Let's start at the very beginning

As we all know, beginning is a very good place to start. And so without further ado, if I am to start talking about Cambridge, CB1 is possibly the first place to talk about. For those of you who haven't visited the city of Cambridge (UK, not US), you probably have an idea of this place in your head. Well Mill Road is one street in this city, which is quite different from the usual pre-formed idea. At least it was different to mine. It is not sophisticated, posh with scholars walking around in their robes. You don't see a glimpse of the famous river Cam from here, nor do you see the punts. No towering impressive university building is in sight either. The by lanes have these houses stuck to each other known as terraced houses and the main street is very multi cultured, with shops, restaurants and cafes belonging to many different regions of the world (including English, Algerian, Turkish, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Bangladeshi to name a few). The street is full of character, and seems exactly like a place where the 'geeky-freaky-and-crazy' (all in a good way of course) crowd of Cambridge would hang out.

One such hangout place on this street is cafe CB1. It is not sleek and polished. But it is a quirky little place, which from the outside may look a bit old and basic, but as you walk in, you can tell its a place for the 'regulars' to meet up and chill. Also the numerous really old computers and loads and loads of books in the background almost sets the mood for the people who walk in. During my visit, I heard someone discussing his (or someone he knows) plans for going to moon (I know it is not good to eavesdrop, but hey, who can avoid listening to bits and pieces of an interesting plan :). Another person was looking through an old notebook, and I think I saw some feedback control systems and digital circuits drawn there. (I could be wrong of course, I could be seeing what I want to see and hearing what I want to hear :) But that really is part of the magic of a place I think. A place which tickles your imagination and makes you think.

The coffee was good, though not possibly the best I have ever had. The ginger cake I had, was also not my favourite, but then again, this is not a place to just eat and drink, but a place to feel and dream and be a part of the real Cambridge I would say. A place to start your explorations of this city, and possibly breaking out from the set idea in your head. Yes you will see the river, the punts, the impressive university buildings eventually but that is not all that is there to this place.

Sell Coffee, not your soul

What's in the name?

How often do you have to calibrate and re-calibrate yourself? You say something with great resolute and find yourself going back on your word the very next moment. And all this while you thought you were being honest to yourself the first moment as well as the second.

A book I had read in the past told me contradictions don't exist. Yet at every stage of life I seem to bump into one. I guess every additional moment gives us a different perspective and additional information about ourselves as well as our surroundings, and that calls for some calibration. But I do struggle with exact opposite ideas trying to co-exist.

Anyway, the point I am trying to get to in a very round about way is that, in the past I had said I will try to avoid big corporate coffee chains like Starbucks, Barista, Costa and the likes. Yet these days I find myself addicted to a cup of cappuccino in the morning. It is almost a ritual for me. I get to work, start my computer, change into work shoes, take my cup and head down to the cafe downstairs to get my super frothy cup of cappuccino with chocolate sprinklings (I don't for a minute stop to care that this is coming from a big brand) and then start working.

In fact the Tesco's right behind my house has sold their cafe over to Costa Coffee. I remember in the beginning I was not happy with this, and must have resolved not to go there again. Yet the other day I was sitting there, enjoying a cup of flat white in the morning, sinking into their sofa and I don't recall any trace of guilt or negative thoughts in my head at all.

Speaking of big names, recently I went to Patisserie Valerie in Cambridge to satisfy a sudden and rare cake and coffee craving and was not very happy with the taste of the coffee or the cake. I have visited this place a year back, and that experience was slightly better. But I hadn't tried their coffee before. Also it is not the kind of place I would like to sit and enjoy a cup. I guess the warmth was lacking.

This really proves one thing, that no matter what you do, if you start a cafe, it better sell really good coffee. This is the best and simple formula. Everything else, the comfy sofa, the good service, the nice atmosphere, the underlying principle behind opening a cafe, everything, is secondary. And that is what I need to keep in mind when I have my own.

Also this does not make me stop trying to go to more independent coffee shops. In fact there are a few really quirky and nice coffee places within Cambridge, and I want to feature them here in this blog very soon. But until then, take care, have a happening new year and note to myself, have an open and learning mind, always.

Sell Coffee, not your soul