Food and Drink
Hot n’ Dirty at the Blue Ox
Spice up your drink routine with a Hot ‘n’ Dirty Pickle at Lynn’s Blue Ox. The success of the Blue Ox has much to do with its penchant for contrast. It’s an upscale yet casual white-tablecloth restaurant situated near Italian pizzerias and Korean noodle shops on an unremarkable side street in Lynn. The city’s reputation as an ethnic melting pot inspires much read more...
Newburyport’s Enzo
In Newburyport, Enzo offers authentic Northern Italian cuisine in a rustic setting to match. By Anna and David Kasabian Here in downtown Newburyport, in what served as a leather mill a century ago, is Enzo, an architectural stew of high-ceilinged brick and beams, simply adorned in a sophisticated yet subdued palette. The large bar that fronts the room invites conversation and provides a cozy spot read more...
Shopping
Fabulous Finds March/April
Dance While You Cook Please your senses, including your sense of humor, at LUNA SEA! See work by local and global artisans, with an emphasis on Fair Trade Goods. Unique art, clothing, jewelry, home goods, collectibles, toys, whimsy, music and cooking related items, including a great selection of South African foods. Irresistible delights for anyone special, including you. Sure to be a read more...
Spring Time Bags
Totes to haul around—or out of—town. 1. Carmina Campus “recycled” Fendi bag, $660, French + Italian. 2. Taliah Lempere bag, $78, Anthropologie. 3. Dash and Alpert bag, $58, Roost. 4. Lauren Moshi flower bag, $126, Dresscode. 5. Cat Studio bag, $64, Comina. 6. Toss bag, $40, Hélène M. 7. See Design bag, $49, Two Girls Shop. Share on Facebook read more...
Profiles
Brainfox
Brainfox, a new North Shore-based web comedy collaborative, finds humor in the daily grind of local life. By Emma Haak It’s a typical afternoon inside the Gulu Gulu Café in Salem. Locals and tourists come in for lunch, hot drinks, and to catch up. But at one particular table, a lively story is being told about, of all things, chewing gum. read more...
Running Buff Pat O’Connor
Pounding the pavement with North Shore running buff Pat O’Connor For residents of the Boston Metro area, April means one thing: Boston Marathon madness, which culminates this year on April 16. In honor of the event, Northshore talked with running enthusiast and sometime marathoner Pat O’Connor—head coach/proprietor of LunchTime Runner and the Outreach Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the Greater Boston Running Co. stores in read more...
Fashion
Spring Time Bags
Totes to haul around—or out of—town. 1. Carmina Campus “recycled” Fendi bag, $660, French + Italian. 2. Taliah Lempere bag, $78, Anthropologie. 3. Dash and Alpert bag, $58, Roost. 4. Lauren Moshi flower bag, $126, Dresscode. 5. Cat Studio bag, $64, Comina. 6. Toss bag, $40, Hélène M. 7. See Design bag, $49, Two Girls Shop. Share on Facebook read more...
Spring Style: Stripes
Nautical stripes for your next weekend escape 1. Belt, $34, Banana Republic. 2. Rachel Pally dress, $194, French Lessons. 3. Sweater, $88, J.Crew. 4. Scala hat, $12, Two Girls Shop. 5. St. James top, $98, F.L.Woods Clothing. 6. Mossimo bikini, $17.99 (top), $17.99 (bottom), Target. 7. Splendid blazer, $200, Dresscode. 8. Sondra Roberts bags, $7.95, $15.95, and $19.95 (from top), Irresistibles. read more...
Health
Senior Living
There are many components in planning for retirement and senior living. There are financial aspects to analyze, living arrangements to consider, and home and health care services to examine. We talked to a variety of specialists on the North Shore to see what makes their services a natural fit. Grace House of Windham offers a unique approach to long-term care. This read more...
A Little R+R for the Holidays
A roundup of soothing spa offerings to help you survive the holidays. Is it just us, or does the hustle and bustle of the holidays get more hectic every year? As soon as the calendar flips to December, the days seem to whip by in a blur of tinsel and wish lists, candy and shopping bags. Before you know it, you’re read more...
At Home
Color Controls
As a lighting expert, I am fully aware of the myriad benefits of installing dimmers in your home. While energy conservation leads the pack in terms of benefits, dimmers also help prolong the life of light bulbs, add security and safety to your home and create ambience to set a mood. Thanks to the innovation of progressive lighting control companies, you read more...
Vintage Door Knobs
Vintage knobs to help create a grand entrance 1. Glass door knob, $16.95, Red Bird Trading Co. 2. Green glass door knob, $38 (pair), Anthropologie. 3. Vintage brass door knob, $24, Sweetwater & Co. 4. Vintage crystal door knob, $28, Circa Vintage Wares & Chairs. 5. Cut glass door knob, $18.95, Red Bird Trading Co. 6. Antique mercury glass door knob, read more...
Additional Features
Home Improvement
With many of us holding onto our homes longer than we used to, it’s time to look at making changes—both great and small—that will create more functional, beautiful, and greener dwellings. Whether it’s a sustainable move by adding insulation, a design move such as updating an out-of-date kitchen, or an aesthetic move such as decorating with antiques and artwork to personalize read more...