Sunshine and the smell of fresh dew on grass, what more could you ask for?

Going on a picnic is the perfect activity that you should add to your impending to-do list after getting vaccinated. The pandemic has invariably confined us to the walls of our own house, nonetheless comfortable. However, a change of setting, especially in nature can help recharge your mental battery and aid in regulating your overall mood.

We are certain that our MDLR community never does anything half-way, so of course we are here to help you plan the most epic picnic afternoon ever!

Sounds of nature combined with upbeat music would be the cherry on top, songs reminding you of happy memories. Unearthing stories of the past, and fun times that end up in excessive laughter. 

In The Basket

An assortment of treats for a sophisticated individual like yourself. You might just head out to your local grocery store right after reading this, precisely our intentions.

Let’s start off with a healthier variety of treats to bring along with you. Fruits like watermelon slices and strawberries are easy to carry and refreshing to take a bite into, especially on a hot summer day. It is impossible to not suggest a Caprese salad. A mouth-watering vision of well-seasoned mozzarella slices harmonizing with the sourness of fresh tomato, each bite transporting you down the cobblestones of Italian streets. Hungry yet?

Photographed by Stephanie Studer via Unsplash

Speaking of cheese, a charcuterie board with an array of crackers would compliment that red wine you have been so eager to bring into daylight. Fine wine, cheese, and some crackers, a combination that may lead to some interesting conversations.

Photographed by Calvin Shelwell via Unsplash

Are you really on a picnic if you did not bring some sweets? All the more reason to visit your favorite bakery and grab those cupcakes you have been eyeing or simply bake a recipe that has been pondering over your mind’s eye, here’s your chance to experiment!

To catalyze that process, we have a recipe for gooey chocolate chip cookies inspired by Sima Kuzbari on TikTok one bound to make your mouth water, all you have to do is: 

• Mix 1 cup of white sugar & ¾ cup of brown sugar in a bowl
• Add a pinch of salt
• 115g of melted butter 
• Whisk these ingredients together 
• Add 1 egg
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Mix mix mix!

• Sift 155g of flour & ½ tbsp of baking powder
• Fold the mixture, make sure you do not overdo the folding.. We know how ambitious you can be 
• Add your chocolate chunks, the bigger the better :)
• Fold the chocolate in 
• Let the dough cool for approximately 30 minutes 
• Scoop the mixture onto your baking sheet 
• Bake those beauties for 12 minutes in a preheated oven of 170 degrees celsius 

They are ready to go! Oozing chocolate cookies that will prompt you and your friends to devour the entire batch in one sitting, once again.. precisely our intentions. 

Do not forget paper cups and plates, alongside some reusable cutlery. 

Wear your mask and sanitize all your cutleries beforehand. 

Some fresh flowers packed in newspaper would be a great decoration, amplifying the sweet scent of nature surrounding you, to a greater extent.

Self-Care 

Now onto the most important asset of this picnic.. You!

Of course we cannot let you leave the comfort of your home without elaborate skincare measures. Take accountability for washing your face with a gentle foam wash, followed with exfoliating your skin to get rid of any clogged pores. Even though it is hot this time around and a sweaty face is on the horizon, you still need to moisturize that glorious face of yours. Lastly.. the most crucial step of this brief routine, the application of sunscreen with a recommended SPF 30 and higher. 

Photographed by Nataliya Melnychuk & Kelsey Curtis via Unsplash

Styling Tips

A picnic on a beautiful summer day is a great excuse for playing dress up and getting great clicks for your Instagram among a field of flowers. It is time to grab that floral maxi dress and camouflage with your back drop. We do not know about you, but we would take this opportunity to run across the field, as though we were a princess reuniting with our lover. Turning back to observe how fabric from our dress floats in the air upon meeting the fresh breeze.

Any day out calls for an opportunity to make a statement, what other way to do so than the incorporation of bold accessories… like our bags 🍭👜 

A bag perfect for holding all these essentials whilst ensuring feasibility in carry would be our Zeezee bucket bag. A sturdy design variation that is, undoubtedly, spacious and chic. Who said you cannot look stylish while carrying many items? 

In The Bag

Apart from edible essentials, there are other items that would cater to your convenience. Enabling you to experience a picture-perfect picnic scene, mimicking those you often see in advertisements for tupperware. Finally.. a taste of commercial television, translated into something genuine instead.

Even though you have been vaccinated, bringing an extra mask and sanitizer would invariably add the element of safety into the scene. Wet wipes to ensure your hands are not sticky after devouring those cupcakes, granted you took our advice. Of course.. a picnic mat to keep your amazing skin away from wet soil.

Photographed by Evangelina Silina via Unsplash

If you are feeling cheeky, a game of truth or dare would be a great asset for bringing in some additional laughter. If all that chatter made you rather tired instead, enjoying the sounds of nature with your peers over a good book would hit the spot. Imagine the sun’s warmth greeting the tip of your head as you slowly get immersed in the pages, taking you to a different setting altogether.

Recharge and have some me-time, you deserve it. You have been working so hard, it is time to reap the rewards! Create some memories that you are certain might turn into interesting stories for others to hear, making them wish they were present to see it all happen. Is it time to head out the door yet? We just cannot wait to see your picnic outfit styled with our bags!

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