Welcome to a place where fiesta-colored neon signs, a margarita machine, and fabulous flowering baskets are the essence of a good time. When pilot Paul Grieshaber (aka Pablo) moved from California to Lake Norman, in Mooresville, North Carolina, he needed an innovative way for him and his kids to meet new neighbors. His creative endeavors blossomed into a quasi-tropical paradise that has become a community phenomenon.

It all began with a visit to a neighbor's well-furnished deck. "That was my first inspiration," Paul says. "I was spending a fair amount of time down on my dock, messing around with boats. I decided it would be more fun to turn the boathouse into a living area--I could store all of the boat stuff in a box out on the dock." The tiller, rudder, and cushions moved out, and the cantina was launched.

Away We Go
During his college days, Paul visited the Baja California area of Mexico. "I loved the palapas--small outdoor structures that are often bars. They were gathering places, and I loved that kind of atmosphere," he says. Although Lake Norman is a geographical leap from Mexico, the spirit of this Latin locale oozes from Paul's landscape. "I began with a naked structure, and honestly, it just evolved," he says, almost innocently. "One thing just led to another."

The Beginning
The original hanging baskets moved with Paul from California; these floral waterfalls were his first foray into gardening, with flowers trailing almost to water level. Flying schedules take him away from home for several days at a time, so water is an issue. "I plumbed a drip irrigation system into the baskets so they wouldn't be crispy when I got back," he says.

Then, the gardening bug took hold. With the help of his girlfriend, Jan Feamster, he added hardy palms, bananas, and bold foliage to the areas surrounding the cantina. He converted an old horse trough into a fountain and built a raised concrete fire pit using a children's swimming pool for a mold. Paul laid paths made of salvaged brick and colored bottles and lined the beds with tropical flowers. Walk into the backyard, and you're swept away by Mexican ballads on the outdoor speaker system. Smiling yet? There's more.

Open Invitation
"The word on the block is, when the neon signs are all on, the cantina is open," Paul instructs. "Anyone is welcome to come have a cerveza or margarita--or a lemonade if you're a kid." During daylight hours, an open dockside beach umbrella is the international symbol that the Grieshaber clan is available to play.

The summer season begins with the traditional Cinco de Mayo party. Now a well-established event, this family fiesta begins early in the day with paddleboat races, a piñata, and a hole in uno (hole in one) golf tournament. "We golf off the lakeside wall and try to hit a hole in one on the floating green that's out on the lake."

It's no surprise that the evening ends with fireworks. "The first year, I hired a mariachi band. The women really swooned when the band came strolling down the path after the fireworks." After dark, the neon signs glow, the margarita machine hums, and laughter fortifies the music. If you could capture a person in just a few words, Paul would be a cinch: family, friends, and fun. Toss in a healthy dose of adventure and laughter, and you have the heart and soul of Pablo's Cantina. Adios.

This article is from the July 2003 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.