Listen to two different forms of fusion concerts that make up this year's One World Many Musics, the annual Indian contemporary music concert series organized by the National Center for the Performing Arts, on Friday October 17 and Saturday, 18 October. Stringstruck, the band-fusion classic of India headed by Purbayan Chatterjee, will be presented at the NCPA Tata Theatre on Friday, from 19:00. Chatterjee plays the DWO, amended the sitar in the band, which also features percussionist Taufiq Qureshi, surfer Fazal Qureshi, Manas Chakrabarty bassist, keyboardist Atul Raninga, Tapas and oud player and guitarist Sanjoy Das rabab. Assamese folk-fusion band singer Papon and the East India Company will perform at the same venue on Saturday from 19:00. Tickets are priced at 300 rupees, 600 rupees and 900 per head each day. National Center for the Performing Arts, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point. Tel: 2282 022 4567.

• Move to the next heartbeat, the series of concerts organized by electronic Bhavishyavani Future Soundz in Bonobo, on Friday, October 17, at 22:00. Troja aka Roy and own Spacejams Trideep BFS aka Yohann J

Pastries at Sans de Blé in San Paolo.

In spite of Rome’s reputation as an epicenter of gluten consumption, the Italian capital is actually very in tune to celiac needs and a growing number of businesses are dedicated to providing gluten free food and beverages. A handful of gelato shops (including all Fatamorgana locations) are certified gluten free and there is plenty of gluten free pasta, pizza, beer and pastries to be found if you know where to look.

The Lazio branch of the Italian Celiac Association has created this map, which is regularly updated and lists gluten free venues, from restaurants and gelato shops to hotels and highway rest stops. Additionally, all pharmacies and many supermarket and grocery chains (including Conad, Carrefour, SMA, Coop, Auchan, Castroni, and La Capra Rampante) sell gluten free food and ingredients. Here’s a round up of some gluten free shopping and dining options in Rome:

Celiachiamo: Grocery Store
Via Giulio Venticinque 32 (Trionfale)
Tel: 0639754621
Open: Tues-Fri 9:30am-1:30pm & 3:30-7:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7:30pmo

Celiachiamo: Bake

Jaap’s tyre was not only down to the canvas, but through a couple of layers. As a result the 120km ride to Springbok was a rather tentative one. We did however arrive safely around lunchtime, and were hopeful of being able to track down a tyre for Jaap. However it was a Sunday and the day of Nelson Mandela’s funeral, and the tyre outfit was of course closed. Miraculously we met someone who knew the owner and called him for us, but less miraculously he did not hold the tyre size we needed. We spent that afternoon and the Monday phoning around trying to find some way to get a tyre to Springbok urgently. I was running out of time before my flight to NZ, and was keen to explore the back roads on the way to Cape Town, rather than having to rush down. Unfortunately locating a tyre proved difficult, and it looked as if Jaap would get his tyre on Wednesday at the earliest. As Jaap was staying longer than me in South Africa and would have time to explore after Christmas, I decided to head off for an explore with him catching up so we could hit Cape
Terminal tyreTerminal tyre
Terminal tyre
Agulhas together

Today marks the 2,000th anniversary of the Augustus’ death. In a city in which more than a few great leaders have drawn on the lessons of the emblematic first Emperor, you might expect some actual fanfare. But this is 21st century Rome, and for a myriad of reasons, the city has chosen a predictable path and undertaken a series of underwhelming and poorly publicized events to commemorate Augustus two millenia after his demise. Tonight at the Ara Pacis Museum (a controversial but totally spectacular building), the original colors of the first century BC altar within will be projected onto the monument. Pretty cool, I guess. But it’s been done before. What would Augustus think about recycling an old exhibit for this occasion?

I doubt he’d be pleased to know that his Mausoleum, the massive monument that he invested quite a lot of effort building, and where his ashes where ultimately interred, was open to a mere 90 people this morning. That’s right, three visits of 30 people each were all the city could muster in the very place where the Emperor’s remains were laid to rest 2000 years ago.

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A very pricey cocktail in progress on the roof of the new-ish DOM Hotel.

The DOM Hotel, a five-star luxury retreat, opened on Via Giulia in central Rome a little less than a year ago. The place is a good value, in relation to its category, and the location is hard to beat. I weigh DOM’s pros and cons in this Sunday’s NYT Travel section (or read online here).