Stratford- A great vacation place!

I will continue my ramblings about our trip to Stratford. My sister Donna and I met there and stayed 3 nights at the Traveler's motel. A clean economic motel on Ontario St. Stratford. We arrived sunday afternoon and searched the eating places for a suitable dinner experience. We picked the "Boar's Head Pub" at the Queen's Hotel downtown Stratford. I was hoping for musical entertainment but it only happens on Fri. and Sat. nights. :(. I had fish and chips and Donna chose steak & kidney pie! We have had better meals as mine had a little too much grease and Donna's was not up to par. We picked these two types as they were noted English fare. Live and learn!
We walked around the village in the afternoon before this meal and found it vacant of tourist and many stores closed. That is when we realized that Stratfordian's take a holiday on Sunday and Monday. There are no plays performed until Tues. When visiting Stratford go to the 2 toy stores, Family & Company, Pumpkin Patch, for a fun time and also go for gifts to the Bazaar Gifts on Ontario St. P'lovers is great shopping too.
I will summarize our other eating experiences- The best place to get home made food- " The York Street Kitchen". www.yorkstreetkitchen.com ,41 York St.
We ate lunch there and the sandwhiches were great, coffee good too. The breakfast menu looked delicious but we didn't get back for one.
We had coffee and Tim Horton's bagels for breakfast most mornings as it was just down the road from our motel!
It you are looking for a fine dining experience them "The Belfry" above "The Church restaurant is the place to go! We went there for lunch, a trip back into the past for me! It had changed and the menu was different and difficult to understand. We did ask the waitress for a translation. The top list are apperitifs on very small plates, range $8 + ,the middle list items are one small plates and range from $15 +, the bottom list items are on big plates and at $25+ .
We decided to share a very small plate item- smoked salmon and have a small plate item each, fish and salad. The smoked salmon, 2 thin curls and sauce, and fennel salad- one tablespoon, I didn't care for the salmon but Donna loved it!
The fish was a small fillet with 1 table spoon of a potato type salad. We did get herb bread with it and asked for another slice as they too were very small! It is a great place to dine for dieters and those with limited appetites and the flavors are wonderful, though brief! The combined bill was $42.?? and we didn't have drink or dessert. I did enjoy going back in time and visited the swank washroom on the way out, years ago I had taken a photo of this washroom! It has changed but very spacious still! www.churchrestaurant.com . 70 Brunswick St.
In past years I have dined at "The Old Prune" fine french dining - Dinner menu $68.50.luncheon from $9:50- $30. The Elizabethan Restaurant is a very good eating place with Daily lunch specials available all day - $5.25-7:25. also old fashioned sandwiches- $3.75- 7:95. Located at 95 Ontario St. open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. "Cafe Ten" in the Festival Square has home made lunches and desserts- yummy!
It's not a dining place but be sure to visit the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and watch delicious chocolate treats being made. I bought dark chocolate covered ginger, my favourite and some turtle like pieces. I had to go to the drug store and get an emergency ice pack for my lunch kit as I decided to go to a play after buying the chocolate. Remember, if you are ever in need of ice- the Guardian Drug store has ice packs in the frig and they are free for the asking!You need a good reason like I had! Emergency for sure!
Plays we enjoyed- CORIOLANUS- Shakespeare tragedy- I hadn't read tis one but it did follow the other tragedies closely and so I could understand it. It was 3 hours long, but lots of action. The star, Colm Feore is my favourite actor and surpassed my expectations in this one. I was of course sad when they burned his body in the last scene. " For his heroism in defeating an uprising against Rome. Coriolanus is nominated for the office of Consul. His opponents, however, are quick to seize on his fatal flaw: his refusal to play the political games demanded by the common people. Soon, the man of the hour becomes a hated outcast- and vows a terrible revenge. A great play and wonderful actors and smooth execusion(of plot)! PUN HA!
We got good seats even though we only bought them the day before- orch. aisle 7 row M seats 35, 36,) the Festival theatre in the round has very few bad seats.
Wed. afternoon I went to see a comedy, " London Assurance" . A wonderful, colourful english comedy. Brian Bedford starred and directed this funny play. I got a seat at 12 the day the play started at 2 p.m. Orch. aisle CE Row P seat 15. Avon theatre, very good view. . The sets were wonderfully colourful and the costumes bejeweled and ornate to an extreme. " Aging roue, Sir Harcourt Courtly seeks to marry 18 year-old heiress Grace Haraway, little realizing that he has a rival in his own son,Charles. Riotous comedy ensues as Charles and his accomplice, Dazzle, enlist Grace's cousin, the high spirited lady Gay Spanker, to help them in an elaborate game of deception."
Tues before the play Donna and I visited the exhibit," All made of FANTASY" enchanting design from former plays. The costumes and set pieces were from many fantasy plays- ranging from red riding hood to fairies and sprites and ugly creatures of various colours and textures, and fabrics.
Two other tourist attractions that we enjoyed were the boat trip along Lake Victoria and the red double decker bus trip around Stratford. The scenery is gorgeous and there are many beautiful houses, trees and interesting buildings to be seen. The swans are of course famous. This year I saw a black swan and 2 baby swans. The mother swan formed her wings when protecting them and it just looked like a swan paddle boat shape. There are mallard ducks and chinese ducks also.
In conclusion, try to have a trip to Stratford. It is worth the drive and do take in a play or 2, while you are there. I love the atmosphere of peace and calmness. I hope you will get a chance visit and to refresh, renew and enjoy like we did in July 2006!