Hello!

Welcome to The Epic! I am launching this blog as a manifesto for and a guide to living well. The title and motto of the blog are taken from the Epicureans, at least some of whom believed in the notion that not one minute of the future was guaranteed to them and that as a result they had the duty to live life to its fullest every moment.

I believe in discovering fun and pleasurable things wherever I find myself each day and I am told I have a knack for unearthing them. My hope is that by sharing in my pleasures and some of my ways of finding them you will begin to collect all the riches that lie in the moments of your life. They are there. Take them! All our lives should be.....Epic.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

My Hero of The Street Corner


Every so often I come across someone who so exemplifies the Epic spirit that it stops me in my tracks.  Like the fellow on the corner.

I have certain work obligations which at times can only be described as tedious.  When these obligations call, I am required to sally forth from the friendly confines of my office to a nearby building. Which in turn requires me to walk right past him. 

The fellow on the corner is about my age, perhaps a bit older.  He is dressed nicely and doesn't appear in need of food or shelter.  He never asks for anything.  He just gives to others.  In every season, not just the Christmas season, he is on the corner wearing a yellow reflective vest that makes him look quasi-official.  The last week or two he has been sporting a Santa hat.

Every day I walk past him he gives a cheerful grin and says good morning or good afternoon.  Often he will give a compliment too.  "That is a nice looking suit you have on today!" "You are having a great day, I can tell by that smile!"

Think of the energy this fellow expends in this Epic venture.  He has made it his quest through this part of his life to give happiness and light to everyone he sees and he obviously loves what he does.  This year in particular I am in need of this sort of gift.  And he provides it to everyone, at no cost to themselves other than a return smile or greeting.  Which everyone I have seen gives.  Funny how a genuine pleasantry draws a pleasant response.

I would love to know his story but I don't really need to.  He exemplifies the Epic life.  Mining joy from the ordinary and letting others see it.  A Christmas gift indeed.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

St. Augustine and Nouveau Day


It may be recorded elsewhere in these chronicles but St. Augustine was oft want to say that humility assures our salvation as it is the foundation of all the other virtues.  He also said that pride turned angels into devils.  As it turned out, this year I was the recipient of an Epic gift from the venerable Saint on, of all days, Nouveau Day.

To refresh, Nouveau Day, which has been described as one of the most important days of the French cultural calendar, is celebrated in France and in all other sentient places on the third Thursday of November when the new vintage of Beaujolais is released for public consumption.  The barrels are rolled out and tapped at midnight to the ringing of a bell and then something of a wine based Oktoberfest breaks out with partying and drinking [and appropriate dining of course] carrying on for at least three days.  The festival coincides nicely with our American Thanksgiving holiday. 



I adore Nouveau Day because it is so essentially French, it involves wine, and it is a festival of good cheer.  It is also a dandy way to kick off the American holiday season.  Critics, of course, abound.  The quality of this inexpensive and jovial wine is vociferously attacked by the vino-intellectual complex, and certain members of that complex turn their noses wayyy up upon the mere mention of Nouveau Day.  That Beaujolais in general, and Nouveau Day in particular is such a burr under the saddle of some wine folk only adds to my general satisfaction with the event.  I mean, in Japan they love  Nouveau Day so much that they drink Nouveau while collectively bathing in it.  Until hearing this report of wine filled tubs I hadn't thought much about Japan to be honest but now I have firmly placed the nation in the record as Just My Sort Of Place.

On the day in question, I left the office early in search of a couple of bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau.  As is my custom and my Francophillic privilege.  There is a nice small wine shop across the street from my office where I do regular, if modest, business.  I was, if I may say so, dressed up even more so than usual in anticipation of the event and of a date I had that evening.  Upon entering the place I sensed that dark forces were at work.  Instead of my usual sales clerk, behind the counter were two fellows I didn't recognize and they were in deep conversation with a very attractive lady who was a wine sales representative.  It turned out that the two fellows were the owners of the shop which made the ensuing horrid events even more sorry.

Not wanting to interrupt the conversation I made my way about looking for a case or two of Nouveau which I was certain had to be on display.  I didn't see any.  Finally one of the two owners asked me if he could help me find something.  I jovially replied "Yes! NOUVEAU"!  At which the two men looked at each other.  And burst out laughing. 

"We don't have THAT here"!  Ha HA Ha Ha Ha.

"God no, we had a couple of cases of Nouveau from 2016 around somewhere but I put them in the garbage"!  Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

" I had a Nouveau tie once and I used it to tie my suitcase together so I could see it on the airport carousel"! HA HA HA HA HA

"He wants that THIN, AWFUL stuff!" HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAA

I just stared at them.  I mean I know these are low times for manners and for civility in general but the nature of the comments and the tone in which they were said were widely out of bounds in my opinion.  My nice sales clerk manifested himself and seemed disturbed. 

"Um......ahhh......can I show you a very nice Beaujolais instead.......we have it at a good price..."

I politely replied that I appreciated the offer but that it was Nouveau Day and I was hunting for a bottle of Nouveau.  The logic of this seemingly escaped his bosses who upon hearing this broke out in a new round of raucous hooting.  This time joined by the lady wine salesperson.

My adorable and deeply missed wife, The Irish Redhead, used to say that at certain times I was way too tolerant of people.  Her corollary was that I should handle situations such as this the way she would handle them.  Fire. Brimstone. Going to guns as the first option.  The Irish Redhead way.  Alas, some of us lack that gift, usually those of us with Norwegian fathers.  As a result, I gave them what could only be described as a fishy look and I strode out the door never to return.  And when I say I strode I do not employ the term loosely.  If there was ever a time for fishy looks and striding, that was the time.

I am happy to report that upon entering a competing shop they were more than happy, excited even, to point me in the direction of a nice bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau.  I bought two. 

Where does St. Augustine factor into this you may fairly ask.  Well as I was striding out of the shop I felt pretty low.  I mean they had made abject fun of me.  In public.  In front of a lady.  In less allegedly civilized times I would have had no choice but to demand satisfaction on the field of honor under the Code Duello.


Now THERE would be a place where a boy with Viking blood in his veins might capture the day.  Especially against an obnoxious wine merchant or two.  In the event, it finally occurred to me that being humbled in this fashion ultimately stoked my humility rating a notch or two up the scale.  And that as a result I have that much a better shot at salvation and a place at the heavenly table when they celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau each year.  I have it on good authority that Nouveau Day is a pretty big deal in heaven.  I hear that they allow bathing in it too.


Saturday, July 28, 2018

Lots of Livin'.....Glory Days


I have recently remembered two of my favorite songs and realized in the process that they are so very applicable to my life now.  In the New Era.  SDJ sings the truth in "I've Got A Lot of Livin' To Do" from 1963.  I do.  And I'm doing my best.

Then, The Boss singing Glory Days....


Every man relates to this song.  When we get together most fellows go deep into memory mode and talk about high school or college days and all the tremendous times they had then.  The wine.  The women.  The song.  I realized just yesterday that I have received an Epic gift of the highest order.  When I am [God willing] 80 years old, I will look back over a pretty outstanding life experience and THESE will be my Glory Days.  My Halcyon.  I doubt that many people will be able to do that.  Of course, Epic philosophy holds that this should be the case in every time of your life.  We just don't often reach out and take what life holds out for us at every turn.

I'm so glad my Epics are still out there.  I'll be more in touch from now on.

ML

Monday, May 21, 2018

After The Last Post's Meal


Calvados from my balcony after the dinner shown in yesterday's post.  Not too shabby...

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Lost Photos From My Phone


Throughout my travels over the years, I have taken lots of photos of places, meals, wine, and other random things that for whatever reason remain in my phone rather than becoming posts on The Epic.  As a result, I am starting a new series here taking photos from oldest to newest out my phone gallery and sharing them with you. 

This first set comes from a marvelous dinner I had in Sandestin, Florida a summer or two ago.  The restaurant is called Seagar's...



A gorgeous restaurant with a wonderful Epic-style lounge....they have a piano player too who will play Last Date by Floyd Cramer perfectly if you ask for it.  An Epic all time favorite.

Course one was an outstanding tuna and avocado stack....sushi grade tuna and so fresh.....



....accompanied by a very fine Pouilly Fuisse.....


Then the main course.  This dish was so tremendous it was my favorite meal of that summer.  Perfectly cooked Grouper with a lemon butter sauce accompanied by an amazing pasta with herbs and lemon zest.  This was perfect summer fine dining along the Gulf Coast of the U.S....


Dessert was a classic apple tart with a little bit of house made vanilla ice cream and just a touch of house made cinnamon whipped cream....and coffee....and, of course, Calvados...


Mining these photos, and the grand memories of this outstanding meal, and sharing them with you are what Epic dining is ALL about.  Enjoy!!

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Tequila Day....Revisited


When you are writing for the blogosphere it is amazing which posts are the most read.  For years my most read post was Tequila Day.  An ode to a cement block hideout bar with outstanding food.  Then road construction claimed the place and another hideout went dark.  Rumors whispered that Tony's would re-open in a new, swanky location.  Years passed.

I am pleased to report that, under a slightly new name, my Tequila Day joint lives.  It is very pretty, very new, very clean...and without the attached ten unit motel which was an ultra hideout if ever there was one.  But.....

The same home-made chips and salsa....


and...the main event......the BEST carne asada steak ANYYYWHERRREEEE


with a home made Tamale on the side.  As it should be.  Add an ice cold draft Dos Equis Amber and a shot [or two?] of


my all time favorite Tequila........and I can confidently report that although the hideout nature of the place is gone.......the food REIGNS SUPREME.

And....if, as the shadows lengthen, a one-handed man who  just drove into town from Nevada in a 1976 white Cadillac Eldorado convertible walks in with a mysterious message just for you...ignore it at your peril.  I have warned you twice about this.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Ribbons In The Sky


She was always a bit embarrassed when I would post this on Valentine's Day.  I always posted it.  And I always will.

Please hold the one you love closely if you can.  Or text.  Or call.  Just let them know.  Send a Valentine in some fashion.  When you do, know that your gesture will be my Valentine too.

P.S. I apologize for the ad in the video.  The Epic and I do not endorse the ad but I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it.  ML

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

I Have Dreamed.....


365

Three hundred and sixty five days ago she needed to go to the hospital for a routine bug or something.  The hundredth such visit.  No worries.

Sometime tonight I was reading to her as I always did at bed time.  It was a bit later in the night than usual.  She smiled at me and rolled onto her side.

Three hundred and sixty five days from tomorrow morning I walked out of that building.  A dazed expressing on my face.  Carrying her pillow.  It was all I had left.

A blink of an eye and one of the brightest candles ever.  Just. Went. Out.

I don't think that tomorrow is going to be a very good day.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Signs of the New Age


I figured it was time.  My ring was there for 30 years.  That mark will probably never go away.  And I hope it doesn't.