“Then, for the first time, realizing that for every man, and himself too, there was nothing ahead but suffering, death, eternal oblivion, he had decided that to live under such conditions was impossible – he must either find an explanation to the problem of existence which would make life seem other than the cruel ironyContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenin”: The Meaning of Existence”
Tag Archives: Robert K. Stephen
RKS Wines: A High-Cost Romanian Red Wine: Time to Shine or Whine?
In the interests of furthering my scant knowledge about Romanian wines and of hoping for rewards in a search for Romanian winners I paid $42.95 for a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Terroir de Dobrogea. Most Romanian wines in the Ontario market cost under $20. On the nose a very rich wine almost Portish and atContinue reading “RKS Wines: A High-Cost Romanian Red Wine: Time to Shine or Whine?”
RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenin”: Love and Jealously
“In her eyes Vronsky, with all his habits, ideas, desire – his whole spiritual and physical temperament could be summed up in one thing – love for women – and this love, which she felt ought to be wholly concentrated on her was diminishing. Therefore she reasoned, he must have transferred part of it to otherContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenin”: Love and Jealously”
RKS Literature: Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenin”: Count Vronsky’s Code of Principles
“Vronsky’s life was particularly happy in that he had a code of principles, which defined with unfailing certitude what should and should not be done. This code of principles covered only a very small circle of contingencies, but in return the principles were never obscure, and Vronsky, as he never went outside that circle, hadContinue reading “RKS Literature: Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenin”: Count Vronsky’s Code of Principles”
RKS Wine: Bachelder “les Villages” 2020 Gamay Noir: Gentle Elegance
As far as red wine flows in Ontario Gamay is often a winner. What does Thomas Bachelder do with a Gamay? As for aromas amidst the smoky overlay expect black cherry, cherry and rhubarb crumble and a tad of cloves. A lightweight wine very smooth but a seam of complexity rests in the palate withContinue reading “RKS Wine: Bachelder “les Villages” 2020 Gamay Noir: Gentle Elegance”
RKS Travel: Toronto to Athens: Escaping the COVID Shield
In 3 years I have been somewhat housebound as far as international travel goes. Paris in October of 2019. How great it was. Time to spread the wings so off to Greece for a real vacation. Very smooth car ride to Toronto’s Pearson Airport. Expecting pandemonium, we left some 4 hours of cushion. But believeContinue reading “RKS Travel: Toronto to Athens: Escaping the COVID Shield”
RKS Literature: Passage of the Day from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin; Count Vronsky’s View of Himself
“In his Petersburg world people were divided into two quite distinct classes. One – the lower class – commonplace, stupid, and above all, ridiculous people, who believed that a husband should live with the one woman to whom he was married, that young girls should be virtuous, woman chaste and men virile, self-controlled and strong;Continue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin; Count Vronsky’s View of Himself”
RKS Film: “223 Wick”: A Clunker with Some Saving Graces?
Let’s face it “223 Wick” in its entirety is a clunker. Repetitive flashes of light, eerie voices and a whole host of tiresome horror film effects. Trite plot and mostly wooden acting. Of course in the midst of disaster one must recognize some positive points. This is not a horror film as the usual dimContinue reading “RKS Film: “223 Wick”: A Clunker with Some Saving Graces?”
RKS Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin: Two Classes of Women
“Oblonsky smiled. He knew that feeling of Levin’s so well – that for Levin all the girls in the world were divided into two classes: one class included all the girls in the world except Kitty, and they all had all the human weaknesses and were very ordinary girls: while Kitty was in a classContinue reading “RKS Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin: Two Classes of Women”
RKS Wine: A Mavrud from Bulgaria
A rare Bulgarian wine makes an appearance made from the Mavrud grape. Mavrud doesn’t have a stellar reputation but when properly subject to oak ageing it makes a solid simple wine. This wine was aged in barrels crafted by a cooper at the winery. Lots of raspberry and cherry on the nose. There is alsoContinue reading “RKS Wine: A Mavrud from Bulgaria”
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