FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Hey Foodies!
This week we're taking advantage of the Florida fall weather and checking out something that's not only about eating, but about a new experience in the world of luxury picnics.
Luxe Picnics by Les is run by Leslie Diaz, who creates the ultimate picnic experience to make you feel like you're in a dream.
"You're just creating this special experience for them that hopefully is one in a lifetime for them," Diaz said.
Diaz can go as big or as small as you want with her set-up and can do it at your location of choice, such as on the beach or at a park. She brought the works for First Coast News with a decorated table with glassware for eating her charcuterie, lounge chairs with an umbrella, and a games area with multiple games.
Diaz can also do photography for your visit and has horseback rides with one of her packages.
"We get a lot of those elopements on the beach," she said.
Diaz says engagements are one of her favorites, but people book her service for anything from visiting friends to family get-togethers.
The top tier set-up for First Coast News took Diaz and her mother almost two hours to prepare. Did you forget something? The table comes with a retro-looking Bluetooth speaker and a basket contains all the essentials you may need such as sunscreen or bug spray.
"Then we have the next level, which is basically more of a relaxed vibe," Diaz said. "My creativity runs wild and I have to talk to you, speak to you, get to know you. I pick up a vibe and from there, I run with it."
Diaz is also a charcuterie board master and has two different sizes of charcuterie.
"This is our little charcuterie box with our hard salami and some brie and dried fig and fresh fruit," she listed. "Strawberries and grapes, blueberries, our little chocolate. I always like to include a sweet element and we always include some kind of sweet or savory spread."
Diaz isn't just creating memories for your taste buds, but an experience to remember for a lifetime.
"Just to be able to capture that moment for them so that later they can look back at it and go, 'Oh my God, this was the moment,'" Diaz said.
Find her gourmet charcuterie boards at Christmas festivities around Fernandina Beach.