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6 I Wednesday, December 6, 2006 | The Red & Black VARIETY Helen offers close, inexpensive getaways for tired students By RACHELLE HICKS For The Red & Black Is the stress of upcoming finals collecting in your mus cles? Have you been day dreaming in class about pro pelling yourself out a window and into a place of fun, rest and relaxation? Well, little did you know, there is an escape not far from Athens that offers a unique venue of excitement and leisure in an Alpine set ting. Approximately 70 miles north of the University lies the small mountain town of Helen. The winding roads offer stunning portraits of beautiful trees blanketing the mountain until you reach the quaint German town picked right out of a Christmas card. However, don’t let the cuteness of the town fool you. Helen is known for its wild beer nights, fun times on the street and the infa mous Oktoberfest. Although Helen is a fre quent destination for college students during Oktoberfest, the Christmas season offers a great chance for visitors to see the city decked out in twinkling lights and Christmas cheer. Plus, the lodging prices are practically cut in half. For a nice place to stay, try the Helendorf River Inn or the Alpenhof Motel. Both cost $30 to $60 a night for a two-person room and are conveniently located in the center of the city. For the more adventurous travelers, Yonah Mountain Campground near the city is very impressive and costs $25 for a lot with water and electricity. Although hotel showers seem like a luxury that would be missed while camp ing, the heated marble show ers at this campground are much nicer than the ones in most hotels. But keep in mind that quiet hours start at 10 p.m. at the camp grounds, so make sure you leave your drunken Mr. Hyde at the beer halls before call ing it a night. If you do decide to brave the wilderness, the necessary camping equipment doesn’t have to significantly lighten your wallet. Target sells tents for $10 to $20 per per son, if the cost is split between two. Just remember, you aren’t hiking up Mt. Everest. You don’t need to purchase a goose-down sleeping bag that keeps you toasty at 10 degrees below zero. Comforters, bed sheets and common toiletries will do the trick at no cost. If you opt to make Helen a day trip, parking at the city lot is usually $2. Helen is draped with many nice restaurants along the river. It may be tempting to sit down and order tons of food at a place like the Troll Tavern, but beware — the prices are geared toward tourists and can be expen sive. Sample an appetizer and then visit Hofer’s of Helen, Edelweiss or even Betty’s Country Store for more rea sonable prices for your entree. The first two are restaurants. Betty’s is just a grocery store, but has a cabin-like atmosphere and great prices. Afterwards, stop by Hansel and Gretel for some samples of their delicious sweets or, to make your heart and sweet tooth con tent, you could buy some candy or chocolates. Dotted along the main street are hundreds of tiny shops. The number of stores can be overwhelming, but be sure to look in all the nooks and crannies of the side streets because that’s where they tuck away some of the best shops. And if you ever find your self scrooging over the holi day cheer, for $15 or special group rates, you can visit Haunted Helen, Helen’s year- round haunted house. For more outdoor activi ties away from the city, travel the beautiful trails that snake around Yonah Mountain, visit Unicoi State Park, or see one of the top tourist destinations, Anna Ruby Falls, for free (aside from the $2 parking price). Yes, travel does seem like an expensive affair, but if you play it right, a weekend or day trip to a town such as Helen can be very inexpen sive. Eclectic eatery offers Italian, Mexican Men’s clothing can be feminine, flirty By BECKY HOWELL For The Red & Black What would you get if Carrabba’s and On the Border met on a grander culinary scale? Girasoles. Located in Watkinsville on Greensboro Highway, Girasoles serves food of Mediterranean origin, but it’s really a mix of fancy Italian and basic Mexican fare. The name Girasoles is an Italian word meaning “sun flower,” and the restaurant is true to its name. The inside of this small cor ner restaurant is smothered in the warm red and yellow col ors of a sunflower, with sun flowers in vases, sunflowers painted on the walls and sun flowers painted in pictures. Though they border on overpowering, the colors blend well with the dim light ing, making Girasoles a warm and cozy place. The menu is a bit pricey, but offers a wide variety, including pasta, beef, seafood, burritos and fajitas that are reasonably priced. The price for an appetizer ranges from $2.50 for home made chips and salsa to $8.95 for seafood dip. Though the place doesn’t serve alcohol, customers can bring their own wine for a small fee. Of the two meals that I have eaten there, the most appetizing was the Capellini al Pomodoro, a simple pasta dish made with garlic and marinara. The chef jazzed up the everyday pasta by adding sun- dried tomatoes that give the dish a much-needed boost of flavor. The portion could satisfy even the heartiest of appetites, and at only $9.95, it is one of the cheaper items on the menu. For the lover of basic Mexican cuisine, the restau rant offers chicken, steak and vegetarian fajitas and burri tos. The prices range from $8.95 to $12.95, and the meal includes rice and beans. The warm, flour tortillas come wrapped in foil, and the chicken, peppers and onions arrive on a sizzling iron skillet. The flavorful chicken com bined with the perfectly cooked onions and peppers easily made these the best fajitas I’ve ever had. However, the sides were a different story. The bright yellow Mexican rice arrived at my table cold, and it tasted like it came straight from the frozen food section of a local grocery store. The whole black beans would have been really good, except they, too, were ice cold. Hopefully, my sides were plat ed too early and not intended to be this way. What really makes this restaurant stand out is the brunch that is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. For $12.95, customers can eat all they want from the buffet. The buffet menu includes cheesy garlic grits, sopapillas, eggplant parmigiana, pep pered pork tenderloin, bruschetta salad, an enchilada casserole, garlic and parsley home fries and assorted pound cake. The sopapillas, mixed with honey, cinnamon and mango, were deliciously sweet and spicy, and the peppered pork was full of flavor. The highlight of the meal was the pancake and omelet bar. Chef Zambrano, walking around the room, takes requests and suggests the chocolate chip pancakes. It was the best advice I’ve ever been given — the pan cakes were amazing. Eating brunch at Girasoles should be high on anyone’s to- do list. S hacking may once have been the reason girls wore their boyfriend’s clothes, but this is no longer the case according to today’s fash ion designers. It has become uber- trendy for women to yearn for the clothing in their man’s closet. Fashion leaders have designed menswear for women, and according to New York Magazine this trend is taking over for the winter season. Starting with outerwear, it is clear why men’s cloth ing has an influence on new designs for women. Belted trench coats and tweed jackets are suitable in cold weather yet have details that make them flir ty enough for women to wear. Such jackets are tai lored slimmer for women, but still allow the wearer to exude a powerful and influ ential vibe. Tailored and sweater vests are popular looks for women this winter, both influenced by the ever-pop- ular three piece suit. While women who wear this look often choose to go without a suit, the addi tion of a vest spices up a Emily Samuels esamuels@randb.com plain outfit. Oxford shirts have always reigned as popular for women who steal their boyfriend’s favorite top, but with a twist and a belt, girls can make this shirt memorable. A simple yet classic twist that women can add to the Oxford shirt is gold cuff links. These do not have to be expensive and creativity is key, so experi ment with jewel tones and faux diamonds, something the men in your life surely do not take advantage of. Going along with updat ing men’s formal wear, the tuxedo coat or tailcoat is fabulous on a woman. Although you may think that Diane Keaton is the only girl to ever don the tux, many fabulously femi nine celebrities have been spotted wearing tuxedo tops and black slacks. Tuxedo pants are also great on women, and fitted blouses perfectly accentu ate this look. If accessorizing yourself in your man’s closet sounds appealing, then make sure to look out for big and bold face watches. The bigger and bulkier, the better when it comes to picking out watches for women this winter. Silver, gold or white (think Chanel-style) links with black or white faces will make your wrist visible from miles away. Men’s shoes are also in style for women this winter. Black or brown flat riding boots are flattering on any woman and a classic style you could hold onto for life. Frye cowboy boots are durable, high-quality boots that are mal- inspired, but popularized by stylish women. Next time you are in a man’s closet, check out these items, or just hit the stores this winter for a full selection of styles. — Emily Samuels writes a weekly fashion column for The Red & Black OPEN SUNDAYS 12-5 UPUVri JEWELRY-ART Make her yours forever... We can help! Radiant and cushion-cut diamonds in platinum 125 EAST CLAYTON STREET . DOWNTOWN . 546-8826 Open Late THE m£BL BETWEEN T DINNER 6 BRERKFBST. F0URTHmEnL.com 2197 West Broad St. Hours; Sun-Thurs 10-2 AM 2075 Barnett Shoals Rd. Athens, CA 30606 Fri & Sat 10-3 AM Athens, GA 30605 MEET THE ENEMY: MEET THE ARMY: LAWSON FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC 775 Gaines School Rd. 546-4488 Student Discounts Mention this ad for 20% off 1 st visit. The semester is coming to a close — time to sell back your textbooks and get the most money you can for them so you can use it to buy gifts for Mom and Dad (or yourself)! And the only place to do that is Off Campus Bookstore. We’ll give you the most money possible for your books AND we have great cold weather Bulldog gear for friends and family. Wouldn’t Dad look great in Georgia sweats? 696 Baxter Street • www.ocbs.com • (706) 548-9376 UJcwl these deals are swell!