A bevy of cozy blankets in sophisticated stripes. $175 to $220, available at alderandcoshop.com (left). No glass allowed? No prob—just pack these hammered-acrylic vessels instead. $11 to $15, available at westelm.com (right).
With daily temperatures climbing into the ’60s, the promise of more daylight this weekend, and the official start of spring/first day of the Cherry Blossom Festival just 12 days away, we’re aching to be outside. And after four chilly months of eating around the kitchen table (or—let’s be honest—parked in front of the TV in time for 30 Rock), we’re thinking a picnic in the park sounds pretty nice right about now. To celebrate the return of al fresco noshing, we’ve rounded up 16 adorable picnic must-haves to take down to the Mall (or to one of these less-crowded bloom-scoping venues), just in time for the festival. (Insider tip: A small grove of blossoms just north of the Washington Monument near Constitution is a good spot to lay down your blanket.)
See our Cherry Blossom 2012 Guide here.
