Marina rocks
I have always liked the Marina beach a wee bit more than Elliots or any other beach. I know its dirty, crowded and smelly. There is a special feel about Marina that people fail to notice. The smell of the sand and sea apart, the smell of hot bajjis , sundal , ‘kadalai' and cotton candy add to its charm. Marina for me is symbolic of the simple joys of life. People come dressed in their best attire and children love to take a ride on the pint sized merry-go-rounds that charge just Rs 5! Boys have fun playing volleyball, throwball and even cricket on sand. Sometimes you see people falling off horses during their rides and then laughing at the sillyness of the whole situation! It is even funny to see couples romancing and often looking behind their backs to see if the police are noticing! If only people took a bit more care to keep it clean, I think Marina would no doubt be the most fun place to hang out in the city!!
Hiranmayi Narayanan, I st year, BA.BL(Hons), School of Excellence in Law.
Beat the heat
My favourite hangout in Chennai is obviously the second largest beach in the world the Marina beach. Even though there are many places in Chennai Marina Beach is always special for me. To beat the heat, Marina is the best place that suits us. For me sea symbolises calm and I can forget all my worries just sitting by the boats on the shore. No problem, no tension, no confusions this summer Beach is the perfect Hangout. Go there and feel the difference!
V.N.Harish, Ist M.B.A , AMS College Of Engineering .
Shopping spree
Bored of sitting at home and watching TV? Then just hangout friends. If you are a shopaholic, then go grab the new summer collections. You can also go to the malls to spend the whole day where you have everything under one roof. Try spending a day in amusement parks with friends. Other than these, we have summer releases coming up. So try the theatres and enjoy watching films. Also cool yourself by eating lots and lots of Ice creams and drinking fruit juices. My favourite hangouts are Spencer Plaza and Ampa Sky walk.
B.Sridevi, III rd year IT, Panimalar Engineering College.
Go fish!
What better way to start off a summer day than a bike with a full tank and some awesome stretches on the ECR? Not only the beckoning tarmac, there are also loads of scenic frames to keep a shutter-bug like me engaged. By mid-day, you can go skinny-dipping while on the catamaran ride next to Fisherman's Cove. The effervescent fishermen on the beach are always game to take you on their prized wooden floats. If Lady Luck smiles, you may even get to sight a dozen dolphins or more. The ECR is also peppered with cafes and resorts, where you can laze off the summer heat. On gasoline-challenged days, there is always the friendly neighbourhood swimming pool - a perfect spot for the group event called ‘splashing' with your friends. And in the evenings, when the couch-potato mood sets in, nothing can beat the living-room couch and the hot IPL action on TV.
S. Prithivi Raj, Velammal Engineering College
Movie mania
This summer holidays I will be mostly hanging out at Satyam. It's the best place for any movie buff to be in and with what blur has to offer it can't get any better. Also waiting eagerly to go PVR which has recently opened up and then maybe to the Ampa mall. ECR is also a good weekend retreat. So lots to do this summer!
Sourabh
Ice ice baby
Be it here or be it there Ice-cream parlours are the best place to freak out this during summer. I really don't mind eating ice-cream anywhere but if I have to be specific I would say Arun ice-cream. Eating ice-cream, sitting inside an air-conditioned parlour and listening to music. Looking at the people caught in the traffic, getting fried up by the summer heat, I will feel this is the best place to be. But I it's the time when the mind screams budget and calories that I hesitatntly decide to stop.
V. Ganga Bharani, SriSairam Engineering College
A good mix
This summer Chennai is definitely going to be a ‘hot’ and happening place! My personal favourite in Chennai is definitely the beach, with the spicy bajjis it has to offer. Amethyst at Gopalapuram comes next. Although it's the not the best place for pampering your taste buds the unruffled ambience more than makes up for it. For those who love adventure, the catamaran rides offered by Fisherman's Cove is a must. Close to the city and our all time favourites, there is always Sathyam or Inox to turn to if you want to laze around after watching a movie.
Nandhitha Hariharan, Chettinad Vidyashram, XII
Go green
Think hangouts and the place that comes to the minds of teenagers is malls and multiplexes. But I dare to differ. I prefer parks and ice cream parlours. When it comes to ice cream parlours, Creamy Inn tops the list. From simple ones like mango delight to ones with peculiar names like Titanic, this place has it all. You get your money's worth and the ice creams here are sure to fill your stomach. You also get the added advantage of the air conditioners in these parlours which is a great relief from Chennai's sweltering heat. On the other hand, parks are great places to catch up with your friends, enjoy nature and burn those extra calories.
Nanditha Ravindar, XII, Leo Matric. Hr. Sec. School
All in one
T he best place to enjoy summer is Mayajaal on the ECR. A lot of indoor games like snooker, snow bowling, table-tennis help us forget the hot sun. With the onset of dusk, the well-maintained lawns get busy with cricket and football and a huge crowd cheering and umpiring the players. With many theatres, night becomes the appropriate time to watch movies.
Ajit Rengaswamy, XI, M.CT.M. School
Hot or cold
It's true that all roads from any popular college in Chennai lead to Kailash Kitchen. College students, who get off share autos at Choolaimedu or the nungambakkam station, automatically gravitate towards the 16-seated diner. The holidays, I'm sure, will see a morbid increase in the crowd that flocks in that direction. The crunchy fried beef momos and the steaming hot chicken mok thuk will leave you salivating for more, days after you've tasted them and the chilly beef and the chowmein here are definite ?must-haves?. The dilemma with (or the allure of) dropping by Kailash is it's unpredictable timings and if you ever find yourself frowning at a closed Kailash Kitchen door, Creamy Inn is just a scream away. ;)
Rachel Pamela Joseph
