Summer in Pittsburgh can be a bit of a tease. But when that perfect day comes along, there's no better way to celebrate than to pack up a picnic lunch or dinner and head outside to the closest patch of grass.

And when it comes to all the accoutrements of a great picnic, Pittsburghers are lacking for nothing.

Pittsburgh has an astounding number of parks within the city and a short drive away. And now that at least part of Point State Park has reopened, even the urbanites among us have access to a public back yard. The pristine lawns and plentiful trees for shade make Point State Park the ideal place for a city picnic.

Although picnicking can certainly inspire the gourmet cook to produce a variety of culinary delights, for a quick picnic (even a spontaneous one) go ahead and purchase sandwiches, salads, bread and cheese, fruits and desserts.

Great spots for such purchases include specialty stores such as Penn Mac in the Strip District and Groceria Italiana in Bloomfield; and grocery stores and markets such as Whole Foods, Market District or the new Rosebud Fine Food Market and Deli.

And don't forget your picnic basket. Although disposable plates and silverware may seem more efficient, permanent versions are environmentally friendly and automatically lend any picnic a touch of class. And if you're sick of lugging a heavy cooler around, you'll be happy to know you have other options.

Picnic backpack

Articulation, on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside, sells a marvelous array of unique picnic transporters. Some of them, including the picnic backpack pictured at the right ($99.95), include insulated containers for food. This lightweight and comfortable backpack also has a compartment that holds a blanket (included). The front compartment holds two sets of stainless-steel flatware, a corkscrew, two goblets, two stainless-steel coffee mugs with lids, two cotton napkins, two melamine plates, a wooden cheese board with cheese knife, salt and pepper shakers and a dish bag. A side pouch holds a 750-ml stainless-steel vacuum flask, perfect for coffee, tea or soup (gazpacho anyone?). There's also room for a large water bottle.