Here we are stuck in traffic, which has been the theme of this visit. We even had traffic at 11:30 PM coming back into town last night. (Gives time to photograph the sights.)
Gilby was feeling sleepy on the road, so we pulled off the highway to look for a Provider of Coffee.
Mabel: Maybe the Petro-Canada there.
Gilby: There's a MacDonald's.
[heading towards McD.]
Mabel: What kind of Canada is this if there's no Tim Horton's when you need one?!!
Gilby: [points to the mall by McD.] There's one there.
Wow. Tim Horton's really is the spirit of Canada. We were like something straight out of one of their ads.
I wonder if the Shaw Festival has a more secure financial future than the Stratford, just because there's so much more to offer tourists in this area. Stratford is kinda cute in the center of town, but otherwise not all that eye-rocking; whereas NOTL is gorgeous, it's wine country, and near the Falls.
The city must have money because they've planted copious amounts of flowers all up and down the main road, and all the buildings are well kept. There's lots of gatronomie type restaurants, mostly attached the many vineyards. We passed plenty of mansions as well.
The city center is *precious.* Like a Hummel figurine.
We ran into some horsies. Horsies-girl showed Gilby how to introduce himself safely to Ebony, and then showed us how much he loves a good belly scratch. Precious.
We weren't sure what this building was, cause there was no store sign; and then saw two maids stop and offer house keeping. So it's part of a nearby hotel! Precious, I tell you.
Now, last year at Stratford we got laughed out of town when we stopped at our hotel's restaurant and asked for a table, because it was a good restaurant and people reserve even months in advance. So I'd learned my lesson, and called ahead to a couple restaurants. The one considered best in town didn't have room at 6 PM (half the people in town are there for the 8 PM play), but my second choice did--here's the Angel Inn, rebuilt in 1812.
(Tried to make the pic bigger so you can see the boys.) (And my souvenir bag.)
Here Oscar Doll waits with baited breath to witness his own genius.
As last year with Earnest, we loved the play. I enjoyed the interpretations of Miss Chevely and Lord Goring as much here as in the movie version. Rupert Everett plays Goring languidly, which I lurv, but I enjoyed this more energetic performance too. I liked Miss Mabel, but I may have to conclude that Minnie Drive is the definitive Miss Mabel--I don't think I would have fallen in the love with the character just based on this performance, as I did after seeing the movie.
I also didn't care for a couple of the costume choices and set pieces--they distracted me. (Have you ever seen a waistcoat that the front goes all the way to the knees? Very odd.) But I loved the music, and overall it was funny and dramatic and grreat!
Our drive home, traffic-jam-free. Look how the CN tower is lit up like a disco ball at night.
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