How it started
Recently, my best friend sent me the loveliest gift - a picnic backpack for Dave and me. She sent me this in December. The woman apparently didn’t understand that (a) it’s the dead of winter here in Ontario and (b) these are COVID times here. Still, it’s the thought that counts and I wanted to show her how much I appreciated it and her. It struck me that I didn’t need to wait until summer to do this. Also, with parts of Ontario being in lockdown again after the Christmas break, date-nights out and about were a thing of the long distant past. But that didn’t need to stop us from having our own date night at home and thus, the notion of the indoor picnic took flight.
How we did it
Now, just because it is lockdown didn’t mean that we couldn’t make it the prettiest indoor picnic possible. Amazon, PartyCity, and Instacart were the true stars in getting the vibe just right. The picnic backpack came with wine glasses, cutlery, and plates. I used whatever I had at home and supplemented whatever else I needed from Amazon. I got some cute décor items from PartyCity and got groceries (fresh flowers, fruits and chocolates) delivered using Instacart. In non-lockdown times I might suggest using DollarTree or Dollarama for the décor items but unfortunately these stores didn’t deliver and so while I’m in lockdown, they were not an option for me.
For the food, or rather the pièce de résistance, I wanted a showstopper, something really good because this wasn’t just an indoor picnic, it was a long overdue date-night too. I also wanted to support my local community, so I ordered takeout from the Glen Tavern. If you haven’t tried the Glen Tavern, you are SO missing out. They’re a little on the pricier side if you’re on a budget but if you’re willing/able to splurge a little, their food is always delicious.
For desert I ordered strawberry cookie sandwiches from @purplesprinklesbakery which were 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽!
goat cheese with cranberry raisin chutney and pecan toasted thins
handmade gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce and basil pesto
pan seared day boat scallops
fresh fettuccine with beef tenderloin and mixed mushrooms
fresh roasted halibut with herb mustard crust and wheat berries
strawberry cookie sandwiches
And what is date night without a cocktail to set the mood? A love potion perhaps? Lark and Linen’s take on this cocktail was right up our alley and just the right touch to complete our picnic. It took mere minutes to prepare and it turned out so perfect, I will definitely be reusing this recipe again.
blackberry syrup, sparkling wine and frozen raspberries
For entertainment, we watched episodes of Superstore. Yes, we’re late to party on that one but we’re glad we finally got on board with it. The show is a lighthearted, riotous good time. We recommend that you find a show that each of you is into and just enjoy your quality time together.
What we wore
Okay, so this is mostly just me – Dave was not interested in dressing the part with me. I had a lot of fun picking my outfit for our picnic. It had to be comfortable but cute – because why not?
My whole aesthetic so far for the picnic was hearts so I found the perfect heart sweater and socks on Amazon.
How it turned out
We had so much fun with this. We’re so glad that we did it. The food was delicious, the setting was romantic, the cocktails were sweet and bubbly, and the company was splendid. In truth, we would have had a great time if it was McDonald’s and Pepsi because the most important thing is to enjoy yourselves, be present in each other’s company and be appreciative of your time together. So go forth and have yourselves some indoor picnics!
