Xiao huntun, the small wonton, is a common breakfast dumpling in Shanghai. It is a smaller-size wonton with pork as the stuffing inside. Skilled people can make it very quickly. They casually wrap the minced meat into a flat dough skin by one hand. This Shanghai dumpling is often cooked in a soup, or better in the chicken soup.

Taking ferry is an interesting experience on Shanghai's mother river, the Huangpu River. It has been the oldest yet effective transportation to cross the river. The operation of ferry in Shanghai started from 1910. With over 100 years development, there are now 18 ferry lines in Shanghai. Besides the view of the bund and Lujiazui financial centre, there is also a taste of local life by watching people on the ferries.

After the revolution in Russia in 1917, many White Russians (anti-Bolshevik Russians) moved to the free port Shanghai. There was once a big Russian community living in the French Concession during 1920s-1940s. They came as stateless political exiles, yet made their way to the middle class or even well-off business men. The Russians have built up schools, newspaper, restaurants, clubs, and orthodox churches in Shanghai.

Today is the lantern festival, also known as the YuanXiao Festival (YuanXiao Jie). The new year celebration reaches the end. Traditionally, people eat the sweet YuanXiao on the day (15th of January in lunar calender). YuanXiao refers to a round dumpling made of glutinous rice flour cover. It is often filled with sesame or sweet bean paste inside. The sweet stuffing and round shape of the dumpling is often associated with the family get-together.