Dress & Dine: Fiesta Time

Dress & Dine: Fiesta Time
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It's almost Cinco de Mayo, which means it's almost time for margaritas, which means.....it's almost time for a FIESTA!!! I couldn't possibly think of a better celebration for bringing Dress & Dine out of hibernation, so here we are dressing & dining our way through a grand ol' fiesta! Ole!

DRESS

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When I think of Cinco de Mayo and fiestas, I think color. Due to my move to more neutral territory, colorful outfits aren't exactly calling my name. Instead, I stuck with my favorite denim-on-denim combo, making it fiesta-appropriate with a bright scarf and some fun earrings (both of which won't put too much strain on my neutral vibes). I've selected a bevy of bright scarves and accessories (below) should you feel like jazzing up your own Cinco de Mayo outfit.

DINE

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I'm as big a fan of guac, queso and tacos as the next person, but I thought it would be fun to switch things up and make some bite-sized empanadas. Serve them with chimichurri sauce (recipe here) and I promise you, no one will be complaining!

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Dessert was a no-brainer, with churros and salted caramel sauce. Sticking with the unintentional theme of bite-sized things, I, of course, couldn't resist making the churros small. I followed this recipe for the churros and this recipe is my favorite for homemade caramel sauce.

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For drinks, I whipped up a pitcher of tropical matcha tea margaritas. I recently professed my hatred for all things matcha tea, until I was reminded of a Trader Joe's purchase from last year that I was pretty obsessed with. Their tropical fruit green matcha tea mix is pretty ridiculously good on its own, but it tastes even better with a little tequila added in. If you're looking for more fun margarita options, check out this post (the sorbet-rita ones are a fave of mine).

DECORATE

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Floral Garland: Layer 5-6 sheets of tissue paper on top of each other. Cut in half (or leave as is for larger flowers). Fold accordion style, staple in the middle, then spread the tissue paper and fluff up/scrunch up the paper to create each flower. String together using twine or use each flower individually. (I used these instructions as a guide.)

Fiesta Letters: Cut from cardboard, sprayed painted copper, strung up with string

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Papal Picado Banner Straws: Cut out small squares of construction paper (about 2"x 2"). Then use your scissors to make freehand cut-outs (along the edges, or fold the paper in half or in thirds before cutting to make cut-outs in the center; I used this as inspiration). Using a small piece of invisible tape, adhere each banner to a straw.

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Centerpiece Ideas: Succulent plants, aloe plants, cacti, mini flowers, a bowl of limes or jalapeños.....just make sure to have an assortment of sizes and heights to break things up

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Napkin Paper weight: Mini Crystal Head bottle (bought at a liquor store for under $5)

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For more ideas be sure to check here.