If you're in a relationship, I'm happy for you. Hope it's going well. But if you're single and battling the peer pressure of finding ‘the one’, my heart goes out to you. I'm a single cat lady. Men on the internet tell me that's a sad thing but I've never been happier. I think my cat may be the one for me.
I'm also an iPad kid who can't eat without a device in front of me. Currently, I'm watching Grace & Frankie on Netflix for maybe the fourth time. I love the idea of two old ladies living together in their 70s. The coming Friendship Day on Sunday got me thinking about how we place so much importance on finding love and ‘settling down’. I mean, even Friendship Day has got nothing on the entirety of Valentine's week where we romanticize, well, romance.
Love comes in all shapes and sizes and I wish there were as many songs about hanging out with friends as there are about breakups. We have a blindness when it comes to social relationships; we say, “I wish there was someone who likes the same things I like,” - and most time, we do. We just fail to acknowledge them because it's not a romantic relationship.
As someone who lives alone, I'd be really lonely if I didn't have friends to share reels with, go out for a smoke late at night and share Pinterest boards with, or even a furry little dude who thinks a hand over the blanket is just a hand but a hand under it is an enemy of the state. I hope friendship gets the same value that marriage does someday. Until then, don't forget to tell your friends you love them, even if it feels ‘cringe’. Need help planning a platonic date? Share playlists together, play some video games or attend an exhibition: our culture bulletin is full of ideas.
Homegrown Handpicked - July 2024
The Homegrown team are foragers at heart. Every month, we handpick a bunch of our favourite new tracks for you to check out. it's a deep dive into the freshest sounds that India has to offer. July gave us everything from laid-back, mystical folk to high-energy hip-hop that's making history for the country's music scene. We've got something for everyone. No matter what your freak is, we'll match it.
Listen to the playlist here.
The Desired Scaffold At Gallery XXL
The entirety of Vastu Shastra & Feng Shui is based on the dialogue we have with our spaces. If you've stepped out of your room to hang out in the living room when you're home alone you've experienced how our relationship with every space is so contextual and rooted in what it means to us. ‘The Desired Scaffold’ is a Mumbai exhibition that delves into the same profound connection between humans and the spaces they inhabit. It brings together a diverse group of artists who aim to explore how architecture shapes our identities and uncovers hidden narratives within our built environment.
Click here to find out when and where it's happening.
‘A La Tropique’ By Lecoanet Hemant
The Indo-French brand Lecoanet Hemant's just dropped its ‘A La Tropique’. A lush escape into a tropical paradise. It's Inspired by the exotic flora of a rainforest bursting with life. Bold prints of bamboo, palm leaves, and exotic flowers adorn fluid silhouettes, creating a sense of wild freedom. The designers' masterful blend of colours, from spring greens to deep purples, evokes the sun-drenched energy of the jungle.
Go through the collection here.
Detective Dotson By Masala Games
Join Detective Dotson in finding the truth about his father's mysterious death. Fair warning though, despite the criminal nature of this journey, you might end up in unassuming situations like a Bollywood dance-off, a wedding, or having to disguise yourself as a priest; nothing you can’t handle as an Indian. This homegrown video game with a mix of 2D and 3D graphics based on Indian pop culture is made by us, for us.
Read more about it here.
‘In My Room’ By Raqeeb
If you know the journey of sneaking into the kitchen to get snacks and going back to your room while avoiding the guests in the living room, you will have already understood what Raqeeb's new photo series is about. An exploration of identity and personal space, the series offers a raw and intimate look into the lives of individuals, capturing the essence of their true selves within the confines of their private sanctuaries: their rooms.
Check out the photo series here.
‘Basraa’ By Amama
An editorial campaign that'll make you feel right at home, Amama’s latest collection ‘Basraa’ draws upon our love for everything desi, from glass bottles of Maaza and Rooh Afza to treats like Kaju Katli, Boondi, a Jalebi, and even the beautiful magenta wrapping paper that many of us grew up seeing at the jewellers’. The campaign is an example of how powerful and moving culture-based aesthetics can be.
Learn about ‘Basraa' here.
Homegrown In Paris - Live Updates From The 2024 Olympics
Three bronze medals already! With 117 homegrown athletes representing India across 16 sports, there’s plenty of excitement to look forward to this year at the Paris Olympics. Catch up on what's happening with Homegrown's Live Blog that’s bringing you daily updates on India's incredible athletes as they compete on the world's biggest stage.
Click here to go to the blog.
If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
Has The Myth Of The 'Friend Zone' Ruined Platonic Friendship?
Tiger And Twig's Functional Lifestyle Accessories Intersect Sustainability & Style
Jayesh Sachdev's Reimagined Indian Olympics Uniform Concepts Are A Breath Of Fresh Air