The wildly popular game gives players a place to socialize with others or simply escape while on lockdown for coronavirus
As shelter in place orders around the world have left many people trapped at home indefinitely, some have found a new place to meet up: inside the digital world of wildly popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing.
Released in late March, Animal Crossing: New Horizons quickly became the top game in the US. In it, users explore a carefree pastel environment, growing fruits and flowers, catching bugs or fish to sell, and making friends with other characters in an open-ended simulation.
Continue reading...Once the coronavirus pandemic is over, we must work out how to stop the spread of poor information that has helped make a bad situation that much worse
Two big thick circles with a narrow slab in between are all it takes to make a stunning polymer vase like this one from Baltimore’s Linda Loew. The periwinkle and purple colors are lush, the edges are smoothed and there’s a freeform design in the circles’ centers. Why not show off some of spring’s bounty […] Read more
The Red Square parade was cancelled because of the pandemic, but in neighbouring Belarus the parade went ahead as planned.
Kartik Aaryan has truly proved to be a crusader in these difficult times. It first all began with his hit monologue #CoronaStopKaroNa which took the social media by storm where he explained the importance of social-distancing. And he didn't stop his self-made awareness-programme for the masses there. Aaryan went ahead and turned his hit monologue into a rap and later even turned into a virtual chat show host to spread the right information about the pandemic.
Kartik Aaryan launched his hit show Koki Poochega a couple of days back on his YouTube channel and broke the internet. His smart initiative to use his star power, to enlighten his innumerable followers about Coronavirus is commendable. Our Koki not just met COVID-19 warriors and got insights about the fatal infection and the plight, but he also made the chat show lighter in these dark times with his effortless charm. His first interview with Sumiti Singh, India's first COVID-19 survivor, was filled with humour and laughter. Kartik followed the pattern in his other two episodes - Dr Meemansu Buch and MP, Police officer Madhurveena. All three episodes were packed with knowledge, laughter and fun moments which left a lasting effect on social media, but it also has to be noted that Kartik has chosen all of three of his interviewees to be women.
Kartik Aaryan has done extensive research for his chat show. He made sure that his first chat show is not just an amateur one, where he just interviews them and experts only details out of them. Amidst all this, Kartik wanted all his initial episodes to have female interviewees. A source close to the actor tells us, that the heartthrob wanted the women to speak out loud through his show. "While the first COVID 19 survivor happened to be a girl, he made sure that the doctor and a cop that he interviews are women. He wanted to know how a young female doctor is curing patients and selflessly working for the nation. Even with his police-episode, he wanted to know how a lady cop's life in this lockdown when she's on duty. And it wasn't done with as an act of sympathy, but he just wanted to show the world, that how women can achieve anything they want to. Women are also a driving force in serving the nation, which is usually not brought out in the media and Kartik made sure he puts across this strong point out there too without even making a hullabaloo about it. He also made sure he just doesn't centre his show around Mumbai and get the warriors from the city. But he picked these real-life heroes across the nation."
Kartik Aaryan recently pledged Rs 1 crore to the PM Cares Relief Funds and this act hailed him as a true hero in the public eye, for donating such a generous amount at such a young age.
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The last few weeks haven't been easy for Zoa Morani and her family. They all were tested Coronavirus positive and it came as a shock to a lot of people and they were worried about their health. Zoa Morani and Shaza Morani were the first ones to be tested positive and then their father and film producer Karim Morani. Zoa and Shaza recovered a few days back while Karim was still tested positive. But now he too is back and doing well.
First, let's talk about Zoa's recent Instagram post where she shared a family picture and announced happily that they all are Coronavirus negative now. It was indeed a moment of celebration that they all successfully combated the virus. It was a long post straight from the heart.
Read it right here:
And now, talking to Mumbai Mirror about the same, Zoa poured her heart out on what the experience taught her and why she's now going to donate her blood. She said, "The most important thing that I have learned is how to be your own best friend. When I was in the hospital, I couldn't tell my parents and my sister I am scared. I had to be strong enough to be able to console myself. I have been very attached and dependent on people in the past, didn't have faith and confidence in myself."
And since the entire family, as stated above, is back home, how are they spending time? Zoa said, "We are all staying in the same house but maintaining distance from each other. We are not having dinner together or doing things together. The isolation period for me and my sister will get over. But it is still time for my father's isolation period to get over." She also revealed that she will be donating her blood this weekend.
"This weekend, we are going to be donating our blood. Apparently, after 14 days once you are tested negative, you can give your blood to other people because you have antibodies in your blood. It might help other people heal and recover." She also spoke about how she and her sister felt after they were tested COVID-19 positive. She stated, "My sister got a terrible headache and fever, I, on the other hand, had developed all these symptoms."
She added, "I was not able to breathe properly and I thought something was stuck in my chest. In the beginning, we all thought it was normal flu, my sister got a fever and the next day I got a fever. On the 8th day, it was pretty bad and we decided to get tested." It's heartening to know that the Morani family has finally recovered and we wish they continue to stay happy, hale, and hearty.
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Ahead of the Earth Day, actor Sara Ali Khan on Tuesday shared her love for mother Earth through a collage of beautiful throwback pictures with exotic natural beauty forming the backdrop.
The 'Simmba' star took to Instagram and shared a collage of pictures taken at different locations. In the first one, Sara is seen in the beautiful location of mountains and hills as she smiles while looking at the camera. The second picture features the 'Kedarnath' actor enjoying a camel ride, while the third seems to be caught when Sara was adoring two beautiful tigers in a forest.
In the fifth picture, she is seen beside crystal clear water of a seacoast. The last picture features Sara in an ice-covered backdrop where she is packed in cold-resistant jackets while sitting on a sleigh posing for the camera.
Taking to the captions, the 24-year-old actor expressed her love for mother earth by the means of a poem in the caption that read, "Happy Earth About Mother Nature what to say. Snowflakes in December, Jungles in May. On the beach, where the hair can sway. In the mountains, on my sleigh. In the desert, the camel leads the way. But for now at home we must stay. And with gratitude and appreciation thank Mother Earth everyday #stayhome #staysafe #staypositive."
Ishaan Khatter commented and teased Sara on posting ahead of the Earth Day and wrote, "Maine Bhi yeh hi ghalti ki ..in one small detail the problem lay; Earth day is tomorrow, errbody thinkin we cray."
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Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's daughter, Suhana, may not have yet entered Bollywood, but she still is a well-known star kid who has a huge fan following already. Suhana Khan recently made her acting debut in a short film titled The Grey Part Of Blue, written and directed by Theodore Gimeno. In the film, Suhana is cast as a happy young girl.
Now, in a series of BTS photos and videos shared by Gimeno on Instagram, you can see that Suhana Khan had a lot of fun while shooting for her debut acting venture. She can be seen laughing and just having a good time with her co-star and crew.
Sharing the BTS footage, Gimeno wrote, "I just released the BEHIND THE SCENES video to my short film The Grey Part of Blue. You guys highly requested it so here it is! It is live now!"
The Grey Part Of Blue is about a couple, played by Suhana and her co-star Robin Gonella, who set out on a two-day road trip to meet Suhana's parents. During the trip, certain situations force them to face truths about life, love and their relationship. The 10.05-minute fiction film was released on YouTube.
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Actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra showed off some Punjabi dance moves in their new video. The couple are killing time during lockdown with some happy dancing, going by their latest TikTok video that has them dancing to a catchy tune. "If you're happy and you know it.. just Balle Balle," read the caption.
Dancing isn't their only fitness secret. Shilpa recently opened up about the workout schedule she and her family follow.
"I had shared a little exercise-fun with Viaan (Shilpa's son) a few days ago, and I was asked for the entire workout video. Well, I don't have the entire workout captured, but sharing what I found from my archives. I truly believe that the family that eats, prays and works out together... stays together!" Shilpa wrote, sharing a glimpse of her workout session with Raj, and their son Viaan.
"Oftentimes when @rajkundra9 and I workout in the mornings, we get Viaan to join us too. We do understand that if it's not fun for him, he's not going to enjoy the process. So, while we roped in some abs workout for ourselves, we got him to hop, slide, and jump around," she added in the social media post.
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Is there anything Kareena Kapoor Khan can't do? She's a talented actor, a style icon, an amazing mum to little Taimur, and just about everything else that makes her uniquely Bebo. She may have joined the Instagram party late, but by now we know that Bebo is the life of any party she joins, even if she does so fashionably late!
Here are five instances on Instagram when Kareena Kapoor showcased her tremendous wit and humour!
First of all, how utterly adorable is this photo of a tiny little Kareena Kapoor? She used this throwback photo to talk about social distancing and show us how important it is in the deadly times of corona. Bebo captioned this image, "Me... when someone tries to shake my hand these days!
#StayHome #StaySafe #SocialDistancing"
Even a necklace made from pasta looks good on Bebo, proving that the Good Newwz actor can wear anything and look like a million bucks. This necklace was made by her dear little boy Taimur, and Kareena wrote alongside this picture, "Pasta la vista. Handmade Jewellery by Taimur Ali Khan #QuaranTimDiaries" #QuaranTimDiaries... now isn't that creative?
Yes, Bebo also falls victim to unwarranted and unwanted zits sometimes. But does she fret? No, the queen never frets! Instead, she makes fun of it by writing, "Meanwhile... I just sat there staring in wonder of what was being created. PS: The zit on my face didn't get the memo of no personal visits and social distancing... #HugeMess"
Kareena Kapoor Khan also found the best way to wish her Laal Singh Chaddha co-star, Aamir Khan, a happy birthday. Sharing a photo of a snoozing and pillow-cuddling Aamir, she wrote, "My fav co-star has to be @_aamirkhan's... pillow!"
Like us, Kareena, too, is bored sitting at home. And while husband Saif Ali Khan can be seen spending his time reading and lazing around in the grass, Kareena seems to be quite unoccupied in this photo! "Fall i̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ asleep... #Mess" she captioned this cute picture of her passing time with Saif.
Which of Kareena Kapoor's Instagram photos did you like the most?
On the work front, Kareena was recently seen in Irrfan Khan and Radhika Madan's Angrezi Medium. She will be next Laal Singh Chadha opposite Aamir Khan. The film is a remake of Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump (1994) and is helmed by director Advait Chandan. The movie is slated to hit theatres on Christmas 2020.
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Kiara Advani is bored of sitting in her south Mumbai home. It appears that she is missing the studios and the shoots. More importantly, she can't catch up with her pals. We assume this includes a certain Bandra-based Mr Malhotra as well. In an attempt to describe her mental state, the Kabir Singh (2019) actor shared a childhood video.
She also posted a video in which she is seen riding on her bicycle. She tells mother Genevieve that she is fed up of waiting and playing indoors as she wants to go out to play. Advani captioned the video, "The wonder years... but my mental state right now... nobody's going out. Home sweet home (sic)." Take a look!
It's not just this one, but before she rode the bicycle, Kiara Advani confessed how her mom thought she would take up ballet as her career, but chose to be an actress instead.
In another video, Kiara Advani was seen sipping milk from her favourite Cinderella cup. Not kidding! Well, who hates princesses? And Cinderella? So nostalgic! Check this one out.
Speaking about Kiara Advani's childhood days, the actress also shared a sweet picture with brother Mishaal, where she is seen planting a peck on his cheek. So adorable! So, this is what siblings look like.
View this post on InstagramHappy Sibling Day @mishaaladvani squishy for mishy foreverâ¤ï¸ÂÂðÂÂÂÂÂÂ
Well, many aren't aware that Kiara Advani is really good friends with Isha Ambani. The actress and her childhood friend share a warm bond, and these images are proof enough!
Kiara, there there! We completely understand what you are going through right now.
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Glass containers in which Arora has collected soil from different parts of Aarey. PICS/ABIGAIL D’Souza
A conversation with artist Vikram Arora throws up a vital piece of insight into the issue of deforestation at Aarey Colony. Arora, along with four artists from Hong Kong and a Serbian national based in Mumbai, is spending a few days living with locals in the city’s jeopardised green cover, and he tells us, “The tribals here have a family that doesn’t include only the people they live with. It includes the trees they planted, the animals and birds that depend on those trees, the leopards around them and so on. So everything is inter-dependent, and the fallout [of deforestation] is ecological in nature, because the birds don’t have those trees any more. And the leopards will confront humans because their habitat has been taken away.”
This is the issue that forms the backbone of a project called Forest Tales: Mysteries Hidden in Concrete. It involves the six people creating individual works of art based on their experience of living in the heart of Aarey Colony, immersing themselves in the local culture by tilling the soil that nurtures the food that their hosts cook for them.
Chim Chi Ho tilling soil
Arora tells us that one of his projects, for instance, requires him to collect 33 types of soil from different parts of Aarey, symbolic of the 33 hectares of land in the area that is lost to the demands of construction work for the disputed Metro project. “I will put these bits of soil into 33 different containers on which I will draw Warli art, a traditional tribal style. The idea is to archive the memory of the soil in case that land is also taken away in the future. I will present the different glass containers as an installation to show how, if we proceed without long-term planning, we will end up building a fragile future for ourselves,” he says.
The other project he has embarked on is called Cut Me a Slice of That. For it, he will bake a pie inspired by savelya, a local sweet dish made with coconut and jaggery, which his host taught him to make. He will then serve that pie cut into different pieces when the various works of art are showcased to the public at an event later this week. “It’s meant to reflect the sentiment of how the land grab is taking place, piece by piece. For example, every time there is an emergency in the city, the NSG commandos are given a space in Aarey. A veterinary college is also given space here if they want it. Now the Metro wants its chunk too for the car shed. So, they keep taking this land away piece by piece, through rampant deforestation,” he explains.
(From left) Michael Leung, Vikram Arora, Gum Cheng, Yip Kai Chun and Chim Chi Ho, the artists living in Aarey. Katarina Rasic is not in the photo
Arora adds, however, that not everyone in the local community is against displacement. A few padas (settlement clusters), he says, are happy because they think they will get a house in a tower, though they eventually might never get to reach this carrot being dangled before them. “They are driven by economic sensibilities, thinking they will be moving into high society when, and if, they get those houses. But the whole idea is not only about them shifting base. Instead, it’s about the trees that are being cut to facilitate that process,” he says, pointing out how unless this urbanisation challenge is managed in a sensitive manner, ecological concerns are bound to be sacrificed at the altar of rampant concretisation.
Vikram Arora
ON May 20 AT Keltipada, Adivasi Pada, Unit no 18, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon East.
LOG ON TO artoxygen.org
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Yes, you would have possibly spotted him somewhere. Probably in a movie. Most think that actor Ash Chandler, who is performing with his outfit Redux this weekend, has taken up music recently. The truth is he first came to India (from the US, where he grew up) in 1999 to release a Hindi pop album, and actually started out as stand-up comedian.
While he paid attention to his acting career, it was when he had an accident four years ago that he felt revived — as did the musician in him. And he formed Ash Chandler Redux with Angelo Colaco (drums), Keith Donald (bass), Rahul Wadhwani (keys), Ulric Sequeira (guitar), Anand Vaity (saxophone, clarinet) and Heather Andrews (vocals).
The gig will include their rendition of jazz standards and tango classics in Spanish. "I want to write songs about love, and the nature of humans. My original work hasn't been political. But I do believe in spreading the message that everyone has to start accepting themselves and not seek validation. It's crucial for peace. Every drop of blood will result in 10 more drops," he concludes.
ON March 3, 7 pm
AT NCPA,Tata Theatre, Nariman Point
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 300 onwards
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We're instantly intrigued by the images of coloured burgers topped with motifs from superhero fiction, posted by a new café in Kemps Corner whose opening we spotted while on an errand. We share the image with a friend, an avid comics fan, who aptly responds, "What the hell is that?" And that's the sort of bait it takes to convince someone from Central Mumbai to come to town.
The badges around the menu
We make a trip to the newly opened Pop Culture Cafe (PCC) on a Saturday afternoon. On entering the space we feel it is a true reflection of the city's real estate crunch. With keychains and baubles put up for sale, there are four high stools — good luck if you're vertically challenged like us — and a ledge that can accommodate about three people. If you plan on bringing a big group of friends and if you love them all, invite only one and let them breathe.
The menu includes pasta, pizza, burgers, shakes and waffles — all vegetarian and named after popular movies and TV shows.
Keychains available for sale
So, we pick the Hulk smaash pasta (Rs 250), the Hogwartz pizza (Rs 350), and a watermelon cooler (Rs 170). While we try to make conversation, the soundtrack of The Dark Knight by Hans Zimmer plays in the background. And even though we are fans, the vibe is a bit too weird. While we grumble about how there is no room for a quiet bite, let alone privacy, the food is literally handed over to us from the counter a few inches behind our backs.
Hulk smaash pasta
The cooler tastes more like a party punch with no trace of watermelon. One glance at the four-cheese pizza is enough to tell you it's unappetising; one bite, and you are convinced it is. You can only taste the mozarella and cheddar, and you'll be able to find a similar and tasteful variant at local food chains for a two-digit amount. Our last hope is the pasta. While we click a picture of the dish blended in pesto sauce with mozzarella sprinkles, the staff places a piggy bank shaped like the clenched fist of the Hulk next to it (resembling our fists at the moment). Our friend has the first go, and we nervously watch him drop his spoon in disappointment. It's bland, as is the presentation. He's kind to sum up the experience as average, but we sure as hell want our money back.
Watermelon cooler
Even though the place might appeal to the die-hard fan, it doesn't do justice to its price point. And it is also situated in a building that houses a popular coffee chain, a brewery and a Neapolitan restaurant. If you happen to get lost in the narrow alleyways in search of PCC and land up at any one of these, you can thank your stars.
Coloured burgers
AT Pop Culture Cafe, Kwality House, Kemps Corner.
TIME 12 pm to 11 pm
CALL 8452928428
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Pop Culture Cafe didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
Caroline (Laura Mishra) pours out her fears about her rocky marriage to the governess Ms Chacko (Pooja Nair)
All the world's a stage, but that doesn't make all of us actors, as we discovered after three long hours of watching an adaptation of Agatha Christie's Go Back For Murder by the theatre group, Making Noise. The play follows the protagonist Chloe Miranda (played by director Laura Mishra), on her journey to prove her mother innocent of her father's murder.
The catch is, the murder happened 15 years ago, and her mother is no longer around to defend herself, having passed away in prison. So, Chloe joins hands with her lawyer Filip Calisto (male lead essayed by Navin Talreja) to piece together who really killed her father. They track down friends and family members who were present on the day of the murder. Everyone returns to the scene of a crime in Goa to recreate the events leading up to the murder.
True to form, the tight plot devised by the queen of crime writing keeps the audience guessing until the very end when the killer is finally revealed in the denouement.
Unfortunately, there is another murder that needs to be addressed — that of the play itself. The warning signs appeared from the very beginning: Actors stumbling over their words, even forgetting their lines at times; lacklustre delivery was a problem throughout the play. Direction was, dare we say, missing. Actors killed a ridiculous amount of time milling about on stage, unable to hold still even during conversations with other characters. As a result, even though the advertised run time was two hours and 15 minutes (including the interval), the audience was trapped for an extra 45 minutes. The delay did not go unnoticed by the director, who apologised for having taken up so much time.
It would not be an exaggeration to call the performance a snoozefest; many in the audience had nodded off within the first half hour, while others gave up and left the auditorium midway.
Actor-director Laura delivered one of the few believable performances but failed to draw out the same from her cast. There were other peculiar directorial calls, such as one of the characters holding the same cigarette to his mouth for over two hours. In all the scenes with multiple characters, several actors had visibly zoned out on stage while the lead actors droned on. A theatre aficionado who accompanied us said it was like a "school play", hardly the kind of fare one would expect to see at St Andrew's Auditorium.
When: May 27, 7.30 pm
Where: St Andrews Auditorium
Entry: Rs 200-Rs 1,000
Contact: 26410926
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Haitham with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dil Hai Hindustani where the two sang SRK’s chartbuster Jabra Fan
When we meet Haitham Mohammed Rafi inside the dimly-lit sets of a popular music reality show, he stands out from those sitting beside him. The white of his traditional dishdasha and the colourful turban — called the massar — make him look like an anomaly. The 23-year-old appears to be closely observing his fellow singer — a girl half his age — who is on stage and singing the famous DDLJ-towel song, 'Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye,' when we raise our hand and call for his attention. There is instant recognition.
"Wallah!" he yells out in Arabic. "How come, you here?" he goes on, in his Middle-Eastern accent.
It has been three years since we first met Haitham. The last time it was in his hometown Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman. "I will sing in Bollywood, someday, Inshallah!" he had then rapped, much to the amusement of this correspondent. At the time, we had wished him luck, without mocking his expectations or pointing out the risks.
Last week, when a video of filmmaker Karan Johar sitting in stunned silence after Haitham’s performance of Naina Thag Lenge, went viral on Arab social media, this writer was glad she had kept mum then.
Haitham, an Omani national, has just made it in the final 11 of the first season of music reality show Dil Hai Hindustani. Being an Arab, has only worked in his favour. For the judges, Johar, Badshah, Shalmali Kholgade and Shekhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame), the first question on their mind was, “Can an Arab sing in Hindi?”
"Okay, maybe!" "But, that good!"
"I have Mohammed Rafi’s blessings," Haitham jokes. Not like, we hadn’t been meaning to ask him the story behind his namesake. Haitham al Balushi takes his middle name, Mohammed Rafi, from his father, who was surprisingly christened by the veteran Hindi singer himself. "Though Omani, my grandfather was a huge fan of Mohammed Rafi," he recounts. “When my father was born, Rafi saab was performing in Bahrain. My grandfather, who was working there, went for the show and managed to have a quick chat with him backstage," he says, adding, “He told Rafi saab, I want you to name my newborn.” The rest, as the Balushi family recalls, is history.
Until seven months ago, Haitham worked as a personal banker with a leading national bank in Muscat. “It was so boring. I hated going to work...it was suffocating," he says. Unable to take it anymore, Haitham put in his papers, and ferociously started looking for opportunities to sing. "I wanted to pursue my passion," he says. We ask him what that is? And, pat comes the reply, "I want to become the first Arab playback singer and composer in Bollywood." Haitham has been harbouring that dream since he was 11.
In Oman, Haitham says, there is no concept of vocal training. "If you're a good singer, you're a good singer." His only source of Bollywood music was audiocassettes and CDs as a child, and later YouTube. "So, when I told my Omani friends that I wanted to become a singer, they laughed. They said, 'You can’t make it big in India…it is so tough'."
On an Indian friend’s advise, he started listening to a lot of ghazals. "I was told that it would help me get my nuances and accent right," he says. His favourite ghazal singers are Jagjit Singh and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. But, that's how Haitham’s Bollywood dreams first took flight.
In 2012, he became the first Omani to win Muscat Idol, which sees participants mostly from the Indian Diaspora. From there on, due to dearth of a great body of work, Haitham started composing music for Omani TV shows. “But, I realised that I wasn’t enjoying Arabic music. Each time, I sang in Hindi, I was happier,” he says. Of the 500 songs he has composed, 450 were in Hindi. “My mum knew I wasn’t meant for Oman. So, she kept pushing me to try my luck at Indian reality shows,” he says. He tried thrice and failed. The fourth time, he decided to think practically and opted for 'The Voice Ahla Sawt', the Arabic version of the international music show. “Even there, I could not fit in,” he says. This December, after five years of working towards his dream, he got the call. And, that too, from India.
Here, he is still just another contender at the show. But, back home, things have changed for Haitham. After a video of his performance went viral, Omanis in Muscat, who he claims love Hindi cinema, have gone into an overdrive. “I’ve already signed 13 shows in Muscat and Dubai,” he says. “My friends are buying the Indian digital channels, just to watch my show.”
"I think it's a proud moment for my country," Haitham says. Just as we end, he gets his cellphone out, and shows us a photograph of his, clicked with Shah Rukh Khan, where the two are facing each other, striking the latter's signature pose. “India has already opened its arms to me," he gushes.
April 23, 5 PM: Do you believe you have the coolest dog on the planet? Maybe it's time to let the world know that too. Vile Parle's ZooBar is organising Dog's Got Talent, where your mutt can show off his skills right from his obedience levels, fetching ability, turning tricks, love for food, loudest bark or even for simply looking the cutest. The Applausometer will reward the swaggiest waggers in multiple categories, because we all believe every dog's got a talent."
Humans have had enough fun, it's now time for our paw friends to enjoy. This event will see dogs indulging in a lot of games, competitions and delicious canine goodies. It gives pet owners the time and opportunity to take their dogs out and spend some quality time with them and be a great change and source of entertainment for dogs," says owner Nishant Joshi. The highlight of the event will be some summer treats for y our furry friends by K9 professionals, a nice grub by Mutt Hutt, a photo-op and accessories sale.
Taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of persons are chopping trees at will in Aarey Milk Colony.
An environmentalist has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray red-flagging the goings-on inside the green cover in the city's suburbs.
He stated in a letter speaking for many green activists who have and continue to fight the long Save Aarey battle, that at least 30 trees are being cut inside the forest every day. Some people, taking advantage of the tough times, where resources like police and civic workers have to be deployed elsewhere while numbers climb in the Coronavirus fight, are wreaking wanton destruction inside Aarey.
There are attempts to illegally encroach this precious landmass, building hutments inside.
We need to see quick investigation and action in this matter. Especially as the clock is ticking and every single day means more denudation at Aarey.
One also has to remember that when activists and citizens were fighting pitched battles against the Metro Car Shed at Aarey, it was the Shiv Sena on a battering course against the BJP, shouting that they will save Aarey and that they will not allow trees to be cut.
In a high stakes political game, the Thackerays had posited themselves as the saviours of this green emerald of the suburbs, taking on the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation that was going ahead with the project.
We hope the state government gets into battle mode to save this zone. After all, to be a great green warrior for Aarey means to seek a very quick inquiry and then respond to any and all threats to the space you profess to save, not just for political points but because you believe in the cause and in the welfare of the city.
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Pooja Sudhir's search for a signature scent ended after graduation. She moved from deodorants to body mists and was finally looking to mature into a perfume user, when she found a scent with musky notes that she instantly liked. "The counter manager rushed to me, saying, 'But, ma'am, this is for men.' I think that's where it all started," she says about her fascination for unisex perfumes. Sudhir, an educator with DSB International School, now oscillates between the male fragrances put out by Body Shop, M&S and Titan Skinn.
Pic/Getty Images
A scent is considered unisex when it uses traditionally masculine notes like leather, smoke and wood, but is meant to be worn by both men and women. Historically, women's fragrances have carried floral or fruity notes. "I have often wondered why female perfumes are gentle and mellow, and almost always with a floral base," Sudhir, 32, says.
The gender stereotyping of scents she is alluding to could in fact, be a product of marketing and not so much about preference.
Educator Pooja Sudhir wonders why female scents are distinguished by floral notes only
The head of communications for Forest Essentials', an indigenous beauty brand with foundations in Ayurveda, says it has little to do with nature telling us what we should or shouldn't wear. "Fragrances are best chosen depending on mood, occasion, seasonality, and your personality rather than gender." Their best-selling body mists are proof. They tend to include oud, Kerala lime or vetiver. "For us, choosing the oud and green tea combination was less about gender and more about picking ingredients that are inherently Indian. That these fragrances have male and female appeal is an added advantage."
Gaurav and Jahnvi
Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan heads The Perfume Library, a four-year-old boutique label that operates from New Delhi and Paris. She speaks of the 30 gender-fluid scents that both, men and women have been seen to pick up. "For instance, the Aphtoori perfume combines notes of jasmine and cigar, and it is our fastest selling among women," she says. Nandan's friendship with designer Gaurav Gupta has propelled a collaboration that's now sealed in a bottle. Gupta launched AGAIN, his debut unisex scent last week, one with zero floral tones. "It [decision to launch a unisex scent] was a no brainer. I am gender-fluid by personality, and I don't see the world in slots. Gender divides are more to do with social conditioning."
The just-launched fragrance, AGAIN
Manan Gandhi, the head of Bombay Perfumery, a-young-but-talked-about fragrance house from the city, would agree. Musk is not only for men, he asserts. Chai Musk, one of his best performing perfumes, blends sandalwood, ginger, lemongrass and musk. Of the eight fragrances he currently offers, two are unisex. "Women are not particularly concerned about female-specific infusions. They look for natural ingredients, intensity and retention. They prefer a scent that lasts," Gandhi explains. Internationally, the unisex beauty concept raged in the 1990s when Calvin Klein launched CK One and Comme des Garçons introduced its eponymous fragrance. It was the big, disruptive idea from 27-years ago.
1020 is one of two unisex scents by Bombay Perfumery
In 2017, fashion continues to champion the genderless idea, whether in clothes or fragrance, and the user is more keen to find an intimate perfume story to participate in than be slotted in grooves. Tom Ford, Chanel, Kiehl's, L'Occitane and the homebred Kama are all part of the gender-neutral narrative in India.
Ahsan Hami doesn't quite get the debate over male and female in the world of scents. "It may be a talking point internationally, but in India, we have always patronised unisex scents. All attars are unisex, and India is one of its earliest manufacturers," he says of a tradition that dates back to the Mughal times. His store, A Hami Bros, on the chaotic Mohammad Ali Road, was established in 1939.
The shelves don't hold "for men" and "for women" labelled bottles. Vetiver, an earthy scent, is usually associated with masculine fragrances, but Hami says his experience has proven that its deep notes and instant cooling effects make it a favourite with his women customers, along with smoky oud. He says, "We don't need international trends telling us unisex perfumes are cool. We've known it for 500 years."