Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i Victoria

Dear Friends Savoring the first perfect day of October—air as crisp as an apple, foliage ablaze in fiery hues, and mellowing light casting a gentle glow over the landscape—I feel completely, blissfully alive. My energy is renewed, and the future shimmers with possibility. In our Victoria Classics Book Club selection, The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett describes such times, when “one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever”: And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Many of these lovely and unforgettable moments, as fleeting as they are…

The 26-mile shore path skirting the luminous waters of Geneva Lake follows the same scenic trail coursed by Native Americans thousands of years ago. Although lovely Gilded Age properties pepper the shores and a thriving city now wraps the eastern bank, the area still retains the primitive beauty that is balm for the soul. In the late 1800s, the lake’s close proximity to Chicago made it an easy escape for those who needed a respite from crowded urban living. The summer “cottages” built by wealthy families remain a stately presence, mingling with more modest but equally beautiful houses, all with sweeping lawns that end at the water’s edge. Perhaps the best way to view these residences is from the deck of the Polaris, a venerable yacht built in 1898 and…

James T. Farmer III, interior designer, author, and speaker, happily embraces his Southern roots. They are evident in his easy drawl, his deep connection to place, and in how he seamlessly incorporates treasured heirlooms into his interior designs. His latest book, Arriving Home: A Gracious Southern Welcome, presents a cavalcade of please-come-in residences with his genteel imprint on every gracious dwelling. “A house is a structure, but a home evokes emotions—it tugs on the heartstrings,” explains the Georgia native. “It’s when you cross that threshold of emotions that a house becomes a home.” After having worked with James on numerous projects through the years, these Atlantans naturally turned to him when they wanted to build a weekend getaway in the pastoral community of Elko, where the family could gather to…

“INSTEAD OF CHOOSING BETWEEN THE TWO, BRING THEM TOGETHER WITH PERFECTLY BALANCED PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE TREATS.”—Paige Johnson SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 101, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

In my grandmother’s world, the ordinary rose to a higher occasion. On any day, we sipped tea from dainty cups that fit perfectly in matching saucers. Fancy dishes with gold edges held butter cookies or slices of pound cake. Our setting for these tête-à-têtes was the dining room, where the glass-fronted cabinet sparkled with the china that her mother, my great-grandmother, had brought from Russia. I was enchanted. At home, my mom used chunky white mugs stained with tawny swirls from frequent use over the years. We ate cookies straight from the package or used gray plates with boomerang-type markings. We didn’t even have a dining room. As a child, I spent a lot of time at the home of my grandparents, where I felt life was slower, quieter. Each…

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 October features: Beauty by the Water Take a virtual vacation, exploring favorite sites along the shores of Geneva Lake, a popular getaway in Wisconsin appreciated for its charming character and scenery. Along Her Path Visit the home of entrepreneur Debbie Jones-Permenter, whose interiors showcase the cozy sensibility of her new business of bliss, 25 Mackenzie Lane. A Collector’s Haven In this welcoming lakeside retreat, special finds take pride of place in gathering spaces designed for the family to dwell together in absolute comfort. Literary Bouquet Glimpse autumn blooms at a Central Park enclave inspired by The Secret Garden, and become immersed in the…

Bordering a bend of the East River, the Greenpoint neighborhood is home to a unique shop illustrating the old adage that looks can be deceiving. Though the unassuming redbrick building itself gives nothing away, opening the sturdy steel door at 104 West Street reveals a delightful secret: Bellocq Tea Atelier. Rich aubergine walls surround patrons like a warm hug, while an open ceiling, with its network of wooden beams and pipes, belies the size of the cozy space. Vines, both real and rendered in paint, ramble up the walls, giving the impression of stepping into a hidden courtyard. The intermingling aromas of exotic in-house blends, from Smokey Earl Grey and White Peony to Majorelle Mint and dozens more, promise both palate-pleasing refreshment and pure escape from daily cares. “We want…

Autumn … it’s a rich word full of colors, sights, and sounds. I eagerly watch for the subtle changes in the verdure along the roadside—those inaugural pops of yellow or red. Pumpkin stands open with glorious gourds of all shapes and sizes. I can never make up my mind and end up buying more for my porch than I need. Vibrant mums in shades of burgundy and gold beckon, soon interspersed among my surfeit of pumpkins. Spring is a lovely, chaste young girl, but autumn is a glorious woman rich in wisdom and beauty, joyous in her strength. I wait for this woman every year and revel in her knowledge. I am happiest in autumn, seeing the first frost, smelling a log fire, and walking through leaves, kicking them up…

Visit victoriamag.com for a peek into this floral sanctuary, along with other resources for the Victoria Classics Book Club. “I AM WRITING IN THE GARDEN. TO WRITE AS ONE SHOULD OF A GARDEN ONE MUST WRITE NOT OUTSIDE IT OR MERELY SOMEWHERE NEAR IT, BUT IN THE GARDEN.”—Frances Hodgson Burnett…

Brantley Circle, a charming enclave tucked in High Point, North Carolina, is a tight-knit community with a nostalgic feel. Residents genuinely care for one other—socializing in the common green space, keeping an eye on each other’s children, even ringing up neighbors for a missing ingredient to complete a recipe. Its unique layout—a circle within a circle—gives the truthful impression of a protective embrace. The white-brick 1916 Colonial Revival where Debbie Jones-Permenter lives with son Kevin, daughter Taylor, and three rambunctious terriers nestles within this halcyon realm. During her many years in the textile industry, Debbie has used her home as a testing ground for products, and with her latest creative adventure, 25 Mackenzie Lane, that still holds true. The company’s nature-inspired, “farm-to-table” inventory brims with beautiful bedding, pillows, and furniture,…

Behind the elegant, gold-trimmed façade of East Village Hats, an enrapt coterie of patrons gathers around proprietor Julia Knox as she toils at her worktable. Felt fabric drapes over a wooden block, smoothed to a lustrous finish from years of use, as the designer shapes the material into one of her signature cloches. Once she is happy with the form, she leaves it to dry overnight and await the final touches. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Julia studied fashion in Bath before working in the industry in London for a number of years. Unsatisfied with the direction her career was going, she left to travel and teach English. She met her American husband and moved to New York City, where she took a millinery class at the Fashion…

CELEBRATING OCTOBER SPLENDOR Begins on page 37 Autumn Squash Soup with Toasted Pepitas p.40 Makes 6 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil6 cups 1-inch diced butternut squash4 cups 1-inch diced baking pumpkin*1 medium yellow onion, diced2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped3 stalks celery, roughly chopped4 cups water1 cup sherry4 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste1⅓ teaspoons cumin, divided1 teaspoon hot sauce½ teaspoon ground black pepper3 tablespoons maple syrup½ teaspoon kosher salt1 cup pepitasGarnish: sour cream 1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray. 2. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash, pumpkin, onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Add 4 cups water, sherry, bouillon paste, 1 teaspoon cumin, hot sauce, and pepper. Bring mixture to…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 15–16: Reeve Lindbergh, daughter of aviator-authors Anne Morrow and Charles A. Lindbergh, is the author of more than two dozen books. To sample more of Reeve’s work, including her newest collection of essays, Two Lives, visit her website at reevelindbergh.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 17–18: Erin Benzakein, author of Cut Flower Garden and the newly released A Year in Flowers, is the owner of Floret Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley. To learn more about Erin’s work, visit her website at floretflowers.com. HORNS OF PLENTY Pages 19–20: Be Home: Light Horn Tumbler, $48, Light Horn Napkin Ring, $20, Small Horn Spoons, $20/set of 4; hello@shopbehome.com, shopbehome.com. Blue Pheasant: Amaya Speckled Ivory Cereal/Ice Cream Bowl, $20, Amaya Speckled Ivory Dinner Plate, $28, Penelope Natural/Warm Silver Limpet Shells Salt/Pepper Holder, $37; from Irwin…