A DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta in 4 Easy Steps

A few weeks ago, we hosted a fun tropical summer fiesta in honor of Cinco de Mayo, and it made me realize what a fun theme it would be for any summer party! The bright colors, pineapple margs, and yummy nacho bar all came together for an evening of early summer fun. If you’re looking for some tips on throwing a fiesta of your own this season, I’ve outlined a four easy ways below to help you do it yourself!

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

• Bring the color: For our party, I wanted to go with colors that were a little more unique than a typical Cinco de Mayo party. I was inspired by a pack of colorful banners I found at Target, and decided to ground everything with a vintage pink Mexican blanket I’d picked up at the flea market. Next, I added slight levels to the table with an overturned bowl and cake stand to add dimension. I finished it off with a few different tropical elements from around the apartment, like a ceramic pineapple, brass candlesticks, a vintage New Mexico tray, and a few piñatas!

• Incorporate fresh elements: I also wanted to bring some fun tropical elements to the table, and florals + fresh fruit did just the trick. The floral arrangement was actually created from several of Trader Joe’s small wildflower bunches, which even came with pincushion proteas. The entire bouquet cost less than $7! I also tucked a fresh pineapple, coconut, and limes amongst the table decor, too.

• Setup a margarita station: A tropical summer fiesta wouldn’t be complete without a pitcher of homemade margaritas! To add a tropical twist, we made them with pineapple juice, and were even able to repurpose our signature cocktail sign from our wedding (pineapple margaritas were on the menu!) Elliot squeezed over 50 limes to make the pitcher of fresh margs, and it was soo worth it. We used this recipe, and just added in a bit of pineapple juice at the end. The margarita bar also had stir sticks, straws, and lime wedges so guests could dress up their glasses. We also had a bucket of Mexican beers on hand for those less partial to margs 🙂

• Create a build-your-own nacho bar:I love a themed party because it means getting to come up with a creative menu. Obviously chips and dips were a must, and our lovely friends each brought their favs to contribute to the afternoon! We had fresh shrimp ceviche, guacamole, jalapeño garlic dip, and, of course, lots of salsa. As for the main event, we thought a nacho bar would be a fun concept since everyone could build their own plate. We made some overnight barbacoa in the crockpot + some homemade queso, and then set out a bunch of other fresh toppings. My favorites to set out include:

Fresh tomatoes
Green onions
Diced red onions
Sour cream
Salsa
Jalapeños
Corn
Black beans

So there you have it – just add some music and a few friends, and you’ve got yourself a tropical summer fiesta! Hope you find some time this summer to celebrate the warm weather with a marg in hand.

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

In the summer time, I’m somewhat obsessed with going to the pool. Any day the sun is out, I want to be laying out in the sunshine, sipping on a cocktail and reading a good book. Throw in some cute pool accessories, and my day is made. To help you experience ultimate pool day, I’ve put together five of my 5 summer pool essentials below!

• Drink floaties: Why hold your own drink when it can float in the pool?! Drink floaties may be some of my favorite pool day accessories since they are so simple to inflate and super fun to use. ban.do now makes their own line of mini floaties, and they come in either round pink +yellow stripes or bright red hearts. And if you’re going to have a drink by the pool, you should probably be sipping out of a pink party straw, too.

• Canned rosé: Judging by the number of canned wines that are popping up in stores, I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only one that thinks portable rosé is a summer pool essential. Winc is currently selling these adorable Ruza rosé cans for the summer, and I think they make for the perfect poolside beverage. If you’re in the mood for a cocktail instead, my Tropical Guava Rum Punch recipe is pretty and pink, too.

• Fresh snacks: Snacks are definitely a pool necessity, and they’re even better when they’re colorful! A plate of fresh tropical fruit pairs perfectly with a can of fizzy rosé and leaves you feeling hydrated, which is a plus. Strawberry papayas are my new fav, too since they are small and such a vibrant color inside.

• A good book: One of the best ways to pass the time in the sun is with a good book in hand. Some of my favorites I’ve read recently include Sweetbitter, The Regulars, A Game for All the Family, and The Girls.

• A killer playlist: I’m not sure about you, but having music by the pool makes me feel like I’m on vacation. I personally love my Bose Soundlink bluetooth speaker since it’s portable and has a concentrated enough volume so it doesn’t disturb other people nearby. Bob Marley or a Chainsmokers Spotify station has definitely been the go-to playlists for the weekends lately!

Hope you enjoyed these fun pool day tips! + thanks to ban.do for the fun pool day goodies!

Darling Dinner at Moniker Warehouse

I had the lovely opportunity again to help Jill of Layered Vintage construct a beautiful space for the Darling Dinner in San Diego. Her creative inspiration came from the eight different personas that Darling Magazine has for women (visit their website and find out which one you fit!). Jill created a magical “secret garden” scheme, complete with a wall of climbing vines and intertwined flowers. With the help of numerous vendors, the decor was gorgeous (and dinner + drinks were amazing, too!). I especially loved each intimate lounge area with furniture from Adore Folklore. The color palette and textures made my heart happy!

Sunday Florals

This is definitely one of my favorite dresses in my closet. It has florals and is feminine and flowy, which makes it easy and oh so fun to wear (and it happens to be Free People, my all time fav). I adore the back cut out too. I first saw it when I was visiting SLO and wine tasting with some friends, and a girl walked into the winery wearing it. We immediately asked where she had gotten it, and within the week two of us ordered it!

Recently, it’s been so cloudy and rainy down here in San Diego, which can be hard to handle when you’re used to 75 degrees every day! When we were taking these pictures, the sun came out for just a bit, which was such a gift. I am definitely looking forward to the sunshine and warmth of summer right about now!

Darling Cocktail Party

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A few weekends ago, I had the privilege of assisting the amazing Jill from Layered Vintage and Kara Dykert from Darling Events with the Darling San Diego cocktail party. Along with many other vendors and creatives, we worked to set up an fun and intimate party at Pow Wow Studios. The space was perfect for the event, since the studio is filled with aisles of vintage furniture that can be rented! I was so happy and thankful to be a part of the experience, since I was able to meet so many wonderful people in the creative SD industry. Among the wonderful vendors and helpers were Type & Title (calligraphy), Tend (plants and greenery), Kim from Dainty Lion, MIHO Catering, and The Photo Bus. There were so many others that helped and attended as well, and it was so amazing to meet each and every one!

One of my favorite parts of the event was definitely the Floral Swag Bar that Jill and her team put together. Guests could come to the booth and pick out flowers to put in their hair! The three different cocktail bars were a hit as well, with each having a different signature themed cocktail. I can’t wait until the next Darling event!