PARK IT: The Top Five (Slightly) Naughty Picnic Spots for Summer
* Article published in City Bites Magazine Issue 37
Is that some booze in your picnic basket, or are you just happy it’s Summer? Summertime is the right time to shake up your restaurant routine and hit the park instead. Here are some tips to make your next picnic more interesting…
Time: Weekend Afternoon
Park: Trinity Bellwoods Park
Eats: Take-out New Brunswick Sturgeon Fish n’ Chips $12.99, from Chippy’s, 893 Queen St West, 416-866-7474, and macaroons $2.10 each from Nadège, 780 Queen Street West, 416-368-2009.
Drinks: Large fresh squeezed mint lemonade from White Squirrel Coffee Shop $2.50, 907 Queen St West, 647-428-4478, spiked with an empty coke bottle filled with Appleton Estate Rum V/X, $7.75 for a 200 ml bottle.
Bonus: Best park for people watching. On the weekends, Trinity Bellwoods becomes a social zoo. Picnicking here is the perfect way to observe all the urban species of Toronto.
Tip: Do bring a posse, blanket, Frisbee and a guitar. Don’t bring a new date if you want to avoid introducing them to everyone you know.
Time: Morning
Park: Bickford Park, 400 Grace St at Harbord St.
Eats: Banana, Nutella and Marshmello Mafra Bun Paninis, $5.50 each, at Linuxcaffe, 326 Harbord St, 416-534-2116
Drinks: Americanos, $2.50 each, at Linux Caffe spiked with a mini bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream, $9.95 for a 200 ml bottle.
Bonus: Best park to space out and watch dogs. The park is a quiet valley and a designated off-leash zone.
Tip: Sit in the grass on your morning paper and contemplate your day’s To-Do list, or how easy it would be to be a dog.
Time: Weekday lunch
Park: St. James Park, 65 Church St. at King St. E
Eats: St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St. E, South Market, Upper Level. 100g six-month aged Manchego Cheese $4.99, jar of pickled peaches $10.99 and 100g proscuitto Di Parma $6.50, from Scheffler’s Deli and Cheese, Stall 7, 416-364-2806, and a French baguette $1.99 from Future Bakery, Stall 17/28, 416-366-7259
Drinks: 2009 Flat Rock Pinot Noir $19.95, poured into a thermos
Bonus: Best park to escape modernity. Set in view of both St. James Anglican Cathedral grounds and the Toronto Sculpture Garden, St. James Park is a traditional Victorian park, complete with a 19th-century-style formal garden, wrought iron fencing and an decorative water fountain.
Tip: Come alone and pop in some classical music on your mp3. Deep breath, chew, sip, repeat.
Time: Noon
Park: Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Island. Ferry Dock, 9 Queens Quay W, 416-392-8193
Eats: Pork and Chicken Gyro Combo with Greek Fries and Feta $11.25, Alexandros Take-Out, 5 Queens Quay W, 416-367-0633
Drinks: Sport bottle with Orange Juice and ice spiked with a flask of Ouzo 12, $19.95 for a 750 ml bottle.
Bonus: The beach at Hanlan’s Point is clothing optional.
Tip: Take your bike on the ferry and depending on how empty your flask is at the end of the day, wear a helmut.
Time: Sunset
Park: High Park, Hillside Gardens, 1873 Bloor St. W
Eats: Two-scoop Very Vanilla ice cream cone $3.49, at Grenadier Café, 200 Parkside Drive, 416-769-9870
Drinks: Chilled Cave Springs 2009 Riesling Icewine Indian Summer Ice Wine, $24.95, in a paper bag
Bonus: The gorgeous flowers and of Hillside Gardens stretch down to the lakefront making High Park a great spot to take a stroll and get amorous in public.
Tip: Grab a park bench facing the lake and watch the sunset. Take turns sipping and watching for lurking park patrol.