A Picnic at Ravinia

Highland Park, a northeast suburb of Chicago, hosts the Ravinia Music Festival every summer. The program has something for everyone, including Jazz, Blues, Classical, Bluegrass, Latin . . . You name it, and there will be at least one outdoor performance every summer. They have a pavilion where you can get close to the performance, but most people opt to picnic on its vast lawns and enjoy the music being broadcast over strategically placed speakers. We usually enjoy two or three performances every summer.

We have been picnicking for a while now, and have slowly acquired the equipment to make it fun and easy. Like this table, which can be collapsed and carried over the shoulder, or our super comfy, heavy-duty camping chairs. We minimize paper and plastic whenever possible, to reduce the burden to the park, by bringing real tableware. We always try to leave our area as clean as we found it, or even a little more so, in gratitude to all the park has given us.

We like laying a tarp under the tables and chairs to avoid wet grass, and the accompanying mosquitoes, and our handy Ravinia wagon helps us pull all our packages easily.

I’ve made this salad so many times (by popular demand), that we’ve officially named it Ravinia Salad. It consists of orzo pasta, with chicken, carrots, roasted red peppers and capers, tossed with a white balsamic vinaigrette. It’s so good!

Then, for dessert, Natilla — homemade Vanilla Pudding, packed in small canning jars, which transport very easily, with chocolate Pirouettes.

We usually go with one or two other couples, and try to get there early to stake out "our spot," not too far from the restrooms, the trash cans, the back entrance, and still within a close distance to the stage.  

Then we eat, and by the time the music starts, we are wrapping up dessert and savoring a cup of coffee, or lingering over a glass of wine.  

Then, the lights dim, the park gets quiet, and we can enjoy the glorious music.  This is indeed, one of the highlights of our summer.