Welcome to a new feature this week.  Consumed is window shopping at it's finest.  Eva Foster picks great finds and compiles them for your shopping (or dreaming) pleasure.

 -Pub.

Summer is (finally!) here. I don’t know about you, but for me, summer means eating gorgeous tomatoes with my feet in the grass or reading on the patio with a sweating glass of iced tea. I want to do dinner in the yard or have friends over to watch me burn burgers.

Below are some suggestions to help you whoop it up on the patio or serve a sedate family dinner in the backyard. Or both. I mean, the kids have a bedtime, right?

This robin’s-egg blue patio table from Target has a retro flair and a sweet price ($75).

For inexpensive seating, you can hardly do better than Ikea’s stackable Herman chairs ($15 each, available in white, black, and olive).


Need an umbrella? Pier 1’s got you covered—check out this wood-frame umbrella for $55 (marked down from $69).


For some exotic evening light, try stringing these orange lights through the ribs of your umbrella ($10 from World Market).


French Bull paper plates ($5 for 8, from Loft Party) make dinner elegant but clean-up simple.


Alternatively, you could just get some Snap-A-Party sets (4 for $14, Spoon Sisters). If nothing else, it should keep the kids (or fidgety guests) busy freeing the dinnerware until their burgers are ready.


Cute, indestructible, and one-piece (no precarious sliding of the dip!), LNT’s two-tone chip and dip tray is the perfect way to serve veggies and dip, chips and salsa, or whatever thing + other thing combo you can dream up. On sale for $8, down from $10.


Darlybird's Lacquered bamboo bowl offers another shatter-proof servingware option ($32).


For something even more durable (and charmingly old-skool), there’s the $7 large enamelware serving bowl from Jack and Friends.


Not to forget the beverages, of course. On a hot summer days, what can be icier than faceted diamond-shaped ice cubes? Get the Cool Jewels ice tray from Perpetual Kid for $7.


Trust Target to have the best plastic drinkware. These simple, sleek, dishwasher-safe polycarbonate goblets will look good with iced tea or even with some little festive drink umbrellas in them. $24 for a set of six.


Did someone say festive drink umbrellas? ($5 for 144, assorted colors, from Kegworks).