Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Bath in the ghat

A man cools off amid piles of clothes at Dhobi Ghat in Mahalaxmi

Look what showed up from 1984!

Cook was surprised to see the Macintosh. Pic/Shadab Khan

The Apple store launch yesterday in a Bandra mall had Apple fans in a chokehold for the past few days. But who knew that the highlight of the event would not be CEO Tim Cook's visit or the new products but a Macintosh from 1984? We managed to connect with Goregaon-based digital designer Sajid Moinuddin who surprised everyone with the first Mac model.

"It's a special one for me as I started my design career in the '80s on it," he told this diarist, adding, "When I walked up to Cook, he was shocked and exclaimed, ‘Oh my god! You still have this!' Vice President, Apple Retailer, Deirdre O'Brien who was standing beside remarked that she wanted to sign it as well because she worked on its design when Apple was planning to launch it."

Never a tree-er word has been said

The WhatsApp carousel is not really known for its words of wisdom. Or, it rarely provokes one to introspect. Yet, sometimes, you do witness the rare, illuminating message that causes you to say: never a truer word has been said, or in this case, never a tree-er word has been said. So, as the mercury soars uncomfortably this April (wasn't it TS Eliot who said: ‘April is the cruellest month'? Though we doubt he was referring to the Mumbai weather) a spot-on WhatsApp message that is doing the rounds which should make people move towards participating in the green movement. It shows women using their hands as a shade above their eyes and there is a slogan: ‘Those who complain about the heat today' and then comes the punchline, ‘Are those who forgot to plant trees yesterday.' Begin with a seed, or a sapling we say and go from a green horn to a green warrior.

Nesting an idea

A previous birdwatching session hosted in Mumbai. Pic courtesy/Instagram

Summer is here, and so it's natural to hear the chirping of birds that nest on various trees around the city. While we adults, tend to miss their well-constructed tiny homes, Pooja Lalwani, founder of Roots Nature Club is keen to make children aware about it. "This weekend's workshop is an extension of the other birding workshop that we organise. Those who understand, and are amazed by different avian species spotted across Mumbai should go a step further to appreciate the hard work they do to build their nests. That is how this idea occurred to us," Lalwani mentioned. She explained that there are many birds found across the city with unique nest designs that protect them from predators as well as forces of nature.

Hail the icons

An illustration from the Mario book

Award-winning poet, Pervin Saket has come up with new illustrative biographies of two geniuses who have links with Mumbai - Dadasaheb Phalke (Tenacity) and Mario Miranda (Humour) for Adidev Press' Learning To Be series.

Dadasaheb Phalke's illustration on the book cover

"Miranda's cartoons helped me examine my own community and neighbourhood for all their idiosyncrasies - but in an affectionate manner. Phalke is inspiring not just for his vision but also his energy and uncompromising worth ethic. Journeying with them in the course of these books has been a privilege," she said, adding, "So when the publishers asked me to consider a series on role models, I wanted to include an unconventional worldview and an unconventional system."

An ideal change made at the ideal time

Parvez Patel. File pic

The many voices that are concerned about the future of Irani cafes in Mumbai, will cheer about this bit of news. Ideal Corner, a favourite culinary landmark in Fort, has decided to give its menu a makeover. You might not find a Neapolitan pizza there anytime soon but nostalgia is the underlining theme for the menu of this 38-year-old café. "It includes a dish called railway mutton. It is an old recipe from when the railways were the only mode of transport. People carried along a dry mutton recipe with roti to avoid any fuss," Parvez Patel, owner, revealed to this diarist.