Havana Night's Theme Party

Enlarge a picture like this and frame it nicely!

I'm getting excited about my up coming Havana Nights theme party that I have planned for my retirement community. We are luck to be in South Florida, but I think that no matter where you live, you can enjoy this theme in your retirement community.

Some of my inspirations for decorations are:

Navy Beans, feathers, flowers

• Carmen Miranda 

• Cuban music  -  Maracas

• Fedoras or Panama Hat

• Palm Trees

• Cuban Flag

• Cigar boxes used to hold snacks, flowers, utensils or as a center piece

• Burlap Bags of coffee beans

• Tropical flowers - bird of paradise, etc

• Large cigar made by rolling brown paper and putting a gold seal on it in the center

• Bright tropical colors
• Cigar rolling demonstration.

Please click on the link for my store where you can find other items similar to those listed above.

Ladies enjoy the demonstration

In my community, we like to have a reception before dinner that fits with the theme. It is a time where residents eat appetizers that are appropriate to the event and have a chance to see each other dressed for the special event. A lot of pictures are taken at this time. I have hired a cigar roller to demonstrate this traditional art form and will be offering chocolate cigars, in cigar boxes, in the Dining Room as an "after-dinner cigar" to follow up the concept.

Some of the plans for the appetizers are:

Empanadas, which are a biscuit dough or pastry shell filled with a tasty combination of ground beef, chicken, or turkey mixed with tomato sauce, corn, and grated cheese—then folded over into a crescent shape and crimped along the edges to seal. A nice fruit kabob with tropical fruit or any of the ideas that you can find on the internet. Here is one site for appetizers.

Dinner is always a big part of the success of the evening event. Suggestions for meals might include:

Ropa Vieja” (Beef Stew), “Masitas de Puerco” (Fried Pork Tenders), ox tail, or barbecued ribs. For a lighter option, you can serve the popular sandwiches called “sandwich mixto” or Cuban Pressed Sandwiches. Make sure to include typical dessert items on your dinner menu. These might include, Tostones, which are simply plantain slices fried till tender and golden to bring out their natural sweetness, Flan (Cuban custard), Merenguitos (mini meringues) made from beaten egg whites whipped with sugar and then baked, and Arroz con leche (rice pudding) flavored with cinnamon and topped with juicy raisins. Then for some Cuban pastry or cake options, there are señoritas, pastelitos, and capuchinos. Señoritas are flaky pastries filled with layers of creamy custard, served in a choice of vanilla or chocolate flavors. Pastelitos are little puff pastry “buns” stuffed with your choice of guava or cream cheese fillings, or grated coconut in heavy syrup. And the capuchinos are little yellow cone-shaped cakes, soaked in a syrup made with cinnamon, orange and lemon peels, and anisette. 

This is a nice site with some good photos of a Havana theme that was done in a home. I thought it was worth sharing because of the ideas and the pictures.

After dinner I've hired a group that includes musicians and dancers. I can't wait to see how it all goes. If you have done this theme before and have something to add, please leave a comment below! Thanks.