Archive for the ‘Picnic Ideas’ Category

Newer Entries »

Anniversary Picnic Ideas

Monday, July 6th, 2009

If you’re anything like most of the population, Anniversary Night typically means going out to eat at your favorite restaurant, maybe followed by or following a movie. While that can definitely be great fun, I have a few other ideas I’d like to recommend to switch things up a little bit.

First the place:

  1. Where did you meet?
  2. Where do you like to go together?
  3. Where is a somewhat-nearby place that you’ve been talking about always visiting.

Once you figure that out, all you have to do is plan it out. Or don’t plan it out! Surprise your loved one with a packed picnic baskets in the back seat of the car on the way there.
Note: if you’re going to surprise him (or her), make sure that he/she LIKES surprises. And if you’re asked what you’re going to do on your anniversary, just call it a surprise.

Again, ONLY if your sweetie likes them.

So once you’ve figured that part out, plan out your day a little. One really fun thing to do is to call ahead – or visit the place a day or two ahead – and let the people with whom you come in contact know it’s your anniversary. Tip them something and see if you or they can come up with something fun and romantic to say or do for you on your little excursion. Imagine how neat it would be if three or four “strangers” congratulated your wife on your anniversary!

Have some food ready to be picked up if you’re not packing the basket. Put the food in the basket or cooler, find some grass somewhere, and sit down with a bottle of wine from the wine basket with your wife and relax the day away.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Anniversary Picnic, Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Potpourri - Misc. Topics | No Comments »

How to Meet New People at the Beach

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

We’ve all had them, and they’re almost always fun. So what can we add to a great beach picnic that we’re not already doing? Well, maybe nothing, but here’s a few ideas that you may not have tried that you might find interesting:

  1. Bring extra drinks, whether it’s just water, soda, or beer. This usually works best if you’re not planning a romantic, secluded beach picnic, of course. If you’re at a beach in the middle of the day for a picnic, it’s always nice to be able to offer someone else a drink. What a great conversation starter and way to meet new people, especially if you’re new to the area.
  2. Bring extra food in the totes for the same reason. Chips – small bags – are a great choice, as are small, bite-sized candy bars.
  3. Bring a dog. Even if you don’t have one, borrow someone else’s. A ton of beaches allow dogs, and the dog will have a field day running and playing in the water. If the dog is cute (and friendly), everybody will want to pet him. It’s another fabulous conversation starter.
  4. Fly a kite. Kite People are just cool, and everyone will notice you. It’s a great opportunity to have a little fun and maybe strike up some conversation.
  5. Bring your mom. No, this probably won’t help you meet new people, but sometimes it can. Sometimes she’ll notice little things about other people that you didn’t. For instance, if you’re a guy looking for a special someone, she often notices the looks that last a little longer than most. You know, things like that.

Have fun!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Related News, Potpourri - Misc. Topics | No Comments »

Night Time Picnic

Monday, May 18th, 2009

When someone says the word “picnic”, we usually think of the typical picnic in the part with a brown baskets and a red and white checkered tablecloth. That makes sense of course, but that only scratches the surface of this time-honored, fun tradition.

One thing that I’ve stressed to friends is to be spontaneous with picnics – I’ll get into that more at a later time – and to have them at unconventional times and in creative places.

A friend of mine and her husband like to sneak out and have little romantic getaways – picnics – after the sun goes down… or as the sun is setting. And the setup is quite different. After leaving the babysitter with their kids, they drive around for a while until they find a somewhat-secluded area of town, sit down, and call their favorite restaurant to deliver food to them. (Now, this doesn’t work everywhere, of course. Bigger cities likely won’t deliver to a “secluded area”, but if you live in a small town and know the owner and drivers, you’re set.)

The beauty of this type of picnic is that there’s little or no preparation other than calling the babysitter and making sure you have enough gas in the car. It’s a perfect and inexpensive evening out, and it can be a relaxing escape from the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our working lives. Some variations of this might be to blindfold your husband/wife on the way there and see if they can figure out where they are… it might add a little mystery to the fun!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Related News | No Comments »

Picnic for the Needy

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

This may sound like a huge deal and hard to organize, but it’s really a lot easier than you may think.

If you take some of the picnic ideas from some other posts of mine and combine them, you’ll find that we already know how to do this with just a little effort. And think about what you could do for someone’s day!

Arrange a time and date at your local park – let the park manager know what you’re doing – and begin. Just call a few of your neighbors, friends, and family and see what they can make for the picnic. Make a dish or two in your own home, and there you go: the food is done. Grab a bunch of 2-liters of soda at the store ($1.00 each sometimes), and off you go.

The hardest part of this type of picnic is letting the public know. A few really good places to post fliers would be the library, the grocery store, and the courthouse (If anyone has any other great places to add, please do!).

Food aside, I think there may be one or two more things we could add to this picnic for the needy in your area that I think could really add that special touch:

Call a couple friends of yours who may have managerial jobs in the area and invite them to the picnic… and ask them to bring job applications if they’re hiring. (I understand that “needy people” DO work and that many work even full-time. But there is a very large number of our fellow citizens in our communities that still can’t make ends meet. And some still can’t find jobs.) Ask a few businesses in your area whom you may not even know to come and join the fun – tell them there’s free food!

Anyway, these are just a couple suggestions. Many of you already do this and may have much better ways of tackling this. These are just mine for now.

Thanks!

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Related News | No Comments »

Picnic Music

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

I think the thing that people forget to take along on picnics the most is music. And if you ask me, I think it can be an integral part of picnicking.

Or taking the WRONG music.

In this first example, imagine a gentleman taking his new girlfriend out for a nice picnic at the park, with backpacks for 2. The food is out, the wine is flowing, and he pops in a Metallica CD. No. Metallica is fine and they have their place certainly, but if you’re still in “dating mode”, forget it. For these situations, I’d highly recommend some light or smooth jazz. Some examples are the saxophone sounds of Dave Koz (check out “The Dance”), anything by Michael Buble, or even the bass sounds of Wayman Tisdale.

You see, at a picnic, sometimes it’s better for the music to be in the background rather than at the forefront. Picnics are a time for people to talk and relax, and jazz can be a perfect addition to add to the ambience.

In this next example, imagine that you’re having a picnic on the beach while intermittently playing some beach volleyball. If you bring smooth jazz, you may get some strange looks from your teammates. Conversely, the right music can get you motivated to play your heart out! For this, I recommend either some current dance music or anything from the charts from the 1980s. It can get your friends motivated and excited to hear what the next song is going to be.

So as you’re planning your picnic or day at the beach, remember that music can make or break your outing.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Supplies, Potpourri - Misc. Topics | No Comments »

Romantic Picnic for Two

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Whether you’re trying to impress your new date or want to put some romance back into your marriage, a Romantic Picnic for Two is bound to create some sparks. With just some basic picnic items, a couple of rib eye steaks, and a bottle of Cabernet, you can turn an otherwise dull day into a day of romance, not soon to be forgotten.

Not convinced?

Just think about how often food and romance seem to merge. In fact the bond between food and sensuality is legendary. All good romance novels contain at least one good picnic. Most of the romance movies you have seen contain the start of a romance out in the middle of a field, picnic basket and blanket in hand.

Here are a couple of food facts for you to chew on:

  • The grape figured prominently in the sensual rites of Greek Dionysian cults, and well-trained geishas have been known to peel plump grapes for their pampered customers.
  • Numerous herbs and spices, (basil, mint, cinnamon, cardamom, fenugreek, ginger, pepper, saffron, and vanilla, to name a few) appear in ancient and medieval recipes for love potions, as well as in lists of foodstuffs forbidden in convents because of their aphrodisiac properties.
    One of our most beloved food items, chocolate, is said to be an aphrodisiac.
  • The most common gift on Valentines Day is flowers and a box of chocolates.

It seems food and sensuality goes hand in hand. At least for the past several thousand years it has.
Not to mention the cost of a picnic isn’t near the expense of a nice restaurant. And yet a well planned picninc can be far more romantic.

Now that I have you convinced that a romantic picnic is just what is needed, let’s get started planning.
To ensure that your picnic has the desired effect, start off with a quality picnic basket and wine basket. Remember, you’re trying to show someone how much you love them and not how cheap you are. Let’s do this right or you may well be having some lonely nights.

That means don’t just shove some food and a bottle of wine into an old diaper bag! Shop for a good quality picnic basket and wine basket. Wicker is very elegant and will last a lifetime. A good picnic basket will hold everything that you will need unless you are going to be cooking steaks. If you are going to cook, a small tabletop propane grill will do the job nicely and add some warmth to a chilly night.

Of course you are going to want something elegant to lay everything out on. I have found a picnic blanket comes in pretty handy for this. That’s right, don’t use the old Purdue University blanket for this. Live a little and shop for a nice picnic blanket for use just for your romantic picnics.
One quick note, try and not lay it on an ant hill if at all possible. Those little critters have a way of putting a damper on things just when things are getting good.

Once you’re done eating you can push everything aside making room for some well needed snuggling. There are waterproof picnic blankets available if the ground is damp or you are planning on picnicking in a canoe.

Remember, you’re not here for a feast, but rather to enjoy the company of your loved one while blending into the moment the various tastes and surroundings that nature has to offer.

When deciding upon what foods to take select foods to snack on that are simple yet elegant. Try to avoid greasy and messy foods that might be a pain to deal with. Keep the main dish light and easy. Try and avoid items such as garlic and onion that may leave your breath smelling badly. Finger sandwiches work very well and are easily prepared. They also add to an already elegant setting.
Ue your imagination when planning your romantic picnic. Cut sandwiches into heart shapes and wrap chocolates in rose petals.
Here are a couple more suggestions to get you started.

  • Grapes are a must. Not only are they sensual in nature with a wonderful taste, they also fit nicely into your picnic basket.
  • Small crackers and wafers can be laid out on a platter. Fill a small elegant bowl with dip of choice and place it in the center of the platter. Lay a bunch of grapes on either side. Trim a rose down and lay it next to the bowl. If you put it into a small vase or glass it may get knocked over when reaching for the dip. You can scatter rose petals around the platter for an added effect. A small bowl of flower petals also adds to the picnic theme. Use your imagination. Try and keep the colors soft and easy on the eye.
  • Use cloth napkins as opposed to paper ones. Wrap with ribbon or yarn for a band when preparing your layout. Then place a trimmed rose between the band and napkin.
  • For your wine, use real wine glasses. Don’t use paper or plastic cups from the house. That’s for koolaide and kids. Romance is about the atmosphere. Somehow I think pulling out your old beer mug and filling it with wine will kill the effect.
  • Small chocolates are great items for feeding to each other. As are grapes. If it’s really warm outside it might be best to stick with the grapes as the chocolates may get a bit messy and make cleanup a hassle.
  • Some soft music can sometimes add to the surroundings. But I find that the sound of nature is the best bet for relaxing and getting into the moment. Save the music for when you get home where you can dance the night away.

The main object is to spend time with your loved one, alone and preferably secluded. Try and find somewhere that you can relax and feel at ease. If you have to walk a little bit, well then that’s ok. You are still spending time with your partner and hiking can be very enjoyable. Not to mention you probably could use the exercise.

Just remember, whether your romantic picnic is in the middle of a grassy field, or on a beach next to the ocean, or even in your own backyard, a picnic planned with love can not go wrong.

So put some spice back into your life and plan a Romantic Picnic for Two!

Ellen

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Potpourri - Misc. Topics | No Comments »

Picnic Ideas

Sunday, January 25th, 2009

Picnics are a delight to all when well organized and managed correctly. And the perfect picnic is always a time long remembered.

One key to a successful picnic is that much of the food is prepared at home, and then transported to an outdoor setting. Don’t waste your time during the picnic to make dishes that can be made the night before and stored in airtight containers. Use this time to enjoy yourself with family and friends.

When deciding upon a location for your picnic you have a great variety of choices. But whether it is a beach, a grassy knoll overlooking a trickling brook, or a designated picnic area, your goal is to be certain your picnic is fun and relaxing.

What to Bring
Before you pack your picnic cooler take a stroll through your garden and pick some nice ripe vegetables or whatever you might have growing. Fresh strawberries straight from the garden are always a favorite. If you don’t have a garden take a trip to your local fruit stand. The fruits and vegetables that you buy here will usually be much fresher than the items that you buy at the local grocery store.

Be sure and include a few sprigs of mint when you pack. Put these in the center of your picnic blanket or tablecloth to keep the bees away. Take a few extra sprigs to enhance the flavor of the lemonade. A tray of oregano, basil and chives allows guests to take a piece of whatever they choose to add to other greens.

For a beautiful centerpiece, scoop the center out of a head of cabbage to make a bowl. Set it in the center of a colorful tray and place carrot sticks, celery, green peppers, broccoli and cauliflower around it. Fill the “cabbage bowl” with spinach dip. This adds color and a touch of class to your picnic.

Plant pansies or petunias in mugs for each of your guests. These can be set beside each plate. When your guests leave, they can take them home, transplant the flowers and keep the mug as a memento of the great day you spent together.

If your picnic is going to take place in the evening, add a citronella candle to your box of supplies. This adds a nostalgic atmosphere and keeps pesky bugs away.

You can choose to prepare all of your food beforehand, taking only things that are ready to serve, or you can take a few prepared foods and cook the rest on the barbecue or grill.

Be sure to add cups, plates, serving utensils, a serrated knife, cutting board, napkins, flatware, salt and pepper and trash bags to your picnic basket. The use of picnic baskets and picnic totes help in keeping your picnic well organized.

Add items to your basket for special picnics. For example, a romantic picnic is more of a hit with crystal wine glasses and fine china along with your wine carried in an elegant wicker wine basket. On the other hand, a family picnic will be more successful if you add a pair of binoculars, a kite and a Frisbee to your basket. This type of picnic calls for sunscreen and insect repellent.

Unwanted Guests
Ants, clouds, and bees are not the only threat to an enjoyable day. Always keep foods in the refrigerator until you are ready to pack your basket. Add a bag of ice or ice packs to keep food cool. Cold foods should be kept at a cool 40 degrees. Never pack your picnic cooler too full. Be sure there is room for air circulation. Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or above. This avoids turning your picnic into a salmonella delight.

Keep uncooked meats in airtight containers so juices cannot contaminate other food when transporting them to the picnic. Wash hands, surfaces and utensils before and after handling uncooked meats.

Raw and perishable foods contain bacteria or parasites. When these foods are served undercooked or are prepared, handled or refrigerated improperly, dangerous toxins may develop. This can cause guests to become ill from food poisoning, which causes flu-like symptoms, which makes your picnic not quite so successful.

If salads cannot be kept cold, use vinegar-based salad dressing as opposed to mayonnaise based dressings. Mayonnaise can cause food poisoning if not kept at 40 degrees or cooler.

Wash all produce with cold water before cooking and eating. Cold water helps remove bacteria and toxins such as pesticides.

Always marinate meats in the refrigerator. Boil marinade for a full ten minutes before pouring over cooked foods.

Keep It Simple
If you follow these tips and use your imagination you will have an enjoyable and unforgettable day in the great outdoors. Your food will be fresh and you will keep microscopic guests away.

Remember, there is no need to cook elaborate foods for a quality picnic. The simplest picnic recipes are delicious when eaten under nature’s canopy.

Enjoy!

Ellen

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Related News, Picnic Supplies, Potpourri - Misc. Topics | No Comments »

Winter Picnics

Sunday, January 11th, 2009

As I look out at the morning sun glistening on the newly fallen snow I think to myself,
“What a wonderful day for a picnic!” That’s right, a picnic in the middle of winter!

To me there is nothing quite like a well planned family picnic during the winter months. The feel of the crisp fresh air after spending weeks shut indoors can be invigorating. There is just something about the feel of the sun on your face and the natural winter time beauty that revitalizes and rejuvenates you in a way no other activity can.

I know you’re thinking, “But it’s COLD out there!”
Don’t distress. By dressing correctly and using the correct picnic supplies a wintertime picnic can be very rewarding and very easy to do without freezing your fingers, or your toes off. And your family will thank you for the effort!

Here are a few tips for helping you plan your next winter picnic:

  • Quality picnic baskets and picnic backpacks keeps all of your picnic items organized and easy to transport along with adding a bit of elegance. There is a wide variety or picnic baskets and picnic backpacks to choose from to fit your occasion.
    A small wine tote makes an elegant addition to a romantic picnic.
    A waterproof tote keeps your items out of the snow and dry.
  • Warm foods are always refreshing while playing out in the snow. Picnic coolers and thermoses can keep foods and beverages warm or even hot for long periods of time. An insulated water backpack with a 2-liter reservoir is invaluable on those long winter hikes.
  • Picnic blankets not only can keep your picnic fun and comfortable they can also be wrapped around picnic coolers to keep foods and beverages warmer for longer periods of time. Picnic blanket duffels, such as the “Siesta Picnic Blanket Tote”, come in handy for keeping your picnic organized.
  • A small bbq grill not only serves as a cooking utensil it also serves well for warming cold hands and drying gloves. A quality bbq utensil set is essential when cooking out in the open during the winter months. Their large size is much easier to handle with gloves on than smaller utensils are.
  • Be sure and dress in layers. You can add or remove layers as needed and not be too cold or too hot. Take an extra pair of pants and socks for each kid. Kids have a way of making the most out of freshly fallen snow.

So what does one serve on a wintertime picnic? Whatever one likes! There is no limit on the type of foods to serve at a winter picnic. Small grills will enable you to cook or warm your meals. Sandwiches and soup are a favorite of kids and easy to make. Steaks are easily grilled on a small propane grill or on an open fire if the area permits it. Side dishes of macaroni salad and green salad can be pre-made and served in their storage containers.

One thing is certain, a well prepared meal will be enjoyed by all after a long day of playing in the snow and will add a special magic to the day. Be creative and have fun with it. And adjust the meals according to the group. For some good winter picnic recipe ideas be sure and check out our picnic recipes section.

So don’t let the winter keep you inside! Take the kids sledding at the local hill. Or take your partner on a romantic picnic for two. Spend a day of horseback riding in the country or enjoy a tailgate sunset while parked on the beach. Just get outside and enjoy the fun and beauty that only winter can provide. The memories made from a well planned winter picnic can last a lifetime.

The important thing is to get out of the house and enjoy the day!

Ellen

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ellen's Posts, Picnic Ideas, Picnic Recipes, Picnic Supplies | No Comments »

Newer Entries »