The Trikaya store is a great spot to buy exotic flowers in the city. Think sunflowers, calla lilies and snapdragons. The best part is that they don’t leave a dent in the pocket. After this, it’s yoga and breakfast at The Yoga House in Bandra.
Price: Sunflowers INR 40 {4 pieces}, calla lilies INR 400 per bundle {10 pieces}
You know how glass cloches – those bell jar-shaped glass containers which can hold anything from a seedling to dessert – make anything look chic, right? Kamal Steel Emporium is the best place to buy mini glass cloches in the city because it’s really hard to find the kind I like in India. {Today I was picking up a batch of 12 for a display window}.
Price: INR 100 {small}, INR 125 {medium}, INR 150 {large}
A meeting in the studio to review the design of cement knobs made by the amazing folks at Bharat Flooring and Tiles. They can custom-make anything in cement. Imagine the joy of an interior decorator.
Price: INR 1,500 upwards
Timings: Sundays closed, Mondays to Fridays; 10am to 6.30pm, Saturdays; 10am to 2am
Find them on Facebook here and on Instagram here.
Check their website here.
Around noon, I make a quick stop to meet Akbar, the woodcarver in the line of stores along Mahim Causeway. One of the most talented woodcarvers I could recommend.
Price: On request
In the afternoon, I have a quick coffee meeting at Bad Cafe with Rooshad Shroff to review embroidery swatches on wood for his embroidered chairs. These chairs have very unusual and intricate detailed work which makes them one-of-a-kind.
Price: On request
Timings: Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 8pm
Find him on Facebook here and on Instagram here.
Check out the website here.
Back in the studio to eat lunch: a turkey socca roll from The Bombay Salad Company. Thank god for BSC and chef Karishma Dalal! This is followed by a conference call with lighting designer Nikhil Paul of Paul Matter to finalise patinas for some custom-design wall lights.
Price: On request
Contact them on info@paulmatter.com
Find them on Facebook here.
Check the website here.
In the afternoon, I head to Mahendra Doshi Antiques to source furnishings for a project. Found myself a pair of Pierre Jeanneret chairs. These chairs are a collectible’s delight, keeping intact the antique look. This is the best place in the city to find some genuine antiques. Another bonus: the view of the Arabian sea from their property is to die for.
#LBBTip: Find fantastic rare collectibles from ceramics, to mirrors and tribal art at this antique store.
Price: INR 5,000 upwards
Check out their website here.
I can’t be in Walkeshwar and not stop by at one of the best contemporary art galleries in the city, Jhaveri Contemporary. I’m still dreaming of the work by Rana Begum, that I will hopefully bring home soon.
Price: On request
Timings: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 6pm
Check their website here.
I picked up my copy of El Croquis, one of the best architecture magazines in the world, from the hole-in-the-wall bookstore, Mozeb. They have a great selection of design and architecture publications.
Price: INR 3,800 approximately
Timings: Mondays to Saturdays, 10am to 6pm
In the evening I head to pick up my custom t-shirts from Obataimu. In a city where basics are hard to find, Obataimu offers some incredible options for t-shirts, all custom-stitched. I may or may not be guilty of owning most of them.
Price: INR 1,500 upwards for T-shirts
Find them on Facebook here and on Instagram here.
Check their website here.
In this city of extremes, I find stores that sell basics are the best resources. My absolute favorite to buy home linen is DIT Shop. Made by nuns from missionaries from South India, they stock the most delicate table mats with the most intricate crochet techniques – this is just the beginning of linen haven. After this, I’m calling it a day with Kale salad and dirty martinis at The Table.
#LBBTip: This shop is more than 70 years old, and has an amazing collection of doilies and handkerchiefs.
Price: INR 150 upwards for handkerchiefs
Timings: Sundays closed; Mondays to Saturdays, 10am to 6pm
Check out Ravi Vazirani’s other Mumbai finds on his Instagram handle here.
