Robert K Stephen (CSW)

The Great Toronto Tim Hortons Near Riot!

On 26March2024 I received an e-mail from “Your Friends at Yorkdale VW” showing how much they appreciated me being part of the VW family. Golly as Sally Field once said at the Oscars, “You really love me!” So nice to be loved by a large German corporation! I was so loved an offer was madeContinue reading “The Great Toronto Tim Hortons Near Riot!”

RKS 2024 Wine: A Failed Recovery Attempt from a New Zealand Pinot Noir Disaster

The last Zealie Pinot Noir I tried was bordering on undrinkable as it “stunk” of oak. New Zealand, in my past experiences, does much better than a stinky Pinot Noir! So hopefully it is redemption time with a Paper Road 2021 Pinot Noir from Borthwick Vineyards family owned and established in 1996. Ancient stony, alluvialContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: A Failed Recovery Attempt from a New Zealand Pinot Noir Disaster”

RKS 2024 Film: “Velma”: An Elusive Attempt to Find that Special Man: “Moon River” Meets Ted Bundy

Shot in a rich 1960’s motive (with a touch of Fellini) including food, dress and music Velma (Scarlet Moreno) searches for that “special man” but Velma is locked into a pattern of feeding then bedding a man regretting her unsuccessful endeavours of willing if not compulsive behavior. It is not regretting or being ashamed ofContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Velma”: An Elusive Attempt to Find that Special Man: “Moon River” Meets Ted Bundy”

RKS Literature: A Corporate Executive Expresses His Love for the “Common People” After Many Highballs (Vonnegut)

“It was a generalized love-particularly for the little people, the common people, God bless them. All his life they had been hidden from him by the walls of his ivory tower. Now, this night, he had come among them, shared their hopes and disappointments, understood their yearnings, discovered the beauty of their simplicities and theirContinue reading “RKS Literature: A Corporate Executive Expresses His Love for the “Common People” After Many Highballs (Vonnegut)”

RKS 2024 Literature: The Spirituality of the Corporate Mission (Vonnegut)

“The faith of Kroner’s had a lot to do with Paul’s getting to be manager of Ilium: and now that faith might get him the managership of Pittsburgh. When Paul thought about his effortless rise in the hierarchy, he sometimes, as now, felt sheepish, like a charlatan. He could handle his assignments all right, butContinue reading “RKS 2024 Literature: The Spirituality of the Corporate Mission (Vonnegut)”

Opera Revue: Pesky Operatic Danger Attacks the Sanctity of Opera

As disclaimers and “transparency” are soothing words spouted by public relations firms desperately trying to “manage” the transgressions of deep pocketed corporations I must disclose that I am President and Chief Executive Officer of “The Pan Canadian Society for the Purity of Opera”. Our goal is ensuring operatic performances maintain minimum standards including “proper management”Continue reading “Opera Revue: Pesky Operatic Danger Attacks the Sanctity of Opera”

RKS 2024 Wine: The Berlin Wall, DDR Memories and German Pinot Noir

I was in Berlin in the days of yore when the Berlin Wall was “up and running”. At night lit up it was particularly eerie with bright lights and East German soldiers with dogs patrolling and East German soldiers patrolling the patrolling East German soldiers for fear they’d somehow make a break for it. AndContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: The Berlin Wall, DDR Memories and German Pinot Noir”

RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot: To Dream the Almost Impossible Dream

Wine writers must suffer boredom reviewing wines if they have no passion. You might want to say I am passionate about discovering good Ontario Merlot despite the fact it might be a Sir Edmund Hillary climb to find one. The majority taste neutered with little power to impress. Sure you can point to terroir toContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot: To Dream the Almost Impossible Dream”

RKS 2024 Film: “Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor”: Artistic Exploration Sputters to Nostalgia Act

Carol Doda (1937-2015) has been recognized as the first “legal” topless dancer in the United States. Using archival footage including press interviews we trace the history of Carol Doda and perhaps of more interest the evolution of American attitudes towards sexuality and the feminist movement. The film also delves into (although not expressly) the AmericanContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor”: Artistic Exploration Sputters to Nostalgia Act”

RKS Literature: Suffering from a Lack of Suffering (Ben Lerner)

“On the one hand, Klaus, surely the only man in Topeka outfitted in white linen, could not take these kids-with their refrigerators full of food, their air conditioning and television, their freedom from stigma and state violence-seriously; what could be more obvious than the fact that they did not know what suffering was, that ifContinue reading “RKS Literature: Suffering from a Lack of Suffering (Ben Lerner)”