French Inspired Picnic -

I’ve been dreaming of a trip to the French countryside lately so my fellow France-loving friend Thi and I decided to have a French Inspired Picnic at a park this weekend! It was the first beautiful day of spring: 64 degrees, vast blue skies, and no clouds in sight. I slipped into the dreamiest dress I’ve ever owned, the Atlanta dress in blue by Daily Sleeper, and headed to the park with my picnic basket in tow.

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For lunch, I packed up salad jars, layering raspberry dressing, blueberries, cucumber slices, and greens in each jar. The idea is that the dressing is at the bottom, away from the greens. Then when you’re ready to eat, you shake the jar to dress the salad. So easy!

I also packed up the Pesto Picnic Sandwiches. I named them this because they’re the BEST picnic sandwiches I’ve ever made. They didn’t get soggy at all even though we didn’t eat them for about two hours after I made them. They’re so simple to: homemade pesto, camembert cheese, roasted red peppers, and bacon. That’s it and they’re bursting with flavor. I packed them in brown wax paper tied with kitchen twine and lavender from my garden. Trés French, don’t you think? Get the recipe here.

Thi wanted to bring a French-inspired cheese plate and wow, did she ever! She packed brie and gruyère (my favorite cheese!), green grapes, blackberries, and the juiciest strawberries. I’m still in awe that she found that great of strawberries in March! She also brought a cracker assortment, which I forgot to photograph. She styled the fruit and cheese so beautifully in a pie plate, so we didn’t have any issues with fruit tumbling off the plate. So clever!

For dessert, I packed Lavender Shortbread. When I think of Provence, I think of lavender fields. Shortbread is a wonderful sweet treat to take on a picnic because it’s sturdy and there’s nothing to melt in the sun. Get the recipe here.

Anyone who knows me knows what a Veuve Clicquot fan I am. I brought the bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rosé I’ve had in my fridge for two years. (It was a hostess gift from a friend who attended my Cinderella Ball.) I had been saving it for a special occasion and after the incredibly hard winter we just had in Texas, nothing felt more special to me than celebrating spring with a fellow wine enthusiast. Just look at the color! You can practically taste the enchantment in the glass (which, by the way, is a practical outdoor champagne glass). This is a silky, luscious champagne that’s bursting with red fruit aromas and flavors. Fun fact: Madame Clicquot is said to have invented the first ever Rosé Champagne in 1818.

I honestly felt like a million bucks in my Daily Sleeper dress. The sleeves are just everything and it’s as comfy as it is fashionable. (Oh how I adore a stretchy dress!) Thi looked incredible in her beige floral dress, booties, and floppy hat.

The tulips, by the way, are from Mint Julep, a darling shop in Rockwall that delivers nationwide. They have a lovely collection of faux florals, which I keep on hand for impromptu moments like this. You can peruse Mint Julep’s florals here.

It was truly the dreamiest day lounging in the sunshine, a soft breeze blowing through our hair. I took my new UV parasol with me and could not believe how many people stopped to compliment our chic picnic! I hope this inspires you for your very own picnics this spring and summer. A couple other picnic tips: I always take wet wipes to clean my hands after lunch and a leftover grocery bag to put all of the trash and plates in so I don’t get my picnic basket dirty on the way home.