Planning The Perfect Picnic

It’s THE BEST way to celebrate Summer

Jun 21, 2024

Sometimes, what attracts you to an article are two things that don’t seem to connect. Like dining rooms and loneliness.

At first glance, I wondered how these two fit together. I was intrigued; I had to click.

While dining rooms may have once been considered the social heart of the home, they’re now being squeezed out for a variety of reasons. Many would argue: Why would we need them?

We have restaurants to visit.
We have drive-thru.
We have work at our desks.
We have kids’ activities to get to.

We’re just too busy to use an old-fashioned dining room. Wouldn’t it be better to convert it into something else?

So that’s what we’re doing. Dining rooms are being deleted, and we’re renovating them into something else.

How can that be?

I have a solid attachment to dining rooms. Maybe it’s because dining rooms were used for formal meals and gatherings throughout my life. Invite a few friends over and linger over dinner. Some of my best memories from when my daughter was younger was eating dinner with friends. They had a gorgeous turn-of-the-century house with a cozy dining room, complete with a fireplace in the corner. We spent many nights drinking wine, talking politics, and solving world problems. As the kids grew, they became a part of the conversation - I know those conversations impacted each and every one of them.

I believe dining rooms are also a part of structuring the family unit. I remember growing up and always having dinner with my family. We’d sit down and talk about our days, solving problems, and enjoying each other’s company. I established the same rules in my house - dinner time was sacred time. It still is.

What’s all this got to do with picnics? Glad you asked.

I believe a gorgeous life starts with getting to the root of what you want. For me, it’s always been about closeness - sharing good conversation, enjoying a bottle of wine, good food on the table, and slowing down to enjoy it all.

I think that’s what we all want if you’re here reading this.

I also believe that relationships don't end with a room or a table. They start and end with a belief. That dinner time is essential to building good communication. No matter where you choose to eat it.

In the summer, why not take it outside?

Gorgeous Dinners … Outside!

In some form or another, picnics have been around for centuries. While their origin isn’t completely known, they appear to come from the French words piquer (to pick) and nique (a small amount.) Picnics were referred to when people dined outside on a blanket, brought wine with them while dining out.

In the Middle Ages, it occurred during royal hunts. As time went on, it became more common with lower classes, not just the wealthy.

Then Americans got a hold of it and added their own twist. During the Great Depression, families and friends got together and brought food to share - a potluck, where guests shared their favorite dishes.

Today, picnics don’t have to be fancy, expensive, or extravagant. Instead, it’s about a group coming together, sitting down outside, and sharing food together.

“A picnic is a celebration of life – the perfect way to share good food, good company, and good vibes with the people you love.”

My First Picnic of The Year

Picnics have become a kind of mindfulness practice for me. In my old house, we didn’t have an area outside conducive to eating. Picnicking always meant packing up and going away.

That changed when we moved to our current home. We don’t have a large yard, but instead have a patio right off the kitchen. I LOVE decorating it, adding more pots every year.

An edible flower basket in the corner. An herb garden in the shade. Lights twinkling from the pergola above. A fountain right outside the back door.

A home is always a work in progress. An outside garden area is no different. Every year, I get a fresh slate. I get to decide what flowers I’ll add, what pots can be moved, what baskets I can bring in, what decor to bring home.

And it’s a perfect place for a picnic.

And I Look For Events …

I’ll be outside on my patio for every meal for the foreseeable future. But it’s not the only place.

How about a Rose Festival? Portland is home to a century-old Rose Festival that occurs every year in the first part of June. Since we moved here, we always spend a night or two picnicking in the gardens. You can’t get a more perfect place to spend a few hours of time.

We load up the car, find a parking space, then bring our carefully packed bags with us, finding a perfect location. Then, it’s a feast among the flowers! The sites. The smells!

It truly is a gorgeous experience.

Or maybe a concert in a park? They’re becoming increasingly common. We find them all over - even at wineries a few miles down the road. What better way to share summer than with a few hundred of your neighbors? Dancing, singing, playing - we adore our evening enjoying great weather, gorgeous tunes, and amazing views.

Planning a Picnic - What It Takes

No matter where you are or what you have access to, I guarantee you have the “perfect” spot to plan a picnic for two (or three, or four, or five …)

I thought I would share some of my best ideas. We picnic so frequently, I have a variety of resources in my pantry, ready for the season. Of course, you can do it all with what you have on hand. But if you need a few things to make your picnics a bit more Gorgeous, I’ve found some fun things you can bring along.

I’ll just say Natural Life - because their fashions are so charming.

I love this water-resistant picnic blanket, and have something similar. I’ve had it since my daughter was little, and LOVE how easy it is to bring along. If something happened to mine, I’d order this one.

Sticking with the patchwork theme, this cooler makes taking a small picnic with you anywhere. I’m heading to a concert at a winery later this summer - this is perfect for what I need and meets their guidelines for sizes to bring in.

Need more room to bring in more treats? I LOVE this picnic basket - it’s roomy and looks festive. It has a cheese board on top great for quick charcuterie fare. And with the lid, it makes a wonderful table for your wine glasses and other delectables you want to keep away from the ground.

I cannot live without my Tommy Bahama chair. They’ve become such a staple in our community, it’s hard to find concert-goers without one. They fold up flat, with straps you can slip on and carry it in on your back. It has zippered pockets to store keys, phones, and other essentials. It comes with side pockets to slip drinks in while you’re enjoying food, conversation, and maybe a tune or two.

Gotta have wine when you’re on a picnic. But picnics and breakable wine glasses don’t mix. I’ve found these silicone wine glasses that do quite nicely. The flexibility means you can tuck it into corners of your food bag to take up less room.

I’m torn between rugged coolers to keep your salads and chilled drinks cool while you get where you’re going, and the romance of a wicker picnic basket. So why not have both, and bring what best suits the day? I have difficulty deciding which picnic basket to get - wait til you see the different sizes and shapes. I also think these make lovely gifts.

You have your picnic basket ready to go - do you have a charcuterie board too? I love their selection - you have tools and serving trays in easy-to-carry styles. I’m definitely getting ready for this year's concerts in the park with these adorable serving stations.

With so many ways to make your picnic perfect, you’ll have fun no matter what you bring along. Have any great picnic ideas? I’d love to hear from you.

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