Department store evolution

Boston.com writes about the changes that have taken place in the concept of department stores.

Just as they pioneered modern escalators to carry crowds of shoppers upward, department stores encouraged their customers' social mobility. The big stores grew up with a burgeoning American middle class that they provided with its tastes, habits -- and consumer goods.

As full-service department stores continue to disappear, it becomes clear just what influential organizations they were in shaping the lives of millions.

Read the full article here.

Once was Bombay

More book updates:

I finished Amitav Ghosh's The Hungary Tide and am now reading Pinky Virani's Once was Bombay. Interesting so far, plus I like the short story format, its just so much easier to read and find a break to pause for a bit.

I did enjoy reading The Hungary Tide. It was a really well written book that gets you involved in the events of the book as well as the characters. And it was interesting to hear yesterday, that the book is being made into a movie...now that would be nice, though it'll be really hard to capture one of the central characters, Fokir. Piya and Kanai babu will be easier to play I feel. Looking forward to seeing the movie.

Two thoughts of the day

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
--Annie Dillard

If you love what you do, then you will never work a day in your life.
--Chinese proverb

Moral of the story: Find something you love to do and enjoy life.

The power of one word

One of my old favorite sites, One Word is back on track again. So glad to see it up and running again, although it is updating the words somewhat sporadically it seems!! You are given a single random word every day and have 60 seconds to write whatever you'd like on it. It allows you to break free of thinking the same thing again and again, by writing the first thing that comes to your mind.

Books

For books are more than books, they are the life
The very heart and core of ages past,
The reason why men lived and worked and died,
The essence and quintessence of their lives.

--Amy Lowell
Boston Athenaeum

Currently reading -The Hungry Tide

I'm currently reading The Hungary Tide by Amitav Ghosh, which came out a couple of years ago and is set in the tidal area south of Calcutta called Sundarbans. I am thoroughly enjoying the book, the building of the characters, the dialogue and especially the history and geography of the region.

Over the years, I have realised that I can't just read fiction....the story must have have some real base at its setting, so I am able to learn about a new place without really 'learning' about it. I find its the best way to be really 'learned'.

Tribal living

Interested in joining a tribe and living on a island in Fiji?

Then check out Tribe Wanted. Started by Mark James and Ben Keen in April 2006, Tribe Wanted is a global search to build a community who will make a small Fijian island their home.

Source: Springwise.com

on reading

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

--Saint Augustine

Travel

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.

-Lyn Yutang

Seattle parks

While on the topic of Seattle, here is a great article on the parks in the city in The Morning News.

Washington calls itself the Evergreen State; Seattle is nicknamed “The Emerald City”; even my elementary school, Maplewood Heights, conformed to the verdant nomenclature. Needless to say, we in the Pacific Northwest take great pride in our little ecotopia.

Read the full article here.

Most educated cities in the US

An interesting article on the most educated cities in the US in CNN Money. I was surprised to see Boston so far down in the list (at number 7).....well, for Boston it is far down. It was also nice to see several university towns such as Columbus, Raleigh and Omaha on the list. Seattle comes in first and the second spot is shared by San Francisco and Raleigh.

Read the full article here.

Birla’s appoint McKinsey for its retail foray

According to The Economic Times, The Aditya Birla Group announced that it had appointed consulting firm McKinsey as advisors to its retail plans. The consulting group will be responsible for the company’s entry as well as on the various formats which will be launched. McKinsey also works with The Future Group (formerly known as Pantaloon Group) and KSA Technopak works with Reliance Retail.

The Birla Group has already started hiring people for their retail venture and has brought in Vijay Kashyap, Head HR of Shoppers’ Stop and Sanjay Badhe, Head Operations. The group’s retail foray will be spearheaded by its apparel and textile division, Madura Garments, which owns and retails brands such as Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England.

The future

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.

--Dean Acheson

BMW in India

BMW announced that it will start manufacturing and selling cars in India from next year from its wholly-owned subsidiaty in Chennai. The company is targeting reaching an annual sale of 1000 units.

Peter Kronschnabi, president of BMW India, told reporters: "We have optimised our cars for Indian conditions after a stringent test ride of 25,000 kilometres. With increased ground clearance, engine protection sheet and an extra air filters, we will carry about 10% localised content in form of car seats and door panels. BMW 3 Series will be followed by 5 series saloon in a gap of few months, with which we expect to achieve our target of 1000 units in the first year."

Read the full article here.

Designing your own credit card

A new trend spotted by Springwise.com that lets you customise not only the look of your credit card but also certain key variables such as reward rates, interest rate and card fee.

Read the full article here.

Checkmate

When the game is over, both king and pawn go into the same box.

--Italian proverb

Reliance Retail plans take shape

Business Standard reports that Reliance Retail has purchased about 40,000 sq ft of space at Star City Mall in New Delhi’s Mayur Vihar, which will become the anchor tenant for the mall, which is being developed by Mahatta Towers Pvt. Ltd. According to sources, the space will be used as a food and grocery supermarket.

Another location chosen by the company was in a mall developed by Omaxe Constructions in Greater Noida which has been leased and will be developed as a hypermarket format store. In Ahmedabad, the company has purchased 200,000 sq ft of space in the Iskon Mall, which will be developed as a hypermarket. The company has also purchased space in Jamnagar and Rajkot.

Two versions of history

History teaches everything including the future.

--Lamartine (French Poet)


We learn from history that we do not learn from history.

--Hegel (Philosopher)

The City of Falling Angels-John Berendt

I finished reading a fabulous book about Venice, City of Falling Angels written by John Berendt, bestselling author of Midnght in the Garden of Good and Evil. All the characters in the book are real people, who lived in Venice, shaped and were shaped by this enigmatic city. Its a great way to get to know the city, its history, philosophy and culture.

The people of Venice are who have made the city into a cultural center from master glassblower Archimede Seguso, nicknamed 'Mago del Fuoco' or Wizard of Fire, poet Ezra Pound, Peggy Guggenheim, Isabella Steward Gardner, the eccentric Boston art collector and many others. A definate must read for anyone interested in the history of Venice, with lot of extras about glassblowing, architecture, The Fenice opera building and art thrown in.

Make your own path

If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.

--John D. Rockefeller