A Quick Visit to Stratford

Life's been a little crazy lately and I'm looking forward to finally being able to "land" at home! Last week I took a quick visit to Stratford and London (Ontario) to see some good theatre and my friend Suzanne (not necessarily in that order!).

 

If you live in the Midwest, love theatre and can easily get to Canada, let me recommend Stratford. While it was conceived as a Shakespeare Festival, the season is diverse with a mix of contemporary, classic, musical and yes, Shakespearean plays. The town itself is a fun spot, with lots of shopping and some tasty restaurants.

                     

This little street is a back street, yet on it you could find an enchanting tea shop, a coffee place, antique shop, record and book store, and some charming vignettes.

On my first day, before seeing an amazing production of "The Diary of Anne Frank," (updated after the diary itself was updated), I lunched at Bentley's, an English pub. The quiche and Caesar salad were perfect.



The next day I returned with Suzanne. We had a delicious chicken soup and spring rolls at Mone Thai. Then we shopped and took some photos at the river and town fountain.

                              

The fountain was built in honor of a W. R. Friedland, Stratford's first full-time music teacher. Students raised the money in 1897 (during Queen Victoria's Jubilee) for the fountain honoring their teacher. It also features water troughs for horses and dogs too!

                     

The weather was perfect -- a mid-fall day, warm but not too warm, bright and sunny. It was quite perfect! There was even a Lizzie sighting when I saw this very relaxed shop cat!

After dinner at Fellini's -- delicious individual pizzas -- we headed toward the Festival Theatre which is on the Avon. In the twilight, we noted ducks lazing along and a pair of kayakers, out for an end of the season row.



Our play at the Festival was "The Sound of Music." Suzanne and I have a long history with that play. She's been in a couple of productions, one of which was the high school production we were in together. We have high expectations for a difficult show -- it has one of the longest first acts ever! But it didn't drag for a second and the sets were spectacular. This basic designed easily turned into a mountain, an abbey, the living room, bedroom and ballroom of the von Trapp house. The scene changes were quick and entertaining and when the show was over, the lengthy standing ovation was well deserved.



The next day it was home again and time to head to the lake! I hope to have a bit of Northern Michigan fall color for you next time! Till then, happy memories of a lovely town!

Meanwhile, enjoy one last look at the Avon!