Pierre August Renoir
Late last week some friends of ours stopped by and invited us to A BBQ on Sunday, I was a bit doubtful about the weather, as after all it is only April, I need not have worried, the weather was fantastic, so much so that at the BBQ, everybody was slapping the sun cream on, it must have been at least 25 degrees.
It was a lovely day, and now I know that Summer is just round the corner, I am looking forward to to the al fresco life.
Delphin Enjolras
Long, lazy lunches and dinner parties on balmy nights, conversation running late into the night.
Midnight strolls round the garden and beyond taking in the scented air and listening to the night-time chorus of cicadas, crickets and other nocturnes.
And if your lucky enough to have a lake or river nearby...
Delphin Enjolras
All the restaurants and cafés will be putting out the canopies, ready for the influx of Summer diners.
MG and I had one of the most memorable al fresco lunches here at The Restaurant Fournaise, along the banks of the River Seine, just outside Paris, if it looks familiar it is because it is the restaurant that is featured in the Renoir painting at the top of this post, it was a very romantic lunch, I remember not wanting to leave, it was like being in the painting. If any of you reading this are in Paris or planning to go this Summer, you must add this to your list, you won't be disappointed. click this link to found out more.
Restuarant Fournaise
Neil Folberg
Delphin Enjolras
Roll on al fresco days and nights, we are ready for you.
That Renoir painting holds very dear memories for me because it is the last jigsaw puzzle that I ever did with my dad. I never realised it was an actual restaurant though, if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteAs for late and lazy meals during the summer evenings - I love the idea of them but because I am alway the one that the mozzies love, what usually happens is that I am covered in anti-bite stuff, we have the flame torches blazing away with the citronella oil overpowering the night-scented flowers I was so careful to plant near the gazebo. I sit there trying to be the fun hostess and the whole while wondering if I have the right amount of anti-insect protection on.
Oh I adore dining al fresco! Still a bit too chilly here, but soon. In the summer, we eat at least 3 dinners a week outside ... I love slowing down, watching the fireflies flash down on the lawn, and enjoying some quiet time with the people I love most ... soon...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post Dash..what a wonderful restaurant to spend an afternoon in. I thought of you while on our trip in the Lake District last week. I was wandering around the garden taking photos in the early morning and thought about your post when you mentioned that you liked to grab a cup of coffee and survey the garden in your pj's...I just loved that comment. I know..I am a strange one! Thinking now of al fresco lunches...they will forever remind me of this post :)
ReplyDeleteJeanne xx
I have always loved this painting. It examplifies summer dining~ doesn't it? Your lunch sounds fabulous. When we're in Italy, it's what I love best- outdoor dining-late into the night. This post transports me back to the best of my memories.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely.
Oh how I'm longing for summer nights after reading this! For years when I was growing up I had a print of the Luncheon of the Boating Party hanging over my bed...the day depicted there seems just about flawless to me.
ReplyDeleteDash, this is a gorgeous post. Outside dining is one of my favorite ways to dine, and while it isn't warm enough here, it soon shall be.
ReplyDeleteThat restaurant is I shall not miss on my next visit to France.
i cannot WAIT. i wish our warm season was longer but i sure am grateful while its here.
ReplyDeletebring it on
~laura
when I was a kid I seem to remember lying in bed, too hot to sleep where as last year I don't remember taking the blanket off......are the sweat-sticky days of my sunny youth only to be replaced with hot flushes??
ReplyDeleteDear Dash
ReplyDeleteSadly my alfresco dining will be tucked up in bed for a while.. although... here in Sydney it doesn't get that cold and we are inclined to still sit outside and take in the view... but those long lazy events you have conjured so well in this post will be on hold for a while... Don't you find the recreation of the boating party interesting.. in the modern version they have included children... perhaps a sign of our more relaxed attitude to eating out.... gorgeous images all of them.. and love the Something's Gotta Give post... love that house...
thanks for your sweet words over my way.. I'm so glad to have met you here in blogland.. xxx Julie
We dined outdoors at our favourite cafe just last night! It was divine!!
ReplyDelete