WO RL D A C CORDI N G TO . . .
WARIS AHLUWALIA
AVENUE’s back-page column asks New York notables our version of the questionnaire made famous by Marcel Proust
W
aris Ahluwalia is one of those fellows you see at almost every significant New York social event. Easily recognized by his immaculately tailored suit and his Dastar turban, Ahluwalia is also an eccentric fixture in Wes Anderson’s motion pictures. There’s substance beneath the surface, too. He’s established a fine jewelry brand, House of Waris, by sourcing diamonds, precious metals and craftsmanship from Rajasthan to Rome. His travels are far and wide, and as an adopted New Yorker, Ahluwalia shares some tips on being a Manhattan flâneur.
WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT STATE OF MIND? I think I left it in Europe, somewhere between Paris and Istanbul. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO AT THE MOMENT? Filming in Toronto and pretending I can do it all.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE NEW YORK SOUND? The sound of birds chirping at dawn when you’ve accidentally stayed up way past your bedtime.
WHERE DO YOU GO TO BE INSPIRED IN NEW YORK? You don’t have to go far to be inspired. I just walk the streets under the cover of darkness when it’s just me and the ghosts. It’s electric.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WATERING HOLE FOR LUNCH? FOR DINNER? St. Ambroeus on Perry, Cafe Cluny, Indochine, Fat Radish, Minetta Tavern—I could never pick one.
IF YOUR APARTMENT WERE ON FIRE, WHAT WOULD YOU RESCUE? My pet tiger, for sure. WHERE IS PARADISE FOR YOU? Other than a white sand beach, I have discovered a new paradise. That place is high up in the mountains, in the Himalayas: the region of Darjeeling. Waking up at sunrise, watching the first light of morning hit the peak of Kanchenjunga, the lakes of mist underneath, the morning hymns across the valley: I’ve never felt closer to the heavens.
Above photo: House of Waris RARE in the Explorers Library at the Gritti Palace, Venice
mercy of things which matter least.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.] WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO? Omnia vincit amor [Love conquers all.]. BEST MEAL YOU’VE HAD IN NEW YORK CITY? Daal (lentils), prepared by my mother; and I’m always looking for the perfect steak.
WHAT ITEM CAN’T YOU LIVE WITHOUT? A fountain pen. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT NEW YORK, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I wish we had more of a life around the Hudson or East rivers. Like in Rome or Paris.
WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? My mother and my late father. WHO’S YOUR HERO? Atticus Finch. WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? To stay true to your heart and what you believe in. Sounds simple but it’s one of the most challenging things to do. “Things which matter most must never be at the
IS THERE A PROJECT THAT STICKS OUT IN YOUR MIND AS MOST MEMORABLE AND WHY? Our most recent project, called RARE. What a privilege to commission and work with artisans from around the world and house them in our little shop at the Gritti Palace in Venice. To support craftsmanship is to celebrate humanity.
WHICH NEW YORK STORES DO YOU RELY ON? Lifethyme health food market, almost daily, Three Lives & Company for stories; Atelier Courbet for discovery; Doyle Mueser for all my suits.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? A cowboy, of course. ✦
152 | AVENUE MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2014
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