How chic! Lunch served poolside on a glorious afternoon with friend's sipping chilled wine and catching up on one another's lives. If I close my eyes and take a deep breath, it reminds me of glorious summer days spent in Provence soaking up the sunshine with not a care in the world. In Europe, lunch is always on the late side, around 3pm or 4pm, and typically doesn't finish until early evening with friends sitting around the table laughing and drinking until the sky takes on a different color and the air starts to cool. I long for those days; it’s a pastime I adore and whenever possible I try to recreate that feeling as best I can.

For this gathering I invited guests to come by anytime after noon and before 2pm. Some friends dropped by for a swim and others arrived a little famished a few minutes before lunch was being served. To keep it casual, I decided the menu should be classic Italian with bowls of pasta pesto and platters of garden fresh vegetables for guests to help themselves and come back for seconds and thirds if they wished. The buffet was set with simple platters on a rectangular table anchored on each end with gorgeous lemon topiaries. Wines and cold beverages were set on a side table along with glassware, ice, and garnish for easy access and constant refilling. An infused flavor raspberry tea was offered for the "non" drinkers; I’m a believer in offering something for everyone.

It doesn't take much in the heat of the day to get a party started: something about the heat of the sun that goes right to your head. A splash of wine and some great music helped set the mood and kept everyone there for hours. My favorite mix was playing on my iPod with all my favorites including some Brazilian samba laced with a little Rasa Chill and Pink Martini. As the sun began to set I switched to another play-list with music that was a little more mellow in order to ease the transition from day to night.

It was magical, as the sun set; the sky was lit with vibrant pinks and purples. Had I planned better I would have been prepared for everyone to stay all night and had a light dinner waiting in the wings, but I never expected my friends to make it a 6- hour affair. Everything worked out just like I'd hoped. It was a fantastic day spent with friends in a gorgeous setting. Exactly what I love doing.

Menu

Bow Tie Pasta with Pesto
Checkerboard of Roasted Peppers
Caprese Salad
Asparagus with Chopped Egg
Fruity Iced Tea
Adriana's Chocolate Torte