Highwire Act

Photo from Time Magazine

 Photo from TIME Magazine

With the exception of the past few dreary  days, spring has sprung and Highwire Lounge is updating their seasonal cocktail menu.

Now, if you have not been to Highwire (especially if you live in Athens, Ga.), I must say, your life is not complete. Highwire is a unique and classy cocktail lounge on West Clayton Street, and if you haven’t been you must go and try some hand-crafted cocktails and food IMMEDIATELY! (steps down from soapbox)

Highwire and it’s sister bar Trappeze Pub share a kitchen and serve the same food. Both bars offer an extraordinary array of various cocktails, beers and wines. Additionally, Trappeze and Highwire’s food is delicious and complements the overall atmosphere of both bars.

With spring upon us, Highwire has introduced a few new cocktails for this week: the piña limonada, the lemon-thyme margarita and the continental. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to try any of these new cocktails, but I will very very soon (and of course I will update you all!). 

The piña limonada is made with fresh pineapple, ginger, lemon  and Prichard’s Crystal Rum. Sounds like heaven, doesn’t it? The lemon-thyme margarita is “earthy and delicately sweet” according to Highwire’s recent newsletter. This floral cocktail calls for Agavales Silver Tequila, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, house-made lemon-thyme cordial, lime and fresh thyme. The continental is Highwire’s final new cocktail, using Bulleit Bourbon, honey, fresh squeezed orange juice, peach bitters and mint.

Now for a few of my favorite cocktails! If you know me at all you know that I am slightly addicted to Highwire’s raspberry brindle. Yes, it is a total “girly girl” drink, and I love every sip of it. The brindle is made with raspberry vodka, fresh squeezed lemonade and blackberries. What is not to love? My second favorite crafted cocktail is the lavender 75. This delightful cocktail combines house-made lavender cordial, Boomsma Genever and lemon champagne. My current seasonal cocktail of choice is the blueberry mojito… yum. Click here, here and here to see a few of Highwire’s cocktail lists.

On to my food picks. My favorite Trappeze/Highwire appetizer is the Terrapin spent grain bread, which is served with orange honey butter. The beer cheddar soup is also one of my favorite tasty Trappeze appetizers (pictured below). Additionally, my entrée of choice is the Trappeze twins; two burgers with beer cheese and caramelized onions and fries (also pictured below).

Trappeze twins with fries

So, a word of advice: go to Highwire, like… now.

 

And if you don’t know now you know.

 

xo Paula

Festival Picks of 2011

Music festivals are some of my favorite yearly events and I can’t wait to see how my favorite festival picks turn out this summer! Music festivals have a lot to offer; such as… MUSIC, great food and an opportunity to create some fun fashion styles. Every summer for the past four years I have attended at least one music festival. So, my opinions on this summer’s best music festivals may be a little biased, I must admit. After all, I have created some of my fondest memories at music festivals.

1. Wakarusa Music Festival: Wakarusa takes place each year on Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas. Originally Wakarusa was held in Kansas, but was moved to Arkansas in 2009. Wakarusa always takes place in early June, and this year the festival has a particularly diverse and exciting lineup. A few of my favorite musical artists will be performing: STS9, Lotus, Galactic, Beats Antique, Big Gigantic, Ana Sia, Emancipator and The Floozies. You may be asking yourself, what is so great about Wakarusa or Arkansas? First, Arkansas typically has awesome weather in June, and you’re probably not going to spend your weekend dousing yourself in sunscreen and looking for shade. Second, Mulberry Mountain has beautiful scenic trails, and one of the trails leads to a waterfall that is perfect for cooling off and relaxing. Third, the variety of food and retail booths is always large, and the festival is (relatively) small, although the number of people in attendance is increasing each year.
2. Hangout Music Festival: I must admit, I have not attended Hangout, but I have heard it is awesome! Hangout takes place at Gulf Shores, Alabama in May. This year Hangout has an abundance of great artists like Widespread Panic, Foo Fighters, STS9 , Flaming Lips and My Morning Jacket. Still not convinced? Click here and take a look at why Hangout Festival is so incredible. Although Hangout will be awesome this year, I can’t award it a full-on festival status, because it is not a camping festival. But for many, this is probably a perk, not a downfall.
3. Electric Forest (formerly Rothbury): Although Electric Forest’s lineup is not my favorite this year, it would still be a great festival to attend this summer. Electric Forest takes place in Rothbury, Michigan in early July, where Rothbury Festival formerly took place. Festival goers and friends of mine who attended Rothbury say it was beautiful, relaxing and tons of fun. Plus, Electric Forest does have a few great acts like Bonobo, ESKMO, Break Science and The String Cheese Incident.

Here is a list of other festivals that deserve honorable mention and are definitely worth checking out:

• Ultra Music Festival
• Coachella
• Sasquatch! Music Festival
• Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Pitchfork Music Festival
• Lollapalooza
• Jazzfest
• Lightning In a Bottle
• Summercamp
• Mutek
• High Sierra
• EMRG+N+SEE
• Outside Lands Music Festival
• Nateva Music Festival
• North Coast Music Festival
• Decibel Festival
• Nocturnal Festival
• Treasure Island Festival
• Sonar Chicago
• camp bisco
• Starscape
• All Good Festival
• RE:GENERATION
• SXSW (Just ended, but there is always next year!)