Picnicking is suck a weird word, isn't it? Adding that 'k' in the middle just messes with my eyes and my head and makes me start panicking, whose similarly added 'k' only contributes to the downward spiral of confusion. It's like adding 'e' when making potato plural. [I thought only Mr. Potato Head had pota-toes?] Or not changing the 'y' to 'ie' when pluralizing monkey. [Hey, hey, you were The Monkies...but "hey, hey" you failed your spelling test.] And let's not even get started on the conjugation of the verb "to ski."
But I digress.
(Before I've even begun!)

Last Sunday evening, I was picnicking at the park--Zilker Park to be specific. I, along with a plethora of other Austinites settled in to the Hillside Theater for the annual summer musical production: Footloose.

Having been to see Annie
last summer , I knew that the production would be populated with lots of people having picnics prior to the performance.*
(I also knew that the people around me would be happier this year, as I didn't know much of the music and couldn't sing-a-long or try to dance on my blanke t like I did for Annie.)
*I think I deserve a standing ovation at curtain call for that alliteration! 
After having
grabbed a bite for my visitor at
Torchy's beforehand (and me not being very hungry due to the heat), our picnic was quite plain: a tub of Cedar's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus--one of my favorites, actually [even if they do spell hummus with an o^]...
^When did I become the spelling police? 
...and an assortment of crudite.*
*Bonus points to Liz for actually using the word crudite (and pronouncing it correctly) in describing what we were taking to the park.

I also popped not one, but two, bags of popcorn. The larger bag is the incredibly delicious Boy Scouts of America Light Butter Popcorn (perfectly salted, not too buttery) and the smaller bag is a 100-calorie Pop Secret Kettle Corn on which I sprinkled cinnamon and
Savory Spice Shop 's
Honey Powder .* We had some cantaloupe
from the Farmers' Market as well.
*Which Liz still can't believe exists . 
I was pretty satisfied with our collection of nibbles, even if in my mind I had envisioned a perfectly prepped and packed basket of sandwiches, salads, and assorted dessert cookies and bars.
Perhaps even a pie ?

When I looked around at all the other picnics being spread on the hillside, I couldn't help but feel a little envious: margaritas were being mixed, homemade chicken salad sandwiches were being consumed, cheese boards were being assembled, wine was being poured. I could have done better! Heck, even Grace Kelly was able to provide some baked chicken for Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief.*
*Which I saw on Thursday on the big screen at The Paramount. Seriously, who knew that the trio of Kelly, Grant, and Hitchcock could be so darn laugh-out-loud hilarious?
[ Source ]And I did!
[Better late than never, right? Even if I didn't actually take it on a picnic.
I could
have. I still can
. And that is all that matters.]
But I digress.
(Before I've even begun!)
*I think I deserve a standing ovation at curtain call for that alliteration!
^When did I become the spelling police?
*Bonus points to Liz for actually using the word crudite (and pronouncing it correctly) in describing what we were taking to the park.
*Which Liz still can't believe exists .
*Which I saw on Thursday on the big screen at The Paramount. Seriously, who knew that the trio of Kelly, Grant, and Hitchcock could be so darn laugh-out-loud hilarious?
And I did!
[Better late than never, right? Even if I didn't actually take it on a picnic.
I could have. I still can. And that is all that matters.]