Innholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2014 i Victoria

One of the joys of any holiday season is the gathering together of family members. Whether your relatives live in the same town (as mine do) or are separated by great distances, having all of them under one roof for Christmas is for me the best of all gifts. Most of us have established patterns that we repeat, year after year, until they become ongoing traditions. I hold firmly to my custom of decorating a ceiling-high evergreen on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Because I am surrounded by loved ones, it always seems the perfect time. Those who visit our home for a turkey dinner the day before are invited to help unwrap and place ornaments. My children recognize the examples of their early-childhood handiwork and reminisce as the day proceeds.…

For some of us, an annual rereading or recitation of a favorite story is part of our Yuletide traditions. Little Women—with Jo’s opening line, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents”—and O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” convey a message about altruism that is all too often forgotten. Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” is a Christmas Eve staple. And for many, I expect, the season requires a reconnection with Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, and Tiny Tim—characters Charles Dickens created in a six-week dash in October 1843. His book A Christmas Carol was published on December 19, just in time to reach holiday shoppers. The first six thousand copies sold out immediately, and a classic was born. When I see a copy of A Christmas Carol…

Enchanted almost a decade ago by the majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountains during a fly-fishing excursion to Montana, a jet-setting California family exchanged their big-city lifestyle in San Diego for a more meaningful existence in Big Sky Country. With opportunities for hunting, hiking, and biking just beyond its doors, a remote cabin overlooking Bridger Canyon in Bozeman captured the hearts of these outdoors enthusiasts at first sight. “It’s a choice to be here,” explains Abby Hetherington, the couple’s interior designer. “Most people don’t grow up in Bozeman, and Montana is not on everyone’s radar.” Although the ridge is somewhat isolated from more populous regions of the state, nature’s splendor unfolds along its crests in an ever-changing, continually engaging panorama of flora and fauna. Vibrantly hued wildflowers carpet the canyon…

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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 November/December features: A Seasonal Celebration at Biltmore For more than eight decades, the Vanderbilt family’s magnificent estate in Asheville, North Carolina, has welcomed guests to enjoy its breathtaking holiday finery and Yuletide-themed events. Winter in Maine With their snow-covered landscapes, charming shops, and historic bed-andbreakfasts, the picturesque coastal villages of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, Maine, offer visitors the experience of a true old-fashioned Christmas. A Gracious Williamsburg Home The owners of this circa-1810 Virginia tidewater colonial display their festive seasonal décor from Thanksgiving until Valentine’s Day. Oh, Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding! Visit our blog at victoriamag.com to view a video in which Loren…

“EVERY ORNAMENT … REMINDS US OF A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OR A TRIP WE TOOK.” —Kendall Kerby To get to Kent Harrell and Kendall Kerby’s tidewater colonial in Surry County, just outside Williamsburg, you have to hop onto the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry and cross the James River. Christmas is well remembered and cherished long after the last wreath has been hung and the final ornament placed on the tree in this circa-1810 house with a white picket fence, in a place that time has all but forgotten. The duo, owners of the shop Seasons of Williamsburg—renowned for its floral arrangements, decorative pieces, and estate antiques—commence the holiday season before Thanksgiving and don’t take down their home embellishments until Valentine’s Day. “We spend a lot of time decorating other people’s houses,”…

“Whatever else be lost among The years, Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing … .” —Grace Noll Crowell…

A WINTER’S EVE OF WIT AND WAGERS Begins on page 33 Truffle-and-Parmesan Popcorn p.33 Makes approximately 8 cups ½ cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon black-truffle oil ½ cup jumbo popcorn kernels 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Pinch ground cayenne pepper 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Garnish: fresh rosemary 1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and rosemary. Cook, whisking often, for about 1 minute, or until butter is fragrant. Remove from heat, and add truffle oil. 2. In a popcorn popper, place kernels, and pop according to manufacturer’s instructions. Pour truffle-butter mixture over popcorn, stirring to combine. Season popcorn with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle popcorn with Parmesan. Toss well to combine, and serve immediately. Garnish…

White Christmas, featuring Hollywood legends Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, is my favorite movie this time of year. Because I am a musician, I especially appreciate the catchy tunes and the singing. Who can forget Betty and Judy in their memorable song-and-dance act, “Sisters”? This is when they meet Bob and Phil for the first time. When the two men mimic the girls and perform their own rendition of the number, it is both hilarious and endearing. Danny Kaye’s quick-witted quips, Vera-Ellen’s fantastic dancing skills, and Bing Crosby’s and Rosemary Clooney’s memorable crooning abilities make this film one I must see again and again. I recommend watching it with your family while savoring mugs of peppermint cocoa and Christmas cookies and reminiscing about a simpler time of…

Intrepid entrepreneurs and talented collectors, Pascale and Olivier Gisclard travel extensively to amass an expansive trove of eclectic wares from England, Italy, Sweden, and France. Twice yearly, they fill their historic French chateau with extraordinary finds and open it to the public for a memorable sale known as Le Grillon Voyageur (charmingly translated The Traveling Cricket). For three weekends in May, and again in December, the rooms of the mansion are artfully arranged to showcase rare pieces, as well as a few modern offerings of the couple’s own creation. In the village of Sezanne, in the Champagne region of France, the Gisclards happened upon a property for purchase that had once belonged to a cousin of empres s Josephine de Beauharnais, who likely visited the home. The house was built…

Natural materials adorn this festive array of remembrances. With their heady fragrances, delicate sprigs of cedar, olive, holly, and eucalyptus evoke warm recollections of Christmases past.…

“A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away … .” —Eva K. Logue…

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 7 and 97: To view and purchase Carrie Di Costanzo’s prints and original artwork, visit carriedicostanzo.com, or call 732-627-9801. WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Page 15: To learn more about Rebecca Rego Barry and her work, visit rebeccaregobarry.com. WELCOME GUESTS WITH STYLE Page 17: The Backyard Gardener Winter Pine Cone Wreath, $75; thebackyardgardener.etsy.com. Maine Woolens 100% Wool Bowdoin Throw in American Red, $117.50, and 100% Cotton Gingham Check Throw in Olive/Natural, $65; 207-865-0755, mainewoolens.com. Page 18: Match Handmade Italian Pewter 804.0 Bud Vase, $125, and A346.0 Large Pitcher, $375; from Ampersand Shops, 888-431-0927, ampersandshops.com. Sideshow Press Calendar Notes in Clay and Greensward, $13; 843-793-4560, sideshowpress.com. Amity Home Le Maison Queen Duvet Cover, $423, Euro Sham, $79, and Standard Sham, $75; 626-334-6771, amityhome.com. Lands’ End 400-count No Iron Solid Supima Sateen Queen Sheet…

Back in the days when Santa really traveled across a dark, starlit sky and every child was certain they heard stomping hooves and sleigh bells on their rooftops, neighbors would gather at my childhood home on Christmas Eve to make merry and celebrate the season. In an old brick house tucked in the hills of southern Ohio, my mother busily prepared for this festive event like a Yuletide fairy casting her spell of delight and gaiety. The doorways were hung with mistletoe; fruit was spiced with fragrant cloves; and wreaths adorned each windowpane. Vanilla stars and gingerbread men dressed in white-piped suits sprang from our oven as vases of roses swooned from all the flurry and commotion. Sweet cranberry cordial made in September sat aging on the pantry shelf, and…