Robert K Stephen (CSW)

RKS Film: “Tales from the Gimli Hospital” (Redux)

Gimli is a small town in Manitoba, Canada. In 1983 an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Edmonton ran out of fuel and miraculously coasted from 41,000 feet to an airfield in Gimli Manitoba. So I was piqued in seeing “Gimli” as part of the title to “Tales from the Gimli Hospital”. Written and directedContinue reading “RKS Film: “Tales from the Gimli Hospital” (Redux)”

RKS Wine: On the Search for a Star Ontario Viognier

Marsanne and Viognier are often companions in a blend creating a very unique stye of wine. Lots of tropical notes like mango and peach with pineapple. Viognier on its own is also or can be quite tasty. Here in Ontario countries of origin for Viognier would primarily be France and Australia. Does Ontario produce Viognier?Continue reading “RKS Wine: On the Search for a Star Ontario Viognier”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: “Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes”; J.D. Salinger: About New York City

“Honest to God, I think it’s this goddam New York. What I think maybe we’ll do, if everything goes along all right, we’ll get ourselves a little place in Connecticut maybe. Not too far out necessarily, but far enough that we can lead a goddam normal life. I mean she’s crazy about plants and allContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: “Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes”; J.D. Salinger: About New York City”

RKS Wine: Is This Bargain Basement Portuguese Wine Worth $12.95?

Price is not determinative when it comes to quality of a wine. I had a buddy over for dinner last Saturday. He was happily ebullient over a $90 Pinot Noir from Prince Edward County in Ontario. Knowing that I write about wine and have made several recommendations to him for wine purchases he looked atContinue reading “RKS Wine: Is This Bargain Basement Portuguese Wine Worth $12.95?”

RKS Literature: Freedom and Individuality

“The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs or impede their efforts to attain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greaterContinue reading “RKS Literature: Freedom and Individuality”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: “The Communist Manifesto”

“The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has piteously torn asunder the motley feudal ties that bound man to his “natural superiors,” and left no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous cash payment. The bourgeoisie possess theContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: “The Communist Manifesto””

RKS Wine: Bordeaux Wine Label: Who Kidnapped the “Château”?

If you prefer the wines of Bordeaux a common feature on their label is some Château in picture and in name. Who kidnaped the château on the front of this bottle? There is no château written and for pictorial representation perhaps it is there but so far in the distance. The wine is 100% Merlot.Continue reading “RKS Wine: Bordeaux Wine Label: Who Kidnapped the “Château”?”

RKS Travel: Thessaloniki, Greece: Greece Eats: Pantopolio Food Emporium

I am not quite sure what to classify Pantopolio as? A deli would be too crude. I think I will settle with a “food emporium” crammed full of Greek delights, cheese, wine, seafood, meats just to name a few. There are literally hundreds of high-quality food items here. I discovered this wonderful shop 4 yearsContinue reading “RKS Travel: Thessaloniki, Greece: Greece Eats: Pantopolio Food Emporium”

RKS Travel: Thessaloniki, Greece Eats: Where the Dinosaurs Go to Eat: Kafeneio Pyrgos

On the surface in the heavily trafficked areas of Thessaloniki one may be left with the impression the younger set survives on coffee and as the sun sets move on to cocktails. As in Toronto so it goes in Thessaloniki where wine and beer is dying and the mighty cocktail lifts its costly head. ThereContinue reading “RKS Travel: Thessaloniki, Greece Eats: Where the Dinosaurs Go to Eat: Kafeneio Pyrgos”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Narcotics and COVID

“Always attuned to changes in the mood of the market, drug dealers had quickly realized the advantageous commercial consequences of a year of continual stress. When the numbers of the infections increased, so had the need to find drug-induced solace in what seemed like the Valley of the Shadow of Death. When the numbers decreased,Continue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Narcotics and COVID”