Unlimited revelry
You could broadly classify the New Year Eve parties around town into two categories: limited and unlimited. Limited could mean either just an entry fee to the venue and then you were priced on actuals, or a package deal with certain amount of food and drinks at your disposal.
Unlimited had its lure with pubs, lounges and nightclubs offering unlimited starters and drinks for a price, of course. While most were steep but not really so considering you could have your fill, the one at the Press Club had a happily very low entry fee for members (guests were charged much more) with unlimited appetizers, drinks, dinner and desserts, too.
This year-end celebration, sponsored by Colors, turned out to be a lively and lovely affair with everyone having the time of the life. Though there was unlimited liquor at the bar we did not see anyone getting overly drunk or rowdy.
Nice to note that unlimited does not mean you stuff yourself silly but instead you focus on restraint and revelry. Another plus point was that there was no formal dress code. So, no stiff suits and shiny gowns but rather no-nonsense attire, just right to be comfy to bring in the new year and the new decade. Happy 2020!
Bond with the best
Born on December 25, Christmas, celebrated fashion designer Anna Singh has a special bonding with Jesus Christ. And so she presented The Christian Vintage Art Collection with artefacts sourced by Ubaidh Shah, curated by Sussanne Khan at The Charcoal Project. Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Esha Deol, Neelam Kothari, Ayesha Shroff, Jackie Shroff, Laila Khan, Zareen Khan, Madhoo Shah, Kabir Bedi, Sonali Bendre, Kim Sharma, Chunky and Bhavna Pandey were some of the starry guests at the preview.
You heard that Christian art has always been a part of Anna, born in Bandra and with a Christian name. On view was a range of interpretations of bejewelled Christian art in expressive Byzantine/Venetian/Italian influenced vintage art pieces. The range included designer jackets, showpieces, huge black, white and colourful hand-painted beds and other interior design pieces.
All cheerful
It was all very cheerful at the Christmas party hosted by High Street Phoenix and Elite Expat Club at The Runway Project by Pizza Express. Happy host Savio D’Sa with his spiffy good looks and trademark tinted glasses was there to say hello to the select guests.
Yes, there was a full flow of drinks and appetizers as the cocktail chatter went very well with the live music with Stefan Fernandes on keyboard and Sabby D’Mello on saxophone.
A surprise added attraction was Shibani Kashyap who was requested to sing and she did so with her rousing rendition of ‘Dancing Queen.’ Yes, everyone had the time of their lives with the Indian guests and expatriates looking forward to the happy holiday season and bringing in 2020.
Tune boon
Mansion Bar & Lounge ended the year on a high musical tune. It was time for the No Request and New Sound music platforms, conceptualised by Nisha Haraale, that allows aspiring DJs to compete and contest winners to showcase their talent alongside headliner artists. Nearly 60 DJs got a chance to play last year.
At the New Sound underground music event many young artists played on the lineup with headliner Nikhil Chinapa, Asad (freeaatmah) and Beyond120 while the No Request Bollywood event had contest winners play with headliner artists Aman Nagpal and Jaya.
The No Request rap battle also launched many artists while the recent contest is yet to announce its share of winners. The winner gets to cut a music track with music producer Ishq Bector and Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap. And coming up is a fashion event called Infuze.
Warm welcome
Before the old year was though it was time to welcome Xoyo, Bar & Club in Thane. Guests relished the mix of modern Indian, pan-Asian, continental and comfort food along with the delightful drinks.
The music was house, hip-hop, electronic, techno, commercial and Bollywood tunes with one of the main attractions being a gigantic 350 sq feet giant LED display screen above the DJ station that could be viewed by guests both on the ground level of the club and the mezzanine area.
This Thane nightclub with its grey floor, concrete walls, warm colour scheme, dramatic lighting and music and the larger-than-life display screen looks like it would draw a healthy mix of guests as it did on launch night.
