Athens Twilight 2008

Spring is finally here and although it may not be football season yet, Athens draws crowds from all over to enjoy the off-season tailgate of year.



Nothing marks the advent of summer and the end of a semester more than Athens Twilight Criterium, commonly called Twilight. Athens downtown is transformed into a Mecca for bikers and spectators. The 29th Annual event was held on April 25-26.

Renowned for the bike races held on the downtown track that runs over Clayton and Washington Street, Twilight offers than just the proclaimed men’s and women’s cycling that occurred Saturday night. Walking down College Ave., there was a stage set up for live bands, a stunt park, a kid’s play area with moonwalks. Also, at anytime of the day you would be sure to see some type of race, be it the kid’s bike race, a 5K or just a race for inebriation between friends.

It seems like everyone- families, students, alumni- comes out to experience Twilight.

See what fellow UGA students, Lee and Cameron have to say about it.


Since Twilight is my one of my favorite events in Athens, here are a few tips for you to enjoy for next year’s festivities to the max:

1. Be sure to check out the music scene.
2. Head down to Lumpkin St. by Georgia Theatre to see the turns during the bike races
3. Don’t walk around with an open container. This is a common misconception. You have to be within sanctioned areas.
4. Find a friend with a loft overlooking Clayton or Washington Street for the best view of the races.
5. Take time to watch the stunts over in the stunt park on College Ave.

Five Star Day Cafe

One way to ensure that you have a "Five Star Day" is to eat at this little cafe located off Broad Street.

Open 7 days a week, Five Star Day cafe offers soul food with a touch of Athens culture. My personal favorites include the picnic chicken salad with a delicious poppyseed dressing and the BLT with a side of chicken and dumplings, fried green tomatoes, or black-eyed peas. All plates are topped of with a sweet cornbread muffin.

You order before you eat and then grab a seat. The quaint, grandma's kitchen atmosphere is decorated with local art that constantly changes. During the peak hours, you will not only experience the comforts of southern food, but, in the spirit of the south, the leisurely arrival of your food. It is usually pretty busy around lunch time so I suggest going at off-hours if you want faster service and a guaranteed seat, as it is a small dining area.

This is definitely an Athens must that deserves five stars.

Major perks: Southern food with all the fixin's

Minor Quirks: Slow food arrival, limited seating

Karaoke in Athens

We all know Athens is recognized for the music scene; the city with the “new sounds” resounding out of Georgia Theatre, 40 watt and Caledonia. But what about the other sounds you hear from the unorthodox venues.

Athens not only offers the spotlight to the professionals, but there is a chance for every shower, car and hair brush singer to shine; just pop into any of the karaoke spots. Whether you’re looking for a spot where you can show off your vocals for a crowd or prefer the intimate serenade, Athens provides great karaoke spots everyday of the week.

If it is the public performance you prefer, then consider every Tuesday and Thursday your open-mic night at Walker’s Coffee Shop and Pub. Entering into Walkers, you may not find many patrons hanging around upstairs in their usual manner, but don’t worry, they are all downstairs signing up for their favorite songs. The stage is right next to the stairs and the books and the sign-up list is on the bar. It gets pretty crowded so be sure to get there early if you want to sing more than one song. Also, be sure to arrive before midnight if you want a chance to sing at all. Walker’s draws both people with talent and well, let’s just say, people who like to have fun and is a perfect way to enjoy Athens nightlife.

If you’re not ready to take your show on the road, grab your favorite groupies and head over to Shokitini. You can rent out a karaoke room by the hour equipped full with two screens for lyrics and a vast list of songs. The servers bring drinks up to the room and you don’t have to worry about waiting to take the spotlight as the room is only full of friends. This private room is ideal for parties.

Also, Wild Wings is supposed to have it, but I have yet to try this location.


Major Perk: different way to spend your night downtown
Minor Quirk: Walkers- long wait time
Shokitini- a bit pricey

Rough Draft: #1

My roommate recently showed me the “Rough Draft” newspaper that is “Free…Like the Red and Black, only better.” It is unlike anything I have seen before in Athens.

Featuring sections such as bartender of the week, shout outs, drink specials, even shows at Georgia Theatre, the 1st issue came out on April 10th.

As the front page of the issues states, founder Derek Chin picked UGA over many other campuses around the country, including the SEC. Although it doesn’t cover hard news, the soft beats are entertaining to say the least. If you like “Overheard in Athens,” you might want to check this out.

I would really like to emphasis that some of the topics may cross the line, but others, like the entertainment reviews, two sets of sudoku, and the one hit wonders playlists are any-reader friendly. The things written are utterly ridiculous and, with 10 minutes to spare between classes, it’s sure to keep you amused.

I am still a little confused if “rough draft” is in fact the title. I tried to find a little more information about it but really couldn’t find too much. I found one article about the founders. Apparently, they co-founded "The Booze News" at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The article presents it as “a new weekly newspaper that glorifies the wonders of heavy drinking.”

If any of you know more about it, PLEASE let me know about this paper as it continues to circulation around Athens.


Major Perks: Funny, Good Entertainment Reviews and Downtown weekly specials

Minor Quirks: Probably wouldn’t read some of the articles to mom

Trapeze Pub Athens: You’ll do flips over this place!

Looking for a little diversity in Athens? Perhaps, you want to hangout with a Belgium blonde, a stout Irish, or a pale German? Or maybe you would prefer staying domestic?

Travel down Washington Street, to Trapeze Pub, where you can spend your evening among this new crowd at Athens local tavern. With 30 taps and 200 bottles, Trapeze carries an assortment brews from around the world and domestic breweries.

The crowd is just as diverse as the beer selection. Although you won’t find a “Nati” behind the bar, you may find an undergraduate among the graduate students and the beer connoisseurs.

Most beers range from $5 to $7 and the drafts are served in glasses that correspond to each brew. You can find the small black drink list on the bar top, and rest assure, if you have any questions about which brew to choose, the staff will be happy to help and give you a sample of the beers on draft.

If you want a booth, seat, or even standing room, get there around 9 p.m. on weekends, as it gets pretty packed. Weekdays aren’t so crowded.

Major Perks: Not your typical Athens bar, huge beer selection

Minor Quirks: Crowded on the weekends

Wrong Way: Sublime Tribute Band

Don’t let the name deter you. Walking into Georgia Theatre while these guys are performing is the right way to spend your night.

Last Wednesday, “Wrong Way”, the Sublime tribute band, played familiar favorites – Santeria, Bad Fish, and DJs- well into the night while an enthusiastic crowd sang and jumped along at Georgia Theatre. They even played a little 311 to shake things up a bit.

Check out their promotional video:

The five member band formed back in February of 2005 and has since extended out of the Athens scene, with performances throughout the Southeast. These guys have come along way as some of them were members of the Last Call favorite “Santeria.”

The stage presence and the crowd made the concert. The lead vocals and instruments recreated a feeling of the original Sublime band. Honestly, being a Sublime fan, these guys really do a great show; they’re always a favorite of mine. They're guys that have a good time playing the music and it shows throughout its entirety. Although they were a bit slow to come on, it was worth the wait. The show started about an hour late as they were, um, preparing for the show.

Major Perks: Amazing Cover!

Minor Quirks: Took awhile to start

Part 2: Strange and Unusual Places

Here is the second part of our visit to the strange and unusual places in Athens.

After our visit to the iron petting zoo, we headed over the Elder's Mill Bridge, one of the 15 remaining covered bridges in Georgia. It is located on the way back to Athens city limits about ten minutes up from the horse. The article states that a sign will designate the area; however, I have suspicions about the alleged “sign.” So, don’t count on it and look for the road name Elders Mill Road on your left. Once you find the road, you travel about 2 minutes and then you hit the bridge. It was my favorite place during our escapade. Encompassed by sweet Georgia pines, the bridge sits over a tranquil creek. Standing in the outdoors with the gentle hum of the nature surrounding me was pretty remarkable. If you choose to visit only do one spot, go here!

Next, we back into Athens. We drove to the intersection where Finley meets Dearing Street and immediately found ourselves in front of “The Tree That Owns Itself.” Colonel W.H. Jackson willed the tree to itself back in the late 1800s, and it has remained a landmark of Athens history.
There is a plaque in front of the tree declaring the rights of the tree.

Once we left the tree to itself, we drove downtown for our last stop: the double barrel cannon. A remnant of the civil war, the cannon was an unsuccessful craft built at the Foundry when it was a steam mill. During a test, the two cannon balls ended up going in opposite directions, killing a cow and knocking down a chimney. Today, the cannon rests outside of city hall and faces due north, still protecting the south from the Yankees.