Coolest Picnic Set-Up Ideas
Often, coming up with a reason for a picnic can be the trickiest part when it comes to enjoying some fun in the sun. But it’s not all doom and gloom when picking an occasion for a get together around a rug and a basket – if there even needs to be one! Whether you’re on the road, or just looking to spoil that special someone, here are some picnic set-up ideas that may light that spark inside you.
Get on the road
There’s nothing quite like jumping in the car and hitting the bitumen for an old-fashioned road trip in your chariot of choice. And while the end destination is half the fun, the other half is the memories you make with the people you have the pleasure of spending many, many hours with on the road. So, be sure to make the most of the adventure, and stop off at some fantastic landmarks and picturesque spots along the way. Better still, pack a picnic with our beautiful traditional white picnic basket and put the cherry on top of what is already a fantastic way to see the world!
Two travelers enjoy a picnic in front of their van.
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Dive right in!
Nothing says ‘lazy summer afternoon’ more than a picnic by a lake on a warm evening. This is a great idea if you’re catching up with friends and want to make it really informal. It’s also a fantastic date idea and is sure to win you more than a few brownie points with your significant other. All you have to do is pack your wicker picnic basket full of yummy goodies, grab the rug and find yourself a special spot – maybe at the local park, or even on your own property if you’re lucky enough to own that much land!
Picnic set-up by a lake.
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Dinner (and romance) for two
This set-up may be closer to a glamping picnic than your regular run-of-the-mill effort, but it’s certainly going to impress if you go that extra mile. Fill your luxury picnic basket with some high-end treats, and maybe even a bottle of sparkling, and set yourself up in the middle of a field – or somewhere else that is significant to you and your partner. This is a really simple idea that will mean the world to the person that means the world to you.
A romantic picnic set-up in the middle of a field.
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The money saving family option
If you’re keen to save a couple of pennies and entertain the entire family, then this picnic idea may just be the best of the lot. Granted, you will need a projector that can be moved into the backyard, but after that, it’s easy! Set a white sheet up on the clothesline, set out a big picnic rug and heaps of pillows, wait for the light to dip in the early evening and tuck into your perfectly packed picnic basket, full of movie goodies!
A backyard movie night set-up.
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Keep it very local
If you’re into the idea of keeping the picnic in your own backyard, but don’t like the idea of having to buy a projector for the movie, then just scrap that part altogether. Grab your cane picnic basket and clear out the cupboards, grab the blanket and set up on the grass just 10 steps from your kitchen. And the best thing about this idea is that if you forget something, you’re not too far from home. You can either keep it super simple or dress up your backyard a touch to make it a bit more special.
Extravagant backyard picnic set-up.
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A day at the beach with a twist
Okay, so your set up definitely doesn’t need to be as extravagant as the picture below. But everyone loves a day at the beach, so make it a bit special with a perfectly prepared picnic with your picnic basket and rug set from Picnic Basket Shop. Get down there late on a sunny summer afternoon, and you’ll catch the golden hour where nature’s most amazing colours and textures are on show. You’ll want to picnic at the beach over, and over, and over again.
Amazing beach leather liquor travel case
set-up.
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Something a little more romantic
There has been plenty of romance in the above suggestions, but this one really takes the cake if you’re looking to impress that special someone. Yes, it’s going to take a bit more work than your standard picnic but, seriously, imagine the look on your significant other’s face when they see this set up under a tree in your favourite park. They’ll not only appreciate the effort you put in, but they’ll appreciate how special you are all the more! And don’t forget our luxury small picnic basket to complete the look!
Romantic picnic set-up under a large tree in a park.
Patriotic Personalized Whiskey Stones
Whether you’re a veteran yourself, a patriot, or you’re simply buying the best whiskey stone set for one of the above, you cannot do better than this. When they get this set as a gift, they know they’ll know they’re getting an ultimate whiskey stone gift set. This personalized American flag set comes with tetrahedral christmas gift ideas for men, giving the stone even more surface area, which will get their drinker cold quicker and for longer.They can put those to use right away with their new glasses which when combined with their new stones will give them one of their best whiskey drinking experiences!
The Best Single Whiskey Stone Set
Stay on the ball with your whiskey stones with this whiskey sphere and glass gift set! Some people prefer many stones, while others like a single round one. The advantage of this style of stone is that it is very easy to roll around inside the glass, giving a fast, even cooling effect. The elegant stone looks fantastic and keeps your whiskey just how you like it, simple and neat.
WHICH WHISKY STONES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU?
You prefer to walk, run, bike or fly rather than drive. Anything to be in motion in the outdoors. Heights don’t scare you, rather they entice you. You have really good hair.
You want - The Classic: Natural, Tumbled personalized whiskey stones
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There’s no argument, sometimes bigger is better. It’s all a matter of perspective. In the case of our Whisky Stones MAX, one is all you need to do the job. Done and done.
You want - MAX: Bigger and Better.
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You’re not afraid of the dark. As a matter of fact, you embrace it. Intentional, crisp, clean and clear, this experience is going to be even better than you expected. Get ready to drop the mic.
You want - Black Polished: Smooth Operator.
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Subtlety is overrated. Speak your mind. Speak your truth. Express yourself in all that you do. We used to carve our most precious messages in stone. With our ICON Stones, we made it easy for you to get started.
You want - ICON Stones: Make a Statement.
HOW WHISKY STONES WORK
Since we launched Whisky Stones beverage cubes in 2007, much has been written and said about their effectiveness. The vast majority of it has been positive, but as with anything new/different on the internet, a fair amount of criticism has been levied as well. The people who like the product and like to use it with their whiskey seem to gravitate towards the look, the "on the rocks" punnery that goes along with the product, and the consistent performance. Those who claim to dislike the product fall into two broad categories: a) those who misunderstand the purpose, and b) those who misuse the product. I suppose there are people who hate stones, but they tend to be few and far between - or undergoing treatment. But for those respectable souls who are innocently misinformed, this might help clarify some important things about best whiskey stones beverage cubes.
Let's start with ice. First off, ice is great. And for immediate chilling, nothing beats it. Ice will reduce the temperature of just about any beverage from room temperature to just under 40F in just a matter of seconds. As it floats, it melts, ensuring that a bit of cold, just-melted water is included in each and every sip. For lots - in fact most - drinks, that works just fine. But whiskey is different in ways that make ice a less than optimal solution for chilling. To understand this better, we need to take a look at how whiskey is made.
Whiskey is a barrel aged spirit. That means that after it is distilled, it is stored in oak barrels for a period of years (depending on the quality and variety - some bourbon can be in a barrel for less than a year, Tennessee whiskey must be in a barrel for at least 3 years, and there are instances of both blended and single malt scotch being aged for decades). The point is that the character of whiskey is greatly determined by the barrel material and the length of barrel aging. Those are simply points of fact. But what actually happens when whiskey is aged in a wooden barrel?
Well, to start with, it changes color. That's right. All whiskey enters the barrel as a clear spirit - looks just like vodka. The burnished amber color that whiskey adopts during aging is 100% to do with the barrel itself - these are mainly oak but sometimes they are barrels that have been used previously to age other spirits such as sherry or port. Hence, you will hear of special "port cask" bottlings, for instance. They offer a very dark color as well as a heavy, distilled wine flavor. Point being: distillers take GREAT care in selecting the barrel type and quality for the aging process. But from the distiller's point of view, those choices about barrels have nothing to do with color - that's a by product - the real focus is of course flavor. So how does the barrel affect the flavor of whiskey? Now we are coming to the nub of the issue and the reason that Whisky Stones work so well with whiskey.
The wood from the barrel conveys its flavor notes into the distilled spirit inside by way of wood oils. Think of it like an infusion process - like tea. The wood oils are in low concentration in the spirit initially, so through osmosis, they are drawn out of the barrel and mingle into the whiskey as it's being aged. The longer the aging process or the more vivid the barrel wood material, the stronger the flavor characteristic being determined by the barrel itself. But the key is the wood oils and what happens to oil of just about any kind when temperature lowers rapidly below about 60F.
Oils that are rapidly chilled will congeal and effectively fall out of solution. And anyone who drinks whiskey already knows what this looks like, even if they are not sure what's causing it. Add very cold water to whiskey and watch it cloud up. That cloudiness is the wood oils falling out of solution. Same thing happens with whiskey when you add ice. That cloudiness appears almost right away and that's because the whiskey is being rapidly chilled to about 40F as mentioned above. This is precisely the reason that you hear whiskey experts and distillers caution - if not threaten - that anyone who actually wants to enjoy their dram should never add ice. A bit of room temperature water? Sure. In fact professional whiskey tasting notes contain two parts: with and without water. But what do you do if you want to actually chill your whiskey a bit? That's the precise question we asked when inventing the product back in 2007, so enter Whisky Stones.
Whisky Stones are specifically designed to gently chill your whiskey without the diluting and rapid chilling effects of ice. Three Whiskey Stones beverage cubes will gently reduce the temperature of your dram to not less than 50F, greatly minimizing the negative effects of rapid cooling while subtly taking that stinging edge off. And they behave the same way every single time.
Hopefully this sets the record straight. Whisky Stones do not replace ice, they provide a better alternative for a very specific type of beverage - whiskey. If you like ice, use ice, but you should know that it means you are going to be removing a lot of the carefully crafted flavor from that new bottle you bought.
