Cool places to hang out (with friends)!

By V. Swapna @ Sulekha.com

Want to know the difference between Madras and Chennai? "Chennai is more cool, unlike Madras," remarked my 19-year-old cousin. Lo Behold! Aren't we talking about the same place? "The topography, latitude, longitude and not to forget the roads are all the same. Aren't they?" I argued, "and it is still a part of South India," I continued, just to ensure that he was talking about the same Chennai and not a different one in another part of the world. Can't take chances with these guys you know.

"Hey come on machan, can't you see the difference? So many places to hang out in Chennai. Did Madras have any of that?" (Machan- a tamil slang, literally means brother-in-law, often used by Chennaiwasis as a mark of affection, irrespective of the gender)

"I see." I muttered, nodding my head in acknowledgement and bid him goodbye. I was off on a trail to understand Chennai better and to explore the 'coolest' haunts, which made Chennai different from Madras! After all I have to spend 3 years here to pursue my graduation and it would be better to acquaint myself with the terrain in the next couple of days. I guess my parents thought that sending me to Chennai would make me more traditional after having spent 17 years in Delhi. (They still thought that girls walk in pavadai davanis to college - that, to the uninitiated, is the South Indian version of the Ghaghra Choli.)

Dragging a friend along, my first stop was at Barista, which has just been opened in Chennai. Baristas are prevalent all over in Delhi and was curious to see if there was any difference. A cozy, cool coffee pub best describes the one at Nungambakkam -- the heart of Chennai. Lip smacking varieties of coffees at affordable costs makes Barista a truly great place to hang around with pals. Not very different from the ones at Delhi, I analyzed.

A hop, skip and jump from there would take you straight to Coffee Day at the Ispahani complex. Buzzing with crowds all the time, more so during the evenings and weekends makes Coffee Day quite a happening place. The coffees are priced at cheaper rates and a wide variety of short-eats are on the menu too. The atmosphere is quite different and caters to a wide variety of junta, be it business executives or uncle- aunties trying to be hep, or the more predominant college community.

It's a wonder to see the growing coffee pub culture in a place like Chennai, where the locals get to savor the traditional 'filter kaapi' almost everyday. So what else makes Chennai more 'cooler'? A peep into the air-conditioned shopping malls reveals it all. Spencer's Plaza, supposedly the most preferred haunt by teenagers, is jam-packed during the weekends. Ample space to saunter in groups, amiable atmosphere and tasty food stalls makes it a great place to be in at any time of the day.

For the more adventurous and sporty crowd, a trip to the Go-karting center, or a game of billiards at Billiards Point would be the best way to spend the weekends, provided you have some bucks in your pocket. For the wild, partying junta there is no dearth for discotheques either. EC- 41, one of the oldest discs, on the East Coast road or the more recently opened 'FLAME' at Le Meridien are too good to be missed. Most Chennaiites are however familiar with the good old 'SOCKO' now christened as 'CLUB-53 housed at Hotel Ambassador Pallava. People with two left feet can still manage to shake a leg with the absolutely hip-hop music. Kudos DJ, whoever he is. If you are one of those celebrity freaks you can catch them all at 'Gatsby 2000' housed at Hotel ITC Park Sheraton. Geoffrey's, the new pub(the only one in Chennai, they say) in town (not a coffee pub this time) is a haven for alcohol lovers. Cool music against jazzy backgrounds and a glass of beer makes for the perfect Saturday night fever.

For those who believe that good music is the way to salvation, the Unwind Center is the best place to be on Friday nights. Live bands of different genre perform every week and promise a great deal of head banging. Gosh! After having toured the city for 3 days, I realized that the Madras I knew does not exist any more. Congratulations on becoming a 'cool' Chennai!