I started this "new things" challenge off with a sunrise and carried that new morning energy into the start of the forties with another sunrise experience---a sunrise picnic. Have I experienced a sunrise before? Yes. Have I experienced a picnic before? Yes. Have I combined the two and experienced a sunrise picnic? No...until last weeks Wakeup Wednesday new thing number forty-one---Sunrise DIY Posh Picnic. The previous Posh Picnic (new thing number thirty-seven if you are keeping track) was such a fun, successful experience, I knew I wanted to enjoy another one with friends. The previous event was a sunset posh picnic. The sunrise posh picnic was wonderful since it included two of my favorite things---sunrises and coffee with an added bonus of being on the beach.
Every event, no matter how big or how small, is worthy of a theme. For the sunrise picnic, I chose the theme of brown and pink. Yes, colors were the theme. If, like my husband, you don't believe colors can be a theme, well, I guess that can count as something new too. I chose brown and pink since I felt like they were the colors of coffee and sunrises. I carefully curated a menu of (mostly sweet treats) pinks and browns---pink muffins, brown coffee, mini pink marshmallows for the coffee, brown pretzels, pink donuts, brown croissants...you get the picture. I painstakingly picked through all the cute brown and pink decor items in my house (thanks for loaning me your pink surfboard Gabe!). With a few added touches from my local TJ Maxx (they have the best deals) store, and a few items from the other picnic participants, I was all set for the pink and brown lux sunrise picnic of my dreams.
A picnic at dawn also requires dressing the part---we all donned our cutest pink pajamas and brown Uggs. A pink beanie, pink sweaters, and a touch of pink lipstick helped set the tone of the morning---Pretty in Picnic (a play on an eighties favorite movie, Pretty in Pink).
The original backdrop for the sunrise picnic was Waimanalo Beach on the windward side of O'ahu. And then I realized that the gates to the beach park don't open until seven in the morning...well after sunrise. We had to go with plan B---Sandy's Beach park. We would be able to catch the sunrise at this new location because the gates were open and parking was directly by the beach.
Sandy's ended up being the perfect backdrop for a sunrise picnic. We had the entire beach to ourselves (except for one or two early morning beach walkers who were eyeing our sweet sunrise setup). Setup in the dark and wind was a little challenging, but we managed and were so pleased with the results. Once our posh picnic was put together, it was time for photos! We took a ton. We laughed a ton. Once the sun had risen a little past the horizon, we settled in for coffee and croissants, donuts at dawn, malasadas in the morning, scones at sunrise. We were so lucky to have enjoyed a pretty beach setting with pretty weather, pretty sunrise, pretty company and pretty decor all around us. Pretty in Picnic.
Of course, this new experience only made me thirsty for more...more picnics. More sunrises. More sunrise picnics. More DIY fun. I decided this sunrise picnic definitely counts as an official new thing since it hasn't existed as anything I have done before . It was an experience I discovered for the first time despite the individual components of the experience not being new. If you haven't experienced a sunrise picnic, I highly recommend it. It's a great way to start the day. It's a great way to feel rejuvenated, refreshed,
renewed.
Who: Myself, Janell, Jennah, and Sachi. You can include as many or as few people as you like. Pretty in Picnic works for a party of one, two, three, four...on and on.
What: DIY Sunrise Posh Picnic: Pretty in Picnic.
When: Sunrise of course.
Where: Anywhere the sunrise is visible and there is room for a picnic. We chose Sandy's Beach.
Why: Coffee and croissants. An excuse to wear Pink Pajamas and Uggs. Sunrise pictures. To feel pretty in picnic.
How: Coordinate with your pals. Each participant can bring a dish to share or bring decor to add to the fun. If you want to be super extra like we were, then you can coordinate outfits and include a photographer. All you really need is an outdoor place and fun items that go with whatever theme you choose.
Theme: Brown (coffee) and Pink (sunrise sky) but really a sunrise picnic could be whatever theme floats your boat.
Photos: Thanks to Janell for documenting this fun new experience. You can check out more of her photos and photography style on her Instagram @littlekauaigirl
Thank you Janell, Jennah, and Sachi for helping make this "new thing" experience come to life. I appreciate your willingness to participate in an activity that requires a 4:00 a.m. wake up, wearing PJs on the beach, and setting up fancy picnic decor in the wind and dark. It was a morning I won't soon forget.
"Sunrise looks spectacular in nature; sunrise looks spectacular in the photos; sunrise looks spectacular in our dreams; sunrise looks spectacular in the painting, because it really is spectacular!" ~Mehmet Murat Ildan
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