Scene and Heard

Marcellus Baptista

What's happening in Mumbai’s hotels? A peek into the party circuit and events in the city...

Utterly Italy

Fabio Rugge, Zubin Karkaria, Malaika Arora Khan, Salvatore Ianniello and Sunil Gupta at the 'Romancing the Peninsula' launch at the Taj

Thoughts of Italy crossed one's mind at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower as Kuoni Holidays launched a coffee-table book on Italy, titled 'Romancing the Peninsula' in association with the Italian State Tourist Board. Malaika Arora Khan did the honours. Eugenio Magnani, director general, Italian State Tourist Board (ENIT), spoke to the audience on telephone, being unable to attend the function. Guests leafed through the pages of the amply illustrated book that showcased some authentic travel experiences in Italy as witnessed by a travel writer known as The Wanderer. It showcased an experience of the six best known regions of Italy - Campania, Veneto, Tuscany, Lombardia, Lazio and Sicilia. It was felt that the book offered a glimpse of Italy behind the postcards, the real Italy of the cafés, the delectable cuisine and the endless miles of the luxuriant countryside. Word was that Kuoni Holidays promised to give the traveler an unmatched experience of Italy, customised to the tastes and preferences of the discerning globetrotter. Italian Consul Dr Fabuo Rugge, Salvatore Ianniello of the Italian State Tourist Board, Zubin Karkaria, CEO & MD, Kuoni Travel Group, India and Sunil Gupta, COO, Outbound Division, Kuoni Travel Group, India were present at the launch.

Mischief's here

Neha Shetty and Carol Gracias at the launch of Bollywood Mischief lounge

A fashion destination by day and lounge bar by night - that's Bollywood Mischief for you. Launched by promoters Suresh Bhandary and Neha Shetty, it stemmed from the desire to revive the established brand of Mischief in a new format. Located at the fashionable Hill Road in Bandra, and featuring haute couture and high-end prêt across two floors, it was a good idea to offer a shopping experience till 8 pm and then later turn into a place to relax, have a drink and listen to music. Akbar Sami was the DJ on opening night. Models Candice Pinto, Nina Manuel, Bhawna Sharma, Tapur Chatterji and Niketan Madhok showed off creations by designers Surily Goel, Seema Khan, Nandita Mahtani, Shaina NC and Narendra Kumar respectively. Carol Gracias was dressed by the in-house design team of Bollywood Mischief. Spotted in the sprawling lounge were Sunil Shetty, Arjun and Mehr Rampal, Bhavana and Chunky Pandey, Sonya Mehra, Madhur Bhandarkar, Neelam Kothari, Kishor Bajaj, Daboo and Manisha Ratnani, Renu Chainani, Kadambari Lakhani, Shonali Nagrani, Kekashan Patel, Bijon Das Gupta, Lali Dhawan, Vida Samadzai, Ekta Raheja, Meena Raheja, Kamlesh Hemdev of Ghanasingh and Sons who displayed a collection of diamond designer jewellery.

Scent of a woman

Anita Rai and Ligneres Benedicte at the Paco Rabanne launch at Aurus

A fresh fragrance filled the air at Aurus as Baccarose introduced Paco Rabanne's latest feminine fragrance called BlackXS For Her. Black was the dress code of the night and standing out was the black hellebore, commonly called the Christmas rose that also formed the heart of the perfume. Full of contrasts, BlackXS is said to evolve from fruity to floral to woody notes. The initial burst is all radiance and sparkle as the essences of tamarind blossom, pink peppercorn and cranberry explode with freshness, youth and sensuousness. Then the heart notes of black violet, cacao flower and hellebore rose enter into play, weaving their own magic. There is something captivating, almost dangerous, about this composition designed to win over tough guys with a heart of gold. Well, that's what you were told with the grand finale being an overdose of Massoia wood, providing the feminine counterpart to the metallic note dear to Paco Rabanne's heart. It forms the basis of this aromatic fragrance, with patchouli and Tahitian vanilla underscoring the luscious, feminine and sexy side of this fragrance. Jean Baptiste and Ligneres Benedicte of Paco Rabanne welcomed the many guests like Penaz Masani, Anaida and Parvez Damania.

Perfect 10

Vithal Kamat, Niranjan Hiranandani and Shaina NC at the champagne fountain for the celebrations

A bubbly time was had by all as a champagne fountain was created in the lobby of The Orchid to mark the ecotel's tenth anniversary. Vithal Kamat, executive chairman and MD, Kamat Hotels India Limited, poured the spirit into the topmost champagne saucer letting it trickle into the glasses below. Assisting him were the hotel's technical director Param Kanampilly and GM, Ranjan Gupta. The glam element was provided by designer politician Shaina NC and Femina Miss Earth 2007 Pooja Chitgopekar. The party moved on from the lobby to the party hall, which was abuzz with music and conversation especially at the bar. There was also a Bollywood and salsa dance performance and magician Alex went around the tables entertaining the crowd with his sleight of hand. Former sheriff Kiran Shantaram celebrated builder Niranjan Hiranandani, industrialist Vijay Kalantri and filmstar Shatrughan Sinha were among the many guests enjoying the experience. Vithal Kamat, of course, was with his 'V' gang- meaning wife Vidhya and children Vishal, Vikram and Vidita.