Roving Eye

Matiz offers a Multi Point Fuel Injection System that gives improved fuel economy and a world class suspension which helps provide a smoother ride in Indian conditions. Its 800 cc engine delivers a whopping power output of 52bhp at 6,000 rpm and will give 26 kms to a litre, claim company officials. Deliveries begin from the third week of October.

Starry lights
Last week the talk of town was Faraway Tree. Not the wooden kind but a wax model. Faraway Tree is the name of the candle company run by Dimple Kapadia and her two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke. The trio held a sale of their artistically-designed candles at Allure, the lifestyle store in Crawford Market. And the store was packed for every single minute of the three-day sale. Dimple and her daughters attended to all the clients personally and no one could accuse them of having any starry airs. Giving his daughters moral support was Rajesh Khanna, who stood in the background clad simply in a white kurta pyjama. Seen shopping there were Arti Surendranath and Avanti Birla as well as Bollywood star Pooja Bhatt.

Incidentally, Allure is run by two very enterprising born-in-Delhi but Mumbai-to-the-core entrepreneurs — Pavan Uttam and Gurlein Manchanda. They are determined to make Allure a real lifestyle store and are always changing their range to keep ahead of customer’s needs.

Diet lunch
In town, last week, was Michel Montignac, a well-known health guru from France. His clients include people like Christian Lacroix and Gerard Depardieu. This slimming expert believes that you do not have to count calories to stay thin. Instead he advocates that all you need to do is count the carbohydrate value of a food item that’s the only thing that matters. Which means you can drink wine and eat chocolates and still not put on weight. Michel was in town to launch his book and to commemorate a month-long Montignac food festival which is taking place at the Taj’s Apollo Bar. And obviously, a lot of media types were very interested in hearing what he had to say. Last Friday, some of Mumbai’s best-known scribes turned up to listen to him. Munching on pasta were glossy magazine publishers, Anuradha Mahindra and Neerja Shah, former Femina editor Vimla Patil, columnist and food editor Anish Trivedi and food writer and "first foodie" Rashmi Uday Singh.

Jazz duo
After a two-month break Devika and Suresh Bhojwani were back at NJ-Jazz By The Bay, singing old-time favourites like Carly Simon and Simon & Garfunkel. Anish Trivedi was there — he must have had a busy Friday — and aptly dressed in a white shirt with silver buttons which resembled musical notes. His wife, Vineeta, also looked stunning in a yellow knit top and long black sarong skirt. Anish and Devika were in high spirits as they both had had a dose of good news. Devika is to back on stage with the musical Jaya, shortly before Diwali. Directed by Lilette Dubey, the play received mixed reviews when it was performed last year but Devika is sure that this time round it will be better appreciated. Anish is also returning to an old love — very soon he will be anchoring a food show on DD-Metro. It seems that there is life after NBC!

Santro season
The sleek Santro from Korea’s Hyundai that was launched recently, has triggered off a competition in the small car segment. The car, that has no one else but Shahrukh Khan endorsing it, is aiming to make a dent in Maruti’s market share. Now how much it is succeeds in doing it, will be evident only when the hype surrounding it settles down.

The car, the standard model of which will be priced at about Rs 3.9 lakh in Chandigarh, would be available at the company’s showroom here.

The Santro offers a delightfully high driving position. It also has a multi-point fuel injection system which multi-balls in its four cylinders of the 999 CC engine, which develops 55 house power at the rate of 5,500 rpm and 8.4 K.G.M. of torque and rate of 2,500 rpm. So all ye seekers, shell out the dough and "Ye shall find." Bookings start October 8.

Late launch
National Geographic Channel had their official `launch’ at a gala affair at the Oberoi, last week. The party had live crooners, who murdered popular lyrics, food served in leaf plated and earthen sakoras, and an impressive guest list.

Special guests flew down from wherever in the world they were to grace the occasion. There was Greg Marshall, one of the best underwater film-makers around and Derek and Beverly Joubert, the ace wildlife photography couple, who enjoyed themselves.

Among the Mumbai celebrities spotted there were Dolly Thakore, Sony TV’s Raveena Raj Kohli, columnist Anish Trivedi, Prahlad Kakkar, and the entire MTV gang. The channel was aired, by the way, a good three months before they decided to throw this party.

D-day
The book that has been on the best-seller list for the better part of the year has finally made it’s way to the Indian market at an affordable price. The Day Diana Died by Christopher Andersen, hit the market yesterday. A moving tribute to the Princess as a human being, more than the style guru-celebrity she was, this book has people who have never spoken before, adding their glowing tributes to Lady Diana. At Rs 175, it is a collector’s item.

Clubbing it
It may be Navrati at the moment but that does not mean that Mumbai’s beautiful people are staying at home if the 1900s on Saturday night is anything to go by. All the usual party animals turned up to let their hair down. There was Panini Raj Kumar dancing away, by the bar were photographers Sumeet Chopra and Farrokh Chotia. Also seen were some young executives including The Ambassador Group’s Rahul (or Jimmy) Narang and Rina Shah (of Rinaldi shoe fame). After the dandiya, the disco is a must.

And finally…
At the opening of the Society exhibition, at the World Trade Centre, Amitabh Bachchan proved that even stars like to have fun while they go about their `public duties’. The Big B had to judge the best store in the exhibition, and he really seemed to enjoy the chance to wander around. So much so, that he even bought some of the products himself, while he was judging the stalls.