Saturday

Picnic love


Did I ever mention here that I do love picnics? Uhh. No? Well, now. I do love picnics. Big times. I find them the perfect occasion to have food together with beloved ones, friends, and family. It bears the perfect opportunity to have a stylish meal a little less formal than usual and bonus -- being out in the nature at the same time. 

A picnic can be romantic, gezellig (sorry, but this Dutch word is just too perfect to describe it and it means something like being amongst friends and having a good time), free, natural, classy, crazy, unusual and always different. That is why I love it so much. And I find that it has to be done more often. Pity, that the summer is over, but the new season will come again -- not so soon, but eventually. 


If  I was asked whether I'd like to go and eat out in a michelin star restaurant or dine somewhere in the nature I would always ALWAYS prefer the outdoor dinner / lunch to stiff restaurant table cloths and overly friendly and annoying waiters asking too often if they could bring more wine, water or find another opportunity to disturb...

Not -- that restaurants cannot provide a charming atmosphere let alone brilliant food, I like restaurants and as opportunities for picnics are more than rare, it is often quite nice as well.


What is needed for a picnic? I would say everything you like. For sure a nice blanket, a basket where all the good things go in, a hat, sunglasses and loads of delicious small snacks. Oh, and maybe bring some items to play games like a frisbee for example, or bring a book and of course lots of wine or champagne or other chilled drinks.

Picnics have - as far as I know a long tradition - as Mary Ellen W Hern points out here:
"A picnic is a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors (al fresco or en plein air), ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance, and usually in summer. Descriptions of picnics show that the idea of a meal that was jointly contributed and was enjoyed out-of-doors were essential to a picnic from the early 19th century". 

Also in literature I remember to have seen picnics such as in Jane Austen's Emma; it seems such occasions were integral part of English society around the 1900s.

Uhh, and going on a date where he has planned a picnic -- must be grand! Is there anything more romantic than a date which results in a picnic? Certainly not!! (Memo to myself: Put on bucket list: picnic date!!) 

I can't wait for the summer: I am going to organize many picnics with family and friends. Splendid! 

Anyone else into picnics? Besides food and a blanket, what would you always bring?


Love,
Svenja
xx

27 comments:

  1. I love a picnic too, and am so looking forward to summertime so I can go on some. Such fun!

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  2. I like picnics. I celebrated my birthday with a picnic once :-)

    But if the waiters in a restaurant are over-friendly and annoying you're in the wrong Michelin starred restaurant! Jan and I once ate at Brenner's Park (posh hotel in Baden-Baden) with friends and you barely knew the waiters were there - except when they were describing each dish. They anticipated every single wish before we'd even had a chance to think it, and managed to keep us all topped up with water and wine (but not so much that we ended up drunk) without anyone even noticing them pouring it.

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    1. Aww, lovely. But you are right, most Michelin star restaurants usually have perfectly trained staff, I just remember one, where it was a bit over the top, ha ha!
      xx

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  3. I like picnics but its always too cold for them really, I'm just waiting for the phantom english summer I guess! Also I hate it when ants try and eat all your food and you have to try and get them off without killing them, it just turns into a stress out for me!

    covered in cow poop - a veterinary student's blog

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    1. The ants aren't as bad as the wasps!

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    2. Agree! When I lived in England we were picnicking all the time; even though the weather was not tropical heat, it was worth it and always great. If there is a whole colony of ants it is not a pleasure, though...
      xx

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  4. I like picnics, too, dear Svenja. In the past when our kids were younger each Friday was our "Picnic day" and we made instead lunch always a picnic which was great fun for us <3

    xxx Rena http://dressedwithsoul.blogspot.de/

    P. S. Like your blog, follow you now on gfc and bloglovin!

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    1. Thank you, Rena!
      Fantastic -- Friday = picnic day :-)
      Love that!!

      xx

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  5. I like picnics as well. Reading your lovely post brings me back to those picnics in Europe. The family outdoor lunches on a picnic mat, with cold rice salad and baguette. During cold afternoons, we'd have a thermos of hot coffee. Sometimes, it would be next to a castle or in a forest. Then we'd enjoy a nice long walk afterwards. Or we'd do a picnic lunch during a long 8 hour drive / road trip to another city.

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    1. Thanks Arni, that sounds indeed lovely!
      xx

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  6. Picnic mit seinen lieben Menschen ist wirklich eine schöne Sache. Es geht nicht nur um leckeres Essen, sondern die Atmosphäre in der freien Natur.
    Es wird wirklich Zeit für wärmere Temperaturen, um solche schöne Ereignisse genießen zu können.

    Ein schöner Post. Ich persönlich finde es schade, dass er nicht auch in deutsch ist. Ich verstehe zwar englisch, aber nicht perfekt.
    Ich kann aber trotzdem beurteilen, dass er schön geschrieben ist.
    LG Cla

    Glamupyourlifestyle.blogspot.de

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  7. Awesome post! Have a nice weekend:)

    http://theprintedsea.blogspot.de/

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  8. I always like picnics in theory. but in practice I find them a bit of struggle, trying to keep bugs off the food or it's too windy and the plates blow away. or too sunny and I'm getting sun burnt. It just never turns out as romantic as I'd hope.

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  9. Oh this post has made me long for summer to arrive even more !! Some of my happiest memories are times of picnicking with family and friends :0
    Bring on the sunshine!!

    Rachel @ AMomentInTime.
    xo

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    1. Yes, I totally agree, Rachel! Let's hope the sun comes out soon (please, snow. Just go away!!)!
      xx

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  10. Picnics are my absolute favorite thing to do in Karlsruhe!

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  11. I haven't picnicked in ages ! And the last time I seem to remember fighting off ants. LOL. Then again I live in London, so nature is a rare occurence for us ;)

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    1. We used to picnic in St James' Park when I lived in London back in 2008 and we had not that much problems with the ants. Maybe it was a lucky summer ;-)

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  12. i love picnic !!
    my favourite color is green, meant and esmeralda:))

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  13. I adore picnics. I can't wait to get out in the summer air this year, a hamper laden with olive oil drizzled treats, bottle of wine and the ones I love.

    Hope you are well, take care xx

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    1. Yes, yes !! And lots of bubbles to celebrate the summer season! How about a post on picnic goodies, Hamilton? ;-)
      xx

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  14. Ummm... just found your blog from our silly conversation strand on iffandbutts about brown sugar. Ha! But I am SOO glad we did. I'm pretty sure we would be best friends in real life! Want to come to Spain so we can find out? I have a degree in Sociology, love nature and the great outdoors, wine, horses, running, and books, books, and more books!

    I am going to have to work through your little book collection there. It looks great. You should add "These Is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner to the list. I just finished it yesterday and am still stuck in that darn book with a whirlwind of emotions. And after reading this post, looks like I need to embark on a picnic soon. LOVE picnics. Totally agree that it is far better than going to a fancy restaurant. Especially when dresses, blue skies, warm weather, wine, tasty foods, and a good book is involved. :)

    Alright, would love to hear from ya! Stop on by at www.theadventuresofholly.wordpress.com (just your typical travel blog- I'm a newbie!)

    Besos!

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    1. Hi Dominique,

      ha, it seems so :-) I am sure we had nice conversation on different sociology approaches (How do you like Pierre Bourdieu??) and lots of book talk!!

      Will stop over at your place asap !
      xx

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  16. picnics are absolutely lovely! it's a great opportunity to spend a relaxed time with family and friends! i haven't gone for one for so long but i'm planning to make up for it in the spring! wanna come with? :)

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    1. Isn't it? I just can't wait for the snow to disappear and getting the blankets out :-)
      Yay, I am in ;-)
      xx

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