The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Ishq, sex and all that jazz
The folks at Agents of Ishq (AOI) are known to have quite a loyal following on social media. Known for their bindaas and insightful take on all things sexual and taboo, they kickstart their offline events, Ishq Etc: The AOI Conversations, in the city this Sunday.
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Rosalyn D'Mello at a performance and Paromita Vohra
The session has award-winning author and mid-day columnist Rosalyn D'Mello in conversation with AOI creative director and Sunday mid-day columnist Paromita Vohra.
The talk will dip into D'Mello's A Handbook for My Lover, a memoir where she describes her sex life with an older man, her life as an artist and being a woman in a society where relationships are discussed behind closed doors. With two bada*&s women, a cracker of a session seems to be in the making at Kala Studio.
Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Just a minute
Actor Bhumi Pednekar asks for a moment from the photographers as a staffer adjusts her dress at an exhibition at a Juhu five-star yesterday.
Green warriors descend on Bengaluru
Bengaluru is playing host to an interesting event centred around the cause of the environment. Organised by Indo-American music composer and Grammy winner, Ricky Kej, the ongoing week-long Roundglass Samsara Festival features environment summits, art exhibitions, a film festival and music concert.
Dia Mirza
Speakers at the summit include Anote Tong, the former president of Kiribati, which faces the threat of submersion, adventurist Robert Charles Swan, known as the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles, and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh (inset).
Joining this green brigade from Mumbai is actor Dia Mirza (right), who reached the garden city yesterday. Involved with various environmental causes, we are sure Mirza would like the arrangements at the festival. No paper napkins and cups, plastic water bottles or non-organic food at the venue, we hear.
Branson takes off
Twenty years ago, Richard Branson had chronicled his entrepreneurial adventures in his autobiography, Losing My Virginity. But for a business magnate who seems to be on a never-ending quest to venture into newer territories, one memoir isn't enough.
The 67-year-old is back with what is being called the rest of his story. Apart from his business adventures, the book, we hear, is also about Branson's foray into philanthropy and public service. The title this time? Finding My Virginity.
A full circle
In 2013, at the end of a four-month long food exploration sabbatical in Europe, chef Thomas Zacharias hit a turning point in his career. "I travelled and ate my way through 36 different towns and cities in France, Italy and Spain, but in the end realised how little I had explored my own country," he said.
Zacharias, who was a sous chef at Bandra's Olive back then, began pursuing a food philosophy, rooted in regional Indian cuisine and almost-forgotten ingredients. The journey culminated in Zacharias becoming the executive chef of The Bombay Canteen, known for its Petha Soup and Ponkh Salad.
Now, he is headed to San Sebastian Gastronomika, the celebrated food congress in Spain, where he will speak about his journey. Interestingly, San Sebastián was one of the places Zacharias visited in 2013. Life does come full circle.
Gaurav's double trouble
Two weeks ago, at an awards night hosted by a top fashion glossy to honour powerful women across industries, Emmy award-winning actor Archie Punjabi hosted the evening in a white Gaurav Gupta AI-inspired cognitive saree.
Malaika Arora
The designer had crafted it in collaboration with IBM. LED lights sewn into the ensemble changed colours every now and then as she charmed the audience at the gala. Cool stuff, huh? That was until last week, when a similar looking ensemble, again by Gupta, made it to the pages of newspapers. This time, it was worn by Malaika Arora Khan. But it's where she wore it that's of consequence.
The actor was attending a beauty awards night hosted by the said fashion glossy's competitor. And, the Delhi-based designer publicised the outfit as a "shape shifter sculptor" dress. Given the fashion industry's penchant for a good catfight, do we see claws being sharpened?