Out and About

The sarong has been voted favourite wear by models like Achla Sachdev and actresses like Manisha Koirala. This chuni-lookalike is so versatile that it can be worn as a skirt, a halter dress and at the beach, you can gather your book, dark glasses and sun block in your sarong 8212; and you have a dandy handy handbag!

He too

With a new party to go to every day, Mumbai8217;s young are truly stuck for options when it comes to new clothes to be seen in. And while women seem to have several options to choose from, there aren8217;t too many boutiques catering to the funky, with-it 8217;90s stylebhai.

But now men can turn to their Sixth Sense 8212; Mumbai8217;s first true theme store designed to put the buyer or browser in the mood for a party. The interiors are the mock-up of a hot and happening nightspot, with the store even putting in a bar. Wait, before your tongue starts to hang out 8212; the cocktails are fake. Look at the bright side 8212; at least you won8217;t pick up a hideous shirt in the throes of inebriation.

Anyway, to top up the funky feeling, there isn8217;t a single rack in the store. Says Rajan, the owner of Sixth Sense, who also designs the clothes, quot;Seventy-five per cent of the space is display, and 25 per cent of it is actually taken up by the clothes themselves.quot;

From regular blacks for those who8217;d like to play it safe to wild colours, animal prints and rich fabrics, Sixth Sense has it all. The store is situated at Mahim8217;s L J Road. And for those who need to leave the party and go straight to work the next morning, there are non-party shirts available at the store8217;s annexe. Ph no:446 3240.

Write stuff

Looking for a good read? Check out Sohaila Abdulali8217;s Madwoman Of Jogare. Educated in Brandeis and Stanford in the US, New York-based Sohaila is obviously a Mumbai girl. She writes about Maharashtra with deftness and depth. An obvious first novel, the book should be read for her understanding of space 8212; everything around protagonist, Ifrat Shekpali, has a colour 8212; so afternoons may be bathed in gold and night in violet. Madwoman8230; talks about the changes in the lives of people living in a valley in Karjat when progress in the form of building development makes an entry. After a while nothing remains the same but nothing really changes. In the process of completing the full circle the madwoman dies, long live the madwoman 8212; a greater understanding emerges. Enough of a teaser? Published by Harper Collins and priced at Rs 145, Sohaila is a writer to watch out for. Her first book maybe sans style but it has substance. Ms Abdulali will be in Mumbai next week,so if you want to meet the author, drop in at Y B Chavan Auditorium at 6:00 pm. Go, she8217;s worth a read.

How green . . .

Take a walk outside Mantralaya and you might suddenly run into a green patch, right in the middle of Mumbai8217;s dry business district. An overnight burst of lush lawns, you might think. But do not make that mistake. This transformation is the BMC8217;s latest endeavour to give the city a touch of grass. Shalimar Lifestyles, the company behind this enterprise, has come up with the concept of instant lawns, called Meadowz. A synthetic polymer product, Meadowz looks exactly like grass and enhances the appeal of landscapes.

And if this drive continues, we might just have a green, although not so clean Mumbai, after all.

Musical ring

IF you are in the music business or need to make an entry 8212; pick up Sa Re Ga Ma 8212; a directory of Indian music. Compiled by The Performing amp; Creative Arts, it has everything you might want to know about the music business and more. Fromequipment to event managers, this aptly-titled phone book is a must have. It8217;s also good for those who just like to listen to music. If you are planning a party then there are sections that tell you where to hire equipment, lights and a deejay. It8217;s a help even if you are looking for a place to party 8212; the directory provides a list of hot spots in all four zones. Priced at Rs 500, the price is worth the information inside.