Check out Kevins Events Calendar below....updated details will be published as I receive them.

Monday night Movie series from Gallery Stratford

About Monday Night Movies: Through a partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival Group, Gallery Stratford offers a special selection of films on the third Monday of every month from September to May at the Stratford Cinemas. The film series allows the audience unique access to view Canadian and international films in limited distribution

Stratford Chef School 2011 /2012 Culinary Repertoire Menus
 
The Waterloo Lectures at the Stratford Public Library bring leading scholars, forward thinkers, and experts from the University of Waterloo to the City of Stratford to address an eclectic range of topics. September 2011 through April 2012. Details here.

The 2011-12 season of INNERchamber is up and running. 
At this website you will find information on the 5 concerts we have planned for this season. Tickets are now available for purchase through the website and at ticket outlets including Anything Grows and Fanfare Books. 

Art in the Park, every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, June to September - weather permitting. Features up to 50 artists and a wonderful selection of one of a kind pieces. Take a few minutes and meet these interesting folks. Lakeside Drive, Stratford. I recently met up with new AITP member David Sharpe-lovely addition to the already strong line up of talent.

The Stratford Symphony (SSO) with director Jerome David Summers.

Stratford Shakespeare Festival Mid-April-October 30th. Follow on twitter @stratfest or facebook
 
Gallery 96, King Street.


 
Restaurant news...

We have eaten at Pearl Sushi and loved it. Decor is simple. They are located at 127 Downie St. 519.273.7275.
Oddly enough, we get much of our take out sushi from Mr.Kim, just down the street at The General Store- 136 Ontario St. Take out! 519.275.2726.
Fosters for good steaks or simply mingle with the actors on their patio after the evening show. Rundles (519.271.6442) are still doing their fine gourmet dining and havel added an affordable? option too in the form of a 'sophisto bistro menu' serving dinner in the rear of the restaurant ($47.50 for 2 course or $59.50 for 3 course) and are looking forward to the 2011 menu! Closes early October, but you can still have chefs school dinners or private dinner parties. Raja Indian Cuisine are also doing a fine job at reasonable prices with Jazz evenings a lovely feature on weekends after 8pm. 
Bijou, well need we say more! Do the translation. No change there, so that's great, same can be said for Keystone Alley and Woolfy's at Wildwood.
Upstairs at Pazzo continues to grow in stature too, they have expanded into the store front next door, Pazzo Bakery. Another bakery just opened is Downie Street Bake House....I'll post more details in the spring of 2012 on hours etc. 
York Street Kitchens is good for take out sandwiches, moving to Erie St, a 3 minute walk from their old site.
Local pubs worth noting include The Boars Head and Molly Blooms. Mollies have entertainment 5 nights a week for the night owls.
FYI; if you're coming to Stratford from across the border around the Niagara area, you might like to know of a lovely restaurant called Lake House Restaurant. (35 kms westerly from Niagara Falls on QEW) It overlooks the lake and food is excellent.

One last thing, we have a few new coffee houses here, but Revel Caffe (519 301 1600) is the one to check out. It's at 50 Wellington St. All the coffee is fair trade and organic mostly from Las Chicas Del Café, the coffee chicks who's family stretches from London to Nicaragua, cutting out all the middlemen too "from plantation to cup" as they themselves say! Check out the CBC's special report on these coffee growers. Anne also makes all the coffee using the expresso machine before 'doctoring' it. Lots to choose from - I like to ask Anne for a regular Cafe Americano or try their drip extraction cold coffee.
You can pick up Las Chicas (Don Rey) freshly roasted beans there too.
You can also access a lovely restaurant publication from nearby London featuring a lot of Stratford restaurant reviews called eatdrink at eatdrinkmag.net They recently featured Woolfys, Bijou, Rundles and the Church Restaurant.
Steve Stacey has a local blog called 'The Local Come Lately' worth noting, mostly on the food scene here.

Clich here for Stratford's Menu Guide.

Shopping news,
soon to be considered an extreme sport in both the Winter and Summer Olympics....

We like to shop local right here in Stratford. Especially as all these stores are not more than 10 minutes from our door.
Slow Food Stratford brings it's Sunday Market downtown every Sunday beginning June 5th to October 30th, 10-2pm. The Slow Food Market features locally grown and organic food from Erbcroft Farms, Lindsays Bakery, Monforte Dairy, Soiled Reputation to name a few.
Note my recently purchased fine Harris Tweed jacket from Macleods Scottish Shop. The last one finally wore out after 22 years! I'd have preferred to keep wearing it but divorce was mentioned once or twice. Good British chocolated there too & curly wurly's!
Speaking of all things celtic, I purchase my hemp kilts at RKilts on York St. I'm hoping Santa or some magic elves will get me one of his leather ones soon. He has an interesting video 'Hey you what's with the skirt'-worth a look.
A new store for the knitters-Close Knit 76 Wellington St.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory supplies our lovely 'pillow' chocolates.
Anything Grows: a store for gardeners, who used to be next door are now happily moved and settled at 235 St.Patrick St, and worth a pleasant seven minute walk.
You can even get a local pilsiner made right in town by the Stratford Brewing Company, in bottles at the LCBO or on tap in many restaurants and bars. Moving downtown in 2012 subject to planning at City Hall.
Or you can wander back to Revel for coffee as prescribed earlier by Dr.Kev.
Close by to my previous employer i.e. The Church Restaurant is 'An Artists Cottage', many of you will know it as the home of Gerard Brender a Brandis, who still makes his own handmade books, wood engravings of flowers and too many other interesting and unique artifacts to mention.(77 Brunswick St. 519.273.7523). He is a class act and a gentleman. We are lucky to have him live in our fair city.
Speaking of books, we have many bookstores, all are good and will take the time to help you find that special read. My presonal favourite is Callan Books at 15 York St, John hasn't let me down yet! Fanfares bookstore is also just down the street.
If you have some time on your hands, try making some pottery at The Clay Cafe also on York St.
The Milky Whey Cheese shop will celebrate it's second year this summer in Stratford. Lovely selection of local and not so local cheeses. 118 Ontario St.
Davis Art Gallery, 106 Ontario St. a few doors away is a personal favourite of ours for that hard to find gift our friends and usually for ourselves too! We can thank John at this store for putting us in contact with the artist who designed and created the glass art work at our front door. Come by and have a look sometime.
You Market Co-op is a local and seasonally inspired market supporting local farmers, producers and artisans. An onsite bakery producing affordable freshly baked bread daily is available too. Worth a look, next to Fosters Inn.


Diversions

Golf - Stratford Country Club, Rebel Creek, Science Hill Golf Club & St.Mary's Golf Club.

Stratford receives national and international awards as Canada’s premiere garden city.
Stratford is Canada’s Best Blooming Community in 2008. In a national competition by Communities in Bloom, in which hundreds of towns and cities competed, Stratford was selected as the overall national champion for its gardens and community involvement in beautification, environmental awareness and heritage conservation.

Stratford also won the Communities in Bloom International Challenge competing against communities of its size in America, Britain, Japan and Ireland.

Tea Leaves Tea Tasting Bar433 Erie St. is a lovely way to spend a few hours in the afternoon. Karen is very informative and as an avid traveller and tea sommelier has lots of interesting stories to recant. (15 minutes walk) I believe Karen will be moving downtown for the 2012 season.

The farmers market has moved to it's new home.
Visit Perth County have a great map of all local food grown in the area & you can visit many of the farms, creameries etc. Worth a look.
Ontario pdf map.

One last note; Please don't get disapointed, book your favourite event or dinner early. Kim and myself are always happy to make reservations for you. (We especially recommend this option for those arriving on friday evenings).
In any event, you can always call us for up to the minute advice, directions or even a chat!
Remember we are a B&B; callers and arrivals after midnight until after breakfast will be ignored and served old soggy waffles for the duration of their stay!!! (Emergencies excepted).

You can go to the forums on Tripadvisor, I like to use it a lot myself when we travel, but always cross reference the information shown, just to be sure. To post on their forum you will need to log in or register, it's very easy!