More reason to keep time now with Titan inaugurating another showroom at Shyambazar. Residents in and around the area could make a virtue out of being punctual, for the new store is offering a complimentary gift on every purchase for the month of May.

Actress Swastika Mukherjee, who was roped in to do the ribbon act, added to the dazzle of the 500-sq-ft swank The World of Titan showroom housing over 1,500 watches that includes the Titan, Sonata and Nebula collections.

An open shop facade, glazed windows and modern signages lead inside to the watch display in vertical units at eye-level or in flat-bed counters with visible price tags. The layout also uses island space in the shop to best effect, allowing for a more casual interaction between the customer and Team Titan.

“Modern retailing is all about having a first hand and personal interaction with the customer and providing them with functional merchandise that makes the entire buying experience satisfying,” summed up Manoj Parasrampuria, franchisee of the store.

(From top) Actress Swastika Mukherjee at a Titan showroom launch; summer coolers from The Junction at Taj Bengal; Thai platter on offer at Jong’s; models show off Chanderi saris at Mrignayani in Dakshinapan. Pictures by Rashbehari Das and Pabitra Das

Chill in

A glass of crushed ice flavoured with mint, juiced up with fresh lime and topped with a dash of Bacardi. The ingredients may not have been added in the same order, but the effect is really cool. Junction, the bar at Taj Bengal, is hosting a coolers festival for the entire month of May with bartender Jyoti Pradhan concocting interesting combinations of alcohol, fruit and ice.

“None of the cocktails that we have on the festival menu is available at other watering holes of the city. We also create impromptu drinks based on the taste of a guest and add it to the list if it’s a hit,” claimed Jyoti.

Sip on whisky, Kahlua, Bailey’s-based Talk of the Town or go for the all-time favourite 1940 Gin Coolers. The selection of over 30 different drinks can be savoured at this English-style bar while tuning into hits by the in-house band.

“The mint and lemon which we use in almost all the cooler cocktails are good for the body,” shared Joyti. So, chilling out on cool cocktails priced at Rs 345-plus may not be a bad idea.

Thai tonight

If Bangkok doesn’t feature in your summer vacation plans, enjoy an elaborate Thai meal right here in Calcutta.

Oriental speciality restaurant Jong’s on Chowringhee has laid out a Thai menu in association with the Thai Consulate and Thai Airways.

On till May 21, the fest was inaugurated on Tuesday by Thai consul general Wanna Pergmark and general manager of Thai Airways Krisnapong Srisinwarakool.

The restaurant that prides itself on being the only one in town to introduce a Table’d hote (TDH) menu, is offering a 10-course meal, no less.

“TDH is a popular format the world over and simply means having a set-course meal. But unlike in a buffet, the food is served fresh and hot from platter to plate,” explained a spokesperson.

“Buffets are not commensurate with the culture of fine dining and Jong’s does not intend to reproduce what other five-star eateries do ? reintroduce food from other fine-dining eateries at an attractive price, instead of wasting them,” said Deepak Khullar, managing director, Jong’s.

So what’s the connection between an airline, a consulate and an eatery? “The consulate is the most authentic food sampler while the airlines has been active in bringing authentic ingredients from Thailand. Authenticity is the keyword on both counts,” said a spokesperson.

Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians get to start off with Jasmine Tea, Sum Ram (papaya salad) and a refreshing Lemon Sorbet with Mint.

Larb Kai (shredded chicken) and Larb Tofu, its vegetarian counterpart, come next along with the soups. The choice here lies between a clear and spicy concoction and a coconut base. The final starter on the menu is the Thod Man Khao Phod, a vegetarian or chicken patty, depending on preference.

The main course is just as diverse with three curries ? red, green and pink! Be it vegetables, bean curd, fish, chicken or prawns, most items can be recommended.

The finale includes a special Thai coconut pudding, Sankhya. One can linger further with a choice of tea or coffee along with crackers.

The platter price is alike for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian sections at Rs 350 inclusive of taxes.

Wrap right

A preferred choice of the royal families of Gwalior and Nagpur, spun-cotton Chanderi comparable to Dhaka muslin, is having its very own exhibition at Mrignayani Madhya Pradesh emporium in Dakshinapan till May 20.

“In Chanderi, craftsmen used silk as warp and cotton for the weft though now the looms adorn silk in both. During summer, though, there is nothing more comfortable and elegant as a Chanderi sari,” felt a spokesperson.

The ever-popular jhar-pallu with flora and fauna motifs and the intricate meena-buti saris can be found in abundance here. Many of the silk zaris have a Varanasi feel with a rich gold border and two gold bands on the pallu. In some, gold checks and small lotus motifs embellish the damin (body), kinar (border) and aanchal.

They come in a variety of colours ? from light pastels to rich and dark, like kesari (saffron), angoori (pale green), morgardani (peacock blue), mehndi (pale green), anandi (turquoise) and rani (pink).

“These are very traditional saris that can appeal to all price brackets. Be it pure silk or handloom cottons, they are priced between Rs 400 and Rs 4,000,” said regional manager of Mrignayani P.N. Basu.