Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Cheap thrills in Navi MumbaiThe quest to find a bar to fulfil onersquos pocketfriendly alcohol needs for the weekend is a neverending adventure that this diarist loves to undertake The key to finding the right place includes womenfriendly staff and music that doesnrsquot induce migraines And now we hear that the Pub Exchange chain from Gurgaon will open in the city this month and they claim to offer the lowest rates everThe Thane outlet will open at Korum Mall on Eastern Express Highway and the Navi Mumbai joint in pic in Seawoods Grand Central The concept is similar to another popular chain of bars Who wins the race Wersquoll give you a lowdown soonFarzi heads to RiyadhThe Delhibased modern Indian restaurant is gearing up to open its doors in Riyadh this month The launch of the restaurant makes this the chainrsquos second international outpost The 300seater joint has furniture and fixtures from Italy and Spain along with Maserati baby chairsFounder and managing director of Massive Restaurants Zorawar Kalra said ldquoWe are very excited about the launch and are opening in six more locations by December this yearZorawar and Dildeep KalraWe will soon see its footprint in eight countriesrdquo While the eatery received a lukewarm response here in Mumbai it might be interesting to see how they fare in the Middle EastMark your date with Neil GaimanIn 2004 Neil Gaiman wrote ldquoThe world always seems brighter when yoursquove just made something that wasnrsquot there beforerdquo Staying true to this quote Gaiman has made the day better for his fans in IndiaIn reply to a fan that we wish was us on Twitter multiple Hugo awardwinning author announced his entry into India for the Jaipur Literature Festival this January The lineup also includes the likes of Zadie Smith and Ian MckellenSo long KaliA little over 14 years ago Kali came into the lives of The Welfare of Stray Dogs WSD family and till her last breath which was yesterday she was always the poster girl for strays in the city and the reigning queen of the WSD kennels Wherever she went and especially when she mingled with little ones her gentleness and easygoing character took away any fear or anxiety that they might have had about a canine or a strayldquoKali was the friendliest doggie Irsquove known she played a key role in educating children about being kind to and unafraid of straysrdquo recalls WSD CEO Abodh Aras adding how she was found when the police informed him of a dog that had been run over near Breach Candy She underwent an orthopaedic surgery that didnrsquot work out and she became a WSD resident dog with a permanent handshake ldquoShe was our lsquoreception committeersquo loved kids and had visited many schoolsrdquo he adds This diarist recalls watching her in action as a demo dog at a WSD firstaid workshop ever calm and thrilled too with all the attention She is sure to get a warm welcome in doggie heavenSupport rugbyAs much as the Indian junta loves to watch sportsrelated films in real life anything other than cricket fails to rake in the moolah One such example is the under20 touch rugby team that will represent India at the Youth World Cup 2018 in Malaysia which begins on August 8The team is undergoing severe setbacks due to a lack of funds They are now running a web crowdfunding campaign to make ends meet and fulfil their dreamsTalk to the handActor Anil Kapoors banter seems to amuse Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Rajkummar Rao looks on at a promotional event for their forthcoming film at a Juhu fivestar on Tuesday PicShadab KhanCatch 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