Friday, July 18, 2014

Lifestyles of the Rich and Checkerboarded

Come with me to the small village of Aurora, New York.

Early in June, I visited a local upstate New York company called MacKenzie-Childs.  Their products are expensive (very expensive) but once a year they have a "barn sale" where you can buy items on sale.   I would only be able to afford most of their items if I won the lottery.

Many of the goods, true, are imported, but there are others that are at least partially produced on site.

But it doesn't cost anything to look at these luxury goods.  And it doesn't cost anything to dream. 

We didn't have time in June to visit the area where the artisans work.   That's a dream for another time.


People come from many miles on barn sale days to shop and to look at the gardens on the grounds.  I decided to be different and visit on a day when hardly anyone was there.

This is just one example of their ceramics.

A garden swing greets you.

If there are checkerboards, it must be MacKenzie-Childs.

You enter here into a wonderland showroom.



This is a sample of their outdoor garden..
This is where their geese live.


This is the house that checkerboards built.

The annual barn sale started yesterday.  I'd love to go back one day for the sale, but right now, I'll content myself with what I saw during my June visit.

And if my dreams came true, I would buy....ah, that's a post for another time.  Maybe even tomorrow.

Checkerboard love.

11 comments:

  1. WoW! The products are amazing and love the house:) It doesn't cost a dime to dream.

    http://vishal-newkidontheblock.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-orkut-love-story-chapter-18.html

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    1. Yes, it doesn't cost anything to dream - vs. about $8,000 U.S. for one of the tables That's why so many people drive for miles to attend the yearly barn sale.

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  2. Wow I have never heard of this but I will be in upstate NY for the next 2 months so I'll check it out. I want that beautiful garden swing!! Thanks for sharing :) -Stacey K

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    1. Aurora is a beautiful small town and the college there has a gorgeous campus. It is well worth the drive, as is MacKenzie Childs - just to look around. And their tour is free.

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  3. Alana, (You really are my favorite.) I love your title. And I would love to have gone with you to THIS PLACE. Lovely, lovely. I especially love that porch swing! All the designs are just scrumptious, like what I might imagine Alice's Wonderland to look like. :) Pretty.

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  4. I love checkers when it comes to craft things. How'd I wish I could get a house garden for my family lol. Thank you for sharing!

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  5. The goods look a bit too fancy to me. But I guess they'd be nice in the right setting.
    You're right about feasting your eyes on something--almost as good as shopping.

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  6. I love that garden swing Alana, it's very quirky!
    It looks like a great place. There are so many interesting things to choose from!

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  7. Alana, this is wonderful - something I've not seen and didn't know about - that is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing - so I am inspired to have something like this! Wow :)

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  8. I really do not feel that I would every pay $8,000 for a table even if money was unlimited. However it is always nice to visit places to see what those with money will purchase.

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  9. Cool stuff - very Alice in Wonderland. Also very out of my budget.

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