Into the art of the heart

Like Alice stepping through the looking glass, I walked into a wonderland where art and luxury danced together in kaleidoscopic color, graphic art, funky furniture creating a haven away from the real world.

It was Mahesh Notandas who many years ago first orchestrated the romance between Bollywood luminaries and his collections — creating those iconic mother-daughter vignettes — and now his daughter Vandana has painted her own magical canvas. Her high tea was a delicious rebellion against convention — edgy art flirted with painted mirrors, while graffiti-adorned walls whispered stories of creativity unleashed. Even the hors d'oeuvres were artistic installations, with playful Lego pieces sprinkled around the bar, and coffee tables all celebrating her manifesto: "A legacy of creating the fine art of living."

She's transformed a wing of their ancestral home into something straight out of a fashion fairytale - a salon-studio where her personal artworks hold court alongside couture handbags and clothes, crowned by her signature jewelry collection. The boudoir she's designed is a treasure chest of artistic delights — her own creations mingling with commissioned pieces by kindred artistic souls. I discovered works by Riddhi Khosla and Sanuj Birla sharing space with rare handbags and bling dresses, while artsy shoes posed on shelves next to a well-worn Basquiat book (ah, a fellow devotee!).

What I thought would be a quick hello to my dear friend Deepa Jagwani turned into an evening of enchantment. "Life is indeed a smorgasbord of magical art- if only we could see it that way we'd live it with more gusto" - these words flowed from my heart onto her white Porsche, joining a chorus of graffiti from other guests, each adding their own splash of philosophy to this four-wheeled canvas!

Suburban stories

The week whisked me to Bandra - though can we still call it the suburbs when it's become Mumbai's beating heart? Dhanika Popley and her husband's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary was to be a six pm sundowner. Rushing across town at 7 pm, convinced I was fashionably late, I found myself among the first arrivals - so typically Mumbai!

The Photo Booth became everyone's favorite storyteller, instantly printing memories while they were still warm. What touched me most was how the hosts greeted each guest with genuine warmth — a refreshing change from recent gatherings where some hosts seemed more interested in their own photo sessions.

Buzzy and breezy

But my heart truly soared at Manali Kamat's Sea Breeze Festival in Dadar. As dawn painted the sky, crowds already buzzed with excitement as I cut the ceremonial ribbon alongside Manisha Mahatre of Saroj Sweets and lit their inaugural lamp as her chief guest. The festival's true magic lay in its embrace of budding entrepreneurs and artists still waiting to bloom. I discovered a gem in a young entrepreneur Arpita Nadkarni, whose innovative gifts captured my imagination — and my order for 100 pieces! Her eyes sparkled with the kind of enthusiasm that makes Mumbai's entrepreneurial spirit legendary.

As January unfolds, being part of these kaleidoscopic celebrations feels like the universe's way of whispering promises of abundance. From avant-garde art soirées to heartwarming anniversaries and grassroots festivals, each event has been a reminder that magic isn't found — it's created, one moment at a time.

(Write to Nisha at nishjamwal@gmail.com)