PATTERN IN CHAOS: January 2016

Khar Social ticks the boxes for a young, innovative, pulsating eatery with a dramatic under construction look. An all day cafe and eatery, with services from 9:00 am to 1:00 am all days of the week, with a designated workspace concept, it qualifies for a charming idea.

The restaurant is sprawled over two floors. Each floor has a distinct character. The ground floor harbours a colourful skate area that converts into a beanbag sit out in the evening. It also has an open to sky sitting, decorated with suspended bamboo framework, punctuated with planters and hanging lights. The outdoor sitting transits into an enclosed air-conditioned sitting area, experimental and unorthodox in aura. A bright bar area, lounged out sitting with unconventional mix-match chairs and sofas, with ample sunlight flowing in, this space spells freedom.

The spirit that caught my design-dependent senses is the upper floor workspace. Winding metal staircase, sharp graffiti, unusual combination of sofas and swings, ceiling-strung power plugs to service every work table, with an avant-garde coffee house feel, this is a place fit for group meetings or a quiet work day with yourself.

An eatery experience is complete only after the food talk. Unconventional menu design, inventive serving plates, cocktail-mocktail glasses and a considerate pricing make for a tempting go at the food. I tried a couple of munchies and drinks. The serve of the 'Lantern' cocktail and spiral, double grilled cheese toast was fun. My friend who tried the substantial 'Achari Basa' and 'The Schizophrenia' gives his thumbs up too.

Khar Social, like all the other Socials in Mumbai, has a multiple food choices ranging from American, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. Having had a fun time at this grungy, hip eatery and being well looked after by the smiling staff, I am tempted to soon give a try to the other Social at Palladium, to experience their tap beer and burgers. No wonder the end of a good experience is always the beginning of another and the greed-dice rolls on.

The New Year always brings with it good news for design hunters. Though I am not much of a personal style hunter but once in a while a brand comes in and steals my heart with its flavour of graphic rich patterns. One such announcement is the arrival of the online outlet of the pattern driven brand, Christina. Their products are an assembly of smartly balanced installation of prints, both classical as well as modern, with colours that are married to the flavour of the impression.

Starting off with the flagship store at The Oberoi, Mumbai in 1989, today Christina designs are available in Delhi, Gurgaon, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai. With the launch of the e-commerce store, the clothing and signature scarves will be available across India and overseas.

The innovative combination of artwork blending with the colours makes the clothing and accessories a handy style option. They can be teamed up in ways to wear different kinds of looks giving a dynamic option from formal to casual, contrasts to colour blending. This brand has a way of bringing out the pattern from a canvas of chaos and metamorphosing it into an artistic statement whether it is in printing, weaving or embroidery. All products are worth the price tag and makes a definitive statement without creating a hole in the pocket.

A very attractive highlight that I found amongst the products is the exclusive limited edition of lightweight, woven stoles. Earthy colours and ethnic woven patterns make for a warm drape. It can be worn to work as well as at social events.

The design story is never complete without the story of the designer. The brand Christina was named by ardent animal lover Rutty Birdy, after her favourite horses Clementine and Christofle. The design story started with Rutty's flair for designing signature race-book wallets. Today the label is a family-owned business headed by Rutty Birdy and her two daughters Camellia and Karin. They pride themselves in bringing in fresh, youthful designs while maintaining a sense of tradition and adhering to quality.

Photograph Credits of the scarves and stoles: Sebastian Zachariah

A hide and seek game of bold sun-rays with fleeting fog, colourful cycle-rickshaws, varied species of birds, deer, blue bull and reptiles make Keoladeo National Park, in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a perfect birder's eden.

This sanctuary can be easily reached by road, railway and air transport. Many trains from New Delhi-Mumbai and Agra-Jaipur route halt at Bharatpur. By road it can be accessed from New Delhi and Jaipur, the closest airports being the same.

This is a world heritage site and a protected sanctuary with over 370 species of birds, some of which have made this park their home and some are migratory. The most comfortable travelling option within the park is in cycle-rickshaws. Bumpy tonga rides or lazy walks through dense greens are in-park mobility alternatives.

On a lucky day the lens can capture the Painted Storks, Great Egret, Eurasian Spoonbills, Indian Saras Cranes and sometimes a Nilgai or a Sambar Deer peeping from behind a flock of birds.

The Park is a dynamic combination of stillness and momentum. Just as there are moments of restfulness, with the gentle deer basking in the winter sun with its family, there are brief glimpses of these tender beings racing through the wilderness. Here the organic flow of the wild is in full bloom, where often amidst this a cheeky lizard can be witnessed scurrying smugly through the fields.

Originally a private shooting range for the Maharaja, it was declared a National Park in 1982 which further went on to the prominence of a world heritage site in 1985.

Food and lodging facilities are available within the precincts of the park. The only accommodation inside the Keoladeo National Park is the government owned property of Bharatpur, Ashoka Forest Lodge, and the economically slimmer Shanti Kutir, run by the ITDC. Bharatpur Forest Lodge is another quaint hotel in the vicinity of the natural treasure trove of the park. There are more choices of comfortable hospitality outside the region of the park too.

This picturesque scape of nature is a significant getaway for nature lovers who can rejoice in its beauty from sunrise to sunset. Far from the madding crowd, it is a great escape into the lap of the wild.

Photograph credits: Rohit Adlakha

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