The sun is playing hide and seek with the clouds, and January seems like the perfect month to step outdoors for a leisurely picnic. The joy of lying down on sprawling green lawns, reading a book under the shade of thick foliage, or sitting down with family and friends to enjoy a cup of tea with some hors d’oeuvres under an open sky are all ideas that are tempting enough to plan a picnic. However, if the lockdown has made you slightly sluggish to put in the effort to plan and pack a picnic basket, then there’s help at hand.
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Getting nostalgic
The Picnic Company, started by two moms and entrepreneurs Bhawna Rao and Shwetha Gupta, will put together an experience to enjoy a day outdoors. The duo offers three different options to choose from. You could choose just their quintessential picnic basket, or opt for a complete bespoke experience that includes the basket. For those who want a more celebratory picnic, they also curate private dining experiences. Their Instagram page is filled with pretty pictures of experiences they have planned since they launched in November 2020. “We wanted to bring back the good old days and nostalgia of hanging out with loved ones in the outdoors,” says Bhawna, while Shwetha adds, “We weren’t able to go out to a restaurant for a long time because of the lockdown and the pandemic. Both of us love the outdoors, so we got this idea to plan picnics with our families and that’s how the company was born.”
Whether it’s a birthday, a bridal shower or a weekend lunch, the pictures on their Instagram page offer glimpses of the 25 picnics that have been planned by the duo so far. “We find the location, curate the picnic basket and set it up for our clients,” says Shwetha. “Safety is also an issue, so we ensure that the location chosen is safe and ideal for setting up the picture-perfect picnic,” adds Bhawna. The spots are usually not very far from the city, but are definitely hidden gems. Some of them are vineyards, breweries and private farms.
Seat at the table
Their food menu, which is customisable, includes Indian, Asian and European options. Choose from options such as the South Indian platter (chakli, nippattu, thokku, gongura, paneer and mushroom sukkha, biryani and Gulab Jamoon Cheesecake) and European platter (cheese platter, falafel, hummus, dips and fruits). They also have a different menu for those who like cocktails for an afternoon soiree. The USP of their offering is the beautiful cutlery, furniture and crockery that they use to set up the picnic spot. “Everything has been designed and locally sourced — from the cutlery to the crockery, the cushions and the low tables. We are particular about not using plastic anywhere,” says Bhawna.
Some of these picnic spots are within properties of small-time farmers and many of the ingredients are sourced from the farm itself, making it a complete farm-to-table experience. The duo can also rope in an artiste to play live music if a client requests for it. While the experience sounds magical, everything comes at a price and this one is definitely not easy on the wallet. However, there’s the added benefit of supporting local farms, farmers and artistes.
Rs 10,999 upwards
ayeshatabassum@ newindianexpress.com
@aishatax