Latest news with #alfrescoDining
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I transformed my garden patio into summer haven for less than £100 with cheap B&M buys including gadget to keep bugs out
A SUPER saver decorated her patio for an alfresco lunch gathering for £100 from B&M. From dinner plates to bug-repelling candles, Aimee shared her impressive haul with her 29.6k Instagram followers. 5 5 The lifestyle influencer, who lives in Wiltshire with her partner Sean, said she wanted to create the perfect space for entertaining guests. Sharing a video of her summery accessories on @thecountryreno, she wrote: "This year is the year of our garden, after 18 months living here we are now ready to start making her ready for guests and entertaining, BBQs and sundowners. "Our table was a Facebook marketplace bargain last year for £100 too, and now I'm headed to B&M with £100 to see if I could make something beautiful." She bagged herself an adorable lemon jug for just £3 after it was on sale from £5 and pretty farmhouse-style plant pots from £3. "£100 feels like a lot of money but these days would barely get you a seat cushion in some shops but I knew that B&M would have some bargains and they did not disappoint!! "I was surprised to see so many things on offer too - especially that lemon jug." To keep pesky insects away for those late-night tipples, she found citronella torches on bamboo spikes to give a feeling of being on a tropical island. The candle and holders are just £4. Aimee also jumped on the faux flower trend, which she joked meant she couldn't kill them. They vary in price, but range from £2 to £8. B&M launches their children's outdoor range which is perfect for summer - there's a £2 bargain that'll easily keep the kids entertained She found hanging baskets filled with colourful and realistic plastic flowers, which she added to an outhouse wall. Followers flocked to praise her haul, with one writing: "Such good finds! That lemon jug! "You did a brilliant job finding this all and styling it beautifully together." "Great bargains and looks lovely," echoed a second. "Impressive job the wall hanging baskets look lovely in that position too x" said a third. Remember that some products are limited to selected stores, so always check with your local shop before wasting a trip. How to save money at B&M Shoppers have saved hundreds of pounds a year by using B&M's scanner app. The scanner lets you see if an item's price is cheaper than advertised on the shop floor label. Products that are typically discounted are seasonal items and old stock that B&M is trying to shift. The app is free to download off the B&M Stores mobile app via Google Play or the Apple App Store. According to one ex-B&M manager, you'll want to visit your local branch at 10am on a Wednesday too. Here's how you can join the B&M bargain hunt: Download the B&M app for free on any smartphone with an App Store or Google Play. Once you've installed it on your device, click on the option labelled "more" on the bottom, right-hand side of the app home page. You'll then find an option that says "barcode scanner". Click on this and you'll open a camera screen. Use the camera to hover over the barcode of the product you wish to check. If the price comes up as lower, take it to the cash desk and it will automatically scan at the lower price. You don't need to sign up to the B&M app to use the barcode scanner. If, like Aimee, you want to transform your garden space as the weather warms up, B&M has you covered. One product guaranteed to make your backyard the envy of your neighbours is the Stained Glass Hanging Decoration. The purse-friendly buy comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns from stunning floral designs to captivating mandala patterns. Priced at just £4 each, these beautiful hanging decorations will revamp your garden, without you having to break the bank. Plus, when the sunlight catches on the stained glass, it will create a spectacular glow which will transform your garden into a paradise. B&M said: "This unique Stained Glass Hanging Decoration will add a touch of colour and beauty to your garden. "Perfect for hanging in your garden and adding to your outdoor decor." Another product guaranteed to give your garden a glow-up, is the Flower Solar Light. The bargain buy comes in a variety of different colours, including yellow and pink, so is guaranteed to inject your garden with a stunning splash of colour. It features an adorable flower design, with a sweet bee perched on top of it, which is bound to make you smile every time you sit in the garden.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
These Jam Bars Are My Jam
The sun smiled down over Brooklyn last weekend. The temperature gently hovered around 75 degrees, and on Prospect Park's Great Lawn, picnickers spread themselves out like asparagus on a sheet pan. We're eating outside again: Summer is a-comin' in! To tee up alfresco dining season, Tanya Sichynsky (she of the The Veggie) has assembled a collection of our best 'portable and shareable recipes built for the backyard, the beach and the communal barbecue.' She may not say it in so many words, but the list definitely works for picnics and park hangs, too. Tanya has lined up two dozen absolute bangers to pick from, but high on my list is Yewande Komolafe's recipe for chewy strawberry jam bars with cardamom. Yewande is a shortbread sorcerer, ever coaxing new flavors, shapes and colors from her exquisite, buttery dough. These simple bars with a nubby, crumbly topping hold up well for travel, easily feed a crowd and are maximally adaptable. Substitute any thick jam for strawberry — ideally something tart to balance the sweet crust. And if these treats, like most shortbreads, tend toward crumbliness, well, you're eating them outside. The squirrels, ants and sparrows will be more than happy to tidy up. Featured Recipe View Recipe → Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Times
Cities should embrace the culture of alfresco dining
One of the few good things to emerge from the Covid disaster was alfresco dining. Country pubs, suffering a catastrophic loss of custom, put chairs and tables in their gardens, erected tents that counted as outdoors and safely carried on serving pub grub and ale. Rather trickier in towns, but pavements were soon colonised and then whole streets. Soho no longer counted on luring in the London lewd but did a nice trade in dinners all along Old Compton Street. Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool followed suit. With bikers forced to scoot down other alleys, flower planters barring the way to cars and even urban fumes kept at bay, Brits could briefly imagine they were carefree in gay Paree. Fine on a fine June evening; a
