Victoria

Dear Friends My pair of Waterford Crystal toasting flutes catch the light, casting a prismatic glow that invites personal reflection. The first signs of spring transport me to the verdant knolls of the Emerald Isle. My husband, Neal, and I first visited this time of year, and we spent a glorious day exploring Dublin. Strolling the cobbled streets of this capital city allowed us to experience its charming mix of local history and culture. When the chill of drizzling rains prompted us to seek shelter indoors, we happened upon the most delightful eatery. I can almost taste the freshly baked scones and steaming cups of tea that we savored during that moment’s repose. March/April offers a sojourn to Ireland, promising the blend of sightseeing and relaxation that makes for an ideal trip.…

Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love. Take a closer look at some of our favorite March/April features: Settings of Hospitality Find entertaining inspiration amid tableaux arranged by iconNicola Bathie McLaughlin, one of ten tastemakers featured in our book The Art of Beautiful Tables. Creative Interpretations Journey to Dublin, Ireland, for Art Afternoon Tea at esteemed hotel The Merrion, where chefs translate famous pieces into a menu of delicious fare. A Shining Heritage Learn more about the fascinating history behind Waterford Crystal, as well as the masterful techniques used in crafting the maker’s line of dazzling wares. Freshly Picked Favorites Along with our magnificent Lavender Chamomile Tiered Cake, find an array of Victoria recipes enhanced with the flavor, scent, and loveliness of flowers. We love your ideas! Do you have any…

They say letter writing is a lost art, but not where my cousin and I are concerned. We began corresponding with one another as soon as we learned how to pen the alphabet in the first grade. Our mothers came from a long line of prolific letter writers, and we have continued the tradition. As children, we wrote of our daily activities, school, friends, pets, and secrets to be kept. It was always a happy day when the mail arrived with a note addressed to me, the envelope decorated with my cousin’s artwork or stickers. As we grew, our letters contained many of those same topics but also more serious ones—such as what major to pursue at college, career choices, and giddy paragraphs describing that special guy we were dating. Proposals…

Even the tiniest seeds of creativity planted in the rich, fertile soil of one’s imagination can grow more fully each year for a lifetime. I know this is true in my life as I reflect on the time when my mother lovingly cultivated a rose garden in our backyard. Nine rosebushes shaped a square, with three bushes in three lines. The fragrance was alluring to her three rambunctious children. “Don’t play around my rose garden,” she instructed my brothers and me many times as we scampered about. “Roses have thorns that can prick you, and I want you to enjoy seeing them, not knocking them over!” And so, a sort of reverence developed in our thoughts about her garden. I couldn’t resist pulling the long buds over to inhale their scents—especially the…

Is there anything more exhilarating than that first breath of sweet spring air? As winter rolls up its carpet of snow and tiny crocuses stretch their fledgling petals to the sun, the new season awakens the world, along with our very souls. At Tallwood, Jenny Bohannon is readying her home for all the joy to come. There’s a fresh flock of ducklings skittering around the barnyard, their tiny quacks a wake-up call for all of nature to join in the jubilation, while inside, this creative homemaker is putting the finishing touches on the table she has set for the Easter meal to come. Her grandmother’s vintage Franciscan Desert Rose dinnerware inspires the design of her lovely pastel-hued tablescape. This much-beloved pattern, with its soft pink blossoms and verdant leaves, will be familiar…

“BE AS A BIRD PERCHED ON A FRAIL BRANCH THAT SHE FEELS BENDING BENEATH HER; STILL, SHE SINGS AWAY ALL THE SAME, KNOWING SHE HAS WINGS.”—Victor Hugo…