Dear Friends
C
ompiling the first issue of the new year is always thrilling for the
Victoria
staff. Today, we introduce you to the seven entrepreneurs
selected for our annual special section, The Business of Bliss—a
restaurateur, a pillow maker, a gardening landscaper, a needlework
artist, a paper merchant, a kitchen-linens designer, and a boutique
florist and events planner. These women with very diverse careers have
one thing in common: They all heeded an inner voice that quietly urged
them to trust their instincts for branching out and adding another
dimension to their lives.
As you read these inspiring stories, think about the women in your
life. Are there undiscovered entrepreneurs among your acquaintances?
Send us a letter or an e-mail, and we will add those names to our file for
2014
consideration.
We are pleased to announce
Victoria
’
s 2013 Writer-in-Residence, Laura Fraser,
and our 2013 Artist-in-Residence, Jessie Davidson. Laura, an author, teacher,
and travel specialist, will take you on delightful jaunts to her favorite places as
she presents essays sure to make you gather your passport and a change of clothes
in anticipation of your own journeys. Working from her San Francisco base, our
savvy traveler has published the book
All Over the Map
(
Broadway), and her
articles have appeared in numerous national magazines.
If you regard your house as a canvas awaiting the brushstrokes that will trans-
form it into a warm, inviting, and charming home, an interior designer is the
artist who can interpret your preferences and desires. Jessie Davidson, principal
at Jessie Davidson Interiors in suburban Chicago, has built a solid reputation for
her masterful work that embraces the roots of the past, as well as a contemporary
sensibility. Six of her design projects will be showcased throughout the year.
I hope you will enjoy this magazine as the winter snow falls!
Editor-in-Chief