Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Soaking up some vitamin sea

Visitors laze around and enjoy a peaceful evening at Carter Road, Bandra.

This Bandra café wants you to be kind to yourself

The queen of the suburbs embraces hip and healthy like no other place in Mumbai. Fancy a turmeric latte for the road, or an acai bowl at an ungodly hour? Bandra has you covered. Joining the line-up of health-focused eateries is Kind Cafe. Founded by Akash Israni and Vaishnavi Shah (inset), the café is designed around the central idea to be kind to yourself and others, through food. "We believe that feeding people nourishing meals is the best way to extend kindness. We intend to also serve food that helps you be kind to yourself. There are a host of healthy, wholesome dishes that cater to those following keto, vegan or gluten-free diets, as well as those who like their meat. Nothing on the menu has refined sugar or maida," shared Israni. Apart from the usual healthy fare, there's an interesting chickpea milkshake that could lure those who dislike dairy. Will it taste as hip as it sounds? We'll keep you posted.

Walking on water in Airoli

Visitors walk on a lenticular panel at Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre, Airoli

A sea of dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and a variety of corals will virtually be at your feet if you drop by the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre in Airoli. If you look closely, you might spot Nemo, the clownfish, and Dory, the blue tank fish, too. To immerse visitors in the biodiversity of the marine world, the centre has installed multidimensional lenticular panels on the walls and the floor, which are helping bring the ocean world to life. "Lenticular technology lends 3D depth and optical illusion. As you move, the images appear to move. It gives you the impression of walking through an aquarium. It was started under the guidance of Adarsh Reddy, deputy conservator of forests, Mangrove Cell, Maharashtra," shared Vandan Jhaveri, assistant director-ecotourism, Mangrove Foundation. He added that the idea is to spread awareness about local marine biodiversity through an interactive approach.

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Blanket protection

A previous drive by the team

Despite being short-lived, the city's winter can get chilly at night, especially for those without a roof or shelter. To reach out to homeless street-dwellers who have been reeling from the cold, the Red Boys Foundation from Bandra East is conducting a blanket donation drive across Andheri, Santacruz, Bandra and the rest of the city, especially near hospitals. "People can donate R300 per blanket. They can also send us new blankets or have us pick them up," shared trustee Nilofer Jailor. To lend them a hand, call 7021996026.

Talk the walk

A woman sells flowers on the street. Pic Courtesy/Kimaya Tendulkar

Ever wonder if the city's streets have a place for the flâneur? The PeoplePlaceProject might have answers. Curator Nisha Nair Gupta shared that their online exhibition, Look Around, took off from the perspective of looking at everyday experiences critically. "From women in public spaces to the street art along the Western Express Highway, it entails photo essays by students with insightful personal touches." The second leg of the project will offer quantitative data on pedestrian spaces, she said.

Bhatia earns a nod from King Charles

It's been a grand kick-off to the new year for chef Vineet Bhatia. The Indian chef, who was born in Mumbai, was recently awarded MBE by the monarch of the United Kingdom, King Charles III. With the honour, he became the first Michelin trade chef of Indian origin to be awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire "for services to UK Cuisine, to Hospitality and to International Trade". The MBE is awarded to individuals or communities for contributions that have a sustained and real impact in their field. Our congratulations.