Eat out #home

The days are getting longer, warmer, and the feeling of relaxed summer nights under the stars are becoming a reality, not a distant dream.

This is the perfect time for sitting outside, eating, drinking, and sharing time with friends and family.

Whether you are an apartment dweller, live on an acreage, or have a backyard in the ‘hood, somehow, somewhere, there will be a space to dine outside.

There is something a little more magical, more festive, more of an occasion, when a meal is taken outside.

And there are a few other pluses as well:

• Without a stove or oven in use, your home and kitchen stays cooler on those hot summer nights
• You can keep a closer eye on the children if they are swimming or playing in the yard
• You can host a larger group – easy to add chairs, tables, extend boundaries
• It’s more social for the chef– particularly when you’re having a bbq or using the pizza oven.
• It keeps your home cleaner- everybody outside means less mess inside.
• Guests usually help you out a bit more, carrying plates, bowls, drinks etc.
• Keeps the meal casual and fun
• And finally, food tastes better outside- not certain if there is an actual science behind this, but it really does!

Location, location, location.

As with any real estate decision, location has to be well considered. If you are in an apartment with a single balcony, there are less choices available, but even if you have a large yard, location still needs to be considered. There may be the most beautiful tree in the far back corner for your yard, but as lovely as this position would be to dine under, keep in mind the additional effort of carrying everything back and forth from the kitchen. All that hard labour could take a little bit of the glow away from a fun outdoor lunch or dinner.

Try to keep your outdoor dining space relatively close to the kitchen, as this is where all your food, drinks, tableware, will be carried from, and back to.

Be mindful of not placing your table too close to the bbq, or pizza oven- too hot, too smelly, and possibly too smokey.

Make your table great again

Tablecloths, flowers, candles will all add to the ambience of your dining experience. A less expensive way to cover a table than
using a tablecloth are flat sheets. They come in a variety of colours, can be purchased for around $12 and are a great size to drape over any table.

Cover it up

Shade cover will be a must during the summer months. If you don’t have an actual roof over your area, use an umbrella, build a pergola or erect a temporary “tent”.

An outdoor room with a view

Position your table to take advantage of any view you may have, the city lights, water, and the mountain ranges. Nothing special to look out on?  You can make your own view by hanging fairy lights from trees, or wrapped around fences and balconies.

Bug off

One of the very few downsides of eating outside, (perhaps the only one) are the bugs. Mosquitos, flies and every other flying, creepy crawly is also going to love it when you dine outdoors. The smells, the lights, all those uncovered arms and legs, are just too attractive for any normal bug to ignore.

How to get them to bug off:

1. Invest in a fan.
   Fans are a great mosquito and fly deterrent — they aren’t strong fliers, and even a light breeze will blow them away.
   As an added bonus, you get a nice, cooling breeze.

2. Bust out the citronella.
   Mosquitos naturally do not like anything citronella. Keep a few candles or citronella plants in your outdoor area, and it helps to do the trick of keeping away those nasty little biters.

3. Make an herbal centerpiece.
   There are a few herbs with essential oils that repel flies and other insects, and it happens that they also look pretty in a jar. Fill a vase with a mix of basil, lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, or mint for a bouquet that will keep the flies away and for an added bonus, they smell great, too.