Northshore Magazine

From the Publisher contributors Holiday Cheer in years past, waking up on Christmas morning to watch the boys rip open the green and red wrapping on Santa's gifts was so much fun. Seemingly over in minutes, they were always thrilled with the new bikes, Erector sets, and sports gear. The aftermath left the living room awash in a sea of colorful bows, ribbons, bubble wrap, and crumpled paper. All the while, the aroma of bacon, sausage, and silver dollar pancakes wafted from the kitchen. Holiday Best Celebrate the season with family and friends. As the boys grow older, our Christmas mornings no longer start at the crack of dawn to attack a pile of presents, but rather have evolved into sleeping in, having a late brunch, and visiting with friends and family around a warming fire. The gift exchange has become more about practical sleek tech toys that need little wrapping—but all the same, it's still a cherished part of the day. Although the focus has shifted, most of our family traditions remain the same. We still head to Turkey Hill Farm, a beautiful hilltop Christmas tree farm on Middle Road 14 nshoremag.com December 2013 KJ Dec13 Contributors.indd 14 in Haverhill, which grows Fraser and Douglas firs and Blue spruce, to cut the perfect tree. (The farm's Fraser fir was awarded "Best in Show" at the Topsfield Fair this past fall.) And my wife and I still find time during December evenings to traverse the North Shore towns to ooh and aah over the glow of the festive decorations and twinkling lights throughout the coastal towns— Rockport is still one of our favorites. In this issue of Northshore, we celebrate all the season has to offer. We visit with some of the area's top creatives to get fresh inspiration on decorating our homes for the holidays—helping us go beyond the red pointsettia (see page 192). We also check out the Christmas in Salem House Tour (see page 40). Focused this year on the Derby Street district, the area has some of the most impressive historic houses in the county. Floral designers donate trees, wreaths, and bouquets, and many of the homes are open and adorned in period decorations. Deciding what to get everyone on your list can be a major stressor. As the calendar inches toward the holidays, we often grow frantic about what to buy that favorite big brother or faraway aunt. Northshore comes to the rescue with pages and pages of great ideas in our Holiday Gift Guide (see page 46)—and they're all found right here on our beloved North Shore. So sit back, relax, and flip through this ultra-luxe edition of Northshore magazine. It's bound to get you into the holiday spirit! All of us here wish you and yours a very merry holiday season. Cheers! Rick Sedler, Publisher and President P.S. We'd love to hear from you. Send us your favorite North Shore holiday traditions via snail mail, e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook. Patrick Marasco North Shore-based photographer Patrick Marasco specializes in editorial and fine art photography. Marasco's work has been featured in several Boston art shows. When not traveling around New England, he can be found in the waters of New Hampshire honing his craft as a surf photographer. His work can be seen at patrickevanphoto.com Anna and David Kasabian Food writers and restaurant reviewers, Anna and David Kasabian have been writing about food together since he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America 10 years ago. They have written three cookbooks, including The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami, which was featured on NPR and NBC's Today show. Anna also writes about interior design and gardening, and is an accomplished potter. Darren Pellegrino Darren is a Bostonbased photographer who shoots food, architecture, and portraits for clients throughout New England. His editorial work has been featured in Merrimack Valley Magazine, Southern New England Home, City Living Magazine, and Home Remodeling magazine. His portfolio can be seen at darrenpellegrino.com and flavourboston.com. Karyn Polewaczyk If home is where the heart is, then restaurateurs Louis and Michael DiBiccari have certainly found it in their newest venture, Tavern Road. Northshore contributor Karyn Polewaczyk (@ KarynPolewaczyk) sat down with the siblings to talk about their Lynnfield roots—and how food is only part of the story—for our December issue. photograph by eric roth 10/28/13 10:11 AM

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