Seacoast Stories

Local media has a bad reputation these days. Nora Happny McMorran wants to do something about it. The beloved former host of "Just Ask Nora," a social media series started in the late 2010s, Happny McMorran is now on a quest to turn Portsmouth City Lifestyle magazine into a local force for storytelling. A few months after acquiring the magazine, the longtime Portsmouth resident joins host Troy Farkas to discuss her decision, and how she plans on making the magazine a desirable read. Plus, the two talk about the origins of Just Ask Nora, her dad's career as THE go-to Portsmouth blacksmith, living in Norway during her 20s, meeting her now-husband at Carl's Meat Market, the strength of the Seacoast nonprofit scene, working for HAVEN, and more! To check out the digital version of the magazine, you can visit citylifestyle.com/portsmouth. SUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES: Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week. Join our FREE online community, ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Local Thread⁠⁠⁠⁠, here UPCOMING EVENTS: Seacoast Stories PUB CRAWL in Portsmouth! Join us on Saturday, September 26 for an afternoon of connection and FUN. ⁠Get your tickets here.⁠ Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by ⁠⁠SWTHZ Portsmouth⁠⁠: We're back in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, October 7! ⁠⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠⁠ "Seacoast Stories LIVE feat. Victoria Arlen" at The Press Room on Tuesday, October 13! Pres. by ⁠⁠⁠⁠SWTHZ Portsmouth. ⁠⁠Get your tickets here.⁠⁠ SPONSORS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Iron Cactus⁠:⁠ Kingston, N.H.'s home for yoga, infrared saunas, reiki, healthy eating, community and more. ⁠SWTHZ: ⁠Lock in your founding membership today at Portsmouth's newest home for wellness. ⁠RC Conner:⁠ The Seacoast's No. 1 home for kiln-dried firewood! Budget Blinds of the Seacoast: Blinds, shades, and shutters reasonably priced, professionally installed, and done right the first time. CHAPTERS: Growing up in Portsmouth (00:00) Living in Norway in her 20s (10:10) Working in Portland, Oregon (15:30) Supply your home with firewood from RC Conner (21:40) Get your mind, body, and spirit feeling better at SWTHZ in Portsmouth (22:50) Her popular social media series "Just Ask Nora" (23:55) 2026 social media advice (33:05) Working at HAVEN & the Seacoast nonprofit scene (35:25) Visit The Iron Cactus, a magical Seacoast location (39:15 Outfit your homes with professional blinds, shades & shutters (40:22) Her plans for taking Portsmouth City Lifestyle magazine to the next level (41:35)

We don't know how to talk about death. Longtime Seacoast resident Laura Cleminson wants to change that. At the Pre-Dead Social Club, Seacoast residents of all ages gather monthly for a "die-a-logue" at author talks, panel discussions, and Death Over Drinks, the club's signature event. Cleminson, who also delivered a TEDx Portsmouth talk in 2024, became fascinated with death a decade ago when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She noticed she had no tools for helping her mother through that time, a realization that eventually led her to become a death doula and the founder of the Pre-Dead Social Club. From the West End of Portsmouth, Cleminson joins host Troy Farkas for a wide-ranging discussion about death - why we avoid it, her first experiences with it, how to better help our loved ones during that time, how the Pre-Dead Social Club has taken off in the last three years, and why it's welcomed nearly 1,200 people through its doors since then. To learn more about the Pre-Dead Social Club, visit predeadsocialclub.com. SUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES: Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week. Join our FREE online community, ⁠⁠⁠The Local Thread⁠⁠⁠, here UPCOMING EVENTS: Time 4 Joy hosted by I Got Bridged: Friday, September 18 at the Portsmouth Elks Lodge. Get your tickets here. Seacoast Stories PUB CRAWL in Portsmouth! Join us on Saturday, September 26 for an afternoon of connection and FUN. Get your tickets here. Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by ⁠SWTHZ⁠: We're back in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, October 7! ⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠ "Seacoast Stories LIVE feat. Victoria Arlen" at The Press Room on Tuesday, October 13! Presented by SWTHZ. ⁠Get your tickets here.⁠ SPONSORS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Iron Cactus⁠: Kingston, N.H.'s home for yoga, infrared saunas, reiki, healthy eating, community and more. SWTHZ: Lock in your founding membership today at Portsmouth's newest home for wellness. RC Conner: The Seacoast's No. 1 home for kiln-dried firewood! CHAPTERS: SS pub crawl on 9/26! (00:00) Laura's first brushes with death (02:30) Why don't we discuss death? (08:52) How her mom's death changed everything (11:45) Warm your home with firewood from RC Conner (21:15) Visit The Iron Cactus in Kingston, N.H. (22:34) Taking an extreme interest in the end-of-life space (23:55) Starting the Pre-Dead Social Club (31:00) What happens at Death Over Drinks (38:05) Lock in a founding membership at SWTHZ in Portsmouth (42:25) Troy's experience with the Pre-Dead Social Club (43:27) Turning this club into a business (53:15)

Two stories in one podcast?! In this special Labor Day episode, host Troy Farkas hears the stories of two beloved Seacoast businesses. In Part One, Farkas travels to Somerworth, N.H. for a conversation with the co-founders of Popzup Popcorn, Marty and Julie Lapham. From their factory's floor, the husband-and-wife team talk about how they got started 10 years ago, the painstaking lengths they've taken to get organic & non-GMO labels, the pivotal moments that launched their company into the next stratosphere, the importance of keeping it a family business, and more. In Part Two, the show heads to Kittery Point, M.E. to talk to the longtime owner of the legendary Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier, Ron Spinney. Alongside manager Cam Barrett, Spinney tells stories from Chauncey Creek's 70 years in operation - a seaside joint known for serving steaming hot lobsters, its BYOB policy, and a callback to a simpler time. SUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES: Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week. Join our FREE online community, ⁠⁠The Local Thread⁠⁠, here UPCOMING EVENTS: Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by SWTHZ: We're back in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, October 7! ⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠ "Seacoast Stories LIVE feat. Victoria Arlen" at The Press Room on Tuesday, October 13! Presented by SWTHZ. Get your tickets here. SPONSORS: ⁠⁠⁠The Iron Cactus: Kingston, N.H.'s home for yoga, infrared saunas, red light therapy, reiki, sound healing, healthy eating, and more. ⁠Budget Blinds of the Seacoast⁠⁠: Custom blinds, shades, and shutters! Reasonably priced and done right the first time. CHAPTERS: Seacoast Stories LIVE on 10/13 (00:00) The health-conscious ethos of Popzup Popcorn (02:10) The insane growth trajectory of Popzup (08:20) Reflecting on Popzup's success (18:40) BTS of Popzup's massive production process (20:22) Introducing The Iron Cactus (27:00) Custom blinds, shades & shutters at Budget Blinds of the Seacoast (28:20) How Chauncey Creek started 70 years ago (29:45) Why Spinney bought the business in the 80s (33:20) What makes Chauncey Creek special (34:54) Inside the lobster-eating experience (45:32) Looking ahead to the future (51:54)

A cowboy in York, Maine? 🤠 Yes, it's true. For nearly two decades, Kenny Churchill was one of the very best bull riders in the world, competing on stages big and small across the country, including at Madison Square Garden in front of President Ronald Reagan. Now, the Boston native resides in York alongside his wife of 30+ years. Together, they own Churchill Barn and Weddings, a stunning events venue located on their private property, which houses a fully restored barn that was originally built in the 1700s! From inside the barn, Churchill joins host Troy Farkas for a wide-ranging discussion about his legendary career, including what drove him to bull riding, the very serious injury risks it poses, and how the sport nearly cost him everything. To learn more about Churchill Barn and an event you could host there, please visit ChurchillBarnWeddings.com. SUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES: Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week. Join our FREE online community, ⁠The Local Thread⁠, here SEACOAST SENIORS: Contact [email protected]. UPCOMING EVENTS: Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Partners Bank⁠⁠⁠⁠: We return to Kittery, Maine, on Wednesday, September 16! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by SWTHZ: We're back in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, October 7! Book your seat at the table here. SPONSORS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Degree Wellness Seacoast⁠⁠⁠⁠: A new all-on-one recovery center is coming to North Hampton, N.H! Learn more & lock in a discounted (FOR LIFE) founding membership ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠ CHAPTERS: Opening trailer (00:00) Troy's new side business, Seacoast Seniors (01:33) The first time learning about Kenny Churchill (02:58) What is bull riding/rodeo? (04:56) Growing up as a bull rider in Boston (07:35) His relentless study of bull riding (10:52) The very serious risks involved in bull riding (14:30) Daily life as a pro bull rider (22:56) How rodeo athletes make money (26:32) Performing at Madison Square Garden (31:22) Secure your Degree Wellness founding membership today (33:47) The near-death experience that led him to retire (35:30) Moving to the Seacoast (48:00) The WILD history behind Churchill Barn (50:00) Why they started hosting weddings at the barn (53:30) What a wedding there is like (56:28) Love advice for Troy (01:01:28)

Mario LaPosta had a dream (literally). Following a nightmare about a kitchen incident, paired with his deep Italian roots and love of family meals at a long dinner table, LaPosta knew a future in the kitchen awaited him. Eventually, the Connecticut native moved to Italy so he could learn the ins and outs of the Neapolitan pizza-making process. Then, after returning to the States, he started running the pizza programs at a chain of restaurants outside of New York City, and then later, in Boston. On today's episode, Mario LaPosta of Mamma Luca joins host Troy Farkas to discuss his long, winding road to Mamma Luca - from the real deal kitchens of Rome to the cobblestone streets of Portsmouth. Additionally, the guys talk about what NOT to do when opening a restaurant, why the restaurant business is notoriously difficult to survive in, the compromise you have to make when opening an authentic Italian restaurant in America, and more. To check out Mamma Luca, pay them a visit at 111 State St. in downtown Portsmouth. SUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES: Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week. Join our FREE online community, The Local Thread, here. UPCOMING EVENTS: Seacoast Stories Dinner Club: We're in Newburyport, Mass., on Wednesday, September 2. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Seacoast Stories Dinner Club pres. by ⁠⁠⁠Partners Bank⁠⁠⁠: We return to Kittery, Maine, on Wednesday, September 16! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORS: ⁠⁠⁠Degree Wellness Seacoast⁠⁠⁠: A new all-on-one recovery center is coming to North Hampton, N.H! Learn more & lock in a discounted (FOR LIFE) founding membership ⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Budget Blinds of the Seacoast⁠: Custom blinds, shades, and shutters! Reasonably priced and done right the first time. CHAPTERS: Introducing The Local Thread (00:00) Compromises in opening Mamma Luca (04:22) Why he wanted to become a chef (06:02) Moving to Italy to learn the art of pizza-making (10:30) What we misunderstand about making pizza (17:02) Working at Italian restaurants outside of NYC (18:20) Secure your founding membership at Degree Wellness Seacoast today! (22:18) Local blinds, shades & shutters at Budget Blinds of the Seacoast (23:55) Working in the Boston restaurant scene (25:16) Opening da LaPosta in Newton, Mass. (30:10) Why so many restaurants fail (37:10) Moving to New Hampshire (38:35) Finding a location for Mamma Luca (41:55) What he wanted Mamma Luca to be when he opened it (43:56) Becoming Portsmouth's go-to pizza location (46:36) Mamma Luca's expansive bar program (49:55) Favorite Mamma Luca menu item (52:20) The financials of owning a downtown Portsmouth restaurant (55:20)