Retro Foodie: A Neon Noir Party

A touch of the tropics

Greetings, ’80s-Lovers! Today we reveal our latest Retro Foodie adventure: a Neon Noir Party Menu that combines tropical style with easy entertaining. If you’re a fan of Neon Noir, you know the flip side of this crime-filled genre is the glamorous vibe that underscores each dangerous plotline. Because undercover detectives working the streets of 1980s Miami would never wear anything less than designer suits, right? This party channels a bit of neon, a dash of the tropics, and a sampling of food and drink. Enjoy!

Above we get a glimpse of the party goods. Below we see the power of glow sticks. Yes, we know they’re cheap and a bit dated. But an armful of neon bangles is the perfect way to ring in a Neon Noir night, especially if you don’t have neon signs at the ready for hosting a seedy-glam evening of this nature!

Glow sticks set a neon mood…

Let’s talk drinks… For this event, I mixed a cocktail I like to call the “Neon Flamingo“. I’m not a mixologist, but I’ll share the gist of this drink. Each glass featured the juice of one lemon and half a lime, as well as a splash of grapefruit. I then added the alcohol (the amounts that follow are for one drink): 1.5 oz rum and 1/4 oz triple sec. I won’t lie–this eHow video was very helpful for the alcohol proportions, although my drink featured no orange juice. Next, I topped it off with cranberry juice and added some frozen blood orange soda ice cubes. Finish with a grapefruit slice and a flamingo stirrer, and you’re set!

Citrusy cocktails…

For the flowers, I grabbed my black ’80s Deco vase (a Goodwill find) and filled it with tropical stems. It never hurts to set the stage for this party with a mini-blind backdrop. Very Neon Noir…

Mini-blinds and tropical plants

Here’s a sampling of party details…

Neon Noir Party pics

Here’s my number one entertaining rule: If your event is as much about creating an atmosphere as it is about serving the food, don’t cook everything yourself. Seriously. You’ll need to save your energy. I bought salmon fillets from the Whole Foods deli and sliced them into bites, then topped them with lemon and mint. In fact, these “bites” were so filling, I probably could have cut each of these in half and created an appetizer just as satisfying! Salmon ain’t cheap, but how could we host a Neon Noir night without paying homage to one of Don Johnson’s signature Miami Vice colors?

Salmon with lemon wedges

Other appetizers included fresh mozzarella and olives on sword picks (don’t forget the salt and pepper), as well as romaine hearts layered with corn salsa. The corn salsa consisted of corn (I bought mine frozen), as well as sliced red pepper, cucumber and lime juice.

Tropical appetizers

For a sweet dessert treat, serve blood orange granitas! I’ll share the recipe later this week…

Blood orange granitas for a sweet finish

Hope this party post finds you enjoying your summer in style! Check out our other Retro Foodie adventures for more entertaining fun!