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!


Dress for Success ~ Volunteering as a Personal Shopper

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This past week was my orientation to volunteer to be a personal shopper for Dress for Success. Dress for Success is a non-profit organization that empowers women to get employment and keep it.

The program provides women with interview attire and other pieces of casual clothing for their work environment. There is also a career development services program that promotes employment retention and career advancement.

After our meeting we got a tour of the boutique and I was impressed….

This is inside the office. There is a piano that has hand craved artwork on it. The office manager said that sometimes women come and “ticker” on it. I know I will end up doing that.
This is artwork done by one of our local artist. It was presented during one of their fashion shows. 
This is inside the boutique. The clients will get everything. They get jewelry, hosiery, new bras, shoes and a bag!
I loved seeing this! This was done by California Closets. I look forward to serving women in my community as their personal shopper and I look forward to putting together some great looks!
I believe serving is elegant….


(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

A Friend’s Winter Wedding

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Earlier this month some good friends of ours shared their beautiful wedding with us. It was at the Community Life Center here in our city and it was gorgeous! I was so glad that we got to share this wonderful event with them and see this beautiful venue.

There were beautiful chandeliers everywhere….
During cocktail hour my husband and I had wine, a few snacks and just looked around.
There were about 3 or 4 of these gorgeous chandeliers. I could not stop staring and kept taking pictures of them!
There was a very pretty fountain in the center of the venue….
After drinks, dinner and dancing my husband and I were getting ready to head out when we were told about this gorgeous chandelier on the 3rd floor…
It was truly amazing. I could have stayed there all night looking at it. We really enjoyed ourselves and our friends. It was a great way to begin the holiday season.




(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

The Nutcracker Ballet ~ Our Second Visit

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My daughter and I are trying to make going to the ballet to see The Nutcracker a yearly tradition. Last year was our first year and we really enjoyed it (read about it here).

This year the show was in a different location. It was at the Murat Theater which was much bigger than the Scottish Rite Cathedral last year.


This was a great location! They sold snacks which is wonderful when you have an 11-year-old. So we grabbed some drinks and our popcorn and went to our seats.


All the halls were long and huge!

This is how close we were to the stage. If the ballet is here next year then I am going to get us balcony seats! My daughter really wanted to see the orchestra.


While were in line my daughter and I started talking to some of the other guests and we ended up meeting a french woman! I was really excited! After the show was over we hunted her down because we both wanted to talk with her. 


We ended up finding her and I asked her questions about french living and where to visit in France. She told me everything. How it was wonderful to live in France and which parts to stay away from. She also told me about a program here in our city for high school students.


Apparently, there is a program that let’s high school students stay in France with a host family for 6 weeks! I will definitely be looking into that program for my daughter. 


I also checked the schedule and Swan Lake will be there in June. I will be getting tickets to that! I really enjoy the ballet and want to continue to go to shows with my daughter. 

Seek the arts……..

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Rituals ~ Do you have any?

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I was inspired to write this post after reading Shannon Ables blog post called Why Not…Establish Weekend Rituals?   


Are you a routine kind of person? Do you have rituals? I know I do and I get easily frustrated when someone tries to break it. I am learning that things happen and that sometimes you can’t control everything. It is during those moments that you learn to “go with the flow”.



























photo credit Alex Papachristidis Instagram account


I have some rituals that I do every day or every weekend and I make sure that I enjoy my weekly rituals.

1) During the week I stop by my favorite restaurant called Panera and pick up their pumpkin muffie for breakfast.


And oh my goodness is it soft and delicious!


2) I always make sure that the current books that I am reading are packed in my bags. 


Read my blog post here about this book.

I recently heard about this book from another author. 
So far it has been wonderful! I downloaded it to my Kindle. 




3) I have a cup of hot water, lemon, and honey along with my fruit fusion water every morning. See my blog post here about that.
My cup and china at home.

4) I cook our favorite meal which is roasted chicken about twice a week. We do love it!
Our meal at home.

5) I love to watch certain Youtube channels every morning while exercising. One channel I love to watch and follow is Sharon Santoni. I love this recent video she posted about the French cheeseboard. It was absolutely wonderful and if you watch it below pay attention to the beautiful decor of the home. The french live so beautifully to me….

6) Last and certainly not least is my daily devotionals. Yes, I am a Christian. Sorry I know that is not popular but I should be free to say that. I love to read my bible and other devotionals. My faith is very important and it keeps me in order. Trust me, I would not be searching so diligently for the “elegance” that I love so much without God. 
















photo credit Nicolas Fairford Instagram account

I hope you enjoyed this post and share some of your rituals. It is always interesting to see how other women live.