Northshore Magazine

ne Dining Mood Maker A couple enjoys a romantic rendezvous atop the historic site. hidden gems Light Fare Once guiding ships to safe harbor, this historical beacon has become the venue for the ultimate intimate dining experience. By Julia Quinn-Szcesuil romantic and adventurous, the unique opportunity to dine in the tower of a lighthouse, 53 feet above the ground, can only be found one place worldwide: in the Lighthouse Preservation Society's Rear Range Light in Newburyport. Like Alice in Wonderland in reverse, diners venture up twisting steel stairs and a ladder before emerging through the trap door into the magical, intimate space where the views sweep from the Merrimac River all the way to the rooftops of Plum Island. Nestling into the aquamarine- and sand-hued room under the glinting chandelier feels like being in a tree house hideout, albeit an elegant and grown-up version. "There is a sense of thrill to have a 28 nshoremag.com January/February 2014 KJ JanFeb14 Lighthouse.indd 28 place like this to yourself for the entire evening," says James Hyland, founder of the Dover, New Hampshire–based Lighthouse Preservation Society. The $350 tax-deductible donation to rent the 1873 lighthouse (dinner is additional and priced by the chosen restaurant) funds lighthouse restoration projects. "Lighthouses are to America what castles are to Europe," Hyland says. When the lighthouse opened for dinners in 1999, Hyland didn't know what to expect. "It was an experiment," he says, but it worked. Since then, Rear Range Light has seen a steady stream of happy people celebrating life's important milestones. "For many people, it is the first time in their lives they have ever experienced time in a real lighthouse," he says. That was true when John Sementelli popped the question to Jessica Van Der Steur last October on the lighthouse's narrow balcony. "It is amazing," Sementelli says of the experience, recalling the tranquility of their perch. Van Der Steur was delighted with the setting. "It is such a special place and so private," she says. "We could see the best views and just celebrate." Diners (typically two to four fit comfortably in the 8-foot-diameter space) order lunch or dinner (and soon breakfast) from one of several area restaurants. They then have the lighthouse to themselves for the next five and a half hours. While some might wonder how to fill the time, Hyland says people quickly settle into a slower pace, enjoying the view and contemplating the lighthouse's history. Courses are spread out, allowing for a meandering pace that gives people time to relax. "That is something people don't do anymore," says Hyland. Modern-day visitors, some from as far away as Africa, unwind in comforts unheard of to long-ago lightkeepers. An HVAC pump blocks winter's chill and cools a sweltering summer night. Guests share their lighthouse memories in "The Keeper's Log" notebooks, which provide entertaining reading. "People are taken in by the serenity of being up here," says Hyland. "They slow down and see the passing of the day or the reflections on the water. You feel like you are on top of the world." 61 1/2 Water St. Newburyport, 800-727-2326, lighthousepreservation.org photographs by mark corke 11/21/13 6:07 PM

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