The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Through a rose-tinted lens: Visitors marvel at the thousands of pink flamingos that have made DPS Lake in Nerul their home this year. Pic/Sameer Markande
When help is just a call away
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The pandemic has dealt a heavy blow on the mental health of people of all ages and backgrounds. To help them tide through these trying times, Namrata Jain, a Bandra-based counselling psychologist, has formed free online support groups. “In addition to speaking to a mental health professional, people with common experiences and concerns can offer emotional and moral support to one another. The pandemic has triggered many common fears and anxieties in all of us. And so, we designed support groups as safe spaces for people struggling with different challenges, such as managing stress and a lack of self-love, to connect with each other. There are also age-specific groups from individuals aged 10 to 55 and above, who are grappling with personal loss, mounting anxiety or simply the stress of staying indoors for nearly 14 months now,” she shared. To learn more and register, visit outaloud.com.
Both humans and animals matter
“With so much distress and suffering around us, donating for the wellbeing of animals has become an afterthought for many, since the last year. I wanted to create an initiative that would benefit both humans and animals,” explained Dhruvi Doshi, founder of a design studio. Accordingly, she has created a line of hand-illustrated wellness journals, 50 per cent of proceeds from which will be donated to the city-based animal shelter Yoda, with whom she has volunteered in the past. About the journals, Doshi explained that they are intended to be beginner-friendly, and not overwhelming for people with no journaling experience. Check them out at dhruvidoshidesigns.
Give us the jab
The National Restaurant Association of India has written to the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of some major states to prioritise F&B workers for vaccination. President Anurag Katriar shared they’ve received favourable responses from Maharashtra and Karnataka: “We’ve got an acknowledgement from the PM’s office. Vaccine supply is at its lowest, so we’ll have to wait. But we need consensus that hospitality workers are frontline workers.” They’ve also virtually met Anurag Thakur, MoS for Finance & Corporate Affairs, to discuss the sector’s concerns and the need for long-term policy support.
Bond and the bullock cart
When it is James Bond, it must be an Aston Martin, right? Not when you are in Mumbai’s Colaba Causeway. Frames from the past continue to create a buzz on social media groups, especially on Colaba chats. One recent addition is this vintage photograph highlighting the James Bond flick called You Only Live Twice, released in June 1967, and screened at Regal Cinema. ‘Don’t miss the bullock cart, the Ambassador and Fiat cars,’ read the caption. Nostalgia, you seem so sweet.
Reviving the art of 16mm cinema
The Harkat Film Lab, supported by the Gujral Foundation, is all set for a new edition of their 16mm Film Festival in December. The platform has put out a call for celluloid film entries from aspiring filmmakers. “Participants can submit anything that has been made on celluloid. We have films from around the world. The idea behind this festival is to celebrate the hand-made artistry and meticulousness that goes into the medium,” Michaela Talwar, co-founder of Harkat Lab, shared.