Hi Guys,

I've been writing 69-word, theme-based stories for the digital lifestyle magazine, The Brown Scooter, every month.

Read off and let me know what you think/feel :)


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One night @ Mocha - WTF!!!

Y ON EARTH DO PEOPLE GO TO MOCHA's? Had been to Mocha's yesterday (the one @ Nirmal Lifestyle) and man am I pissed!! Shitty ambience, expensive but non-filling food and absolutely pathetic service... this is my second experience (first being the one @ Hiranandani sometime back) and yesterday's trip just confirmed my thoughts on relentless mushrooming of overpriced 'hangouts' like Mocha...

Ppl who know me know that I am NEITHER sooo poor that I can't afford the food/snacks there NOR am I someone who thinks wearing jeans is ruining Indian culture, so I hope that clears out any doubt on me being a wannabe ghati posting random rants to get my blog numbers ticking... coming back to the point, I can't seem to get over the fact that people go to such 'hangouts' in hordes and sit around on old chairs/gaddis (which look like the ones my mom threw out yesterday), surrounded by curtains (which look like they've been cut out from those marchardani nets that you get on the roadside) and smoke away 300 bucks on 'flavoured steam'!!!

So, is it that place cool u ask? Personally, I don't think so... there are 'cooler' places to hang-out and have fun than a place like Mocha where one look at the ceiling makes me feel like a plumber/electrician with all those pipes/uninsulated wires running around... Y then? India's economy is booming, the purchasing power has gone up and we have a richer middle-class?? My ***! Is the food filling? NO - @ Mocha's, exhorbitant prices is not equal to a full stomach, mind you... so, is it the 'world-class' service? HELL NO - I have been to cheaper places where the customer service is much much better that the one at Mocha's.. me thinks they recruit people only once in the entire lifetime of an outlet and don't give a shit even if the customers outnumber the staff 15:1...

So, y the hell did I goto Mocha's the second time if I wasn't happy the first time around and y am I ranting about it now? Well, for starters THIS IS MY BLOG... secondly, both the times I was almost forced to go as most of the people wanted to smoke 'hukka' and so I had to tag along... 2 reasons I think -
1. A Perceived sense of 'coolness'
2. A place where there is no one to disturb you as you slump back in the chair and endlessly keep staring at the ceiling or chatter away wid frndz without being disturbed..!

But does it have to be so over-priced? can't the place be a bit more polished? better customer service? Am I asking for too much... I dn't think so!