Ferber said. “Then I remember going as a teen with my friends. I remember snuggling on a blanket under the stars with my husband and bringing our kids to the children’s concerts. Now, as our kids are leaving the nest, my husband and I are back attending concerts, just the two of us.” Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering is no novice — she knows exactly what to bring, where to sit and how to fully enjoy the concert. Rotering brings in snacks from Sunset Foods — cheese, crackers, dips, veggies, fruit, baguettes and sparking water — plus comfort and entertainment items from home — pillows, games, books and blankets. Rotering and her family unwind near the Sculpture Walk for fun people watching. “Basically, we look like we are going camping without a tent,” Rotering said. “Every so often, we’ll order pizza and bring it in. We also have a family tradition of getting a s’mores pizza for dessert.” The Ravinia Festival is a large part of what makes life in Highland Park so fantastic. “Ravinia is a treasure in our community,” Rotering said. “With all of this talk about Ravinia picnics, I can’t wait for summer to arrive!” Olympic bronze medalist figure skater Jason Brown, who grew up in Highland Park, has many fond memories of Ravinia. “I have so many wonderful memories at Ravinia,” he said. “In grade school, I was so lucky to perform there with our school’s choir and orchestra. What an unbelievable experience to perform on that stage. It was magical having our Highland Park High School graduation at Ravinia. The beautiful setting added to the emotion of the evening and helped make it a night I will never forget. “Concerts at Ravinia are so special. My friends and I sat on the lawn for the Carrie Underwood concert and had an amazing time. It was such a unique experience eating under the stars and listening to her incredible voice,” Brown said. The Downtown Highland Park Alliance is launching a “What’s In Your Ravinia Basket?” campaign. Watch for details at DHP businesses.
SUNSET FOODS MAKES THE HUM-DRUM EXTRAORDINARY WITH GOURMET PICNIC ITEMS
5NANCY ROTERING Mayor of Highland Park; pictured with her husband, Rob Photo courtesy of Nancy Rotering
5BRENDA FERBER Children’s author
Photo courtesy of Brenda Ferber
JASON BROWN Olympic bronze medalist figure skater
Photo courtesy of Sun-Times Media
An eye to beauty and gracious living and eating, regardless of budget, has become a focus of entertaining in recent years. Picnic is now a buzzword for elegant outdoor entertaining, usually encompassing a theme. How do you find your personal picnicking style? The perfect picnic is whatever you make it. A uniquely American family outing, with brats, burgers, chips, potato salad and soda, served on plastic or paper, is still a viable picnic choice, particularly for those with young children. It’s low maintenance, easy to pack, stow, and go, and cleans up fast. What if instead, you could be seated at a linen-draped table festooned with candelabra to enjoy gourmet fare off bone china and wines from crystal? A little too high-brow? Maybe a gingham tablecloth with jar candles, soft cotton napkins and sturdy hand-thrown pottery could provide a perfect rustic setting. The key is to keep your picnic set-up portable, lightweight and attractive. You’ll find that the picnic usually creates itself around a menu or special dish. “Once you know your entrée, the theme picks itself,” says Sunset Foods Vice President of Marketing Thaddeus Tazioli. “For example, let’s say you’ve settled on paella. It’s a wonderfully flavorful rice dish and tradition invites you to add a variety of meats and seafood, depending on your taste. Where’s paella from? Spain. So, you can create a Spanish-themed picnic that’s as casual or elegant as you’d like.” There are wonderful picnic areas, such as Sunset Woods, the beach, or even your own backyard, throughout Highland Park. But when choosing the when and where of your picnic, this year you cannot beat the perfect romance of Aug. 17 at Ravinia. Why? In the midst of Ravinia Festival, you can be part of Ravinia’s Ultimate Picnic Contest. Whether you attend as a spectator, or decide to enter for a chance to win a two-person season lawn pass, using contest guidelines will help you keep your picnic portable, elegant and memorable! Decisions on everything from appetizers to wines, place cards and cutlery fall into place once your theme emerges, and if the Spanish picnic excites your imagination, Sunset Foods has a myriad of imported items to tempt everyone’s palate. Matiz’s line of paella, picos de aceite breadsticks and Marcona almonds are all great bets. You can dress your picnic table to impress with a tiered serving tray of flatbread, anchovystuffedolivesandslicedpaletaserrano,servedaseitherappetizersor finger-food side dishes. A selection of Eppa wines will round out your elegant repast. Your table setting need not be a showpiece. Form can follow function. You can serve salads, pre-chilled, from attractive Mason jars, which allow you leak-free portability and charm. The same idea could be used to serve individual-serving sangria; include the fruits and wine and seal it shut. Your theme can go as elegant or kitschy as you choose. Sunset can help with your setting too, they even have a lightweight table-in-a-bag. Provided by Sunset Foods; picnic photos courtesy of Thaddeus Tazioli