Victoria March/April 2019

In a poignant scene from Little Women, our inaugural Victoria Classics Book Club selection for 2019, the most demure of the March sisters yearns to play a wealthy neighbor’s grand piano but cannot bring herself to do it. The chapter unfolds, however, with a kindly gesture emboldening the girl to fulfill her aspirations. “Beth at last touched the great instrument,” Louisa May Alcott writes, “and straightway forgot her fear, herself, and everything else but the unspeakable delight which the music gave her, for it was like the voice of a beloved friend.” Perhaps it is because all of us can relate to this character’s hesitation to pursue her passion that we so heartily cheer her victory. Within our March/April issue, you will meet other talented women who overcame doubt to achieve…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite March/April features: Splendidly Restored Southern charm abounds in this nineteenth-century Georgia abode, but the interiors also reflect the homeowners’ love of antiquing and international travel. A Taste of Ireland Toast to St. Patrick’s Day with a steaming cup of Irish Coffee topped with whipped cream and a slice of Irish Porter Cake served with generous drizzles of a decadent whiskey sauce. Idyllic Easter Traditions Hand-crafted keepsakes remind us of the wonder of this time of year. Discover creative ideas for celebrating the season of rebirth. Ready to Bloom When she set out to transform the landscape around her brick Tudor, Linda Vater not only cultivated lush English-inspired alcoves but also developed a flourishing career in garden design and styling. Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to…

I cannot remember a time when I didn’t read. Books have been my steadfast companions over the years. My earliest were the Little Golden Books. When I outgrew those, it was on to the Bobbsey Twins. In grade school, I was fascinated by biographies and read them constantly. And then I discovered Little Women. Words cannot describe the joy I felt upon reading this book. More than fifty years later, this Louisa May Alcott classic is still one of the most important volumes that I own. I reread it every couple of years and always cry in the same places. This book motivates me to be a better person; it also teaches me about being courageous in everyday life and having a more personal and quiet relationship with God. Whenever…

It was a spring day beyond perfection—fresh, bright and clear—and who would want to be indoors? I rushed down a vast, dim hotel corridor, checking my watch. In less than five minutes, I would be officially late, and I’d so wanted to be early. Rounding the corner to the hotel’s green room, there stood the guest I was supposed to welcome, and with her warm greeting, the sun came out: There stood Julia Child herself. Waving off my apologies—her flight from Boston had arrived early—she seemed to assume we were friends and had just been conversing. “What a good idea!” she said, brandishing a book to which I had invited her to contribute. Right off, she liked the idea of creating a menu with recipes in response to a work of…

Nestled gently into a rustic twig nest, suspended from a willowy bouquet of freshly cut branches, or arranged in similarly festive displays, a bevy of thoughtfully hand-decorated eggs celebrates spring. Along with offering an interlude of crafting, creating these keepsakes with papier-mâché eggs instead of a farm-fresh variety provides a means to preserve the splendor of a landscape in bloom. Using paints and stationery from her line, Artist-in-Residence Stephanie Monahan employs classic techniques to make objets d’art imbued with heritage. Brushed with hues from nature’s palette, from cheery shades of yellow and robin’s egg blue to petal-soft tints of lavender and pink, her colorful eggs are ready to be ornamented further with the art of découpage and delicate trimmings. A passionate collector of antiques and ephemera, Stephanie sources illustrations, sheet music, and…

“WHEN SPRING COMES TO PARIS THE HUMBLEST MORTAL ALIVE MUST FEEL THAT HE DWELLS IN PARADISE.” —Henry Miller…