You may not have heard of cartoonist Anne Harriet Fish, but she was something of a rarity in the 1920s – a satirist, illustrator and a woman who held up a mirror to society at play. Her illustrations, which appeared in books and magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair, defined the so-called Jazz Age, when hedonism and decadence were celebrated. Several of Fish’s illustrations appear in the stylish new cocktail menu of The Sidecar at The Westbury, Dublin, accompanied by quotes from a range of noted wits and literary figures from F Scott Fitzgerald to Mae West and Dorothy Parker. One of these quotes is, “Life is a lot like jazz – it’s best when you improvise,” by George Gershwin.

The new menu, called The Human Zoo, was created by Oisin Kelly, the award-winning bar manager of The Sidecar, who was directly inspired by Fish. He explains: “We went in search of an original copy of her 1920 book, High Society, which she wrote with writer and satirist Dorothy Parker. As a team, we really immersed ourselves in the Roaring Twenties culture and style. Having taken the time to understand the classics of the era, we created our own original and modern twists on the archetypal serves. Just like Anne Harriet Fish put pen to paper, we put liquid to glass to bring our own creative expression to life.”

The menu features 16 new cocktails built around a “pillar” with the flavours layered in harmony. “We’re also bringing curious bottles, aromatic bitters and herbaceous flavours off the high shelf and introducing them to the mix,” explains Kelly. Guests will discover flavours they already know but with interesting twists. “Forgive & Forget – our Paloma Twist – uses salted cherries in lieu of a salted rim and mixes in blood orange, but keeps the core of the original. In this way, just like Anne Harriet Fish, we hold a mirror to classic cocktails but reflect back our own image.”

To preview the new menu a select crowd, which included designers, socialites and devotees of The Westbury, was invited to the magnificent art deco bar to try tipples such as High Sobriety, The Rockefeller Touch and the The Connoisseur. The special hardback menu featuring Anne Harriet Fish’s illustration is available to purchase at The Westbury.

Click into the gallery below to see all the guests who attended.

Photographer: Kieran Hartnett.

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