It’s finally summer and folks are starting to travel again. Most seem to prefer the quick (although tedious) plane option, but others are, more and more, opting for the leisurely rail adventure. Their motto is, “Getting there is half the fun.” Our Victorian ancestors did not have a choice – airplanes were not around yet! […]
As summer approaches and the days grow warmer, we start to think of cooling beverages, nostalgic summer traditions and the burgeoning supply of fruit on our trees, thanks to the epic rainfall of the past few months! What better way to combine all three than to make lemonade! Although one may think of […]
There are many holidays in early summer, but perhaps the most meaningful is Juneteenth.
As the seasons begin to change and the weather starts to get warmer, new buds push up in the earth, animals shed their fur coats, and humans also begin to shed heavy closing for cooler options. Victorians spot cleaned their heavy winter suits and packed them away in cedar shavings (their idea of dry cleaning) […]
Hatpins have been around since the Middle Ages when they were used to hold the wimples and veils of proper ladies and nuns in place. The objective, in those times, was to cover the hair. Initially, the pins were small, but as hats grew larger, so did the demand for larger pins. Ultimately, […]
We know Victorian ladies carried reticules, but they hardly accommodated more than a hankie and a house key – hardly all their “necessities.” How did they manage? They used a clever little accessory called a chatelaine!
While most people envision Victorian romance as courtly and idyllic, some Victorians welcomed the romantic opportunity to be quite cruel. Bullying was nothing new to Victorians who chose to send “vinegar valentines,” which would stay around for about the next hundred years. These vinegar valentines did not send sweet nothings and sugary words, they were […]
Okay! Time to talk Victorian slang. Our modern version of slang incorporates abbreviations, purposeful misspellings and distortions of the misspellings! Most of us are familiar with LOL, TMI, Krispy Kreme, and Kool Aid. Contemporary young people recognize kew! (cool) and deez (these), which they will tell you is NBD (no big deal). Victorians were no […]
When looking for a quick and easy Christmas present, many of us grab a bottle of wine, toss it in a bag and add a bow. The Victorians were no different. Consequently, many of us end up with several bottles of wine, as did they. Not a problem – depending on the quality of the […]
Holidays and fine dining seem to always go together. They are a time for family gatherings and lavish entertainment. It’s the holiday party season!