Great Buys for Your Backyard Feast

Saturday, May 29, 2010

SHOPPING by GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team

Not only is this weekend the time to break out your backyard entertaining gear that's been in storage through that icky winter, but it's also a fantastic time to pick up sale items at major home and garden retailers to freshen up the look.

With the holiday here, take a look at what's available, and much of it on discount, this weekend.

Begin at the grill, and upgrade your outdoor kitchen with two fantastic tools from Williams-Sonoma: a meatball grill basket that brings Italian home cooking to the barbecue life ($49.95 online or at locations in Cranston and Providence). Further, realize that these sturdy mesh grill pans from Williams-Sonoma ($29.95, online and retail) make so many meats possible, like these shrimp, you may never set foot indoors again.

For your backyard tablescape, melamine has become the standard for a reason - bright colors that read like expensive pottery, reasonable prices, and durability in case that backyard whiffleball gets out of control. Pottery Barn has gorgeous talavera-patterned dishes that make any cookout a trip to Portugal (4 salad plates, $24, online or at Providence Place Mall); and if your opening weekend is nautical, no better way to mop up the melted butter than with crabby napkins ($19 for 6) and a suitable napkin holder to keep them at the ready ($19 online only) also from Pottery Barn.

And when you need a pop-up party in your urban backyard (or at the local park or beach), there's no easier way than with Crate And Barrel's table in a bag, $39.95 online or at retail locations in Rhode Island. Stock up on matching, sturdy and easily stowed chairs ($49.95).

Make the scene more magical with all of Restoration Hardware's easy-to-hang, reasonably priced light strings... on sale this weekend. These Mediterranean-inspired "Avignon" lights are $47... go online to see more styles and prices, or visit Restoration Hardware at Providence Place Mall.

And for a cheery pitcher of anything from iced lemon water to margaritas, there is no better vessel than these poppy-bright glass pitchers from Target - get several in different hues and every party all summer will feel fresh. And hydrated. $29.99 online and in retail locations throughout Rhode Island.

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Great Buys for Your Backyard Feast

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