Barve at the Emmys!

>> "Mercedes Velgot wore our dress at the Emmys. And won her Emmy! She says it's her lucky dress now!" exulted the charismatic designer Nachiket Barve yesterday. "She saw my work online and loved it. She wrote to me about how she would love to wear something from my label for the Emmy Awards." What Barve chose for her was a stunning hand dyed, ombre maxi dress with appliqué.

Mercedes Velgot at the Emmys

"She wore it from the collection we just launched in the US on Rent the Runway," he added. Velgot is an American TV producer whose latest offering Born to explore on ABC has been winning accolades ever since it launched. "It feels wonderful when what one creates with great passion is worn by someone across the world and brings him or her great joy! It's also a moment of pride to have the Indian design flag on the Emmys red carpet," says the designer known for his global-local luxurious look. "This is the first time Rent the Runway has signed an Indian designer! They stock all the best labels globally like
Oscar de la Renta, Narciso Rodriguez, Carolina Herrera, and Alberta Ferreti among others. It's been a very exciting way to reach out to the American customer." Nice!

Aati kya Khandala?
>> I'm at my Khandala house," said artist and photographer Subhash Awchat when we called him. "It's beautiful in the rains, you must come," said the man whose amber and vermillion hued canvasses are coveted by some of the best names in the art world. The last time we'd spoken to Awchat was when he'd been immersed in his project of chronicling the various moods of Dharavi through the lens of his camera.

Subhash Awchat at his Khandala home

"Each time I go there I find something new, something at once dynamic and timeless," he'd said, sending us a few brilliant examples of his work, part photograph, part still life, part poster-altogether exquisite, one more example of the artist's fine eye and his talent for finding beauty in the most unexpected of places. Another departure from his famous canvasses is Awchat's latest interest in creating precious earthenware once again in the colours he's come to be known for. "Khandala inspires me to expand my repertoire," he says. Now to make that trip…

On the food trail
>> Following on the heels of heritage walks and art walks, comes Mumbaiboss.com's splendid Taste Trails. "The first one was about Goan food, eating it and shopping for it in and around Colaba and Dhobi Talao," says the delectable Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi, food critic for the popular website and indefatigable explorer of Mumbai's palpitating tastebuds.

Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi

For the next one, on this Saturday, we'll explore offbeat Matunga (East), trying everything from spicy sabudana, and udad-based dosa, to toast sev puri (exactly that, sev puri encased in bread and toasted)," she says, adding, "It's a small group of about 8-10 people, and all the food eaten during the MB Taste Trail is included in the registration fee." How did the MB Taste trails evolve? "Mumbai Boss approached me with the idea of it in early May. The idea was to have MB's readers experience and connect over the food that they read about on the website. The last one was so much fun that no one wanted to go home and we all ended up going to yet another place for a drink," she said. For the uninitiated, Mumbaiboss.com is a city website that makes sense of the city, covering culture, food, nightlife, shopping and fashion, travel and news.

Out of Africa
>> "Off to the wilds of Masai Mara, a pilgrimage to our first African trip, 11 years on with our son. Can't wait to be under the magnificent Africa sky," informs actress and theatre personality Sanjana Kapoor of her imminent impending trip to the wilds. Married to leading wildlife conservationist, author and historian Valmik Thapar, Kapoor who has kicked up a cultural storm with her recently launched theatre group Junoon will be on a much-needed break from her non-stop work promoting children's theatre in far-flung outposts. "Eleven years ago, we were treated to the amazing and intricate family life of lions.

Sanjana Kapoor

Today, we return with our own family - however, much smaller. A family of 24 awaits us - with 11 cubs. So we hear." As for those who can only dream of such exotic breaks, here's her drool worthy travel itinerary: "Breakfast along the Mara River, evening orchestras of beetles and frogs, early mornings and magnificent sunrises. The sounds, the smells and constant surprises of Africa! This magnificent ancient land," says the actress, scion of the great Kapoor legacy and aunt to Karisma, Kareena and Ranbir who divides her time between Delhi where her husband stays and Mumbai where her theatre work is located. Ah, Africa, how we love thee, let us count the ways.

Dinner with dad
>> Guess who is Hrithik Roshan's most ardent fan and promoter? None other than his sister Sunaina Roshan who cannot stop gushing over her hunky brother's next big launch, the home produced Krishh 3. Sunaina, who appears to spend a good bit of her time talking up the film, cannot stop raving about its many wonders. To be sure anything that features Hrithik in spandex gets our vote.

Sunaina Roshan and Rakesh Roshan

Incidentally, Sunaina who has been receiving a fair share of attention for her outings with actor Rajiv Paul, had a far more interesting dinner date on Sunday with dad Rakesh Roshan who she broke bread with on Father's Day.

Plotting the launch of Krishh 3? Watch this space!u00a0