If it’s free and there’s music, you can bet the Camacho clan will be there and be there in style. We are fortunate to live in such a great city for music and culture. All we have to do is just add our palate-pleasing touch to it. We recently went to Opera in the Park and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (put on by Warren Hellman, THANK YOU, WARREN!). Both concerts were great fun, and we’ll look back with pleasure on the good music and the food and wine.

The secret to our success is our dolly on which we strategically load a picnic basket, wine, a table, chairs and food. And yes, I do pack real wine glasses—I just can’t bring myself to use plastic cups. Our signature piece is the table, for sure. You wouldn’t believe how many people stopped and took pictures of our little Crate and Barrel table. It rolls up into a bag, which makes a breeze to transport. Plus, it’s much more civilized than putting your food and drink on the ground.

As for food, I’ve thrown my hands and now just buy pre-made foods. I’m a lot less stressed, and so the whole family is much happier. This year, Bi-Rite Groceries not only saved us, but blew us away with the quality of their pre-made foods. The big hit was a country-style paté with apricots and pistachios.

So, next time you have an opportunity to go to an outdoor concert with your family, take a few tips from the Camachos: use a dolly, find a little table and pack some great food and wine. It really is easy and makes the day all that much more special.