Editor’s note

Living Northside editor Adrianne Murchison.

Living Northside editor Adrianne Murchison.

On those occasions when I reflect on how technology has changed my life, I sometimes think back to the old fax machines and the curly paper, or typewriters and their pesky ribbons.

This issue has me “remembering when,” in a way. Remember when we wrote letters and not emails? Remember the days of trying to find something to do on a Sunday afternoon or a Saturday night?

These days, there’s not only an abundance of things to do, it also seems like there are hundreds of ways to learn about those things.

About five years ago, a friend was at home on a Saturday night, feeling bored. He went online to Meetup.com, found a group called “Dinner and a Movie,” and decided to join them. He and a group of about eight people saw a film and discussed it during dinner at a restaurant afterwards.

I was fascinated at the time and still am, somewhat.

Our cover story on nearby social groups offers several ways to meet people through a variety of activities. One of them, STARS Social Club, was started on Facebook. Another group makes good use of Meetup.com to let folks know of its activities. All of them spread the word one way or another online.

It’s great to have these different avenues to discover good ol’ fashioned fun, from dinner with friends to outdoor recreation.

For folks with a sense of nostalgia this time of year, our preview of the one-woman play “Bridesmaid of Barrington” hearkens back to the December 1853 wedding of Mittie Bulloch and Theodore Roosevelt at Roswell’s Bulloch Hall.

In music and holiday entertainment, we have a glimpse of “The Nutcracker” performances as well as a spotlight on a singer who brings her bodacious style to jam sessions on the Northside and around the Atlanta area.

Also in this issue, we have holiday shopping ideas, from stocking stuffers to gifts that pamper — and a flavorful food feature that we have fun referring to as “boozy desserts.” You might be planning an impromptu party by the time you finish the read.

Tis the season. Let’s get it rockin’.