LOUNGE LOVES

Things to watch, read, hear, do—and other curated experiences from the team

FOOTBALL ON FILM

On his X handle, English photographer Miles MyerscoughHarris describes his job as the best gig in the world. Standing on the sidelines of some of the biggest football stadiums in the world, with raucous crowds behind him, Harris captures football action live, but not just on the latest cameras. Harris photographs matches on 35mm film and vintage cameras, showcasing the pictures on Expired Film Club, a group he founded in 2021 to share his film photography journey on social media. He recently captured an FA Cup tie between Manchester United and Liverpool with both film and a 127-yearold camera. The pictures have an oldworld feel—grainy and retro—but still retain the thrill of sporting action. As a fan of the sport, seeing the colourful world of football through a vintage lens is refreshing.

—Nitin Sreedhar

IT’S ONLY WORDS

IFIT CHECK

Instagram fashion accounts are so similar one can’t tell them apart, but Aki and Koichi (@akiandkoichi), an elderly couple who nail grandma-grandpa style, stand out. They make short OOTD reels with Aki in long drop-waist dresses, vintage bags and sturdy walking shoes. Koichi wears his signature caps, ironed trousers and jackets or cardigans to complete the look. Their daughter and their pet dog occasionally join them. Each video is accompanied by an uplifting soundtrack; from Al Green’s Love And Happiness, to Baby Bash’s Suga Sug (instrumental) and Jungle’s

Back On 74. It’s not just about their style, they tick off the right checkboxes: retirement goals, couple goals and playlist goals.

—Jahnabee Borah t used to be Wordle and Connections, but now my favourite start to the day is Strands, the latest word puzzle game from The New

York Times. It’s a twist on the popular “find words in a grid of jumbled-up letters” game, with a few key differences. Firstly, every day the puzzle has a theme, mentioned as a cryptic clue, and you have to find eight words that adhere to this theme, plus a “spangram”, a word associated with the theme that goes across the puzzle. To make it more complex, words can go in any direction, as long as they are connected. Thankfully, for every three legit words you find, even if they are not a part of that day’s game, you get a hint, often necessary to crack that first word. I often fail at my first attempt, but it does help clear the cobwebs! —Shrabonti Bagchi

THE STRONGEST BLACK

Despite my love for coffee, I rarely risk blends and brews I don’t know. Why would I risk being disappointed, of all things, by coffee? Recently though, I made an exception when a neatly ziplocked packet of Nagaland Coffee came my way. As I took a few spoons of the ground Arabica to my French press, I read that the single estate organic beans, whose medium roasted grounds I was holding, were from Wokha district. Five minutes later, I had a new favourite black coffee: a steaming mug of a liltingly acidic brew, with a bit of sparkly spice. I knew I’d love it even before the first sip—as the aroma wafted up, it seemed to light up the darkest recesses of my mind. This coffee hit the spot. I now plan to try out all of Nagaland Coffee’s variants—including Khar, Zunheboto and Mon single estate organic.

—Vangmayi Parakala