Victoria

In a frantic and hurried world, Victoria offers a respite from the chaos of everyday life. The pages are dedicated to living beautifully when entertaining, cooking, and decorating and even in artistic pursuits - and now you can enjoy every single page on your tablet! With a distinct personality all its own, Victoria personifies feminity, passion, and an enterprising spirit. Each issue features decorating and entertaining ideas, recipes, travel stories, essays from inspiring women, and much more.

Victoria • September/October 2024 Volume 18, Issue 5

Editor’s Letter

Introducing our 2022 Writer- and Artist-In-Residence

Of Great Character • In the garden of the library, readers begin to grow. Young minds, like small saplings, stretch ever toward the sun and are swayed by each tale they encounter. The main players in those stories—whether real or fictional—become enduring companions. Victoria readers share beloved childhood characters and tell how these literary personas impact their lives for the better.

The Ceremony of British Afternoon Tea

Dutch Charm • As the showy blooms of summer give way to an opulent crescendo of color unfolding across tree-lined waterways, our Artist-in-Residence opens her door to issue a brimful welcome to family and friends gathering for a cozy affair.

Tweed and Tartan • Like fall leaves whirling and twirling as they drift from treetops, our collection brims with colors and motifs echoing the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands in this brilliant season.

Legendary Beauty • Autumn arrives gently in the Highlands, a whisper of crisp air blowing across sloping fields, where herds of sheep graze and misty breezes beam with rainbows. Equally as rich in culture as natural beauty, the land and its infinite charms are on full display.

Tea with Christopher Robin • This year marks the 100th anniversary of When We Were Young, English author A. A. Milne’s best-selling book of poetry that gives the first reference to Winnie-the-Pooh. To commemorate the milestone, we offer a teatime menu that evokes nostalgic recollections of the Hundred Acre Wood.

Hall of Victory • The tale of Blenheim Palace is woven through generations of great men and women—Winston Churchill among them—and its legacy inspires hundreds of thousands who visit the estate to this day.

Where History Dwells • At the end of a long, tree-shaded avenue, the red sandstone walls of one Scottish landmark seem swathed in centuries of mystique. From royal residence to Shakespearean inspiration, the intriguing heritage of Glamis Castle has captured imaginations for generations.

Strolling Through Time • Like an aged guardian, the weathered stone façade of Drummond Castle carefully watches over its formal gardens from above. These Renaissance-style terraces have surrounded the storied structure for centuries, beckoning admirers to come and behold their horticultural artistry—from the parterres’ patterned grandeur to the fair petals of a single rose.

In Reverence and Love • Saint Conan’s Kirk, overlooking the picturesque Loch Awe, was named for a local saint with connections to Scotland’s early Christian history. The edifice combines several ecclesiastical architectural styles, including Romanesque, Gothic, and Scottish Baronial.

The Soul of an Author • As if conjured from his ink-dipped quill, the Baronial mansion of Sir Walter Scott is a whimsical and striking monument testifying to the creativity and passions of the beloved Scottish writer.

Tea & Tranquility • Amid the mingling scents of old books and freshly baked scones, teatime at The Signet Library offers a tantalizing opportunity to find repose during a visit to Scotland’s bustling capital city.

Legends Along the Loch • While folklore may suggest a pot of gold rests at the rainbow’s end,...