At every turn, you’re greeted with an abundance of smiles, waves, and hellos. Is this some far away land? No, it isn’t Oz per say, but rather 1 ½ hours just southwest of Toronto. And, no, there is no ulterior motive to their welcoming exchange; they’re not trying to get you to buy or sign up for something, this is just the town of Stratford’s natural demeanour. The folks here are just so darned friendly! It…
On our first night in downtown Stratford ahead of the Savour Stratford culinary food festival, we decided to visit Mercer Hall Restaurant for dinner.
The charming space, which also doubles as an inn on the second floor, carried a slight air of confidence with its high ceilings and glittering chandeliers, all the while maintaining a welcoming demeanour; case in point, the cozy banquettes that lined the walls and the warm chocolate brown glass case which stocked the restaurant’s wines.
On Thursday, Friday…
Stratford, Ontario is known not only for its theatrical and artistic flair, but it’s been widely heralded as a culinary destination for food lovers alike. After all, this little gem houses the renowned Stratford Chefs School; many talented individuals have passed through its studious kitchens and the rigorous standards upheld by their Chef instructors. Alumni such as Top Chef Canada winner Carl Heinrich have marked their place in the culinary echelons of this ever evolving industry.
A breezy early summer evening brought us to the harbour front of Toronto. Docked at the bottom of Bay and Queens Quay, a modest sized ship dubbed the Showboat, one of the many ships of the award-winning Mariposa Cruises, was ready to set sail. We had the pleasure of boarding this vessel for it to take us along the perimeter of Toronto’s scenic Harbourfront and through the Island waterways.
I was one of the lucky people who got an opportunity to check out the newly-renovated Viamede Resort last weekend just before this upcoming Victoria Day long weekend. Being not even two hours drive away from Toronto near Peterborough, you get a great view of quiet and peaceful Stoney Lake with no sign of civilization. Fresh air can seem almost endless out here, dare I say.
Founded in Quebec, there are two Hotel Le Germain locations by the Groupe Germain in downtown Toronto and they boast being the pioneer of the boutique hotel concept in Canada. Nestled in between the Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar and the restaurants, Aria and E11even, you might not have noticed the elegant boutique Hotel St. Germain at Maple Leaf Square. But if you’ve ever been to a Leafs game or any big ticket concert at the Air Canada Centre…