As we begin our final descent into the days leading up to the holidays, we anxiously search for our secret family recipes all the while calling up relatives and coordinating schedules for upcoming dinner obligations. Rooted in this conversation is the agreed upon tradition of who will bring the pumpkin pie, who will be responsible for cutting the turkey and who will be hosting the extravagant gathering. To ease us into this season of tradition, Previews® Inside Out dedicates this month’s issue to just that.

Leading the way are Ferguson and Shamamian, expert architects that capture the very essence of tradition, with each design nodding to the past in a context that’s distinctively modern and catered to the homeowner’s preferences.

Next, what happens when PIO heads over the dining room table and talks food with Chef Michelle Bernstein, a James Beard Award Winner and repeated guest judge on “Top Chef”? Bernstein explores the practice of pairing traditional food with the holidays and the level of comfort that is associated with such memories.

The 2014 Holiday Gift Guide then leads PIO on a shopping adventure, providing us with an intimate look into the tradition of giving and its strong tie to the art of selling luxury real estate and buying into the internal psyche of the recipient.

And finally, Home is Where the Hearth Is puts the fireplace center stage – which, let’s be honest, we don’t have much use for here. But, for those who want to vicariously enjoy a cold winter night by the fire – or be thankful that your winter is spent on the beach – these homes are worth a gander.

Feeling nostalgic yet? Click on over to Previews® Inside Out for the full stories.