FOOD & WINE
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Pasadena Picnic Co. brings local flare to gatherings
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By Annika Tomlin
uxury picnics are on the rise, and Pasadena Picnic Co. is keeping up with the trend. Lena Kelly and Kaiy Smith-Biesman are two Pasadena moms who saw an opportunity to start a new business — Pasadena Picnic Co. — in January 2021. “We were chatting one day about these beautiful pop-up picnics that we had seen happen more along the coast area around beach towns but nobody was really doing it out here,” Kelly says. “We said, ‘You know, Pasadena has so many gorgeous parks, people also have great yards and little garden spaces, we should bring it out here to the community.’” And they did just that. “We wanted to have a locally inspired, intimate experience where we tie in different things that we love
about the area,” says Kelly, whose background is in event productions. “We came together, and that is how Pasadena Picnic Co. was born.” They also thought picnics were a good idea during a pandemic, during which time it was hard to host gatherings. “It was just a really great way to give people that opportunity to have some joy in their day, to come out and have a little picnic,” Kelly says. “It’s been received very well. We’ve received so much support from the community, so it’s been wonderful so far.” Pasadena Picnic Co. aligns with Smith-Biesman’s other project, Stems. Serving as Pasadena Picnic Co.’s catering service, it also offers workshops and wine tastings. The duo’s goal is to create picnic packages that are “relaxing and enjoy-
able.” The trio of experiences is basic ($299), bold ($499) and boujee ($699). “Each package increases with what is included, but the standard package itself (basic) would be everything that you would need for a luxury picnic,” Kelly says. “It has a table, pillows and cushions, a blanket, a rug, an umbrella, floral arrangements and place settings for each person. Then we include our hibiscus rose tea that we make inhouse, sparkling water, and then salted rose chocolate chip cookies that we also make in-house.” The two-hour basic and bold packages accommodate up to four guests. The boujee package is for three hours, and setup includes up to six guests. Guests can choose their park within the San Gabriel Valley or a private location, like a backyard.
“We show up and set everything up and then you enjoy your picnic,” Kelly says. “We leave and then we come back at the end of the picnic and pack everything up. “You really just get to come and enjoy and have a great experience without having to do all of the heavy lifting and lugging around.” Local flare While luxury picnics are on the rise, the two women are confident that their business will succeed. “I think one of the things that sets us apart is that we really use the community to show how beautiful our city is,” Smith-Biesman says. “We really focus on creating an experience that is local and custom to our community and showing the beauty off there. “I feel like other people do these packages and it just doesn’t really
Pasadena Picnic Co. offers three different luxury picnic packages to host outdoor gatherings with family and friends.
Photo by Chandra Wicke Photography
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