<h2>Wrestle Mania</h2>
<p>Two boys wrestle on a makeshift mat near Bandra railway station while the others look on.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>A hint of Paris</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/Chef-Julien-Alvarez_e.jpg" alt="Chef Julien Alvarez with signature galette" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Chef Julien Alvarez with signature galette</em></strong></p>
<p>Before the circle of known patisseries came to Mumbai, city folk on Parisian vacations would head to Ladur&eacute;e for macarons and the experience of stepping into a multi-pastel store. Finally, in 2021, the French store came to Delhi and Gurugram. Their next stop will be Mumbai. But before that, the city can get a taste of the goodies and order the New Year special signature galette by chef Julien Alvarez &mdash; with puff pastry, shortbread, almond pecan cream, and spiced dulce de leche. Alvarez shared, &ldquo;I wanted to try a new take on the traditional galette using a flavour association that is now a Ladur&eacute;e signature: the combination of vanilla and pecan.&rdquo; And to top it off, it comes in the shape of a macaron.</p>
<h2>North Pole comes to Bandra</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/North-Pole_e.jpg" alt=" A toy bank full of donations; (right) the drop box and letterbox at Almeida Park in Bandra" width="1280" height="720" /><br />&nbsp;<strong><em>A toy bank full of donations; (right) the drop box and letterbox at Almeida Park in Bandra</em></strong></p>
<p>The Mascarenhases have taken over Santa&rsquo;s job. Carl Mascarenhas, his wife Bernadette, son Carl Jr, daughter-in-law Bianca and grandson Juan Mascarenhas have set up a letterbox for kids to mail Santa and wheelbarrow for donating toys at The MasCotte, near Almeida Park, Bandra West. Carl Jr revealed, &ldquo;I take my son to the post office to send letters to Santa. But the road to this venue is dug up. So, my dad made a post box with a paint tin and cement ghumela. And my mum and wife painted it.&rdquo; They recently donated a tempo full of toys to the NGO Shantighar in Andheri, and will make a second trip soon. &ldquo;It was heartening to see our letter box full, but quite frankly, I don&rsquo;t know what to do with the letters,&rdquo; Carl Jr chuckled.</p>
<h2>By Goans, for Goans</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/goan-tshirt-1_e.jpg" alt="(Left to right) Gretchen Ferro, Aaron D&rsquo;Souza and Erin Fernandes helming the stall" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>(Left to right) Gretchen Ferro, Aaron D&rsquo;Souza and Erin Fernandes helming the stall</em></strong></p>
<p>What does Christmas in Goa look like? Ask Aaron D&rsquo;Souza of Mahim-based The Goan Poie and his cousin Gretchen Ferro. Looking to streamline their creative juices, and as D&rsquo;Souza says &lsquo;get paid for my humour&rsquo;, they launched The Goan T-Shirt Co.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/Goan-tshirt-a_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Their current Christmas series of a snowman made of sand Santa, a drunken elf guarding feni, and a fisherwoman in a Santa saree (right) bring out the true essence of Goa. You can spot a bit of Mario Miranda in them, too. This is no friendly quip around Christmas in the city, it&rsquo;s all true blue Goan-ness.</p>
<h2>New stage in Four Bungalows</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/Veda-2_e.jpg" alt="A look at the new theatre space" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A look at the new theatre space</em></strong></p>
<p>Earlier this week, Sampat Singh Rathore, founder of Veda Factory, a space known for theatre, inaugurated Veda Kunba Theatre by Veda Factory, a 224-seater auditorium in Four Bungalows, Andheri. He said, &ldquo;The mission is to curate diverse performances that offer a comprehensive artistic experience by challenging conventions and sparking meaningful conversations.&rdquo; The ceremony was attended by theatrewallahs including Tina Ghai, Makarand Deshpande and Paresh Rawal, among others. It will open to the public on January 1, 2024.</p>
<h2>Loving the Mallu fare</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/dec/Nair-fryer_e.jpg" alt="Chef Vinod Nair with (right) Riteish Deshmukh" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Chef Vinod Nair with (right) Riteish Deshmukh</em></strong></p>
<p>The folks at Nair On Fire, a premium delivery and catering kitchen by Toral Sanghavi, Sara Jacob Nair and Vinod Nair, received a pleasant surprise at an event stall this week. Chef Vinod Nair revealed, &ldquo;Actor Riteish Deshmukh and his family dropped by. I worked with his father, former state Chief Minister, late Vilasrao Deshmukh in 1998 and 2005, handling their public relations. Riteish has ordered food before but he never knew I was behind it. When he saw me at the stall, he recognised me.&rdquo; Nair whipped up Keralite delights with coconut oil, swapping out ghee and butter for the Marathi mulga.</p>

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Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

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