Category: Uncategorized

Recession sales in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
One of the vegetable vendor at Domlur market place


Gone are the good old days of frenzy shopping spree in the gleaming Foodworld’s Spenser’s or big Bazaar’s in Bangalore. Recession, layoff news, frozen appraisal has culled my usage of plastic cards. The compulsive shopper in me is all set for a long winter hibernation.

Reason for fewer trips to the mall
Apart from the bad economic signs, the poor customer service has prompted me to take a hasty retreat from these product aisles. As a customer, big Food World or Spenser’s or Big Bazaar’s offer no stimulus to shop or to repeat my shopping.

I used to be a frequent customer at the Food World store at Cambridge Layout, but there are no friendly nods from the busy shop attendants. Forget familiarly factor, but where is feel good factor during my visit in these glassy shops?

Discount signs every where in Bangalore
These days DISCOUNT signs are the only apparent signs at all shopping stores. I feel it’s a poor way to attract repeat business. Even though you get wide product choices, the soul of purchase in not about choice or savings; it’s also about feeling good about shopping and giving a better shopping experience.

I used to think that I’m alone to feel like this. But when I heard from an employee at an open forum in office, I felt that I’m not alone. He said he now prefers to shop from small time street vendors instead of the shopping blocks.

New shopping experience
Yes, that’s what exactly I’m doing now. I’m happy to buy from the ladies who sell vegetables from their wooden trolley or push carts. They are all happy to service you and very happy when you purchase more than Rs 20/-. (A similar amount spent at any shopping mall will get you a curious look from counter staff)

When I spend my hard earned dough at these small time vendors, I go with the happy feeling that it directly feeds her family and contributes to her little wealth.

Customer is the King
So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time for you demand better service and not treat you as one of kind in the store.

For these big Daddy brands, it’s time to take a change the defunct way of treating their customers. It’s better they try out ways to better shopping experience or else this recession phase is going to hit bad on the cash register.

Cambridge Layout views

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Picture of Sai Baba temple, Cambridge Layout. This is a famous landmark in this layout. Most often when I get into the auto I say this as a point to make it clear to the auto fellas. In spite of this, these auto guys used to take me around and charge for the round about fare.

Thursday is the most important day for SaiBaba temple. Devotees flock to this temple on this day and the whole area wears a busy look.

Chappal stand @ SaiBaba Temple

A Diamond is Forever

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Recently I was preparing a trivia question for my team and I came upon this slogan, “ A Diamond is Forever“.

Going deep about this De Beers ad, I found that it was Created by N.W. Ayer & Sons, Inc. and tis slogan has been in use since 1948.

“A Diamond is Forever” stood in time for De Beers, ever since Frances Gerety, a young copywriter, dreamed up the famous line in her sleep. Further this line has etched in our memory with the James Bond flick, “Diamonds are for ever“.

And taking of Diamonds, I’ve a promise to fulfill. I’ve promised my better half a diamond and by the way recession is heading, I fear for the worst.

Ezekiel 25:17 – memorized

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

When was the last time you memorized a passage or a note or a poem. Well, for me It’s been ages.

Last week, Star movies showed “Pulp Fiction”. In that movie this passage , “ Ezekiel 25:17 ” from Bible was told by the protagonist. The character had memorized it and that part took me think about memorizing this passage.

“ “The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is The Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.” “.

I started to repeat it loudly and now I can recite it half way through. Great, but I like to memorize it fully.. Once in a while its good for you to commit something to memory, at least the gray cells will have something to think of …

Indian coffee house

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Last weekend I went to the famed Coffee House at M.G road Bangalore. It’s one of the oldest and finest place to have good quality coffee with conversation at the cheapest price.

This Coffee house is in a building which is as tattered like the framed old coffee campaigns hung inside the room. This shop has two floors. The lower floor in this coffee house is mostly filled with the floating crowd and the one above has the more regular crowd.

Death kneel to Coffee house

Recently in Times of India there was a small column written about his Coffee house. It traced back the long service of this idyllic coffee house and how it had brewed fine coffee and conversation. It says that this place is likely to be shifted to some other location and I think for sure, this building is going to go under the rubble.

This article got me to photography the coffee ambience and the old pictures. I feel the best time to take pictures would be in the morning when the crowd is thin and I go ga-ga with my Camera. S5IS.

More pictures and news later ….

I’m yours in Coffee

Size does matter!

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Often wonder all the numerals and sub categories that go behind the perfect cup. Oh, I’m taking about the bra size which goes like 34, 38, a, b, c, etc…

Does size matter? Yes, it does from the write up “Times of India” prompted me. The article is about “wrong bra size ” which came in the newspaper made to write my version of the story.

Indian Women Wearing Wrong Bra Size 
Those readers who haven’t read this article, they can zoom in and read it’s brass points. I’ve also searched google to find more informative links about this topic. These two links will take you to more information and let you to guage your best fit…. how to measure your bra size and also bra size calculator.

Apart from what’s written, from my personal observation I’ve noticed many women wearing wrong sized bras. Sometimes I looks outright gross, with undersized cups with oversized boo**. 

This wrong choice often makes their breasts either looking menacingly sturdy or too saggy. while the appearances can be deceptive, it can also bring out adverse effects and in some cases cause permanent disfigurement of their mammary gland.
Recently a friend of mine went to a bra store and as per their advice she went to a more fitting bra which held her inner decks in the right place. Yes, I would suggest that you too follow suit, and adorn the most comfortable ones. Yes, it get you noticed for the right reason and you can ward off unwanted attention!!

Heavy discount lure Bangalore Buyers

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
@ Garuda Mall

Luring buyers with all creative discount offers

It’s a buyers market, thanks to recession exported from U S of A. Businesses are down, pink slips are flying around and the average citizen has culled the shopping budgets.

First signs of bad economy came from reality markets and now it has spawned to our gleaming shopping malls.

Many shopping places are devoid of buyers. I pass everyday by Oasis shopping mall( Sony world junction, koramangala) and most of the time I find only hand full of customers walking it. Such numbers can hardly contain the overheads.

While the fear of loosing the job has made all of us tighten our budgets, stopped using our credit cards and kept away from the glassy bazzar’s.

Until the time the economy show some sign of recovery, this trendis going to linger. I wonder if it become worse that this, and until such time, sellers has to come with new marketing tricks to pull the elusive shopper to their cash registers.

This is the time to showcase exemplary customer service and tactfull marketing. Sadly, customer service is badly dealt by the average seller, and now I would like to see some changes on the faces of people at the other side of the counter.

While Cambridge Layout sleeps….

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

What are your thoughts you think of your neighborhood? Well, I’m sure that you would think of it as a larger extension of your home. A place you can be at ease, topped with warm inviting and friendly people who protects and considers you as one among them.

But these days, when I think of my locality in Cambridge Layout Bangalore, I get mixed treat of emotions. As for me, the emotional pendulum swings from attachment to detachment.

Reason to be attached with Cambridge extension
It is close to all the happening place in Bangalore. Commercial Street, M.G Road, Koramangala etc. Moreover, it’s near to Church street where I hang aroud during weekends – for beer to second hand books.

Facilities
Other facilities around this residential area are

Hospital – Cambridge Hosptial, Shymala Clinic
Restaurant –
Fitness Centers –
Beauty Parlour – Fa Madria,
Temples –
Church –
Grounds –
Parks –
Juice stalls –
Sports shop –
Fish stores
Handicraft – Jute Cottage,
Coffee Joint

Missing part in Cambridge Layout
But, in spite of all these facilities at Cambridge Layout, I still feel disconnected with the people, the residents or with my neighbors. This sort of individual existence often disturbs me, but as anyone, I move on in life.

Old ways of Bangalore as Pensioners paradise or the Garden city has become a misnomer in the face of rapid change. People with plastic money and wealth from overseas assignments has swelled the place with greed and overshot ego in every ones mind.

Yes, it has given people with plush job, fat pay, more credit cards, more EMI’s, upbeat apts, big fat cars, flashy wife’s & girl friends, exquisite restaurants, and so forth.

But is this life’s all about? Where is old charm of life, when friends meet over a cup of coffee, when neighbors used be friends. I don’t care attitude of life has gotten every single soul, from kids to Grand parents.

Yesterday, while returning from work (late at night), I just passed through the desolate, cold houses that adjoined Polo Bar. Only sign of life was from the light coming from houses and the parked cars greeted with cold affection. As I sped on, I thought of the residents who stay in this place.

“ Are they happy in their life“? Do they think the way I do or am I getting these thoughts from my aging soul and spirit. I don’t think I can ever find answer; nevertheless I can give it a try. Maybe, I can dare to meet few strangers around here and share my thoughts: “ over a coffee or beer“. : )

As drifting logs of wood

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment


As drifting logs of wood may haply meet On ocean’s waters surging to and fro, And having met, drift once again apart, So, fleeting is the intercourse of men. E’en as a traveler meeting with the shade Of some o’erhung tree, awhile reposes, Then leaves its shelter to pursue his ways, So men meet friends, then part with them for ever.

Source: Code of Manu