Money without culture cannot build lasting civilization; Krishna consciousness provides the culture that transforms wealth into genuine welfare.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrutakīrti: We took a few pictures that you could see. We took some pictures for you to look at of the restaurant. It's still being built, so there's not actually that much to see. [break] This street that it's on is very heavily traveled all day.
This is taken at about five o'clock in the morning, so there's no one there. It's still under construction; you can see all the cinderblocks inside. But it's all-glass building.
Prabhupāda: It is being rented or purchased? Śrutakīrti: That's still being worked out. I think... Ambarīṣa: I think we're going to purchase. Śrutakīrti: ...Ambarīṣa is purchasing.
Prabhupāda: The back building? That is a different building? Śrutakīrti: No, yeah. This is condominiums, houses, for people living above, so the restaurant is just that one floor. That's what we would be purchasing, not the whole building.
Ambarīṣa: The kitchen is inside the big building. Śrutakīrti: But it's very choice space. It's just two blocks from what's called the Ritz Hotel, which is most famous hotel in the country; they have in every large city. These pictures, that glassed-in area, that would all be just the serving area. Then the kitchen is behind the wall.
There would be a large kitchen facility, where all the devotees would be cooking. Prabhupāda: Kitchen is within the building? Śrutakīrti and Ambarīṣa: Yes. Prabhupāda: So one-story building also included? Ambarīṣa: Yes, there's a kitchen and dish-washing room and office, storage... Śrutakīrti: Storage space, office. All inside. Prabhupāda: Nice. Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Did you explain that it was being built for someone who was going to start a restaurant, but they didn't? Śrutakīrti: Yes. They ran out of money, these people, and there were so many restrictions at this location because of these buildings here. People live there, and they didn't want anyone in there who was going to cook meat.
And they didn't want anyone who was going to serve intoxication. So practically we're the only people that don't serve meat and intoxication. So it's actually... They are very glad. Ambarīṣa: The man who owns it says he gets fifty phone calls every day of people who want that space.