Pretty as a picture 

If Laila Khan Furniturewalla has been missing from the social scene, it is because she is sitting pretty in New York, where you are likely to bump into half Mumbai’s swish set these days.

But unlike the holidaymakers, she is busy with her exhibition at one of the premier art galleries in Chelsea.

The exhibition opened recently with a well-attended soiree, where she was introduced to the cognoscenti alongwith her fellow artists whose eclectic works are part of the display.

Laila, who has moved to gold leaf and pigments on her canvases, is receiving able support form her husband Farhan who has been by his wife’s side. That’s some call of duty!

  Tale piece 

Deepak Turbhekar

Babus have always had a weakness for their sarkari bungalows. And the sprawling bungalow A-10 sitting pretty opposite the Mantralaya has been the hotbed of much drama.

It was originally assigned to J P Dange, the former chief secretary of the state, who was in office till January 2011.
 
However, following a difference of opinion with the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan over several issues, Dange was asked to vacate the bungalow and make way for the new chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad.

Dange, who had dug in his heels, despite Gaikwad producing a circular saying the bungalow had been assigned to the new office bearer, managed to hold on to the residence till Gaikwad too finished his term.

Things however came to a head when the current chief secretary Jayant Banthia took charge and demanded that he be allowed to function from A-10. A notice to vacate, effective June 26 has been issued.
 
But yesterday when Banthia and his team were planning to go on an impromptu inspection of the bungalow, they were outsmarted yet again by Dange. It seems, he had locked up the premises and left the city. Banthia and the CM have to wait until Dange decides to return to face the music.