“Even when Canadian humour is awful it just lies there being awful in its own fresh way.” – Robert Thomas Allen, writer In the tourism industry, it’s a given that Canadian tourists are affable, i.e., they play well with others. And, in general, that’s been my experience. So the question was, what are they like… Read More RCMP: Royal Canadian Meal Plan

“It’s common sense to me that you shouldn’t eat most of the chemically treated rubbish most people seem to stuff themselves with.” – John Lennon There were the inevitable jokes about us serving beetles, there were questions of whether or not the meal would be vegetarian, since the quartet spent a good part of their… Read More Hard Day’s Night

“This is Jools’ favorite quick Saturday afternoon pasta. Every time I make it, even though it only uses a tiny fraction of my brain and takes a few minutes in the pan, she seems to be really impressed with it, so on that basis, I decided to put it in this book.” – Jamie Oliver,… Read More Nekkid ‘n Poorly Made?

“The territory of Ukraine, divided over the centuries, including Galicia, Bukovyna, Carpathian Ruthenia, and Dnieper Ukraine will now become a great united Ukraine. Dreams, for which the best sons of Ukraine fought and died for, have come true. – translation from the Zluky Act, January 22, 1919 A good percentage of my ancestors are from… Read More Day of Reunion of Ukraine

“Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity.” – John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, First Baron Acton of Aldenham Our business in private parties has picked up again, slightly later this year than usual – the last three summers we’ve been… Read More Mediterranean Privacy

Celebrating wasn’t the correct word. After all, it was a disaster we were talking about. 1919 and twenty-one people lost their lives and more than 150 ended up in the hospital with injuries. But it wasn’t your typical disaster – no plane or train or automobile crashes, no tsunamis, earthquakes or volcanoes. No, it was… Read More Slow as Molasses

“December 25 is the birthday of the Roman Sun God, Sol Invictus. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means “the birthday of the unconquered Sun”. The use of the title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god, Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian, and Mithras, a soldiers’ god… Read More ‘Tis the Season

“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” – Paul Cezanne, artist Throw into the mix International Migrants Day, which gave me license to roam the globe for ideas, and the ancient Catholic antiphon O Radix, which I’m sure has far more to do with the roots of… Read More Migrant Roots