21 December,2024 07:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Team SMD
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
Mumbaikars enjoy the waves at Worli.
It was 80 and gaiety as the Dosti House at the US Consulate in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the city hosted a get together to celebrate eight decades of Indo-US ties and friendship. The artsy, musical on a recent evening, had memories, mirth and speakers recounting that it "all began at Marine Lines."
A selfie for the 80's album. PICS/NIMESH DAVE
They rolled back the clock to talk about how they would visit the US Library, which was then located at SoBo, rushing to make it post studies or between work hours. At the 80-year celebrations, diplomats doubled up as talented musicians, holding their audience enthralled as a diplomat-band belted out, "I will survive".
Culture melts borders between countries
Other performances followed, all a window to the desi-Amreecan friendship, fostered over visits, cultural interactions and books borrowed at the library. As the zany Wednesday evening wound down, those who attended feasted on âmac 'n' cheese (so very American really) and a gigantic cake. In a world where we wake up to news of divisions and wars, this bonding was welcome and warm as a Dosti toastie.
The title of Syed Kirmani's soon-to-be-released book is Stumped and that's exactly what cricket lovers will be, by a small margin when reminded that three members from India's 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad have published books this year. Sandeep Patil, the dashing batsman got Beyond Boundaries released in November followed by his 1983 vice-captain Mohinder Amarnath later in the month with Fearless.
Syed Kirmani during the 1981-82 season. Pic/Getty Images
Wicketkeeping great Syed Kirmani (Kiri to friends) will join the duo when Stumped (Penguin Play) is launched next Sunday in Bangalore. Sunil Gavaskar (five books), Kapil Dev (four books), Sandeep Patil (three), Mohinder Amarnath (two) Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Ravi Shastri and even team manager PR Mansingh are published authors.
So who is left from that 1983 World Cup team to join the author squad? Only six - Dilip Vengsarkar, K Srikkanth, Roger Binny, Kirti Azad and S Madan Lal, Sunil Valson. Yashpal Sharma of course is deceased. One from the above six will be "booked" for sure in 2025. Watch this space.
The figurines have been heritage pieces of the nativity scene passed down to the diarist
For this diarist, the highpoint every Christmas is the setting up of the crib that recreates the nativity scene, which is the birth of Jesus Christ. The nostalgia shines bright, thanks to the lead crystal figurines that her father had sourced from Israel while he worked in the Middle East, over 25 years ago.
Interestingly enough, this 12-piece set, titled O Come Let Us Adore Him, was actually crafted in West Germany by master artisans, we realised when we read the fine print on the boxes. The stunning glow that the crib exudes courtesy the detailing of the porcelain-bisque design, is sparkly enough, and no other embellishment or decor is needed to dress up the scene. From Europe to Israel and finally, Mumbai, it sure makes for a fascinating, intercontinental Yuletide trail.
Dr Vora signs copies for attendees
Don't eat this, don't do that." Forget the reels, when you want the real deal, who you gonna call? The mythbuster! Whether one is navigating health trends or deciphering social media advice, orthopaedic surgeon and sports doctor Manan Vora's first response is always "But What Does Science Say?" That's also the title of his new book, in which the Juhu-based doctor debunks 101 common health myths with science and humour. At the book launch at Bandra West's Title Waves on Friday, Dr Vora tells us, "The inspiration for this book came from a simple frustration: we're surrounded by health advice everywhere yet it's often hard to know what's true⦠I wanted to create a resource people could actually trust, so I spent hours going through hundreds of research papers, sorting through complex studies, and looking for scientific truth behind everyday health myths." The book hits the stands tomorrow.
PIC/INSTAGRAM
This December city's romance thermometer went up a few notches when Tinder released their - Year in Swipe - report. It found that Anuv Jain as the number one artist this year. This includes some of their dating vocabulary such as "situationships" (a relationship without commitment and labels) and "nanoships" (intense infatuations) in Jain's music. With modern dating hits like Husn - a situationship anthem by online users, and Alag Aasmaan for those in long distance relationships. "I think my music resonates with Gen Z because it reflects the raw, authentic emotions we all go through in our journey of finding a match - whether it's falling for someone for the first time or dealing with the bittersweet distance in relationships," says the singer. Modern problems require modern solutions after all!
