Maximum City makes you long for a slice of aamchi Mumbai to call your own?

You can take home the dabbawallahs, bhajiyawallahs and other icons of this buzzing city, thanks to The Bombay Project, a new home collection set to launch at Good Earth next Monday.

A black-and-white photograph of women in sarees juxtaposed with bright red lipsticks, all on a cushion. An art canvas showing Superman superimposed over old Bombay buildings and a bright yellow sky. Designers Krsna Mehta and Sangita Jindal dreamed up these pop images of Mumbai old and new in the bright pinks, purples, blues, reds and yellows that are synonymous with this city.

Black doodle diaries and green planners filled with notes about the city and akshar pencils with Hindi letter prints will entice the stationery-loving, hard-working chica in you. And after your long days, try the heaven-sent Holy Smoke incense sticks.

You’ll find it hard not to get carried away with the special edition kites for Makr Sakranti that will let your Mumbai pride (and style) soar.

The Bombay Project launches on January 15, 2007 at Good Earth, Raghuvanshi Mills, Raghuvanshi Mansion, Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Telephone: 24951954. Website: www.goodearthindia.com.
Price: Rs 340 upwards.

You’ve heard the bells tinkle in the wind. Touched the textured potted shards. Seen the figurines dotting the green.

Now you can do more. The Garden of Five Senses has just added The Garden Village, a designer boulevard that’s fast becoming the spot to go to for top-name swish threads.

New York-based Alpana Bawa’s first store in town will lure you with delicious tops and dresses in shimmery primary colours. Rajesh Pratap is here, too, with his trademark clean cuts and classy footwear. So are Aparna Chandra and Anamika Khanna, with their mix-n-match western and indo-western outfits. And A+B Company – owned by photographer Bharat Sikka and his wife, designer Ameet – sells his pictures and her clothes.

When you’re done with couture, stop at Rickshaw Recycle for products made out of old paper, calendars and books: innovative beads and streamers, newspaper coasters and mats, and carry bags, great for avoiding plastic.

Coming soon: Manish Arora’s Fish Fry fluorescent clothes and shoes, and embellished ethnic wear from Bombay Boys Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla. And Marut Sikka’s café-restaurant.

No more mourning the lost Qutab Colonnade. It’s all happening at the Garden Village.

The Garden Village, East Bazaar, Garden of Five Senses, Said-Ul-Ajaib, New Delhi. Use the East Bazaar rear entry gate. Valet parking available.
Garden entry tickets are refundable with minimum store purchases of Rs 500.
Outfits from Rs. 5000. Rickshaw Recycle prices start at Rs. 50.

Cheers to 2007! We’re back with more Why Wine Wednesdays. Today we look at Rosé, the wine we predict will soon set trends. If you’re going to drink, why not drink pink?

Rosé’s popular in the West for brunches and cocktail hours, and now India’s starting to catch the trend. You get Rosé when red grapes are pressed, the juice fermented and the skins quickly removed. They’re sweeter than whites, have less tannin than reds, and have that delightful colour. We asked wine experts for a few more reasons they recommend Rosé:

“Rosé’s fantastic in the summer.” – Riyaz Amlani, part-owner of Mocha and Mumbai’s SaltWaterGrill

“It goes particularly well with lightly cooked food, such as stir-fried prawns, Bengali fish, saffron-flavoured rice dishes, sattvik food.” – Magandeep Singh, sommelier

“It’s perfect for when you want to avoid thinking too much about which wine to have.” – Sanjay Menon, wine importer/exporter

And which pink to drink? Some recommendations from Kunal Gupta of the Lounge Bar at Le Royal Meridien in Mumbai:

Sula Zinfandel Rosé : Fruity, floral, sweet. Made from grapes similar to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Price: Rs. 420.

Grover Rosé : Has more body than the Sula Zinfandel. Made from slightly spicy Shiraz grapes. Price: Rs. 600.

Chateau Indage’s Ivy Zinfandel : Made of Shiraz grapes. Not as fruity and sweet as the Sula Zinfandel, nor as spicy and heavy-bodied as the Grover Rosé. Price: Rs. 530.

Next Wednesday, where we like to wine-d down. (Click here for our first and second Why Wine Wednesdays.)

Today Trendylicious brings you the next installment of Diamonds in the Rough, our occasional neighborhood hunts for the best accessories. This trip: the stylish shops of Breach Candy and Colaba. (Click here for our Bandra/Khar hunt.)

First stop: Tent. This pocket-sized shop off Warden Road recently reopened after some renovations.
Diamond: Polka-dot wooden bangles, dangly chandelier earrings and long link-chains that will make heads turn.
Tent, 2 A Meherabad Building, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai. Telephone: 2369 6173.
Prices from Rs. 300.

Next up: Curio Cottage. Got a refined look in mind? This is your one-stop jewellery destination.
Diamond: Turquoise-coral neckpieces set in sterling silver, or colourful pop-art-styled cocktail rings that speak your (and your mom’s) style. Plus, handbags by Bea Accessories.
Curio Cottage, 19 Mahakavi Bhushan Marg, Colaba, Near Regal Cinema, Mumbai.
Telephone: 2202 2607. Prices from Rs 1,500.

Last: Bombay Electric. This new kid on the block screams of New York’s SoHo, but is right behind the Taj at Apollo Bunder.
Diamond: Black, brown and white over-sized sunglasses, displayed under transparent cake-platter-esque lids.
Bombay Electric, 1 Reay House, Best Marg, Colaba, Mumbai. Telephone: 2287 6276.
Prices from Rs 5,000.

Okay, it wasn’t all that rough. But, boy, did we find some diamonds!

A cool chica like you doesn’t normally have to talk weather. But temperatures this past week have reminded you more of Scandinavia than ‘saddi’ Dilli.

Expand the experience with the new two-hour treatment at the only Swedish spa in town, and you may just revise your opinion of the northern latitudes. The latest pamper product from the ageless Shahnaz Husain, whose spa blends IKEA-inspired décor with rose petal-strewn massage beds and sound effects borrowed from the Ganga, rather than ABBA.

There’s nothing unauthentic, though, about the way the trained therapist uses her knuckles in long flowing strokes to knead every muscle, so unlike the palm-of-the-hand circular technique preferred by other schools. Aches and pains have no option but to succumb.

The massage oil – Shaherb, an in-house concoction of vegetable oil and vitamins – soaks deep into the skin, leaving it smoother than a straight line. The best is reserved for last: a Cleopatra-like soak in a milk-filled jacuzzi, garnished, again, with rose petals. Just like a tasty sweet dish.

Sounds like kitsch heaven? Sure, but it’s warm and cosy, too. Maybe Sweden needs that little touch of India.

Shahnaz Husain, No 7, Khan Market, second floor, New Delhi. Telephone: 24617643. Contact: Massuese Dawa Dolma. Closed Sundays.
Price: Rs 1500.

You’ve seen mauve eye-shadow, maybe a mauve blush. But a mauve face powder?

Our Trendy Tester did a double take, too, when a makeup artist from Chanel recently recommended Poudre Douce 40 Lilas as the right shade for her skin. In its case, the powder looked like something to use on Holi. But once she dabbed it on her face with its goat’s hair brush (so luxe), the concentrated colour had a sheer quality that reflected light.

When they noticed her skin’s new fresh-from-the-gym-like glow, our Trendy Tester’s girlfriends turned an unflattering shade of envy. Best of all? No one realised a product was making the difference – all the compliments were for her great skin.

Chanel says the mauve in the powder (a recent addition to their palette) neutralises Indian skin’s yellow undertones – the very factor popular beige powders play up with golden micro-reflectors.

Wear it on bare skin, over concealer or with your regular base. Pop the brush and case into their velvet pouch when you’re heading out for the evening. Bring it out to touch up your face, and admire the glow.

As for your girlfriends, promise you’ll let them in on the secret. Eventually.

New Delhi: Chanel Boutique, Lobby level, The Imperial Hotel, Janpath, New Delhi. Telephone: 41116840, 41116844.
Mumbai: Chanel Makeup Counter, La Galleria, Landmark Building, Bandra, Mumbai.
Telephone: 55033691.
Price: Rs 2,200.

Our essential Mumbai guide for out-of-towners ends with a taste of the city’s nightlife. Here are some cool spots for creative cocktails.

Henry Tham: Swank Chinese restaurant by day, chi-chi lounge by night. The sugarcane martini goes down real smooth. Want to see and be seen? This is your Friday night destination.
Henry Tham, Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Colaba.
Telephone: 22848214. Price: Rs. 300 and up.

Salt Water Grill: Salty air, white sand and a skyline view that can’t be beat. Your pals will soon be leaving tropical Mumbai for what may seem like the Arctic Circle, so this is the perfect place to rub it in over watermelon caprioskas.
H20 Water Sports Complex, Next to Mafatlal Swimming Club, Marine Drive.
Telephone: 23685459. Price: Rs. 400 and up.

Shiro: Mumbai’s answer to New York’s Tao or Buddha Bar. Think fig mojitos, Orient-inspired martinis and Sapporo. Get there early, or fight for a spot at the packed bar.
BDMC Compound Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli.
Telephone: 24383008. Price: Rs. 400 and up.

Prithvi Café: Show off the city’s theatre, and then grab the famous Irish coffee at this after-hours spot. It oozes culture and intellect.
Janki Kutir Juhu Church Road, Juhu.
Telephone: 26149546. Price: Rs. 35 and up.

Hawaiian Shack: Mumbai’s definitely a beer lover’s haven with pubs galore. Reminisce over 80s classics at the new town-side address of this suburban favourite.
Pipewala Building, 4th Pasta Lane, Opp. Navy Children High School, Colaba.
Telephone: 22020455. Price: Rs 250 and up.

To close our BriDelicious week, our Trendy Tester found a new spa regimen for brides that soothes from soul to sole.

You’ve always been one busy bee. And now, you’re an even busier bride-to-be. Pause for breath and slip into serenity at Amatrra, the spa named after the silence between recurrent chants of Om.

Their new bridal package works inside and out to calm your nerves and bring out your inner glow. The resident aesthetician will work within the time you have before the big day, and can cram the package into a week or stretch it over a month.

First, adopt the detox plan powered by meditation, chanting, colour therapy, hydrotherapy and aromatherapy. Then go in for relaxation therapy, followed by an exfoliation treatment and a Vichy shower. Imagine warm, scented oil streaming on your forehead while your neck and shoulders get massaged, and then a dip in the jacuzzi to bust any remaining pre-wedding stresses.

To manifest your inner bliss, try a facial with almond and aroma oils, followed by a sandalwood and turmeric mask that conditions and hydrates the skin. A smoothening aromatherapy wax, a full bleach, and a milk manicure and pedicure are the finishing notes.

Your makeup artist and stylist will have a rather easy job come D-day.

Amatrra Spa, The Ashok, 50 B Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Telephone: 9811205770.
Price: Rs. 15,000 onwards.

Mumbai is the bling capital, but your visiting family and friends might vote for a refined look. Give it to them with a trip to these shops that spell sophistication.

Neemrana: Out-of-towners will rave about these delicate chiffon tunics, which look great with white capris or over a bikini at the beach.
Purshotam Bldg, Shop No 6, Ground Floor, New Queen’s Road, Opera House. Telephone: 23614436. Price: Rs. 2,500 and up.

Amara: These embroidered wedding saris, pastel-hued salwar kameezs and wedge-heel kohlapuri sandals will work East or West.
1-3-5 Kemps Blvd, Next to Crossword, Kemps Corner. Telephone: 23879687. Price: Rs. 5,000 and up.

Forest Essentials: Cardamom. Neem. Mogra. Saffron. Thanks to natural ingredients like these, this organic beauty brand beats Crabtree & Evelyn and Bath & Bodyworks by miles and miles.
12 Tirupati Apartments, Bhulabhai Desai Road. Telephone: 32908114. Price: Rs. 150 and up.

Barefoot: This chic boutique has locally-designed women’s clothes and accessories with a stylishly Indian twist. Don’t miss their clothes for men and kids, and honest fashion advice from owners Papia Roy and Deepa Shenoy.
House No. 30, Anand Villa, Palimala Road, off Palihill, Bandra (w). Telephone: 32965067/ 26480423. Price: Rs. 1000-4000..

The Courtyard: Show off Mumbai’s creativity at this classy, quaint shopping park. Designers Manish Arora and Ashish Soni rule runways in London and New York, and their threads are worth every rupee, dollar and pound.
SP Centre, 41/44 Minoo Desai Marg, Colaba. Price: Rs. 5,000 and up.

Dhoop: From banana fiber placemats to leaf-shaped brass coasters, this charming store has made the art of fine living a mantra.
101 Khar Sheetal Apartments, Dr Ambedkar Road, Union Park, Khar (W). Telephone: 26498646/47. Price: Rs. 100 and up.

In Made in Mumbai Part 3, where to sip the night away with some of the city’s most unusual drink offerings

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Move over JLo. Our bride-to-be is the real wedding planner, getting ready for her spring bash. She’s passing the secrets of her bridal look to those of you also planning a 2007 celebration.

Makeup artist pick: Ambika Pillai (26688757)
Why: She’ll give you a natural, subtle look.
Or else: Vidya Tikari (9810115482, 41630940)
Bridelicious advice: Schedule a trial with your artist if possible, and insist he or she comes in person on your wedding day, rather than an assistant.

Jewellery pick: Hazoori Lal and Sons (41734567)
Why: Exquisite patterns, high quality diamonds, hallmarked jewellery.
Or else: The jewellery stores on the Bank Road stretch in Karol Bagh.
Bridelicious advice: Go for quality over quantity to ensure high resale value. And make sure the rings – your fiancé’s and your’s – are sized correctly to avoid embarrassment.

Outfit designer pick: Manav Gangwani (29532040)
Why: Clothes with fantastic fit and finish. You’ll want to be married in them.
Or else: Ensemble (26882207)
Bridelicious advice: Get your trousseau there, too.

What else? Trendylicious gifts you a little (but very useful) pre-wedding present.
Just click here and voila, your wedding checklist. Keep ticking and let the countdown begin.