A Cure for What Ails You: Dining Al Fresco

The Trend Where Rustic Charm Meets Backyard Luxury… and Phones Are Nowhere to Be Found

Hey You, It’s Time to Touch Grass (as the kids say)

After a long day at a desk, on the phone, and staring at computers and tablets, you’re in need of a few things: a big stretch, some fresh air, a good meal, and some stillness for your mind. 

That last one is a real kicker.  Everything is so interconnected these days, and it’s hard to log off completely.  Screens are effortless and brainless.  After work, their hypnotic blue glow looks mighty tempting.

Sure, you could doomscroll into oblivion, forkfull of a bite going cold in one hand and Instagram in the other, luring you further into the hollowness of the digital world.  You’ve done it before, but you know it never actually yields the decompression time you’re desperately craving.

Power Down… Or Not?

Every now and again, you take the leap.  You log off.  Hitting the power button on your devices to unplug for the evening scratches a deep itch in the back of your brain that you didn’t know you had.  It even feels like a radical act sometimes. 

And then comes the restlessness.  You make it a little time, but the eventual itch to pick it up creeps back in.  Your mind plays tricks on you.  What if your boss called?  What if your friend texted?  A quick Facebook check and then you’ll put it down again, right? 

Right… it’s the worst bargain you make with yourself, because you know you can’t keep it. 

It’s Not You, It’s Your Device

Across the board, our devices have successfully trained us to become accustomed to a steady release of dopamine that comes from likes, comments, notifications, bright colors and fast talking heads.  Dopamine – your brain’s happy feel-good chemical – gets hijacked, and you’re left feeling uncomfortable without it. 

It’s not your fault; your phone was designed that way.

So what can you do?

Treat Yourself!

“Treat myself? In this economy??”

Yes!  Just because the economy is… what it is… doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to experience rest, relaxation, or a slice of luxury.  You just need to be a little creative (which, funny enough, is a great source of dopamine)! 

If your phone is where you typically get your dopamine, the easiest way to put it down and leave it alone is to replace your dopamine source with something else. 

Easily accessible dopamine hits also come from eating tasty food, spending time with people you love, being outside, and doing things you find fun. 

Lucky for you, there’s one activity you can effortlessly slot into your evening routine (or morning, whichever floats your boat) that will actually help you rest, reduce your stress, and leave you feeling refreshed.  It combines all of your body’s natural dopamine triggers into a single experience. 

You won’t just put your phone down.  You’ll actually forget about it for a while. 

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you need to try al fresco dining.

Al Fresco Dining

“Al fresco” is an Italian phrase that literally translates to “in the fresh air.”   Dining al fresco?  It’s a fancy way of saying eating outside. 

That’s it.  The solution to your absolutely cooked screen time is, in fact, that simple: eat outside.

But if you want to get the most out of it (and you do want to get the most out of it), here’s what your friendly neighborhood treehuggers-turned-foodies recommend:

Make It Special

More than any activity, your brain is hardwired to go bananas for novelty: anything that feels new, special, or like an occasion.  Whatever your “normal” is, find one way to take it up a notch. 

Maybe that’s trying a new recipe, inviting company over every now and again, grabbing a bottle of your favorite bubbly, breaking out the fancy dishware that usually collects dust in the china cabinet, or something else entirely. 

The point?  Make it special, and your brain won’t be left craving a screen – it’ll be making a memory. 

Nail the Ambience

Everyone’s “happy place” looks a little different.  Incorporate the elements that create yours.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Hang string lights (make sure they’re rated for outdoor use)
• Light candles or torches
• Get a special set of placemats and dinnerware reserved only for your alfresco meals; if you’re balling on a budget, a quirky set from the thrift store has its own kind of charm!
• Enjoy citronella incense – great for keeping away mosquitos!
• Plant flowers and plants that brighten up your space; bonus points if they bloom during the time of day you’re dining alfresco!
• Bring a journal or book with you to cozy up with after your meal

Last, but most importantly: Put your phone inside! 

The more work you have to go through to check it, the less likely you are to do so.  After all, is getting up from your comfy spot at the dinner table with a hot plate of tasty food, abandoning your favorite drink, and leaving the perfect view really worth it, just to check social media?

Probably not. 

Help yourself out and leave the phone behind.   

Engage with Nature

One of the reasons dining alfresco is so effective at helping you relax is the connection to nature.  Science has a lot to say about the outdoors and the many factors that make it so good for us.  We won’t bore you with the research, but “touching grass” and catching rays does, in fact, work to reduce stress and regulate an overexerted nervous system.

Lucky for you, nature and food go hand in hand.  Aside from planting flowers and other plants you enjoy looking at, there are a plethora of tasty plant options out there, too!

Nothing feels quite as rewarding (or tastes as good) as cooking with the very plants you grow and care for.  Whether you’re keeping a whole vegetable garden or prefer a few pots of herbs, there’s a plant for everyone.

Here at The Magnolia Company, we’re partial to our Meyer Lemon, avocado, fig, and olive trees.  Container friendly, easy to maintain, and downright delicious, the fruits of your labor never tasted better. 

The phone can wait.  You’ve got a dinner date with yourself!

So… How’d It Go?

If you try out al fresco dining, tell us how it went!  Send us a DM on Facebook or Instagram, or write us an email.  What did you experience?

Or, don’t – being away from your phone is the point, after all!

Enjoy your peace & quiet.  Your body and mind will thank you.