Victoria January - February 2009

Through the pages of Victoria, the editors share with you our favorite stories about people, places, special events, and other things we hold dear. We invite you to tell us what inspires you. We want every issue of Victoria to speak to your heart, so we’ve listed some questions that will allow you to tell us how we can serve you better. • What is your favorite Victoria column? • What topics would you like to see covered in future issues? • What is your idea of a dream vacation? • Who inspires you? • How would you define your decorating style? • If you had an afternoon all to yourself, how would you spend it? Visit www.victoriamag.com/share to send us your responses. We look forward to receiving your answers.…

As I anticipate winter, I always imagine landscapes transformed by blankets of pristine snow. For those of us who live in areas that don’t get a lot of snow—perhaps just a thin dusting sometime in January—I like to bring the pale colors of snowy climes to the magazine pages. Our seasonal salute will inspire you to dream of fashions and interiors that echo my favorite soft tones. During my teen years, one of my passions was sewing—everything from clothing to quilts. By my early 20s, I was happy to be making much of my own clothing. One of my favorite efforts was a lovely winter white lightweight wool dress I created following a pattern by the designer Emanuel Ungaro. It was a vision of perfectly curved inset seams and little tucks,…

Although we love bright colors and vibrant hues, in the quiet of winter, sometimes the absence of color is the most stunning. These companies understand the beauty of this simplicity. Maine Oyster, a shop based in Portland, Maine, offers lovely jewelry, clothing, gifts, and home accessories. Although the brickand- mortar shop recently closed, the store’s Web site includes a beautiful selection, such as freshwater-pearl necklaces, ocean-fresh potpourri, cozy throws, and oil paintings by a local artist. Owner Jeannie Koby carefully selects each item for Piccolo, a Carmel, California, shop. Among the unique wares are handblown glassware from the Czech Republic, French chandeliers, local artisans’ creations, cards, and books. The eclectic merchandise appeals to sophisticated local customers, as well as to Carmel’s many visitors from around the world. Spencer House Antiques, based in Denver, Colorado,…

On this most sentimental holiday, our readers reminisce about their fondest memories and the treasured gifts of love. A BREEZE PLAYED TAG WITH the lace curtains at my window. The smell of freshly cut grass and warm earth mingled with the musty fragrance of an oldfashioned suitcase resting on a table in the corner. The open lid revealed a vintage nightgown arranged in neat folds and the first rose my husband ever gave me, placed atop a favorite issue of Victoria. The magazine cover depicted a dark-haired woman dressed in a navy polka-dot dress, her head turned to smile at someone beyond the reach of the camera. I slid the spotless window sash open further and sighed. I was homesick, heartsick, and sick of the weather. The previous spring, my husband and…

For many people, it’s only natural to feel a little let down once the excitement of the holiday season has abated. But the varied events taking place as we herald a new year make it easy to banish the winter blues—marvel at the intricate craftsmanship of nineteenthcentury porcelain; witness the elegant choreography of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; or celebrate the essence of the legendary painter Frida Kahlo. ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER Bass Hall Fort Worth, Texas February 24–25 Join the celebration as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater marks its fiftieth anniversary of bringing African-American cultural expression to the world’s stages. Legendary founder Alvin Ailey created more than seventy-nine ballets during his lifetime and was a pioneer in establishing a multiracial repertory company that forever changed the perception of American dance. Today, led by…

“For as you were when first your eye I eyed, Such seems your beauty still.” —WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE…