The Perfect Picnic with The Pallet!

It’s been a minute! A LOT has been happening in my life, people’s lives around me, and in the world generally. It feels weird to talk about seemingly trivial things such as beauty and fashion when a lot more important things deserve our attention. Ya girl has also been battling imposter syndrome (and lowkey losing). It’s hard producing content when it’s not as top tier as what’s already out there.

But we persist…

Which brings me to today’s post, and this month’s local feature! I gave my followers on Instagram full control of what my next blog post should be and they did not disappoint!

We’re currently in the middle of a semi lockdown in Trinidad and Tobago. We’re not allowed to dine in, movies are closed and a lot of other activities aren’t allowed. Basically, our options are limited. This proved to be a bit of a problem for me.
My boyfriend, Kyle, recently received a lot of great news and I wanted to find a way to celebrate him. I’d always had the idea to have a cute picnic set up, with great food and drinks along with games. I went back and forth with the idea for a couple of days, and then finally decided I would go through with the idea.

The Setup

If you’re like me, how things are laid out and presented are very important to the overall vibe. I really wanted everything to be simple, but somewhat cohesive. I created a list of things I needed, and also thought of possible color combinations. Once I got that part done and was aware of how much work would need to go into this – I called for help! My cousin Deniece, and good friend Nicole helped me execute my plan perfectly! Nicole was able to provide me with a wooden palette that would give some height to the setup. We were also able to get a cute picnic blanket from Fair and Square. I brought some throw pillows and a blanket from my house that weren’t being used and added them to the layout as well.

The Food

If you know me, you’d know I want the very least to do with cooking. Cooking and my name truly do not belong in the same sentence. Judge me all you want, but I really do not enjoy it. I’ll do it if I have to, but it is not my ministry. 🙅‍♀️ Knowing this, late Sunday night, I hopped onto Instagram and started searching different picnic related hashtags (side note- this is why you use hashtags folks!) I came across several pages, but only felt the need to message one – The Pallet by Marisa.

The Pallet by Marisa is a service that curates picnic settings, packed picnic baskets along with rental and catering services. They are currently located in St. James. Pick up options are available as well as delivery nationwide.
My conversation with Marisa started on Monday morning. We discussed food & drink options, date and time, along with pricing. She was quite prompt in her responses. She even called to make sure we were both on the same page. I personally really appreciated this because sometimes details can be lost in translation. We were able to finalize our plans by 2 pm that same day.
Marisa was able to create a menu that both Kyle and I were able to enjoy. We are both quite picky eaters, so she carefully walked me through each course and what they would entail.

Here’s the menu she came up with –
Garden Fresh Salad Jars – the cutest!
Mini Cheese and Fruit Platter
Mini Croissants
Half Chicken Roast Rosemary
Saffron Mash Mixed Potatoes – my fav!
Spicy Marinara Pasta – Kyle’s Fav

Marisa also individually plates the food (which I’m sure would be cuter), but I preferred separate portions as I knew we probably wouldn’t have finished our entire meal on the spot. I found the portions to be quite large. I ended up having leftovers for days!
She also included a bottle of sparkling wine, which is what I preferred, along with wine glasses. She also has alcoholic options available. I made a picnic cocktail to go with my theme so didn’t require this part of the service. Additionally, she included cutlery, a kitchen towel to assist with clean up, along with flowers – which was completely unexpected. The bottom of the basket was also adorned with fresh flower petals. Her branding, which is simple and clean, was also on all the containers.

All in all, my experience with this service was exceptional! I got in contact with her on Monday and got my order by midday Wednesday. The entire order was $350, which I felt was incredible based on the value of everything I was receiving. The food was well made and very filling. Last but certainly not least – she was kind, courteous, and extremely understanding! It was a pleasure finding and ordering from The Pallet by Marisa!

I enjoyed the process of planning and executing this picnic. It was very different for me. I think both Kyle and I enjoyed our time together. We had great conversation, played games, ate good food, and enjoyed nature. Picnics are a great way to get out, enjoy time outside the house, especially as most of us are trapped inside. Trust me, I didn’t think it would be something I’d be into but, I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely give it some thought, and then hit up The Pallet to help you fully enjoy the experience!

Thanks for reading everyone! This post is a bit rough, but I’ll find my groove again. Be sure to share this post with a friend.

xx
Charissa