The Goops ~ A poem about manners

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~ The Goops




The Goops they lick their fingers,


And the Goops they lick their knives;


They spill their broth on the tablecloth-


Oh, they lead disgusting lives!


The Goops they talk while eating,


And loud and fast they chew;


And that is why I’m glad that I am NOT a Goop – are you?


~ Gelett Burgess

photo credit This is Glamorous Instagram account

Living La Dolce Vita

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About a week ago I shared on the blog about living “la dolce vita”. I loved the tips that Kristi Belcamino gave in her book La Bella Figura. Now I have finished reading it and wanted to share a particular section of the book.

Kristi gave a wonderful description of her inner Italian Girl Gabriella and how she lived. It is truly inspiring…

Gabriella luxuriously cups her hand around her warm cafe au lait bowl, taking sips between bits of her homemade bread, toasted and buttered……
























Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash

For summer lunches she will eat a salad and during the winter- a bowl of soup with a small piece of bread and a sliver of gourmet cheese. 



For dinner, she will eat pasta, chicken, or fish with a vegetable salad along with a glass of wine. She usually reserves desserts for Sundays. (I need to adopt this rule!)


On Sundays, she refrains from spending any money. (Oh dear…) 


During the warmer months, meals are eaten en tavola, al fresco, at the picnic table on her patio. 



Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash


A colorful tablecloth is complimented by big terra cotta pots of red geraniums bordering the patio.

Gabriella fills her life with intellectual, emotional, and spiritual pursuits; spending her free time focused on books, film, food, good conversation, and good friends. She strives to live a life rich in experience and not things. (Wow, focusing on experiences, not things)


photo credit La Morena 

She owns a small, but perfect -fitting wardrobe. Every item is of the highest quality she can afford and works with her body, style, and life. She buys new items rarely and with much thought. She resists impulse buys…..



When she does buy something it is from a list of clothing items she needs to replace or feels will be an important addition to her wardrobe….




Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash


Her pantry is slim. She doesn’t buy in bulk unless it is during her quarterly trip to a warehouse store where she will stock up on olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, coffee, and dried pasta from Italy. Otherwise, she shops two to three times a week, filling her French market basket mostly with fresh produce.


She never snacks and always sits to eat. (This is major!!!) She always puts her utensils down between her small bites. She chews slowly, savoring all the flavors.


Her kitchen is small and meticulously kept clean and free of clutter, like the rest of her home. In fact, everything in her home is either beautiful or useful. She lives by the William Morris adage that “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

This quote is so meaningful to me…..

photo credit This is Glamorous Instagram account
The decor theme in her home revolves around unique, mostly original artwork, lots of books, plants, and big comfy furniture with sumptuous fabrics and soft, sparkling lighting. She has a few treasured items displayed that are meaningful to her, but her real joy lies in her bookshelves, where she keeps only well-loved volumes.

She has developed an aura of mystique, refraining from sharing details of her life with acquaintances. She tries not to talk about herself but instead talks about ideas. She can intelligently discuss the latest local, national or international news or a new book or film she has seen. She is very passionate but is able to share her opinions in a poised manner. 


She does not worry anymore. She is assertive. She can respond to requests by saying, “No, I’m sorry I can’t do that,” or “I’m sorry I don’t attend (home sales parties), but thank you for asking,” without feeling the need to explain or defend herself. She also does not elaborate on a compliment but simply says a gracious “thank you.” 

photo credit Nicola Bathie Instagram account
Every day she makes sure to count her blessings and appreciate her life right then and there. 




This was such a wonderful section in the book. I did not share it all. There was way more information about her inner Italian girl so I would encourage you to download the book to your Kindle or order it. It was a wonderful read.



To read my other blog posts about inspiring Italian women see here, here, here, and here.






Enjoy!



Breakfast Casserole

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I love trying new recipes so when my fav author Jennifer L. Scott decided to share her recipe for her breakfast casserole, I just had to give it a try.

I followed her instructions and it came out great! We ate it Christmas morning and it was a nice breakfast to have after opening presents.

My casserole at home
Here is the recipe:
And video….
I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much as I did. 

(photos Mrs. Shockley & Jennifer L. Scott)

Top Posts for 2016

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My home

Oh my I can’t believe another year has passed already! I am heading toward year three for blogging. Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy it but there are some days that I do want to quit.

It can be a lot of work coming up with new posts three times a week! But I know what it is like to have a favorite blogger or Youtuber quit on you. You feel lost for a while because you enjoy the inspiration that they provide every week.

I am not saying that I am the best but I know that I have a least one follower who enjoys my posts (I hope)……     🙂

Now here are the top posts or top viewed entries for 2016. I hope to bring more inspiration this year and I hope that I am continually inspired from you as well. Thank you!!!

~ An Elegant Routine




~ My Visit to the Biltmore




~ Wine Tasting at the Biltmore




~ Being Private at Home




~ Principles of a Gracious Life ~ Elegance




~ The Butler Speaks ~ The Art of Housekeeping




~ Feminine Pursuits




~ Cottage Love




~ Gracious Interactions




~ Renewing Vows

And here the the past top posts here on the blog:



~ Top Posts for 2014




~ Top Posts for 2015

My First Cheese Plate

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I shared on the blog last week about the french cheese board (see here if you missed it). So for our family New Year’s celebration I decided to make my first cheese plate for my family and I.

I went to our local grocery store and went to the Murray’s Cheese section and I picked up a small sample package.

One of the rep’s there had a great sampler out that day and I tried the brie. Oh goodness was it good! I also tried the gouda and Irish cheese. So good….

I talked with her about crackers and spreads. She directed me to the fig spread and these tasty thin wafer crackers. Just delicious….

I picked up some sweet green grapes, flowers and headed up front to pay for my items.
I couldn’t wait to get home to taste everything. The sampler that I purchased included all the cheeses, bread and meat that you see and it was only $5.99!! The brie (white cheese) and fig spread I purchased separately. I spent under $20 for everything.
Of course the wines were purchased separately. My favorite wine in all the world is the Risata Moscato d’Asti. I could drink it every day but I don’t. We got the Welch’s Sparkling Grape for the kids and they loved it!
Overall it was a great cheese plate and I will be doing it again very soon! To read the blog post that inspired me click here. It is quite delightful….

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Weekend Flats

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I am not really a flats kinda gal but when I saw these while I was walking by I could not resist. They have a slight wedge and are not super low to the ground and are not super high.

I think they are the perfect weekend shoe for me to run errands in and still look chic.

My flats at home
They are called the Gessa Demi-Wedge. They come in black and taupe. 
I took them for a “test run” this weekend and they did not disappoint. I received lots of compliments too! I hope you can grab a pair.
Enjoy!!!


(photo Mrs. Shockley & Google)

Enjoy La Dolce Vita

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I mentioned on the blog that I have been reading Kristi Belcamino’s book La Bella Figura: How to live a chic, simple, and European- inspired life and it has been very inspiring so far.

I am still at the beginning but I have gotten to a section of the book where Kristi gave 12 Easy Things to Do to Enjoy La Dolce Vita and I wanted to share them.

1) Dine al fresco whenever you have the chance. Even if you live in an apartment in a big city, have a picnic at the park, eat at a sidewalk cafe, or if you have a rooftop, you can have a picnic on a blanket with votive candles. If you have a small balcony, invest in a cafe table and chair and wait until dark to light some candles and eat, admiring the city lights. If you have a backyard, carve out a small area for a picnic or bistro table and set a table with real dishes and linens each night.

photo credit Kadarius Seegars 


2) Turn off the T.V. Go for a walk, listen to music, take a bath, play cards, read a book, take pictures, polish your toenails, make art, write a letter, make love, garden, write poetry eat ice cream, daydream.






Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash




3) Walk. If you can, walk as often as possible instead of driving. It is good exercise, but also puts you in touch with the world around you in a meaningful way.



photo credit Pinterest 

4) Learn to prepare one fantastically delicious meal that makes you happy to make and to eat. 


Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash

5) Use cloth napkins and set a table every meal, even if you are dining alone.


photo credit Aerin Lauder Instagram account



6) Eat slowly and savor the taste of your food.


7) Don’t schedule every minute of your life. Give yourself time to nap, read a book or stare at the clouds. 



photo credit Annie Spratt 



8) Take a class in something you are interested in: stained glass, yoga, cooking, you name it.

    Read my blog post about our cooking class here.




9) Study a foreign language, even if you already are bilingual. 
    Read my blog post about a foreign language app that I use here.



10) Find your passions: be it French history, cooking, sculpture or roller-skating and devote meaningful time to it each week. 





Photo by Matthew Daniels on Unsplash




11) Have people over for dinner. I learned living in a 300 -square-foot studio apartment in Oakland that it doesn’t matter how big your place is or how good a cook you are, you can still host a dinner party where people enjoy themselves so much that you have to ask them to leave at 4 a.m. so you can go to bed. Invite people to dine with you, even if you are just having soup. Add some wine, fresh bread, break out the stories, guitar, or playing cards, and enjoy each other’s company.





I enjoyed watching this video with Garance talking about entertaining the french way. 

12) Buy beautiful clothes, even- especially- if you can only afford to purchase one new outfit each year.




















photo credit Alyssa Hurley 

I hope you all enjoyed Kristi’s tips and I hope to share more from this book as I continue to read it. Until then enjoy La Dolce Vita!