James Lewis sits down with author, food writer, and TrueSouth host John T. Edge to discuss his memoir House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home.

The conversation explores inherited identity, childhood trauma, Southern culture, accountability, unintended consequences, and the stories we unconsciously carry forward.

Best known for his work with the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Emmy Award winning series TrueSouth, John T. reflects on family, purpose, leadership, and what it means to confront the truths that shape us.

This is a conversation about more than food. It is a conversation about identity, memory, and what to carry forward from our past.

Watch. Read. Listen.

Companion essay:
"The Story We Inherit"

https://www.retiresouthern.com/lifestyle/the-story-we-inherit

Most people think success in music looks like the spotlight.

The front man. The headliner. The name on the marquee.

But there is another path. One built on preparation, consistency, and being ready when the call comes.

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Grocholski, a professional guitarist, session player, and touring musician for Cowboy Mouth, to talk about what it really looks like to build a life in music.

From getting his first guitar at three years old
to teaching himself by ear off Nirvana, The Beatles, and Metallica
to touring the world before he was 20
to stepping on stage at Jazz Fest in front of 30,000 people

Frankie's story is not about chasing the spotlight.

It is about becoming the guy who gets the call.

We talk about the grind, the moments that mattered, and what it means to build a career between airplanes and amplifiers.

If you have ever wondered what it really takes to do what you love for a living, this one is for you.

Read the full feature here: https://www.retiresouthern.com/retiresouthernpodcast/frankie-g-guitarist-cowboy-mouth-story

Read. Watch. Listen.

Rooted in the South. Driven by Purpose. Built for Living.

What if most of what we call "dining" today… isn't actually dining at all?

In this episode of Retire Southern, we sit down with Chef Kevin Joseph of Raw Lab and Blaiss Nowak of Nowak's Steakhouse to explore a new way of thinking about food, hospitality, and human connection.

On April 28 in Atlanta, they're bringing that vision to life with EPICureanism at Nowak's. A one-night, immersive culinary experience designed not as a dinner, but as a progression. A conversation. A room built for presence.

Because as Kevin puts it:

"The delta between eating and dining is discovery."

• The difference between 21st century dining and a 22nd century culinary philosophy
• How Raw Lab redefined what a meal can be
• Why presence is the ultimate luxury in a dining experience
• The psychology of shared tables, music, and environment
• What to expect from EPICureanism at Nowak's on April 28

This is not a traditional dinner.

It's a curated, multi-course experience built around:

• Oyster Flight
• Salon de Caviar
• Land & Sea
• Sea Salt Social
• Wine travel throughout

Designed to engage, challenge, and connect. This experience unfolds in real time, with every guest moving through it together.

No distractions. No separate tables. Just a room built for discovery.

This isn't for everyone. And it's not supposed to be.

This is for the curious.
For people who value presence over routine.
For those who believe the best conversations, and the best relationships, are built around a table.

📍 Nowak's Steakhouse, Atlanta, GA
📅 April 28
🕕 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
🎟️ Limited seating

This is what Life EQ looks like in real time.

Some dinners you forget.
Others change how you experience everything that comes after.

This is one of those.

🎧 Read. Watch. Listen.
Full feature