When the recent “cyclone blizzard” hit the east coast two weeks ago, I was casually exploring the cities of Austin and San Antonio in Texas with my friend. Neither one of us had planned our Texas trip with the intention to escape the cyclone. We just wanted a short, fun trip away from New Jersey.
Call it luck, but while others were braving the cold back home, my friend and I enjoyed one of the most memorable trips so far in our 20’s.
From exploring diverse art scenes and piano bars to even a cat cafe, our combined trip to Austin and San Antonio inspired me to compile a bucket list of items for future visitors to consider!
Austin Day 1
The smart thing to do was to secure an Airbnb close to the downtown Austin area. Within walking distance, we were close to a plethora of cute brunch places and coffee shops.
On day 1, we specifically chose to tackle the Texas State Capitol, Blanton Museum of Art, and the Museum of Weird (my favorite).
The Texas State Capitol
It covers a total of 51.4 acres and is a breathtaking National Historic Landmark. I didn’t expect to enjoy the aesthetics of the capitol as much as I did on our free tour. For those who yawn on historical tours and simply aren’t history-buffs, I would still recommend a visit here!
The Blanton Museum of Art
The museum is a part of the University of Texas and displays a myriad of different art pieces.
Missão/Missões [Mission/Missions] (How to Build Cathedrals), 1987
These were one of my favorites, by Cildo Meireles’s. This piece pictured critiques Jesuit missions to convert the indigenous Tupi-Guaraní people into Catholics (utexas.edu). The critique is depicted by the stark contrast from the tragedy (bones) and the pennies (material power).
The Museum of Weird
Now, this was a gallery of oddities and eccentric collections that peaked my interest. From shrunken heads and a well-preserved ice man to voodoo news clippings, this place has it all. I recommend getting the $12 tour, since during the end of it a certain “wizard” may give you a mind-reading surprise.
Day 2: San Antonio, Texas
Since we were spending a majority of our trip in Austin, Texas, we thought we should allocate one day for San Antonio to see the Alamo, The River Walk, The Natural Caverns, Tower of Americas, and much more! It’s also recommended that if you rent a car to explore the listed sights, you visit Buc-ee’s a convenience store you can only find in certain states including Texas!
The River Walk
If you come to San Antonio for a day and don’t visit the river walk, you are seriously missing out. Besides the cute neighboring restaurants and gondola rides, the river walk pathway serves as a beautiful photo shoot spot.
The Natural Caverns
The Natural Caverns are the largest active caverns in Texas. An interesting fact is that these caverns were discovered by students in the late 1960’s and are now one of the most well-known tourist sites in San Antonio.
The Alamo
The Alamo is famous for the 1836 battle in which a group of Texas soldiers defended the fort against the Mexican army for a total of 13 days. Although we did not tour the Alamo, the historical signs were enough for a self-guided tour.
The Tower of Americas
The Tower of Americas is about a 700 feet noteworthy landmark with an observation deck and revolving eatery. Besides the stellar views of San Antonio, you can also buy tickets for a 4D movie theater!
Day 3: Austin, Texas(Exploring the Hope Art Gallery and The Blue Cat Cafe)
The Hope Art Gallery
This is an outdoor modern art space with endless graffiti art. Whether you are with the family, friends, or even by yourself check this place out. There is no shortage of Instagram-worthy spots here.
The Blue Cat Cafe
Even if you are a dog lover, you should try to go to the Blue Cat Cafe. It’s a vegan cafe with probably the best tasting chai latte I have ever had. Think of it as a contemporary space that you can visit to get work done, hang out with friends, or even spend time with a significant other. The best part is you can play with the cats while you are there!
Day 4: Austin, Texas(Cute Brunch at Cenote, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Lady Bird Lake, Texas BBQ, and Esther Follies!)
Cenote, Austin’s Neighborhood Patio Cafe
It’s an all-day cafe that serves the tastiest breakfast tacos along with a wide selection of different beverages.
Umlauf Sculpture Garden
The Umlauf Sculpture Garden is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Austin. It is a quiet and serene sculpture park with works by Charles Umlauf, an accomplished artist who gained international attention for his creations.
Lady Bird Lake
They say every meal in Austin is double the serving of what you would get on the east coast. Therefore while enjoying all that Tex-Mex, the BBQ, and breakfast Tacos, it might be helpful to take a nature hike and burn some calories. After the sculpture garden visit, my friend and I walked near Lady Bird Lake. We were also able to take advantage of the path and view the Austin skyline as well.
Texas BBQ
I rarely eat BBQ. Not because I don’t like it, it’s just that I try to be health-conscious when it comes to meat. However, since I took a trip to Texas, I wasn’t going to let the opportunity of trying some authentic Texas BBQ go. My friend and I headed over to Lamberts in downtown Austin. There we had fantastic mac and cheese to complement our BBQ dishes. I chose their BBQ chicken, and it was delicious.
Esther’s Follies
The best way to wrap up this trip was to attend Esther’s Follies comedy/magic/satire show. It was unlike any other event I’ve been to—the actors were able to keep me intrigued for the full duration of the show. They do an amazing job depicting political figures and events in a satirical light, while also adding a musical touch and a magic show in the twist. I usually analyze magic tricks when I see them, but this time I was honestly baffled. It is worth every penny!
Overall my first trip to Texas was incredible. It is inevitable to think that the most note-worthy destinations are abroad in Europe or Asia. However, sometimes the most gratifying trips are domestic. I couldn’t have thought of a better 4-day trip to spend my travel points on.
Dhara Singh is currently a private banking analyst at J.P. Morgan. While graduating in May 2016 with a Finance/Supply Chain degree Dhara also finished a minor in African, Middle-Eastern, South Asian Languages and Literatures. When she isn’t spending time in the crazy world of business reporting and metrics, Dhara loves to write about everything from the most taboo topics in conservative societies to modern day issues about women empowerment. Ever since she was 7, Dhara has been keeping a journal of all her writing. Her other hobbies include re-reading/watching the Harry Potter movies, exploring the window shops of Brooklyn, and watching shows like Brown Nation, in which currently her favorite character is Balan.
Ever since we can recall, the Cannes Film Festival has been a merger of movies and glamour. On one side, there are hand-picked films — ready to premiere and make their mark in the world of entertainment — and on the other, audiences and paparazzi alike are served epic moments in fashion.
The festival, aimed to preview upcoming films from all over the world, invites a wide variety of guests that span the film fraternity, of course, but more recently, has opened its doors to many digital content creators, including renowned South Asian creatives.
With a more vast guest list comes a more recent debate: Cannes is a film festival and not a fashion showcase. Kickstarting the debate this year was none other than ace Bollywood director, Nandita Das, who in an Instagram post shared:
Sometimes people seem to forget that it is a festival of films and not of clothes!
In short, Das wants Cannes’ narrative to continue to focus on films.
But of course, there’s been a paradigm shift in the guest list over the last few years; this shift has allowed talents from various industries — including lifestyle content creators, entrepreneurs, etc., who showcase their work in fashion and beauty like fine masterstrokes — to walk the carpet and represent their craft, making space for others in their industry.
Influential names like Dolly Singh, Kaushal, Diipa Buller-Khosla, and Shivani Bafna — all of whom made a raging impact on the red carpet this year — weigh in on the significance of representing South Asian artists/influencers on the red carpet, and how they feel they’ve been part of this paradigm shift at Cannes Film Festival.
Diipa Buller-Khosla
I believe that each step we take at events like Cannes sends a powerful message of diversity, cultural richness, and artistic excellence. Representation matters, and the presence of South Asian creators on the red carpet at Cannes helps broaden the narrative of beauty, talent, and creativity. It allows us to showcase our unique perspectives, narratives, and contributions, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive industry. By actively participating and making our presence felt, we help create more opportunities and spaces for South Asian creators, encouraging others to share their stories with the world.
Since 2015, the first time I walked the red carpet, till this year I have always been invited by L’Oreal Paris, one of the main sponsors of the event. It has always been such an honor to be invited to the festival through the makeup brand that I have been using for almost two decades, and, before my social media career began. Personally, I feel a sense of acknowledgment from such a prestigious brand, and its head office teams that sponsor Cannes Film Festival, and value the work I have done and continue to do as a South Asian content creator within the beauty space. Makeup, hair, and beauty will always play a big role within the film industry and it’s something I have always created my content around which is why I am proud to attend.
This is a proud moment not just for me but also [for] my peers and the entire content creator ecosystem given that we have reached such new global stages and presence. Of course, as you said, such film festivals, once considered as an exclusive hub for a congregation of the finest acting talents have, in the last few years, opened their arms to more people from the entertainment industry.
This is not just a sudden phenomenon with a burst of Indian creators at the festival this year but there is increased participation from non-film and non-South Asian celebrities across various spectrums from different sides of the world. Along with the many filmmakers, actors, producers, etc I also met some amazing influencers and entrepreneurs from other sides of the world. It’s amazing to represent India and celebrate and champion the advent of the digital ecosphere on such a prominent platform.
The confluence of actors and creators signified the amalgamation of traditional cinema and new-age digital influence, highlighting the transformative power of creative expression and how festivals like Cannes have become more forthcoming and progressive in their approach.
Cannes, like any other prominent festival, boasts of a red carpet that is synonymous with fashion and glitz, and I wanted to use this opportunity to represent all the amazing Indian fashion designers on the carpet besides, of course, attending the screenings. As someone who is just not an influencer but also an actress, I thoroughly enjoyed all the red-carpet screenings and meeting like-minded film talent from around the world at the event. At some point in the future, I would like to be attending Cannes for a film I’ve featured in.
Creators are often placed into boxes of where they belong and the rooms they can be a part of. Being on the red carpet dismantles the ideology that there’s a cap on how far we, as creators and as a South Asian community, can go and what we can achieve.
The Cannes Film Festival has always been viewed as the epitome of a glamorous event — everyone who attends looks like they’re living their best lives. I used the platform to share an authentic message of what the experience felt like for me. To represent all of us who doubt our potential, experience imposter syndrome, and are nervous to find their place, yet continue to push through to achieve their dreams!
As the first Indian American influencer to walk at Cannes, I hope I can inspire young women to confidently ask, ‘Why not me?’
There’s no doubt that the Cannes Film Festival is centered around films, and continues to be a unique space for the global film fraternity to bring their art and showcase their aptitude. But, creators like Bafna, Singh, Buller-Khosla, and Kaushal — a special shoutout to Raja Kumari for being instrumental in paving the way as well — have their own set of responsibilities to fulfill upon their invitation to the prestigious event. Their will to represent their South Asian identities, celebrate their industries, and continue to hold space for their peers makes their presence at Cannes more than just clothes.
All images in the featured photo are from the influencers’ Instagram feeds.
July 23, 2023July 28, 2023 3min readBy Shezda Afrin
If I DM my friends a bunch of videos on any given day, one of them is almost always an Ankush Bahuguna reel. When I first stumbled upon his content, I saw him as an actor and a comedian, lifting our mood up during the lockdown one video at a time. However, his day-to-day content is more than just that — Bahuguna is changing the landscape of the beauty industry by making (and holding) space for men who aspire to be makeup artists and who have a passion for all things beauty.
Content creator, makeup enthusiast, actor: Which title do you resonate with the most? And, why?
A creator is the word I’d resonate with the most — that’s what got me here — creating comedy, creating beauty content. Even as an actor, I’m very collaborative. I tend to weave nuances around a character and make it my own. I believe, no matter what you do, your work should be unique to you and that can only happen when you build it up yourself.
How did “Wing it with Ankush” come about?
Till three years ago, I used to work for a media house that had a whole team of stylists and MUAs working on every shoot. So when the world went into lockdown, I realized I would have to don all those hats myself. I used to [regularly] shoot videos with my mother and she didn’t know anything about makeup either. So I had to try my hand at it — I would do her makeup and we’d shoot videos together. Soon I realized how much I enjoyed learning a new skill from scratch. I used to paint as a kid, so makeup just somehow made sense. It felt like even though I had a whole lot to learn, it came naturally to me. I decided I would journal these experiments [on] a ‘secret’ page called Wing it With Ankush so that I can look back at it five years from now and see what I was up to [during] lockdown. I didn’t tell anyone about it. But people eventually discovered it and there was no looking back!
One word for gender stereotypes?
One word: Ingrained. It’s so deeply ingrained in us that we find it hard to just accept people the way they are.
How is (or isn’t) India evolving in terms of stereotypes?
We are definitely evolving. It’s a slow process but there’s hope. There’s a long way to go and for starters, I wish people could give non-cis people as much respect, appreciation, and credit, as they give to cis people like me, especially in the beauty space.
Must-have makeup products for men?
Makeup ‘must-haves’ are very subjective across all genders. Some people can’t do without a full face of makeup, while others could care less. I feel nothing is a must-have. [D]on’t wear makeup because you feel you need to, wear it only if it makes you feel good. My must-haves would be a color corrector, concealer, and powder.
Favorite makeup hack ever:
My favorite makeup hack is to underpaint. Apply bronzer and blush before your foundation. It’s so much more natural looking.
Let’s talk about your career in entertainment. What does comedy mean to you?
Comedy is a defense mechanism for me. It’s also self-expression, to be honest. That’s how I go about my day — finding humor in mundane things. Comedy is how I see life.
Beauty Influencer Of The Year Male (Popular Choice) — Ankush Bahuguna! Congratulations! You left your audience with these words in your Instagram post: “There’s always been too much self-doubt and too little self-worth.” How does one overcome that feeling of self-doubt?
As someone who has grown up constantly feeling inadequate, it’s difficult for me to not give in to self-doubt, literally every day. But I guess the idea is to be as kind and forgiving to yourself as you are to others. If you’ve come this far, you must’ve done something right. Right?
We can’t deny that Ankush Bahuguna is going out of his way to put a smile on our faces with his day-to-day content — reels, photos, Insta stories, and more! All while paving a new path for himself and, like we mentioned before, holding space for those who aspire to be them one day. Ankush continues to push the envelope one makeup tutorial at a time, showing the modern world that it’s time to take men in makeup seriously because they’re here to stay!
The featured image is courtesy of Dream N Hustle Media.
January 27, 2023February 1, 2023 2min readBy Sandeep Panesar
The results are in — the Pantone Color for 2023 is here — and it looks like Viva Magenta will be ruling runways, the streets, and (even) your wardrobes.
Viva Magenta is a deep shade of red, and Pantone describes it:
Brave and fearless.
It’s meant to be celebratory, and joyous, and encourage experimentation. If you were thinking of toning it down a notch with your wardrobe in 2023, it’s time to think again. It can really be your time to shine in something bright and colorful!
Aprajit Toor, Arpita Mehta, and Rahul Khanna break it down for you — what to wear, how to pair, and everything in between. Their takes on the Pantone Color for 2023 are simple but they’ll help you make a bold statement anywhere you go!
Take a look at what they have to say.
Rahul Khanna of Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna:
Viva Magenta is a color that suits all skin tones. It’s a color for all occasions; women and men can both wear this color with [the] right styling. Cocktail saris, jumpsuits, and reception gowns are some great options for women whereas, for men, the color has started picking up a lot lately. Men have started experimenting with their looks and we as designers have more options for men as well. Recently, we made a custom-made silk velvet fit for Ranveer Singh in the same color. Apart from your everyday clothing, Viva Magenta is also going to be the ruling shade for the upcoming wedding season.
The best way to do Viva Magenta in your everyday wardrobe is to go top to bottom in [it]. Be it in co-ord sets or a kaftan or any comfortable outfit. It’s such a bold & beautiful color that it looks the best when it’s self on self rather than teaming it up or breaking it with another color.
Aprajita Toor:
Viva Magenta is a very powerful and empowering color that descends from the red family. It is an animated red that encourages experimentation and self-expression without restraint; an electrifying shade [that] challenges boundaries. One can easily incorporate this color by picking a statement footwear, bag, or jewelry in Viva Magenta which can be paired with neutral or monotone colored outfits.
And there you have it — three ways you can easily take a vibrant hue and turn it into something you can wear every day. Take cues from these top designers on how to wear the Pantone Color of the year and get started! We’d love to see how you style Viva Magenta!
Dhara Singh is currently a private banking analyst at J.P. Morgan. While graduating in May 2016 with a Finance/Supply Chain degree Dhara also finished a minor in African, Middle-Eastern, South Asian Languages and Literatures. When she isn’t spending time in the crazy world of business reporting and metrics, Dhara loves to write about everything from the most taboo topics in conservative societies to modern day issues about women empowerment. Ever since she was 7, Dhara has been keeping a journal of all her writing. Her other hobbies include re-reading/watching the Harry Potter movies, exploring the window shops of Brooklyn, and watching shows like Brown Nation, in which currently her favorite character is Balan.
