Souvenirs
Maybe it was the album. One of those put together with ‘Photographs’ scribed on the supple black leather cover: scribed in gold in the fanciest calligraphy one could muster back before the age of television. They are picture storybooks really—the kind likely to be found in many homes: A loose narrative of a lifetime with […]
The page three opportunity
The Times is always looking to spice things up—in a tasteful way, mind you. It was therefore with some interest that we learned Britain’s Sun tabloid was rumoured to be adopting a more restrained approach to its page three presentations. That would open up an opportunity for a paper, such as this to go downmarket […]
Turning point
“Give us a twirl.” Egads. Show me an any athlete, professional or amateur, male or female, who wants their accomplishments dismissed with a sexist putdown. Before anyone suggests I shouldn’t get my panties in a bunch, let me ask this: When has a male competitor ever been asked such a question? I’d say it’s never […]
Wear an old hat
If you are attending a hockey game featuring two high-scoring teams, wear an old hat. At a recent Florida Everblades game, we sat near the last row in the arena. When Chris Kushneriuk netted his third goal in the game, I expected an avalanche of hats to hit the ice. To my utter dismay, only […]
The Green Fairy
We love to indulge in the latest fad, be it clothing or entertainment. But what about fashions in beverage? In the late 18th century, a beverage was developed in Neuchâtel that would gain both immense popularity and notoriety: absinthe. In the late 19th century, during the Belle Époque, it became the beverage of choice, notably […]
The firing line
It is always refreshing to read about the downfall of a high flyer. Goodness knows, top executives are paid so much, it feels almost thrilling to see one get his comeuppance every now and then. So, for example, when Acme Widgets Inc. suddenly announces that its chief executive has quickly, and—from his standpoint—unexpectedly decided to […]
Food fight
We’re well past the halfway mark for the month of January, which means some of us have already abandoned our resolutions for the new year. Every new year should be celebrated with the fanfare of your choosing and with some resolve to either never do a certain something again or to do a certain something […]
Snakes and Ladders
To refresh your memory: Snakes and Ladders was that wonderful board game of your youth. You rolled the dice and moved your piece on the board. With good fortune, you would avoid the snakes. If you landed on a snake, you could go from almost winning to definitely losing. The ladders helped. You could climb […]
Noble rot
The Bordeaux region of France produces the iconic dessert wine, Sauterne from a blend of semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle grapes. In a good vintage, a 375ml of Sauterne from Chateau d’Yquem can cost upwards of $100. However, a Sauterne from a lesser house can be purchased for less than $30. What makes Sauterne so […]
Sonny
Sitting in a Starbucks that is plunked at the end of a strip of franchise food outlets, standing in a row of other stores in a small, flat-roofed suburb mall is not a typical start-of-day for me. But these days, very little is typical, as I find myself in Ottawa lending a hand to my […]