Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Raje

Starting out young

A reflection of our times, these toddlers are mirroring their grown-ups' obsession with technology at Azad Maidan.

Champ waited to say his goodbye to Biden

Champ with the US President on his return. Pic Courtesy/@schultzinit, @TheOvalPawffice

Anybody who's cared for a dog would believe in their special connection with humans. Which is why when news that Champ, the 13-year-old German Shepherd and First Dog of US President Joe Biden and wife, Jill, had crossed over the rainbow bridge came in, the outpouring of messages on fan accounts on social media was overwhelming. A particularly moving frame was posted by @TheOvalPawffice, which could have possibly been one of the last of the President with Champ after he returned from his Europe tour. It was posted on June 18 and the senior dog passed on the following day; almost as if he waited for that one last paw-fect reunion with his long-time buddy. In the post, fellow First Dog, the younger Major, speaks of their beautiful bond and over decade-long friendship. We're sure Champ must be catching up with old friend and former First Dog, President Obama's Bo, who left the family in early May.

There's a new deli in SoBo

After an eerie silence in the past few months, it's good to see the F&B scene buzzing. Take for instance, the new Smoke House Deli 2.0 outpost that's opening in Colaba. "It's a beautiful part of SoBo, with an old-world charm. So, it's natural that an artfully imaginative brand like ours should find a home here.

The outpost's whimsical visual narratives - lovingly illustrated on our walls by Priya Dali - are as delicious as our menu. Among the new additions is a charcuterie section filled with house-cured meats and sausages, alongside vegan and keto-friendly dishes," business head Jaydeep Mukherjee revealed.

Just what Chembur kneads

A young baker is whipping up a storm in the eastern suburbs. After months of R&D, 22-year-old chef Rachi Gupta is launching The Bread Bar, a café-cum-bakehouse in Chembur today, bringing foodies in the area artisanal breads, pastries, desserts, sandwiches and snacks inspired by her travels. And since delivery is now the norm, she'll also ship her treats across Mumbai. "When I returned to India after working in Spain and France, it was disappointing to note the lack of options for great sandwiches, coffee and tea in Chembur and its neighbouring suburbs. The Bread Bar is a labour of love, where I hope to make hand-made, artisanal breads inspired from boulangeries across the world, more accessible to Mumbaikars,"shared Gupta.

Back to childhood

With the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) celebrating its centenary next year, the Children's Museum that's housed inside is undertaking a Memory Project. In the run up to its launch, the museum is calling upon adults to reflect back on their childhood and send in an essay about it. "Apart from being a centre where we're engaging with kids, it's important for the Children's Museum to have a repository of the idea of childhood and how it has evolved over the years. For instance, little kids living through this pandemic will have a very different notion of childhood as opposed to slightly older children or young adults. For us, it's important to factor in an inter-generational viewpoint," shared Vaidehi Savnal, assistant curator, international relations, and in-charge, education (inset). "We're looking for a childhood connect - the kind of games they played, how much focus was on studies, how they spent their free time and the likes," she added. Interested? Write to memoryproject@csmvs.in by July 31.

What are these hornbills eating?

Indian Grey Hornbills feed on food scraps in Malabar Hill. Pic Courtesy/Darshan Khatau

The Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros Birostris) is one of the few species in the Subcontinent that can be spotted in urban areas, like Mumbai. Although their diet, according to wildlife conservationist Darshan Khatau, includes ficus fruits, molluscs, insects, reptiles and small birds, the Malabar Hill resident has spotted them feeding on roti and bread scraps, and processed food or farsan. He even shared a click of a few Indian Grey Hornbills pecking at such foods on a window grill adjacent to his building.

Darshan Khatau

"There are concerns of rapid urbanisation; these birds getting accustomed to processed or fried food and scraps picked from trash may be harmful as it's not their natural diet. In 2018, the authorities had warned people to stop feeding savoury snacks to seagulls on Marine Drive. Unfortunately, the Wildlife Protection Act doesn't have a specific mention of feeding birds savoury snacks," he said. He added that the need of the hour is to also educate people - who think feeding birds such foods is good karma - that it does more harm than good.