MAKING A SPECTACLE
My spectacles are an integral part of myself and therefore I make considered choices when it comes to choosing my frames. I stay away from all designer brands. Barring Tom Ford. Like his clothes the lines are clean and simple. No pushy pretence there. When it comes to tortoise shell glasses no one can compare with Barton Perreira. Those guys have aced the damn thing. The other great brand is Moscot. Their “Spirit” range is sheer genius. The German brand Mykita is equally lovely. They have a range for Asian faces. How charmingly considerate is that. Oliver People’s Sheldrake RX frame is a personal favourite. It sits stylishly on one’s nose. For day-to-day use, I trust only Warby Parker. Natty and no-nonsense. I do not wear shades at all. But I own a pair. It’s a Classic from Persol.
CINEMA HAUL
So we collect world cinema. And I am woefully old-fashioned. Which means I order DVDs and grab a movie wherever and whenever I can. Here are five of the finest films that I have seen. None of them are new per se but they were fairly under the radar so to speak. I have a bromance with Colin Firth. I am a hopeless fan of his. When Did You Last See Your Father? is among the most glorious films that I have ever seen. It is about a fractured relationship between a father and his son and how it gets repaired just when the father is about to die. It drives me to tears each time I watch it. Another film about a father and son but diabolically different is Damage. It is gripping and haunting. With Jeremy Irons in it. More recently, I was gobsmacked by this French film called The Intouchables. A film about a fine friendship between a patient and his caregiver. Brilliant performances by Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy. If you haven’t seen Ankhon Dekhi by Rajat Kapoor, I suggest you do so right away. It was the finest Hindi film of 2014. With a stunning performance by my favourite Hindi actor Sanjay Mishra. Primal Fear is a really old film. But it ranks amongst the best I have seen. Edward Norton sizzles in it. And I am sure you have seen Whiplash?
IN A PICKLE
I am a pickle fiend. Particularly, I am crazy about the dark, khatta nimbu variety. And the finest by far on this planet is available in Calcutta. At Jyotirmoi Seva Mandir. Near Ballygunge Phari tram station. For chana methi pickles, I rely solely on www.goosebumpspickles.com. They allow you to make your varieties as well. Who would have thought of bespoke brinjals? For frightfully fantastic green chilli pickle, I go to Pindi Fruit Mart in Defence Colony. As far as red chilli pickle is concerned, I am completely unimpressed by the ones from Benaras. They are outrageously over-rated. Seema Hoon in Delhi does a fantastic one. As do the blokes at Morning Store in Delhi. When I am in the mood to die a bit, I have the extraordinary Dalla Pickle by Druk.It is viciously wonderful. The gobi shalgam pickle at The Taj Palace, New Delhi, is unbeatable. Finally, when it comes to mutton pickles, the go-to girl is Preeti Chadha in Delhi.
