Victoria September 2019

It was September when my husband and I stepped foot on Scottish soil for the first time. The autumn air was delightfully crisp, and we were immediately captivated by this majestic land of rich heritage and breathtaking vistas. During our visit, we surveyed rolling pastoral fields and explored a range of storied destinations, from magnificent estates to quaint villages. Ducking into Main Street shops revealed cozy alcoves piled high with troves of freshly milled tartans, handspun yarn, and other locally made treasures. Perusing this edition of Victoria—our perennially popular British issue—takes me back to that unforgettable sojourn. Escape to the lovely Scottish Borders on page 27, spend a relaxing day in the Highlands on page 77, and settle in for a delectable feast of regional fare on page 35. Plus, don’t…

Against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, usher in the Christmas season with the magazine you love. Join Editor-in-Chief Phyllis Hoffman DePiano and the editorial team for an inspiring getaway. EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Afternoon tea and a holiday tour of the BILTMORE A fabulous stay at the 4-star luxury OMNI GROVE PARK INN Keynote Speakers APRIL CORNELL, KATHRYN GREELEY, and JAN KARON SPACES ARE LIMITED! Visit victoriamag.com for more information.…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite September features: Step into the Past Located in the breathtaking southern expanse known as the Scottish Borders, Traquair House has borne witness to more than nine centuries of history. In the Heart of London Stroll the Bloomsbury District, a mecca of culture and creativity that was once home to author Virginia Woolf and a group of other famed writers, artists, and philosophers of her day. The Royal Treatment An enthralling exhibit at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library goes behind the seams of costume drama The Crown. Preserved for Posterity Eighteenth-century treasure Dumfries House, nestled among the hills of Ayrshire in Scotland, shines due to the Prince of Wales and a community devoted to upholding the manor’s heritage. Digital Edition Subscribe to Victoria on your favorite reading platform for earlier access and…

She reached across my sheet music to direct my attention to our next soprano line. A bit surprised at this bold new girl I had not met, I nodded a reluctant thank you. What began during church youth-choir rehearsal in 1960 between two strong-willed teenagers has endured as a profound friendship. Late-night giggles, dream-casting hopes of what the future might hold, shared faith in God, and Nancy Jo’s mother’s PB&J sandwiches sustained our unity despite different schools attended, as well as different states and countries lived in for the next several years. Our lives paralleled many things, including a love of teaching. She taught English in The Hague, Netherlands; São Paulo, Brazil; and Aberdeen, Scotland. I taught history and French in Arlington, Texas. Vibrant letters filled with stories of her ventures…

Like young love, travel when you’re young can turn from astonishing to disastrous and back again faster than you could ever guess. Seeing with fresh eyes leaves deep imprints, and if your world was rather small and tightly enclosed, like mine, what unfolds amazes all the more. By luck so good it was difficult to comprehend, I found myself set free abroad for six months with no responsibilities whatsoever, except to manage on the tiny savings from my first real job. My world was eastern Pennsylvania, with family summer excursions to our grandparents’ farm in the central mountains. We ventured to the New Jersey shore once or twice, and I attended college in both states. The arduous journey of my mother’s ancestors from Switzerland to Pennsylvania in 1719 was evidently quite…

Combining the enjoyment of cross-stitching with the nostalgic appeal of redwork embroidery, canvases printed by Artist-in-Residence Stephanie Monahan evoke the charm of bygone days. Cotton filament in Turkey Red gained popularity in nineteenth-century America for its colorfast nature and affordability. Employing increasingly intricate techniques, schoolgirls learned the way of the needle, along with fundamentals of reading and writing, and women explored infinite possibilities for adding bespoke embellishments to household objects from tea towels to quilts. Reminiscent of antique tracery, old-fashioned motifs rendered on faux linen allow modern hobbyists to pursue a pastime tied to genteel female instruction, creativity, and edification. A primitive alphabet takes its inspiration from a marking sampler, which would have introduced a pupil to embroidery, while a simply adorned quote from Jane Austen extols the virtues of home.…