Everyone seems to enjoy the festive season's bounty of greetings and gifts, and no surprises that Bollywood stars attract many more than most folks
Everyone seems to enjoy the festive season's bounty of greetings and gifts, and no surprises that Bollywood stars attract many more than most folks. The modus operandi is well established: the star receives the gift hamper, and typically, clicks a quick photo of it and uploads it to his/her social media feed to register his/her mark of appreciation by tagging the brand that sent the hamper, thus endorsing it on his/her hugely subscribed fan pages. However, sometimes things do not go according to the plan.
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Jacqueline Fernandez
This Diwali, Sri Lankan star Jacqueline Fernandez joined in the fun and posted photos of the many hampers she had received. But one international brand, which had sent her a lovely hamper, had a note addressed not to Jacqueline but to actress Shraddha Kapoor.
Shraddha Kapoor
"Dear Shraddha, this year celebrate a healthier Diwali with your friends and family," the note had read. To her credit, on realising the error, Fernandes had handled the situation with elan, not making a big deal of it. "Oh crap! I think I got Shraddha Kapoor's parcel!!!" she posted, tagging her fellow star about the mix-up.
Baking a difference
"I actually got the idea when I attended a breast cancer awareness event last month, where a leading international department store was launching a new collection of bras for women in remission," said Gauri Devidayal, whose Colaba eatery hosted a Sunday Bake Sale over the weekend, proceeds of which went to charity.
Gauri Devidayal (left) along with bakery manager Takshama Pandit
"We have been doing the bake sales for a little over a month and have had an overwhelmingly positive response," she said about how the idea fell into place. "When I was at the breast cancer awareness event, I suddenly had the idea that we should do a monthly charity bake sale. So one Sunday every month will be dedicated to a different charity, where 100 per cent of the sale proceeds will go to it.
And since October is breast cancer awareness month, I decided to kick off this initiative with the Women's Cancer Initiative, Tata Memorial Hospital," she said. Devidayal's commitment to charity involves more than just donating money. "The idea behind this is that we can actively talk about a different charity every month, as there are so many wonderful initiatives to choose from," she said, adding, "And if you can have a delicious breakfast while you're at it, it's a win-win!!"
Friend of India
Word comes in that His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, a senior member of Abu Dhabi's royal family, who until now had been the UAe's Minister for Culture, Youth and Social Development, has been appointed Minister for Tolerance of the United Arab emirates, one of the highest ranking posts in the government.
Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan
The announcement was made by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAe and ruler of Dubai, last week, in which six new ministers, the youngest just 27 and three of them women, have been named.
"My brother Nahyan is an emirati face, recognised both on the Arab level and internationally. He is a significant credit to UAe soft power," the announcement had said. Coincidentally, it was the same week when we had spoken about an unrelated matter with the Oxford-educated Sheikh, known for his deep and abiding ties to India.
Only last month, he had been the guest of honour at Design One's fashion outing in Dubai. And not once during the entire conversation, we noted, had the UAe's progressive new Minister for Tolerance, mentioned his newest elevation. Nice.
Spicy lady
If there's one word that comes to mind when describing international gypsetter design entrepreneur and woman-about-town Bina Ramani, it's 'spicy'.
Bina Ramani
From her salad days as a young Mumbaikar, who'd dated Bolly superstar Shammi Kapoor, to her time in New York where she was the queen of cafe society, to her life in Delhi where she discovered and transformed the neighbourhoods of Hauz Khas and the Qutub into style miles, spice has always been one of the main ingredients in Ramani's life. So it comes as no surprise that this week her friends received a missive from the lady alerting them about her latest business venture, Malabar Secrets.
"For almost two years of traversing the legendary spice fields of Malabar region, my team and I have lovingly developed our product from an interplay with leisure and health, using an impeccable blend of spices to embellish the world of beverages and gastronomy," she said enigmatically, by way of a save-the-date for her Delhi launch in early November, when she and her partners will host a culinary journey of beguiling flavours, moods and bonhomie.
"We want to serenade your senses with esoteric flavours, palate culture, fragrant foliage, live music and more," she said about the soiree. As for the evening's dress code, what else could it be but 'in celebration mode'."
Art attack in London
"Sotheby's London's sale of Middle eastern Indian contemporary and Islamic art was a great treasure trove today," said our friend, Asia Society's dynamic India head, Bunty Chand, about her weekend's artsy loaf in London.
Bunty and Tara Chand
"But the standout collection was the absolutely amazing works from the Howard Hodgkin estate, apparently from his house in France - a pure delight," said the international culture doyenne, who had dropped into London en route to New York for Asia Society Game Changers Award, where this year the Agha Khan is being honoured.
Chand had spent the day with her daughter Tara, a student of King's College, first at Sotheby's and then later at the Christies. "All the work you see behind us in this picture is from the Hodgkin estate, but we are weary after having walked some 10-11 km," she said.
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