IT'S OP PICNIC TIME!
All I need to be happy in the summertime is a picnic and a beautiful patch of grass. Whether I'm in my own backyard or one of Portland's amazing parks, I make a day of it, laying out lots of cozy blankets and pillows and setting out a delicious spread, so that everyone can relax and settle in for a day of drinking wine and snacking. Since some of the best picnics are spontaneous, I always have a basket packed and ready to go, with a cutting board, knife, cutlery, cloth napkins, nice plates, an insulated wine holder, and real wine glasses. I like to prepare snacks that will last all day, like an OP charcuterie board (of course!) with a variety of salami, pâté and rillettes, canned or smoked fish, a rich triple cream cheese that will get warm and melty in the sun, a fresh baguette, and ripe cherries or whatever fresh fruit looks the best at the farmers’ market that day. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll bring a seafood tower, with raw oysters, prawns, and pickled mussels. I always make sure there’s a generous supply of rosé on ice, plus the most important picnic guest—the wine opener!
—Michelle Cairo, OP Co-founder & CEO
Here in Portland, we've got some of the prettiest parks in the world, all perfectly suited for that most hallowed of summer pastimes—picnicking! If you call our city home, or are planning a visit and looking for somewhere beautiful to lay your blanket, here are a few of our favorites.
Photos from Portland Parks and Recreation Website
