In this shorter companion episode, Mike welcomes Jay and Chris Bibby, aka the Bibby Brothers, to talk about Sudbury, Ontario, the proud, rugged, blue-collar Northern Ontario city that helps give Shoresy so much of its soul. Before the main Shoresy episode drops, the guys spend some time on Sudbury’s people, geography, hockey culture, family connections, and general vibe.

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Key moments from the pod:

0:30: Mike welcomes listeners to Season 7 Episode 3, a Shoresy companion episode focused on Sudbury, Ontario.

1:45: Mike catches listeners up on what’s been going on with him, including an epic trip to Charm City with his buddy PJ featuring Camden Yards, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, blue crabs, Natty Bohs at Mum’s, and a whole lot of new Baltimore memories.

7:30: Mike sets the tone for the episode with a musical tribute to Sudbury.

11:45: Mike welcomes Jay and Chris Bibby, aka the Bibby Brothers, to the podcast to talk all things Sudbury.

14:30: The guys talk about the last time they saw each other and what they were up to.

17:30: Mike lays out the plan for the episode before Jay and Chris dig into their family’s history in Sudbury.

20:30: The Bibby Brothers talk about their personal connection to Sudbury and what keeps pulling them back.

25:30: Jay and Chris talk about the people of Sudbury, the feel of the place, and, of course, the area’s amazing Italian-influenced food.

27:00: The guys discuss why a place like Sudbury works so well as the setting for Shoresy, including the pride people have in a city outsiders might underestimate.

30:00: Jay and Chris explain what makes Northern Ontario different from the rest of the province, including nickel, blueberries, and a whole lot of rugged local identity.

In this episode, Mike takes listeners through his recent holiday to Portugal, covering Lisbon, Porto, the Douro Valley, and just enough airport chaos to keep things interesting. Along the way he talks great hotels, walking tours, cod in its many forms, wine, port, football culture, cocktail bars, trains, fado music, and why Portugal quickly became one of his all-time favorite trips.

• Follow the podcast on Bluesky at @friendsofmiked
• Email the podcast with any questions or requests at talkingfriendship@gmail.com
• Please subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. Please also rate and review the podcast.

Key moments from the pod:

0:30: Mike welcomes listeners to Season 6 Episode 2.

2:10: Mike lays out the plan for the rest of the episode.

5:00: Mike kicks things off with the travel day from Detroit to Lisbon. The plan was simple enough: DTW to Boston, Boston to Lisbon. The execution was…less simple. A not-quite-smooth start to the trip, but eventually Portugal appeared on the horizon.

6:30: Mike walks through his first full day in Lisbon, which included getting settled, rooftop drinks, a guided tour of São Jorge Castle, and ending the night properly with cocktails at Red Frog, one of Lisbon’s best-known speakeasy-style bars.

13:00: Day 2 starts strong with an excellent breakfast at the Bairro Alto Hotel, where Mike learns, perhaps a little later in life than expected, how to pronounce açaí. From there, it’s a private walking tour of historic Lisbon with Ugo, followed by afternoon beers at BREW and Delirium Café. The day wraps with a petiscos and wine tour, which proves that small plates and multiple pours are a very good way to understand a city.

21:40: Day 3 brings a trip to a beautiful neoclassical food hall, a visit to the historic Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, and maybe the surprise meal of the whole Lisbon portion of the trip: a Mozambican restaurant that makes a serious case for being one of the best meals in the city. The night ends with live fado, because sometimes you should just let Portugal be Portugal.

28:20: Day 4 means saying goodbye to Lisbon, at least for now, and taking the train north to Porto. Mike gets settled, joins a walking tour that includes a famous bookstore with no need to invoke Harry Potter every three seconds, and then opts for a quiet, restorative night at the Renaissance Porto Lapa.

33:50: Day 5 is all about the Douro River Valley: a boat cruise, wine, more wine, a genuinely memorable lunch, still more wine, and the kind of easy new friendships that sometimes happen when everyone in the van has been drinking excellent Portuguese wine all day.

37:50: Day 6 starts with Mike climbing Clérigos Tower, which turns out to be taller than anticipated, both physically and spiritually. From there, it’s a visit to a distinctive religious art museum, followed by a craft beer and local food tour through Porto’s hidden gems. This includes the famous francesinha, a sandwich that is less “lunch” and more “delicious cardiovascular event.”

44:00: Day 7 is the last full day of the trip. Mike takes the train back to Lisbon, then heads out for a tour of Benfica’s Estádio da Luz, one of the most famous football stadiums in Portugal. A little soccer, a little travel logistics, and the sense that the trip is starting to wind down.

47:00: Day 8 is travel-home day, and Lisbon Airport decides to become Thunderdome. Mike closes out the trip with one last round of airport chaos before heading back to Detroit, slightly tired, very full, and pretty convinced Portugal was worth every minute.

In the Season 7 premiere, Mike welcomes good friends Tom Fishman and Mike “Kuz” Kuzan to the pod for a deeply scholarly, deeply unserious, and deeply Jersey conversation about music from New Jersey artists and the powerful, mysterious, occasionally misunderstood pull of the Garden State. Tom brings the perspective of someone who grew up in Queens and lived in Hoboken, Kuz joins from Asbury Park as both a Jersey resident and actual musician (like Tom), and Mike contributes as a music-loving outsider whose New Jersey knowledge comes largely through short visits, TV, movies, songs, and a healthy respect for places that inspire both pride and defensiveness.

Follow the podcast on Bluesky at @friendsofmiked

Email the podcast with any questions or requests at talkingfriendship@gmail.com

Please subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. Please also rate and review the podcast.

Key moments from the pod:

0:30: Mike welcomes listeners to Episode 1 of Season 7

2:00: Mike gives some life updates on what’s been going on with him, including some trip updates (London, St Pete Beach, a hockey trip north and Amsterdam).

4:50: A quick podcast staff wellness check

10:15: Mike welcomes Tom Fishman and Mike “Kuz” Kuzan onto the podcast for a rollicking discussion of who they are and why they’re the perfect guests for this episode on New Jersey music.

17:10: Mike lays out the plan for the rest of the episode.

18:00: The guys discuss the New Jersey myth/vibe and how New Jersey is everywhere.

25:00: What makes an artist “Jersey”

29:00: Kuz describes what it’s like living in Asbury Park

35:00: Mike kicks off the NJ song draft by explaining the ground-breaking format

36:00: A song about the entire country with deep ties to the Garden State AND Saginaw, Michigan.

43:30: A very deep cut song from the Boss about being born to move fast.

52:30: A supergroup track from a bunch of dudes who travel and sing songs about life.

1:02:30: A perfect song to drive into New Jersey if you’re a mob boss.

1:12:05: An homage to the females of Jersey from an icon with a unique singing voice.

1:21:10: This crooner could only approach life one way: his way.

1:30:00: A song about the nostalgia of suburban life in NJ

1:37:00: A rewritten alma mater at Eastside High, take a bow, Mrs. Powers.

1:43:00: A pop punk classic the evokes the 90s in the Garden State perfectly.

1:52:00: Boss-written, Band-performed: AC, baby

2:00:10: A 1970s protest anthem that propels you through a quest for justice

2:14:00: A rollicking bluegrass jam that truly tells a NJ story