Quite a good time to flaunt your silks, even if woollens are yet to make an appearance this season. If you are still shopping for your cousin?s wedding, the tussar festival at Gallery Kanishka, on 251 Hindusthan Road, may be worth a dekho.

The festival, on till December 18, is showcasing an extensive collection of tussars from the looms of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. Specially-woven matkas from West Bengal also feature.

The colour palette is bright and vibrant. The block-printed saris pack in all the hues from bottle greens, blues and reds to soft earthy tones and pastel shades. The patterns used are geometric, floral, scripts, traditional symbols and figure designs. The motifs are accentuated by contrasting borders featuring tie-and- dye techniques, mud prints and kantha stitches.

The festival idea was conceived during owners Dilip and Nandita Raja?s recent trip to Orissa, where they chanced upon the plight of impoverished weavers. Soon, they were supplying yarn to the craftsmen, who in turn wove it into saris and sold it back to them, many of which are on display at the exhibition.

Prices range between Rs 1,950 and Rs 6,000.

(From top): Model Seema sports a tussar exhibit at Gallery Kanishka; the newly-opened Ocio lounge on Belvedere Road; comedian Vir Saran Das at the Oberoi Grand. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Lounge luxury

It seems there is unlimited room for lounges in the adda-loving city. After H2O, Red Kitchen and Lounge, now there?s Ocio at Belvedere. Called Swing Lounge, this cool hangout on 5 Belvedere Road is right next to the international standard nine-hole golf putting range on the fourth floor at the Alipore lifestyleplex.

In keeping with the concept of a chillout zone, the lounge has comfortable low-seated black couches where conversation, food and drinks can be meted out. The fibre-optic lights spread across the ceiling provide a dim, starry effect, while a plasma television stands at a discreet distance.

The bar is made of transparent onyx, with a splashy display of bottles, interesting glasses and bright lights. Unfortunately, no alcohol is being served at the moment, as the bar license will have to wait till next month. So for the moment one can try an assortment of colourful mocktails and Italian-style coffees. The coffees have a variety of flavours ? Banana Mocha, Bavarian Ice and Brownie Mocha, to name a few. Mocktails like Turquoise, Bonita, Miramore and Blue Lagoon are quite refreshing as well. As for snacks, the quantity of food served in the category is enough for a good meal, what with options like the Tex Mex Chicken Pizza, Penne Scicilian Al Polo and the Fettucini Turkan.

?The place is perfect for golfers who want to have a drink post-game, apart from people who just want to relax in an inviting ambience with catchy music, good food and some interesting mocktails. We have kept the pricing reasonable for a wider reach,? said general manager J.K. Seal.

While the lounging aspect is appealing, club-hoppers may note that it?s soon going to be relaunched as a discotheque, with laser lighting and sound system already in place.

Comic relief

The Russian circus is not the only option in town for a little comic relief. A select audience was treated to a rare ?adult stand-up? comedy session at the Oberoi Grand on Wednesday.

Organised by the Calcutta chapter of Young Leaders Forum, an initiative of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, the evening featured Delhi-based comedian Vir Saran Das. The actor, trained in Economics and Theatre from the Knox College in the US, had the audience of young entrepreneurs in splits right from the start. With spoofs and mimicry sessions covering a wide range of topics from Monica Lewinsky?s lips to the use of mobile phones among drivers in India, there was not a dull moment in the entire show.

?I presume all of you have very good business sense and make great entrepreneurial decisions, but you have just made a pathetic gaffe by hiring me,? said Vir with a straight face.

While the subtle references to public figures and sexual overtones were taken well by the audience, it was Vir?s story about the invention of the game of cricket by a drunken Scot that got the loudest cheers. Free-flowing cocktails added to the spirit of the evening that kept soaring higher.

A guest summed it up: ?A take-off on the most mundane things in life as opposed to mimicry of celebrities made this show different from most other stand-up comedies that Calcutta has seen so far. A great evening that ought to be repeated.?