Starbucks Review - My first visit!

Finally the most awaited moment had arrived.

I had thought about it for the last 4 years & it was finally here… the coffee shop I had always desired to step into… the global giant since 40 years… STARBUCKS

I was more excited about being there than I had felt in a long time…

I was finally going to the first ever Starbucks in my life…



I reached the Fort, Mumbai outlet (First outlet in India) at 11 am. Unlike the common notion, I did not come across any queues outside or inside Starbucks.

I was welcomed with a smile by the doorman. As he opened the door to the heaven of coffee, I was taken to a different place altogether.

The rustic ambiance within was a complete contrast to the outside bright & shiny world.

The outlet had a warm, cozy feeling. It was spacious & had interesting interiors. It had sacks of coffee beans displayed on the top of shelves. The walls were adorned by a collection of varied clicks form different parts of India. Also on one of the walls was a Jute map of the world, with Starbucks served nations highlighted.

This outlet had 3 different counters. The Main counter was for order taking, with 3 cash registers. The other counter was for dispensing the customer orders. There were coffee beans of 5 different roasts on 1 large table which was also used for coffee tasting sessions.

There were few people inside. So I got the opportunity to check out the whole place & click as many pics as I wanted. The outlet can accommodate 150 people. Although I did not see sufficient cover set-ups. There is ample open area. The inside room, on the ground floor had a few large tables, where some people were sitting, engrossed in their laptops.

The upper deck, overlooks the ground floor, making you a part of the hustle-bustle going down below.

There was a gorgeous Christmas tree on the top. The whole place had a warm festive feeling to itself. The curtains were red, with wreaths hanging below them at each window. There were red cups on the counters & the special x-mas beverages were also displayed on the walls.

I went to order our drinks & the Partner was quite helpful (as there was nobody waiting behind me), to explain the possible drink combinations & about the loyalty card (which is free). But the menu is not as extensive as the other outlets globally. Also, they did not have the Trenta cup, and the Partner was not even aware of it (I felt good about my Starbucks knowledge).

Having placed the order, I waited at my table till he called out my name, when our drinks were ready: a Cappuccino & a Java Chip Frappuccino. I enjoyed the hot brew & relished its new taste. Along with it, I had the chocolate chip muffin, which was tasting good with my cuppa. The Java Chip Frappuccino was also tasty (it seemed to be a never-ending drink) & very filling.

Lucky for me, one of the Partners approached me regarding a Coffee tasting session. I readily agreed. He called some more customers & we all sat down to taste the special Christmas brew. The brew was a combination one, with some of the coffee having been imported from Indonesia. It was a medium brew, with which he gave a cinnamon cookie. He then told the steps to coffee tasting: Smell, Slurp & Sip.

I was on top of the world, relishing every moment of the 2 hours that I was in the outlet. I could not have hoped for a better & more wholesome experience.

For the wonderful time that I had during my first visit to Starbucks, I would like to thank:

My Hubby, for his continuous support, in realizing all my crazy wishes.

Michael Gill, for writing “How Starbucks saved my Life” & providing me insight into the world of the Seattle Coffee giant.

Little Known Coffee Facts

Did you know... ...coffee has been around for over 11 centuries and is currently the most widely consumed beverage in the world? Over 400 billion cups are consumed every year! ... In 1822 the French were the first to innovate a crude espresso machine? The Italians then perfected this machine and became the first to manufacture it. ... the legend of 'Cowboy Coffee'? It was said that cowboys made their coffee by putting ground coffee into a clean sock and immersed it in water heated over a camp fire. When ready, they would pour the coffee into tin cups and drink it. ... caffeine is on the International Olympic Committee list of prohibited substances? Athletes who test positive for more than 12 micrograms of caffeine per millilitre of urine may be banned from the Olympic Games. This level may be reached after drinking about 5 cups of coffee. ... that the infamous French Revolution was born in French Cafes? It happened in 1789 when the Parisians, spurred on by Camille Desmoulin's verbal campaign, took to the streets and two days later the Bastille fell, marking the overthrow of the French Government and changing France forever. ... coffee beans are graded in various ways? Example: Kenyan coffees are graded as A, B and C. AA is the best coffee. In Costa Rica, coffees are graded as Strictly Hard Bean, Good Hard Bean, Hard Bean, Medium Hard Bean, High Grown Atlantic, Medium Grown Atlantic, and Low Grown Atlantic. Those coffee beans from Colombia are labelled as 'Supremo', 'Excelso', 'Extra' and the lowest grade, 'Pasilla'. ... Turkish bridegrooms were once required to make a promise during their wedding ceremonies to always provide their new wives with coffee? If they failed to do so, it was grounds for divorce! ... Japan is now the third largest consumer of coffee? They try to improve their skin and reduce wrinkles by bathing in coffee grounds that were fermented with pineapple pulp. ... The largest consumers of coffee in the world, per capita, are Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark! ... there are two major coffee markets in the world? One is in London, which deals with the buying of Robusta coffee. The other is the 'C' contract market, known as Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange (CSCE), which is in New York. It handles the trade of Arabica coffee. The 'C' market is also a futures market. ... The requirements for making good espresso is summarized by the 4 'M's? Macinazione (the correct grinding of coffee beans), Miscela (coffee blend), Macchina (the espresso machine) and of course, Mano (barista). ... Beethoven, who was a coffee lover, was so particular about his coffee that he always counted 60 beans for each cup when he prepared his brew! ... in 1785, the coffee revolt broke out in Prussia because coffee consumption was restricted to the nobility, the clergy and high officials! ... coffee was first known in  Europe as Arabian Wine! ... Bach wrote a coffee cantata in 1732! ... in the year 1763, there were over 200 coffee shops in Venice! ... the heavy tea tax imposed on the American colonies in 1773, which caused the 'Boston Tea Party', resulted in America switching from tea to coffee? Drinking coffee was an expression of freedom. ... the average age of an Italian barista is 48 years old? A barista is a respected job title in Italy. ... Italy now has over 200,000 coffee bars, and still growing! ... in Greece and Turkey, the oldest person is always served their coffee first! ... raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed like candy in many parts of Africa! ... in the last three centuries, 90% of all people living in the Western world have switched from tea to coffee!!!

http://www.missmaud.com.au/Coffee/LittleKnownCoffeeFacts.aspx

Oldest Cafe' in Paris

In 1686 there appeared in Paris a real French adaptation of the Oriental coffee house. This was the Café de Procope, opened by François Procope (Procopio Cultelli, or Cotelli) who came from Florence or Palermo.

Procope, a keen-witted merchant, made his appeal to a higher class of patrons than did Pascal and those who first followed him. He established his café directly opposite the newly opened Comédie Française, in the street then known as the rue des Fossés-St.-Germain, but now the rue de l'Ancienne Comédie. It started as a café where gentlemen of fashion might drink coffee, the exotic beverage that had previously been served in taverns, or eat a sorbet, served up in porcelain cups by waiters in exotic "Armenian" garb.

Throughout the 18th century, the brasserie Procope was the meeting place of the intellectual establishment. Not all the Encyclopédistes drank forty cups of coffee a day like Voltaire, who mixed his with chocolate, but they all met at Procope, as did Benjamin Franklin, John Paul Jones and Thomas Jefferson.

The Café de Procope looms large in the annals of the French Revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte, then a poor artillery officer seeking a commission, was also there. He busied himself largely in playing chess, a favorite recreation of the early Parisian coffee-house patrons. It is related that François Procope once compelled young Bonaparte to leave his hat for security while he sought money to pay his coffee score. 

Café Procope was refurbished in 1988 to 1989 in 18th-century style. It received Pompeian red walls, crystal chandeliers, 18th century oval portraits of famous people that have been patrons, and a tinkly piano. The waiters were dressed in quasi-revolutionary uniforms.

It occupies a three-story town house categorized as a historic monument. Inside, nine salons and dining rooms, each of whose 300-year-old walls have been carefully preserved and painted a deep red, are available for languorous afternoon coffee breaks or old-fashioned meals. Menu items include platters of shellfish, onion soup au gratin, coq au vin (chicken stewed in wine), duck breast in honey sauce, and grilled versions of various meats and fish. Every day between 3 and 6pm, the place makes itself available to sightseers who come to look but not necessarily eat and drink at the site.

Bibliography:

wikipedia.com

sites.google.com

Why do we compare us?

Since our childhood, our parents tell us to perform better than others. To take part in various events & win the competition.

This holds true for every debate, academics, sports.

As we grow up, they tell us to score more marks in  high school, than the son of Mrs. X or the daughter of Mr. Y.

Even when we plan to go to college, they try to make sure that we are in a better one than the kids of Mr. Z.

When in college, they tell us that we must get more than the P, who is in a different college studying Science, while we are in a someplace else studying Commerce.

And it goes without saying, they tell you to get a better paying job than S. God forbid if you fail to do so, as then a never ending trail of praise for P & S begins, reminding you of your failures, and how you have shown them down.

This feeling of competition is imbibed in us, from our childhood. Thus, we start comparing ourselves & our lives to those of A, B & C. We see how they have a better job than us, or live in a more lavish home, have a higher salary, own a bigger car… the list is endless.

“The grass is always greener the other side of the fence”, is a phrase which holds true in such situations. Even if we get a good job, there will always be somebody we know, who has a better one than us. Even if you live in a good city, there must be someone living in a city, where you wanna be.

Somehow they are always living a life which you wish for. And even after you attain that, you always find someone with a better deal and compare yourself to him/her, a few E, F, Gs, who make you feel that what you have in life is not good enough.

This constant practice of trying to compete & compare, leaves us sad in the midst of a lot of happiness. I also understand this, but often find myself comparing my life to those of others. I guess there’s something they have, which I wish I had. But what I don’t realize is that I also have somethings in my  life, which may be others wish they had.

This vicious cycle, goes on all along. Maybe it motivates us to perform better in life, but it also dampens our spirits & overshadows our achievements, as they are never enough, neither in our eyes, nor in the eyes of our parents, who sing the saga of the achievements of others… forever!

Go GOA!!!

We all like to have fun, especially when it fits perfectly between our busy work schedules. Hence when my partner & I got time together over a long weekend, we rushed to the favorite place of many – GOA.

It was an overnight journey by a sleeper bus., which we had boarded at 2100hrs. We reached shortly, although the whole drive felt like a roller coaster ride, as we were thrown left to right, while attempting to sleep.

We alighted from the bus in the morning, at 0615 hrs, at Mapusa Market. Luckily, there is a Rent-a-Bike right at the place we got down. So we rented a scooter & went to our hotel.

A word of advice to all, please have your own mode of transport, whilst you stay in Goa, because the public transports are scarce & finding an auto is nearly impossible. Also, the rates charged are ridiculously high. So it’s much more economical to have your own scooter or car. Plus it gives you the liberty to explore the city as per your desire.

On reaching the Osborne hotel, near the Calangute Beach, we quickly freshened up & came down for a small but good buffet breakfast. Ones our stomachs were full, we went out, to roam around the place & to begin a day of fun. The market opens up at around 10. So around that time we decided to go to Panjim, which is the capital of Goa & has a lot of good outlets.

We took a few rounds of the various streets & decided to stop at Dona Paula, an old structure, which has an awesome view of the sea from a good height. You can savor the beauty of the view, as you rest on the benches. Don’t bother to buy much from the small shops nearby. We moved from there & drove back to Panjim  along the Miramar beach & enjoyed the wonderful breeze.

We next halted at MG Road in Panjim, which is the main market area. It was like an open mall, with all the brands like UCB, Woodland, Reebok, everywhere, as you would look up & down the streets. So we did some window shopping & then went to Café Coffee Day, for a good cup of joe. Then we headed back to our hotel, to reenergize for the evening.

The evening was spent checking out the various beaches, with some snacks in between & a cup of awesome Chai, from an outlet next to the Gypsy’s supermarket on the lane to Baga Beach. The chai was so good & felt homemade that we went there even the next day for something “kadak”.

The next day, after having a quick breakfast at the hotel buffet, we headed to the Aguada Fort. The Fort is built on a cliff & has double walls on the exteriors. It is surrounded by the sea on one side. The high walls of the Fort, make for an awesome location to click many pictures. It is said to have been a shooting location for a few Bollywood movies as well.

Not far from the Fort is the Central Jail of Goa, which also faces the sea. Neighboring the jail is the abode of the richest man of Goa – Irony at its best!!!

We headed back from the jail and reached the Sinquerim Beach, which is along the Taj Vivanta Hotel. It has a small deck like structure, where one can go & stand & enjoy the cold waters thrashing against the walls.

We then went to the Calangute Mall, which is a small mall, with a few jewellery & furniture outlets. However, there are hardly any people inside it. But the nearby supermarket "Delfino's" is an interesting visit, with its interesting groceries & a big wines, whiskies and rums section. Situated near the Kingfisher Villa, this outlet is a must visit.

In the evening, we headed for the GoKarting grounds near the Anjuna Beach. It attracts quite a lot of people & with the few operational hours, it is important to make it in time, if one wants to enjoy the speedy drive.

The Anjuna Beach & Vagator Beaches were also decent to visit, but Baga was the one where we went to hang out in the evening. I personally prefer Baga to Calangute, which is highly commercialised with hordes of people hanging around. Baga has a no. of outlets where one can hangout, have a drink & dine as well.

For dinner, we went to a street near the Baga Beach, which has good outlets like Tito's, etc. The street, seems to be a whole different world in itself. With people all well dressed in Dinner outfits, the place was a perfect end to the Goa Trip. It had discs, dining, hookahs  & drinks. With the energetic environment in the place, it helps one get the real vibe of Goa... young, peppy & hopeful!!!

Hope for a quick visit soon…

The Golden Cage

There was ones a bird, who was entrapped. She lived in a Golden Cage. The cage had all the best facilities, it was pretty, she was given good food & had plenty of water. To any body on the outside, it seemed that the bird was leading the best of lives in the beautiful Golden Cage.

But the bird was not happy. She knew what the people on the outside thought of her life. It was only her heart that knew the truth. That she yearned for the free skies. She did not desire the Golden Cage. A cage however nice & comfortable, did not provide the freedom, the free air, the sense of independence that she longed for. She would often dream of flying across the clear blue skies, of finding her own food & living in the wide world, but her dreams were always broken when she woke up to face the bitter realities of her life, entrapped in the those four golden walls. Who would ever believe her that whether the walls were made of gold or copper, it still was a cage & the sense of being trapped in any, was just as bad.

This story holds true for many of us as well. We although being humans, are often entrapped in various Golden Cages & although the world may envy our position, it is only the caged bird, who is aware of the miseries of her life within the cage. Many of us yearn for the flight across the clear blue skies, to live a life of freedom, when the reins of our life are in our hands, instead of somebody else controlling us.

When a human is made to lead a life by the rules of others, he can either accept his fate & choose the golden cage & make his peace with it. Or, he can find a way to get out of that cage.He may get hurt in the process of escape, but the air will heal his wounds & the Sun will show him the path which he can choose & lead his life in a better way, rather than repenting later & thinking,"If...".

My Big Problem

When I was in school, I was always scared of the exams. They were the biggest ghosts that would haunt me. I always dreaded those 2 weeks when I would have to handle the biggest troubles of my life, writing answers to so many questions, in such a less time. My parents always pushed me for performing better & scoring very good marks. So revealing my report card to them at the end of the year was also a big problem. At that time in my life, I could not think any bigger issue which I would have to face in life again, than getting good marks in the Final Exams.

When I reached High School, the biggest trouble for me then was to clear the Board Examinations & score good marks. I could not imagine my fate if I failed in the exams. I knew my life would end if I did not pass the examinations.

After school, my life was hanging on the thread of getting admission in a good college of my interest, out of my hometown. I had understood by then that getting out of the four walls of my house was the only way to survive as I grew up. I could not imagine a bigger problem than that at the end of my school life.

These are just a few examples of how at different levels of our life, our problems seem to be the biggest. One cannot think of a bigger dilemma than the one they are facing currently. One feels that the whole world would come crashing down if those issues are not handled well & one doesn’t find the right solution to them.

However, when you later look at the same thing, you realize that those troubles were really small, in comparison to the big picture. You then realize that an examination in school is not the biggest problem in life. That having being relocated to a remote city is not the worst thing that could have happened to you.

Probably landing a good job may seem to be the only way to lead a good life, but it may not really give you the ultimate solution to all your problems. At the next step, one may come across an even bigger issue, which might seem to be the biggest problem you have ever faced in life till date. 

I thus feel that although our current crisis seems to be the biggest difficulties we have ever faced till date, one should try to look at the larger picture of life and other troubles which are even bigger than yours. If the problems of your life seem to be too large, try to think of the troubles that the prime minister of the nation has to face in order to run it smoothly.

HOPE...

Hope is the source of light which all of us wish to reach sometime. Its the hope of a better tomorrow on which the today is based. The hope of finding a better home, better job, better boyfriend, etc.

There have been uncountable days when I have woken up in the morning, with the hope of something good that might occur in my life. It is hope which I hold in my heart, when I sleep at night, even in the most difficult times of my life. If we give up on hope, we will not be able to see a better tomorrow & the current life may be a cage, one my feel trapped in.

However, with every new stone that one finds on the path he treads, the hope of overcoming that reduces, the beacon of light that one was trying to reach, goes a little further away. Sometimes, this is a heartbreaking experience. Many people cannot see the light, after a continuous array of stones, covers their path of life. The situation one may be in might feel like a Dead-End, as if that is the end of life, that there can never be a better tomorrow. People experience sleepless nights & gloomy mornings, feeling that these are a permanent feature of their life.

The challenge is to cling on to hope, a small end of it still in your hands, which you should not let go of. It is this thread of hope which will pull you out of your reverie, which will console you when you weep endlessly. The thread of hope, that someday maybe God will have pity on you & understand your efforts, that he will make you reach the light, you've been trying to stretch your arms to, for so long.


"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all."
- Emily Dickinson

Our Parents

We are all taught since our childhood to respect our elders, specially our parents. We must listen to them & obey every command. "Parents always do every thing for your good!"

As we grow up, we see the world around us. We learn new things, watch the latest trends & the changing society. Our mind opens up to things that our parents never told us or experienced themselves. The generation gap plays a big role in the same.

Gradually we start making our own decisions & wish that our parents would respect them. But, how often have we come across a situation when our decisions & statements were disrespected by our parents & made fun of. They have a different point of view when you are 10 and have different understanding of your school, friends & teachers. Also when your are 15 & they don't understand why you need a certain gadget or need to hang out with your friends, because you are just a teenager.Then you turn 20 and live by yourself and they still make sure of the people you befriend & the places you visit. By the time you are 25, you begin to hope that now they would think of you as an adult & that you can decide about matters that concern you. But that is just a wish down the drain.

Even when we are adults, our parents expect us to discuss with them trivial issues as booking tickets, going out with friends, the kind of food we consume.

When was the last time your parents made fun of you or insulted you in front of your peers or their friends? Well, it can't be that far away. They remind you constantly that you should be thankful to them for every thing they have done for you & you should always put in efforts to bring a smile to their faces.

But how many times do our parents realize that by the constant nagging & humiliation they bring innumerable tears to the eyes of their children. Why is it that for arguments sake we become adults, but when it comes to any of our wish to be ruled out, we turn into children, who cannot think straight even if we are adults to the real world?

Smiles & Silences

 "A smile is the universal welcome" - Max Eastman

When you check- in into a hotel, the Front desk associate gives you a warm smile & welcomes you. But, do you really think that smile comes from her heart. A majority of the chances stand against it. Its just a part of her job to smile at every guest, although she may have just broken-up with her boyfriend of 3 years & is miserable in her heart.

Similarly, when you ask your friend, if you can borrow their favorite dress, she may smile and hand it over to you, even though she hates sharing it with anybody.

When a husband tells his wife, that he won't be home for the anniversary celebrations as he has to go out of town for an important business deal, she smiles and bids him adieu, even though she wishes he dint have to go.

All the above instances show us that how a person's smile may not really be the true depiction of what is actually going on in their minds & hearts. People smile as a part of respect or duty or obligation, to keep the other person happy.

If a husband & wife are having an argument, the wife may remain silent instead of aggravating the issue, but it doesn't mean she agrees to her husband.

It is often the subordinate who remains silent, while the Boss justifies himself right. Doesn't mean that the subordinate considers himself wrong.

If a guest blames the Steward at a restaurant for no parking space around the outlet, the Server can choose silence, as that's an argument he surely won't win.

A silence is often an option a person chooses when he doesn't wish to openly express his real views regarding Right/Wrong. A silence gives the speaker an opportunity to presume that the listener agrees to him. It therefore reduces conflict & cuts down on the tension and negative environment.

Smiles & Silences may not necessarily mean what the observer perceives of them. However, they are often the easy & polite way out. It is better to smile & pretend to agree rather than breaking a heart with your words.

However, one should not resort to Smiles & Silences at all instances of conflicts & discussions & demands. It is important to not be a "Push-over", to not let people walk all over you all the time. Beacuse then there are chances that you may loose your real voice!!!