After never really having been to Stratford, we really seem to have semi-embraced it, going there three times since the summer began. This last time (we just arrived home) was unplanned until about a week ago, when I decided to sneak Lindsay out of town for her birthday and take advantage of some recommendations from the staff at Lovage.

After a lazy, grey Friday morning at home we drove out to Stratford, sitting in the usual weekend traffic, but eventually reached Hotel Julie. This was recommendation #1 from the manager at Lovage, after finding out how low-key horrifying we found The Bruce last time. The hotel is very new (the renovation was the subject of a CTV series, apparently) and very cool. Lots of space, too, so we could really make ourselves a cozy little home.

Our only plan that night was dinner at Lovage, which we have come to…uh, love.

• butternut squash barbajuans w/ sage, lemon
• smoke trout rillettes w/ potato paillasson, dill
• sea bass crudo w/ orange, lovage, habanada
• fall salad w/ chicories, apple, walnut, gouda
• pumpkin fondue w/ caramalized onions, roasted pumpkin, alpine cheese, toast
  • bottle of Philippe Pacalet Nuits-Saint-Georges Rouge

That fondue was interesting, but a challenge to eat. Everything else, including the wine, was mind-blowing. Plus it’s always so fun talking to Abra and the rest of the staff there, and we ended up chatting with a couple at the bar who work in the Niagara wine industry. Love that place.

The next morning we helped ourselves to the excellent Stratford Coffee Company grounds in the hotel room, and stayed warm inside on a cold fall morning. We knew we’d need to eat eventually, so we walked over to Whatever 75, home to a handful of restaurants — being brunchtime, we opted for the Old Man brunch menu. Lindsay had a skillet; I had fluffy pancakes. On our walk home we got coffees (not very good ones, unfortunately) from Edison’s.

With no plans until the evening, and the day persistently grey and rainy, we opted to stay cozy and enjoy the room, watching Fleishman Is In Trouble and ordering the “return of the mac” pizza from Pie Hole, another Whatever 75 denizen. Naturally, that pizza had me singing this all night.

That night we walked to the Avon theatre to see suggestion #2 from Abra: one of the final performances of Frankenstein, Revived. It was, simply, spectacular. We knew it had no dialogue. We didn’t expect as much dance as there was. The set design, sound design, choreography of both dance and stage mechanics, the acting, the music…it was truly incredible. We both cried in different parts. Worth the trip right there.

This morning we were just going to leave the hotel and boot it home, but Lindsay was hungrier than usual, so we tried out local favourite Joe’s Diner. It was as advertised: busy, but the portions were big and cheap and tasty and came out fast. Full, we remounted our steed and rode it eastward, without incident, until we were home, fewer than 48 hours after we’d left. A short trip, but one packed with goodness and quiet. Just what the birthday girl ordered.