My fiance Brian and I may be living in the most dog-centric place in America. Our 100 lb yellow Labrador Winston has always lived the good life at home... sleeping in tents in the living room with his dad, going for long swims, being doted on by his grandparents. But now, one paw out the door and roll out the red carpet! This guy gets the celebrity treatment wherever he goes!
The first indications of this phenomenon appeared when we visited Annapolis, MD this summer. After a leisurely swim at the dog friendly beach, Terrapin Park, we stopped for dinner in Annapolis, a historic harbor town. We found a sidewalk table at a seafood restaurant and no sooner had our bread arrived than we were accosted by adoring fans. Most amusing, was when a passerby would talk directly to Winston, not even looking up to acknowledge us humans.
The parade of adoration continued at 2 minute intervals throughout the meal and persisted on our walk to get ice cream. On the way, sales associates at shops called to us from their doors "Oh! Bring him inside, it's OK! We have biscuits! What's his name?" The Chicos woman was especially persistent... . eventually her manager hinted that petting that dog outside the store was taking a little too much priority over her job inside the store. We didn't actually bring Winston into any of the stores, fearing a repeat of the "marking" incidents at Pet Smart.
Care to purchase your new iPod or browse the "New in Paperback" section with your pooch? In Clarendon, the Apple Store and Barnes and Noble welcome pets inside. In Old Town Alexandria, Pat Troy's Irish Pub features a Doggie Menu, and the lovely pet-friendly Hotel Monaco hosts a Doggie Happy Hour, not to mention many fabulous amenities for their furry guests. The DC/VA/MD area offers a bounty of cool activities such as Labor Day Dog Swimming at VA and MD public pools, a Canine Cruise on the Potomac, and a chance to practice your downward dog pose with the pros at Tranquil Space's annual Doga in the Park event benefiting the Washington Humane Society.
You can even take a road trip with your dog to one of Virginia's vineyards for a wine tasting. We had a blast at Barrel Oak Winery (B.O.W.) where we mingled with humans and K9s while sampling 12 wines and enjoying live music. Of course, we provided the other entertainment "Marley and Me" style, when Winston leaped enthusiastically to say hi to another dog, yanking on his leash, tipping Brian over in his chair in front of many amused on-lookers who probably saw it coming.
Brian and I are always on the lookout for dog-friendly restaurants and Koi Koi in Falls Church, VA has become a favorite. The food is very good – fresh sushi and creative rolls! The restaurant is situated in a cul-de-sac with a courtyard grass area. We have a favorite table at the end of the sidewalk where we can enjoy a peaceful and delicious meal with our best bud at our side. (A couple tuna rolls are always saved for Winston). The servers are extremely gracious and friendly... bringing out water for Winston and looking out the window frequently to see if we need anything. Once, I caught one of the waiters making exaggerated "smiley" faces to Winston when he thought we weren't looking.
We went there last week for dinner and enjoyed some yummy gyoza dumplings, tempura salmon, tuna, Philadelphia, and scallop rolls; and salmon sushi. The owner, fearing we were cold outside, brought us some complementary Miso soup (see how sweet they are?!). Brian and I were joking that when the weather gets colder we'll be arriving bundled up in thick jackets, space heater in tow, clumsily holding our chop sticks with gloves on. That may happen since Winston's birthday is in March and a sushi dinner would be an awesome present for this seafood lover.
Do you know of other dog-friendly restaurants in and around DC? Have you taken your pet to a fun dog event or found a really awesome dog park?
If you're looking for more places to check out, The Dog Lover's Companion to Washington, D.C . is a very thorough resource that's fun to read.
*Photo Credit: The photo of Winston at the top of this post was taken by my friend Charlotte. I think she really captured his contentment (at that moment he was soaking up lots of attention in the center of a circle of guests at a party).