The Stratford Update

Okay, now that everyone thinks I'm a raging alcoholic, I'll fill you in on the Stratford trip.

Hubby and I took the back route to Stratford - just better than dealing with all the traffic and trucks, especially when the area is so scenic, and we weren't in a hurry. Got to Acrylic Dreams, the B&B, around 2:30, and spent a bit of time chatting with Jack, one of the owners. They are just amazing people, with very interesting lives. Jack is an artist, teaches yoga, has cooked at a well-known, fine dining establishment in Stratford, and is just generally a cool person to talk to. Once we got our stuff in, Hubby and I went for a walk and browsed in some of the town's unique little stores. We headed back in order to change and get ready for dinner and the theatre.

We had changed our reservations to Keystone Alley, which is much closer to the Avon Theatre. Since we were walking, close proximity was a good thing - then I could wear totally impractical shoes with three and a half inch heels. Dinner was fabulous. I had a Framboise Royale (sparkling chardonnay and Sour Puss Raspberry), and Hubby had a microbrewed beer. He had the spring rolls to start, and I had the duck parfait (more like a terrine, served with toasted brioche and caperberries). For main courses, Hubby had the Thai-inspired grilled scallops with jasmine rice and bitter greens and I had the lamb en croute with sweet pea and mint pancakes, confit of exotic mushrooms, and sugar snap peas. I enjoyed a glass of wine with my meal, and Hubby was still sipping his beer. For dessert, Hubby had the chocolate truffle delice and I had the trio of creme brulee (grand marnier, chocolate-raspberry, and amaretto). The service was great, and the food was delicious.

We had a bit of time after dinner to browse through the theatre store. They have objects for sale inspired by the plays at the Avon Theatre. There were many tropical items inspired by South Pacific, some Dickensian things inspired by Oliver, and some British objects from London Assurance. Always fun to look at, but not nearly as good as the theatre store attached to the Festival Theatre, which is where the all the Shakespeare is performed. Of course, it was easier on the wallet this way!

The show itself was very well done. It was weird for me to see it. I know most of the lines and all of the music, yet have seen only snippets, because I was in the orchestra for our university production. Stratford definitely had a bigger set-design budget! It was quite entertaining, and Cynthia Dale is always wonderful (she was on my all-time favourite show, Street Legal), and Laird Mackintosh, who played Joe Cable, had an excellent voice. Overall, an enjoyable production. Afterwards, Hubby suggested that we go for a drink, so we sat inside this cute little pub. We would have sat on the patio on such a beautiful evening, but the smoke was a bit too thick (the downside of the Ontario smoking ban!).

The next morning, it was lovely to sleep in, especially without a dalmatian pressing into my spine! Breakfast was served at 9, and we had our own little table and the other 6 people at the B&B sat together (they were 3 American couples who were there to see several plays over 3 days). Jack brought us coffee right away, and Karen brought us our fruit plates - cantaloupe and blueberries garnished with mint from the garden. This was followed by divine scrambled eggs with fresh-snipped baby chives, a fresh tomato sliced and sprinkled with chives, a croissant, some homemade, whole grain toast, and homemade rhubarb/ginger jam and raspberry preserves. Yum! A short time after breakfast and a (too brief) visit with Karen, and we headed back to Oakville. Hopefully, we'll be back next year.