Paloma about town: This week was all about saris, staycations and surf

And just like that, we’re entering the final quarter of the year. This time last year people we were planning their costumes for Halloween, with tough decisions like ‘Harley Quinn’ or ‘The Joker’. While this year has certainly felt like one long prank, it’ll be interesting to see how people celebrate. Does a costume party via Zoom really have the same effect? We’ll have to wait and see.

And while popular watering holes are buzzing with people happy to party early and leave on time, many folks are choosing ‘staycations’ to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city but not go too far. Pictures of people on deck chairs and frolicking along the coast proved a bit too tempting, and a group of us found ourselves at ‘Surf Turf’ for a quick getaway, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Which also marked my first proper ‘outing’ in months. A round of applause, please. It was great to be able to enjoy some wide-open spaces without having to think about who was standing six feet away. And in the water, surf lessons were on in full swing, with even the tiny tots showing us how it’s done. I on the other hand was happy to enjoy the sea breeze, the view, and my mahi-mahi.

Back in the city, this week’s main event was the launch of Kanakadhara Silks. Founded by Archana Abishek and Lavanya Sekar, two friends with a passion for Kanjivaram saris, the brand is about preserving and promoting Kanjivaram crafts. Doing the honors and launching the new space was Sudha Ragunathan, who also spoke in detail about her well-known love for saris and traditional silks.

It was a fun vibe, with everyone dressed in their traditional best, putting their individual spin on things. Not only were the ladies saying that they were thrilled to have a chance to dress up after many months, but how the silk sari is seeing a major revival. Of course, the saris themselves, the ‘stars’ of the show, were looked at in great detail, with the broad border saris finding favor with shoppers.