Of Coffee days and Hard-rock cafes across Bangalore

1) Ever since I read The Undercover Economist, I've had new perspectives to many old things. One example would be paying the exorbitant 50 bucks for a cup of coffee at Cafe Coffee Day. There had always been one explanation for that; you are not charged only for the coffee, but also for the overheads such as the service, ambiance, real estate rentals (typically a CCD would be located at a prime area) etc. But more recently, I got another view of it when I heard an entrepreneur with a communications back ground talk about it. Let's say you were to meet a client over coffee at CCD. For the cost of 2 coffees which is Rs. 100, you get comfortable seating and good treatment for a decent amount of time that would let you do business. In effect, what should have been done in the office room, got done across the table at a CCD, which interprets to the point that you have paid Rs. 100 for renting out an office space for a couple of hours, and yes, coffee was served too. To my understanding, one hundred bucks for prime office space on MG Road/ CP/ any other major place for a couple of hours is a real bargain. That ways, the coffee is under priced.

2) The merchandise section at Hard Rock Cafe Bengaluru is a real let down. Even before HRC came to namma ooru, I had dreamt of owning a Tee that said: HARD ROCK CAFE BANGALORE, especially after I saw a couple of HRC Bangkok T-shirts. Now here on St. Marks road, I guess the girls that attend to you at the merchandise section are Thai; because they are really pretty. But as for the Rs. 995 label on it, nope. That don't impress me much.

3) Silk board junction is handling 12,000 vehicles per hour at peak times daily. Beat that! Come seven o clock and traffic congestion starts at Mekhri Cirle underpass all the way to Hebbal Flyover. BIAL is looking good, but what about in 3 months' time? Expect the city to become the first in the world to adopt a mode of transport inspired by The Fifth Element: See them Nanos flying overhead. Ratan Tata had better feed his baby with Red Bull soon- something needs wings real bad.

4) There's a rag picker sitting on the side walk. He's laid down the bundle of scrap and is resting by the compound wall of a huge house and is soaking in the shade. He's got a pen in his hand, and is busy scribbling away on a newspaper. I peep over as I walk by, curious to know what he's writing. He's solving a Sudo-ku.