One of the challenges of living in an apartment is the lack of outdoor space. So what do you do when you get the urge to dine alfresco? Pack a picnic, of course! Packing up and lugging a big cooler or picnic basket can be difficult to manage, though, especially if you don’t have your own vehicle. Here are some products and tricks that will let you put together a perfectly portable picnic.
Bottle of red, bottle of white: Hedge your bets by bringing one bottle each of red and white wine. A neoprene two-bottle tote will keep the bottles chilled and provide a sturdy way to carry them to your picnic destination. Just don’t forget the bottle opener!
Cooler carry-all: A backpack cooler is all you’ll need to carry a few snacks for your picnic. Bonus points if the tote has extra storage for your glassware, bottle opener, and cheese knife. If you don’t have a backpack cooler, a soft-sided lunch box is also very portable. Either option will allow you to hike, bike, or use public transportation without having to lift and lug a hard-sided cooler.
Be comfortable and dry: Choose a tailgate blanket that is soft on one side and waterproof on the other. This guarantees that you will have a clean and comfortable picnic, even if the grass is damp. Look for a tailgate blanket that will Velcro closed and that has sturdy handles. This particular blanket has bonus pockets to hold small items like your cheese knife and the wine bottle opener.
Be unbreakable: While you don’t want to serve your wine in a red Solo cup, you do want to make sure you won’t be dealing with broken glass at some point in the evening. Shatterproof wine glasses are inexpensive, reusable, and they are often recyclable. My stemless glasses even come with a handy thumb notch for more ergonomic sipping.
Keep things cool: There is a chance that your bottles of wine lost a bit of their chill on the trek to your picnic spot. Filling your cooler with reusable ice cubes will keep the snacks cool and give you a way to chill down your wine without diluting it. When you are finished, rinse them off well and put them back in your freezer until your next picnic.
Mood music: Bring along an iPod speaker and plug in your phone to add some romantic music to your picnic. You can invest in a pricier battery-powered speaker at any electronics store. Alternatively, if you don’t have the cash to spend, you can sometimes find iPhone amplifiers for a few dollars at Target, Walmart, or the dollar store. All they do is passively amplify the sound, but that extra boost may be all you need.
Keeping these picnic products on hand means that you are always ready for a memorable date, an outdoor concert, or a relaxing afternoon on your own. What are your favorite picnic products? Let ForRent.com know in the comments section!
