Kristen’s Playlist

Picnics & Music

People have been enjoying picnics at parks for centuries. It is a sure sign of summer when you’re packing up some chicken, salads, cakes, and cold bubbly drinks.  I’ve been to some great parks that attract people to pull up a blanket and unwind with food. Parks like Austin’s Zilker Park (home of ACL Festival), Washington DC’s National Mall or Manhattan’s Central Park (of course).

Well, LA has a few great parks too, one of them being the Arboretum in Santa Anita (and even though I’m a native of LA, this was my first visit). An estate of open land originally owned by Elias “Lucky” Baldwin and converted to a park in 1947. The park has developed into a beautiful collection of trees and botantical plants.  For several summers now, the California Philharmonic has offered a summer series of thematic musical adventures. It’s a great show and pretty inexpensive to get general seating in the park area ($20 for the lawn, seen above). Bring your own eats and enjoy the view.

What’s your favorite park to picnic at? I’m hoping to check out as many as I can before the summer ends.