Avery House B&B

10/14/2026

Saturday’s forecast calls for sun, perfect for enjoying the river and hearing some great stories. Which tour is of interest to you?

09/23/2026

Working on my winter reading list after reviewing the exciting 2027 playbill! A guest at breakfast said Wolf Hall is a bit of a slog to read… I’ll give it a go but perhaps I will see if I can stream the BBC miniseries. And while it isn’t actual season prep, gearing up for seeing 3 productions with Saul Rubinek must include rewatching the Star Trek Next Gen episode, The Most Toys. What are you most excited to see?

09/03/2026

What are guests raving about that isn’t food related?

Stratford Art in the Park, running until September 30, weather permitting, Wednesdays/Saturdays/Sundays 10-5.

3 fantastic exhibits at Gallery Stratford running until October 11, Wednesday to Sunday, 11-5.

08/24/2026

What have guests been raving about? The burger at Keystone Alley. The duck at Bijou at the Church. And the great selection of chilled white w**e at Ripy & Vine.

08/15/2026

Earlier this month Perth County Tourism posted about walking the trails at Sawyer Preservation Woodlot Association. I wasn’t familiar with it so I have been eager to go adventuring! Today I had an afternoon without check-ins. I loaded Minnie into the car and off we went. It’s an easy 30 minute drive from the B&B past corn and soybean fields.

A few thoughts: nice trails - hiking boots not necessary although I think it would be a bit of a slog in sandals; the walk would have been way more pleasant with ‘squito repellent; go with someone taller than you and have them lead the way - the trail I took wasn’t heavily used - the number of spider webs that stretched across it - let’s just say I contemplated crawling in some spots as I felt guilty knocking them down.

There are some picnic tables near the entrance if you want to have a picnic in the woods. No facilities so plan ahead.

Out that way is Black Donnellys Brewing Company. It looks like a fun place to stop. Since I don’t drink b**r I’m hoping one of you can chime in with your favorite Black Donnelly’s brew that I can share with others.

07/29/2026

This morning I had an appointment in New Hamburg. Knowing I would be pressed for time after my appointment, I spent the early morning running around getting chores done so I could leave 30 minutes early and squeeze in a brief walk at WetlandsWilmot. Since my detour today was brief, here are some photos from a prior visit. The highlight of my walk was seeing a host of chipping sparrows. I’m actually glad I was rushed because that lead me to turn around and head back the way I came instead of completing the loop. It was when I backtracked that I could clearly see their distinctive chestnut caps. If you decide to head here for a walk, consider allowing extra time to shop for some yummy treats at The Garden Stand and a visit to historic Castle Kilbride.

07/25/2026

So excited to see what HFN has planned for this winter season. Ruby and the Reindeer last year was fun and festive.

Celebrate Christmas in July! Purchase your tickets to The Gift Exchange today (July 25) and you'll automatically be entered into a draw to win an exclusive, in-person behind-the-scenes experience.

Get an insider's look at the making of the show with a special backstage experience, explore what happens backstage, and get an insider's look at how we create the magic of theatre and meet some of the artists bringing The Gift Exchange to life!

And don't wait to book! Last year's holiday hit, Ruby and the Reindeer, sold out completely, so secure your seats now before they're gone!

🎟️ https://vist.ly/5cg8p

07/16/2026

“I must say, I've fallen in love with the musical genre. It's the art-form of the common man. If you want to communicate something with the proletariat, cover it in sequins and make it sing. It's noisy, vulgar and utterly meaningless—I love it!"
— Darren Nichols, Slings & Arrows.

If you recognize that voice, you’re in for a treat.

We did a post about a Slings & Arrows prequel reading a month or so ago, but the Festival has just announced some more details that make this an absolute must-see.

The reading of The Amateurs—a new project from the original writing team—has officially blossomed into a full-blown reunion. We’ll see a whole bunch of the original cast gathering on the Festival Theatre stage for a first look at the writing team's latest work, including:

• Paul Gross (Geoffrey, unwilling AD of the fictitious New Burbage Festival, a thinly disguised version of the Stratford Festival)
• Martha Burns (Ellen, the brilliant leading lady)
• Stephen Ouimette (who we have loved in dozens of productions here at Stratford. In the series he stars as the flamboyant ghost, Oliver, famously hit by a ham truck)
• Mark McKinney (Richard, aka Big Dick; series' co-creator)
• Bob Martin (Terry, the accidental actor who discovered his inner artist in the "Corporate Shakespeare" workshop; series' co-creator)
• Susan Coyne (Anna, the administrative assistant amidst the madness; series' co-creator)
• Don McKellar (Darren, our favorite musical theatre visionary)

Directed by the amazing Chris Abraham (Artistic Director of Crow's Theatre and a frequent director here at Stratford Festival), this one-night-only event on July 26 offers a rare sneak-peek into the creative process. The script promises a hilarious origin story of the New Burbage Festiva; it will be a ton of fun to see the super-talented cast back together, live on-stage.

If you’d like to brush up on your Slings & Arrows lore, the entire series will be available on the Stratfest@Home streaming service later this month.

Hope to see you here at Avery House this season. Find a link to our website in the comments.

07/15/2026

A colleague shared how much fun these new tulip chairs are so Minnie and I set out early this morning to see for ourselves. Minnie was shocked when I paused to sit and spin in one as that’s not what I typically do on our pre-breakfast walks. 😂 🌷🪑Thanks, Elena for flagging this fun addition to Lake Victoria.

07/14/2026

What were folks raving about last week? Garlic Bread at and White Asparagus at and Whipped Hummus at .restaurantstrat Yum!