It's almost 50 C in my kitchen in Shanghai, leaving me little desire to cook. Ordering food online - which has the potential to make the delivery person suffer heatstroke - or visiting a restaurant are not on my list of options.

So the best solution is to escape to a much cooler city where I can take a summer break with no worries about either the high temperature or what to eat in Shanghai.

This year, Qingdao, Shandong province, a city famous for its cool sea breeze - and more important, delicious and affordable seafood and drinks - is the destination my husband and I chose.