Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August 2010 i Victoria

Among my favorite memories of summer are those happy times when my extended family gathered for reunions at the farmhouse where my dad and his siblings grew up. As a child, it was pure magic to anticipate the arrival of my cousins, accompanied, of course, by their parents. Although I loved seeing my aunts and uncles, for me the focus of their visit was always the special joy of spend-the-night parties, wading in the creek, and comparing events that had happened in our lives since all the cousins were together last. It seemed fitting that the apples on one special tree at Grandmother’s house were ripe and ready for young hands to pick, and that our dads stayed awake into the early-morning hours, tending a barbecue pit that would yield…

Summer is the ripe season of abundance in which the fruits (and vegetables!) of every gardener’s months of labor are finally realized. If the sun is shining and the rain has been plentiful, those who till the soil will be blessed with a profusion of riches. Here, our readers share the ways in which they put their garden surplus to best use. In coastal Oregon, summer weather is often iffy—sometimes there’s too much rain, sometimes a lack of sun, and sometimes too little heat. This is wonderful for lettuce, but not so beneficial for warmweather vegetables. To deal with this, I overplant. Then, once in a while, all the stars align and I receive the bounty of bounties—mostly tomatoes and fingerling potatoes. Although I don’t work outside of my home,…

COCKTAIL NAPKINS Supplies Cotton fabrics • Scissors • 1/2-inch double-fold bias tape • Needle and thread • Straight pins Instructions 1 For cocktail napkins, cut fabric in 10-inch squares. 2 Baste or pin bias tape to the edges, and sew. DRINK FLAGS Supplies Fabric • Fabric stiffener • Scissors • Drinking straws • Glue • Black felt-tip marker Instructions 1 Stiffen fabric with fabric stiffener, and let dry. 2 Cut fabric into strips 1 inch wide by about 4 inches long. 3 Wrap a fabric strip around each straw, and secure with glue. When dry, notch the ends of the flag, as shown. Use a black felt-tip marker to write each guest’s name or initials on their drink flag, if desired. BERRY BASKET PARTY FAVORS Line vintage baskets with parchment…

Time rolls by slowly in this quaint seaside town on the coast of Passamaquoddy Bay in New Brunswick, Canada. Worries fall away with deep breaths of the clean, crisp salt air, and the leisurely pace slows as greetings are exchanged and locals kindly offer bits of maritime lore and legend. A cheery presence prevails throughout St. Andrews by-the-Sea. Founded in 1783, the small town teems with history, as many of the original buildings are still intact—some transported by barge from Maine following the Revolutionary War. The charm of the waterfront holds endless possibilities for exploration. The shop windows and artfully painted signs confirm that this is a colony of artists and craftsmen. Located in a heritage building, Boutique La Baleine/The Whale Store offers maritime books and music, as well as…

Mélanie Aussandon’s passion for antiques began when she was just a little girl. “My childhood bedroom was furnished with antiques—even the bedding and curtains my mother fashioned were vintage textiles,” she recalls. “When I graduated from high school, I wanted to go on vacation to the United States. My parents gave me some old things to sell at the vide-greniers [flea markets], and I made enough to pay for my trip,” she says. “As long as I can remember, antiques and I have walked hand in hand.” It was a natural progression for Mélanie to study art history at university. After completing her education, she decided to open her own shop in which to showcase and sell the antique treasures she loves. “I have been living my dream for over…

MOUTHWATERING MELONS Begins on page 40 Melon Sorbet Cake p.40 Makes 2 (10 1/2 x 51/2-inch) loaves 1 recipe Cantaloupe Sorbet (recipe follows) 1 recipe Honeydew Sorbet (recipe follows) 1 recipe Watermelon Sorbet (recipe follows) 1. Divide Cantaloupe Sorbet mixture in half. Evenly spread into the bottoms of 2 10 1/2 x 51/2-inch loaf pans. Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of sorbet, and freeze for 2 hours. Remove plastic wrap. 2. Repeat with Honeydew Sorbet; freeze for 2 hours. Repeat with Watermelon Sorbet; wrap tightly, and freeze for 4 hours. 3. To unmold, place loaf pans in approximately 1 inch of tepid water for 2 minutes. Invert onto serving plate, and jiggle slightly. Serve immediately, or store, covered, in freezer for up to 3 days. Cantaloupe Sorbet…

1. ASHLEY HAND ANTIQUES & VINTAGE Ashley Hand has discovered her niche, selling only what she loves from a charming space at the local Antique Emporium in Cave Creek, Arizona, near Scottsdale. With a fascination for antique buttons, fabric trims, and ribbons, she also dabbles in glassware, pottery, vintage clothing, jewelry, art, and linens. For more information, visit azantiques.net. 2. THE ANTIQUES DIVA With a shopping bag in one hand and a glass of Champagne in the other, Antiques Diva Toma Haines and her Diva Guides lead shopping tours in four countries (Holland, Belgium, France, and Germany) and in five languages. An American who has resided in Amsterdam, Paris, and currently Berlin, Toma orchestrates tours of European flea markets, antiques shops, and vintage boutiques to enable her clients to uncover…

To those who think, as the saying goes, that Britain and America are two nations separated by a single language, I would say—no, it’s a knife and fork. My first lessons in the vast chasm that separates us came at the table, where I learned the exoticism of the English culture for the first time. I didn’t realize that I was entering an area where not only the recipes, but the rituals and techniques were hugely different. And I was, in their eyes, lamentably lacking in couth. I met my soon-to-be father-in-law over a dinner at his London flat. He was from an old wine-importing family, both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their wares. I, in contrast, came from teetotal origins. The first sound I heard when I entered was the…

See Recipe Index, page 88, for recipe information.…

When she spotted the feed sacks at an antiques market, Brenda DeWitt knew that she had found the centerpiece for Chelsea Cottage. “I wanted the space to be beautiful and durable. I wanted guests with children and dogs to feel comfortable,” she says. “That is why I love feed sacks—they are sturdy yet inviting.” Repurposed as curtains, pillowcases, and lamp shades, and used in the dog bed that Brenda created, they are just one example of her eye for the possible. After she and her husband, Tim, bought their 1940s bungalow in Homewood, Alabama, they tore down a dilapidated detached garage in the backyard to make room for a guest cottage and an oak-shaded courtyard. Now, the welcoming retreat houses a trove of found objects and salvaged furniture that echoes…

In the middle of the Texas countryside, old dance halls see new life as they fill to the rafters with old friends selling old things—all bringing a bustling vibrancy to the historical structures and dusty fields. A modest antiques fair started in 1968 has become one of the country’s most important shows. Originally launched in the Rifle Association Dance Hall in the town of Round Top, the exhibition’s loyal following has expanded each season. Now, forty-two years later, the term “Round Top” refers to a variety of antiques and collectibles shows conducted throughout Fayette County (and a bit beyond) for a period spanning almost two weeks every spring and fall. Collecting is a way of life for most visitors and dealers here. The knowledge, joy, and sheer enthusiasm imparted by…

“I am inspired by anything vintage, simple things from the past that are beautiful in their own right—antiques, wallpapers, timeworn linens. You never know when a row of sweet flowers rimming an old teacup might end up on a fabric.” —LYNNE TAYLOR A colorful story begs to be told with every style name that Lynne Taylor creates for the collections of her family business, Taylor Linens. Charming sobriquets— the likes of which include Chesapeake, Shore Rose, Beatrix, and Beach House—capture a sense of place and evoke enchanted imagery from our mind’s eye upon first hearing them. “Ever since I was a child, fascinated with my grandmother’s damask linens, china, and silver, my love for vintage things has spoken to me,” Lynne says. “I am always on the hunt for inspiration.”…

COVER Pottery Barn Café Stripe antique silver salt and pepper shakers, $19; 888-779-5176, potterybarn.com. Couleur Nature Paris red and green cherry tablecloth, $90, red and green cherry napkins, $63 for 6; 866- 623-6826, couleurnature.com. Normandy antique red sugar bowl and soup bowls, call for pricing; available through Mulberry Heights Antiques, 205-870-1300, mulberry heightsantiques.com. FLUENT FRENCH Pages 16–17: Kiss That Frog Bistro de Paris espresso cups, $29.99 for 6, dessert plates, $29.99 for 4, bowls, $29.99 for 4, Hotel Silver covered eggcups, $35, Indochine 8-ounce sea-grass glass set, $44, Beurre butter dish, $20, Basserie toast caddy, $32, Unbleached organic cotton napkins, $24 for 4, tablecloth, $80; 510-524-7611, kissthatfrog.com. Williams-Sonoma Bonjour French press, $49.95, Party Essentials white flatware set, $59; 877-812-6235, williams-sonoma.com. Vagabond Vintage red-stripe picnic tote, $172, grain sack tote, $82,…

ST. ANDREWS BY-THE-SEA: A CHERISHED SEASIDE VILLAGE Experience the beauty and history of Canada’s oldest resort town, nestled along the shores of Passamaquoddy Bay in New Brunswick. The ideal locale for an exquisite summer getaway, St. Andrews by-the-Sea offers invigorating whale-watching and sightseeing opportunities, quaint village shopping, superb waterfront cafés, and exemplary lodging at the historical Kingsbrae Arms and the stately Fairmont Algonquin. AND DON’T MISS … ROUND TOP ANTIQUES FAIR: TEXAS-STYLE SHOPPING Once a modest antiques fair, “Round Top” has exploded into a legendary biannual event that commands a devoted following of avid collectors from across the country. Located amidst the sprawling Texas countryside of Fayette County, the show offers an array of treasures that range from high-end antiques and early Americana to a marvelous display of eclectic hodgepodge.…

With unwavering self-confidence, impeccable good taste, and inherent savoir faire, the French have always had a flair for expressing personal style. Emulating the effortless ease of summer, our perfectly charming picks bespeak the understated elegance and mindful restraint of the quintessential French-country cottage. “Elegance is not to pass unnoticed but to get to the very soul of what one is.” —CHRISTIAN LACROIX “Surely charm is what characterizes a French interior.” —DAPHNÉ DE SAINT SAUVEUR “How sweet I roamed from field to field, and tasted all the summer’s pride.” —WILLIAM BLAKE “It was a splendid summer morning, and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.” —JOHN CHEEVER…

The sheer bliss of red strikes our fancy at the peak of summer, when cherry hues, checkered prints, sassy stripes, and billowy florals pop joyously against a lush landscape of vibrant green. Capture the splendor of the season with a grand splash of this renowned primary color. “And let it be that angels lead us in peace / to leafy streams where cherries tremble in the air.” —RICHARD WILBUR Bring your cherry theme to life with individual red baskets filled with freshly picked cherries to create a personable touch and provide a sweet memento for your guests to take home.…

Around the bend and down the hill into Wiscasset, “Maine’s prettiest village,” there’s a charming sea captain’s home. The Marston House, which is what proprietors Paul and Sharon Mrozinski have called it since they opened it a little more than two decades ago, is one of nearly two dozen antiques shops that have made this tiny town a precious find for collectors. In the white-clapboard, Federalstyle structure that was built in 1785, on any visit you’ll find an array of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century antiques, including handmade French garden smocks, striped harvest sacks, Parisian dressmaker mannequins, handblown glass cloches, and delicately painted milliners’ heads. The inventory also features a Swedish clock, a round bistro table, and a pair of wrought iron garden benches whose undulating frames are supported by horses’ hooves.…

Whether you’re adding to a treasured collection or simply looking for decorating inspiration, there’s no better way to spend your summer days than by traveling to the country’s best-loved antiques shows. The prospect of navigating the large fairs might seem overwhelming to a novice, so we turned to renowned antiques dealer Mary Helen McCoy, whose gallery in Charleston, South Carolina, specializes in seventeenthto nineteenth-century French furniture and décor, to demystify the process. She outlines her advice for collecting what you love, working with trustworthy vendors, and negotiating a fair price. Mary Helen believes that collecting takes time and is a process based on personal taste. She suggests starting with a collection of small items, such as picture frames, boxes, or teacups. “Collect pieces that really appeal to you, regardless of…

“Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.” —HENRY DAVID THOREAU…