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June 2017 Volume 3 Issue 3

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June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

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Volume 3 Issue 3 www.livinglocalmag.com

Content 08

COVER STORY

Throwback Living Local 3 years COVER STORY

INSPIRING STORIES

THROWBACK

LIVING LOCAL 3 YEARS Living Local celebrates its 3rd anniversary with a throwback of some amazing people, initiative & inspiring stories that we covered

YEARS OLD As we share with you a little blast from the Living Local past we found a sweet note by Miss Sanchi Bhalla on Mumbai. Here’s a true Mumbaikars perspective of our iconic city.”

here’s no place quite like Mumbai. It’s fast and mean and bright and vivacious and delicious and alive. It’s the city of dreams. The city of harsh reality. The cradle of Bollywood; dramatic, vibrant, wild. (Un)censored. Adorned with the Queen’s necklace and sewn together with the lights of the slums. Mumbai is the wind in your hair on the sealink. It’s 2am mango and creams at Bachelors and 7 am runs along Bandstand and midnight choirs at Christmas.

It’s the hot humid summers with sweaty arms. It’s dancing in the rain when your umbrella has given up on you. Ganpati visarjans and Ramadan feasts. The Gateway of India dually leading to the rest of the world and welcoming weary travellers home. The city never sleeps. It takes the exhaustion out of its people and changes it into magical excitement. Bombay. Mumbai. It’s iconic.

Living Local celebrates its 3rd anniversary with a throwback of some amazing peopple, initiative & inspiring stories that we covered 8

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Sanchi Bhalla

Juhu ‘Tara’, Project fuel, Angel Xpress Foundation, Aamad: reviving an age old dance form- Ishita Sharma, Crayon Impact,...

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June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

+91 9769302244 advertise@livinglocalmag.com www.livinglocalmag.com

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AN ‘OUT OF THE WORLD’

EXPERIENCE AT UFO Keeping true to today’s times of innovation and technological advancements, we welcome you to UFO - The only revolving restaurant in Mumbai! Combine a galactic ambience with delicious dishes and drinks - Lo and Behold! You will have an unforgettable experience that will be one for the

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Food for Thought

I am amused when women break down every meal into calories, it is so entertaining to watch them ruin every meal for themselves. I think the key to being a smart cheat is to eat in small portions, workout moderately and..

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Social Connects

A selection of useful, informative and interesting online social media pointers that you should know.

CELEBRATE

World Environment Day with these picks for your home

Disclaimer: The acceptance of advertising in this publication does not constitute or imply endorsement by the Publisher of any product or service. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for any claims made in any advertisement. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse to accept any advertisement. Publisher’s acceptance of an advertisement for publication in the Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service advertised.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Contributors POOJA KOCHAR Founder 30ish and PhotoblogHER Blogger, photographer and body positive activist Website: www.poojakochar.com

MUMBAI EDITORIAL Anubhav Anand

MOHINI Mohini is a Tarot Card reader, Hypnotherapist and a Life Coach. She also teaches reading Tarot Cards and various self-healing techniques.

MANAGEMENT Neeraj Vasudeva GRAPHIC DESIGNER Vaibhav Wankhade PHOTOGRAPHER Manali Jain

AMRIT BORKAKOTY Proprietor, Serenityonline.in

SALES & MARKETING Ali Ansari +91-9769302244 (ali.ansari@livinglocalmag.com) SWASTIK PRINTS Kiran Gala 9819701512

MANALI JAIN Traveller, Photographer, history lover and a curious learner. Every photograph has a story, just being another storyteller in this big world.

ALI ANSARI Intrapreneur today Entrepreneur tomorrow

VAIBHAV WANKHADE Farji-Gulzaar, Nakli-MF Hussain, Wasted Engineer, old school, Believes in stories. 3 Favorite -Bun maska pav, Pune & Night. Hates -Smoking, that’s why I keep it light always

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

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articles@livinglocalmag.com Let your VOICE be heard. Write to us, on any topic related to Mumbai and share what’s happening in your neighborhood.

EDITOR’S NOTE

A New Beginning #Throwback (3 Years) A small cramped up office space in an uninhabited old building. One employee just out of MBA school and in his first sales job. The other my man-Friday. And me. That’s where and with what I started as a fresh new entrepreneur on the block with my venture Living Local Magazine. Oh boy! Looking back I have no clue how I gathered the guts to enter this unknown territory of publication. Researched yes. Calculated yes. But still not sure if I’d be able to gather the metal do that again knowing what all it took or took-away :). Approaching 3 years into this with now with a co-founder and more employees in place, a swankier office, panMumbai reach and online portal... I went back to revisit the very first issue of the Living Local magazine. The attractive Geeta Basra donned the cover. What I was curious to look in the magazine was to see what were my thoughts as I wrote my very first Editors note. Here’s what it was. Today it may have expanded and grown but in so many ways the thought still remain... A New Beginning (June 2014 Editors Desk)

Editor-in-chief

Every thing known to us has had a beginning at some point of time. The birth of us humans, the existence of planet earth, the invention of wheel, you name it and it has had some beginning to get to where it is today. “I can’t wait to Begin”. The excitement of beginning something new is a common human emotion. I remember when the thought of starting this venture first crossed my mind. The little buzz that you get when you get an idea and then you fire it up with your desire to execute it. And here it is this June of 2014 that we have a New Beginning. A New Beginning to connect, to create that bond, to be part of something that makes us say-“That’s ours”. And this is yours, YOUR Andheri west community (locality) based magazine. You live in a society building and its Your Society Building, you go to a gym and its Your Gym, you go outside the city and you say “I am from Mumbai”. The sense of belonging is a human need. I have lived in Andheri West for over 8 years ever since

Anubhav Anand @anubhavanand www.anubhavanand.com/blog I moved to Mumbai. This place is home. Just like me, a home to so many people from different places and different walks of life who chose to settle in this area. There is that unsaid bond – I am from Andheri West. If a Yash Raj Studio stands tall in this area, so does an upcoming production house. If a Priyanka Chopra stays in this area, so do the countless upcoming aspiring actors. If there are Café’s and fancy restaurants mushrooming from Oshiwara to Yaari road, so are the chai tapri waala’s on cycle stands and bhel-puri/ chaat corners. That’s Andheri West for you. You may be traveling global today but you’ll always be Living Local.

Owned, Published, Printed and Edited by Anubhav Anand. Printed at SWASTIK PRINTS, Gabriel Joseph Compound, Cardinal Gracious Rd., Chakala, Andheri (East), Mumbai- 400099 and Published from G-701, Sky Anchorage Co-Op Hsg Society Ltd., Panch Marg, Off Yari Road, Versova, Andheri West, Scan QR Code Mumbai - 400061. Editor: editor@livinglocalmag.com

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by contributors and advertisers in our publication and on our website do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. The Publisher shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages or losses arising out of the use or inability to use the magazine, any errors on pages, misrepresentations or omissions in the content, advertisements or products and services offered and take no responsibility for any issues arising from the use of suppliers who have advertised.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

COVER STORY

THROWBACK

LIVING LOCAL 3 YEARS Living Local celebrates its 3rd anniversary with a throwback of some amazing people, initiative & inspiring stories that we covered.

YEARS OLD “As we share with you a little blast from the Living Local past we found a sweet note by Miss Sanchi Bhalla on Mumbai. Here’s a true Mumbaikars perspective of our iconic city.”

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Sanchi Bhalla

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Project FUEL Deepak Ramola is a young man who wears many hats. A lyricist, a poet, a scriptwriter and script analyst. He is a guest faculty and teacher in several schools and colleges. He is also the founder and artistic director of Project FUEL. FUEL stands for ‘Forward the Understanding of Every life Lesson’. We ask him what is a life lesson. Deepak: I grew up in Dehradun. I saw my mother who had never gone to school knowing so much about life and about things. So I said this lady has not read world literature, or studied philosophy, or tallied balance sheets but she runs the entire house, guides us in our lowest of times. I asked my mother how she did all this. She said she did not go to school but she was learning from life. Initially I thought it was ridiculous because if she is learning from living, then everyone who is living must be learning something. This thought stayed with me. I was also a very curious child. I would ask people ‘Hey, what’s your life lesson?’ or what is the greatest piece of advice you can give me? I asked people at weddings, at functions, people who were invited home for dinner. I used to write down these life lessons in the back pages of my diary. Every time I got low in life, every time I faced a problem, I went to that diary and read. Invariably, I found a lesson from someone’s life that related to my context and the situation I was in.

Inspiring stories

For more details on these stories and interesting reads Download the Living Local App and enjoy the read!

Dirt Remanufactured: Start Upcycling Now (SUN) : Natasha D’Costa In a day and age when the rat race seems enticing and a lucrative MBA degree may be the gateway to a comfortable lifestyle, it is easy to be lured. What is difficult is to throw away the dilemma and stand for something

such as the environment. As they say, finding treasure is a task that not many people have the skill for, but there is always someone who comes forward and rises to the occasion! This month we are featuring one such inspirational personality who’s has taken up the responsibility and is making the SUN shine for us brighter. Meet Natasha D’Costa, founder of SUN- Start Upcycling Now, an enterprise that is helping people handle their own waste and be more responsible about it. Curious to know her journey and aspirations, we got in touch with her

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

for a quick chat! Q: Tell us in details about your interests that brought you closer to SUN? I enjoy nature and architecture. Treks to waterfalls and forts have always intrigued me. In the last few years I have noticed the plastic bottle litter even at these not so frequented places increase substantially. That’s when I decided to empower people to make something useful with the plastic bottle rather than throwing it. Being a student of Interior design, I devoted my time to research on how we can use bottles into lights and furniture.

Juhu ‘Tara’ : Krishna Das Mumbai’s Juhu circle traffic junction. A short kind looking man with a smile on his face. Dressed in white he holds a placard in his hands raised above his head. The placard reads “Apney dharam par chalo. Sabsey prem karo” (Follow your religion. Love everybody). That is the image of Mr. Krishna Das that pops in my head when a friend of mine mentions “...that dude at the juhu circle” as we sit in a cafe sipping hazelnut flavoured hot chocolate. After about a month, me and my colleague Asheesh Kapur land up one fine morning at 7 AM at Juhu beach near Tulip Star hotel to interview Mr. Krishna Das. He had informed me over the phone that we would spot him easily at the beach, either playing with the dogs or placing his placards next to his bicycle. We spot him at once next to his bicycle and introduce ourselves. He does the same and introduces us to the six-seven stray dogs around us who are his friends. There is ‘dada’, who protects his cycle and placards. Then there is ‘Daboo’, ‘Tukul’, ‘Bawdi’, ‘Siku’ etc. We say hello to them. Within a few minutes, Mr. Krishna Das picks up his placard and the three of us begin to take an early morning walk. “Aao, chaltey baat kartey hain” he says.

Aamad: Reviving an age old dance form- Ishita Sharma

When I first heard about ‘Aamad’, I thought it to be another one of those art and dance studios, which keep propping up in Mumbai every now and then. But I was wrong. Taken from the word ‘Aamad’ which means ‘opening’ or ‘entry’ in Kathak dance form terminology, the place exudes an aura of its own. We caught up with Ishita Sharma, the actress-dancer brainchild behind Aamad, and here’s how she contextualized her journey. With a formal degree in Human Development and belonging to an exclusively service oriented background, Ishita had never thought of taking up dance formally, leave alone building up an entire set up and organization around dance forms and art. “I have been learning kathak for over 12 years now. It is rigorous and beautiful and requires an extreme amount of dedication. However, as a dance form or even as form of art, it was never as popular as it should be. Most people think that classical dance is drab and boring. It was this notion, which I wanted to change. According to me, kathak, and for that matter of fact, most classical dance forms are extremely cool and fun because they tell a story, and have a deeper context. In fact, when I used to learn kathak, my teacher used to instruct us to perform in such a way that it could be understood both by a layperson, as well as someone who has an intense knowledge of the dance form. It is with this in mind that the notion of Aamad materialized for me.”

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Animal Angels Foundation Rohini Fernandes & Radhika Nair are clinical psychologists and certified practitioners of animal assisted therapy (AAT) who believe in the power of animals helping human beings heal. Their organization, Animal Angels Foundation works with a specially trained team of canine ‘Angels’ to help treat children and adults deal with emotional trauma, behavioral problems, physical abuse, developmental disorders and mental illnesses by practicing animal-assisted therapy because animals do not discriminate against caste, color, creed, deformities or failures and thus easily reach out to a soul in need. Their team includes Labradors, Great Danes, Cocker Spaniels and mixed breeds. What is necessary is a pet with a friendly personality and a very good temperament. Therapy pets are carefully selected undergoing temperament tests and training. For each client a custom made program is meticulously constructed. This entire process is evaluated at various stages and documented.

Weight loss done right If you’ve been looking to lose that extra weight, look no further. Fitness First has the perfect challenge planned out for you. Fitness goals and philosophies are changing. To keep up with the changing times and help tackle the toughest challenge in life of losing weight, Fitness First has come up with the Biggest Loser Challenge. This is the 10th edition of this challenge. The first one started in November 2012. This challenge takes place simultaneously at all their clubs. Almost 150 members participate overall. The challenge started on 7th August and will end on 18th September, 2016. It takes place every 3 months. The mastermind behind this challenge and winner of the show Biggest Loser Jeetega, Sandeep Sachdev tells us, “I took inspiration in designing the challenge because of my personal experience with the Biggest Loser Challenge where in 120 days I lost 51 kgs. This challenge is a small baby created out of the learnings from there because at the end of the day it’s about discipline and what motivated you the most. I had a vision and fortunately, it has been growing every year.”

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Angel Xpress Foundation

Crayon Impact Crayon Impact helps to spread awareness on different causes in a dignified manner, dropping the need to pose as a charity with a begging bowl. The more traditional approaches to advocacy such as conducting lecture sessions or workshops that merely cite the problems and what the ‘ideal’ mindset should be, can only go so far. People are only really convinced about something when they experience it themselves. Crayon Impact believes that attitude and behavior change in larger society can be tackled in much more innovative and creative ways that push people to think for themselves and question their stereotypes and prejudices. They bank on performing arts such as film, poetry, theatre, improvisational comedy and visual arts to be the platforms that can engage people in a fun way and still address serious social issues at the same time. To volunteer to work on their events, donate film equipment for their next workshop or setting up a dancing in the dark event at your office: Contact: 8828364312 www.getyourcrayon.org

Inspiring stories

An Economics graduate, and a successful professional, she has commanded considerable amount of success in high level financial positions in firms such as Kotak Securities, Edelweiss, and Reliance Money. However, for Anubha Sharma, this was never enough. After a 20 yearlong career, she still craved for more, and found this in her venture; Angel Xpress foundation. What stands today as a successful and renowned foundation for the underprivileged, was born out of pure impulse and the desire to make a difference. Struck by the belief that intervention could be fruitful in changing destinies, Anubha always had a dormant desire to move towards the path of intervention but did not know how or when. It was when she went out with a friend who had taken 35 odd under privileged children to McDonald’s for a treat that this dormant desire took an active form and Angel Xpress came about.

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Father joseph pereira, founder of Kripa foundation They say that Godliness is mostly a spiritual thing, but I guess that was just a flawed notion. I too, used to be a firm believer in the former dictum, but it was my conversation with this inspirational personality, that made me realize the value of ‘deeds’ when it comes to godliness. Father Joseph Pereira, a catholic priest and a true Gandhian, dedicated his life to these people and the results of his labor of love can be seen in the thousands of alcoholics and drug addicts who have gone on to become productive members of society. After being appointed the Parish Priest at Mount Carmel’s Church in Bandra, he came in close contact with the fast spreading fire of alcoholism and drug abuse amongst the residents. It was after this that he began the Kripa Foundation in 1981, which is a Public Charitable Trust. Kripa Foundation, over the years has been focusing on rehabilitating such drug abusers, and has been trying to help individuals in coping from drug-induced disorders. A revolutionary in the world of combatting drug abuse, Father Joe, as he is lovingly called, has tried to create a one of a kind model of rehabilitation, which is followed at Kripa centers across the country. Rehabilitation in cases of drug and alcohol abuse is of key importance. A person can get over chemical dependency by medical help, however, the dual disorder triggered by abuse means that the mental health of the individual needs to be preserved via self-help models, psychiatry as well as yoga and meditation. This is the approach that Kripa has been using to make sure that people affected by substance abuse can obtain holistic healing.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Making local travel, meaningful: Vagabond! Who says travel is only for leisure? These four young guns at Vagabond are proving us wrong! Offering custom-made adventure travel, they are all set to view the way we look at travelling. This inspiring story of four students fresh out of college is not just about starting up a firm, but about their spirit of creating unforgettable experiences! We caught up with the four founders of Vagabond, and told us how it is done! When and how did the idea of Vagabond come about? All four of us did our Bachelors of Arts from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Elton graduated in 2012 and started work in the travel industry. Shannon, Jinks and I graduated in 2014. Shannon free-lanced (still does) as a graphic designer here and there. Jinks and I were getting good at wasting our time. We were not easily sold on getting jobs as nothing really appealed to our interests. So eventually, fuelled by entrepreneurial zeal, or as some call it, being broke, we decided to start something of our own. We started with heritage walks. Elton and Shannon joined us within the first couple of months. Soon enough, we were planning our first big event: Fields of Sound. Since then, we haven’t looked back.

Challenging Stereotypes and Breaking Boundaries: Sapna Bhavnani Being a woman in any part of the world is a task. Being a woman in India is a difficult task. And being a woman, who is a challenge to the normative stereotypes in India, is an ordeal. When Sapna Bhavnani first moved back to India after a fourteen-year long stint in the U.S, she found herself in the middle of a culture shock. And the snide remarks and comments from those around her doubled up the agony. “When I came here ten years ago, I was a stigma. There were women who did not look like me. Today, look anywhere and women who look like me are not a rarity anymore. I have always believed that times would change, and here we are, right on the threshold of change.” Recalls Sapna as she reflects on her journey post moving back to India. However, with a firm resolve, she remained unmoved, and here she stands today, as one of the most celebrated hair stylists in the country with an effervescent style of her own, which has today elevated her to the position of a role model for many other women in the country.

Women of the Hood

For more details on these stories and interesting reads Download the Living Local App and enjoy the read!

The Perks Of The Helmet: Helmet Girl Bandra One fine day, as is customary for me, I was on Twitter, exploring new trends and cool accounts. It was at that very moment that a peculiar twitter account by the name of ‘Helmet Girl Bandra’ caught my attention. Turned out that the very account had a linked word press blog as well, and thus began my curiosity. I finally decided to get in touch with her, and shot her a comment on her blog. Quick came an email in my inbox and the very next day, I was seated opposite Lisa, Helmet Girl Bandra, and could not have been more amazed. A mother of two, and in her forties, the story of the Helmet Girl Bandra is rather amusing. The natural question I could not help asking her was, how did you come around to the idea of the Helmet Girl? “Well the question has been asked so many times that it no longer feels spontaneous. However, the beginning for me was when I got myself this (pointing towards her helmet) cool helmet from Amazon. I had been riding in Bandra for a long time now, but the bad quality of available helmets never turned me into a law abiding helmet wearing person.” Chuckled Lisa. When her new helmet arrived, she began randomly taking selfies with it and sent it to a couple of friends. Some were as basic as her wearing the helmet and lounging on the sofa! Her bemused friends encouraged her to keep entertaining them with her funny posts, and thus, a small in-group banter turned into a trend and Lisa has now become Helmet Girl Bandra. June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 15

The Woman behind Equal Streets: Renuka Tahiliani Renuka Tahiliani is an out and out Bandra girl. She loves Bandra. She was born here and cycled to school on these streets. She loves going for walks on the Promenade. She firmly believes that if you want to see a change somewhere, then you have got to get up and do it yourself. “Nobody else is going to come and do it for you”. Renuka Tahiliani is a lady who walks the talk. Q. How did Equal Streets happen? I believe our growing dependency on cars is not sustainable. The image of cars being a status symbol is so very wrong. We came up with the idea of a ‘Car Free’ day. For four years the KBS foundation held the annual ‘Car Free’ day at Carter road. The message was very well received. From seven to ten in the morning, we drew an attendance of at least seventy to eighty thousand people. It was a great platform to take another great idea forward. That is how ‘Equal Streets’ happened.

Rekindling the home made taste: Simple Kaul She’s been in the television industry for more than 13 years and after getting fame through a variety of shows, this busy actress has now turned entrepreneur with her first venture, “The Homemade Café” situated on Link Road in Oshiwara. A joint venture of three women from the media industry, ‘The Homemade Café’ is the brainchild of Simple, and her friends Aditi, and Vatsala. “Aditi and I have been friends for ages, and we mostly travel together. It was during one of my trips to Spain and Italy that the idea of a café sprung up. We would sit for hours in one of the quaint cafes off a cobbled street and just laze around. I wanted to recreate the whole feel and concept in Mumbai, and hence ‘The Homemade Café’ happened”, says Simple who seemed chirpy and excited about her latest venture. growing every year.”

Yoga for the Soul: Shweta Dsouza A typical Bandra hooder, Shweta Dsouza is using her yoga powers to relax and calm the ever-stressed out suburbs of Mumbai Through the years, Shweta Dsouza has dabbled in a number of activities that involve unique styles of movement and fitness like India classical dance, western dance styles, Capoeira, aerial arts, gymnastics, parkour as well as acrobatics. A fitness and yoga instructor, Shweta Dsouza recently started organizing a group class for yoga in Juhu Hood and has a few personal clients between the hoods of Bandra to Andheri. To know more about her classes, contact Shweta Facebook: Shweta Dsouza Instagram: iamshwetadsouza

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Making India proud: Sandhya Shetty She has been a Femina Miss India finalist, a successful model, an actor, an emcee, and now she has done the country proud by winning a gold medal at the 8th Commonwealth Karate Championship 2015 minus 68 kgs Kumite! Meet Sandhya Shetty, an entertainment professional, who had the tenacity to multi task and pursue her passion into martial arts as well. She gives us major ambition goals! What motivated you into being a part of this form of martial art and self- defense? Women are always complimented for their beauty and intellect but rarely one hears of them being physically strong. I love things, which are uncanny & challenging. Self-defense was one area, which I felt, was necessary for every individual and if I ever want to talk about it or create awareness then I should be equipped myself first. Every single time I went in the ring to fight, I loved the instinctive fighting spirit and the power to win for the state and then for the country.

Women of the Hood Making India easy for Expats: Pallavi Singh As I sip on to my hot masala chai in Candies, Pali Hill, I see a 24-year-old walk in quizzically, a large file in hand, supported by a warm and excited smile. Meet Pallavi Singh, the founder of Hindi Lessons for Foreigners in India, a project that started off as a part time college stint, and has now culminated into a fully functional program with over 200 students. Intrigued by the whole concept of teaching Hindi, I asked Pallavi, “Why Hindi?” Quick came the honest reply: “I was learning French during my college days, and at times I would just think of how amazingly convenient would it be, if I had someone with whom I could just converse in French, mostly like an everyday casual conversation to polish my language skills. This led to another very vital thought, that I was not alone, and this was the plight of so many foreigners and expats who come to visit or stay in India. When you come to India, nobody teaches you the language, and sooner or later this can turn pretty agonizing.”

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When Vicky went Veg: Chef Vicky Ratnani How did you decide you wanted to be a chef? I have always loved to eat and maybe it was destiny because everyone in my family is a great cook; my aunts, my mother, my grandmother. As a child, going to restaurants would really fascinate me. I loved trying new dishes and I think, that’s where I cultivated my affinity for good food. I would love to eat the food from my friends ’tiffins in school; so many different tastes. I was completing my bachelors in commerce from college and I wasn’t sure about myself. It was my teachers who made me realize that I make a decent meal, so I should try and get better. Of course, I then went to hotel school and studied the art more precisely. I had a successful first French pasta, classic tomato pasta sauce and Bolognese sauce. It was fabulous. My confidence shot up and I wanted more. So I went abroad to study this further. Of course, it was my teachers who first made me realize, I had a knack for it. My advice is only if you love this industry with every every breath, you should get into it; you have to work when everyone else is relaxing. You’re always entertaining people more than getting entertained.

Satiating Every Palate: Chef Rakhee Vaswani They say that a hint of true passion always strikes from the very beginning, and this is totally true in case of our Chef, Chef Rakhee Vaswani from Palate Culinary Studio. Cooking for Rakhee began at a very young age of 11. “I always liked to make things taste good. So whenever I was served anything that did not fit my idea of tasty food, I would always venture out into the kitchen and make things taste the way I wanted it to.” Recalls Rakhee, as she smiles and talks about how she has been a foodie and yet a picky eater all her life. After a lot of contemplation, Palate Culinary Studio was born. Today the studio boasts of over 99 different courses, which have been specifically designed and undertaken by Rakhee, despite her busy schedule otherwise. The courses range from Baking to Lebanese, to Thai and Japanese among many other. Asian being her favourite cuisine, Rakhee cannot do without garlic, chocolate, and olive oil in her kitchen. For her, garlic is necessary for flavor, and you can never really go wrong with chocolate.

From Awadh to New York: Chef Ranveer Brar From Lucknow, to New York and other places, how has your journey been? It has been an awesome journey! Starting from the streets to opening five star hotels and then opening my restaurants in the US. I never thought the road I had taken would take me places and the best part is the exciting journey continues. I believe milestones in a journey are to keep you motivated along the way and my motivation comes from looking back at the chefs I have given this Industry. For me, the most exciting thing is the executive Chefs that have once worked with me and trained under me. To see how they have molded and to see them progress in their own spaces is the most rewarding feeling. I look forward to those milestones. Awadhi cuisine is my chosen one as I have grown up with it and trained in it.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Building A Food Empire: Chef Rohan Dsouza From running a fleet of restaurants and designing menus for airlines to curating cooking workshops and working on a movie, Chef Rohan has left no stone unturned. Silver Beach Café, Nom Nom, Jantar Mantar, Copa, we’re sure you’ve visited at least one of these restaurants and enjoyed a delectable meal. But did you know that the common factor between these amazing restaurants is their star chef Rohan Dsouza. Started his culinary voyage at the tender age of 17, chef Rohan has come a long way from his summer internships at the kitchens of the Taj Holiday Village in Goa. He graduated from the Institute of Hotel Management, Hyderabad and moved on to acquire an NVQ level 3 certification in Kitchen and Larder at Southampton City College. He became well-acquainted with global cuisine after working on a cruise liner for 9 years. In 2010, chef Rohan opened his signature restaurant Pepper Café, in Bangalore. We have a lot on our plate in the coming months. Currently, we have three new restaurants launching soon. Ministry of Salad in Mumbai, The Lazy Goose in Australia and another one in Bandra. We are also working on a food based movie with Saif Ali Khan.

Chef’s Hat

For more details on these stories and interesting reads Download the Living Local App and enjoy the read!

An inspiration to all the aspiring chefs: Chef Saransh Goila Chef Saransh Goila, is one of India’s youngest celebrity chef. He at a very young age of 12 had a contagious passion for food. Saransh Goila is a passionate contemporary Indian food lover with varied knowledge of Italian food, bakery and confectionery. His philosophy is to preserve traditional Indian cooking techniques and food while giving it a modern look and character so it is easily accepted by the youth. Young & Dynamic, he is your Chef next door. Apart from cooking, he has done a course at an acting school too in his young days which helps him face the camera with so much ease. “Yes my signature dish is Goila Butter Chicken even though I’ve a couple more dishes I would like to call signature dishes. It is the balance between tartness of tomatoes, sweetness of honey, smokiness of coal and the spiciness of red chilli that makes it special.”

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Crafting a Culinary Community: Chef Gresham Fernandes A typical Bandra boy, Gresham claims to know Bandra at the back of his hand. With an inclination towards music since an early age, he knew he would never venture into hard-core academics. It was only after helping a friend out with his Chinese cart that he realized his fascination for food, which evidently landed him into a Leela kitchen, and since then, there has been no looking back. Within a couple of years, Gresham opened his own restaurant, Saltwater Grill at Chowpatty. Shortly after, he got associated with the Impressario Group and has endeavored to jointly design the menus for Smoke House Deli, Salt Water Café, Social, as well as many firsts under the Impressario group. As an executive chef, he oversees the gastronomic wellbeing of all these restaurants and keeps brewing new flavors each time. Not only is he a pioneer of ‘molecular gastronomy’ in India, Chef Gresham also likes to pursue other arts, and is a guest DJ at places such as Social and Bonobo in Mumbai. His style of music is a mix of minimal and techno. It is with this fervor in mind that he is also associated with the Saint Jude project, a melting pot for artists, musicians and the likes where they come together for meals cooked by Gresham and others with locally and organically sourced produce. It functions as a collaborative space for people and the food is wholesome and very progressive. Before this, he was also associated with ‘The Gypsy Kitchen’ an endeavor to promote home cooking, mostly for the elderly people with whom generally lies the traditional gourmet secrets. It also helped the home chefs to spread the word about their cooking and benefited them with returns.

Sharing secrets from her ‘Flavour Diaries’: Chef Anjali Pathak “I have been in love with food, ever since I laid my eyes on it.” This happened to be the starting sentence of my rendezvous with the world renowned chef and culinary enthusiast, Anjali Pathak, who has made an indelible mark for herself when it comes to Indian as well as world cuisine, and is now all set to take the hood of Bandra by storm, with her cooking studio, called ‘Flavour Diaries’ situated in Khar. Despite being inclined towards food, her initial degree was in business, and it was only until much later, that she decided to go to Leiths School of Food & Wine in London. She obtained a distinction in wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and has a Diploma in nutrition. Thus began the formal training in food. She has been a Celebrity Chef demonstrator at multiple global food shows including BBC Good Food Show London, Good Food & Wine Show in South Africa, and Fancy Food Fair in New York. Her venture, ‘Flavour Diaries’ in Mumbai is all about cooking and learning about flavours, in a relaxed environment, under her expert guidance. To make sure those who come to her classes gain the maximum, she has designed an open kitchen with private stations, along with a coffee section with books to browse through. She also plans to host special chef tables and has an area organized for the same. The place has glass walls and makes for a cozy and well-lit environment.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

#WHATWOMENWANT

We support stories that will redefine our future. A powerful take on positive initiatives specific to women within Mumbai.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The most dangerous food? err..Wedding Cake BY POOJA KOCHAR I am amused when women break down every meal into calories, it is so entertaining to watch them ruin every meal for themselves. I think the key to being a smart cheat is to eat in small portions, workout moderately and stop feeling guilty about every pizza you eat. I am not a foodie if you dare me to have carrot juice for 3 meals, I will but street food is like a lover I cannot resist. May be gourmet cuisine is your only passion but deep down you will always have a hidden childhood memory that reminds you of that perfect ‘bhelpuri’. Like every city Mumbai has its own hidden streets and lanes of super yummy street food options. We have an interesting quiz for you to analyze your street food personality; this is going to make you rush out to your favorite food stall in the next 24 hours.

Meet our four street food power rangers:

Vada Pav Personality Trait - Bindass and on the go This belongs to the heart of Maharashtra, a mighty ball of fried potatoes snuggled in soft buns! No I am not writing for Playboy, although my description is fantasizing the street delicacy. This is the official desi veg burger– spicy, hands free and on the go. It goes best with fried chilies and chutney and of course a chilled Thumbs-Up. You have to tell yourself “darr ke aage jeet hai” to digest this combination of food. Don’t bother looking at the pool of hot oil in the wok; this is the ultimate comfort food for most of the Mumbaikars.

Cutting Chai Personality Trait - Prefer mini

social breaks as compared to long conversations Just like a vodka shot, the cutting chai is the right amount of strong, extra sweet and boiling hot concoction. There is a typical way you consume this mighty mix, long slurp followed by a loud sigh. Sounding like a sweet alarm for your brain.

eyes, running nose, tongue on fire, not even watching someone punching the puri with nails that could stab your tummy. PS: This does not apply to the people who have pani puri made in bisleri. (#snob)

Typical day of a workaholic – chai break – work – loo break– chai break – work –chai break –work. This is for those people who like to socialize briefly at the tapri (Tea stall) discuss cricket/bad boss/love tantrums and return to their respective desks/lives.

Personality Trait - Loves all things

Pani Puri Personality Trait - Daredevil

Oh boy, these are the big guns. This is for the real risk takers who take life head on. ‘Meetha ya theekha’ doesn’t matter they just keep gulping the fireball. Nothing stops them, watery

Chocolate Sandwich sweet After eating this you will have a feeling that Nutella was invented for bread. Chocolate, butter, carbs, peanuts and tastes like heaven. All those calories just make you bounce for hours, total energy booster. Someone wise said, “After all chocolate doesn’t ask silly questions, chocolate understands”. Street Food is a great way to know a place; it will give you cues about various aspects of their culture and people. Food brings out the best and the worst in people, on that thought if someone says something badass when “HuANGRY” just forgive them.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 21

MUMBAI ONLINE A selection of useful, informative and interesting online social media pointers that you should know.

Mumbai: MERI JAAN

CREATED BY: ASHISH GUPTA

LIKES 374,864

“Starting on 25th Jan 2011, in the beginning we started it just for fun but after getting good Response we widened our scope from funny things to true color of Mumbai and the spirit of Mumbai. And from then onward our followers increases day by day and now we have near 3.75 lacs followers. Now our objective is to create a platform where every Mumbaikars will get a chance to express themselves We show true color of Mumbai unlike other pages which just make fun And another unique thing about us is that we put pictures and thoughts send by others too. And another thing is that more than 25% follower are from Outside India.” – Vishal Gupta.

@mumbai_igers 788 Posts

40k followers

Follow Curated by Meghna Girohtra

mumbai_igers | In 2013. The idea was simple. Explore Mumbai like-minded photography enthusiasts and not shy away from taking pictures. A whole bunch of us had been active on Instagram during 2012 and after meeting a few people in February 2013, I hosted the first PhotoWalk in April 2013. We aren’t just another Instagram handle featuring images from a hashtag’s feed. We meet, learn and explore Mumbai using our cameras once-twice each month. Today, Mumbai Instagrammers is a ‘Photography Collective’ – it consists of the city’s most vibrant photography community en masse, has been a mentoring ground for many Instagram influencers since its inception and changing the photography scenario – be it smartphone photography or the always-rampant DSLRdriven photographers.” - Tushar Motwani

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

@MumbaiPolice TWEETS 21.3K

FOLLOWERS 2.84M

The official account of Mumbai Police. Follow this account for updates on Mumbai Police and also their quirky hashtags to make citizens responsible. Tweet to them with your complaints and they will immediately help you out. Some of the best hashtags to check out by them: #WeAreListening, #DrugsIsNotTheAnswer, #AFriendsAdvice, #BahubaliOfTrafficDiscipline, #DontCrossTheLine, and the latest being #TheLameBlameGame.

APPS

Disha

Mumbai Metro I

DISHA is a step towards communicating the availability and location of all the amenities provided by Western Railway.

The official App of Mumbai Metro I - a project by Reliance Infrastructure

DOWNLOAD 1000+

ITS ABOUT DISHA gives useful and valuable information like general information about the railway station with nearby places, helpful amenities like ticketing, food and toilets important facilities like medical help and police along with a whole range of other facilities that are available at the stations. We hope that this APP makes your travel hassle free and more comfortable.

DOWNLOAD 50,000+

ITS ABOUT Travel assist: • Travel Planner for Mumbai • Information on Bus & All local train network Metro assist: • Check your smart card balance, travel history, validity and recharge. • Insta-recharge - recharge Store Value Pass • Help-line direct email or call facility • Notifications on services • Offers and Promotions • Metro Info – fares, products, facilities etc.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 23

June 2017

THIS MONTH

June is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the second month to have the length of 30 days.

When 9th June Where JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Juhu

DESIGNERS CARAVAN

LIFESTYLE & WEDDING EXHIBITION

Designers Caravan is in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2nd Edition at Mumbaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most glitziest exhibition locations, the JW Marriott Hotel in Juhu. It has a vibrant, hospitable atmosphere that will please your shopping senses. Shop in air-conditioned comfort and sift through a myriad of lifestyle and fashion products (ethnic and indowestern wear from across India) and accessories (contemporary and traditional fashion jewellery, costume jewellery, semi precious and real jewellery), and regular and festive home decor products from gift articles to artifacts to soft furnishing offered by unique exhibitors and creative designers.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

When 10th June 10:30 AM - 9 PM Where Grandmama’s Cafe, Juhu

GRANDMAMA’S UP

LIL POP UP

Plan your June June 4 International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression June 5 World Environment Day June 14 World Blood Donor Day June 18 Father’s Day June 21 International Day of Yoga June 26 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

An event with an invincible combination of Western wear which make you look hotter than the Summer of Mumbai, Ethnic because remember you are Indian, Accessories to enhance your glorified beauty, Footwear that match your seamless fashion wears, Home decor because we spend most of our time at home, Bikini to get it really hot, Mobile accessories because c’mon your best friend needs to gleam!! All this with the alluring ambiance of Grandmama’s Cafe, so you can satisfy your taste buds and your shopping needs at the same place.

PAPER

TRAILS

When Jun 10 at 2:30 PM to Jun 11 at 6 PM Where Orchard Residency, Ghtakopar West.

A hands-on workshop to explore the beautiful medium of paper and create your own handcrafted art piece by weaving it in layers! Session 01: Introduction to types to papers, cutting tools & techniques. Explore how to cut various shapes and forms using a scissor, paper cutter & paper knife. Session 02: Apply the techniques learnt in the previous session & play with the layers to create your own paper memoir. For more details to register contact +91 90044 76778 or mail thelittleelfins@gmail.com

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When June 11 at 10:30 AM - 4 Pm Where Thakur Village, Kandivali West

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

WORKSHOP HERITAGE RIDE

ENDING WITH BEER

When June 18 at 6:30 AM 9:30 PM Where Meet & Greet at Colaba Sweet Mart, Colaba

Food Photography workshop by Ace Food Photographer and Blogger Sai Priya. We eat food with our eyes first. A good Food Photograph will never fail to tempt you whether it’s on Facebook or on your Instagram feed. Learn the art of creating that magic with your food by joining our class. Mandatory : A DSLR /Point-shoot camera/A HD phone You can check Sai Priya’s work at http://mycookingcanvas.com/

We’ll start our cycling trip from Colaba towards Gateway of India, explore the nearby structures and then cycle along the numerous heritage sites. On the way, we will stop for interesting stories, fun facts, and of course, selfies! Now, we can understand that riding through South Mumbai can make you really, like Reaallly thirsty…So how about tanking up all those calories you burn, Guilt Free ;) And so, we will end our epic ride at a Bar with a chilled beer, On the House! Contact number – 8976949403

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

When June 19th to July 14th Where D-11/1, Road No. 21, Opposite Passport Seva Kendra, MIDC, Marol Industrial, Area,, Andheri East.

HAND- BUILT

CERAMICS

Hand-building the oldest and most primitive form of working with clay is an ancient technique employed to create necessary tools for everyday living. The main USP of this technique is building with clay off the wheel. This craft follows three techniques namely pinch pots, slab building and coiling. After the basics are mastered, you’ll learn to combine these techniques increasing in complexity, and allowing greater diversity in the projects you’re able to create. You’ll also learn to operate the Slab-Roller; post-modern additions to the craft of pottery that have streamlined the process, allowing for greater consistency and increased productivity for artists that work with hand built techniques.

When June 25 at 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM Where Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali West

SHILONDA TRAIL

SANJAY GANDHI NATIONAL PARK

With the first monsoon showers rejuvenating the forest, and bring a parched land back to life. It is a perfect time to have a walk, at the Shilonda trail in Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).During this season one might also get a chance to see the first blossom of wildflowers like Wild Turmeric which last only a few days after they bloom. The trail leads through fine mixed forest dominated by bamboo and ends at the first stream. This trail is not accessible without permission. For further details call at Hornbill House at 022-22821811/22871202, Mon-Fri 09:30 a.m. to 05:30 p.m. or e-mail at bnhs.programmes@ gmail.com.

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NEW OPENINGS NEW OPENINGS

UN-COMPLICATE YOUR NIGHTLIFE WITH

opens in Andheri!

o you often find yourself measuring the last minutes of your happy hour in the remnant drops of your favourite whiskey? Are you worried about the multitude of offers to keep track of and apps to use to secure your favourite tipple? Night life in Mumbai can get complicated - we are here to untie all them knots to provide a free-spirited drinking resolution! Presenting Live by Night (LBN) - the anti-hero of all drinking establishments by keeping it simple - affordable prices, great bar food and above all - good natured, friendly hospitality. Hidden behind Kailash Parbat in Andheri West (opposite Infinity Mall), LBN positions itself as your neighbourhood tipple bar. Old Monk begins (and stays) at 99, Beer begins at 109 and shots at 155. KISS your luck! (Keep it Simple (&) Swigging!) Finish work and head here straight, for their eats menu has as many starters

LIVE BY NIGHT

as mains. No matter what you crave - sushi or baos, grills or small plates - LBN will fill your stomach without emptying your pocket. Specials worth watching out for include Bangkok Curry Bowl, Indonese Satays, Japanese Teriyakis, California Home Fries and a collection of Open Baos. All available for dine in and delivery! Perfect for a casual date, impress your girlfriend with the ‘Coco Chanel Kitkat’ (Dark, Rum, Chocolate, Fresh Cream with Kit Kat cocktail) or take your *firangi* boss to try the Banarasi Paantini (Banarasi Paan infused Vodka cocktail). All signature LBN cocktails are INR 444 only! For them teetotallers - LBN will NEVER turn its back on you! Hoping you enjoy something tongue in cheek, we bring you ‘No Sex on the Beach’, ‘Chatpata Cola’ and ‘Summer Tang’! The menu does as much justice to vegetarian fare as to it’s non-veg offerings as a whopping 50:50 split. The space is designed as a *Vintage industrial pub* with music and cocktails at its core, paying special

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

attention to Retro, House, Hip Hop and EDM nights. “We have multiple veg restaurants, banquets and lounges for private parties, but never a bar. Opening Live By Night is to our dream to create a casual gastro-pub that is conceptually and financially accessible to Mumbai’s youth, as well as to complete our portfolio. We want our customers to inhabit a different party experience which is un-intimidating yet high quality and that lays equal impetus on food, music and cocktails alike,” says Gaurav Raimalani, Owner, Live by Night. We would love to have you over to experience the ultimate and affordable treat and enjoy our hospitality. What: Live by Night Lounge When: Open now Where: Ground Floor, Crystal Plaza, Behind Kailash Parbat, New Link Road, Andheri Lokhandwala Time: 6 pm to 1.30 am Contact: +91 8291398862 / +91 8291398863 *Menus on request*

The only revolving restaurant in Mumbai!

AN ‘OUT OF THE WORLD’ EXPERIENCE AT UFO

eeping true to today’s times of innovation and technological advancements, we welcome you to UFO - The only revolving restaurant in Mumbai! Combine a galactic ambience with delicious dishes and drinks - Lo and Behold! You will have an unforgettable experience that will be one for the books! With its unique offering accompanied with its delicious dishes and beverages, it is surely a turning point for our city! Its decor, food and drinks will tantalize your mind whilst indulging in gustatory pleasure. A venture by Ambrosia Hospitality, we at UFO want to ensure that our customers have a great time while dining and enjoying their surroundings as well, thus creating a holistic experience in totality. It is the perfect combination of creativity and innovation which includes our unique interiors and fusion foods! Pamper your taste-buds with desi and continental dishes like Amul Cheesewale Kalmi, Batata Wada Popcorn, Kadhai Chicken Quesadilla and Ma

Pa Paneer, just to name a few! Our delectable menu will gladden your heart and tummy like never before! You can also sip on our Signature Cocktails like ‘Spice on the Rocks’, ‘Salsa’, ‘The French Noble’ to enjoy the juicy flavors of fruits like strawberry, passion-fruit and guava, among many others. Close the finale on a sweet note by indulging in mouthwatering and interesting desserts like Maggai Paan Pannacotta, Gulab Jamun Tarts, Gajar Hulwa Aur Prune Cake and much more! With its unique offering accompanied with its delicious dishes and beverages, it is surely a turning point for our city! Its decor, food and drinks will tantalize your mind whilst indulging in gustatory pleasure. It being the only revolving restaurant in Mumbai is a matter of pride for us as we want to provide a unique space for our customers, literally! Are you tired of the usual? The mundane? Visit UFO to turn that thought around completely!

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 29

Celebrate

World Environment day with these picks for your home.

BY AMRIT BORKAKOTY

We are no strangers to the amount of harm we cause to nature on a daily basis through everyday habits. World environment day is here and giving it back to Mother Nature through our homes is one of the easiest ways!Avoid keeping the tap running, wasting electricity, switching to solar heaters are some of the easy techniques to save energy. Infuse eco friendly home décor ideas to honour this occasion. Let’s not only talk but also act to celebrate world environment day! Decorate your home this world environmental day with sustainable fashion. A few ideas given below will help up the green quotient of your home: Plants Adding plants is one of the simplest ways to bring nature closer to home. Plants reduce carbon dioxide & increase oxygen thus purifying air, reducing dust in the air in turn lowering stress and increasing productivity. Plants create a calm and relaxed feeling. You can choose from a number of plants for your abode. English Ivy, Aloe Vera, Snake plant, Peace Lilly can be planted indoors. Plants can be added in a number of places at home. Corners of the room often go wasted and hence could be used for plants. Vertical gardens are one of the latest trends in home decor. Without using much space plants are added vertically.

Use a mason jars, old wine bottles, and bulb shaped glass as planters. These are quirky ways to add plants at home instead of the mundane planters.

Furniture Eco-friendly choices in furniture will have a huge impact on your planet and health. Opt for materials such as Sheesham wood, the furniture made from sheesham wood doesn’t decay, has durability to termites, it doesn’t warp or spilt easily. Iron, a metal often used in furniture is classy, easy to clean and maintain. Instead of buying new furniture revamp the old furniture. Soft furniture can be reupholstered; this could add a certain amount of freshness to the mundane furniture. Incorporate bamboo in home decor for a contemporary look. It’s minimalistic in nature yet adds modernisms to the space. Bamboo poles, lamps, a room divider, roof, mirror frames, baskets, bed headboard, wall art are some of the many ways to add bamboo in home decor. Bamboo baskets can be placed in corners of the room; they are both functional as well aesthetic. This material is not only environment friendly but also scratch resistant, durable in nature and resistant to swelling. It can be used both indoors as well as outdoors. It only needs to be kept away from moisture.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

Upholstery Use towels, bed linen, curtains, shower curtains, pillow covers, mattress, mats etc made of organic cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo to stay eco friendly. These natural fibres resist stains, wrinkles, pilling, fading etc. Wool, a natural fabric, chosen by few is sturdy and durable and is usually combined with a synthetic fibre to make it easier to clean. Cotton canvas, another material can be used in curtains as well as cushion covers.

Curtains that are made of cotton canvas fabric, also commonly known as cotton duck fabric, is waterproof and windproof. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sturdy fabric that not does get stressed easily, it retains colour. This will let sufficient light enter the house which will save the environment and your money too! These are some of the simplest ways to add eco-friendly elements in home decor. One of the easiest ways to go green is to avoid buying new products until you actually need them, consider buying second hand items or refurbish

the stuff you already own. Also invest in products that can be recycled or made from renewable materials, these might cost a little more but are a good investment as they would be durable in nature and hence, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require frequent changing.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 31

Affable fabric to make you

RAIN READY!

This season, keep your threads fresh and crisp to enjoy the monsoon moments! BY SONAM GUPTA Design Head, Tangerine

As much respite and cherry, the monsoon brings, it is an open invitation for humidity, stench, bacteria and a string of damp fabrics drying inside. Mumbai Monsoons are well known for its heavy rains and the bulky moist air, leaving Mumbaikars happy but sweaty, soaked but clumsy, crammed yet bouncing. The season gets a mixed response from people because as much they enjoy the rain showers, it brings endless tasks for them. The cloudy, dark sky, the incredible thundering, the very first rain drops, the petrichor, the blooming nature, the chilly winds and the freshness is a much needed breather from the hot summers. Sure this season is immensely desirable and captivating, but to relish these dazzling monsoon days, one needs to be carefree by being prepped up and monsoon ready before the first rains arrive. From an umbrella in a trendy color,

to picking the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best water resistant footwear, one also needs to work and change their wardrobe and soft furnishings that can cater to the monsoon season. So here are some easy going ideas that can help you gear up for the most romantic, joyful and sinfully pleasurable spell of the year. 1. Beddings, comforters, pillow cases and bed sheets particularly need to be in cotton fabric. It allows skin breathability, absorbs sweat and is fresh and crisp. Ensure changing them every week to maintain bedroom hygiene and brightness. Again, fragrant fabrics induces peaceful sleep and allow pleasant mornings 2. To keep home clean and dry, add several door mats that absorb water and avoid slippage. They also clean soiled feet and avoid dirt inside. Ensure replacing them frequently with the clean ones. One can add a zest of

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

colors at homes using varied mats and runners in floral prints and vibrant hues 3. For curtains and drapes, one can use flimsy fabric as the light outside is dim. Translucent materials give little visibility to the outside weather and also act as window covers. To bring the monsoon vibe inside, use fresh hues of lime, yellow, green and blue that reveals the blooming nature. Curtains in floral prints look trendy and revitalizing This monsoon season, brace yourself with the finest choice of fabrics to maintain the highest body comfort and trends of the season. Crunchy cotton in its variants and in effervescent colors make the season easy going and enjoyable! For any and every season, occasion and event, one must prep up thoroughly and accordingly to enjoy it. Just some timely measures can save you from blunders and make the instance a happy memory!

KNOW YOUR HOOD 1 CHURCHGATE

RAILWAY STATION This is the first station of the Western Railway suburban network of Mumbai. The building was designed by my father Nariman B Shroff in 1957, he was then a Director of the Indian Railways Board and their Chief Architect. He served part of his architectural apprenticeship with Gregson Baitley and King in the 30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and played a small part in the design of Victoria Terminus too.

HOOD CHURCHGATE

AEROPLANE

GARDEN HOOD SANTACRUZ WEST The concrete replica of a Boeing 747-437 at the Juhu Garden in Santacruz was donated by Air India in the 1960s.

3 SHIVAJI

PARK Shivaji Park is the largest park in the island city. It is of historical and cultural value because of the political and social gatherings it has witnessed, both in pre- and postindependence Mumbai. The 112,937 square metres (27.907 acres) open space is renowned as the cradle of Indian cricket. Some famous names who have trained here are Sachin Tendulkar,[9] Sunil Gavaskar, Ajit Wadekar, Eknath Solkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ajit Agarkar, Pravin Amre, Vinod Kambli and Sanjay Manjrekar.

HOOD DADAR

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 33

Trivia

Test your Mumbai Knowledge with these quick questions

The Hood named after the 14th century elephant stables

The only Sun Temple located in Mumbai is at

A 6ft miniature replica of Bombay’s iconic Gateway of India is located at

Alam Ara, Bollywood’s first full length movie was shot at the studio called

Asia’s first cooperative housing society formed in 1915

Birthplace of Quit India movement was

Location that inspired Mahatma Gandhi to use a Charkha

A Muslim Shrine with Hindu Mujawars (Caretakers) located in Lalbaug.

Narrowest lane of Mumbai

10 The only Vegetable Farm (2 acres) trapped in the city is in -

No cheating 1 Matunga 2. Bhuleshwar 3. Bhendi gully 4. Jyoti Studio 5. August Kranti Maidan or Gowalia tank Maidan 6. Mani Bhavan 7. Bhendi gully 8. The Saraswat Cooperative Housing Society in Gamdevi 9. Chand Shah Dargah 10. Lalbaug

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai

TAROTSCOPE

SCORPIO

(October 23rd November 22nd):

YOUR FORECAST FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2017

THE YEAR AHEAD FOR GEMINI Happy Birth Anniversary! Whatever you have been trying to bring to a completion will now have to be put aside by assuming that your efforts have been enough. This year will bring up new and unexpected situations for you, and it is quite good. Health will benefit from regular maintenance and preparedness for changes. Finances will be fairly well, though expenses may rise. (Please note: The guide uses Zodiac Signs according to date of birth, and not according to your Sun Sign, Moon Sign or Ascendant. There is no cusp.)

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th): June will be an active month for you, though much of it will be behind the scenes. Your friends are in a helpful space right now. Let your own ideas wait for a while. Health will be fairly well. Finances will be good, though needing caution.

LEO (July 22nd-August 22nd): June will appear pretty pedantic, and then excitement will creep up on you mid-month. Be open to advice from similar-minded people. Be alert when you have to make choices. Try to choose the larger good. Health will benefit from regular exercise. Finances will be fairly well.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 20th): June will seem to begin well, and get more demanding along the way. Look to others for help when you feel overwhelmed. Exercise caution as you move forward, but do move. Rigidity won’t help. Health will be good with balancing your needs with the needs of the moment. Finances will see expenses rise, but in a good way.

VIRGO (August 23rd-September 22nd): June bodes well for you. Be alert that you don’t feel pushed by deadlines. Take help from people who are high in energy. Keep your own pace nice and easy. Health will benefit from regular exercise and meditation. Finances will be average.

GEMINI (May 21st-June 20th): June is very interesting for you, if you step up and make choices according to what you want, irrespective of what the situation looks like. Stay open to advice from experts along the way. Health will benefit from calming exercises. Finances will be fairly stable. CANCER (June 21st-July 21st): June will feel difficult and tense at the beginning, but will round off rather nicely. Refrain from arguments, and keep yourself well-informed according to your situations. Health will benefit from meditative exercises. Finances will be better towards the end of the month.

LIBRA

(September 23rd-October 22nd):

June can be exciting for you. Be prepared to the best of your ability. When faced with choices, choose the greater good. Go to people you trust for ideation. Health will benefit from meditative exercises and practising calmness. Finances will see a rise in expenses, so make it count.

MOHINI BASU is a Tarot Card reader, Hypnotherapist and Life Coach. She can be contacted on mohini.tarot@yahoo.com. Her website is theredfoxanddeerlady. wordpress.com.

June will be a demanding month, and you will rise to meet it. Keep an eye that you remain true to yourself, because there will be challenges to that. People you trust will provide invaluable help. Be grateful for all relationships. Health will benefit from vigorous activity. Finances will be fair. SAGITTARIUS (November 23rdDecember 21st): June will find you being called upon to help, advise and show the way, even if indirectly. Be aware that help needs to empower. Also, stay away from arguments and debates. The end of the month will ask you to go easy on yourself. Health will benefit from care with diet. Finances will lean towards extra expenses. CAPRICORN (December 22nd–January 19th): June will ask you to keep all your wits about yourself, and you can do it. Just hold on firmly to the highest ideal that you have, and allow it to make decisions for you. Else, postpone decisions for later, if possible. Plan a short holiday for the end of the month. Regular exercise and meditation will benefit health. Finances will be better handled with alertness. AQUARIUS (January 20th–February 18th): June is a strong month for you, as much and varied things will be happening, and you will be in the thick of it all. However, not all of it is your responsibility, so be discerning. Friends who are of different ideologies will have a thing or three to show you. Health will need you to take care of your diet and rest. Finances will be fair. PISCES (February 19th-March 20th): June will be a challenging month for you, and if you feel up for it, you have what it takes to face those challenges. Specifically, work at due diligence for everything you do. Be open to asking for help from experts. Practise discernment when there is a war of words. Eating well, and regular walks will help you. Finances will be average but will improve at the end of the month.

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai 35

June 2017 | Volume 3 Issue 3 | Living Local Mumbai