Civilized Stratford

Take a big, deep breath and let the stresses and strains fall away as you enter civilized Stratford, Ontario! Nestled around a pretty river – called the Avon, naturally – this is what small town living used to be about…but with a cultural twist. Old stone bridges link gardens and pretty streetscapes, where plenty of interesting craft and book shops still survive. Statues lurk round every corner, like this one of The Bard, whose Festival provides that cultural twist. And food…I lunched pleasantly at Tango and then lurched onto the Epicurean Trek.

Tea Leaves

Just one of many mouth-watering stops on the Epicurean Trek through Perth County is Tea Leaves – a close encounter of the tea kind. Karen Hartwick (in red) is a member of that most rare fraternity of “Tea Sommeliers” - and to spend some time with her in a tutored tea tasting, as I did, is a revelation. White Peony, Organic Precious Eyebrow, Japanese Sencha, Organic Phoenix Oolong, Soom Darjeeling, Yunnan Black Needle, Al Shan oolong and 2 year old Pu-erh…all different in taste and colour from each other, and all immensely superior to your average cuppa. The amazing thing is the wide variety of taste that comes from essentially the same plant leaf. The secret is the environment in which the plant grows and the way the tea is picked and handled……

Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Of course the reason why so many visitors come to Stratford is to enjoy North America’s leading classical theatre: the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. The 2009 season of this world renowned festival includes fourteen productions, including stage and screen legend Colm Feore in Macbeth and Cyrano de Bergerac. I thoroughly enjoyed a performance of West Side Story, full of explosive dance and memorable music. I also experienced one of the “Beyond the Stage” activities: a tour of the costume warehouse, which was both fascinating and fun, as I was able to indulge in dressing-up fantasies!

Mont Tremblant

Elysium @ Panache vacation homes are ideally placed for making the most of Mont Tremblant’s ski pistes in winter and hiking trails in summer. We were able to ski – and board – almost to the door of our Elysium @ Panache vacation home on March slopes which were wonderfully un-crowded. The perfect weather (cloudless skies and a little below zero) just added to the enjoyment of this great short break.

Elysium @ Panache

It’s always good to experience accommodation that we have featured on the radio shows. In this case, Elysium @ Panache surpassed expectations.

Nestled beside a stream in the woods a few minute’s walk above Station Mont-Tremblant in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, it’s a leisurely 1hour 45 minute drive north of downtown Montreal. This small, but exclusive, group of vacation homes have all the luxuries that make vacation time special. From cathedral-celinged great room with stone fireplace, to spacious decks with hot tub and light and airy bedrooms on different levels, these homes are perfect for larger families and groups.