I had been searching for the perfect patio set for 2 years. I couldn't decide between a couch/sectional set or a dining set. I really wanted the perfect combination of the comfort of a couch AND the usefulness of a dining set. As far as I could tell, there was no such thing. So when we received money and gift cards for our wedding, I promised I'd set aside some of it to buy us a new patio set, just as soon as I could find one I loved.
And finally I found it - it does exist! The perfect combination of sectional and dining set. It's comfortable, all-weather wicker, from Target. To make the price a little more palatable, I went through ebates to get an extra 3% back ($30! Not bad!), plus we managed to get $40 for our old one (which was more than a little rusty) through craigslist.
It arrived a few weeks ago and so we've had a few opportunities to put it to use.
Here is the first dinner we ate at it:
But let's rewind a bit so I can show you more of that delicious dinner. I was growing Pak Choi in my window boxes and it was starting to bolt.
So I cut it all down (isn't it gorgeous?)
And we sauteed it out on the grill with sesame oil and soy sauce
It was fantastic and I'm so sad it's all gone. Since it won't grow in the summer heat, I'm definitely going to grow more in the fall. Meanwhile, Adam grilled these bacon wrapped filets:
We also had fries dressed in truffle oil. The meal was accompanied with a Predator Zinfadel. We loved our first dinner on our new table :)
It also got exercised at our recent 3rd annual Sausagefest Memorial Day party. Adam and I make 25 pounds of various sausages (italian, spinach/chicken/feta, sage/apple/cheddar breakfast) over the weekend, everyone comes over to eat it, and at the end of the night, we throw a projector up in the backyard and watch a movie under the stars (movie tradition inherited from our Lost Finale party last year). We were super impressed with the amount of people it could sit. The benches that claimed to sit 1 person comfortably sat 2 and those that were supposed to sit 2 sat at least 3, meaning we can easily accommodate 10 people for an outdoor dinner.
See the mason jars holding the candles hanging from the umbrella? I got the idea from Martha Stewart:
Source: marthastewart.com via Jennifer on Pinterest
Ok, hers looks better... but here's a few more pictures of mine anyway :P
And here's our hot tub being put to good use as a buffet!
I forgot to take pictures of the movie watching set up so picture 14 bag chairs + 2 princess chairs around a big screen (pretty much just like our Lost Finale party setup).
So a huge thank you to everyone who gifted us cash for our wedding, we love our new patio set and think it brings such a sense of warmth to the backyard. And for anyone who is curious, I bring the cushions in when we are not using the set to prolong it's life as long as possible.