My Visit to Laduree in New York

Laduree was at the top of my list of places that I wanted to see during our vacation in New York. It is located on Madison Avenue and I wasn’t sure if I was going to see it but I did. Madison Avenue is so fantastic!

There are so many great stores on that street! You could spend hours there but the only store I wanted to see was Laduree. When I walked into the store I was in awe. It was so beautiful and everything was just so lovely!

I just smiled the entire time I was there! It was an absolute delight! My husband was happy for me to. He knew that going to Laduree was something that I talked about often.  Especially, when he mentioned us going to New York for vacation. So take a look at my photos below and if you ever get a chance to visit New York take a visit to Laduree. You won’t be disappointed!  Lastly, read my blog entry from April about Laduree (see here). Enjoy!

Outside the store with my goodies!




This cabinet was filled with Laduree totes, gift bags and candles.
I purchased a black Laduree tote last year from Ebay. 






The window shelf completely decorated with treats! So beautiful!




The area upfront near the sales clerk. Look at all the delicious macroons!






They also sell perfume. 






I purchased a set of 6 marcoons. They were only $21. 
I got the rose, vanilla, pistachio, chocolate & lilly of the valley. 
They were excellent!

(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Using Cloth Napkins at Home

I have been adding small but elegant lifestyle changes to my life. I have always loved using dishes instead of paper plates. I love drinking out of glasses instead of plastic cups. There is nothing wrong with using paper dishware but for me I just want to use my nice things everyday.

I hate the motto of “saving things” for later. Why? Later may never come. So why not use your beautiful dishes now. Why not drink out of glasses now? What is wrong with using nice things everyday? Since when are we not good enough?

Well, we are. So I have been using my things everyday. I have now moved onto napkins. I have been reading Style & Simplicity by Ted Kennedy Watson for the last few weeks. It is absolutely inspiring! In the chapter called “Dish Towels” he mentioned using good quality dish towels as napkins. I thought what a great idea! He mentioned that his favorite were Le Jacquard Francais dish towels from France.

I have been buying mine from the local flea market. They are wonderful. I have now placed them in a basket on the counter so that after I prepare our plates for dinner we get into the habit of grabbing a linen napkin instead of a paper towel. I love using them and so does my daughter.

My linen napkins at home; ready for dinner
Having dinner with cloth napkins. It’s a small but great luxury. 



I am now in the habit of using my beautiful vases for weekly fresh flowers. 
It’s nice having them at the table for dinner. 

Puppies & Sunday Lunch

We have a boxer named “Bishop”. We have had him for about 2 years now. He is my baby! I love my boxer. Well, we recently bred him with a female boxer and they had about 8 puppies. One died because of complications but the other 7 are doing quite well.

The family of the female boxer has invited us out to see the puppies a few times now. We have enjoyed watching them grow. Below are some photos from our recent visit. Enjoy!

The family’s home. Isn’t it beautiful…….




The drive there….. not in the city




Look at all this space! The boxers have all this room to run!


The backyard. Soy beans are growing behind their home. 



My husband holding one of the gorgeous puppies!



Oh, he is feisty! He did not want a photo!




Me holding my favorite one… Isn’t he cute?




More puppies




They fed us a great simple lunch! It was pulled pork sandwiches, alfredo macaroni with broccoli,
green beans, salad, and corn on the cob! It was wonderful!




Last but not least homemade cheese cake with homemade blueberry sauce.
Oh, gosh it was to die for!


This couple has a fantastic catering company called OnSiteCaterer. Please check out their facebook page. Their food is delicious!!!
(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

On Vacation ~ New York City 2014

Hello all, my family and I are going to be on vacation this week. It will be a short one but I am so excited to be going to New York City!! The last time we were there was in 2007 and my husband and I were attending a two-day wedding. We didn’t get to visit much of the city but from what we did see New York is just splendid!

Now we have about 5 days there and we are hoping to do more sight-seeing of the city. I will post whatever we see and do upon my return. Until then…….. enjoy your week everyone!



(photo taken by Mrs. Shockley)
I am hoping to visit Laduree in New York 


Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash
I want to see the Floral District

And of course the Statue of Liberty! We will see!

Coach Handbags

I love this season’s new summer handbags. One of my favorite designers is Coach. Their bags are affordable and are made of great quality. I have about 5 leather Coach bags. One thing I love about Coach is their repair policy. They will repair any bag of theirs no matter where you purchased it for free!



I recently sent a bag there for repair. I purchased it last year from Von Maur and one of the straps began to tear. I went to the Coach store downtown in my city and they sent it off with no problem for repair. It took about 6 weeks but it was worth it because they put new hardware on my entire bag!!


I was so excited to have my bag back and that Coach stands behind their products. As long as they keep making fantastic designs and continue with customer service, they will always have a fan! Below are my Coach bags and a few of my new favorites from this season. Enjoy!!! 





I sold this a few months ago. 



My pink Coach diaper/laptop tote




(all photos are my own )

Antiques We Should Collect

I have been told that I have an “old soul”. Even as a teenager I never really dressed like the other girls in my school. When I moved out and got my own apartment I felt so free. I was free to try any decor I wanted without any criticism.

So I knew I wanted antiques for some reason but I didn’t know what to collect or why. Over the years I have gone to a few antique shops and watched a few shows on antiques.  So for me it has been a learning process.

Recently, I read an article from the Huffington Post calledThe 7 Best Things to Buy Vintage (& 3 to Skip). It was so helpful. I printed off the list and put in my binder. What I also noticed is that I have already purchased 5 items off the list! I was so proud of myself!

The list of vintage pieces to buy is art, wooden furniture, dishware, glasses, tablecloths, vases and silverware. The 3 items to skip were light fixtures that haven’t been updated, “free” upholstered furniture and appliances you can’t test out first.

I loved this list and encourage you to go and read it. The link is above. I have also included a video from the Antiques Roadshow called “What We Should Collect”. I really loved the video it was helpful. So good luck on your vintage finds and I hope this helps. Enjoy!

Here is my painting that I purchased from the flea market this year. 
It is from 1983 so I got the “art” part completed from the list. 



Here is our dinning room table. It is all wood. 
So I completed the “wooden furniture” part from the list. 



Here is my vintage champagne bucket that I purchased. 
This is number 6 on the list. 
My blue and white vintage plates. This is number 3 on the list.





Antiques Roadshow | What We Should Collect – YouTube

(click on the link to watch the show)




(all photos taken by Mrs. Shockley)

Cursive Writing ~ A Dying Art

A few years back my husband was attending his younger son’s parent-teacher conference. During the discussion about the classroom rules and the year’s subjects my husband learned that they would NO longer be teaching cursive writing.

I thought to myself how dumb is that! The teacher said that since everything is computerized writing would not be necessary. Hearing that really made me sad. If children do not know how to write in cursive then how in the world are they going to sign their credit card slips and mortgages?

So since the schools are no longer teaching that I decided to teach my daughter on my own. I went on the internet and printed off some cursive writing material and I have been having her practice. She is getting much better at it.

I loved learning how to write in cursive. I couldn’t wait to learn in school. I loved it so much that other girls would have me write their “love letters” to their boyfriends. It was fun but cursive writing for me added more beauty to my work. Teachers always complimented me on my writing as well as my assignments.

I still like writing hand written notes to people. I just hate that it’s not being taken seriously. I read somewhere that cursive writing awakens the creative part of the brain and believe you me some of our kids need it!

A few weeks ago I was reading a blog entry on “Penmanship” from Ted Kennedy Watson’s  blog. It was absolutely fantastic and inspired me to write this blog entry. You must read it. Another place that I “subscribed” to on my Instagram is Word of the Day.  They post a word, definition and use it in a sentence. It is great! We will be in the car and I will read the word of the day and ask my daughter about it. It’s another way to incorporate vocabulary into our lives. So please continue to write and teach your kids the importance of cursive writing!


Photo by John Jennings on Unsplash