Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Popcorn timeGenelia DSouza Deshmukh with her kids Riyaan and Rahil at actors Urvashi Sharma and Sachiin Joshis sons birthday party in a Juhu fivestar on Friday PicSatej ShindeHic hic hurrayTheres a new watering hole in town Tucked away beneath Colaba eatery Nara it will literally be called Downstairs at Nara and will serve cocktails concocted by bar lead and expat mixologist Andrew Hyman and Ann Pinsuda Pongprom one of Asias top bartenders from Bangkoks The Bamboo Bar at its launch tonight The cocktails are a twist on classics and named in honour of oldworld Bombay made using inhouse homemade spirits liqueurs bitters and tincturesAnn Pinsuda and Andrew HymanThe exclusive cocktail menu draws inspiration from the history and landmarks of Colaba with names like Ballard Causeway 1838 and Twilight at the Prong I hope to evoke some memories but most importantly for the drinks to have great flavour Cocktails are all about those little moments whether we are celebrating or just taking a moment out to enjoy lifes little pleasures said HymanPamela Andersons plea to ModiIn what can only be seen as a rather strange turn of events former playmate and honorary director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA Pamela Anderson took to Twitter to request Indian PM Narendra Modi to turn India into a vegan county asking him to lead Indias fight against climate change by serving only vegan food at all government meetings and functionsPamela Anderson and Narendra ModiOf course the social media platform exploded with users mocking the equation and some even comparing her to Rakhi Sawant One user even suggested that Modi should tell Anderson Hypocrisy ki bhi hadh hoti haiA call for solidarityA midnight run stretching across three km last night called on Mumbais women to come out and reclaim the night An attempt to make all public spaces equally accessible for everyone the run was a symbol of empowerment and the start of a new movement And who better than Indias Iron Man Milind Soman known for his rigorous fitness and running schedules to promote itFor too long women everywhere have been asked to conform to societys narrow views of dos and donts behaviour dress and timing Any woman seen on the streets after a certain time is judged and stereotyped and soshymshyetimes punished This happens across villages and cities We want to change the mindset of women and that of our society We have been organising these runs across the nation to make women feel proud of themselves The aim is to provide a safe environment and show that as long as appropriate precautions are taken on a personal level there are no spaces that cannot be explored and no one that can be stopped from exercising their free will This isnt a protest its a call for solidarity Soman told this diaristTT with a sunshiney sideEnjoy a game of TT Head to the Central YMCA Colaba on December 8 for a friendly game of table tennis because this event is specialA part of your fee 100 of 150 participation and snacks will be routed to help aid teaching underprivileged children through the Nurture a Goal Project at the Backgardens Colaba The event is open to basic and intermediate enthusiasts so dont fret about not being a pro because youre a winner even if you loseTo your arts content this weekendIf you are an art aficionadohead to MVIRDC ExpoCenter in Cuffe Parade which is hosting a unique art festival showcasing over 3500 contemporary artworks by 300 artistes from across the country Called Artival this is a multimodular national exhibition slated for this weekend that brings together diverse backgrounds and cultures as well as the works of contemporary artists and old masters alikeArt has not just been my skill set it is my passion As I grew as an artist it became my mission This festival is a celebration of art and a movement to ensure that artists get the best of everything including a platform for rural Indian artists to showcase their works We have a long way to go as the aim is to make an indelible mark in the global arena but the momentum is picking up Satish Patil curator of the festival told usCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates