café couture: Host a picnic in 10 easy steps (a)

Hello lovely people

I feel a bit bad for ignoring you for a while...i have been SUPER busy. Actually, truth is...i haven't been busy at all. Just, my boy is visiting from swiss-land for a month, so i'm spending all my time with him...and none of it cooking. Although, i am living VERY close to leederville and its bounty of resturants - so i promise to tell you about that as i work my way through them.

under the pines with my boy

However, I do have something food related to talk about...

PIC - NICS!!!

i loooooooooooooooooooooooooooove picnics. possibly more than I love going out to dinner (SHOCK)

They are possibly the best thing in the whole wide world. All you do is spend $10 bringing some sort of food and you get to try ALL DIFFERENT FOODS!!! So here, i am going to tell you how to host a picnic...

1) Choose a date

- March is the best time for picnics in perth. The sun sets around 7, so you have light till around 7:30 - 8. Its after the Christmas rush, so most people have time. its also around the time when friends start to slack off, so its important to make them remember. ALSO the sculptures at cott are on, and so are the outdoor movies - perfect picnic venues.

2) Choose a time

- I find 6 is the best time for an evening picnic - enough time to get home, and get organised and down to the spot.

3) Choose friends

- This sounds funny, but choose people who you are happy to sit and chill with, and you know have good taste in food and wont stinge out (ie: bring boring food). The more gourmet your friends tastes, the better the picnic food.

4) Sort out what needs to be brought (coz people will ask)

- I generally go: one bring deli meats/antipasto, one bring bread/crackers, one bring veges, one bring cheese/dip, one bring dessert (fruit n choc is always good). You can opt for by drinks or delegate one to bring non alco drinks.

5) Make a facebook event (or mass msg)

- Garunteed you wont be able to suit everyone for a picnic (two people is still a picnic) but make an event stating the date and place and invite your friends.

6) Ask everyone to POST on the EVENT WALL what they are bringing

- Write the list of stuff in the event details. To keep track...also, write in the event details when something is being taken. OR tell people what to bring.

7) Arrive a little bit early (as the host you should be there on time)

- Bring a blanket (or if at the beach) some towels, and secure your picnic spot

8) Wait for everyone to arrive

9) Arrange food in the middle of the circle

10) EAT, DRINK, TALK, LAUGH, ENJOYYYY!!!

remember to bring spare plastic bags for rubbish and to leave the area as you found it :)

here are some pictures from the annual collective random picnic at cott beach: