BPB Fresh Dope

Walking Bread At Bakers Dozen

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:29:49 GMT

What: Newly launched Challah bread at The Baker’s Dozen, 9 Jayant Apartment, Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Prabhadevi, call 08655331313.

Why: This Jewish bread, braided and sweet, rises to the occasion of World Baking Day at The Baker’s Dozen tomorrow. Pick up a loaf of this moveable yeast or get free samples with other purchases.

When: Buy now and keep walking. Challah challah, pudhe challah.

Antarctic Youth Ambassador Program 2014

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:16:38 GMT

What: The Antarctic Youth Ambassador Program 2014, view the website here, apply here.

Why: Jump aboard the polar express with this program that selects applicants from around the globe to be leaders of climate change. If you are picked you get to go into the wild to explore the Antarctic Peninsula with experts; learn about its ecosystem; break the ice with people from all over the world; and create a project that you will implement for one year following the expedition.

When: Participants will be announced on July 1, 2013, so apply ASAP.

Lulu Australia:New Bag Store

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:52:07 GMT

What: Lulu Australia, Moonstone Apartments, Linking Road, Santacruz (W), bags start at Rs 2,000.

Why: There are new totes on the turf as Lulu Australia opens at Linking Road, bringing with it bags of all shapes and shine. bpb recommends the waterproof beach and pool bags – mostly because they made us plan our next vacation – featuring vintage prints, watercolour portraits, candy stripes and pink hibiscus flowers. Also available: wristlets, accessory pouches and bowling bags.

When: You want to follow new handles. Opens today, May 17.

Kick: Futsal Arena

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:43:15 GMT

What: Kick - futsal (indoor football) arena, Supreme Business Park, behind Lake Castle, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, call 32276565, Rs 2,000 for an hour long session.

Why: A garage doubles up as a basketball court, a parking lot turns into a football field and a strip of street is also a cricket pitch. The lack of space in the city has always been an issue for sport enthusiasts, which is why you’ll like Kick. This fun futsal arena in Powai – supposedly Mumbai’s first – isn’t in your friend’s garage and features a FIFA-rated astroturf field that can be booked for practice sessions by the hour and also organises coaching facilities and tournaments.

When: You want to Foster the People with Pumped Up Kicks.

IDfy :Online trust establishment platform

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:59:34 GMT

What: IDfy.com, an online trust establishment platform for employees and employers, free and premium services available.

Why: A night of partying on the town can take quite a toll on your liver and Facebook feed. The picture of you dancing on the bar? Oops. And that close up of you with a cigarette. Burn! A dodgy digital presence can work against you in a professional setting, especially if you have nothing to back you up or verify the claims on your resume. IDfy.com, a trust platform started by friends Ashok Hariharan, Hatim Baheranwala, and Vineet Jawa offers to set up a suitable online profile and resume that can be verified by your peers, business partners and reviewed by potential employers, investors and even a landlord. ISB and Namma Bengaluru are some of the organisations that use IDfy’s services.

  When: You need a new (pro)file cabinet.

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:06:47 GMT

Food Bulletin

During a walk around Kala Ghoda, we noticed the board for Chao Ban, the new restaurant that will be replacing Joss in about ten days. A quick peek around revealed interiors as simple as its predecessor - all wood and white.

From the guys behind Serafina and Irish House, we're told that Chao Ban will not be a Pan Asian restaurant but only serve Chinese cuisine, so Joss hopefuls, no more Thai Curry and sushi. Expect traditional Chinese cuisine with a contemporary twist, a separate dim sum menu and no famous chefs.

We'll let you know when it's up and running. Pak joy!

Getting there: 30, K. Dubhash Marg, Next to Chetana Restaurant, Kala Ghoda

Design Writing Workshop With NYT Writer

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:51:02 GMT

“Pale green? Boyish? Well, yes, kind of. Newson, 45, who has always been fascinated with pale green, read how a couple of scientists had determined (incorrectly, it turns out) that this was the real shade of the universe. He had his vintage Aston Martin DB4 painted in that hue.”

William Shaw writes this and other lovely design stories about space age bars and people who build their own homes for New York Times’ T Magazine. Shaw – he’s also written extensively for The Sunday Telegraph and the Observer - is coming to India (Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore) with The British Council, to teach you to care about pale green.

In a workshop for writing about design, Shaw and other international writers will teach and mentor participants. Titled Create Change, the design writing workshop aims to capture inspirational stories and help develop skills to document how design has had an impact on Indian society. This will be done through discussions, exercises and assignments. The bonus is that participants of the workshop will be given a chance to contribute entries to an independent publication produced by Kyoorius, which will be released at the Kyoorius Designyatra conference from August 29-31 2013 in Goa.

The best part: it’s just Rs 1,000! So if you’ve been complaining about how there are no good creative writing courses in India, go and write this wrong.

Getting there: To participate, send in your details with a sample of your writing on design to aanchal.sodhani@in.britishcouncil.org with KDY Design Writing as the subject.

Mumbai: May 17, 2013 from 10 am – 5 pm, British Council , 901, Tower 1 , One Indiabulls Centre ,Elphinstone Road (West).

Delhi: May 19, 2013 from 10 am – 5 pm, British Council , 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg

The Dolch Project: Far Sighted

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:30:29 GMT

Going through the list of Dolch words, we realize Norah Jones could have been singing to someone with a learning disability. “Come away with me in the night.” All on the list. A writing challenge after our own hearts, the Dolch Project is collecting stories for children (aged 6 to 14) with learning disabilities, but the trick is you have to stick to the 220 words on the list.

Dolch & Gabbana

Maybe you’re a bit confused. Dolch words are essentially another name for ‘sight words’. Learning disabled kids don’t learn phonetically like other children because they have a tough time with vocabulary and need words that can be understood on sight, or instantly. Like ‘school’ or ‘play’ or ‘yellow’. They learn to recognize these words in sentences, and when put into a context—like a story—they’d be able to have “more control” over the language, as an image on the Dolch Project Facebook page says.

That’s where you come in. Submit a story using the sight words we’ve linked to above (you can also use a few other words if you like, but it’s recommended to keep them short and easy to understand) and your story could be part of a collection used by schools to promote reading among learning disabled children. Word!

The idea for the Facebook page and project comes from 29-year-old Bodhisatwa Dasgupta, who lives up to his name by being a rather enlightened copywriter at an ad agency. A year ago, a friend approached him, asking if he could do something for some kids he knew with learning disabilities. Bodhisatwa says it took him a year to get back to his friend, because he was trying to figure out a way to make it work. Which is when it hit him—curating literature from other people using only the sight words, so that kids would have more reading options.

Up to now, the biggest user of Dolch words in kids literature is Dr Suess, but there’s only so much Cat In The Hat that one child can take. Bodhisatwa plans to use as many stories as he can—maybe even spread them out into volumes. Working title: Dolch Book Of Fantastic Tales.

No Kidding

It began with just the idea and the Facebook page, but now, just over three weeks later, the likes are pouring in, and Bodhisatwa has had some interest from publishers. New plans include selling book in stores, not just schools and developing a website with an app you can type directly into, which will highlight all the non-Dolch words in red.

Submissions should be between 600 to 1000 words long and submitted through Facebook or email. One day, yours could be the first story some lucky kid gets to read in its entirety, so make it good.

Getting there: Email submissions to thebodhisatwa@gmail.com or submit via Facebook message here, use words on the list from here.

Dessert Directory

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:33:04 GMT

Through the bpb Dessert Box (It’s a pretty box featuring a variety of bpb’s favourite desserts, hand-delivered to you on a designated day every month) we've unwrapped and jarred a whole bunch of awesome dessert vendors from five star hotel patisseries and small, pink dessert shops to some rising star home bakers. While we build this into a downloadable dessert directory for you - it's going to be sweet! - here are the lovelies we featured in our last box.

Parfait

We still remember our office plastered with pink boxes way back when we discovered Smriti Mehra and her pretty Parfait. For our dessert box she did fun marshmallow pops and M&M cupcakes that instantly transport you to your childhood, but are sophisticated enough to bring you right back. Also see waffle cone cupcakes and Ecuador chocolate raspberry cake.

To order call 9769203959 or log on to the website on www.parfait.co.in

Pixie Mojo

Endearingly hardworking and passionate about baking, Stephanie had all the dessert-ers raving about her dark chocolate and anise biscotti and little tubs of crème brule. She’s also doing a mean mango version for the season.

To order call 9819317305 or email pixiemojopatisserie@gmail.com.

Healthy Treats

The moniker Healthy Treats might sound fairly non-glamorous, but here we discovered sexy dark chocolate-orange and coffee-cinammon muffins, frequently ordered by stars like Sonam Kapoor. Divya also does other icing-free, fresh fruit sponge cakes that will have you rise to the occasion.

To order call Divya on 9820154550.

Getting there: To order a Dessert Box, call 09867885533/09820228582, Rs 2,250 for three months (one box a month), next delivery is coming up in April.