Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2015 i Victoria

Do you have a ritual for beginning the new year? I have packed away all reminders of the holidays and have collected my fountain pen with vibrant sea-blue ink, note cards, stamps, and a recently updated address book (receiving Christmas cards with new addresses is an excellent way to keep track of friends). When winter winds make it difficult to venture outdoors, I am content to sit in front of the cozy fireplace to compose personal notes of thanks for gifts and kindnesses. It is a wonderful way to start January, I think. After getting a sneak peek at the contents several months ago, I have eagerly anticipated the first Victoria of 2015. The pages seem a perfect place to promote serenity and pampering. Our breakfast-in-bed story offers great suggestions…

I will turn 62 in 2015, and I’m determined to spend more time planning for my “third act.” Thus far, I am blessed to still be working full time; I enjoy excellent health; and I have a loving husband, family, and friends. The many articles I read point toward the fact that I could live another thirty years, and I want them to be as fulfilling and meaningful as the first sixty have been. I am already collecting books to read and movies to watch, researching volunteer opportunities, and hoping to write a book about my profession in human resources. An “encore career” is also not out of the question for me; however, it definitely would need to be less hectic, as I want to savor life more in every…

Pandora de Balthazár, founder of the luxury-bedding company that bears her name, has been known to linger for hours with guests who visit her retail space in Pensacola, Florida. In a role she describes as equal parts therapist and interior designer, the former financial planner says she now helps clients invest in their own well-being. With roots in Dalton, Georgia, which she calls the “textile capital of the new world,” Pandora grew up with an appreciation of handmade goods. She compares her rural upbringing, where from a tender age she was trained to sew and embroider, with the traditional education common to generations of young women raised abroad. During her international travels, Pandora amassed an impressive collection of linens, prized as much for their practicality as for their artistry. She…

Stationer Paula Skene compares her passion for card making to the dedication required to prepare a gourmet meal. Just as a seasoned chef devises menus while selecting ingredients at a farmers’ market, the entrepreneur says her own creative process begins with getting the fundamentals correct in her San Francisco Bay–area studio. A lovely illustration is key, she says, but from choosing the finest papers to determining the ideal color placement, perseverance ultimately plays a huge role in bringing the vision to fruition. Accomplished tradespeople who share her mission of innovation lend their expertise—carving multilevel brass dies by hand and perfecting techniques for silk-screening, embossing, and foiling. New concepts are refined on the printing press, and favored motifs are duplicated, one at a time, with precision. “ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF…

From a trove of extravagant silks, delicate lace, and Swarovski crystals, Patti Flowers crafts the gowns of brides’ dreams in her Dallas studio. “We use everything from wonderful lush double-silk satins to sheer silk organza,” says the designer, who meticulously tailors every garment to flatter the woman who will wear it. “Each bride is unique, so that really helps me create a special dress to embrace her beauty.” Patti’s passion took root when she was a child. “Growing up, I was always redesigning clothes because I wanted to change something up and do my own thing,” she says. “My grandmother would sew whatever I envisioned.” After earning a fashion degree, the young graduate produced custom wedding dresses for Neiman Marcus department store. Next, she was asked to join upscale local…

BLISSFUL BERRY CONFECTIONS Begins on page 31 Miniature Pavlovas p.32 Makes approximately 6 Pavlovas 1¼ cups sugar 1½ tablespoons cornstarch 5 egg whites, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup prepared fromage blanc ½ cup raspberry-pomegranate preserves* Garnish: fresh raspberries, fresh pomegranate arils, fresh mint, and edible flowers 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water, combine egg whites, vanilla extract, salt, and sugar mixture. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 140° on a candy thermometer. 4. Preheat oven to 200°. 5. Remove bowl from heat, and place on stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Phyllis Theroux is an American author and essayist, whose most recent books include a memoir, The Journal Keeper; a novella, Giovanni’s Light; and a biography of a courageous Catholic prelate, The Good Bishop. Her first play, The Companion, about a woman with agoraphobia, debuted in Carmel, California, in 2014. She is compiling a book of stories about living in a small, tightly knit Southern town that feels like home. Phyllis, who was born in San Francisco, lives with her husband in Ashland, Virginia. Our 2015 Writer-in-Residence will be familiar to longtime Victoria readers because of her contributions to early issues of the magazine. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Elegant calligraphy has been Laura Hooper’s calling card for the past nine years as she designs exquisite lettering for wedding invitations and stationery, custom hand-drawn…

Every house is an inadvertent record keeper of its occupants. The hallway door frame marked with pencil lines was a ledger of my children’s growth spurts, a patch of kitchen wall full of scribbled numbers by the phone, a registry of my friends. But my attic holds the most comprehensive record of them all—a large cardboard box of old correspondence dating back to the 1970s, when I first began to keep serious track of myself. Every six months or so, I add some more to the pile. The letters (including copies of my own) are a burden in the making for my children, who will have to decide someday what to do with them. Perhaps they will simply sell the house and leave them all behind—to be discovered by a…

See Recipe Index, page 89, for recipe information.…

“They aren’t just a momentary treasure,” Pandora de Balthazár says of the antique textiles she sells. Experts restore and launder pieces at her headquarters in Pensacola, Florida. The luxury-bedding specialist offers the following tips for extending the use of these precious heirlooms: → Recognize that fabrics have a life. Pandora selects machine-washable essentials and reserves delicate finds for special occasions. Proper cleaning, use, and storage will preserve their integrity, she notes. → Keep a revolving inventory. With a minimum of three sets of bedding, one can be in use, one in the hamper, and one at the ready. This allows the fibers to rest and ensures textiles will be used in turn. → Clean soft surfaces regularly. Pandora changes her sheets every one to three days. She recommends washing pillows…

Nearly five decades ago, the 5,000-acre property situated on the slopes of Utah’s Mount Timpanogos in the majestic Wasatch Range was acquired by actor Robert Redford. He named the rustic oasis for the character he played in the classic 1969 film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Despite pressure from investors to develop the canyon with commercial real estate, the Academy Award–winning director remained determined to preserve the natural beauty of the region, which was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Ute tribe and later homesteaded by Scottish settlers. Redford planned the resort community thoughtfully—envisioning the idyllic landscape as a perfect backdrop for outdoor recreation and artistic experimentation. Along with comfortable accommodations, world-class restaurants, and a luxurious spa, the hotel provides abundant creative inspiration. An on-site gallery presents exhibitions…

COVER Antique white book, $26; from Argent Antiques, 205-871-4221. Juliska Bistro Gold flatware and Annieglass saucer, call for pricing; from Bromberg’s, 205-871-3276. WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Page 13: For more information about author and teacher Phyllis Theroux, visit her website, nightwriters.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Page 2: To view and purchase Laura Hooper’s calligraphy, visit lhcalligraphy.com, or contact her at hello@lhcalligraphy.com. WHISPER-SOFT HUES Page 15: Benjamin Moore Rose Petal, Soft White, and Perky Peach, benjaminmoore.com for more information. Hygge & West Rifle Paper Co. Queen Anne Wallpaper in Taupe, $135 per roll; 415-318-6412, hyggeandwest.com. Jaclyn Smith Home 02980 velvet fabric in Coral, Richloom O’Connell fabric in Cement, and Classical Elements EN700-01 Cream Pleated Trim, call for pricing; from King Cotton, 205-322-5878, kingcottonfabrics.com. Page 16: Monique Lhuillier Waterford Blush Champagne Coupe, $250 for 4; 877-720-3485, waterford.com. Pom…

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 January/February features: A Winter Getaway to Bozeman, Montana Encircled by six majestic mountain ranges, this snow-covered hamlet captivates visitors with its world-class ski slopes, elegant inns, and eclectic shops and restaurants. Luxe Linens Pandora de Balthazár delights her many customers with a stunning collection of bespoke bedding that invites sweet slumber. Cultivating Success at Dragonfly Floral Mother/daughter entrepreneurs Bonnie Z and Carlisle Degischer nurtured their passion for posies into a thriving organic-flower farm in California’s scenic Sonoma Valley. A Canadian Sugar Shack At Sucrerie de la Montagne, the Faucher family celebrates its French-Canadian ancestry and the age-old art of maplesyrup making. We love…

“These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of.” —GEORGE ELIOT…

Upon discovering a neglected house and stables a short drive from Paris, Sophie Lambert and her husband, Philippe Alric, realized the property would be a perfect match for their interests: hers, antiques and his, horses. Undeterred by years of negotiation to purchase it and the complete restoration necessary to move in—the house lacked even running water—they persisted. Today, the estate, reachable by car or a short train ride from the center of Paris, is known as the “Bronze Horse Stable,” named for a regal statue that stands at the entrance—a memento of former owner, philanthropist Frank Jay Gould’s champion racehorse. Philippe, a horse trainer and dressage instructor, runs the stables, and Sophie opens two cottages on the property twice yearly for antiques sales, as she has since 1996. The cottages…

An intriguing assemblage of wares—both modern and antique, rustic and refined, salvaged and deeply treasured—distinguishes Fable + Flame, the retail emporium and studio of Lexington, Kentucky-based interior designer James Snowden. Vintage silver and pewter accessories gleam against the subtle finishes of burlap, linen, and natural wood; utilitarian vessels, artfully arranged, draw appreciation for the often-overlooked beauty of their forms. Heady fragrances with notes of smoked birch, buttery leather, and other earthy elements emanate from z luxurious soy-wax candles. Throughout the gallery, a glittering assortment of shadow boxes, glass cloches, and apothecary jars call attention to enchanting compositions ranging from seasonal accents and timeworn photographs to more obscure sundries that nod to the unusual. “I AM NOT SWAYED BY AN OBJECT’S HISTORY; MY EYE FIXES ON THE AESTHETIC IMPORTANCE IN THAT…

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” —John Gunther An expression of love and thoughtfulness, our menu for one warms the heart and satisfies the soul. Tea is poured and set at hand on the bedside table, while the day becomes a special celebration with mimosas made from freshly squeezed orange juice and sparkling Champagne, left. Bright flavors hint of morning sunshine. Slices of juicy grapefruit and orange, mint, and fresh strawberries garnish thick, crispy Norwegian-Style Citrus Waffles drizzled in syrup spiced with pink peppercorns, cardamom, and vanilla, opposite. Prepared with coconut, sesame seeds, and honey, Berries-and-Granola Yogurt Parfait provides a tantalizing taste of sweetness, above right. See Recipe Index, page 89, for recipe information.…

Today, we “ping” a quick message on our smartphones or laptops. It is efficient; it is fast; we say what has to be said; and we move on. In years gone by, however, the business of communication was a more leisurely affair. In my grandmother’s day, for example, it was a pleasurable pastime, a moment to spare, and a chance to escape from domestic routine. My grandmother loved writing letters, frequently corresponding with a former neighbor who had moved away. I remember those letters: newsy epics that spoke of sad and happy times and ordinary events in an ordinary life—all brought together in one tangible account. I can still picture the neighbor’s lovely handwriting, embellished with loops and swirls. It conjured an image of an elegant woman who belonged to…