Behind the concrete
Many of my childhood memories are entangled with Art Deco bungalows, overgrown gardens and snoozing dogs, so there’s always something special about seeing one of these buildings. Two architects who curate @art.deco.bengaluru bring that experience to Instagram, photographing buildings in this style, popular in India from the 1940s-60s. Car grilles, royal insignia, ocean liners, films, nature, anything was inspiration, as the images and captions tell you. Despite the name, it’s not limited to Bengaluru; in Mysuru, they tell stories of Kuvempu’s house; in Karaikudi, they make the link between an old cinema hall and Chennai’s first luxury hotel; and go up to Jaipur. While scrolling and learning is fun, it’s more fun to stroll out, spot the last of these buildings and recall the story behind a particular motif or sweep of concrete.—Shalini Umachandran
More precious than diamonds
A month ago, I happened to be in Assam, and, on a whim, went to meet a designer who specialises in contemporary Assamese jewellery. My first visit to Waheeda Rahman’s boutique (not to be confused with the veteran actor) in Guwahati was in the late 1990s, when my mother bought a junbiri set (moon-shaped earrings with a matching neckpiece). The photograph here doesn’t do justice to their timeless vintage appeal. I have worn them with sador-mekhelas, dresses and T-shirts and not once have they gone unnoticed. Now, her work is more refined and intricate, focused on versatility. Her inspiration, she says, is heritage jewellery from Assam’s royal. —Jahnabee Borah
The reds of Aberdeen
Gift shops at certain European football clubs have a charm of their own. A recent visit to Aberdeen, Scotland, took me to Aberdeen FC, located on Pittodrie Street, overlooking the beautiful beach and vast green of the Kings Links Golf Course. While the stadium was closed, the amazing club shop was open. A couple of the souvenirs on offer stood out for me. The first is a beautiful, minimalist keyring with the Aberdeen FC club emblem, paying homage to Pittodrie Street. The second is a more functional souvenir—a black leather and fabric card holder. They cost me a little under £14 (around ₹1,400). Definitely worth the experience and memories. —Nitin Sreedhar
The throat soother
For some weeks, nearly everyone I know has been suffering from cough and cold. I too had a bout of the flu a month ago and the one thing that helped me through the rib-wracking cough was the mix of Lakadong turmeric with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Over the years, this variety of turmeric, grown in a tiny village in the hills of Meghalaya, has gained popularity for its high curcumin content of 7-10%. This makes the ingredient high in antioxidants and immunity-boosting properties. The mix I have been having is by a social startup called Aranyam, which sources turmeric straight from the farmers in Meghalaya. I usually add the mix to hot water, honey and a rind of lemon—and it has held me in good stead. Its soothing properties mean you can continue to have it after the cough settles too.—Avantika Bhuyan
