<h2>The best pick-up lines</h2>
Workers brave the sun to place girders on a foot over bridge along the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-fixing-road-bmc-style-dug-up-bandra-east-road-left-unattended-for-weeks-23622074" rel="nofollow">Western Express Highway </a>in Bandra
<h2>School can be cool too</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Children-happy_e.jpg" alt="Children celebrate the new look with Siddhesh Lokare" width="1280" height="720" /> Children celebrate the new look with Siddhesh Lokare
When was the last time you saw students dancing in joy on the first day of school? Students at the newly revamped Dargawadi Zilla Parishad School in Pen taluka, Raigad were all smiles when Navi-Mumbai based social worker Siddhesh Lokare, alongside Create Together Foundation, and graffiti artist Siddhesh Sapte aka NME unveiled a new look of their school.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Devnag-letters_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> A mural inspired by students of the school (right) A wall featuring English and Devanagari letters. PICS COURTESY/SIDDESH LOKARE; NME
&ldquo;The school is in an area where electricity and water supply are erratic. We could work only from sunrise to sunset,&rdquo; revealed Sapte. The artist splashed walls in the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-parents-demand-public-list-of-unauthorised-schools-as-admissions-begin-23621115" rel="nofollow">school </a>with eye-catching murals to make learning fun. &ldquo;It was a change from my usual style, but I enjoyed it. The section depicting the students is my favourite,&rdquo; he revealed. With such cool ideas on the wall, we wouldn&rsquo;t mind going back to school.
<h2>Seviyan in Spain</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Amin-cooking_e.jpg" alt="Amin Sheikh cooks up a meal in Barcelona" width="1280" height="720" /> Amin Sheikh cooks up a meal in Barcelona
Last weekend, Amin Sheikh from Marol&rsquo;s Bombay to Barcelona Cafe was the &lsquo;desi&rsquo;-gnated chef at an outdoor cookout in Barcelona. As part of a tour across Spanish cities, Sheikh dished out a post-Eid spread of Biryani, Seviyan, curries, and halwa for local residents. The Spaniards lapped up the desi fare, and waxed lyrical about the Indian sweets, we learnt.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Desi-food_e.jpg" alt="Seviyan (right) Mixed Veggies. PICS COURTESY/AMIN SHEIKH" width="1280" height="720" /> Seviyan (right) Mixed Veggies. PICS COURTESY/AMIN SHEIKH
&ldquo;The key was to balance Spanish and Indian cooking techniques. I turned down the heat in some of the curries, and they instantly connected with it,&rdquo; Sheikh revealed his kitchen secrets over a call from Spain. The founder is looking forward to returning home in April, to work on an upcoming book of recipes and stories from the popular caf&eacute; that is run by members from underserved families. You&rsquo;ve got a lot on your plate, chef.
<h2>Woofs and wags in Chembur</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Dog-Festival_e.jpg" alt="Dogs put on their best costumes at the festival in Chembur. PICS/ASHISH RAJE" width="1280" height="720" /> Dogs put on their best costumes at the festival in Chembur. PICS/ASHISH RAJE
The 2026 Chembur Dog Parade last Saturday surpassed all expectations with a turnout of more than 250 pets. In the March 21 edition of mid-day, The Guide section&rsquo;s story, &lsquo;We let the dogs out&rsquo; had suggested animal lovers make a beeline to the event. Sure enough, the parade turned the streets into a lively, costume-filled extravaganza. Organised by <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/things-to-do/article/mumbai-over-200-dogs-parade-in-costumes-at-chembur-festival-23621870" rel="nofollow">Chembur Citizens Welfare</a>, the event aimed to help people feel at ease around dogs, and promote responsible pet ownership. Apurva Padgaonkar, one of the organisers, told this diarist, &ldquo;The turnout was better than we imagined; we&rsquo;ve been organising this for 11 years.&rdquo; This year, we spotted an iguana named Ranga, a few chow chows, cocker spaniels and, as usual, a lot of shih tzus.
<h2>Salute the martyrs</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Dabbawallas_e.jpg" alt="Dabbawalas pay homage at Hutatma Chowk. PIC COURTESY/ULHAS MUKE" width="1280" height="720" /> Dabbawalas pay homage at Hutatma Chowk. PIC COURTESY/ULHAS MUKE
Slogans of Inquilab Zindabad echoed at Hutatma Chowk on the occasion of Shaheed Divas (March 23). The city&rsquo;s most diligent workforce, the dabbawalas, stopped by in their all-white attire to pay their respects. &ldquo;The sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru is a reminder that freedom is not only to be enjoyed, but also safeguarded through our actions,&rdquo; Ulhas Muke, president of the Dabbawala Association, reminded us. &nbsp;

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Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

The best pick-up lines

School can be cool too

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