22 things to do in and around Mumbai from February 4 to February 11

A heart-felt treat
With Valentine's Day around the corner, restaurants are already rustling up aphrodisiac foods to amp up your hormones. We recently got a chance to sample the pure magic chocolate strawberry cake by The Koffee Works, set up by young entrepreneur Ishaanee Haware in Chembur. The cake was a decadent marriage between rich Belgium chocolate and fresh strawberries. The price - Rs.1,600 per kg - may seem a bit steep, but if you truly love your chocolate this one won't disappoint.

Paper pride
While in Colaba, go to Tarq for an exhibition by Youdhisthir Maharjan. The artist's first solo, An Unquiet Mind, is an ode to delicacy. Each work is made of pages from books that have been meticulously cut to showcase the versatility of paper. The titles are mostly drawn from the title of the books that the pages belong to. Whether you agree with Maharjan's interpretation or not, there is no taking away from the fact that you will be instantly drawn to all his works, and to the many secrets they hold.

Justin's a dude
We have been waiting for a follow-up to Justin Timberlake's mind-blowing 2013 album, the 20/20 Experience, which had us marveling over his talent. The never-ending jams, the unstructured songs, and the whole dance-till-you-drop vibe, had us begging for more. And he doesn't disappoint with Man of the Woods, which proves once again that JT is all about pushing the envelope. Our favourites are Midnight Summer Jam, Wave and Say Something. Put it on and let it play!

Paint on pots
3 PM: If you believe in the great effects of art therapy, don't miss a unique workshop organised by the Art Holiday Company, where you will learn to paint mandalas on pots. The symmetric patterns of the mandalas are known to have a therapeutic effect on the mind. At the session, you will learn to paint a planter under professional guidance.

Where: Pepperfry Studio, Shop no 12, Dosti Imperia, Opp R mall, Ghodbunder Road, Thane
Entry: Rs.1,350
To Book : insider.in

Listen to a jazz performance
7.30 PM: In a rare treat for fans of jazz music, New York-based Indian guitarist and composer Shubh Saran, will be performing live at The Quarter. Saran's intricate compositions fuse sounds from modern jazz, neo-soul, and rock with classical and contemporary Indian music. He will be joined by Angelo Spampinato (drums), Brian Plautz (alto saxophone), Josh Bailey (drums and percussion), Mark Minoogian (bass), Christian Li (piano), and Jared Yee (tenor saxophone).

Where: The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Mathew Rd, Girgaon
Entry: Rs.749
To Book : insider.in

Dig into a Cognac choco brownie
12 PM - 1.30 AM: For those feeling the incredible urge to binge into a sinful dessert, head to g77 Club and Kitchen, which has lined up a delectable range of exciting and quirky sweet treats. We suggest you try the classic Cognac chocolate brownie drenched in brandy and vanilla ice cream; it's every foodies dream.

Where: G-77 Club and Kitchen , Goldfinch Hotel Mumbai, Andheri East
Entry: Rs.1,600 for two
Call: 33956223

Get inspired by Bandra's bylanes
3.30 PM: Drop by at this first-of-its-kind sketching workshop, where you will first be taken for a stroll for 30 minutes to be lost in creativity in the busting bylanes of Bandra, after which you will head to Jamjar Diner, where a team from art group Paintology will guide you to sketch anything you like, from scratch to end.

Where: Jamjar Diner, 133, Gazebo House, 1st Floor, Hill Road, Bandra West
Entry: Rs.1,500
Call: 8999344265

Get your kid to read and rhyme
12 PM - 1 PM: Want your child to appreciate the magic of verse? Take them to a recitation and writing workshop, Rhyming Birds, by writer Sakshi Singh, where they will be taught to read and rhyme using props.

Where: CSMVS, The Museum Lawns, MG Road Fort
To Register: children.kgaf@gmail.com

Go For This : Watch a play on Chanakya
6 PM: Catch Manoj Joshi revisit the story of the great Indian teacher and statesman Chanakya in an eponymous play. Known as the first patriot of the country, Chanakya, who was born in 371 BC, single-handedly carved India, as we know it today, out of the chaos of infighting and exploitation by advocating ideas of love and patriotism. The play brings the man to life once again, but in the modern context.

Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point
Entry: Rs.400 - R1,180
To Book : in.bookmyshow.com

Recreate Van Gogh's Sunflowers in 3D
11Take your friends along for a mix media workshop, conducted by art nerd Kamalrukh Gotla, where you will learn to create a 3D painting of Van Gogh's gorgeous Sunflowers. Artist Gotla will help you master the art
with step-by-step instructions. No prior experience is needed.

Where: Doolally Taproom, C18-21, Near Fun Republic Mall, Off New Link Road, Andheri West
Entry: Rs.1,500
To Book : 7400171674

Catch a comedy
7 PM: Think being in a relationship is easy? Meherzad Patel's comic play, The Relati-onship Agreement, starring Sumona Chakravarti and Dan-esh Irani, might make think again. The play tells the story of a girl, who gives her boy-friend a set of rules to follow if he wishes to be with her.

Where: Royal Opera House, Mathew Road, Girgaon
Entry: Rs.200 - Rs.1,500
To Book : in.bookmyshow.com

Start off on an arty note
11 am to 7 pm: Delhi-based artist Asit Kumar Patnaik is showcasing his works at an exhibition titled Radiant Relations and it is the last day to catch it. His paintings are a spectacle of bold and bright hues and display a feeling of abandon in the figures. A striking feature of his works is the female body, typically swathed in red and visualised as an orb of energy.

Where: Jehangir Art Gallery, 161-B, MG Road, Kala Ghoda
Call: 9810060436

Dance to fitness
7 pm onwards: A zumba masterclass by fitness instructor Sucheta Pal would be an answer to those looking to set new fitness goals for themselves. The session promises a total workout, that will combine fitness elements like cardio, muscle conditioning, stability, elasticity. But, not without making it all fun and upbeat, with tunes of salsa and mambo to keep you going.

Where: RESET, KC Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra West
Entry: Rs.700 - Rs.1,000
Call: 9920088880

Get your sea-food fill
11 am to 12.30 am: If you fancy a mid-week sea-food binge, head to this newly opened Mangalorean eatery to get your full. Feast on delicacies like bangda pulimunchi, pomfret gassi, prawns pickle, clam sukka and crab curry to get your fill. Oysters are on offer too - both fried and ghee roasted. Sign off the with a wholesome bowl of payasam.

Where: Ferry Wharf, Opposite Lilavati Hospital, Bandra West
Call: 26410401

Relive Pottermania
8pm: Tired of watching Harry Potter re-runs on the small screen? Here's your chance to relive the magic in the theatres, with the screening of Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince. Touted to be one of the turning points in the franchise, grab your chance one more time, to see the magic of a text book containing secret answers.

Where: Cinepolis, Veera Desai Road, Andheri West
Entry: Rs.200- Rs.250
Call: 66755700

Learn gluten-free baking
4 pm to 7 pm: As gluten-free becomes the new buzzword for fitness buffs, chef Husna will be teaching you how to rustle up these healthy goodies in your kitchen. Learn how to bake gluten-free classic desserts like buckwheat choco chip cookies, carrot walnut cake with cream cheese and seed granola, grain and nut free. The master class will end with a tasting.

Where: The Clearing House, 13/15, Calicut Street, Ballard Estate
Call: 22657007

Sing the blues
6 pm onwards: What better way to end the week than to strut off to the ongoing Mahindra Blues Festival, touted to be Asia's largest celebration of the blues. Watch John Mayall, Coco Montoya, Walter Wolfman Washington & the Roadmasters, along with Layla Zoe and Backstratblues take you on a foot-tapping, absorbing journey through the evening.

Where: The Clearing House, 13/15, Calicut Street, Ballard Estate
Call: 22657007
Entry: Rs.1,200- Rs.4,000
Call: 26421626

Relive the Chicago experience
Spectrum is a dance festival initiated to present dance forms from across the world, the routines guided by ace choreographer Sandip Soparrkar. The evening will take the audience through histories and backgrounds of various dance forms such as waltz, foxtrot, rumba, samba, cha cha and more, and provide a glimpse of each. Urban Hip-Hop and Jazz Proficient choreographer Ashley Lobo's The Danceworx, will present hip hop and jazz - the hip hop piece is an abstract journey though music while the jazz piece is fun, flirty and heartbreaking all at once.

When: 7 pm, February 10
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point
Entry: Rs.300-Rs.400
Call: 66223737

Experience the mixed media magic
Baroda artist Heeral Trivedi is now ready with her next exhibition Wings That Raise Me Higher. By drawing on simple images, this artist underlines the essence of home and homemaker. Her works are made of multiple images juxtaposed together. Trivedi's recent works are mixed media on board. We also see the use of sequins along with water colour and acrylic, that adds to the soothing and dreamy appeal of the visuals. In keeping with the theme of the show, there will be cutouts of wings in the gallery, on which visitors can express their creativity using crayons and pencils. Later on, these little wings will be incorporated into a larger installation
and added to this exhibition.

When: 11 am to 7 pm, till February 20
Where: Tao Art Gallery, 165, The View, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli
Call: 24918585

A pop-up you woundn't want miss
Relish the delicacies curated by chef Anaida and celebrity health expert Delna Pooniwala at this Parsi pop-up titled Lagan nu Bhonu. The vegetarian variants boasts of dishes like masala ni daar, the traditional Parsi biryani, lagan nu stew, and Russian cutlet. Non-vegetarians can feast on patra ni machi, chicken pulao, and khattu meethu gosht among other specialties. Side accompaniments like lagan nu achar, saria, and rotli are common to both thalis. Sweets include lagan nu custard in the non-veg bhonu and ravo in the veg bhonu.

When: 11.30 am-12.30 am
Where: SodaBottleOpenerWala, Ground floor, Sentinel, Opposite Powai Plaza, Hiranandani Business Park, Powai
Call: 8450957444

Sign up for a music master class
If you are interested in composing, arranging and improvising in contemporary music, you might have a lot to take away from this class. Shubh Saran and his band are alumni and professors at some of the finest music institutions of the world, including New York University and Berklee College of Music. The band is here to conduct a 90-minute workshop, that will be divided into three parts - performance, techniques and composition. There will also be discussions on topics ranging from working as a professional musician to the future of jazz and improvised music. All this will be followed by a Q&A. Registration is compulsory.

When: 6 pm to 8 pm, February 5
Where: The True School of Music, Sun Mill Compound, Lower Parel
Log on to: The True School of Music page on Facebook

Take a giant commercial break
The Night of Ad Eaters is an all-night screening party of some of the most intriguing, shocking and funny commercials in the world of advertising. The concept that traces its origins back to Paris, 35 years ago is a global event now spread across all continents. The event is dedicated to highlighting the best of advertising from over 60 countries on the big screen. Add to this, there will be live games, dinner and drinks. So, if five-and-a-half-hours of watching ads sounds like something up your alley, savour this experience.

When: 4 pm to 1 am, February 10
Where: Rangsharda Auditorium, KC Marg, Bandra West
Entry: Rs.2,500
Call: 26401919

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