Food trucks
The ever evolving food culture across the world, takes a millennial turn in our very own Shillong. A quick take away before a picnic, in between errands or a relaxed after work hangout, these trucks have that flexibility as per one’s taste buds.
locations in the city. (ST)
Popular in the west especially in Australia and the US, Shillong brings in its unique touch of serving lip-smacking local snacks. While this is a profitable deal for the owners it also serves the food lovers well as the food is delectable but easy on the pockets. These restaurants on wheels are a great low-budget entrepreneurial venture twinning cooking talent with a good revenue model.
Strewn around the city, people have taken well to omni/old jeeps converted to mobile restaurants, some even find features on multiple food blogging sites across social media platforms. Not only are these vans driven by local innovation and talent, but they also offer spaces in the open away from the bustling crowds — a perfect offer for COVID times!
‘Independence’ or dependence?
Students parting from distant homes, across India and especially other Northeastern states, come to Shillong hoping to scale new heights in renowned institutes and achieve their career goals.
Although that sounds like reading out a para from a college prospectus, it is a fact.
But you hear about this everywhere, so what is interesting about this subject for us to intrigue you?
A handful of such students have told us an interesting story about this phase of their life that we would like to tell you.
These students generally stay in hostels or live as paying guests, commonly known as PGs. But for some reason, a select number of them opt for rented houses for more ‘independence’.
One lot of such students stumbled upon the SJ team, and shared a story about how this chase for ‘independence’ took them down a more ‘bothersome’ road. They live in an apartment of a well-known locality in Shillong, but claim not to enjoy the ‘independence’ they want.
As per the ‘quibbles’, they talk too loud during the night disturbing others living nearby.
As a result, the owner usually cuts off the electricity and water supply to their apartment without any prior notice. “At night, when the electricity is cut off, we generally think it’s because of the load-shedding which is very common nowadays”, says one of the students, who also reveals that they come to know of the disconnection only in the morning when they discover to their dismay that the water has been disconnected.
Nonplussed, they contact their house owner only to be told they have to pay a penalty in monetary terms. The tenants complain that such a fine for just talking loudly is too stern a punishment but they have no choice but to make the payment for electricity and water are essential commodities for them.
Welcome, summer
With Shillongites starting to throng ice-cream parlours and swimming pools and also starting to don half-sleeve apparel and basking in the warmth of the summer sun, usually on their rooftops, it is evident that the hill station has bid adieu to the chilly days — meaning SUMMER IS HERE!
The shopkeepers, who were not able to cater to the summer enthusiasts last year, are upbeat about the future of their summer sales in 2021.
The SJ team spoke to one shopkeeper and asked if sales of cold drinks and ice-creams have, of late, seen a boost, especially now that select institutes have started offline classes. He replies, “The sales have definitely improved, although I expect more in the coming weeks.”
With Shillongites spending 2020’s summer inside their homes, they surely don’t want a feeling of déjà vu this summer. However, with COVID-19 still continuing to lurk around, only time will tell what’s in store for summer aficionados.