A Broke Boy’s Guide To Being A Hipster In Delhi

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Living life in Delhi isn’t easy, especially when you have a ballin’ life and a wallet with a credit card and faded driver’s licence that gets me in trouble. Being penny wise and pound foolish, I can indisputably guarantee a lot of LBB readers float in the same boat. There was a lot of struggle in writing this and deciding what to incorporate as the capital has a lot to offer {for the rag and rich in you}.

Delhi and I share a love-hate relationship, but mostly the former so long as it’s within a 10 km radius from my house. Before you continue reading, here are some things you must know about me:

I’m not hip but maybe I’m trying to get there {no, I’m not}.

‘Penny wise and pound foolish’ is my motto and I live by it.

I nap at work every day, so I earn lesser than my peers at b&w.

I’ve been to loud places. Not anymore.

So here goes:

Going to work? Heading out? Doing nothing? Make sure you button up and fold those pants. A shirt from Kardo and a pair of denims from Korra could be cool.  If that ain’t up your alley, who said fashion comes at a price? Go to bhane. or H&M, buy the store and still have some moolah in your pockets. But that’s not all! Complete it

A good watch or a good Swatch. Heard about Miansai or Larson & Jennings or Uniform Wares? If not then here’s your cue.

A great pair of sneakers {be loyal to your kicks}. You can {and are} always judge{d} by your shoes, so be smart about it.

Glasses, only if you have power {there is a reason why we wear them and fashion is not it}. Everyone doesn’t have access to Warby Parker, but we have Optique and Shiva Opticals.

But remember: Go basic or go swaggy, there is nothing in between.

When your day begins at work, only sip on Blue Tokai or KaffaCerrado coffee till the day ends. This isn’t a recommendation, but my urge for you to make better choices. Experiment a little and go for a pour over or cold brewed coffee next time! A clean organised workspace with good stationery is a must have, as I strongly believe writing makes you more productive and lets those creative juices {or not so absurd sketches} fall into one place.  Pen it down with Origin One, Kulture Shop or NappaDori.

Gotta step out after a long day? The Piano Man Jazz Club on a quiet night is definitely a hit on my list.  Just sit back and enjoy the performances, as long as you appreciate the act quietly. They take their music really serious and you should too.  Let the folks at PCO or Perch stir that perfect cocktail for you, since a good drink and some banter is known to be a relaxant.

Being a teetotaller, I live on fresh juice.  Follow antiSOCIAL online for their TC talks, movie screenings and album launches, choose your vice and hit them up!

A random evening at Le Bistro Du Parc with neighbours is always fun if the Lamb Confit is on the table. If you’re around Shahpur Jat for a meeting, GreenR dishes out some great food, and everyone needs to add it to their list. And it’s run by some amazing people, so find them and chat with them for sure.

Stay broke or get a stroke? Nah. Before I end this, here are my two cents: Try spending time with friends, but not at bars. Delhi is way better than that. Go for walks and take out that camera, or have a pot luck picnic at Lodi – turns out that the best things in life are {actually} free.

Meet {read: Speak to} new people maybe, get invited to someone’s office party, attend creative talks, art meets and don’t relate fun to the amount of money you part with.

Disclaimer: I’m just a regular guy who reads what you write too and always pays.