Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Well, look who's going to be here!
Hardly has the dust settled with international athletes exiting Mumbai after the its annual marathon, and we will have hordes of overseas guests descending on the city for the Asian Racing Conference (ARC) scheduled from January 24-29.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan

This is a prestigious event, for all those connected with the horse racing industry. Mahalaxmi racecourse will be in focus, as delegates from Asia, debate and discuss how to take racing ahead in their countries and across the world.

One of the visitors will be Princess Zahra Aga Khan, daughter of Aga Khan IV. She and thoroughbred racing are connected. She is a horse owner and races thoroughbreds in her name. Meanwhile, we see Mahalaxmi getting all spruced up.

The washrooms are sparkling, the stands have a fresh coat of paint and there are new ekdum English-style benches on the lawns. The green emerald of SoBo just got extra sheen.

Krishna calling

Pic/Bipin Kokate

Odissi dancer Prachi Mehta Jariwala performs at the opening of Stories from the Bhagavata, an exhibition of artworks on Lord Krishna at the Coomaraswamy Hall, CSMVS, yesterday.

Soupher news
Ash Roy and Ashwin Mani Sharma, founding members of Jalebee Cartel (which disbanded in 2012) are back with new music. The duo who have since been busy with their Indie music label, Soupherb Records, have now come together to produce music as Bit of Both.

Ash Roy and Ashwin Mani Sharma

This new live Electronica act merges percussive elements with House and Techno and their album, Prequels and Sequels features collaborations with producers like Grain, Techno producer Kohra, singer Anushka Manchanda and guitarist Bhrigu Sahni.

Monica Dogra

Fans can head to blueFROG tomorrow to give it a listen. In other news, Monica Dogra, will be finally launching her debut album, Spit, on January 29.

Coffee with Ruskin Bond?
By the time you read this, the Pink City will be in full bloom, and buzzing with life, as the curtains rise for another edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival. The five-day gala affair has grown over the years into a platform for not just literature, but for all things Jaipur.

A mug with a quote from Ruskin Bond

Joining this ever-growing bandwagon to celebrate the capital city, and by default, Rajasthan, is a new line of JLF merchandise including bookmarks, T-shirts. bags, stationery, coffee mugs (with quotes from famous authors) and other knick-knacks.

For those who'll be at the festival, drop by their stall to carry back your memento, but for the rest who are ruing that they aren't on that flight to Jaipur, check out their designs on www.directcreate.com/jlf16

Sail on the mobiDick
The sheer sight of bitter gourd has us running up the wall. However, we'd be up for a dare any day (night would be better) to try this one. Called the mobiDICK, it's a shot of bitter gourd, whiskey and sour mix, which features on the menu of just-launched Hoppipola at Malad's Infiniti mall on the bustling Link Road.

mobiDICK at Malad's Hoppipola

The opening marks the all-day bar and kitchen's fourth outpost after Powai, Khar and Lower Parel. Additions on the menu include Auckland Ice Freeze; a potent mix of vodka, gin, tequila, orange liquor and kiwi puree and the Classical Mint Julep. Here's hoping more pubs follow this route to bring the mojo back into Malad.

Go Gaggan!
When ‘The Captain Kirk of Cuisine,' (dubbed by TIME magazine) stepped into the MasterChef Asia kitchen for the final episode of season 1 on Tuesday night, the stress on the faces of the two finalists, Leong and Marcus, was for all to see.

Gaggan Anand on a visit to Mumbai last year. Pic/Atul Kamble

The acclaimed Kolkata boy's dessert from his self-titled Bangkok restaurant, Mango Snowball, was the dish that had to be replicated for the final round. Served at his restaurant that's ranked the 10th best in the world, it combines science, art and flavour, and turned out to be one tough challenge for the title.

While Malaysian Marcus' dessert earned more points, Singaporean Leong won the title due to a five-point lead from earlier rounds. Anand's crackling, logical advice to both contestants and his presence in the studio made for the perfect icing on the cake.

Letters of art

Pic/Atul Kamble

For those who haven't dropped by, now might be a good time. Artist Jitish Kallat's new exhibition, Covering Letter uses a brief letter written by Gandhi to Hitler in 1939, urging him to reconsider his violent means. Here's one our favourite frames.