What’s happening in Mumbai’s hotels? A peek into the party circuit and events in the city… By Marcellus Baptista
Bespoke beauty
Simply splendid was what it was as Chivas 18 premium Scotch whisky and bespoke designer Ashish Soni in conjunction with the newly-launched luxury property The St Regis Mumbai presented the concept of artisanal soirees titled ‘Crafted for Gentlemen.’ Co-hosted by Atul Kasbekar and Anuraag Bhatnagar, GM, St Regis Mumbai, the evening was aimed at bringing alive the art of bespoke tailoring and its nuances as they are manifested through Ashish Soni’s tailoring studio. To showcase this unique abstraction, the designer and Chivas 18 screened a short film that highlighted the journey of bespoke services from when the concept was created to today. The talk was that the alliance with Chivas 18 is synchronous for this concept as the multi-layered blended whisky has been specially crafted for gentlemen, similar to the presentation that Ashish Soni has created.
Bistro cheer
Restaurateur A D Singh had his hands full once again as he launched Olive Bistro at Oberoi Mall in Goregaon. What you witnessed was the signature Olive Bistro joie de vivre present in four other outlets around the country as also a fresh and contemporary vibe. Guests soaked in the distinctly playful and friendly character of the Olive Bistro brand with the feel of a quaint European-bistro-meets-chic-New York-bar. The all-day menu, you learnt, offers a well-priced mix that includes comfort food along with lighter, healthier options. Seen on opening night were Rahul Bose, Ujjwala Raut, Upen Patel, Karishma Tanna, Anu Agarwal and Zeba Kohli among others who admired the food truck.
Tequila high
It was all very informative and intoxicating as Aspri Spirits hosted a master class for Patron spirits at Kipos in Bandra. Milton Alatorre, Regional Director of Marketing & Commercial Strategy Asia Pacific for Patrón Spirits International was there to conduct the class with an interactive session including anecdotes about the brand and tasting of some of the finest tequilas. Four variants of the spirit were sipped and savoured. The master class was followed by an after-party where guests enjoyed Patrón tequila, the ultra-premium luxury spirit handmade in small batches, smooth, delicious and mixing flawlessly into any cocktail. You heard that from the highest-quality Weber Blue agave plants grown in the highlands of Jalisco in Mexico to the centuries-old distillation process and the signed, handcrafted glass bottles, Patrón is produced with unparalleled attention to detail.
French connection
The cheer was on at Asilo as Atout France, France Tourism Development Agency, concluded its annual road-show ‘Rendezvous en France’ with a delegation of French tourism professionals interacting with the media and key personnel from the Mumbai travel trade. Representatives from Air France, Rail Europe, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, Accor Hotels, Cesar Palace Paris, Disneyland Paris, Compagnie des Alpes-Parc Asterix, Futuroscope, Grevin, The Gate Collection: Luxury and Lifestyle Hotels Paris, Le Cordon Bleu, Deauville Tourisme, La Baule Tourist Office, Picardy North of France, Champagne-Ardenne Tourism, Dijon Tourist Office, Rhône-Alpes Tourisme, Riviera of Your Dreams: Cannes & St Tropez, Key Promotion International (DMC), Marseille Convention and Visitor Bureau, Mondoramas Incoming (DMC), Midi-Pyrénées Tourist Board, Carcassonne World Heritage, Lourdes & Lisieux: Tourism & Spirituality in France, Lourdes Hotel Services and Globus Family of Brands were present. An Indo-French fusion menu, fine wines and champagne plus premium sprits added to the elegant affair.