Let me count the ways

There have been a spate of anniversaries this week, that have, as is the practice now, been celebrated on social media. From couples jointly announcing their special day, to husbands using the platform to wish wives, wives proclaiming undying love in various ways (soppy, witty, quirky or sentimental), and both partners often using the occasion to pass on philosophic wisdoms about the institution of marriage, they have all been delightful.

Devraj and Nikita Sanyal

Of these, honcho and music reality show host Devraj Sanyal, actress anchor and yummy mummy Tara Sharma Saluja, art maven and muse Ina Puri and Delhi-based political watcher Amitabha Pande's were the most memorable for their drollness or dry humour.

Tara and Roopak Saluja

'1981-2017. 36 years / Truce declared over chai at Char Dukan!' said the caption accompanying Puri's timeline to mark her anniversary with husband Ravi.'43 years of intermittent bickering and some love,' posted Pande, a splendid portrait of himself and his writer wife Ira; whereas Sanyal's heartfelt paean to wife Nikita was, '15 years and counting, two 7-year itches and some, and we're still one.

Ina and Ravi Puri

I realise this today that what keeps us together is not just the love and the good shit, but the fact that you've been the backbone of us.' This especially got a big thumbs up from us for the 'good shit' part. Lastly, Sharma's exuberant greetings to her husband Roopak, win hands down for gushing love.

Amitabha and Ira Pande

'Happpy 10 yr anniv Roopak Saluja. I love you. Our kids are most amused by these pix and the fact that currently we are in the States for R's bro's wedding, so we are actually re-wearing some of our shaadi outfits ha ha! Thank you for everything R and I share this here as though I honestly feel anniversaries are private, and between the couple I also feel that FB is a diary, and as I have been on it since we got married and you guys are like family, here are a few pix. Here's to a lifetime of love, touch wood.'Which brings us to the moot point of this piece: does long time matrimony make for more succinct statements, worldly wisdoms and philosophizing as appears through these posts? Armchair anthropologists are welcome to that one.

AD Singh

Chocoholics unite
A subset of the city's social ecosystem is the legion of chocoholics who exist. They do not have a secret handshake, but the way their eyes light up at words like sea salt and meringue, and handmade, and their furtive enquiries foraging around for suppliers and fixers (and even enablers) makes them a significant section of the upper crust.

Abha Singh

Last evening, chocolatier Zeba Kohli, who launched her YouTube channel recently, hosted a soirée in collaboration with a leading kitchen brand in Lower Parel, which saw a gathering of the tribe. Kohli played the perfect hostess along with her family including husband Rajesh, and laid out a one-of-a-kind chocolate spread for the occasion, which included confectionaries in the shapes of wine bottles, clothes, shoes and everything else one could imagine.

Anil Dharker

The well-attended do included restaurateur AD Singh, fiery lawyer and activist Abha Singh, cultural impressario Anil Dharker, globe-trotting writer Rashmi Uday Singh amongst others, with tasting sessions, an educative tour of the chocolates on display, and other talking points for the city's legion of chocoholics.

Zeba Kohli

From boardrooms to dressing rooms
"Matthew and I have been mates since we met in 1994. We actually met at the birthday of the late Michael Hutchence (from INXS) who was dating Kylie Minogue at the time. Over the years we have developed a deep friendship based on a common love of sport, food (Matty is an amazing cook), family and business," says Ravi Krishnan, whose professional trajectory has seen him in senior roles with IMG and the now defunct Rajasthan Royals. Krishnan is also the CEO of a corporate initiative that motivates people to take 10,000 steps a day, as recommended by global health authorities while getting healthier and happier. He interacted with Hayden and Deutsche Banks's Ravneet Gill and spoke on the focus on the importance of movement, nutrition and stress management in achieving success in both, sport and business. "Essentially lessons that apply to both the boardroom and the dressing room!" says Krishnan. Tell us more.

Ravi Krishnan and Matthew Hayden

Sofa so good
A delicious story about one-upmanship amongst the high-rollers was brought to our notice recently: it concerns a sofa set, one constructed in the finest leather and designed by a fancy international Italian label. The wife of a young industrialist purchased the said sofa set for a certain sum of money, let's say R10 (though of course, there were many more zeroes on the actual item) and it was a thing of beauty and a joy forever. Until along comes another lady from the same set, but not considered in the same league at all, who also goes ahead and purchases the same sofa set, with the same leather and trappings and designer label, to lounge in the same sumptuous comfort (and perhaps dream the same dreams?) as her peer. But here lies the unkindest cut of all. She manages to get it for exactly half the amount that exchanged hands earlier, i.e. for R5 (give or take a few zeroes). Ouch.