Your Weekend Planner February 28: Ego gets a tight Thappad, Trump tries Raan Alishan

ear Reader,

Have you tried Raan Alishan? Well, knowing the kind of effort that goes in into creating the dish (it has 'Alishan' in its name!), it's not every day that you are offered the delicacy even at lavish dinners. And neither are we the US President. His Rashtrapati Bhavan dinner on Tuesday had this mutton delicacy, and we're told he had a bite of it. Trump is a bona fide meat lover anyway, and Ahmedabad did not do much to please his appetite. But if you have sworn off non-vegetarian food due to reasons viral or religious, Trump also had broccoli samosa on his India menu. He skipped it, but we have a recipe of the samosa for you in our weekend planner this week if you want to try it (take our suggestion: samosa is no samosa without the aloo).

If you're done with Trump and planning on catching a movie at the theatres this weekend, there's Taapsee's Thappad. Our review says it is a tight thappad on male privilege, but you can find out for yourself. On OTT there's a host of material from It Happened In Calcutta to All The Bright Places and your television screens are packed with reality shows and comedy.

There's no end to the corona catastrophe in sight yet and hence, international travel is not recommended. If you have already booked your tickets, we suggest you take your precautions well. To begin with, pack that hand sanitizer. An alcohol-based one. We have the travel industry telling you how coronavirus has spoilt Spring 2020 for Indians, but lest it leaves you low, we have six-weekend trip picks for you from within the country, all under Rs 6,000. YOUR INTERNET RECAP

WHAT'S TRENDING

You might be done with Donald Trump's Bharat darshan but the internet isn't for sure. The US President saparivaar was in India from February 24-25 for a nearly 36-hour visit. Over the course of his trip, Trump visited the Sabarmati Ashram and was offered Broccoli and Corn Button Samosa. Reports suggest that Trump did not indulge in the dish. Of course, because what is a samosa without aloo?

Soon after, Trump also addressed a cheerful crowd at the Motera Stadium. Another thing that he pronounced Sachin Tendulkar as Soochin and Swami Vivekananda as Vivekamummunda. Never mind. Everybody also loved the fact that Trump toured the Taj Mahal in Agra hand-in-hand with First Lady Melania Trump. The grand dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, hosted in honor of Trump by President Ram Nath Kovind, was also the talk of the town.

Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump also trended after opting for sustainable fashion and wearing stunning outfits designed by Indian designers Anita Dongre and Rohit Bal. In other news, Northeast Delhi has been struck by massive violence over the citizenship law. The death toll is 39 at the moment and hundreds are injured. Twitter, enraged as ever, has engaged in fiery debates. In short, it's horrific.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Of course, that last line did take a toll on your mind, right? We get it. So, on another note, a heartwarming video from China amid the coronavirus (now COVID-19. Yes, the world is still dealing with it) outbreak made us smile. In the viral clip, medical attendants were seen dancing in front of a hospital to celebrate the recovery of several patients from COVID-19.

Another viral video of an old man helping a thirsty dog to drink water from his hands also delighted us. His special effort to quench the dog's thirst received a big round of applause from the internet. This week, pick up a copy of Haruki Murakami's Kafka On The Shore which is about a 15-year-old runaway boy, Kafka Tamura, and his fight with a family curse that his father put on him. This incredible literary puzzle of a book will take you into the world of mind-bending timelines, whimsical characters and supernatural possibilities. Murakami's ability to introduce magical realism into his stories and creating an intriguing storyline calls for an arresting read.

Coronavirus has claimed over 2,800 lives and has spread to over 40 countries. And, the deadly virus has also killed your Spring 2020 travel plans. People are scared to travel abroad and are canceling their pre-booked tickets in the wake of this global pandemic. India Today Digital spoke to a few people from the travel industry to know about the impact of coronavirus on travel plans and their business. More on it here.

But fret not. This March, explore India instead, and without burning a hole in your pocket. Here are six incredible destinations just under Rs 6,000 you can pick from. From the last village of India to the quaint port city in Maharashtra to the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, here's our guide to travel to six beautiful destinations on a shoestring budget.

Who else but Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump could occupy this segment in our newsletter? Their desi wardrobe flattered the Fashion Police as both Melania and Ivanka resorted to spring fashion for their two-day visit to India. What we loved was the fact that Melania and Ivanka added Indian aesthetics to their appearances. While Ivanka garnered a lot of waah waah for wearing two outfits by Indian designers - a sherwani by Anita Dongre and an Anarkali suit by Rohit Bal, Melania concluded her stunning fashion in India with a strange tribute to a saree.

Malaika Arora in the house, guys! The 44-year-old actress started the week with a difficult version of the headstand and also shared tips in case you plan to try it as well. The post is on her Instagram and we will share it here as well, just in case you are in dire need of some motivation to work out.