Birthday month begins in style
And just like that, my birthday month (or months) has begun, without me even realising that a whole year has whizzed by?
Astrologer Alka Chaturvedi who is also one of my close friends , hosted a sit-down lunch at the much talked-about Arts Café by Isha Ambani.
Isha has personally overseen every detail, and it shows. The books and art give it character, like a drawing room—curated and inviting.
The private dining area, which is a quieter, more glamorous space, and which Alka had had specially decorated for the lunch- made the whole afternoon intimate and magical.
Everyone arrived on time. Quite a shift from the old “IST” jokes India had earned. Perhaps we’re finally moving past that reputation that India had earned?
You already know by now how Much love how much I prefer sit- downs over large gatherings where everyone is only air kissing! There was real conversation and the real immersive conversation came about after the main celebrations had happened and lunch was done. It’s always over coffee and tea that the focus is on deeper things and on Thai day we chatted about Artemis as also new medical research and the ongoing war, without distraction.
And of course no conversation is complete without myriad views about the very maverick Trump! The coffee conversations were the most special part for me! And yes of course the cake cutting and singing and pampering and presents always make me feel special but the conversations are the ones I cherish the most! There was so much birthday warmth around and no rush to leave.
A great shagun to what looks like a rather wonderful birthday ahead.
Legacy meets laughter
If there is one person I would describe as having lived life exactly as I admire, it would be foodie critic, author, bon vivant Rashmi Uday Singh. The multitasking, writing, travel, and most important the warmth and affection she exudes is special. I definitely feel it! From being an IAS officer to becoming one of India’s most recognisable food critics and columnists, travelling the world, working closely with chefs—it’s all been done on her own terms, and personally I feel that role-model pull about her!
Her celebration at the iconic Harbour Bar, had guest list that felt nostalgic of a more iconic Mumbai—artsy, intelligent, curated, and meaningful. About thirty of us, all with long histories. That special comfort that comes with time! The inimitable Jamuna Pai was the belle of the ball, along with Malavika Sanghvi, Mrunalini Deshmukh, ageless Rita Dhody, Manju Sanghi, IAS officer Alka Tyagi, Melange’s Sangeeta Kathiawada, compere Mandira Bedi, Dr Rishma Pai and the list goes on!
What made this afternoon memorable was also that Chef Rohit Sangwan curated a menu from across the restaurants of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, each plate carrying a bit of the hotel’s legacy.
But more than the food, it was the mood. When friendships have run into decades, the conversation is exciting, with the joy of catching up and filling each other in after the hiatuses that Mumbai imposes with its fast, unrelenting pace. I definitely feel like I’m running a permanent marathon!
Of memories and familiar faces
One of my early Bombay memories is of Poonam Dhillon’s birthday, hosted by the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra. I’m quite sure that was my first visit to Lokhandwala. It did feel like an expedition, and I’d only have made it for PD, as we fondly call her. Juhu and its neighbours could do with some infrastructure uplift, if we’re being honest. It took me ages to get there!
So when I made my way to Juhu this week for her birthday, I was reminiscing about that day and feeling nostalgic about Yash ji, his indulgence, and affection and then his departure which I feel to this day.
This rambunctious party was hosted by hair transplant specialist Dr Pradeep Shetty - for both Poonam and my close friend Salil Chaturvedi. Developer Ashish Raheja rightly mentioned that Salil was a game changer when he founded Provogue—and I’ll add that he was doing athleisure long before the word came into being and became fashionable.
Everyone who was anyone turned up—and also a fair bit of the “hovering outside hoping to get in” brigade.
PD and Salil cut four rather mammoth cakes—largely admired, not consumed. Mumbai’s calorie-conscious crowd stayed far away from the cake and even the buffet, which was almost secondary to the raucous bar, which remained the main attraction all evening.
This party at Mezzo Mezzo had the entire JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu buzzing. Starlets and fading stars angled themselves towards the paparazzi, while socialites did their measured rounds. It had all the familiar elements—loud, layered, chaotic—and very typically Mumbai.
Page 3 by Madhur Bhandarkar came to mind more than once. Those familiar scenes of aspirants and onlookers circling the periphery still very much alive in Mumbai. And within the party more than a few asking for introductions!
I might become a bit unpopular when I say that I’m noticing these Mumbai women only growing younger in appearance, while the men around seem to be balding and ageing—would you agree?
