25 Albums and a Pearl Club Chair - Made in China

Bostonist has been infatuated with China lately. It all started when baby Shanghaiist came into the family and started using a English vocabulary in a way that made us jealous. In July they took us on a trip to audio wonderland featuring the top 25 albums so far in ought-five. Today (even though they posted it today when today was still in our yesterday) Shanghaiist lays the beat down for the top 25 albums at the end of the year. Bostonist is pretty impressed and jealous once again. That bunch of ex-pats and natives has assembled a list we’ll file under “da shiznit 05” playlist. Well, that is if we had the funds to grab all those tunes, we’re sure they’re picking up CD’s with cover art and everything for under $2 a pop, Newbury Comics will sell you a Neil Diamond cassette for that price.

It isn’t just music selections coming from the East: they’re sending us furniture. It’s not a hidden historical marker this time, its nouveaux chic. Shanghai Deco has closed up shop for a month in their French Concession location and shipped themselves over to Porter Square in Cambridge. The ‘private’ showroom has antique and reproduction furniture and other gifts (‘cause, you know it’s almost that time…). Yes, and it’s a private showroom, so you’ve got to email them for an appointment. The process makes furniture shopping feel like a secret speakeasy you’ve been invited to, with a promise of upholstery not inebriation. Bostonist is a sucker for Art Deco in art and design, which is why we went here three times. The Deco era in Shanghai was when the Western world was making inroads into the Eastern territories, a fusion if you will. Great-Gramps Bostonist ran the Shanghai YMCA during this time and there’s still some furniture in the family to show for it, so Bostonist can attest to the greatness of design. And your living room will look nothing like everyone else’s. To arrange your super-secret showing of the Shanghai Deco collection while it’s in Cambridge (only until December 29!) drop an email to show@shanghaideco.com, or visit them in the not-so-secret location on the web. Will someone please buy Bostonist a Ping-Pong tin toy for the holidays?