We now officially move into the second half of the year, and while the weather seems to have improved mildly, ‘Summer’ is not quite over. It was a crazy packed week with a little bit of everything food, fashion, fitness, art and more, so here’s the recap. Forgive me if I flit from one event to the next (much like our social butterflies did this week) while I attempt to squeeze everything in.
My first stop was at Express Avenue for the launch of Saundh, a brand that’s a favourite amongst the ladies. With a tagline like ‘everyday luxury’, the clothes bring to mind images of picturesque locations and slow-motion videos. The new store was packed at the inauguration, with Dr Pushpa Agarwal officially doing the honours. As I browsed their latest collection, I happened to come upon a couple of Chennai’s fashionistas in a deep discussion on what to choose. I love a good fashion convo and couldn’t resist jumping in. Between the dresses and the indo-westerns, it was tough choice. I nibbled on a piece of bruchetta followed by bite-sized chocolate cake, and decided my favourite was a pair of easy co-ords. As the evening wore on, the crowds kept pouring in, with everyone doing a good job of sharing trial room and mirror space.
Next up, over the weekend, was the highly anticipated launch of Hamley’s Play at Phoenix MarketCity. Sruti Nakul, YouTuber and social media influencer was present, along with many of the city’s ‘yummy mummies’. I think us parents were as excited as the children, joining in on the fun and exploring the new space. Along with fun characters, dance performances and snacks, we got to swap hilarious stories. I may have skipped the gym that day, but all the climbing, crawling and jumping was definitely a workout. Speaking of which, across town, Radisson Blu Hotel GRT Chennai launched Bodhi Spa and Sculpt Fitness Studio. A Turkish Hamam that screams luxury, the spa is definitely the new ‘it’ space in town. Instead of the usual chit-chat, guests got to enjoy a Zumba session followed by some pampering. ‘Gotta work for your supper’ someone joked. On the food front, GRT Grand announced Thalaivan Virunthu, a culinary showcase by celebrity Chef Damu. The evening was high energy, with a demo by the chef himself, along with loads of showmanship, and a fully entertained audience.
Also taking place this weekend was White, a design and visual art exhibition by multiple artists, presented by Maisha Studio at Gallery Veda. Curated by Aishwarya Manivannan, the showcase was inaugurated by artist and production designer Thota Tharrani, filmmaker Bharatbala, and urban designer and architect Kavitha Selvaraj. A true multisensory experience, it also included a performance by Prakash Sathiyadharan, sound healer and percussionist.
Rounding out the week was an invitation from Sunil Menon and Sunil Karthik to celebrate Pride Month ’23, and raise funds for Sahodaran, at The Void. The fashion fraternity, rallied around as always, showing up in full force. It was also great that everyone didn’t take themselves too seriously, with a fun evening, where the dance floor was never empty. Everyone went all out on the fashion front, and in the spirit of pride, were dressed in their brightest best.