Saturday, June 16th, 7:30 PM

You are invited to our 17th annual Cuban Party where we will try, once again, to instill the best qualities of Cuban culture - food, music, drinks & dance - into an event. It's also a wonderful excuse for a party and a handy thematic.

Dress: Here's the scene: Fidel Castros mixing with Carmen Mirandas, 1950's Havana casino types in white dinner jackets, beach and pier bums, Copacabana girls, plantation owners, Poppa Hemingways, island girls and Cuban baseball players. To simplify, boys think Tommy Bahama, girls think color. As for myself, it's either a white dinner jacket or a white suit - whichever has the least sangria stains from last year's event. As for Laura, eye balls will be clicking at the sight of her Carmen Miranda inspired hat that is so jammed with fruit and feather and theme that she looks like a Copacabana Club girl (via Lake Highland Preparatory) that just got off shift, but Laura somehow pulls it off.

Food: We have the Cuban Party staples that include the Columbia salad, Cubanitas, and  flan.

Drinks: Mojitos by the gallon, Red Stripe by the barrel and Sangria by the pitcher.

Music:Before you even ask: Yes - the Spice Man is still gone. And you're still welcome. We are fortunate to once again have Jose Velez and his musical partners create the beautiful musical tapestry for the evening. More music, less breaks, and better music than you're used to.

Dancing: With music and mood like this, how can there not be dancing !  Led informally by our own James Golden (he of the University of Indiana Bolshoi and Madonna’s only middle-aged white back-up dancer), masses take to the dance floor which is located in our Moroccan Ultra-Lounge Sculpture Garden (Moroccan Ultra-Lounge Sculpture Garden-Cuban Party, yeah, I know, we throw themes around like a modern French dance company) where you can tear-up the concrete and sod instead of the once beautiful rug in our house.   Sure, it’s a sweaty affair but I can’t think of anyone that I would want to get sweaty with more than James Golden.  Plus, that’s why we have the mojitos.

Cigars: As you may know, Cigar smoking is actually a competitive sport here. Held in the outdoor dining area, the smoking crew seems to find itself every year easily exchanging matches and bon-homie. So, join them ! And even if you don't join them you're going to smell like them if you get close enough.

The Alternative Hour: At some point in the evening we'll all be sick of the Cuban music (Cuban music, just like Irish music - a little bit goes a long way) and then we'll shift into South Beach mode. Out goes the wonderful band and in comes the Ultra-Lounge house music and "Club Kid" attitude. As "The Alternative" deeply sets in, the crowd usually finds itself in the pool - some with swim suits, some without, and some borrowing swim suits for a dip (stop by on Sunday morning for mimosas and the annual burning of the guest swimsuits.)

And that’s the evening – music, dancing, drinking, eating, and meeting like-minded party members.

RSVP:We need to know by June 14th if you're coming. Use the e-mail link here to RSVP.

We look forward to seeing you on the 16th !

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