A Soul Sante experience

Well after a really busy and hectic week of being bombarded by assignments and classes from 9-5pm, this Sunday came as a welcome break, something worth looking forward to. This Sunday was something which many Bangaloreans look forward to almost every three-four months a year. It was Sunday Soul Sante time.

Briefly about how it began, so Soul Sante was started by Mrs Amrita Rao, whose main motive was to promote and help budding designers . This concept which started off with a very small idea has now blossomed to become a huge brand name. On entering the area, I was blinded by a kaleidoscope of colourful hues, almost blocking my mental vision and taking me into a trance. Before coming here, I was fore warned by some of my friends who are pretty much aware of my weakness for anything colorful and nice. Keeping my budget to as low as possible, and promising myself to turn a blind eye to beautiful things, I set out on a  jaunt  to appreciate and watch what every designer had to offer on their stalls. And, you bet! It was very hard for me to stop myself from burning a hole in my poor student’s pocket. Nonetheless, I went around ogling at pretty things, holding conversations with the friendly designers and negotiating with my friend on what to buy and what not to. The ambience for this flea market was appropriately set; music performances, karaoke, beer to beat the heat, amazing crowd, cute smiley kids nibbling at their candy and a wide array of food stalls. So what if God decided to make it the sunniest day in Bangalore and tan us? It didn’t stop the world from descending over.

After roaming around a bit, I darted for the food stalls. The wide range of food stalls confused me and finally I settled for a gigantic Chicken burger which was yummy and juicy as hell. After gaining a little energy, I set out undauntingly to explore some more, not being pressured by the heat. There was so much hustle bustle and free flow of creativity, I was surprised at the amount of ideas oozing out of every stall that had been put up. Pretty scarves, stuff made from quilling, doodling on alcohol bottles, waste converted to quirky artsy stuff and bursts of NEON..How can I forget NEON? It was raining neon. Neon shoes, earrings, necklaces, cushions, bottles, dresses. You name it and it was there. My face burst into a wide grin which spread to my eyes. Soul Sante has gained so much recognition that people from outside Bangalore were also there to showcase their cool stuff and join the bandwagon of quirky designers.

This retail therapy, actually more so, an ‘idea generating and treating your eyes’ therapy was totally worth it. If any of you missed Soul Sante this time, don’t worry you still have the next quarter to go and get into a frenzy like all the others. My first ever experience, I could’nt have asked for more. Soul Sante was totally a 'soul selling experience' for me.

A donut and an Oreo experience

So this friend and I made an impromptu plan, well not really all that ‘impromptu’ as there was a definite purpose ---get her laptop fixed. But what surely kills the mood for a happy jaunt in the city is the dense Bangalore traffic that ensures that a short distance of half-an-hour is accomplished in more than double the time!But Lady Luck was smiling today and another friend, in an unusually generous mood, allowed us to take his scooty. This was an adventure scripted in heaven ---- two girls, a big city, a scooty with a mind of it’s own and finally, an unforgettable ‘Oreo donut experience’.Unable to zip-zap-zoom through the crawling city traffic we hit a modest speed, the cool evening breeze battling to overcome the hot, sooty and noxious fumes of the big buses and trucks, the enchanting sights and sounds of Bangalore, the fragrance of fresh flowers---it was by far the most enjoyable day out in the big city.  We’d gone with one purpose in mind, but ended up exploring a bit of Koramangla, a few other stretches of the city and jotted down places that demanded a more leisurely look. The world beyond electronic city, where we are located, is a much livelier and happening place, in stark contrast to the detached, banal, concrete environs of the place we call ‘home’!  Out on our own and making the most of our trip we decided to give ourselves a richly-deserved treat. And what better place than to head to Mad Over Donuts and feast on scrumptious confectionary. MOD proved to be the icing on my cake, quite literally. So, what’s so special about MOD that makes a person go gaga –is a query most will pose?

Well, the answer is not as obvious as it may seem. It was not just my ‘Oreo-filled donut’ which I tried for the first time that left me with a happy feeling but the humour and marketing skills of the guy at the counter who convinced us into trying and purchasing those donuts. 

The gentleman goes by the name Anil Mathews. Attired in his orange uniform, taking your order and working the cash counter to patiently answering queries, Mr Mathews seems like your regular salesperson. But, as many who come in contact with him will vouch for, his USP (unique selling proposition) is his jovial, friendly and easy manner. What amazed one was his enthusiasm as he patiently listed out the vast variety of donuts all the while offering suggestions to help us make up our minds from the yummy donuts on display. To his credit he convinced us to buy more than our pockets would allow and I could’nt help but compliment him for making my oreo donut experience at the Koramangla MOD not only yummy, but a memorable one.This was a happy experience, but there was a lesson in it too -- how a little thing or just one person can make or break your entire perception of a brand. I was always partial to MOD, but one affable salesperson has ensured my loyalty to the brand. It is sad that on most occasions we use social media to complain about bad service, poor product etc to speed up the process of redressal. Why have we never thought of complimenting and commending someone’s effort for making our experience memorable? A thought there! Right?

I did my bit by tweeting and writing on the Facebook page and followed it up with this blog. Kudos to all those nameless, faceless people who in their own way make our everyday experience better but never get acknowledged for it. Guys you are doing a great job and thank you for it!!