Chai Time Chitchat #14

It feels like an era is over which started some 10 months back. An era of the Wedding of our sibling and the post wedding fatigue. Or at least I would like to think so that it is over.

I did the opening of 'this new era' (Again era! How dramatic I can be!) by taking the first step of trying out the french art of decoupaging. Decoupaging papers are not available in plenty in India but when we can recycle,why not? I used one of those 17 glass wine bottles I have collected and a torn Harry Potter book pages to make the first pilot.

Art is where your heart is, I say. I am not an artist from any stretch of imagination but this is something which puts me in the subconscious flow. Much like dancing, for me. The happiness of creating something can not be compared to any thing. And after all, I had read some where -'Home is where art is!' While my updated version is, 'Home is where the art is and the Chai is!'

By the way, do you know there is no fun in having Adarakhwali chai alone? I miss our uncle and aunt with whom I can share the super strong Adarakhwali chai. Lets see if how I can accommodate back to usual food habits and Chai Habits.

Beach-O-Beach

In the center of the city, we work on the beach. (Dadar is central Mumbai, right?)

Sorry for such a lame word play, but no words can express the view we can experience, at the end of the lane where my new office has shifted to.

...And the breeze.. Ooff...

PS: Can you spot the sea link?

:-) 

Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada

This how I am greeted by a few people in our office building. No kidding.

When our company started operations in that shiny new building but a small setup, a couple of us were worried about food and tea. While I chose to bring lunch from home, we tried ordering tea from cafeteria situated in an open terrace downstairs. Who on earth can survive without that one cup of tea to overcome the afternoon slump?

Now, I have CCD! - Chai Compulsive Disorder. I can drink tea, made only by a total of four specific people. On the first day, I took eternity to finish it (Read: Acting as if I am drinking), I cried silent tears. I spent many days without tea. Meanwhile my flu got worsened in terms of frequency of bouts hence, I decided to take the plunge. I took the challenge of developing a vendor and supply chain for tea of my taste.

I short listed one of the vendors who would make tea in our own building. I made an agreement regarding the price, raw material (Read: Ingredients - fresh ginger and milk) and operational instructional. In fact, I gave the secret (so much that no one wants to drink tea made by this recipe) recipe in written.To my surprise, this guy picked it up really really well.

It became a routine for them to fulfill the order of this new tea as soon as they see me entering the cafe or hear my voice for the order on phone. The code name of the recipe was 'Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada' because that is what would be my short description while ordering, so that they dont forget that I wont touch the normal tea.

Slowly,  my name and the greeting also became this four word phrase. "Good Morning" and "Good Evening" , "Kaise Ho" and "Madam Dikhe Nahi kal" got converted into smiles and "Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada".

***

Yesterday we shifted to a bigger and better office. My heart skipped a beat when I was not greeted in the morning by the same group of people.  I missed my tea and smiles without our slogan the most.

Some where, I am not sure if I would get same smiles even if I get the perfect "Chini Kum Adarkh Zyada" Chai, ever.