An original combination.

We received a tempting invitation by email that read: "Monday night in Playa Vista", with a suggestive closing: If the weather is good, we will picnic in the Meridian Park. Bring a sweater.. plus of course, directions to get there.

Since the host said not to bring anything, I took my last kitchen cloth from Le Jacquard Francais, my favorite French kitchen linen brand, in shades of gray with three French monuments in it.

We arrived at 6 sharp and our host and friends were already there, sitting in comfortable picnic chairs set around a beautiful picnic basket which we discovered had napkins, drinks, crackers, and interesting versions of tapenade and humus.

Conversation was animated in the green park setting, and after a while, our host invited us to her apartment where dinner awaited.

Dorothy had dressed a beautiful table for us. The colorful runner had been purchased at a folk arts shop in Santa Fe, as well as the wood bird seen in the picture.

And the menu? We'll see tomorrow!

I think combining an apperitif in a nearby park and dinner in the house is a great idea. Where would I go in Paris? To the Bois de Boulogne across Boulevard Exelmans?

Bon appetit!