Happy Superbowl Sunday!
Sunday is Happy National Pork Rind Appreciation Day! When I get a hankering for fried pork skin I go to Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ and if you are up near Jasper check out Biggun's BBQ.
On the festival front, the big news is that SweetWater Brewing, the largest craft brewer in the Southeast, is
thrilled to announce the return of SweetWater 420 Fest, one of Atlanta's most anticipated annual
events, April 20 and 21, at Pullman Yards. Presented by SweetWater
Brewing and Pullman Yards, this year's event promises a
reinvigorated experience, making a grand comeback in full festival glory for
the first time since 2022. Featuring more than twenty-five
artists across three unique stages over two days across the Pullman Yards
grounds, SweetWater 420 Fest, Atlanta's most anticipated annual festival, is
excited to welcome fans to its new home.
Held on the weekend closest to Earth Day, this year's event will
be a true 420 Fest, beginning on April 20th throughout the Pullman Yards
grounds. In addition to the indoor and outdoor stages, the event will feature
local vendors, workshops, food trucks, an artist market, and more. Last fall,
the venue hosted the Highball Festival experience, which USAToday rated as one
of the Top 10 Best New Music Festivals in the country. Additional details
will be announced in the coming weeks, including lineup, food and artist market
offerings, and activations. Early Bird GA and VIP tickets for
SweetWater 420 Fest are on sale at www.SweetWater420Fest.com. All ticket types and extras are available online
at www.SweetWater420Fest.com. SweetWater
420 Fest is produced by SweetWater Brewing and Pullman Yards. Visit www.SweetWater420Fest.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay
connected on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @420Fest. Pullman Yards is located at 225
Rogers Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaking of Pullman Yards, the development will soon host the all-new Balloon Museum. Let your imagination take flight while experiencing the 'Let's Fly' Exhibition, featured in the Emmy-nominated Netflix favorite Emily in Paris. Experience mind-blowing, inflatable installations created by 17 diverse international artists in a beautiful world of contemporary art meant to be touched, moved and felt. Get on the waiting list now!
Finally, I am super excited about Ela - the Pan-Mediterranean restaurant by Fifth Group Restaurants which is slated to officially open on Tuesday, February 20, in the former El Taco space in Virginia-Highland. An eclectic concept embracing Greek, Moroccan, Israeli, and Turkish flavors, Ela celebrates each culture's rich culinary history, woven together through their common uses of big and bold spices, open flame technique, complex flavors, and shared regional ingredients that thrive in arid coastal climates. The kitchen will turn out a diverse array of mezze offerings alongside traditional entrees, Greek desserts, and Mediterranean-centric wine & spirits. The term "Pan-Med" encapsulates the rich diversity of the Mediterranean - a grand tour of flavors including olives, chickpeas, eggplant, fresh seafood, marinated lamb, herbs, and more. Think bold and aromatic spices, bright sauces (with house-made grilled pita for dipping), and complex yet familiar flavors developed through open-flame cooking. Inspired by the region's history of trade and cultural exchange, Ela's Pan-Med offerings result in a culinary mosaic as vast and intricate as the sea itself and the lands surrounding it. The dining experience will be eclectic, authentic and timeless - a woven tapestry of Mediterranean flavors and traditions - with a menu to match and an inviting, vibrant atmosphere. Ela's dinner menu - developed by Fifth Group Culinary VP Mark Jeffers - will transport guests to the Mediterranean with fresh, flavorful dishes in a light and earthy setting. Everything is shareable to encourage mixing, matching, and passing dishes around a table of friends. Think: plenty of seasonal mezze starters like Dips & Pickles (Persian labneh, smoked eggplant dip, hummus, Israeli pickles, grilled pita); Moroccan Hot Chicken with ras el hanout sauce and pickled things; Steve's Greek Fries with Kefalotyri cheese, herbs, and lemon-garlic aioli; and hand-made Lamb and Spinach-Feta "Hot Pockets" - followed by an a la carte selection of char-grilled skewers (tamarind-date pork, fire-roasted harissa chicken, marinated lamb sirloin and mushroom shawarma). Additional choices include a Lamb Kofta Burger with red cabbage, goat cheese, roasted pepper, harissa aioli, and brioche; Mythos Beer Battered Cod with green tomato-cucumber salad and green harissa; and Indian River Pompano with potato, celery, olive, and togarashi. Greek Yogurt Fro-Yo topped with baklava and honey and Ela's Greek "Donuts" with cinnamon, sugar and cardamom custard finish any meal with delight.