Victoria May - June 2010

When early summer arrives, many opportunities for celebrating are at hand. Consider the months of May and June. We honor mothers, fathers, graduates, and brides, plus mothersto- be and those with birthdays in these middle months of the year. We buy thoughtful greeting cards and appropriate gifts, and plan ways to entertain around special days. We send invitations to family members and friends, polish the silver, and select recipes for each celebration. When my twin sons were about 6 years old, they noticed there was a day set apart for mothers, fathers, and grandparents—but not for children. This, I remember, was the year that Barbara Cockerham and I created a new holiday for our youngsters, based on an idea that she and her sister had shared years earlier. We designated June 30…

1. PROVENANCE Having decorated Southern homes for more than twenty years, designer Trini Bryant expresses her passion for all things French throughout the interiors of her Mobile, Alabama, antiques shop, Provenance. Amid Trini’s preferred monochromatic palette of soothing creams and whites, the shop takes on an elegant shabby chic aesthetic that her clients adore. Brimming with whitewashed French reproduction furniture and garden accessories, Provenance replicates the European charm of a Paris flea market. 2. CAROLINE PATE JEWELRY Inspired by the organic forms and beauty found in nature, Nashville designer Caroline Pate Polansky has been handcrafting jewelry since her early youth. Often described as transcending the stylish or classical, Caroline’s jewelry is made from precious metals accented with striking precious and semiprecious stones. 3. LE PETIT ATELIER DE PARIS Located in the Le Marais district of Paris,…

MACKINAC ISLAND: A PROFUSION OF PURPLE A charmed destination detached from the rest of the world, where horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the only modes of transportation, Michigan’s Mackinac Island hosts a fullblown festival to celebrate the abundance of lilacs that burst into bloom each June. Here, innkeeper Becki Barnwell unravels romantic memories of her family’s historical Iroquois Hotel and a childhood spent in this magical place that, even today, remains untouched by time. AND DON’T MISS… SHABBY CHIC MYSTIQUE Located beachside on Sarasota, Florida’s elegant Palm Avenue, Posh on Palm epitomizes the endearing and timeless style known as “shabby chic.” Here, owners Susie and Mark Holt work in tandem to give their shop the timeworn and whitewashed European look that their customers love. Stocked with an ever-changing array of antique furniture, vintage…

My dear mother, Alma Buffum, inspired me in every aspect of my life. As an artist, Mom delighted in design and texture and instilled in me a passion for antique textiles and paintings. Always the picture of elegance herself, she sewed wardrobes for three daughters as well as for our dolls, helped us to craft dollhouse interiors using wallpaper sample books, and taught us to be resourceful in creating beauty around us. Later in life, she shared her subscriptions to the great art and design magazines (including our favorite, Victoria) to keep culture and style alive for us on a remote Pacific island. Mom was renowned for her graciousness and generosity. As a diplomat’s wife, she was a superb hostess and cook. She opened my young eyes to the arts, encouraging…

32nd Annual Winterthur Point-to-Point Winterthur, Delaware | May 2 Take part in the grand sporting traditions of the Winterthur Point-to-Point. The steeplechase takes place on the magnificent grounds of the 982-acre Winterthur estate, located in the heart of Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley. Crowds of more than 20,000 gather each year for a day filled with pageantry and fun for the entire family. Tailgate picnicking, an antique carriage parade, and a luxury vintage auto display precede the main event of four horse races. Aspiring little jockeys between the ages of 4 and 10 will enjoy participating in stick-horse races at the event. For more information, visit winterthur.org. Summer Solstice Celebration Alameda Park | Santa Barbara, California | June 25–26 What began in 1974 as a small birthday party for popular local artist and mime Michael…

Favorite Things “Then followed that beautiful season… Summer… . Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.” —HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW Favorite Things Favorite Things “Summer aftft ernoon, summer aftft ernoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” —HENRY JAMES…