Scrapbooks to botanical jewellery, here are some cool items for you to check out

Of late, the home chef has been using her Instagram Reels to spread some fishy cheer

Curated by: Jane Borges, Christalle Fernandes, Gautam S Mengle, Arpika Bhosale and Alisha Vaswani

Veera Almeida

Veera Almeida is a pukka Bombay East Indian who understands the coast and how it tastes. Of late, the home chef has been using her Instagram Reels to spread some fishy cheer. From how to clean modka (white bait fish) in under 10 minutes to preparing deep-fried kurkurit bombil Koliwada and gholiche khare ne chinchoni using the East Indian bottle masala, Almeida’s short videos make seafood cooking lessons fun and easy. Her tips and tricks are skin-saving—like where to pick up the best khara kolim (prawn)—a woman named Prabothi from Rangaon Vasai catches and sun dries them before selling them in the weekly farmers’ market: Also how to mash them gently with onions, ginger-garlic paste and rice flour to make shallow-fried vade that you can enjoy with dal-chawal.  With the availability of fish at an all-time low during the monsoon, it’s a good time to browse through her handle and brush up your culinary skills before the fish market is buzzing and brimming with fresh catch again.
@jevayla_ye, Instagram

Flowers for your ears

If you’ve fancied wearing blooms as accessories, but are daunted by their temporary shelf-life, worry not. Botanical jewellery artist Ashima Pradhan transforms the transience of floral elements into pieces that last for a while. She uses real flowers such as daisies, bright pink asters, and sunflowers, capturing their beauty in translucent resin moulds. We loved her rose jhumkas, which combine the deep pink rose’s boho chic look with the traditional elegance and beauty of jhumkas. She also creates resin flower art in glittery keychains, necklaces, and translucent phone covers. The perfect way to keep a piece of nature with you forever.
To buy: colorsbling_by_ashima, Instagram

Stickers and scrapbooks

The weather is perfect for sitting indoors and using those aesthetic journals you’ve stored away for special occasions—the ones you’ve collected in a pile of blank potential, instead of actually using them. If you’re looking for inspiration to kickstart that Pinterest-worthy scrapbook, Kioku Creations’ flowery stickers, washi samplers, and stamp labels are just what you need. They’re not only affordable but super cute as well—we were blown away by the monochrome floral sticker set which has peel-able doodles. They also have Korean-inspired cut-outs and stickers if you’re thinking of starting a notebook dedicated to your favourite Kpop idol or group. We love the colourful flower sticker set and the black-and-white aesthetic kit, which has vintage pictures, telephones, photographs, and drawings in monochrome—all ready to peel off and embellish your notebook. Happy sticking! 

Dog Days

Sanjay Jha’s new novel, My Illegitimate Son is unconventional, heart-rending, and deeply wholesome. The narrator, Louis, a miniature dachshund, recounts the story of his life in a chaotic but loving household, and his wild adventures alongside his human family and the other dogs they have adopted. When an unexpected new member joins the family, their lives are changed forever. The novel is incredibly unique, allowing readers to view the world through the eyes of a dog. More fascinating, though, is the in-depth exploration of difficult themes such as grief and forgiveness, all while maintaining the innocent and pure-hearted narrative voice of a pet. This is a story of loyalty, family bonds, and profound loss. Equal parts funny and sad, Jha’s book is inspired by his reality, and is one for dog lovers and deep-thinkers.

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