Picnic essentials

Beautiful weather means one thing: It's time to breakout the picnic gear. Eating al fresco is truly one of summer's fleeting pleasures, so make the most of it by whipping up a feast and finding a grassy spot for an outing with the family. Don't have any gear? Here's what you need to get your picnic on its way.

1 Pack a pretty, comfy blanket
Make sure you pack something to sit and sprawl out on with your food. Sure, you can use that old sheet from the bottom of the linen closet, but if you want to add sophistication to your picnic, go for a pretty blanket. Comfort is a factor too, since it's summer and your bare legs will be on it. Go for something that's soft yet thick so errant twigs or grass don't poke through. This blue, ivory and camel plaid fringed blanket from Plum Gift Co. is perfect, available for purchase online. $79.95.




2 Go for a woven picnic basket
You don't want to disappoint Yogi Bear, do you? Baskets are a beautiful and functional way to cart around dinnerware and really feel like you're getting that authentic picnic-in-the-park experience. A woven basket in particular is always chic, but more importantly, this one is lightweight and easy to reach into. This basket from Williams-Sonoma (williams-sonoma.com) has an open compartment for your wine bottle or baguette. $49.95USD.