Women of Asia

Padma Lakshmi, Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and Barkha Dutt

By any reckoning, this photograph from the sidelines of Mountain Echoes in Bhutan, featuring Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck sitting causally on the steps flanked by Padma Lakshmi (in old rose coloured boots) and Barkha Dutt is archival not only for its near lethal quotient of drop-dead Asian glamour, but also for its subtle message of female power.

Notice the accompanying guard with the blue parasol straining to shield the royal head from rain; notice the exquisitely attired cheerful staff in the background. "Only in Bhutan will you see a ruling royal family being this informal, humble and accessible. I met the queen mother with my friend, the TV host, model and writer Padma Lakshmi. We were chatting and she had gifted us both copies of a book she had written, when it suddenly started raining," said Dutt about the setting of this delightful picture.

Khanna's flying visit
He's been called 'The Hottest Chef in America', and was once named by People Magazine as one of the world's sexiest men. But the NYC-based Vikas Khanna is also regarded as a humanitarian and philanthropist, and a caring friend.

Vikas Khanna with Usha Mangeshkar at the Mangeshkar house

This was amply demonstrated last week when the Michelin-starred chef flew all the way from America to attend the Ganpati darshan pooja of his close friends, the Mangeshkar family in Mumbai. "You're one of the finest and noblest persons I've ever known Vikas... may god grant you all that you desire!" exulted Adinath Mangeshkar about the gesture. Sweet.

The ladies of Calcutta
We have always maintained that for real European sophistication, there's no place like Kolkata, which still carries the legacy of being the East India Company and the Raj's first point of entry into India.

Bronwyn Latif (far left in turban) with Salim Latif (far right) and friends at the Monsoon Ball in Kolkata

This weekend saw an elegant dinner hosted by the Kolkata International Women's Club for its annual Monsoon Ball, replete with black tie, gowns, tiaras, and turbans to which our friend from Delhi, the aesthete and impassioned India lover Bronwyn Latif, and husband Salim made a handsome entry.

Come to think of it, even in her Delhi days, the Australia-born flamboyantly-dressed Bronwyn had embodied a distinct Kolkata style in her approach to Indian textiles and crafts, and as seen in the photograph, Kolkata can teach its counterparts Delhi and Mumbai a thing or two when it comes to elegant evening balls.

Finally, an official announcement
"Excited to officially announce that Indian Accent Delhi has a new address... shall move to The Lodhi, New Delhi, end of October," posted Chef Manish Mehrotra yesterday to confirm the news about his top-rated restaurant's impending move to central Delhi.

Manish Mehrotra

We had broken the news and written about the move exactly a month ago on this page in our column, 'Bulletins from the Melting Pot' (July 28): "Meanwhile Chef Manish Mehrotra's acclaimed Delhi eatery Indian Accent, which had been adversely affected by the 'no alcohol near highway' ban, is said to be relocating to the Lodhi Hotel in Delhi." Good to have the news confirmed and that Accent will replace the existing 'On The Water Front'.

What's more, if all goes according to plan, insiders reveal that there will be a dedicated chef's table on the site's upper level, where Chef Manish will personally cook for and serve his guests. The Delhi move means that the opening of the London Indian Accent will be delayed by some months. In other news, the Lodhi is also said to be in talks with Kishore Bajaj's successful franchise of Yautcha, which has not received the popularity it enjoys in Mumbai, and F&B insiders indicate that a move may be on the cards for it too. As always, you heard it here first.

Shangri La unspooled
As reported in these columns last week, the Shangri La existence of this flashy Dubai-based much married couple, continues to unspool at an alarming rate. "Apparently, the spouse who'd been discovered in some rather incriminating clinches with a blonde import (he insists they are photoshopped) has been deported and is no longer in Dubai, leading one of his erstwhile friends to hiss, "A gift for his wife in her birthday week?" The hapless husband's woes do not rest there. According to the same erstwhile friend, he has also been dumped by his paramour from a North Indian state (who was said to be the spitting image of his estranged wife) on account of his recent legal problems. "She has already begun dating a twice married man from Delhi." And so it goes and so it goes...

Rita Dhody with Abha Virmani Kapoor, Namrata Dutt, Lali Dhawan and friends in Goa

Soul fest and sisterhood
Rita Dodhy, designer, socialite and girl-about-town, brought in her birthday this weekend with a celebration in Goa with her daughters Nadine and Anissa, and special GFs, including Lali Dhawan, Abha Virmani Kapoor, and Priya and Namrata Dutt, and their families.

The highlight of this weekend's love fest between old friends was the dinner at Goa's Au Reverie, where there was much singing and dancing along with the establishment's signature French menu. "I have known Rita for a long, long time," said Virmani Kapoor from the Goa airport on her way back to Mumbai when we spoke.

"Over the years, she's become so serene and even more beautiful. These past few days were just so special. Yesterday, we also met Priya, who shared the same birth date. Everyone remarked it felt like a sisterhood. But I'd say it was more of a 'soul-hood'," she said.