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NDTV
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Where To Eat In Pondicherry If You Are Not Just Here For The Photos
You can blame Instagram for the post-pandemic rush of visitors to Pondicherry in the 2020s. Travellers no longer just drive in from Chennai or Bengaluru for the weekend - they arrive from all over India, drawn to the photogenic charm of this former French colony. The French Quarter (also known as White Town) has become the epicentre for content creators who have already marked out the best photo spots. Think bougainvillaea-draped yellow villas and sun-dappled streets, especially around Romain Rolland Street. It is here, on this iconic street, that you will now find Pondicherry's newest lifestyle cafe. Chennai's beloved Ciclo Cafe has opened in Upasana - a century-old French villa that comes with more than just retro architecture. Ang Lee's Life of Pi pushed Pondicherry onto the global map yet again with four Oscar wins and eleven nominations. Upasana, which features in the film as Pi's childhood home, has been one of Pondy's most photographed buildings ever since. We round up some of the best cafes in Pondicherry - places that double up as lifestyle destinations and serve more than just good coffee and dessert. Whether you are here for French toast or artisanal cocktails, White Town's cafe scene is all about slow living with great flavour. Also Read: Pondicherry: This French-Inspired Indian Town Will Make You Hit The Brakes On Life Looking For The Best Cafes In Pondicherry? Start With These Favourites: 1. Ciclo Cafe Ciclo Cafe is the latest entrant in a town known for its laidback cafe culture - places where breakfast at 11 am and lunch at 4 pm are perfectly acceptable. Set in a restored villa and spread across 7,000 sq. ft., Ciclo's Pondy outpost unfolds over two levels. Most diners are drawn to the upper floor, which offers sweeping views of the street below - the perfect setup for living your best Pondy life. The menu includes signature dishes like fig bruschetta, mutton biryani and thin-crust pizzas. The highlight, however, might be their small-batch ice creams - do try the Nutella or Pistachio. The cafe also serves hearty brunches and gourmet coffee. Location: Rue Romain Rolland 2. The Spot The yellow exterior wall of this cafeis one of Pondicherry's most Instagrammed backgrounds. But step inside and there is more - rooftop views of the Bay of Bengal, a laidback vibe and a menu that jumps between Italian and Indian. The Pain Perdu (that is French toast, in case you are wondering) and Tiramisu are worth ordering, as are the wood-fired pizzas and Pondicherry-style chicken curry. Location: Dumas Street 3. Coromandel Cafe Brought to life by the team behind Chennai's Amethyst, this stylish cafe is set in a pastel-hued French villa called La Maison Rose. With vintage Athangudi tiles underfoot and lush greenery all around, it is a mood. The menu blends European dishes with Indian accents, there are also seasonal specials and hand-crafted cocktails. Location: Rue Romain Rolland Also Read: 6 Of Pondicherry's Best Outdoor Dining Spaces 4. La Villa This restaurant is part of the boutique hotel La Villa and is tucked into a 19th-century mansion. The garden setting and columned arches give it a colonial-era feel. While the menu leans towards French fine dining, the kitchen uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Choose from à la carte dishes or go for the Chef's tasting menu if you are in the mood for something elaborate. Location: Rue Surcouf 5. Anthe Located close to the Rock Beach (as locals call it), Anthe is one of Pondicherry's newest fine dining restaurants. Opened in late 2023, it features four distinct seating areas, including an alfresco garden space. The menu covers a wide range - from fresh catch of the day to decadent desserts. Anthe comes alive in the evenings, making it an ideal dinner spot. Location: Rue Romain Rolland Also Read: Ironhill India Bangalore: Where Craft Beer Meets Culinary Delights And Good Vibes 6. Bread & Chocolate If you have ever been to Auroville, you know Bread & Chocolate. The White Town outpost brings that same energy, simple, high-quality bakes and croissants that rival anything you will find in Paris. The Pain au chocolat is possibly the best in town and pairs beautifully with their hand-brewed coffees. Also worth trying: the house-made sourdough and rich chocolate spreads. Location: Marine Street, near Aurobindo Ashram 7. Le Petit Four Pondicherry may have had French influence for centuries, but it took a while for proper Paris-style macarons to arrive. Le Petit Four finally fixed that. This charming little bakery serves up the finest macaroons, baguettes, croissants and sandwiches. A must-stop for anyone craving an authentic French pastry experience. Location: La Bourdonnais Street Advertisement About Ashwin Rajagopalan I am the proverbial slashie - a content architect, writer, speaker and cultural intelligence coach. School lunch boxes are usually the beginning of our culinary curiosity hasn't waned. It's only got stronger as I've explored culinary cultures, street food and fine dining restaurants across the world. I've discovered cultures and destinations through culinary motifs. I am equally passionate about writing on consumer tech and travel. For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Pondicherry Pondicherry Guide Cafes Show full article Comments
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The History of Sound review: Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor's gay romance is 'too polite'
In this period drama, premiering at Cannes, two of Hollywood's buzziest male actors play lovers making music together – but the film could do with far more passion and urgency. Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain was released 20 years ago, but there haven't been many period dramas about same-sex romances since. In a way, then, The History of Sound must count as a daring project: an expensive Hollywood film in which two of cinema's buzziest male actors are cast as gay lovers. Subject matter aside, though, it's an oddly old-fashioned and conventional work. If you'd never heard of its stars, Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, you could easily mistake it for a long-lost film made by some Merchant Ivory impersonators in the 1980s or 90s. Mescal plays Lionel, a Kentucky farm boy who is raised in a shack in the early years of the 20th Century. As well as having perfect pitch, Lionel supposedly has a remarkable singing voice – and although Mescal's singing never sounds any better than anyone else's in the film, the character's talents are enough to earn him a place in a Boston conservatory. This is just one of the many advancements that come implausibly easily to him. Just as easily, the shy Lionel falls into a relationship with the arch and confident David (O'Connor), a composition student with a taste for folk music. Their problem-free romance continues until David is drafted to fight in World War One and Lionel has to return to his family farm. But in 1919 (every date is there on the screen, so we don't get lost), David invites Lionel to go on a song-collecting field trip with him. The pair will roam around the scenic countryside for weeks, recording folk ballads on wax cylinders, and sleeping under canvas, where they can have tasteful, un-explicit sex, with no apparent worries about prejudice or danger. Still, this blissful camping holiday can't last forever, so Lionel will have to decide what to do in the years ahead. Settle down with David in a minor college? Move to Europe where he is sure to be lauded as a great chorister? Or take over the farm from his aged parents. To be honest, all three options look pretty enviable. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, the maker of Moffie and Living, The History of Sound is one of those too-beautiful period dramas in which every house is spotlessly clean, even in the backwoods, and every costume is immaculately tailored and richly coloured. Never mind his singing, Lionel's most impressive gift seems to be his ability to find the ideal suit-and-tie combination for every occasion. Aesthetics aside, life goes too smoothly for him for the film to pluck the heartstrings with any force. Lionel may have some doubts about his feelings for David, but he never seems ruffled. Mescal and O'Connor are nuanced and charismatic, and it's amazing that an Irish actor and English actor should play these most American of roles so flawlessly, but The History of Sound doesn't probe beneath the attractive surface of its star-crossed lovers. It chronicles their lives slowly and steadily through the 1920s, but it doesn't find any urgency until what seems to be the final scene – but then it turns out that there are several more scenes afterwards, and they all seem to be the final scene, too. The screenplay by Ben Shattuck is adapted from his own short story, and yet, with its leisurely pace and multiple endings, the film feels longer than its two-hour running time. It's left to the melancholy ballads of heartbreak and grief to provide the piercing emotion that is lacking elsewhere. The most romantic sequence has Lionel and David walking through the woods, harmonising exquisitely without any preparation, so it's a shame that such songs are missing for so much of this polite and polished film. The irony is that Lionel makes a speech about why he likes folk music: it's because it's impassioned, raw and messy. The History of Sound is none of those things. ★★☆☆☆ -- For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Movies on Streaming: ‘A Minecraft Movie,' ‘Snow White' + More
Did you miss some of this year's most-talked-about movies when they came out in theaters? Not to worry, they're arriving this week on VOD. Hits like A Minecraft Movie and Snow White are new to digital, along with dozens of other great titles. Another title we're excited for is The Wedding Banquet which is also available to stream this week. In the film, a remake of the 1993 Ang Lee movie, Han Gi-Chan stars as Min, a gay Korean man living in Seattle whose friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) agrees to marry him so he can get a green card after his boyfriend Chris (Bowen Yang) refuses to commit. The whole plot blows up when Min's grandmother – who doesn't know Min is gay and that the marriage is fake – arrives to throw a massive celebratory wedding banquet and the ruse is discovered, and everyone's secrets spill out into the open. These are just a few of the films that are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, YouTube, and through your cable service this week. Check out what movies are available to buy or rent on demand now. L-l-l-ava! Ch-ch-ch-chicken! The movie that your kids can't stop singing along with is now available for you all to watch and sing along with at home. (Whether you throw your snacks at the screen is up to you.) A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge and Danielle Brooks, has made its way to VOD this week, and in case you've been living under a giant, block-shaped rock, you'd know that the movie is the first (but perhaps not the last) film adaptation of the best-selling video game. WHERE TO WATCH A MINECRAFT MOVIE Disney's live-action Snow White movie has been many years in the making and plagued by various controversies, and now, after a theatrical run, it's coming to digital. Rachel Zegler stars as an innocent young princess who becomes roommate to seven computer-generated men after her mean stepmother keeps trying to get her to engage in creepy beauty contest. Watch the movie, or for added entertainment just skim through the 125,000+ comments on the YouTube trailer. WHERE TO WATCH SNOW WHITE The Heiress and the Handyman Ileana's Smile A Minecraft Movie The Wedding Banquet Snow White Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy The Lost Princess Topakk Solitude The Featherweight The Severed Sun Hunting Grounds Desert Dawn The Rhythm The Uninvited Bound (2025) A Breed Apart V13 Burner Mulan Princess Warrior Off Season The Darkside of Society Silent Partners Meme Gods Southern Village What you see above is just a portion of the new movies and shows you can watch this month if you've got more than one streaming service subscription. We update our guides to the new releases on the most popular streaming platforms every month, so you can stay on top of the freshest titles to watch. Here are full lists, schedules, and reviews for everything streaming: New on Netflix this month New on Amazon Prime this month New on Hulu this month New on Disney+ this month New on Max this month New on Paramount+ this month New on Peacock this month New on Starz this month New on Acorn TV this month New on BritBox this month New on Tubi this month Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
At the Movies for 14 May 2025
Simon Morris checks out two films based on well-known material - just not well-known by him! Irish film Lies we tell is a 19th century thriller, The wedding banquet is a remake of one of Ang Lee's first films. He also previews the upcoming French Film Festival Aotearoa. Lies We Tell tells the story of an heiress whose shady uncle plans to get hold of her fortune by forcing her to marry his son. It was a big winner at the Irish Film Awards, including best actress for star Agnes O'Casey (Small Things Like These) The wedding banquet is a remake of the 1993 crowd-pleaser, written and directed by Ang Lee. This one stars Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Joan Chen (Twin Peaks). Fergus Grady, Director of the French Film Festival Aotearoa, previews this year's programme - a star-studded affair featuring Sarah Bernhardt, Charles Aznavour, Marie Antoinette, the Count of Monte Cristo, Laure Calamy, two films about art thieves and the story behind Ravel's "Bolero"! To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Gold House Celebrates the Most Impactful Asian Pacific and Multicultural Leaders at the Fourth Annual Gold Gala
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / May 13, 2025 / Gold House, the home of collective power where global leaders unite to change culture, hosted its fourth annual Gold Gala at the historic Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. Convening over 600 of the most influential Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders across industries, the Gold Gala celebrated special honors for indelible cultural change, as well as the 2025 A100 List of the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders over the past year. Program highlights included: Ang Lee, Academy Award-winning director, received the Gold Legend Honor to multiple standing ovations, presented by filmmaker James Sweeney, filmmaker and screenwriters Nisha Ganatra and Andrew Ahn, and Academy Award-winning producer Samantha Quan, recognizing his extraordinary achievements in cinema and his role in elevating Asian Pacific stories to global Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion was honored with the One House Honor, with members of Multi-platinum Music Group, Far East Movement (James Roh and Kevin Nishimura) presenting, for her unwavering support of Asian Pacific culture and creatives through music collaborations, fashion looks, TV/film projects, and anime Ishihara, CEO of the Pokémon Company, alongside Pikachu, was awarded the Gold Legend Honor, presented by Comedian and Actor, Naomi Watanabe, for shaping a multi-generational cultural phenomenon that transcends Jin Lee, New York Times best-selling author of Pachinko, accepted the Gold Legend Honor, presented by Award-winning Actress and Producer, Sandra Oh, and Award-winning Filmmaker, Lee Isaac Chung, celebrating her literary achievements and impact on global commemorate the 25th anniversary of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Zhang Ziyi accepted the Gold Generation Award on behalf of the cast and director, which was presented by Academy President Janet Yang, Chairman and CEO of East West Bank, Dominic Ng, and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Amy cast and directors of Moana 2, including Auli'i Cravalho, Dana Ledoux Miller, and Dave Derrick Jr., were celebrated with the Gold Ensemble Honor, presented by actress Brenda Song, actress and star of The Wedding Banquet, Kelly Marie Tran, and actress from the upcoming Sony film, Karate Kid: Legends, Ming-Na Wen, for their groundbreaking representation of Pasifika received the Billboard Gold Music Honor from CEO of Billboard, Mike Van, and Award-winning Filmmaker, Kogonada, recognizing her profound artistic impact in contemporary music and anticipation of her forthcoming album. She performed a stunning acoustic set of her newest single from her forthcoming album, Silver .Paak was awarded the Gold Mogul Honor, with rapper and actor Jonnie "Dumbfoundead" Park presenting for his multi-hyphenated success spanning music, film, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. Also known as DJ Pee .Wee, .Paak DJ'd the Billboard Founders Party with a live trumpet and started the celebrity Karaoke Room with Tayme M. Chu, Gold House co-founder and #GoldOpen movement pioneer, received the A1 in Entertainment and Media for his historic accomplishments directing Wicked and its anticipated sequel, Wicked: For Good, presented by Academy President Janet Yang, two decade-long friend and collaborator actor-dancer Harry Shum Jr., and filmmaker mentee and actor-musician, Hayley Srinivas was recognized with the A1 in Business and Technology, awarded by CEO of Business Insider, Barbara Peng, Managing Partner at Kleiner Perkins, Mamoon Hamid, and General Partner of Gold House Ventures, Eric Feng, for Perplexity's groundbreaking leadership in democratizing access to the world's Mukherjee received the honor for A1 in Fashion, Lifestyle, and Fine Arts for his visionary creativity and commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship from Prabal USA athletes and gold medalists Suni Lee, Lee Kiefer, Chuck Aoki, and Torri Huske were celebrated with the A1 in Sports and Gaming, presented by Five-time Olympian and Co-Founder of Saysh and Always Alpha, Allyson Felix, and Olympic Gymnast, Jordan Chiles, honoring their historic achievements at the Paris 2024 Olympic LA Wildfire Heroes, represented by Ann Lee of CORE and Natalie Tran of CAA Foundation, were honored with the A1 in Social Impact, with Chrissy Teigen and Television Star and Style Expert, Tan France, acknowledging their bravery, resilience, and dedication to rebuilding Los Angeles after this year's devastating were treated to an exclusive first-look at the upcoming Apple Original series "Chief of War," starring, executive produced and written by Jason Momoa, and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on August 1. The world premiere of the teaser trailer was presented by actor Luciane Buchanan, Executive Producer Doug Jung, and Executive Producer and Co-Creator Thomas Pa'a Atsuko Okatsuka was joined by the cast of "Deli Boys", Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Poorna Jagannathan to share an exclusive first-look of Atsuko's new comedy special "Father", which premieres on Hulu on June also saw a sneak peak of Amazon MGM Studios' upcoming documentary "Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop" which will be streaming globally on Prime Video May Koshy brought guests back from intermission with a hilarious sketch. Additional notable attendees included: Mindy Kaling, Daniel Dae Kim, H.E.R., John Legend, Agnez Mo, Alex and Maia Shibutani, Alysa Liu, Amanda Nguyen, Anjula Acharia, Bryan Greenberg, Carol Lim, Chloe Flower, Chloe Kim, Daniel Martin, E-40, Eileen Gu, Elodie Yung, Eric Nam, Eugene Lee Yang, Humberto Leon, Jamie Chung, Jeannie Mai, Jhené Aiko, Joel Kim Booster, Kelly Marie Tran, Kim Shui, Kimora Lee Simmons, Kelsey Meritt, Kristi Yamaguchi, Laufey, Leah Lewis, Lee Issac Chung, Lilly Singh, Lisa Ling, Liza Soberano, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Megan Suri, Nik Dodani, Nikko Remigio, Priya Krishna, Rahul Mishra, Rowoon, Shay Mitchell, Sherry Cola, Siwon Choi, Sohee Park, Stephanie Suganami, Taecyeon, Tayme Thapthimthong, Tiffany Young, and Utkarsh Ambudkar. Additional notable CEOs in attendance included: Debby Soo (OpenTable), Richard Dickson (Gap), Derek Chang (Liberty Media), Aaron and Albert Yang (Din Tai Fung), Alfred Chang (Everlane), Imran Amed (Business of Fashion), Imran Majid (Island Records), Faye Iosotaluno (Tinder), Jenny Ming (Rothy's), Karthik Rao (Nielsen), Ken Ohashi (Brooks Brother), Mariko Silver (The Lincoln Center), Michael Mente (Revolve), Rahul Purini (Crunchyroll), and Will Lee (Adweek). The theme for this year's evening, First Lights, honored those who provided glimmers of hope in uncertainty and darkness, lighting the path for all to follow. Guests were immersed in a multi-dimensional stage featuring digital designs representative of the birth of humanity from darkness. Gold auras representing the resounding impact and power of the Asian Pacific community embraced guests throughout various portions of the evening, including the grand step and repeat. Wearing "heritage-inspired black tie" from Asian Pacific designers, guests entered the Gold Gala by ascending a stunning gold staircase and elaborate Gold Carpet, with a media room presented by The Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation. Before honorees and presenters graced the stage, they were treated to hair and make-up touch-ups featuring brands from across the L'Oréal Groupe portfolio. During the program, Gold Gala guests dined on a three-course dinner, presented by OpenTable, with a menu highlighting Filipino cuisine created especially for the Gold Gala by James Beard Award-winning chef Lord Maynard Llera and his team at Kuya Lord in Los Angeles. The menu featured dishes showcasing Chef Llera's inventive take on his favorite regional dishes from his childhood, including an Ensalada Talong, Humba (Sweet Adobo) short ribs and tofu, and a Calamansi Mango Cake to end the meal. The dishes were accompanied by hydration provided by Smartwater and wine from Silver Oak. Throughout the night, Hennessy provided bespoke signature cocktails designed by mixologist Ash Miyasaki, such as the "Seoul Sparkler" and "Bangkok Blush" with Hennessy V.S.O.P and the "Night Bloom" with Hennessy X.O. Guests posed at the return of the "GoldBOT" camera, a special video experience with Cole Walliser presented by Genesis Motor America and featuring the new 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe. Guests also took center stage at the Reflections Photo Booth from Maybelline, as an extension of their #FacetheDifference campaign, and the group portrait station by Lounge Booth. As they left, Gold Gala guests received gift bags featuring the Imperial Youth Skin Cream from The Whoo, an Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack, assorted beauty products from the L'Oréal Groupe, a custom "24K" Gap hooded sweatshirt, Prabal Gurung's new memoir Walk Like a Girl provided by GoldenTV, and more. The Gold Gala was immediately followed by the Billboard x Gold House Founders Party that featured a headlining DJ performance by Grammy-nominated artist, DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak). The first-ever presentation of the Hennessy X.O La Carafe in Los Angeles kicked off the evening, and DJ Hu Dat kept the energy going throughout the evening. Guests were thrilled by the new Rakuten Viki arcade corner, featuring specialty claw machines themed to popular K-drama genres., and the return of the Bopomofo boba bar and comforting American Chinese favorites from Panda Express. In a true "Have you eaten yet?" fashion, the Panda Express Aunties served up care and karaoke as they kicked off the crowd-favorite Celebrity Karaoke Room, setting the stage for rousing performances that capped off the evening. The Gold Gala was also made possible with the generous support of East West Bank, HYBE, Invisalign, Nielsen, Pop Culture Collaborative, TikTok, and Visa. The Gold Gala was produced by long-time industry leader Sequoia Productions; the name behind prestigious events including Emmys Governors Gala, Oscars Governors Galal and G'Day USA Gala. Stage creatives were produced by Aura Studios. ABOUT GOLD HOUSE Gold House is the home of collective power where leaders unite to forge culture. We foster spaces where established and emerging makers gather to amplify their impact. We shape public perceptions by consulting on, investing in, and marketing society-defining media properties. We create new economies by backing the boldest entrepreneurs and scaling them internationally. By fueling unity, visibility, and economic mobility, success becomes our shared world. With roots in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Singapore, Gold House operates with the heart of a nonprofit and the scale of a world-class enterprise. We don't just change culture-we make it. SOURCE: Gold House press release
