<h2>Rosy beginnings</h2>
<p>Students at Saraswati Vidya Mandir High School in Mahim are greeted with roses before their <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/photo/in-photos-maharashtra-ssc-board-exams-begin-students-arrive-at-centers-across-mumbai-109749" rel="nofollow">SSC board examinations</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Smoke House returns with fire</h2>
<p><img title="A view of the new exteriors of the caf&eacute; in Borivli. Pics Courtesy/Smoke House Cafe" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-b_e.jpg" alt="A view of the new exteriors of the caf&eacute; in Borivli. Pics Courtesy/Smoke House Cafe" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A view of the new exteriors of the caf&eacute; in Borivli. Pics Courtesy/Smoke House Cafe</em></strong></p>
<p>The phrasing seems apt, as the name now moves northwards from Bandra. Riyaaz Amlani is back with a new venture in Borivli as the next evolution of the famed foodie favourite, Smoke House Deli. Titled Smoke House Caf&eacute;, the space will offer a more refined, and contemporary cafe experience at the Sky City Mall. The space marks the next step in the journey of Amlani&rsquo;s restaurants.</p>
<p>The kitchen will be helmed by an old familiar, chef Rollin Lasrado, which promises the familiar Smoke House Deli standards. The new caf&eacute; will also bring in the diversity of continental cuisine with fresh pastas, pizzas, and inventive cocktails. But it is the d&eacute;cor that promises more. We learned that the space will mirror the &lsquo;earthy textures and muted tones&rsquo; of the neighbourhood.</p>
<p><img title="Riyaaz Amlani" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-c_e.jpg" alt="Riyaaz Amlani" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Riyaaz Amlani</em></strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;Smoke House Caf&eacute; takes forward the 15-year legacy of Smoke House Deli, building on what people have always loved about the brand in a more contemporary setting. It brings together global flavours and ideas in a way that feels familiar, relevant and right for today&rsquo;s neighbourhood,&rdquo; shared operations head, Vinod Shetty.</p>
<p>With the caf&eacute; set to open doors by next weekend, it will be interesting to see if this will live up to foodie expectations as well.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Cut for happiness</h2>
<p><img title="Poulami Chakraborty (standing) gives a member of the cafe team a makeover. Pic Courtesy/@bombaytobarcelona library cafe " src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-e_e.jpg" alt="Poulami Chakraborty (standing) gives a member of the cafe team a makeover. Pic Courtesy/@bombaytobarcelona library cafe " width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Poulami Chakraborty (standing) gives a member of the cafe team a makeover. Pic Courtesy/@bombaytobarcelonalibrary cafe&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<p>Kindness to those in need doesn&rsquo;t always have to involve volunteering at a school or making donations. Sometimes, it comes in the most interesting ways. That is what city-based hairstylist Poulami Chakraborty aka Paula did earlier this week, by giving a stylish makeover to team members of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe in Marol over a five-hour visit.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Recalling the hairstyle sessions, she told us, &ldquo;Everything was done in the caf&eacute; itself; we spread out a few spare newspapers, and let in some natural light to create a setting good enough for haircuts.&rdquo; Chakraborty shared further, &ldquo;Many of these team members are youngsters [from lower-income backgrounds], some barely 20-years-old. To them, it&rsquo;s not just a new haircut, but mainly, a new sense of self, and also a necessity, considering they often need to look presentable for patrons at the venue.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>United colours of Cutpiece</h2>
<p><img title="A panel from Indu Harikumar&rsquo;s book, Cutpiece Kumar" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-f_e.jpg" alt="A panel from Indu Harikumar&rsquo;s book, Cutpiece Kumar" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A panel from Indu Harikumar&rsquo;s book, Cutpiece Kumar</em></strong></p>
<p>It is a long journey from being a nickname to a table at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Author Indu Harikumar&rsquo;s 2021 work, Cutpiece Kumar, will join the other nominees of the Bologna Ragazzi Awards on display in New York till March 13. &ldquo;The story began when I used to teach in a school, and would collect forgotten objects, and unused clothes from tailor shops to create crafts. That&rsquo;s how the name &lsquo;Cutpiece&rsquo; came about,&rdquo; she shared.</p>
<h2>Celebrating movement</h2>
<p><img title="A performance by Ratikant Mohapatra" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-g_e.jpg" alt="A performance by Ratikant Mohapatra" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A performance by Ratikant Mohapatra</em></strong></p>
<p>As the Spectrum Dance Festival concludes with the performance of BRICKS at the Experimental Theatre at NCPA, Nariman Point tomorrow, it will be a moment of &lsquo;celebration for all movement practices,&rsquo; shared Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, head, dance department, NCPA. &ldquo;The festival reminds us of the sheer joy of movement.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Wild girls on the March</h2>
<p><img title="Bboyer MGK. Pic Courtesy/Sudarshan Dudi" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/feb/dos-twnety-one-feb-d_e.jpg" alt="Bboyer MGK. Pic Courtesy/Sudarshan Dudi" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Bboyer MGK. Pic Courtesy/Sudarshan Dudi</em></strong></p>
<p>Talk about being a girl&rsquo;s girl, the Wild Wild Women are set to kick off March with The Wild Jam, a celebration of hip-hop, with dance battles to boot. Having completed five years in December 2025, the group has now stepped up to help the next generation of &lsquo;wild women&rsquo;. &ldquo;It started off when two members, MGK and FlowRaw, wanted to do something similar to B-boying and breakdancing as what we have done for hip-hop,&rdquo; shared Pratika Prabhune aka Krantinaari. The event is scheduled on the same day March 8) that the all-women group had released their first single, I Do It For Hip Hop was released in 2021. &ldquo;The first half of the day will witness an open competition and dance battles for B-boyers and break dancers, including a BGirls only section, 7 to Smoke. The second half will see live performances and rap cyphers by an all women line-up,&rdquo; Prabhune revealed. Readers can check out @wildwildwomen for details.</p>

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Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

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