Independence Day has always felt like summer’s sweetest exhale. A moment to set everything else aside and simply be—with neighbors, with family, with the people and places that make ordinary life feel like something worth celebrating. It’s a day to be thankful for all the good in our lives. Enjoy the simple joys of summer. Here at Shookhill Secret, that is exactly what we are leaning into this year: the simple traditions, the thoughtful hosting, and the particular kind of joy that comes from slowing down just long enough to notice how good things really are. Local Traditions Worth Savoring Every town has its own Fourth of July personality, and we think that is one of the loveliest things about this holiday. Maybe yours means a small-town parade—children wobbling past on streamers-wrapped bicycles while grandparents hold their folding chairs a little tighter and someone always, always shows up with an iced coffee. Or perhaps it is a local ballgame, fireworks blooming overhead as the whole community tilts their faces toward the same sky. And if big crowds are not your thing—perfectly fine. Spread a red-and-white blanket on the lawn, tuck some wildflowers and lemon slices into mason jars, pour yourself a very cold glass of lemonade, and call that a celebration. Because it is. The point, as we have always believed, is never really how you celebrate. It is who is with you when you do. Hosting with Heart (and Without the Fuss) If you are opening your home or backyard this weekend, we want you to remember one thing: relaxed is elegant. The most memorable gatherings are the ones where guests feel genuinely welcome—not impressed. Build your menu around what is beautiful and local right now. Grilled corn slicked with herb butter. Watermelon from the farmers market, sliced thick and served cold. A big pitcher of thyme lemonade that looks as good as it tastes. (Need help pulling it all together? Our Hosting Essentials guide has everything you need to stay one step ahead without missing a single moment of the party.) Set up the yard simply—cornhole, badminton, bubbles and sidewalk chalk for the little ones. Keep a cooler easily accessible, stocked with sparkling water and whatever makes your guests feel taken care of. And for dessert, a warm peach cobbler, a DIY ice cream bar, or a pre-arranged s’mores tray never fails to bring the whole evening together beautifully. A Celebration for Everyone We have always loved Eleanor Roosevelt’s words on this: “True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on Earth.” That sentiment sits with us every year on this holiday. This Fourth of July, we are holding space for all the ways people experience what this day means—and making room, always, for joy, for connection, and for gratitude. So light the sparklers. Serve that cobbler or crisp. Pull someone you love a little closer and toast to the good stuff—community, belonging, and the particular sweetness of slowing down to celebrate life, right here, together. That is, we think, what summer is really for.
Pack Your Bags, Girls…We’re Headed to Paris
We’re Planning a Perfect Ina Garten–Inspired Trip! There is a scene in almost every episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina Garten walks into a Paris shop, picks up something beautiful — a bunch of peonies, a round of aged cheese, a bottle of wine with a particularly lovely label — and you think to yourself: I want to be exactly where she is right now. If you’ve ever felt that feeling, this post is for you. We’ve been planning the most perfectly curated girls’ trip to Paris, and we couldn’t be more excited. This is not your typical tourist itinerary. This is a slow, savoring, stop-into-every-beautiful-shop kind of trip — the kind where you end the day with a glass of wine, a wedge of something extraordinary from a fromagerie, and the particular glow of a person who has spent a full day in one of the most beautiful cities in the world doing exactly what they love. We’re staying in the 7th arrondissement near Rue Cler — Ina’s own neighborhood, and arguably the most charming, livable, local-feeling street in all of Paris. This pedestrian market street in the heart of the 7th is where real Parisians do their daily shopping — fresh produce, wine, charcuterie, flowers. It’s the kind of street that makes you understand, on a cellular level, why the French live the way they do. Now, let’s talk about where we’re going. First Stop, Always: Adriane M. Fleuriste We are starting exactly the way Ina starts every Paris trip — at Adriane M. Fleuriste on Rue Saint-Dominique. According to Ina herself, this beloved neighborhood florist is her very first stop when she arrives in Paris, and honestly, can you think of a better way to begin? Artfully arranged blooms, classic French style, and the kind of floral arrangements that make your apartment feel instantly like a film set. We’re picking up something lush and beautiful to brighten up our Rue Cler apartment, and we’re not apologizing for it. Wine First, Questions Later: Legrand Filles et Fils Just around the corner from the Palais-Royal, Legrand Filles et Fils — also known as Le Comptoir et les Caves Legrand — is one of the most quintessentially Parisian wine shops imaginable. Ina has featured it in multiple episodes of Barefoot Contessa, and it is everything: well-stocked, knowledgeable, not even slightly pretentious, and set inside a gorgeous space with a beautiful glass-enclosed courtyard you’ll want to linger in for at least an hour. Pick up a bottle (or two) for the evening. Then wander back for the accessories shop. Then sit in the café. You’ll understand. Cheese, Beautifully: Barthélémy If there is a more perfect cheese shop in all of Paris than Barthélémy on Rue de Grenelle, we haven’t found it. This tiny, family-run fromagerie has been operating since 1959 and has earned a devotion that borders on religious among those who know it — Ina Garten included. She shared her love of Barthélémy in an Instagram post in 2022 and recommended building a cheese board with a blue, a hard, and a soft — Roquefort, Salers, and Chevrot being her particular favorites. We will be following her lead exactly, buying more than we probably should, and having absolutely no regrets. The Most Enchanting Macarons in Paris: Hugo & Victor We could debate Parisian macarons all day, but for this trip, we are firmly in the Hugo & Victor camp. This sleek, sophisticated patisserie — its name a playful nod to Victor Hugo — is designed like a dark, beautiful library, with chocolates and confections nestled in packaging that looks like tiny leather-bound books. Pastry chef Hugues Pouget offers two distinct personalities in his creations: the innovative Hugo and the more classic Victor. The macarons are stunning. The chocolates are extraordinary. The fruit tarts and millefeuille have been known to stop grown women in their tracks. Go. Buy something delish. Mustard on Tap and So Much More: Maison Maille This is one of those stops that sounds like a simple errand and turns into one of the best hours of your day. Maison Maille on Place de la Madeleine is a boutique entirely dedicated to mustard — and they serve it fresh, on tap, in over 50 varieties. Classic coarse-ground à l’ancienne, honey, tarragon, cognac, black olive, mushroom — many of these flavors are only available in Paris and Dijon, nowhere else in the world. The shop itself is gorgeous: warm, fragrant, beautifully designed. Pick up the mustards, yes, but also don’t miss their selection of chocolates and specialty pantry items. We are leaving extra space in the suitcase for this stop alone. The Best Breads on Earth: Poilâne & Erik Kayser You haven’t had bread until you’ve had sourdough from Poilâne and olive bread or croissants from Erik Kayser. There, we said it. These legendary Paris bakeries have been producing their specialties the same way for generations. The result is bread with a crackling crust, a complex, slightly tangy crumb, and flavors that genuinely haunt you after you come home. We are picking up a few loaves, adding them to our collection of goodies and finding the nearest park bench to sit on and snack on a bite of it immediately. A Whimsical Dream: Marin Montagut This is a personal favorite discovery, and we want everyone to know about it. Marin Montagut’s boutique on Rue Madame in the 6th arrondissement is one of those shops that exists in a category entirely its own. Artist, author, and modern-day Parisian flâneur Marin Montagut has filled his namesake shop with hand-painted porcelain mugs depicting Parisian street signs, silk scarves that map the Luxembourg Gardens, hand-blown recycled glass, tarot cards, embroidered napkins, illustrated postcards, and scented candles — every single thing made in Paris or France by craftsmen who have been doing this for generations. It is, in the most literal sense, a portal to the Paris of yesterday. We are going in with a list and coming out with many things that…