I remember how awestruck I was with all the Hollywood glamour when I was a teenager. This could be attributable to the widespread use of consumer satellite dish. You could be sitting in India, Africa or an island for that matter, all you needed was some power source and a satellite, and you have got an access to the TV from around the world.
I remember the impeccable acting of Tim Robins and Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption… timeless beauty of Kate Winslet and heartbreaking performance of Leonardo Dicaprio… gut-wrenching performance of Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of the Lambs… and reliving the major events of 60s all over again through an outstanding performance of Tom Hanks. Needless to say, 90s was a decade of dreams and imagination for me.
One other thing that happened in 90s was the emergence of multiple quality TV shows as well. These amazing shows included Dawson’s Creek, the X-Files, the ER and superhit sitcoms like Friends, Sienfeld and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But one show really stood out for me; and that was Beverly Hills 90210! And what a show it was. Being a teenager myself at the time – albeit from a different cultural background – I felt like I was part of this Cultural Revolution. I instantly fell in love with the show and this absolutely beautiful city, Beverly Hills, as well. Man, how beautiful was Shannen Doherty in her 90s bangs!
I looked up what 90210 meant and learnt as much as I could about this magical place called Beverly Hills. I got to know the Beverly Hills was a home to most of the stars I was a big fan of. I got to know that their lives were as glamorous off camera as they were on silver screen. And I got to know that Beverly Hills isn’t just a city, it’s a lifestyle! The mansions… the parties… the good times… no other city in the North America could match its sparkle and shine.
As I grew up I realised that being a star isn’t exclusive to the movie actors. Being a star is a state of mind. You are a star if you are treated as one and feel like one. And nothing makes you feel like a star than a good, hospitable, service.
I came across the name of the StayRunners late night, after hours, post last call, delivery service the first time I visited this dream city of mine. I finally got the opportunity to visit Beverly Hills while on a business trip. As you can imagine from my fondness for the city, I simply could not sleep the first night. I kept tossing and turning and before I knew it, it was 3 am and was badly craving a drink and smoke. I was staying at a friend’s place and they had already slept since it was a week night.
I wanted to enjoy my first night in my teenage dream city and it wasn’t possible without alcohol. Desperate, I simply googled the three words, “alcohol cigarette delivery after hours” and there it was, the website of StayRunners. I could not believe that not only were they delivering cigarettes at your doorstep at that late hour of the night, but they were also willing to bring me liquor. Still skeptic of the legality and genuineness of their claim, I just entered my name, phone number, Jack Daniels mickey as my liquor order and special instructions to call me instead of ringing the doorbell. Then I simply hit the Contact Me icon.
Not sure whether I will actually get something at that time of the night. I put my phone on the bedside table and lied down in bed again. It must have been less than 5 minutes after I had placed the order that the phone started buzzing! I picked it up and heard the sweetest voice on the other side of the phone asking me, “Sir, a StayRunner rider is on his way. He will be with you within 25 minutes and your total delivery fee will be so and so dollars. Can I confirm your order?”
I could not wait for her to finish before I replied, “Absolutely!”
I received my liquor and cigarettes within 20 minutes. This sort of service at this late hour, after the last call time even at bars and restaurants was unheard of for me before that night. Within 25 minutes from placing my order, I was enjoying a peg of Jack Daniels and cigarette, sitting on the patio, gazing at stars while they gazed back at me, in the magical city of Beverly Hills.
That night I realized that you don’t need to be an actor to feel like a star. All you need is an amazing service like StayRunners to treat and make you feel like a star. I was back in my teenage years that morning. I was felt like a royalty. I felt like I had my own genie, in the form of StayRunners, whom I could simply tell my wish and it was going to be fulfilled. But most of all, I felt like a star that night, in this beautiful city of star!