We can’t all live in a Malibu dream house, but in anticipation of the July 21 release of the “Barbie” movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, you can get in a pink mood with cocktails at these metro Atlanta bars.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The Blind Pig Parlour Bar has transformed this summer into Playa Pig, an island escape with walls and ceilings dripping with colorful flora and a cocktail program to match. You can sip on a refreshing (and pink!) ginger watermelon margarita with blanco tequila, watermelon juice, lemon and ginger syrup, or try a spicy paloma, mixed with blanco tequila, grapefruit juice, chile liqueur, habanero shrub bitters, Fresno pepper agave and a topping of sparkling rosé.
Next door at Chido & Padre’s, the blood orange and chile spice margarita is a nod to “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig’s description of the movie as a “surprising, spicy margarita.” The drink shakes together chile-infused tequila, lime juice and fresh squeezed blood orange juice for a fiery and playfully pink experience. Meanwhile, a blush takes the pink up a notch with tequila, pamplemousse, lime, rosé floater and rosebud garnish.
Playa Pig and Chido & Padre’s. 128 E. Andrews Drive, Atlanta. 404-848-9100, chidoandpadres.com, blindpigparlour.com
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Perhaps your inner Barbie is feeling a bit introspective. Part of the Deer and the Dove’s allure is the bar program led by Matt Watkins. Don’t let the ballet-slipper shade of pink fool you, bartender Morgan Wagoner’s Saturday Night Kind of Pink is an inspiring amalgam of smoky mezcal, floral Capurro pisco, bitter Aperol, sweet watermelon cordial, vegetal green pepper, zesty lime juice and spicy chile bitters.
The Deer and the Dove. 155 Sycamore Ave., Decatur. 404-748-4617, deerdove.com
Reaching the top of the Interlock in the Westside neighborhood feels much like entering Barbie Land. Rooftop LOA is a poolside oasis with a top-notch beverage program that matches the getaway theme. During Departure Saturdays this summer, the expansive space takes on the energy and atmosphere of such worldly hotspots as Tulum, St. Tropez and Mykonos. An Ibiza theme kicks off July 15, with a DJ, dancers and splashy cocktails.
Credit: Katie Bricker Photography
Credit: Katie Bricker Photography
Rooftop LOA. 1115 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 470-922-3700, rooftoploa.com
Credit: Vanessa Boyd
Credit: Vanessa Boyd
The greenhouse-inspired Garden Room at the St. Regis is what you might expect if Barbie’s garden gazebo was unboxed and made life-size. The drinks have as much style as the floral decor. You can accessorize with an I Love Lychee. It’s pretty in pink, featuring Wheatley vodka, Gifford Lichi-Li liqueur, lychee, lemon and egg white, and has a pleasant scent, hints of berry-melon and a tart finish.
The Garden Room. 88 W. Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta. 404-600-6471, thegardenroomatlanta.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Located inside Ponce City Market, Atrium is the prettiest parlor, where you can live out indoor Barbie dreams. Through the arched doorways, you’ll find splashy murals flushed in blush, hand-painted tiles, floral installations, plush pink banquettes and floor-to-ceiling industrial windows that provide the lighting for perfect selfies. The inventive cocktail program helmed by Beverage Director Demario Wallace features a roselle, inspired by the African flowering plant of the same name and made with gin, maraschino, lemon, elderflower and hibiscus. Served over crushed ice, the drink, a variation on an aviation, is a floral delight.
Atrium. 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-600-3939, atriumatl.com
Here are a couple of fun recipes to live out your Barbie dreams at home.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Empress 75
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 ounces Empress 1908 gin
3⁄4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 ounce simple syrup
sparkling wine to top and lemon twist
Shake the first three ingredients with ice, fine strain them into a chilled flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Credit: kelly puleio photo
Credit: kelly puleio photo
Sorel Strawberry Slushie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces Sorel liqueur
½ ounce dark rum
1 ounce simple syrup
½ ounce lime juice
8 frozen strawberries
mint for garnish
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Garnish with fresh mint
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