The World of Titan is indeed growing titanic with every passing day. Revamping their Ultadanga showroom completely, the watch giant hopes to add to its 20 per cent growth per annum. The six-year-old store is now claiming to be the second largest Titan showroom in the country having gone up from an area of 1,000 sq ft to 1,800 sq ft.

Boasting a snazzier shop facade, glazed windows, more wall display and the use of island space for greater user friendliness, the new layout is supposed to complement a series of new timepiece launches in recent months. Edge, ‘the world’s slimmest watch’; Raaga 9 to 5 for working women; Flip, two-in-one watches; Nebula watches in 18k gold priced between Rs 7,500 and Rs 30,000; and the New World Watch with funky steel dials and coloured leather straps are some of the new varieties from their stable.

Actors Nelanjana and Jishu dropped by on Friday morning to check out the latest at the store. While a nostalgic Nelanjana reminisced how her first watch gifted by her mother turned out to be a Titan, self confessed gizmo freak Jishu couldn’t seem to have enough of browsing. The soon-to-be-married couple refrained from doing any trousseau shopping just yet but dropped wide hints about coveting most of the watches as “wedding gifts”.

(From top ): Nelanjana Bhowmick and Jishu Sengupta at the Titan showroom at Ultadanga; actress Debasree Roy at the inauguration of a festive collection at the Crafts Council of West Bengal outlet on Chowringhee; biryani from Peerless Inn; model Sudipta in a Nextile creation; Gurleen Chowdhury flaunts a Pari ensemble. Pictures by Sanjay Chattopadhyaya, Aranya Sen and Rashbehari Das

Trinket taboo

Combo dressing could be the key to giving your over-stretched purse strings a reprieve this season. With the heavily embroidered necklines from Nextiles, you can happily give those expensive accessories a miss.

Working with natural fabrics, designer Suchismita Dasgupta has come up with interesting cuts and silhouettes in the new collection she retails from her Lake Place workshop and studio, off Southern Avenue.

“I work with various forms of silk and cotton,” explained the self-taught Suchismita, who likes pastels and bright shades. Kurtis for both men and women, crushed skirts — still the hottest number in town — and cotton trousers for women are the highlights at the store.

The underlying theme of her work is the no-jewellery look. Kurtis for women come with ornate necklines to give the impression of a necklace. Woven stoles to match ladies’ tops add a touch of extra elegance, if desired. Dokra buttons and sequins are some of the embellishments of choice in a collection she described as “youthful and vibrant, oozing oodles of attitude”.

“I have used a lot of dokra work on my outfits, especially buttons and sequins, which is doing very well with the customers,” said Suchismita. She picks up her fabric from various parts of the country and some of the classy weaves need no further embellishments. “The cuts and fits are what find importance in my creations,” she added.

Bride pride

It’s that time of the year again when clergymen work overtime and guests have a field day. Yes, the marriage season is knocking at the door and it’s time to stock up if you are planning to get hitched this winter.

Pari at 67A Ballygunge Circular Road could be one of the stops while you are out trousseau shopping. Specialising in bridal lehngas, they have at least 600 different designs to offer that pack a range of embellishments in vibrant colours including gold brocade work and semi-precious stone work.

The nine-year-old boutique also has gorgeous kurtis in crepe for the guests to put their best forward on somebody’s big day as well.

The lehngas are priced in the range of Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 while the kurti suits would leave you poorer by Rs 2,000.

Mughlai mix

You don’t have to make a trip to Hyderabad or more exotic locales to sample the authentic flavours of biryani. The Mughlai classic is the flavour of the ongoing food promotion scheme at the Peerless Inn.

Bichitra, the multi-cuisine restaurant at the hotel, is offering a wide variety from various parts of the country.

Maachchi Biryani (Basmati rice cooked with boneless fish, butter and cardamom), Dumpukht Murg Biryani (Basmati rice cooked in a brass handi with dum, chicken spices and saffron), Hyderabadi Nawabi Biryani (cooked chicken, mutton and egg) are a few lip-smacking varieties on offer.

Pineapple tarts and gulab jamuns are the desserts to go with the fare. A full meal can cost you anywhere between Rs 175 to Rs 250.

Crab is the pick of the moment at Aaheli, the Bengali speciality restaurant. Kakrar Jhaal (cooked in mustard gravy), Kakra Malai Curry (cooked in rich coconut gravy) are some of the dishes on offer.

The crawly treats cost Rs 275 and above.

For those in-between times Nishidin, the coffee shop, is the place to be at. Pizzas with a variety of toppings are the dig of the month here. Expect to be billed between Rs 130 and Rs 170.