The dog days of summer are officially upon us. Our skin’s getting (a little) darker, our hair’s getting lighter, and the summer heat is finally starting to wear us out… So last Friday, we decided to play hooky and get reinvigorated on Lake Austin with some cold drinks and good friends. We hosted a tropical tiki boat party and invited some of the coolest girls in Austin to kick off our weekend a little early. Old Navy was our one stop shop for summer accessories and we were fully stocked: comfy beach towels and colorful flip flops, floppy sun hats and breezy scarves. With an amazing tropical fruit spread, easy-to-eat appetizers, and a delicious homemade cocktail, this #SummerFriday made us all rejoice – TGIF!
*photography by Kate Zimmerman
We had high expectations when searching for the ultimate tiki boat and Miss High Life exceeded everything we imagined! She provided lots of room for lounging around and a big buffet table to create an incredible food and drink spread.
Our biggest party tip? Minimize the food prep when hosting a get-together on a boat. We whipped up a couple dozen veggie-packed spring rolls and shrimp skewers that could be completely assembled before we boarded.
Camille serves spring rolls in a comfy shift dress, neon pink flip flops, and tortoise shell sunnies.
We set up a “lei bar” featuring accessories in every color of the rainbow so everyone could coordinate leis with their outfits.
We accessorized with these cute colorful scarves that were lightweight enough to wear even on a hot day.
On-themed tumblers were a fun way to serve up our tiki cocktails. Our concoction featured spiced rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, and cherries. Then we topped off each glass with a colorful umbrella and a striped straw!
Candice and Lauren caught up while basking in the sun.
Blue flip flops, white scarf, and straw sun hat.
I pre-grilled these shrimp skewers before boarding the boat, and Chanel topped them off with coconut flakes and fresh lime juice when it was serving time.
To add even more coconut flavor, try marinating your shrimp in coconut milk before lightly grilling.
Some other yummy shrimp recipes right over here!
We took advantage of all the delicious tropical fruit in season by creating a mega fruit display as our buffet centerpiece.
Carmen, Jenn Rose, Landrie, & Laura wear: Black romper, white coverup, and pink maxi dress.
Pineapples and papayas, mangoes and dragonfruit, kiwi and berries — it was really a fruit-lover’s dream.
After topping off everyone’s drinks, I got the chance to relax and catch some rays. This straw sun hat kept me cool all afternoon.
We left our fishing poles at home in lieu of a quick game of “go fish!” with a set of colorful playing cards that Jenn Rose brought along.
Despite the major heat, a light breeze kept us from melting.
Pink flip flops and rib-knit midi dress.
Jenn Rose had us all wishing we had brought our swimsuits when she did a perfect cannonball into the lake! And you should have seen her sexy beach hair afterwards.
Laura scooped out a cantaloupe to create the perfect glass for sharing a cocktail.
Check out more tiki cocktail and summer punch recipes!
There’s no doubt that it was the perfect #SummerFriday!
(and big thanks to our friends ava, carmen, laura, camille, candice, landrie, chanel, diana, jenn rose, lauren, & jen for making it the most fun boat day ever!)
