country on a direct flight (I think it has to be direct).

Here are the cities.

Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian, Xian, Guilin, Kunming, Wuhan, Xiamen, Tianjin, Nanjing, Qingdao and Hangzhou

Pretty good list there. Guangzhou is an hour or so by hi-speed train to Shenzhen, for those looking to visit SZ.

Here's an article on the topic.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2...-six-days/

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - atlant - 01-29-2016

Got into the city yesterday afternoon via HK. Pretty decent looking place, the Hilton Futian is super nice too and pretty cheap for a 5 star hotel - probably because it is quite new. It's a bit awkward in terms of logistics, as it is kinda close to a lot of places but not walking distance close, but it's manageable.

Yesterday evening met a Tantan girl for dinner near Coco Park - at that Japanese place near Pepper you enter via a small door (?). She was a little older (26) but very pretty and sweet. She also didn't speak a lick of English. So really guys, I can't stop emphasizing enough how much good learning Chinese will do you. If you speak Chinese, it's literally a whole new world of girls out there. LEARN CHINESE!!!!!!!!

Then went with her to that self-serve beer bar with a huge selection of imported beers including some exotic imports, American microbrews, etc. - all at (what looked like) reasonable prices. Pretty cool. Didn't pull as she had to catch a flight early next morning, but I'll be following that up. Was around 11.30 and looked like the place still wasn't getting busy, and I was tired so went back to the hotel as well.

Gonna try and line up another girl for later tonight and have a walk around town in the afternoon. Also looking for a nice (legit) massage place to round out my stay tomorrow - any suggestions welcome.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Laner - 01-29-2016

Quote:Quote:

Also looking for a nice (legit) massage place to round out my stay tomorrow - any suggestions welcome.

I will let GE chime in with details. The place he has on lock in Dongmen looks amazing.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Suits - 01-29-2016

Quote: (01-29-2016 10:10 PM)atlant Wrote:  

Then went with her to that self-serve beer bar with a huge selection of imported beers including some exotic imports, American microbrews, etc. - all at (what looked like) reasonable prices. Pretty cool.

I really like that place. It's got a great vibe and people tend to be friendly.

I actually was mistaken as the owner the last time I was there, because I was working the room a bit and a couple people assumed that I was in charge.

The self-service setup means that people are moving around a bit and the general layout of the tables makes it a decent places to open sets. It's not like a typical bar or restaurant where doing approaches mean interrupting people's meal. It's got the logistical benefits of a Whole Foods, but no is in a hurry to finish their shopping and leave.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 01-30-2016

Which bar are you guys talking about. I don't frequent CoCo park but of course I know Pepper, which I always preferred to Viva downstairs. Maybe the beer bar is a more frequent addition? Craft beer is definitely invading China - even have seen a NY Times article on it recently, and Coastal City has a new craft beer bar (small one) right above Hou Hai exit D. Didn't look like a great place to socialize with folks you don't know, but I could be wrong.

Quote: (01-29-2016 10:10 PM)atlant Wrote:  

Got into the city yesterday afternoon via HK. Pretty decent looking place, the Hilton Futian is super nice too and pretty cheap for a 5 star hotel - probably because it is quite new. It's a bit awkward in terms of logistics, as it is kinda close to a lot of places but not walking distance close, but it's manageable.

Yesterday evening met a Tantan girl for dinner near Coco Park - at that Japanese place near Pepper you enter via a small door (?). She was a little older (26) but very pretty and sweet. She also didn't speak a lick of English. So really guys, I can't stop emphasizing enough how much good learning Chinese will do you. If you speak Chinese, it's literally a whole new world of girls out there. LEARN CHINESE!!!!!!!!

Then went with her to that self-serve beer bar with a huge selection of imported beers including some exotic imports, American microbrews, etc. - all at (what looked like) reasonable prices. Pretty cool. Didn't pull as she had to catch a flight early next morning, but I'll be following that up. Was around 11.30 and looked like the place still wasn't getting busy, and I was tired so went back to the hotel as well.

Gonna try and line up another girl for later tonight and have a walk around town in the afternoon. Also looking for a nice (legit) massage place to round out my stay tomorrow - any suggestions welcome.

Which place - I know several different spots - perhaps Pacific Spa, which is a mostly legit (this is China, and ultimately you can buy most things if you ask the right way with the right amount of money, but Pacific isn't trying to ram it down your throat), but the bath section, with the different temperature tubs and sauna/steam rooms, etc was under renovation and so that section of the Spa was closed. Pacific is on Jiaben Rd. between Bao'an Rd (in Luohu, not to be confused with Bao'an district, which is an hour or more away) and Heping Rd, north side of the street.

There's the slightly less legit (again, its a matter of degree) and famous Queens Spa, which has been recently renovated (I'm not sure its any better tho) and is just a massive place. Its well into Bao'an. Walk further away from the Grand Hyatt on Jiabin lu. You'll pass a slew of small seafood restaurants after crossing Dongmen S Rd and then make a right a block or two later on Xiangxi, walking south for two minutes max. There's an absolutely enormous neon sign outside the Spa, its hard to miss.

A new place I went to, totally legit as far as I know (but YMMV, because ... China) is D Club, which is like a country club, with tennis, a pool, and a full spa (and a bunch of other activities. The minimums here are higher than the other places (and if you don't spend the minimums in these places, you pay a penalty fee - so ask when you check in). Still its around 30 dollars min. spend so nothing that's gonna break the bank. D Club is on Xiaoxiang Rd between metro stops for Xiangmei N. and Xiangmi., south side of the street (down the road towards Xiangmi there is a walmart, as a landmark.

Finaally, if you just want to get a decent foot or head massage at a little place near the hilton, my local foot massage place (definitely not legit if you go upstairs btw, but downstairs is safe) is on Gangxia east 1st (again assuming its still open, which it probably is). THat's inside Gangxia Cun (village)
- here's a little map - its right near where it says Hushen Public phone - right side as you're walking east. You can see the Gangxia metro northeast corner exit in the bottom left of the frame.

Quote: (01-29-2016 11:12 PM)Laner Wrote:  

Quote:Quote:

Also looking for a nice (legit) massage place to round out my stay tomorrow - any suggestions welcome.

I will let GE chime in with details. The place he has on lock in Dongmen looks amazing.

Quote: (01-29-2016 11:23 PM)Suits Wrote:  

Quote: (01-29-2016 10:10 PM)atlant Wrote:  

Then went with her to that self-serve beer bar with a huge selection of imported beers including some exotic imports, American microbrews, etc. - all at (what looked like) reasonable prices. Pretty cool.

I really like that place. It's got a great vibe and people tend to be friendly.

I actually was mistaken as the owner the last time I was there, because I was working the room a bit and a couple people assumed that I was in charge.

The self-service setup means that people are moving around a bit and the general layout of the tables makes it a decent places to open sets. It's not like a typical bar or restaurant where doing approaches mean interrupting people's meal. It's got the logistical benefits of a Whole Foods, but no is in a hurry to finish their shopping and leave.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - atlant - 01-31-2016

Thanks for the detailed tips, GE! Unfortunately didn't make it to one of those places this time as my onward flight was earlier than I remembered. I'll make sure to check out at least one of them next time though.

Sat night first went to a small house party, met some cool people - really, you meet so many more interesting guys in China and HK compared to Taiwan, where it's all English teachers. Networking opportunities are vast. At 2 AM went to Coco Park alone. Obviously was a shitshow but there were gems to be found especially when approaching in Chinese. Pepper was alright. I couldn't see myself going to Coco every weekend but it's still kind of fun in a shitty way and you can sweep through lots of places in a short time. LKF still better for this kind of game, but after all the Coco hating on here I was almost pleasantly surprised. Was also amused to see how many suited up white guys were openly shotgun approaching. Started talking to a 8 from Fujian waiting for her friends in front of Pepper, then got shitfaced with her and her friends (who were all cheering for me to take her back, which I didn't manage but looks like I'll be meeting her in HK next weekend). Funny moment when some Indian dude in Pepper repeatedly tried to drag her away from me - before I could even take care of it myself she turned around and slapped him in the face. You probably wouldn't see that in Taiwan.

Will be going back end of February as there are lots more leads to follow up and things to see. Didn't get to explore much of the city really but seems like a livable place with lots of energy and potential for adventure.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 02-26-2016

Back in Shenzhen again, should be for a pretty long haul (tho with frequent trips out as usual). Seems like basing out of Shekou area is the plan, mostly new territory for me other than the three months I spent in January in the Coastal City (Hou Hai) area. Could be ending up staying in the same area, as its close to where my new work is, and a lively area in general.

Awaiting a comment from that Johnny-come-lately, Fortis.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Fortis - 02-26-2016

^

I knew you couldn't stay out of my city.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - atlant - 02-26-2016

I am in SZ till Wednesday. Let's all meet up?

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

New member here. I joined last month at the behest of a couple friends who've been members for a while. I'm not exactly sure what the protocol is here for introductions, but I figure this is as good a place as any to make one.

I've called SZ home for a little over 4 years now. My first stay in The Middle Kingdom was about 13 years ago, in Wuhan. I lived there for a little over a year, returned home, and ended up back in China, in Shenzhen, in late '11. Anyone who's been here for any length of time will tell you what a difference 10 years can make.

I could go on at length about details of the city, but it looks like most of you guys have done a fairly thorough job of that and, from what I've read, there's not a whole lot I can add to it. There are a few things I can point to that might veer a bit off the standard trail though.

Living and accommodations:
I've lived in the same neighborhood since I moved here back in '11. It's not far from IKEA, near the mountain. I know most people prefer to live closer to activity epicenters such as Coco Park and Sea World, but I personally find those type of areas to be crowded, overpriced, and lacking in interesting talent. That said, I prefer to live rather low key, so this neighborhood suits me well. It's quiet (so much so that at night your ears actually ring from the silence), relatively clean, breezy, and friendlier than most (outside of the migrant construction workers that are ubiquitous to every neighborhood). It's also extremely affordable living. I've moved twice in the past 4 years and my rent still hasn't topped ¥4000. That's not to say I didn't have to do a little work to make the places suit my tastes, but I've been lucky to have landlords that weren't complete scumbags and would work with me to get the place to a standard I felt was acceptable (I'll explain more about that at the end, as an addendum for those who want to stick it out long-term here).

Juicy bits (a.k.a. The Hot Spots):
As I mentioned, everyone else has done a damn good job of detailing the spots for the best talent. Others may disagree with me, but I've found China to be a place that is less about scouting, and more about making yourself visibly presentable to be scouted. I don't venture out as much as I used to (Getting old, getting married, and focusing on health and fitness). That said, even when I did, I would frequent more chill places. I did do the Coco/Shekou thing in the first few months here, but it got old, fast. I started searching for low key places and found a lot of great spots in the OCT Loft/Bay area. My favorite place, though, quickly became a small, open air spot next to Window of the World called Jazz Garden. Which brings me back to the "being scouted" vs "scouting" thing I mentioned earlier.

The women that frequent these types of places are much more of the office lady, upwardly mobile, and/or professional types. They have much more disposable income than most of the weekend warriors you see out at Coco and Shekou. They're also a bit more discerning when it comes to what they're looking for. That said, for the most part, they are no less hot-to-trot. For me, I dress like I care about myself, put a smile on my face, develop a rapport with the staff, and then sit back and let things roll. Give yourself 30 minutes to an hour, and if people aren't chatting you up, but the vibe is upbeat, start working the room. Almost every time, you'll end up at a table full of talent, and often free drinks as well. After that, it's just a matter of conversation skills. A decent command of Mandarin will almost always seal the deal, but don't worry, because most of them will likely speak a decent amount of English, enough to make things interesting. Don't be afraid to play the dice/hand drinking games they throw at you. Use it as an opportunity to practice your poker face and hone in on whichever one is in your sights.

In these situations, one particular rule I personally try to stick to is this: If you're invited to sit down at a table full of girls, don't pay for drinks, chat them up until they offer. They are accustomed to having their night bought and paid for when they do that, and I've found that when you don't, it throws them off balance. That said, if they don't offer, they are not interested. However, 9/10 times, if they invite you to sit down, they are inviting you to drink. Flipside of that, if you're invited to sit down at a table full of guys, wait till they offer you a drink, and then buy a round/pitcher. The reason I mention the guys is twofold. One, you'll meet some interesting people, have some laughs, and some drinks. Two, if the place is relatively empty, being at the live table not only draws attention, but it's almost guaranteed that at some point those guys are going to start chatting up other girls, or even blatently dragging them over to chat with you. It's happened to me more times not, and every time I got numbers, WeChats, QQs, and invites to go out to much more actively talented places that same night and/or other nights.

(Edit: Forgot to mention)
If the table is mixed company, wait a round or two and then offer to buy a round. There's a grey area between greedy and gratuitous. When in mixed company, it's better to lean a just a bit towards the latter. Just don't let yourself get caught up in the "who's paying" nonsense. It's an annoying distraction from the main goal.

Avoid closing staff/employees of places you like to frequent. One, should it go bad, it narrows the field of places to go. Two, it's just bad form, especially if you actually enjoy the place and have a good relationship with the owner. It's simple, don't shit where you eat.

If you absolutely must have a balls-to-the-wall, do it 'till you can't or you fall, kind of night, then I suggest going further away from city center. Personally, for anonymity's sake, I prefer to go either to "Le Chao" in Luohu, or just about anywhere in Xili. I know a lot of expats knock the typical Chinese dance/disco bar scene, but, when used sparingly, they are a nice break from the norm. Again, use spots like these sparingly, as they will quickly suck you into that "sleep all day, party all night" lifestyle. Talent wise, they are about the same as Coco/Shekou, but the foreign cache is much higher since they are further from city center and less frequented by foreigners.

Comparing the two styles, I've found that the low key places attract more modern women who are self-sufficient, curious, and open to possibilities; while the club/disco girls are working class country girls who've thrown on a slutty veneer for the night to see what they can catch. The former being rather wild in bed, the latter not being much more than a whiney sack of potatoes with a hole punched in it.

So, TL;DR:
Hit up the low key places. Dress like you care. Be social. Be affable. The rest is a downhill sprint.

As for closing. It's all been said here. Your home is almost always a no-go for a first timer. Find a cheap spa hotel. They're everywhere.

Day Game:
I'll make this short. I've seen a lot of guys talk about the difficulty of day game in China. In my experience, two things knock the legs right out from under that problem. Put a smile on your face and learn some basic Mandarin. Your day game difficulty will drop from a 9 to a 3 on a scale of 1-10. If you really want to stack the deck in your favor, pick a Mando-Pop song and memorize it from start to finish. Break that puppy out in a group, at the bar, at KTV. Boom. Glossy eyes. Weak knees. Game over.

It'll also help create a positive feedback loop for your confidence level as well. The more you practice your Mandarin, and belt out some songs in Mandarin, the more confident you'll feel. That confidence will pay dividends down the road. Speaking of which...

Long-termers:
This part could go on for days, but I'll condense it down to a few short points. If any of you have questions or want more detail, I can add more later.

If anyone is here or coming here with long-term plans in mind, there are some serious points to start working on immediately. First, as previously mentioned, Mandarin. You gotta make the effort. Otherwise you'll find yourself quite limited in what you can do alone. The flexibility afforded by having even a passing grasp of Mandarin is well worth the few months of embarrassment from making speaking mistakes. Get your ass outside and start talking to people, as much as possible. If you plan to make any sort of career advancements or do any business here, being able to carry yourself confidently in conversation, even if it isn't perfect, will pay off big time down the road.

Likewise, if you're going to be here for the long haul, it's best that you pick a neighborhood you like and plant your feet. I got lucky and found mine when my feet hit the ground. You may have to shuffle around a bit till you find one, but the sooner you do, and the sooner you start making your face a regular sight in the community, the better and more comfortable your life will be. Your neighbors, local shop owners, and even the local police will see you more as a fixture than a transient laowai, and that kind of trust goes a LONG way here.

Per the landlord note I mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to try talking to your landlord directly. Sure, some of them are just money collecting scumbags, but you won't know until you try. As I mentioned before, I've been lucky enough to have landlords that allowed me to make adjustments, some small (shelves, racks, etc.), some big (rip out a closet, replace light fixtures, etc.), and take it out of my rent. I've been able to turn both of my places from dilapidated concrete shells into something I would even consider renting back home. The key, I've found, is to mention it during the lease signing phase. If they go for it, you're golden. Then you can make whatever adjustments you want (within reason), and then send the landlord the fapiao (receipt). They love this because it feels like they aren't spending money on the place, and they can turn around and rent the place for more when you move out. Since most people here treat rental property like a rock-star in a hotel room, more often than not, they are just surprised to have a tenant that actually gives a shit about the place. Just maintain your relationship with them, that way they don't try to price gouge you when the time comes to resign the lease.

On that note, if that is the direction you're heading, I would highly suggest not turning your home into a revolving door of women. Eyes will see, ears will hear, and words will be shared amongst everyone in the community, should you choose to do so. This will greatly diminish your credibility in the neighborhood. It would be in your best interest to have a steady that comes to your home, and keep your nightlies in another part of town. I'm not suggesting you run out and get hitched, but if you're planning on living comfortably here for a while, you gotta keep you're nose clean. Which brings me to my final point...

Due to recent events in Shenzhen, and China at large, regarding illicit substances, popular high volume dance clubs/bars being blocked by piss-test checkpoints, and unlicensed outdoor parties being raided, I would highly suggest that, and this goes for short and long termers, if you have any proclivities towards such things, now might be the time to dial things back a bit, give your body a chemical break, and find yourself frequenting less rowdy, more laid back venues such as the ones I mentioned earlier. Personally, this is not something I have to worry about, but I know a lot of people come here and get lost in the party free-for-all. Well, that party is rapidly coming to an end.

You can still have fun, just don't be an asshat expat, and keep your piss clean.

If you want specific details about where I live, neighborhood names, etc., pm me.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 03-07-2016

^^J Sway, thanks for the great update to the thread, full of valuable information and viewpoints. Really and truly, welcome to the online community.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Cr33pin - 03-07-2016

Quote: (03-07-2016 12:15 AM)J Sway Wrote:  

New member here. I joined last month at the behest of a couple friends who've been members for a while. I'm not exactly sure what the protocol is here for introductions, but I figure this is as good a place as any to make one.

I've called SZ home for a little over 4 years now. My first stay in The Middle Kingdom was about 13 years ago, in Wuhan. I lived there for a little over a year, returned home, and ended up back in China, in Shenzhen, in late '11. Anyone who's been here for any length of time will tell you what a difference 10 years can make.

I could go on at length about details of the city, but it looks like most of you guys have done a fairly thorough job of that and, from what I've read, there's not a whole lot I can add to it. There are a few things I can point to that might veer a bit off the standard trail though.

I slept on this dudes couch the two months I was in SZ.... it was a good couch

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

^^Global Entry, I appreciate the welcome. I've been a lurker for a couple years now. It took a bit of arm-pulling, but I finally stopped fighting it. I'm sure there's a Borg reference buried in there somewhere, but more like the reverse. Un-become the Borg.

^^Cr33pin, New digs, new couch. Same 'ol 'hood.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

Sitting here rereading through some of the old posts, and in between the lines a bit, I realized I succumbed to a bit of the Coco/Shekou hate in my post.

I just want to clarify: I don't think they are bad places. There's tons of talent there. It's just that the talent itself has a very short half-life. The gems are few and far between. YMMV, but the average Coco/Shekou pickup is not going to be something worthy of note. More of a raincheck for the mental spank-bank, if anything.

That said, for the newbies, if you're up on your game and not afraid of putting yourself out there, you can nab some prime.

One night I closed, in Coco, completely in Mandarin, during a loud ass DJ set in Viva, only to find out the next morning that she spoke perfect English. When I asked her why she never spoke English to me at Coco, her answer nailed into my head the necessity of learning the language.

"You were speaking Mandarin, and you were cute, what was the point of me speaking English?"

Six months later, she moved to Chicago to get her MBA, and got a modeling contract as well... Ah, C'est la vie!

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 03-07-2016

I went to Coco park for the first six months I was in China, more or less, got bored of it, and perhaps have been there at night a handful of times since (other than when someone specifically asks to meet me there). During the day, I do find the starbucks there quite good for making some new friends (as is Simply Life) - these venues are on the south side of Fuhua, the opposite side of the road from where Viva and most of the other bars are. Other than that, I really don't go - always seems like the same usual suspects in Viva, Pepper and the other places. Of course, not having been there for a long time, I haven't seen the new round of Coco park dwellers, but its generally where you'd find the mediocre foreigner groupies and the English teachers (nothing against them, many aspire to more) and the like.

There are one or two Chinese clubs in Coco as well, including one with a metal detector that is a bit sketchy, its right on the corner and its entrance is not within Coco Park, but out to the road. I've been in there a few times. There's another primarily Chinese club (I was the only white guy in there when I went before) inside Coco, next to Web English school. Its super tight in there, the ultimate of no dance floor- all tables layout.

I preferred M-1 and some other Chinese clubs to the ones in Coco Park - M1 actually has a proper bar where you can sit down and at least when I was there last, a bar as well. Sure its filled with girls who are in the employ of the club, but to me, thats just part of China (Asia) and I took off my foreigner glasses when I walked through the door. Its still a decent night out and there are plenty of girls who aren't models/drink pourers/whatevers paid by the club (tho some of those girls, frankly, are hot as hell).

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Suits - 03-07-2016

Quote: (03-07-2016 09:33 AM)J Sway Wrote:  

One night I closed, in Coco, completely in Mandarin, during a loud ass DJ set in Viva, only to find out the next morning that she spoke perfect English. When I asked her why she never spoke English to me at Coco, her answer nailed into my head the necessity of learning the language.

"You were speaking Mandarin, and you were cute, what was the point of me speaking English?"

It's always funny when that happens. I've closed girls totally in Chinese as well only to find out later that their English was flawless.

It's like an elevated shit-test.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 03-07-2016

J Sway - what are the places in Xili - I've been to a single disco in Bao'an (quite frankly I don't really know exactly where i was) or at least, outside Nanshan/Futian/Luohu, and I thought it was great. I was with some suppliers tho, and they insisted in having one of the KTV pourers (not a Xiao Jie) sit with me and keep me company, and inadvertently cockblocked me from the rest of the crowd.

Also would love a little more info on booking some of these cheap Spa Hotels around Shenzhen - I speak some passable chinese I can ask for a room for a night for sure, and I don't have any urge to bring a random lay back to my place (which is full of my gal's stuff anyway). How much are you generally paying, and how do you broach the subject of one of those places, or do you just head there and ignore any objection?

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

Yeah, Lily Marleen, the one on the corner with the guards, can come off a bit sketchy at times. I think it has a lot to do with the foreign to Chinese ratio. From what I understand, it was a Chinese hot spot before any of the spots in the Viva/Pepper/etc. open air area really took off. Then they started getting a lot of overflow of foreigners from the garden area and there were some confrontations. In the end, it ended up getting labeled as "that sketchy Chinese dance club".

There's just something I love about the camaraderie amidst the chaos at the Chinese table clubs. I've never been to M1, it must be newer. I haven't been out for a crawl in Coco in probably two years. After the novelty wore off, I started heading to the outskirts. Then, slowly, stopped going out to those places almost completely. I'll hit a spot once or twice a year now. Shoving 20 lamb kebabs in my face at 4AM and then staying up 'till the Egg McMuffins are hot is bad for my healthy. Nowadays, if I go out for anything other than dinner and a movie/show, it's to OCT Loft or Jazz Garden to catch some live music.

There's also some Micropubs and Mini beer bars popping up in the city. I haven't been to any outside of Nanshan, but the one's I've been to in Baishizhou are nice. Generally, not too much talent-wise. Mostly just dudes and their brew. But the brew's good.

Now that I think of it, if someone coming here for a short trip just looked at the map and drew a line between HKUSZ Hospital and IKEA, they'd go home with a few stories just from exploring inside that square.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 03-07-2016

M1 has been open at least a few years, I went there with the forum member Chris G a few years ago, there was some great talent, and girls available on the dance floor who were not working for the club.

Did you mean Le Nest - I don't know Le Chao, but I've certainly passed by Le Nest enough times on my jaunts around Guo Mao.

In other news, its getting warm in Shenzhen - short shorts weather (sans stockings) should be just around the corner. Woo hoo.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

Quote: (03-07-2016 09:40 PM)Global Entry Wrote:  

J Sway - what are the places in Xili - I've been to a single disco in Bao'an (quite frankly I don't really know exactly where i was) or at least, outside Nanshan/Futian/Luohu, and I thought it was great. I was with some suppliers tho, and they insisted in having one of the KTV pourers (not a Xiao Jie) sit with me and keep me company, and inadvertently cockblocked me from the rest of the crowd.

Also would love a little more info on booking some of these cheap Spa Hotels around Shenzhen - I speak some passable chinese I can ask for a room for a night for sure, and I don't have any urge to bring a random lay back to my place (which is full of my gal's stuff anyway). How much are you generally paying, and how do you broach the subject of one of those places, or do you just head there and ignore any objection?

Well, as far as Xili, your guess is as good as mine. I always ended up there on nights when I was out with my Chinese friends. Which is code for "I was too drunk to remember street/club names". I just know that they are in and around the university area on the northwest side of Tanglangshan. It's been a while too, so it's likely some of the places have changed names or don't even exist anymore.

As for hotels, it's super simple. I mean finding them. They are just about everywhere. Whenever you see a spa, chances are there's a hotel above the place. They usually reserve the first 3 floors for the spa rooms, and the rest are legit hotel rooms. It's been a while since I used one, but the last time it ran ¥400 for the night plus ¥400 deposit. Quality can range, but generally speaking they are at least as nice as a Holiday Inn Express back in the states. Most of them have 24 hour room service too, and the food's about as good as a standard Chinese restaurant. The window view will probably be a bit shit, but you're not there to stare out the window anyway. It's been a while, but if you need specifics, I can give you a list of the one's I can remember.

As for getting the girl back to the hotel room, eh, that's not something I ever had to negotiate. It was always their idea. Matter of fact, my personal experience has been that they either suggest going to their home, or a hotel. Since she's already DTF, you could try framing it as a comfortable middle ground, a place neither one of you have to worry about cleaning up or rushing out of later.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

Quote: (03-07-2016 09:46 PM)Global Entry Wrote:  

Did you mean Le Nest - I don't know Le Chao, but I've certainly passed by Le Nest enough times on my jaunts around Guo Mao.

Yeah, Le Nest. I just always went to the one in Coco, then one night I went out with some Chinese friends and after Coco we ended up at the one in Luohu. From then on I just went to that one. Luohu is a bit of a trip, but that one is usually packed 'till 5 or 6 AM. The vibe there is a bit friendlier than the one in Coco, as well.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - Global Entry - 03-07-2016

Hmm, 400 RMB is pretty steep (61USD). I make enough money to afford it, but that's not a low price - 3+ and 4 star hotel rooms (with upgrades and breakfast) are available for that in Shenzhen if you know how to look (my speciality ). I though we're talking the 200RMB range (which, in my experience, yields a cigarette smelling room in a normal hotel, with a chinese mattress that is basically the feel of a wide ironing board. I'm fine to go to hers typically - just that many women may have a concern about their neighbors seeing them bring home some foreigner for a one night stand.

Thanks for the info on Tanglanshan. If you want to try to venture up there sometime soon, even if ends up being a boondoggle, I'm down.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - J Sway - 03-07-2016

Quote: (03-07-2016 10:20 PM)Global Entry Wrote:  

Hmm, 400 RMB is pretty steep (61USD). I make enough money to afford it, but that's not a low price - 3+ and 4 star hotel rooms (with upgrades and breakfast) are available for that in Shenzhen if you know how to look (my speciality ). I though we're talking the 200RMB range (which, in my experience, yields a cigarette smelling room in a normal hotel, with a chinese mattress that is basically the feel of a wide ironing board. I'm fine to go to hers typically - just that many women may have a concern about their neighbors seeing them bring home some foreigner for a one night stand.

Thanks for the info on Tanglanshan. If you want to try to venture up there sometime soon, even if ends up being a boondoggle, I'm down.

Haha, yeah, finding cheap travel and lodging is definitely one of my lesser honed skills. More like a blunt spoon. Reading through your thread on miles and reward conversion made my brain do cartwheels.

Next time I get together with my Chinese buddies, I'll see if they're up to a night out in Xili. Seeing as how I'm not drinking like I used to, maybe this time I'll be able remember all the details.

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Shenzhen Data Sheet - atlant - 05-02-2016

Heading over to SZ today, then HK for the weekend. For the occasion I have posted some more detailed thoughts on Tantan here.

Are there any worthwhile nighttime venues during the week whatsoever in SZ (besides the obvious Coco)? If not I'll just fill my evening schedules with dates.

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