14 February,2022 06:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Shadab Khan
A fisherman checks his catch at Andheri's Versova beach.
What is the idea of home? That is a question relevant to many people in Mumbai, which is a metropolis filled with migrants. It's also one that city-based photographer Anurag Banerjee addresses in his first book, I'm Not Here, scheduled for release later this week. Banerjee, who hails from Shillong, told this diarist that the title comprises work that he has collected over eight years in the northeastern city. "My rent-making work involves portraits and projects in the development sector. But my personal work is more non-fiction oriented. One project called Love in Bombay documented intimacy in public spaces, for example, and I'm Not Here is about the idea of home. But it's not about documenting daily activities; it's more abstract than that," he shared.
While many city foodies have been waiting for Pasta Bar to open, chef Devika Manjrekar wants us to salivate for a bit longer. Toast Pasta Bar Dinner Circle that Manjrekar recently introduced is a series of intimate dinners that will be held at Toast Doughnut Shop, Lower Parel. Manjrekar, who is veteran cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar's daughter said she believes she is an Italian nonna who makes pasta every day. She shared, "Our first dinner will be held today, on Valentine's Day, and a couple more will be hosted in the coming weeks. The menu will have sea bass crudo, fennel, chilli, capers; coccoli, parma ham, stracciatel; and garganelli, confit egg yolk, bacon and parmesan, among other elaborate dishes. We will wrap up work at our doughnut shop a little early and then, turn it into a dine-in. I am very excited for this, as I really miss cooking in a commercial kitchen. I would like only interested diners to participate in this, and that's why we have left an option for people to approach us." Pasta lovers who want to be part of this treat, can message her on 9324036099.
Students from Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) collaborated with London School of Trends to make global headlines when they presented their collection, Indian Fashion Trunk, at New York Fashion Week. The garments were presented at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom. Ritu Kochhar, director, INIFD, said, "The designs depict our culture, indigenous craftsmanship, and textiles from across India. I am proud of these student designers who have worked hard in these difficult times to do their best."
Agents Of Ishq, in partnership with non-profit organisation Point of View, is set to drop a video called Who Says Disabled Women Can't Masturbate, today. It will help young people with disabilities look beyond guilt and explore their sexuality freely by first building a sexual relationship with themselves. The video, written by Sweta Mantrii and directed by Paromita Vohra is part of the Pyaar Plus project. "People with disabilities are not treated like any other adult. They might have special needs, but that doesn't mean they don't have desires. They too want love, romance and sex. The video is funny and informative. Masturbation is a taboo topic for all kinds of people; so it's doubly and triply taboo for those with disabilities," Vohra thinks.
Subhajit Mukherjee, the founder of Mission Green Mumbai, told this diarist about a new green venture that will reduce the pressure on city landfills and will also help beautify our surroundings. The students of KES Shroff College worked on an idea conceived by Mukherjee: "Tyres are often thrown away when they become useless. They either land up on ocean floors or in landfills. Considering their strength, I thought why not turn them into big planters that can be used in community gardens. Lily Bhushan, principal of KES Shroff College, readily agreed to the idea. College students worked on a basic structure and have now come up with these functional tyre planters." He added that Jitendra Pardesi, superintendent, BMC, garden department, was receptive to the initiative. He met the students at the college on Saturday, and has asked for as many as 100 tyre planters that will be used in the civic gardens of Kandivali West.
