Life + Culture

Angels of the Animals

Saving suffering animals in Nicaragua is a mission of the heart for NicaLove founder Julie Burke Article by Susan Gallagher | Photography by Mary Jo Brown and Julie Burke It was on her third visit to Nicaragua that Julie Burke first saw the dog. Mangy, ragged, and emaciated like the others on the dirt roadside, this one seemed to know her—his unwavering eyes bored into hers. When the same dog turned up on the patio of her Nicaraguan second home, she knew it was fate. The newly named Flaco...

Arts + Culture

Taking Humor Seriously

Harnessing the power of comedy to inspire growth and establish connection Article by Judith Rubenstein | Photography by Melissa Koren and Stephanie Lazenby Several times a year, eight to ten strangers gather at 3S ArtSpace in Portsmouth to begin a journey of self-exploration and -expression. Over the next five weeks, these individuals will support one another in a unique and intimate way—through humor. The group is participating in a workshop series called Couch to Mic™, learning to reveal...

Life + Culture

Keeping the Vibe Alive

WSCA-LP, Portsmouth Community Radio, is a hivemind of creativity and endurance, led solely by volunteers Article by Rebecca Ingalls | Photography by Kevin Edge Photography September 12, 2004. After a four-day barn-raising, Tim Stone and collaborators stood in tears, cheering as the airwaves caught the 106.1 FM frequency for the first time and WSCA-LP, Portsmouth Community Radio, was born. Led by Stone, the project had taken years. Fundraising. Navigating FCC barriers. Volunteer collaboration...

Finance + Legal Services

From Bike to Boardroom

Business owner and board director Monica McCarthy finds joy in the intersection between work and play Article by Ann Kathryn Kelly | Photography by Kevin Edge “I’ve never seen a demarcation between work and play,” Monica McCarthy observes during our phone conversation on a winter morning. “I do what I love and love what I do.” It’s this mindset that defines both her firm—Seascape Capital Management in Portsmouth—and her personal journey. “One thing spills into another,” she continues...

Home Services

Set In Stone

Edziu Sentkowski has the eye and skill to make a modern stonemason Article by Susan Gallagher | Photography by Visionfinity Media Here in historic New England, where echoes of stonemasons from centuries past reverberate in the countless fieldstone walls garnishing the countryside, Edziu Sentkowski fits in like a finely set stone. A proud second-generation stonemason himself, he has spent more than two decades absorbing the age-old skills of his father and other gifted stonemasons, perpetuating...

Life + Culture

Food, Fellowship, & Fun at the Farm

Vernon Family Farm champions fresh food, local partners, sustainability and family-friendly events Article by Ann Kathryn Kelly Food you can trust. An opportunity to see sustainable farming in action. Learning which New England farms and small businesses you’re supporting when you buy local. Oh, and the chance to pet a baby pig or lamb. Who wouldn’t want to check this out? It’s closer than you think. A 15-minute ride from the Seacoast, Vernon Family Farm in Newfields awaits. Owners Jeremiah...

Real Estate

The Heart of Home

For realtor Brett Mulvey, finding home is all about lifestyle Article by Susan Gallagher | Photography by Courtney Mulvey and Ned Savoie Brett Mulvey’s quest for quality of life has brought him full circle. This realtor’s idyllic childhood in Rye, New Hampshire instilled in him a profound sense of how life should be. Like many grown children, he answered the call of faraway places in 2003 to pursue higher education. But the lure of home proved too powerful to resist, and in 2007 he returned to...

Home + Design

A Shared Vision

Expertise in design and construction is a family affair for Sage and Cashman Development Article by Rebecca Ingalls | Photography by Kevin Edge Photography & Freebird Photography When Bev Fowler and Jordan Cashman, owners of Sage—a full-service interior design studio in downtown Portsmouth—tell their origin story, they weave their words together like two people who’ve known each other all of their lives. It’s no surprise, then, to learn that they are not only business partners, but also mother...

Beauty

Bold, Beautiful, and Reborn

Jessica Bellanti finds inner strength through hardship and a new beginning at her namesake salon Article by Susan Gallagher Taking the easy road has never been an option for Jessica Bellanti. The demon of adversity has dogged her at every turn of her life, hurling one obstacle after another in her path. But the relentless demon met its match in this fierce and tenacious beauty entrepreneur.  Today, Jessica Bellanti wears the sheen of an accomplished professional. This savvy salon owner...

Life + Culture

Caretaker of the Wild

Seacoast artist Alex de Steiguer captures her experience as caretaker of the Isles of Shoals Article by Rebecca Ingalls | Photography by Alex de Steiguer Stand at the sea’s edge on a clear day in Rye and you’ll catch a splendid view of the Isles of Shoals seven miles east. In the warm months, visitors gather to enjoy spiritual and artistic retreats, history, and wildlife. In the winter, however, the site is closed to the public because the weather we experience on the mainland is far more...