Last week I was over on Lonny sharing about how to make the most of a Saturday afternoon. I chatted about elevating the everyday with a backyard picnic and there is a pretty fab giveaway going on so you can do the same! Here is a peek at a few things you could snag.
The blanket, market tote, and hammock are all up for grabs (from The Citizenry), as well as pieces from Lunya, the lux loungewear which you can see me wearing here and here. The deadline to enter the giveaway is September 5th so hop to!
Today I’m over on Lonny chatting about my favorite Saturday afternoon activity… picnicking of course! For our picnics we usually run to the local gourmet grocer and pick up some prepared salads, sandwiches, and all the accoutrements for a tasty cheese board, toss them in a basket, find a patch of grass, and enjoy. Although lately we have been inviting friends over to be able to meet and hang with Archer, so my cheese board game has gotten pretty good. For me, it is a must when picnicking with a crowd, giving people the excuse to linger a little longer, but also enjoyed just as much when it is just the two three of us.
The perfect cheeseboard is all about the balance… salty, sweet, savory, bitter & spicy! I like a little of each and a lot of variety in textures.
For CHEESE I like to include (starred ones are my favorite):
a soft (like brie* or camembert)
a semi-soft (like havarti or gouda*)
a hard (manchego*, parmesan, aged cheddar*)
a blue (roquefort, stilton)
The cheese, of course, is always the hero but I like the accompaniments just as much, if not more. This is where you get to have some fun adding the sweet, salty, and spicy to the oh so savory cheese.
For SWEET I like to include:
fresh fruit (grapes, figs)
dried fruit (apricots, cranberries)
honey
chutneys
For SALTY:
nuts (salted almonds)
crackers
For BITTER:
Olives
For SPICY: THESE SPICY PECANS (I seriously buy 8 bags every time I go to Trader Joes. I can’t get enough)
And finally, the cracker of all crackers that are not only beautiful, but have the whole nutty, salty, and sweet balance already going on for them all by themselves are these “salty date and almond raincoast crisps“.
So there you have it… and now I am hungry. Be sure to head over to Lonny to see what else we get up to on a Saturday afternoon. And, and… there is a pretty lux giveaway happening over there as well! x
Today Glitter Guide has featured a fun girls day out in Newport Beach with the talented ladies of Beijos Events. Those Beijos gals are the brainchild behind many a beautiful occasions and I was happy to have a bit of A Sunny Afternoon included in the days festivities!
How gorgeous is this boat picnic?! Makes me want to pack a basket, grab a few friends, and set sail. Luckily for one reader, The Beijos girls are hosting a giveaway worth $1,135, which also includes one of my A Sunny Afternoon cutting boards! Below is what else is in the goodie bag…
There is nothing like squeezing out the last days of summer with a picnic in your own backyard and while I am still in our lovey dovey Anniversary mode, I thought it would be fun to create an intimate picnic for two. Just the ticket for a date night in or to celebrate something special.
Pattern mixing is always a fine idea by me, and I set the scene by combining my A Sunny Afternoon linens and boards with the Elephant Landing table cloth and pillows. A textile match made in heaven.
Now all you need is your loved one, some champagne, and to light up the candles, and you’ve got the beginnings of a simple but special evening.
I had a friend visiting this weekend so I took Friday off to head up the coast and enjoy a beach day at one of the prettiest stretches or shoreline LA has to offer, El Matador State Beach. We grabbed a blanket, books, and my basket. Packed it up with lunch and we were set for a full day of sunshine, seal watching, and tide pool searching. It doesn’t get much better than that!
T-minus 2 days until Valentine’s day! We are celebrating this year with a giveaway over on The Chalkboard Mag. Enter to win one of my A Sunny Afternoon baskets packed full with a delicious picnic for two by Heirloom LA.
Also make sure to check out all the photos (Rupert and I had to sample the menu, you know just to make sure it was O.K. :) and by O.K. I mean INCREDIBLE) and see the full feature here.