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A Momos and Fuskas Food Event to kick off Fall! š„š¶ļø
Shaunak Kulkarni
October 01, 2024
š And just like that, itās October! šā
While we still have those few oh-so-precious weeks of fall weather, join us for a food crawl through Jackson Heightsā incredible Desi food scene. Dunno about you, but Iām always entertained by the 5 trucks on one block all claiming to be the āoriginalā fuska truck š.
Based on your responses Iāll be splitting us into small groups, each with their own guide, to ensure you get your momo fix and meet awesome, like-minded people. And hey, maybe youāll figure out which truck actually deserves the titleā¦.
Sign up at the link below (yup, the pictureās clickable lol).
Upcoming Mango Events š
Register on the links below!
Desi Bites of Jackson Heights: A Food Crawl (10/11) - Food crawl through Jackson Heights, everyone is encouraged to apply!
Not-So-Daily-Standup x Mango - A Desi Tech Comedy Special (11/7) - A special Diwali event!! More details to comeā¦. limited free tix and early bird ones already for grabs (MANGO2K24 will give you $5 off š )!
The Scene šŖ
Other South Asian events Iām keeping an eye on in and around the city
Date | Event | Link |
|---|---|---|
10/5 | Masala Mixtape NYC | Here (Use code ARTIST10) |
10/5 | Rumor NYC (Indohouse) | |
10/9 | Impact Bazaar | |
10/11-10/12 | Unleashed Art Exhibition | |
10/26 | Carnatic Vocal Concert |
Cool Desis Doing Cool Thing š
Highlighting people in our community making strides in diverse fields!
Serena Advani is the founder of Seadrop, the brand reinventing skincare as water-activated tablets (instead of liquids). Her debut product is a first-of-its-kind, ājust-add-waterā skincare tablet that activates into a hydrating facial cleanser upon use with the tap water you already have at home. While traditional liquid cleanser is ~90% water and stored in single-use plastic, Seadrop's waterless cleanser comes in zero-waste, refillable packaging for skincare thatās cleaner for both the planet and your skin. Seadrop has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes (as one of the top new skincare launches), Harperās Bazaar, Modern Retail, Refinery29, Elle, and on the Today Show.
Why do you do what you do?
Before the pandemic, while I was at my desk working at a beauty brand in SoHo, I overheard our product development team mention that our skincare is mostly water. In fact, ~90% of a standard liquid facial cleanser is water: the same water we have on tap at home. That water in skincare typically requires single-use packaging (usually plastic!) and the addition of artificial preservatives (since water breeds bacteria).
I knew there was a better way to do skincare, and I had faith in powder-based concentrates (inspired by the South Asian skincare rituals I grew up with). Recipes mixing water with haldi (turmeric), besan (chickpea flour), and sandalwood powders have been passed down for generations in my family, and I have been determined to bring that same freshly-activated skincare concept to life. I knew that I wanted to build for Western consumers with dermatologist-tested, non-comedogenic, pre-dosed formulations that hadn't been seen before; water-activated tablets were the perfect solution.
The patent-pending tablets not only allow me to bring my heritage to American skincare, but they also eliminate the need for single-use plastics (our packaging is zero-waste!) and artificial preservatives (since the beads are waterless!) Theyāre also TSA-approved & leakproof, so Iām also always motivated by the fact that I created a product that makes my life easier when I use it!
What does your Desi identity mean to you, and how has it influenced your journey?
My Desi identity is now a source of pride and something I love sharing with the world (especially through work, which honors my heritage with powdered skincare). However, growing up in the South, I didn't always feel this same connection. It wasnāt until college when I realized that my non-Indian friends were genuinely excited about my culture, and I realized that we have the power to set the conversationās tone ourselves.
What advice do you have for those entering your field?
Ask for advice from entrepreneurs 1-2 years ahead of you. The best guidance Iāve received has been from entrepreneurs who were in my shoes recently - even if theyāre not in my industry, their advice has been incredibly insightful and relevant.
Serenaās favs š
š¬ Bollywood Movie: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
š Desi Eat: Pani puri
š¶ļø NYC Restaurant: Kanyakumari
Meme Bazaar š³š½āāļø
Serenaās fav movie reminded me of this one š„²
Random Stuff š
Love what Mango is doing? š„ Buy us a coffee - any support would go a long way and let us keep hosting events!
Want to sponsor an event or host something with me? Get in touch!
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