One festival to attend
Lollapalooza India: Global music phenomenon Lollapalooza will make its Asia debut in 2023 with a grand edition in Mumbai. The two-day extravaganza will feature over 40 artistes, including Cigarettes After Sex, Imagine Dragons, Bloodwood, Divine, Jackson Wang, Prateek Kuhad, and Japanese Breakfast, among many others. On January 28-29 at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai.
One garden trend to follow
New Victorian: After Netflix’s Bridgerton made it trendy, the New Victorian trend will define how gardens look in 2023. Think roses, lilac, hydrangeas, hollyhocklaid preening in abundant lushness. Slightly similar to the cottage garden trend, New Victorian is better organised. Its distinctly feminine palette of pink, purple and white flowers and delicate foliage brings romance and classicism to landscaping.
One film to watch
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3: The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise comes to a close with the departure of Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (played by Chris Pratt) from the Marvel Cinematic universe. The guardians embark on their final mission on Knowhere to rescue one of their own. Expected to release on May 5.
One vaccine to watch out for
RSV vaccine: RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is the most common cause of acute lower respiratory infection among young children. According to The Lancet, it was responsible for more than one lakh deaths in children under five worldwide in 2019.
The world’s first-ever RSV vaccine is likely to hit the markets in 2023 with Pfizer and Sanofi pulling ahead in the race. In November 2022, the European Commission also granted the first approval worldwide to Sanofi and AstraZeneca to develop the long-acting antibody Nirsevimab, which prevents RSV in infants.
One gadget to buy
Light-powered headphones: Edgy headphones from Adidas and Urbanista make the plug point redundant. All the charge they need comes from light, indoors or outside. It takes just 20 minutes of charging for this piece of ear joy to give an hour’s playing time. Even when the lights go out, they effortlessly keep the music going with up to 80 hours of playback time.
One app to download
Glass: Instagram’s nemesis is here. This novel photo-sharing platform simplifies digital life by focusing on pictures; no irritating ads or intrusive data tracking. No more impersonal ‘likes’ either, users have to appreciate posts. The fact that it is subscription-based means Glass is for serious photophiles.
One tattoo to get
Micro-realism: If tattoos are your love and hyper-realism your thing, give micro-realism a go. Thanks to upgrades in ink and tattoo machines, this super-cool style allows artists to draw designs than are smaller than ever. The use of gradual shading, layering and less-defined outlines also give these tattoos a photorealistic look.
One home décor item to flaunt
Casual nostalgia: Have your grandmother’s antique silver paandaan or your grandfather’s seashell-mounted magnifying glass lying around? This is the right time to hotdog them. Nostalgia is the in-vogue décor trend for 2023. Don’t try too hard; that heirloom photo frame or grandma’s hand-embroidered
hawl must be placed around your living room casually.
One fashion accessory to show off
Oversized bags: Ego or compensation? Who cares? Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2023 collection at Paris Fashion Week has established that epic proportions are back. Go to Instagram for tote truth; Bella Hadid’s mega Chanel bag and the big hangers-on from Balenciaga show that mini bags are sweating the small stuff.
One book to read
Victory City by Salman Rushdie: Down but never out, Rushdie’s latest novel is an allegory of India and the feminine principle set in a fantastical southern kingdom where young girl Pampa Kamana becomes a vessel for divine will and builds a glorious city where power play and hubris are ancient atavisms. Here divine mysteries are supplanted by man’s banality.
One upskilling course to take
RPA: In the age of accelerated growth and workplace transformation, RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is galloping ahead. It allows companies and individuals to digitise their systems and processes, thus improving productivity and efficiency. By atomising mundane and menial tasks, or responding to big demand spikes, robots save costs, and reduce the scope for error. Especially useful for software engineers, software testing and IT professionals, RPA courses are offered both online and offline.
One car to buy
Kia Sportage Hybrid: 2023 will see a rise in the luxury car segment with ‘functionality’ as the keyword. Expected to launch in July, with a starting price range of Rs 25 lakh, this roomy fifth-generation crossover SUV seats five and wears a sharper face, thanks to its longer body. The heated windshield is a boon during the monsoons and winter.
One beauty hack to try
Powdered eyelashes: Sticky eyelashes are cringe. Like a coat of foundation stopping lip colour from bleeding, a dab of powder on eyelashes will prevent a mascara mess. The trick is to dust them with baby talc or even regular powder, but after applying a coat of mascara first. Hold for a few seconds and reapply mascara.
One career to choose
Chief Metaverse Officer: A job profile that sounds equal parts precise and vague is all too real and has fast become a buzzword. Chief Metaverse Officer is a perfect fit for professionals with a keen grasp of the Web 3.0 ecosystem who are willing to deploy a holistic brand engagement in the Meta universe. A new-age digital confluence of market management, strategy development and brand intelligence is what best describes the scope of a worthy CMO.
One experience to cherish
Dark Sky Reserve, Hanle: Looking for a window to the universe? Head to Hanle in Ladakh. Situated at an altitude of 4,500m, it hosts the Indian Astronomical Observatory and is now home to the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve, which got notified in 2022. The area will be now accessible to the general public throughout the year. The best time to visit is from March to October; for a spectacular view of the cosmos, plan your trip around the new moon day.
One well-being trend to embrace
Self-Settling: Much like the Danish hygge, self-settling is a mental regulation technique of taking a step back from the daily chaos and “settling in” with contentment. Wellness experts believe this approach nurtures inner minimalism and lets you accept reality as it is, rather than how you think it should be. Self-settling can be aligned with mindful practices such as meditation, guided imagery or light activity to induce restfulness.
Corrigendum: S Vaidhyasubramaniam’s column in the December 25 edition (’Statutory Straightener for Terminological Twist’) has been withdrawn because of factual inaccuracies. The error is regretted.