Image courtesy of PureWow.com

With summer in full swing, I am inspired to have a picnic.  Granted, I don’t really see myself traipsing off into the wilderness to have this picnic.  I am thinking of more of an urban-style picnic – maybe setting myself up really well at the Presidio on a Sunday morning or a trip down to Crissy Field with the kids.

At this point, we are completely unprepared for any picnic whatsoever.  When we head to the beach we grab a couple of beach towels, some water and some snacks (likely still in the grocery bags).  When I see people at the Presidio Picnic, I am envious of their elaborate set ups that often involve picnic blankets, cutlery and serving platters.

So, I decided to put a little time into finding some picnic gear that would allow me to fulfill my picnic fantasies.  I wasn’t looking for anything too fancy.  I was primarily concerned with function but didn’t want to completely sacrifice style.  Here is what I came up with.

There were two key pieces – a picnic blanket and some sort of basket or bag to transport our items.  The blanket above is big enough for four and machine washable (key for me).  The backpack “picnic basket” frees your hands to hold on to other items, like the picnic BBQ (or, in my case, squirmy little hands).  The wine glasses are acrylic and the cutlery, plates and napkins are all compostable.  You can’t go wrong with a cutting board – perfect for prep and serving.  And, keep the pesky bugs away with a collapsable net.  Finally, if you are going to try a nighttime picnic, the metal lanterns are adorable and functional (perhaps a citronella candle inside?).

What do you think?  Are you inspired?  I sure am.  I can’t wait to try all of my new gear.

Sources:

Gingham Blanket

Picnic Backpack

Picnic Grill

Food Tent

Acrylic Stemless Wineglass

Cutlery

Compostable Plates

Napkins

Olivewood Cutting Board

Metal Lanterns