Robert K Stephen (CSW)

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: The Safety of Marriage

“I do not know if the pimp’s album may not have been another link in the daisy-chain; but soon after, for my own safety, I decided to marry. It occurred to me that regular hours, home cooked meals, all the conventions of marriage, the prophylactic routine of its bedroom activities and, who knows, the eventualContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: The Safety of Marriage”

RKS Wine: Nyarai Cellars 2020 Folklore Sparkling Wine: Festive Tinged with Gratitude

Champagne producers have done an impeccable job making Champagne seemingly mandatory for celebrations. However, after chatting with Sharon Little the Director of Marketing and Promotions for Nyarai Cellars in St. Davids, Ontario she advised me that the wine was crafted in gratitude of the struggle, sacrifices and hardships endured by our ancestors. It is aContinue reading “RKS Wine: Nyarai Cellars 2020 Folklore Sparkling Wine: Festive Tinged with Gratitude”

RKS Film: “Riotsville USA”

Documentaries are rarely “neutral” and often can be political statements as is “Riotsville USA”. Given the degree of civil unrest in the United States between 1965-70 such as witnessed in Watts (1965), Chicago (1966) and Newark/Detroit (1967) the United States government constructed two simulated main streets in army bases in Virginia and Georgia. In theseContinue reading “RKS Film: “Riotsville USA””

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Messing with a Psychiatrist

“I discovered there was an endless source of robust enjoyment in trifling with psychiatrists: cunningly leading them on: never letting them see you know all the tricks of the trade: inventing for them elaborate dreams, pure classics in style (which make them the dream-extortionists, dream and wake up shrieking); teasing them with fake “primal scenes”;Continue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Messing with a Psychiatrist”

RKS Wine: Malivoire Analog Demo Series 2021 Gamay and Cabernet Franc

Somewhat like a West Highland terrier busily digging in the garden for goodness knows what Malivoire is busily digging about in the Gamay wine world experimenting with discovering Ontario’s Gamays. I think at present they have 8 different Gamays in the bottle. It would be interesting to line them all up for a tasting butContinue reading “RKS Wine: Malivoire Analog Demo Series 2021 Gamay and Cabernet Franc”

RKS Film: “Lazaro and the Shark: Cuba Under the Surface”: Music, Repression, Poverty and Parental Sacrifice in Cuba

“Lazaro and the Shark” is filmed in Santiago de Cuba home of the famous July “Carnival”. Neighbourhoods and surrounding villages snake through Santiago de Cuba’s streets in congas costumed, dancing, playing music and singing in a riotous explosion of colour and movement. It is an amazing spectacle and the documentary catches a snippet of it.Continue reading “RKS Film: “Lazaro and the Shark: Cuba Under the Surface”: Music, Repression, Poverty and Parental Sacrifice in Cuba“

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous” : Chapter 6: Juanita Joins Big Bopper and Buddy Holly

Flying to New Delhi from Montreal is far better than the Delhi Belly flight from New Delhi to Montreal as with the latter Indian food seeks its revenge on those not used to it. Flatulence and the runs created an unholy stench that not even eggplant curry could mask. I arrived at home in BombayContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous” : Chapter 6: Juanita Joins Big Bopper and Buddy Holly”

RKS Food: Making Contact in the Produce Department? Your Grocery Intel! Confessions of a Proud Produceaholic

Being proximate to grocery chains Metro/Fortinos/No Frills and a much smaller non-chain Lady York in Toronto I can have some fun comparing prices of produce. Being mostly a vegetarian fresh and high-quality produce is essential. I saw California cauliflower at $6.00 today at No Frills but at the smaller Lady York local cauliflower without blackContinue reading “RKS Food: Making Contact in the Produce Department? Your Grocery Intel! Confessions of a Proud Produceaholic”

RKS Wine: Wines of Chile: Dagaz Carménère: A Case of Mistaken Grape Identity

Chile is driving for a sustainable wine identity and this wine bucks that trend by not being sustainable but not playing the “party line” does not mean it should be put on a Stalinist show trial. Argentina has its wine identity anchored in Malbec and it could be Chile’s is with Carménère. It originated inContinue reading “RKS Wine: Wines of Chile: Dagaz Carménère: A Case of Mistaken Grape Identity”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 5: Bye Bye Juanita and My Iraqi Sweetheart

Juanita Wallabong’s tour was just about wrapping up in North America with a final performance in Montreal at “The Cote St. Luc Residence for Retired Musicians, Roadies and Groupies”. Well we were enjoying a few glorious days off as this trip was about my education not simply music. I fell in love with Montreal asContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 5: Bye Bye Juanita and My Iraqi Sweetheart”