The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Dakor na Gota
Celebrating chai and pakoda
While the world is celebrating all sorts of food observance days, here's your chance to rejoice a desi one. Close on the heels of #PulaoBiryaniDay, which food writer Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal had devised some time back, comes #ChaiPakodaDay that will be celebrated tomorrow.
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Chef Anaida Parvaneh
To join in, recollect memories of chai-pakoda sessions you've enjoyed or whip up the made-in-heaven pairing at home, click photographs and share them on social media with the hashtag. Various restaurants in the city are also joining in the celebrations. One of them is SodaBottleOpenerWala, where you can binge on a menu of regional pakodas, including Saee Koranne-Khandekar's Maharashtrian-style ripe banana and methi bhaji as well as chef Anaida Parvaneh's Irani-style cherry pakodas.
Home and heart
When double Booker Prize-winning author Peter Carey suggests that prime ministers and presidents should read a certain title, you sit up and take note. Turns out, Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie's new book, Home Fire, is not only creating a buzz well before its August 15 release in India, but has also earned the ultimate sign-off from the Australian literary icon in his blurb that graces the jacket of the book.
And, there's more. Recently, the Karachi-born London-based Shamsie made it to the long list of the Man Booker Prize 2017. She joins countryman Mohsin Hamid, and other heavyweights like Arundhati Roy and Zadie Smith. The book is supposed to be a reimagining of Sophocles's Antigone through the eyes of three siblings. Shamsie is riding on the back of six novels and several awards, including being named Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 2013. We'll be keeping a close eye on the short list.
Pic/Atul Kamble
The importance of being prepared
Actor Rajat Kapoor appears well-prepared for the weather where he drops in for an event in a SoBo hotel on Friday.
Taking on the toughest race
At an altitude where a leisurely walk can rob you of breath, imagine running a distance of 222 km in 48 hours. If marathon coach and runner, Raj Vadgama, accomplishes this feat in August, he will become the first Indian to complete La Ultra. Often called the cruelest race in the world, the run takes place in Ladakh and crosses two passes at 18,000 feet approximately.
The Mumbaikar, however, is not new to tough terrains. Earlier this month, Vadgama completed 100 miles at the Kargil International Marathon, and 9,902 km in 165 days in a cross country run. Through this run, Vadgama wants to promote running among Indians for a healthier lifestyle. Here's to running and keeping fit.
Running for a cause
The simmering tension in the northeast, related to the agitations called for a separate Gorkhaland, has affected an unlikely source: runners in the region training for the Mumbai Marathon 2018. Specifically, runners who will represent the Mumbai non-profit Run For Roshni.
Founder and runner Roshni Rai (in pic) told this diarist about the difficulties in coordinating with the runners. She is seeking funds for good running shoes, travel expenses and food, or "just the registration fee of '1,700 or a day's food for a runner will do". If you believe the Gorkhas deserve to win big in Mumbai, email runwithroshni@gmail.com.
Rained out retreat in Galle
Yesterday's rain interruption in the post lunch session on Day Three of the India vs Sri Lanka Test at Galle reminded us of the start of the 1998 Akai Nidahas Trophy at the paradise venue. The first three games of the tournament (hosts Sri Lanka and New Zealand were the other teams) were washed out without a ball being bowled, and the journalists on tour felt their Christmas had come early.
Sri Lankan spectators at the Galle Cricket Stadium where the Sri Lanka vs India match was rained out. Pic/AFP
While the players and most television commentators stayed at the Lighthouse Hotel near the ground, the Press were hooked up at Coral Gardens, a resort in Hikkaduwa, a good 90-minute drive from Galle. Our correspondents remember calling one of the commentators to check on how badly it rained the previous night before heading to Galle on match days. Most of the time the reply was, 'don't bother coming.' So, a whole week in Galle, oops Hikkaduwa, with no cricket to cover. Touring cricket correspondents rarely had it so good!
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