My Brantford! My Little Town!

 Nothing but the beer and buyin' back in my little town! (Sorry, Paul.)

I am taking a page from my friend and fellow author, Madeleine Harris-Callway, who wrote about her neighbourhood recently. I found her blog to be very interesting, so I figured I'd just copy her.

A little over 2 years ago, my husband and I moved to the small city of Brantford from my birth place, Brampton. I had to stay with a BRA city and besides, my daughter and her family live here.

I have, over the last 28 months, learned a great deal about my new home and I must say, I love it. I find its history fascinating and I am proud of its accomplishments. Over the next three days, I'm going to highlight a few people, events and places for you!

1. MIKE ON A BIKE

Does any other town have Mike on a Bike? I doubt it. Mike has been described as one of the best loved people in Brantford. He embodies the friendliness and innocence that we all want to see in our communities. He rides his bike through Brantford and Six Nations, smiling, making kind remarks, waving, and sometimes stopping to sing and dance with you. No other person spreads such joy (that I know of). I've only met Mike once, but I've seen him riding around town a lot. He always makes me smile, gives me a wave or a thumbs up.

2. FRENCH FRIES

My husband used to visit Brantford when he was a kid because his maternal grandmother and a whole bunch of aunts and uncles and cousins lived here (some still do). Vince swears we have the best french fries in the province. He may be right, according to Trip Advisor.

Stan's Fries has been around since 1950. The truck is now surrounded by a plaza, but that doesn't stop people from lining up. Stan the Chip Man died in 2009, but his legacy lives on.

3. I SCREAM U SCREAM WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM

In March, before any nice weather arrived, my granddaughter persuaded me to line up at yet another iconic Brantford foodie landmark. This time it was ice cream.

The waiting crowd stood in a biting wind, shivering and grinning at each other sheepishly. One woman commented, "Are we nuts?" which was followed by huge laughter and merry agreement from everybody. But - it was opening day for Dairee Delite and definitely the place to be! http://www.daireedelite.ca/

4. CAPTAIN KINDNESS
https://www.facebook.com/Captain-Kindness-275916743762/

We also have Captain Kindness! He walks around town spreading random acts of kindness wherever he goes. He recruits young people to help him out.

He visits schools to spread the word and talk to kids about the "superheroes" in themselves. We all know people can't love others if they don't love themselves, so I believe his message is one of the best I've ever heard.

5. WTF - http://wtfest.ca.

Yes, we have WTF, which stands for What the Festival, of course.  Not exactly the music my hubby and I listen to these days, but man, the young 'uns love it.

6. Bell City Brewery - http://bellcitybrewing.com

We just discovered this gem during our second summer. Great beer tasting, fabulous food, friendly owners/operators. What more could you ask for?

7. OLG - Brantford Casino http://www.olgslotsandcasinos.ca/brantford/


Oh yes! We have a casino! Happens to have a great restaurant in addition to the gambling.

I'll be back tomorrow for more on Brantford, MY little town!