The Joys of Outdoor Dining
During the slightly cooler weather us Londoners were blessed with this weekend I decided to take my friend Freya and her lovely baby out for a breakfast picnic in Hampstead Heath. We spent a gorgeous few hours snacking on fruit and pastries, luckily I was sent a selection of beautiful glasses and crockery from the House of Fraser’s dinnerware range to use for our sunny meal.
We spent a few hours chatting in the dappled shade, I managed to find a perfect spot underneath a willow tree. A morning spent enjoying nature was just what I needed after a very stressful week, exactly what the doctor ordered. I brought along a selection of peaches, apricots, cherries as well as citrus fruit to add to our drinks. I also packed one of my favourite treats, French madeleine cakes – I definitely ate way too many!
The crockery I chose was absolutely perfect for a pretty picnic. I chose a set of two grey side plates from the Grey & Willow range, I chose these because they have the most gorgeous handmade look, I just love slightly wonky and imperfect ceramics. To go along with our plates I also chose a few bowls, these were made by Dassie Artisan. House of Fraser homeware range stock an amazing selection, including products by Dassie which happens to be one of my favourite brands. These pink bowls were just the thing to complement our relaxed meal. The slight texture and dappled surface on the bowls is really pretty. Can you tell I’m a total ceramic geek?
The final thing I chose were these very pretty set of six glasses from the House of Fraser glassware range, again designed by Dassie. The only glasses I have at home are quite classic and plain so I was so excited to have a much more decorative set to enjoy with my friends. Feeling inspired by our alfresco dining? If you’d like a few picnic styling tips I’ve got a checklist for you below.
How To Turn Your Summer Picnic Ideas Into Reality
Your Best Picnic Blanket
Remember that no picnic is complete without a couple of good blankets to sit on. Pick out a comfortable spot, I chose the long grass in Hampstead Heath as I knew it would be pillowy and comfortable. The blankets I used are ones I brought whilst on holiday in Turkey, they’re actually hammam towels! They make the perfect lightweight base for your picnic
Summer Food Tips
What time of day are you hosting your picnic? Think about your guests and what sort of food they like and make sure to offer up plenty of options. Don’t forget the drinks and garnishes too! I brought along a selection of fruit and pastries as well as a bottle of rhubarb and apple juice, to make the drinks extra special I also added slices of grapefruit.
The Perfect Outdoor Dinnerware
Think about what plates, bowls, cutlery and glasses you might need. Also think about napkins, cutting boards and platters if you’re planning on doing any prep or pretty presentation. My choice of bringing along the Willow & Grey side plates along with a selection of different sized bowls from Dassie worked really well. I also brought along a small wooden board which was perfect for cutting up the grapefruit.
Remember Your Picnic Basket
There’s nothing better than a traditional picnic basket so if you have one make sure to use it! I also brought along my very well used basket handbag which made our setupset up even prettier and gave the whole scene a French feeling. After packing up the food really carefully I ended up popping everything in a little wheelie suitcase, trust me it’s so much easier than carrying everything across the park in your arms.
I hope you enjoyed reading this pretty picnic post, wow that’s a mouthful. Don’t forget that House of Fraser have a truly gorgeous selection of homeware items which are perfect for alfresco dining. Have a look at their glassware range here and their crockery here. Enjoy your sunny outdoor meals!
This was a sponsored post in collaboration with House of Fraser. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make running this blog possible. As always, all opinions are my own.
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