Maxwell Lee
3 things I love about the Stratford Area:
It's got a lot of sophistication without being pretentious. It's one of the few areas that make great efforts to remain affordable, so that there are many ways to have a rich and cultured experience without it costing too much. I love the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. It is the best quality theatre I know.
3 Favorite local hidden treasures you shouldn't miss:
One of the great aspects of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival is that if you want to see a show, they will accommodate you. A quantity of $29 tickets are made available for each show, and enable me to enjoy a world class production of a Shakespearean play that I would have otherwise not been able to see. Discounts also available for theatre-goers under 35.
County Food Co. This is a place that prides itself in using fresh local products to create memorable tasting cooking from scratch. Soups and hot and cold entrees are fresh daily. My favourite is the specialty salad bar. If you have food sensitivities, they serve vegetarian, no wheat, no dairy and vegan dishes.
P'Lovers Think natural, organic, recycled, healthy alternatives and P'lovers is your store. This bi-level shop between Ontario and York Streets offers a wide selection of products that work for you and living more sensibly with the earth. Say hello to Seska, their four-legged greeter from me.
My perfect day spent in the Stratford Area:
I would go on a Saturday and begin at the Stratford Farmers' Market, where I could sample all kinds of organic foods, and stock up on what I need for the week at home. Everything is fresh and inexpensive. Then I would walk along any one of the myriad nature hikes that surround the city. I'd visit P'lovers (a contraction for planet lovers) to see what's new. In addition to all the other interesting shops, there are so many book stores each with a large selection of Canadian fiction, theatre related works—especially Shakespeare-and classic novels that anywhere else you would have to special-order. Watch for the discounted books on tables outside downtown stores. Book Stage has new, used, rare or antiquarian books inside and outside in the shaded front area across from the Studio Theatre and I like to spend time with Manfred, the charming European who is a real expert. Then I'd walk down to the Art in the Park exhibition, browse the artisans and their crafts, and sit by the river with lunch that I prepared from the market or select from tasty dishes prepared from local ingredients at County Food Co. The best place for dinner would be at Bentley's, a busy casual pub with 15 draft beers on tap and a varied fresh menu. If I needed my Italian fix, I'd go next door to Fellini's. Otherwise I would head to Pearl Sushi for my tempura fix.