I started Sunday morning at what was described as a “stealth launch” by the team at Yettu Coffee. A small group of enthusiasts gathered at Brews & Beyond in Besant Nagar to sample a brand-new product before its official debut. Chief coffee curator Viggnesh walked us through the brand story while we tasted variations, with discussions ranging from flavour notes to brewing techniques. As someone who considers herself fairly serious about coffee, I was quickly humbled by the level of expertise in the room and the barrage of questions being fired around. The biggest surprise? Every single cup was made using instant coffee. Mind. Blown.
My next stop was down the road at Tamara’s brand-new Besant Nagar showroom, where the label was celebrating a decade in style. Ten years old and opening a shiny new space? That’s what I call a glow-up.
The guest of honour was anchor DD, who cut the ribbon and took a tour of the store, while the rest of us got busy doing what we do best—shopping! The crowd included plenty of familiar faces from the entertainment world, bloggers and Chennai’s fashion regulars. As for the store, I loved it. The location is spot on, the space feels bright and welcoming, and the range covers the whole spectrum. I was completely spoilt for choice. The summery cottons were especially tempting, and after much internal debate (lasting approximately three minutes), I ordered myself a Madras checks jacket while promising to return for the saris. Some shopping trips are planned. Others are inevitable. This one was definitely the latter.
This week also included a stop at Forest Essentials’ new store in T Nagar, where Ayurveda got a decidedly glamorous makeover. Guests dropped in to explore the newly launched Panchpushp collection, compared skincare notes, and indulged in personalised consultations. Hair care products and the brand’s much-loved body oils disappeared into baskets at record speed. Safe to say, nobody left with just “one small thing.”
Retail therapy was also in full swing at Phoenix MarketCity, where actor Malavika Mohanan inaugurated the Phoenix Shopping Festival 2026, drawing shoppers eager to make the most of the season’s offers and discounts.
Speaking of launches, The Pilates Studio by Namrata Purohit opened an outpost on ECR, and can I just say how much I’m loving the fitness wave. With Namrata and Samir Purohit, fitness royalty in their own right, leading the conversation, the studio launch drew plenty of attention from Chennai’s wellness crowd. Between chats, sunset views, and enough core-strength conversations to make me sit up straighter, guests got a taste of the Pilates life.
Another unique event this week was Sunset Social, hosted by digital marketing agency Flutch, where influencers swapped the usual highlight reels for some refreshingly honest conversations. The gathering brought together over 50 creators to discuss everything from brand expectations and pricing to burnout and creative freedom. As co-founder Pradeep Patteti put it, creator growth happens through “learning, collaboration and community,” while Sharath Dasari noted that many creators still navigate the industry alone. For one evening at least, they had a room full of people who understood exactly what that feels like. In a world of filters and algorithms, a little real conversation was perhaps the most valuable content of the evening.
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