Picnic in the Park

In a bustling city like New York, there is nothing better than finding a little patch of grass to call your own when the summer weather arrives.  If you want to entertain your friends in the great outdoors, here are some easy tips to follow to create the ultimate picnic in the park experience.

Pack Only the Essentials
Don’t get weighed down by carrying around unnecessary items.  All of you really need for a fun day in the sun is a picnic basket to carry your food/drink items, some simple and savory food and snacks, refreshing beverages, a large tablecloth (or sheet if you are sitting in the grass), disposable hand wipes, sunscreen and bug-spray!

Stick to Portable Food with Staying Power
When it comes to food, its best to serve flavorful dishes that can be kept at room temperature like lentil or caprese salad. Stay away from delicate lettuce that can wilt in the heat and quickly become soggy with dressing.  Sandwiches are another obvious choice since they are easy to pack and dole out to individual guests.  Instead of traditional choices like boring (and stinky) tuna fish salad, opt for gourmet combinations with original ingredients.

Free Food NYC [1] is an organic and raw food café in New York, which is our favorite in the city for healthy take-out.  Their sandwich selection, including Thai Basil Chicken with Cashews and Sesame Chill Dressing on Whole Wheat Wrap and Roasted Portobello with Preserved Lemon and Artichoke on Ciabatta, always [2]inspires me to try new recipes at home.

For snacks, we love the Parmesan Garlic and Sea Salt & Vinegar PopChips [3], which are made from all natural ingredients and are much lower in calories and fat.
 
Travel Light with Plastic or Acrylic
Stay away from heavy glass containers that are unsafe for the park or public areas.  Use brightly colored recycled plastic tumblers, plates and cutlery sets from Preserve or bring reusable acrylic glasses.  Make sure you pack some Steady Sticks [2]metal stakes that cleverly hold your wine bottle, wine glasses or tumblers steadily in the grass or sand.

Create a Soundtrack for Chilling Out
Music sets the mood for any experiences so help you guests take it down a notch with some chill tunes for your picnic afternoon.  Our friends at Audiostiles [4], a company that creates playlists for any occasion, suggests these cool summer tracks; Don’t Let Me Fall by Lenka and You Are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Crate & Barrel and Free Foods NYC

A seasoned event planner, Celia Chen is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Notes on a Party [5], an online magazine about entertaining that celebrates Events from the Inside Out™.  For a behind-the-scenes look at VIP events and more tips on party planning, visit http://www.notesonaparty.com [6]