Patricia Morris
3 things I love about the Stratford Area:
It's franchise free; there is an eclectic mix of arts and artists; and it has a very sophisticated dining culture.
3 Favorite local hidden treasures you shouldn't miss:
Garden Strolls Stratford's parks and
gardens are world famous winning many awards from Communities in Bloom. What's not to like with the Avon River, the
swans and shady walks stretching from the Shakespeare Gardens to the Arthur
Meighen Gardens surrounding the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Theatre. I recommend downloading the Garden Stroll
for an audio tour that points out the highlights while you wander.
Tea
Leaves Tea Tasting Bar Enter a cozy living room, and enjoy a
flight of teas selected from over one hundred options by the foremost tea
sommelier in Canada. She'll share with you the origins, methods, flavour
profiles, and health benefits of your experience. Very relaxing and enriching.
For anyone with a sweet tooth there
is a triumvirate of chocolatiers here, each catering to your various chocolate
needs. At Rheo
Thompson Candies select from over 100 different kinds of
chocolate like the renowned mint smoothies. They also create the most artistic
packaging around. While crediting
their training to having worked at Rheo's for five years, the owners of Chocolate Barr's Candies Inc. do things a little differently. Here you can find
homemade fudge, hard candies, brittles, and chocolate truffles made with red chili
peppers—worth a taste. Rocky
Mountain Chocolate Factory is
fully stocked with fudge, chocolates, and gelatto, but the unique treat here is
the candied apple! This reinvention of your dentist's favourite fruit is dunked
in chocolate, caramel, nuts, candies, smarties, and goodness.
My perfect day spent in the Stratford Area:
We would start at the Stratford Farmers' Market to sample and buy some organic meats, cheeses and fresh breads to snack on later. A convenient alternative would be The Gentle Rain, Stratford's organic grocery store and naturopathy centre. It has a great selection of healthy and environmentally friendly products. Later: rent a paddle boat and drift on the Avon with a Shakespeare themed picnic from York Street Kitchen. Order your picnic from the sandwich window freshly made. Wander the romantic and intimate Shakespearean Gardens, a truly poetic place to stroll. Apparently many couples have their wedding photos taken there. From there we continue our walk to the Art in the Park—a gallery of artisans displaying their crafts along the river. We could then browse some of the shops, book stores, and native art galleries; or step into Café Ten to share a sweet treat from a decadent display of deserts including some irresistible cheesecakes. Make our way to Stratford's great gardening shops like Anything Grows, formerly the Stratford Brewery that now has rare and creative gardening and outdoor living accessories. Or, you can't resist a visit to Cozyn's Garden Gallery where the green houses seem to go on forever. Then we would head out to Tea Leaves Tea Tasting Bar, where we'd indulge in an exotic flight of teas. There are quite a few very fine dining restaurants to choose from that boast Stratford Chefs School grads who emphasize "slow food" and eating locally. My personal favourite is called Bijou. It is truly a gem of a romantic spot, serving modern French cuisine with a seasonally selected menu. Before catching one of the many shows offered in repertory by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, we'd stop at Relish Day Spa on Ontario Street for a pedicure for two. With perky feet we walk to the number one theatre festival in Canada. After the show, a late night sparkling wine and cheese, and fresh strawberries await us at our suite at Foster's Inn. It has also quietly become the hot spot for Festival actors to go for a post-show cocktail. Reclining on cushioned banquets, amidst the Stratford arts crowd communing in theatrical discourse, we make our cozy toasts to a lovely day.