Whitewashed walls, the sea and the sky beyond are the perfect backdrop to an impressive collection of art in the recently refurbished and stylish yet child friendly home of art collector and gallery owner Penny Patel.
I drive past gallerist Penny Patel’s home at least twice a day, but this quaint apartment is so discretely tucked away behind an apartment block facing one of the busiest streets in South Mumbai that I had no idea it existed. “Walk straight past the main building,” I was told, “down a flight of stairs, and take a right at the chikoo tree.” So I did, and there it was—right by a bush of bright fuchsia bougainvillea. And to think that I’ve lived in the neighbourhood for more than 30 years.
The disbelief continues as I walk through a white porch, with mosaic tiles and stained glass, to an arched doorway. There is no door bell. Even stranger, for a Mumbai home on the ground floor, the door isn’t locked. As I stand there wondering how to announce my arrival, I’m greeted enthusiastically by Penny and her real-estate developer husband, Sanjeev.
The view as you walk in is hard to ignore—there, in its full glory, is the Arabian Sea, punctuated by palm trees, their necks craning up to the sun.
Urban oasis
The seaside is clearly a huge part of Ghana-born Penny’s life. Her childhood was filled with happy memories of her parents and brother on the beaches of West Africa, where her parents still live. Though she met her husband Sanjeev in Mumbai, when they decided to get married, it was on the beaches of Goa that they finally did.
This spacious four-bedroom home is one of a maze of apartments on a seafront estate called the White House, which has been in Sanjeev’s family for generations. “My grandfather, who was a pioneer of the film processing business, bought it from a cousin of the Tatas. Over the years, as the family has grown, the cousins have moved into private apartments of their own,” explains Sanjeev.
Bu hikaye VOGUE India dergisinin August 2016 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye VOGUE India dergisinin August 2016 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
