grab your picnic blanket (and a bottle of wine!)

i hope you all have something lovely and relaxing planned for the holiday weekend. i have a picnic on our agenda and i'm pretty dang sure this will be a perfect weekend for it. the weather has cooled and it will be a sunny 82 degrees, just the right temperature for a picnic in the shade. if we get too hot, we can always dip our toes in the cool water.

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planning a picnic has me thinking about all the pretty and colorful accessories that can make a picnic feel even more special, and look darn adorable while doing it!

i would love to own that colorful striped blanket above. click on that link and there is an apartment therapy round-up of good looking picnic accessories.

i would be equally thrilled to sip some wine and eat a frittata on that beauty of a DIY blanket above.

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i'm not sure whether we will head up to table mountain or go for a drive along the feather river and pick a picnic spot on the boulders along the water. i'm not even sure what to make for our al fresco meal, but i know there will be 1. pungent cheese and 2. beer and/or wine. here are a few ideas for what to make for your picnic getaway...

a frittata is delicious hot, cold or at room temperature and is a perfect picnic finger food. bring along a crisp, green salad with a homemade vinaigrette and you are set!

i threw together this cold orzo pasta the other night, and i have made many different versions of it, and it always hits the spot, uses up whatever meat/cheese/vegs you have laying around and travels well.

 

one can't forget the liquid refreshments! ojb's (1/4 part oj + 3/4 part coors/bud/pabst), arnold palmers, and moscow mules are all delightful additions to a picnic lunch. beer and wine are always  classic and easy thirst quenchers!

i hope that this inspires you to pack up a lunch (as fancy or as uncomplicated as you wish) a blanket, some napkins and a cocktail or two and scope out a calm spot to have yourself a merry little picnic! check out your local park, go for a drive along a river, go to the beach, head to the lake or just open your back door and plop down in your own backyard.