Whiff of a bygone era

The smell of milk, cream, and pulpy fruits, fused in sweet whiffs could belong only to one place – Lakeview Milk Bar on M G Road in the city of Bangalore (now called Bengaluru) in Southern India.

There can’t be a more winsome ode to a bygone era.

In pre-independent India, when M G Road was still called South Parade, Lakeview’s was started by an Englishman James Meadow Charles in 1930. In 1947, when India gained her independence, Lakeview saw a change of guard in the country as well as in its ownership. James Meadow sold the business to a Bangalorean and moved back to England. It has stood there, for over eight decades now, witnessing blushing couples on first dates, kids squabbling over dessert orders or a mother and daughter enjoying a quiet conversation over a cold coffee and milkshake. There were no fancy dessert names on its plain menu card. Just a couple of exotic exceptions like Honeymoon Special Ice Cream and Red Velvet Sundae. The rest of the items had straightforward descriptions like Fruit Salad with Ice Cream and Jelly, Triple sundae and Vanilla Milk Shake.

A classic, Sunday afternoon meant a visit to Lakeview for ice cream, followed by a matinee show at M G Road’s famous cinemas (Plaza, Blu Moon, and Blue Diamond, all razed to the ground now to make way for Namma Metro stations).

Although the Lakeview of today is housed in a new building on M G Road, and a few meters away from its old address, this dessert destination has survived the blitz of newer, cooler, Millenial joints like Smoor, Berry’d Alive, Corner House or even CCD.

I guess some whiffs just cannot be blown away. They will linger on as a gentle reminiscence of times that are meant to dwell in nostalgic recollections.

 

Great Service Vs Great Experience

It was a long flight and we were tired when we arrived at our Airbnb penthouse in London. The hosts’ introduction had kindled excitement. They were adventurers, tea drinkers and big conversationalists. That had been enough to hit the ‘Book’ button.

We arrived at their place on a rain-drenched afternoon. The moment they showed us our room, all our tiredness vanished. The breathtaking views from our 9th-floor French windows did what they were meant to do – take our breath away.

Every picture that we had seen on the booking page was a faithful reflection of the original. Beautiful spaces, excellent amenities, and stunning riverscapes.

We had access to the entire floor and that included the kitchen and the main living area with its large balconies and panoramic views of the river, docks, and lights. Our room was bathed in natural light and was large enough to hold five pieces of luggage. Every day we woke up to beautiful scenes of a brilliant, sunny morning or rains slanting across the city. The twinkling lights of the Emirates cable cars beckoned us to take a ride across the Thames.

So, what we were paying for was not just a large, spotless accommodation with very good amenities, but also a million-dollar view.

Access to Central London was a breeze with the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) station being a two-minute walk from our place.

There was a Tesco Express and other supermarkets right across the street along with a couple of restaurants and cafes. A walk to the back-side of the apartment complex revealed a fresh expanse of scenic views. Tourists could enjoy leisurely meals at the restaurants here that overlooked a shimmering tract of water.

The hosts were super-friendly. They opened their home and their hearts to us. Conversations were vibrant. There were spirited discussions on a variety of topics including places, cultures, religion, politics, love, and marriage. Large cups of tea and fruity drags on a sheesha deep into the midnight added to the lingering mood.

This experience was best captured by Airbnb in one of their most exciting campaign lines – ‘Live There’.

It’s the insider-view of a local vs the spectator-view of a tourist that is at the heart of the experience.

Of course, there is a downside to collaborative consumption that will have to be contended with.

Your host is not the hotel manager. There is an invisible line of not imposing that has to be delicately navigated. How does one ask for things that are missing or how freely can you access common spaces? Can you join your hosts to watch television? Or would you hesitate to make a cup of tea, when the host is also using the kitchen? At homestays, the idea of ‘guest is king’ gets busted. Here, host feelings, expectations and house rules are equally important.

No such worries at the hotel. The guest expects, asks and demands. The hotel bends and serves. The guest has an opinion about the hotel. The hotel does not. The old order rules and is comforting.

With world travel and tourism continuing to grow unabated (about 3.8% per year for the next ten years, according to reports), it will be interesting to see how the homestay business evolves and its impact on hotels.

How will hotels respond to an idea that is not only undeniably alluring but one that has so emphatically shifted the paradigm from ‘great service’ to ‘great experience’?

Note: All pictures featured in this article belong to the author of this article taken at a homestay.

 

Here’s looking at you America…

An interpretation, through the songs of Simon & Garfunkel

“They’ve all come to look for America” – America, Simon & Garfunkel.

“New York, to that tall skyline, I come flyin'” – A Heart in New York, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Manhattan, NYC

“New York, like a scene from all those movies, but you’re real enough to me…” A Heart in New York, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Manhattan, NYC

“New York, lookin down on Central Park” – A Heart in New York, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: The Pond, Central Park

“New York, you’ve got money on your mind” – A Heart in New York, Simon & Garfunkel.  Pic: NYSE

“A heart in New York, a rose on the street, I write my song to that city heartbeat” – A Heart in New York, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: One WTC, Lower Manhattan, NYC

“Old friends, sat on a park bench like bookends…Can you imagine us years from today, sharing a park bench quietly; how terribly strange to be seventy” – Old Friends/Bookends,  Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Central Park, middle-upper Manhattan, New York City

“Hello lamp post, whatcha doin? I’ve come to watch your flowers growin. Ain’t you got no rhymes for me?” – 59th bridge street song, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: George Town, Washington DC

“All come to look for America” – America, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Manhattan skyline on a cloudy evening.

“And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made” – Sound of Silence, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Times Square, NYC

“Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike, they’ve all come to look for America” – America, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Somewhere on a Turnpike…

“I’m sitting at a railway station, with a ticket to my destination” – Homeward Bound, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Railway Station, Trenton, New Jersey.

“Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together. I’ve got some real estate here in my bag…” America, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Detroit Airport, Michigan

“Michigan seems like a dream to me now…” America, Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Orchard Lake Road, Michigan.

“When you’re weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I’ll dry them all.  I’m on your side, oh when times get rough and friends just can’t be found, Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down…Sail on silver girl, sail on by. Your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on their way. See how they shine. Oh, if you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind. Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind” – Bridge Over Troubled Waters Simon & Garfunkel. Pic: Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls.

All pictures featured on this post belong to the author of this blog post/page

Chimneys standing so tall with character and pride

The sun shone fierce and bright
All through the week, setting so late in the night

Walks so fresh and brisk in the mornings
Ending in heavy trudges in the chilly evenings

Cottages lined along the quintessential countryside
Chimneys standing so tall with character and pride

Old world charm met adventurous cuisine at the Rusty Gun
Wooden tables ‘neath low ceilings, the roasted lamb grilled to perfection

Did we hear again the crunch of carriages on cobblestones?
Was Eliza there? Did we hear Professor Higgins intone?

The scent of apples still lingering at the market place
The charming Piazza and Somerset House, a walk away from the historic Savoy Place

The London eye showed us Big Ben and a sprawling city
So lovely in its beauty; so rich in culture and history

The cruise on the River Thames – dark and gloomy
The guide a silver lining, cheered us with his vivid commentary

Crisscrossing the underground a hundred times
How can I forget the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines?

Magic once again at 9 ¾ King’s Cross station
Gazing at St. Pancras next door, step this way said the exotic nations

Selfridges, Top Shop, Marks & Spencer’s
Can’t miss any, cried the tired shoppers

Traversing Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street
The well-worn Nikes fell off the feet

Was finally time to pack up and say goodbye
Not so soon said someone, spare some time for London Heathrow at Terminal Five