Victoria October 2018

There is a subtle crispness in the air; the leaves on the hardwoods around my neighborhood are beginning to flirt with shades of red, yellow, and orange, and homes and businesses alike are embellished with corn shocks and pumpkins. I love October because it connects late summer with the beginning of winter. It is the season for pulling sweaters from their storage bins, selecting root vegetables for hearty soups and stews, and a time for choosing books to read as nightfall comes earlier and evenings grow longer. Entertaining takes on a new twist when it becomes too cool to linger on the porch or patio. Warm candlelight plays on the gleaming silver and crystal, accompanying our best china, filled with such delicacies as roasted duck and a vegetable-laden salad. Our suggestions…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite October features: Classic Inspirations Discover literary Concord with a foray into the fascinating lives and histories of Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. An Insider’s Guide Designer Kathryn Greeley, author of The Collected Tabletop: Inspirations for Creative Entertaining, shares her secrets for successful hospitality in an exclusive feature. A Lovely Excursion With award-winning cuisine, history-steeped inns, and one-of-a-kind shops, serene Middleburg, Virginia, is a haven of enchantment and relaxation. Timeless Treasures Renowned equestrian painter Julie Wear has, in truth, many talents, among them sculpting and creating beautiful designs that translate into tableware. Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love.…

I have loved Victoria magazine from the first issue. Many years ago (1991, to be exact), while considering names for our expected child, I wanted to include the name Victoria, after the magazine. When she was born, we decided on the name Ashley Victoria Christine, a name as beautiful as she is. Thank you for the beautiful articles. I always look forward to reading Victoria from cover to cover. JAN ROBINSON St. Stephen, Canada Victoria magazine holds a very special place in my heart. The first issue I ever bought was the Valentine issue of 1991, mere months before marrying my college sweetheart. The white lacy cake featured in the issue was the inspiration for our wedding cake, which turned out beautifully. I still keep my first copy of the magazine as…

If you hand a child a box of crayons and ask her to color an autumn picture, chances are she will reach for orange, yellow, or red and begin to draw the falling leaves of trees she cannot yet name. Pumpkins might appear as well, and haystacks, and perhaps a huge orange moon floating high above the scene. She may be too young to know that this is a harvest moon, and that farmers like my grandfathers once worked under its bright, generous light, harvesting the last of their crops before putting the fields to bed. The child might also choose, with the same palette, to color a fireplace blazing, its reflections flickering on the hearth. Such was the autumn scene I conjured as a child. Though our home had a…

“THE TRUE PAINTER STRIVES TO PAINT WHAT CAN ONLY BE SEEN THROUGH HIS WORLD.” —André Malraux Mingling textures adds interest to any setting. Atop a Harlow Henry Luxe Mohair Throw—woven from sumptuous fibers and brushed gently to render an indulgently soft finish—Waterford crystal gleams brilliantly. The Lismore pattern’s dramatic diamond and wedge cuts catch the light, showcasing the contents of each decanter and glass.…

Finding a good mate has never been easy! While the modern view is that marriage should first be about love, historically it was very much about family, because family meant security. Competition in the Regency high society for a suitable marriage was fierce. Wealthy men and heiresses were the big prizes, and to have a chance at such a good marriage, one needed access to eligible candidates. In Britain during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, that meant visiting London during the season—the social whirl that coincided with parliamentary sessions. The most exclusive balls and musicales and other events took place in the great aristocratic mansions, so gaining access was the first step. This is where family could come into play. Your family might not be quite top-drawer, but perhaps your cousin’s godmother…