Starbucks and all the Queues!

There is a crow on my balcony railing today. Wet and hair all spiked up. Its been raining all night and the morning is the sort when schools call a rainy day off. Sandy has hit NY and Chennai is apparently going to do a mini replication of it. A cyclone has been predicted. Last a cyclone came to town, I was the idiot standing on Besant Nagar beach trying to welcome it. Adults and common sense – it is a little rare I tell you!

Ma and Baba’s whirlwind trip started and came to an end in the blink of an eye. Sad, really. And you know how I keep saying that my work is the epitome of work-life balance. Well, for those few days I had so much to do, that it could almost add up to a year’s work! So, there we were in Pondicherry like one big happy family. And I was working from the hotel. And then, there we were in Auroville getting our inner peace on. While I was losing my sanity because there was no network and I was trying to work from Auroville! I don’t think another parents visit to this town is going to happen in the near future.

Oh I managed to go to the new Starbucks in Mumbai last week. Imagine my dedication. I hadn’t slept for two days straight; was working like clockwork. My work got over on Saturday morning and then I badgered some dear friends (only the dear kind would have obliged :P) to take me there. Judge me if you will, but am not the star struck kid for all US brands. Just that, the white chocolate mocha at Starbucks really makes me go all warm and gooey inside. So, we reached there at 1 in the afternoon, and there was this long queue outside. Once we got past that queue, we went inside to join the ordering queue. Just my luck that they did not have what I wanted. So, I settled for a vanilla latte. Then, the turn for the billing queue. Phew! By that time, I gave up and went table hunting(there is also a pick up your drink queue!). It is a pretty huge space, with three sitting areas. Beautifully done, more in a Taj hotel fashion. Woodwork, coffee beans and the best part was these photographs – of people in regular places holding on to a Starbucks cup. Pretty novel idea, I thought. We did manage a seat and the coffee was good. Not awe inspiring good, but just good. Our verdict was it would be a nice place to sit and read, if only the crowd frenzy goes down. Standing in four different queues is just too much effort!

I am thinking Hampi for the Diwali weekend. Only road journeys are affordable that weekend. Flights are so expensive; its almost ridiculous. Days like these, I feel like thrashing whoever came up with that Mastercard ad. Overpriced flight tickets – 20000, pointless shopping induced by pointless ads – 10000 etc etc and moments with the family – Priceless! Yes, the moments are priceless, but I’d rather have a few thousands in my darned account! On a different note, some of the ads nowadays are quite heartwarming. Cadbury, Tanishq, Coke and even ICICI Lombard! That song in the Lombard ad makes me smile every time. 🙂 Brands like Samsung and their uncle aunty ads should really take a lesson or two.

Well, that’s all I had to say. At least for today. My two cents for the day. Its a very empty house without the people you love. Just bricks and walls. And the moment of realization always comes after the goodbyes.