The next time you hear these words....say, "But oh of course, why not"! And then grab your food, some candles, a bottle of wine and head to the backyard or the front verandah or a balcony and have your food al fresco! There is nothing as much fun as eating outside...it could be as simple as spreading a blanket on the grass and opening a picnic basket and eating sandwiches and salad, or as elaborate as a formal dinner with candles, gourmet food, expensive wine and dessert! Summer is the perfect time for al fresco dining....as soon as the sun sets, the air gets cool, there is a faint glow of the sunset still in the sky, appetites start to tingle and summer food is the best kind of 'eating out" food. Cool, refreshing salads and warm pastas, chunky bread and cheese, some dipping oils, chilled drinks, some soft music or for the Indian flavor....warm naans and breads, chilled lassis, curries that will ignite the fire in you, fragrant biryanis, cool raitas, sweet decadent rose flavored desserts and the sounds of Ravi Shankar's sitar playing in the backgound!
Here are some lovely pictures of outdoor patios to inspire you:
Bali inspired for a touch of the tropics
A soft romantic setting with gossamer curtains and string lighting
Tuscan inspired with arched doorways and wrought iron furniture
An old world setting with stone columns and gnarled trees
Sitting beneath an arbor , smelling the lilac perfumed air......
Mexico inspired....stucco walls and colorful tableware
A Texas style loggia with Peruvian and Mexican accents
Images courtesy Sunset magazine, Outdoor Living, August 2003
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