May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope. —Emily Brontë

Tell nothing but stories

At the century-old Yuyuan Road, a five-year-old “Story Store” accompanies the people. Here, the displayed “goods” are stories, the exchanged “currencies” are stories - someone comes here, opens their hearts and leaves behind stories.

Some people also come here and rush by to take away the story. In a loop, stories of all sizes gather and interact here, warm, sad, dreamy, and nostalgic... Colorful content fills this small space, allowing strangers to find a bond of spiritual communication here.

In the past five years, the “Story Store” has received tens of thousands of cards, condensing the colorful light and diverse life of our city. Although each one is ordinary and slightly trivial, there are often poetic words gently tapping into your heart.

Xu Yinlan, manager of Changning’s community renewal and construction center, said that the aspiration of establishing the “Story Store” was based on how to open up the barriers between people and the city in the urban renewal of Yuyuan Road, and how to use some heartwarming actions to shape the humanistic spirit of this city.

So, there was a “Story Store.” And the function here has evolved from one-way information dissemination to an intermediate interactive spot where information can be accurately transmitted from bottom to top and from top to bottom. 

Here, people can learn about the latest move of government agencies and have the right to express their demands. Here, people not only see, but also speak. They are not bystanders, but participants. The “Story Store” has become a “worry free grocery store.”

‘Silicon Alley’ to boost urban dynamics of innovation

Huayang Community has unveiled its latest plan to boost the development of Shanghai Silicon Alley and the construction of science and technology neighborhood. 

The community released the “2024 Huayang Road Community Construction Drawing of the ‘Shanghai Silicon Alley Science and Technology Innovation Neighborhood’ on April 23.”

Surrounded by Jiangsu Road in the east, Yan’an Road W. in the south, Kaixuan Road in the west, Changning Road and Yuyuan Road in the north, and Wuyi Road and Dingxi Road in the center, Shanghai Silicon Alley is presented in the layout of two-by-two grids and being built into a one-stop mass entrepreneurship and innovation neighborhood.

In the planned area are Shanghai Institute of Ceramics and Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and a number of heavy weight sci-tech firms.

The future Shanghai Silicon Alley will be a combination of urban renewal and sci-tech innovation, a maker space and community college of mass entrepreneurship and innovation, according to the plan.

It will become a high-end scientific and technological achievements transformation service platform in combination with the regional economic development requirements of Changning, and accelerate the continuous transformation and implementation of innovative achievements. 

District perks up with the best drip

In the hustle and bustle of life, coffee is not only a beverage, but also a lifestyle attitude and a symbol of culture. The 2024 Changning Coffee Culture Festival is arriving as scheduled, bringing you a feast of coffee for those who love life!

Festival inspiring shopping mania

The 5th “Double Five Shopping Festival” in Changning is about to start! The shopping festival is themed “Love to Buy Changning.” From late April to the end of June, multiple key activities and a number of consumption promotion linkage activities will be held. 

Consumers can enjoy a delicious, fun, useful, and easy to buy shopping experience at their doorstep.

This year’s “Double Five Shopping Festival” will highlight the three major characteristics of the linkage between business, tourism, cultural and sports exhibitions, the improvement of business areas, and the tapping of commercial entities in Changning, focusing on the three “connections.”

Connect the green resources of business, tourism, cultural and sports exhibitions. Changning will integrate resources such as shopping malls, commercial streets, cultural and creative parks, green spaces, culture, sports venues, etc, and release a multilingual, multi-themed, and multi-routes “Love to Buy Changning Tour Map.” 

People can pick it at hotels, shopping malls, commercial streets, banks, tourist centers, and Gubei Civic Center, and follow the map to play in Changning.

Connect high-quality brand discounts. Changning will establish a system of “Chief Liaison Officer” and “Project Executive Officer” in the commercial circles, working together with retailers, characteristic commercial streets, Changning-based top brands such as CHAGEE, JD Electrical, and Li-Ning, as well as e-commerce platforms such as Ctrip, PDD, and Stbcn.com, to carry out integrated promotional activities, optimize the consumption environment, and provide consumption discounts.

Connect online and offline. Changning will collaborate with nearly 20 brands to launch 3,000 sets “Love to Buy Changning” coupons, which can be used in over a thousand chain stores and thought online channels by the end of May, providing benefits and promotions for the shoppers.

Century-old rose garden in full bloom

This spring, the century-old Rose Garden in Zhongshan Park is in full bloom, with various colors and fragrant aromas.

Zhongshan Park established the Rose Garden in 1916 for people to better appreciate the roses, which became one of the 12 famous scenic spots in the park. After two expansions in 1956 and 2001, the area of the garden has expanded to 3,300 square meters.

In the blooming season, the flowers are colorful, fragrant, and breathtaking. There are various roses planted in the garden, with large, bright colors and diverse shapes. 

Strolling through it, it feels like being immersed in a sea of colorful roses, making one linger and forget to leave. It is the best time to appreciate the roses during the May Day holiday. 

Edited by Shanghai Daily