A Night in Margaritaville

Original post from August 2016.

It was a few weeks ago and a very hot July day, three digits hot and the night of our Gr8 dinner party. Good thing we escaped to a cool island to spend...

A Night in Margaritaville!

Joel and I went to a Jimmy Buffet concert earlier in the year, looked at each other and knew it would be a fun theme for our July dinner.

What could be better than tropical clothing, flip flops, all kinds of crazy and MARGARITAS?!!!

Margaritaville Invitation

A week before the party, we invited the Gr8 Parrotheads by dropping off this invitation on their porch including two margaritas for afternoon indulging.  (Thank you Alli, Paul, and Richard for all the Margaritaville loot!)

Decorations

The idea of decorating with all these bright colors was exciting. Our good friend Tricia lent us her Fiesta dinnerware which was the perfect addition to create a colorful table.

Joel cut pineapples to put around the umbrella pole and to the top attached palm leaves that I had bought at a local craft supply store, and violà, we had a palm tree in the middle of our table!

We used the tops of the pineapples at the bottom of the palm tree as a centerpiece along with mini margarita glasses filled with colored water and floating tea lights.

Let’s keep the fun going! I introduced Joel to Pinterest (smile) and look what he came up with!

Now let’s get down to business and talk about the important stuff!

Margaritaville Menu

Yes, we served shark watermelon!

Joel served three different pitchers of margaritas; Pineapple-Hibiscus, Paloma Rosa (Tequila and grapefruit juice), and Cucumber Cholula.  We did our duty and finished all three pitchers!

For appetizers we served Charred Poblano Tacos with Homemade Tortillas,

Cold Corn Soup with a dollop of lobster salad, and of course, “Cheeseburgers in Paradise”!

Jurga made the most wonderful Pickled Nectarine Salad with Burrata.

Debbie brought “Island Coconut Lime Cilantro Rice”

which was the perfect accompaniment to the surf and turf.

And the Gr8 cannot finish the night without dessert. When Anna is assigned dessert, you just know it will be amazing! Yes, that's right, she arrived with a three layer Pineapple Rum Cake decorated with Homemade Candied Pineapple!

It was as delicious as it was beautiful!

So invite your Gr8 Friends and Family over, put your sandals on, turn on a Jimmy Buffet playlist, fire up the grill, make a PITCHER of Margaritas and party like a Parrothead!

Gr8 Centerpiece Idea:

For any kind of tropical party an easy candle holder is to fill mini-margarita glasses with colored water (just use food coloring) and add small floating candles.

I also used these festive and colorful taco holders for serving.