The Dog-Friendly Breakfast & Lunch Place!

Have you ever been to Kashman's Deli? It is GREAT! As far as I know there are only 2... one on Scottsdale/Pinnacle Peak and the other is at the Summit off Scottsdale. I have been to both and they are VERY dog-friendly! But first, lets talk about the food... it is only open for breakfast & lunch (hence my title) and offer such a wide range of food. For breakfast they serve up omelets of all kinds and a smörgåsbord of BAGELS. And for lunch they have all sorts of salad, soups, cold and hot sandwiches. Probably the best thing on the menu is the "nova lox platter" which is exactly what you see above (YES, it is THAT good).

Now getting back to the "dog-friendly" part.... you are allowed to keep your mutt with you on the outdoor patio which has plenty of umbrellas to sit under. There is also a fresh icy cold bowl of water for your pooch and the very friendly waiter will bring you a milk bone to give to your mutt.

When we were there on a Sunday morning the place was crawling will all sorts of mutts... we saw a golden retriever, Schnauzer, Chihuahua, cocker spaniel and a bulldog all within the hour. Whiskey had a great time socializing with them. So next time you are in the North Scottsdale area, check out Kashman's. You won't be disappointed!

mmmmm... PIZZA

Have you ever been to Grimaldi's in downtown Scottsdale? If you haven't you should go because it is great! Last weekend we were looking for a yummy place for lunch in downtown Scottsdale and of course we had Whiskey with us. We stumbled upon Grimaldi's and notice they had a patio. Rene went inside to ask if our mutt was allowed and they gladly said yes. We were actually allowed on the patio in the back which was a very nice courtyard tucked away. The patio is brick and has nice trees and white lights... very nice ambiance!


AND best of all the pizza was out of this world!! We decided to build our own and we had one with marscapone cheese, tomatoes and sausage.... YUMMMO (okay, did I just quote Rachel Ray?)

Anyhow, the pizza had thin crust and cooked to perfection, I even think Whiskey got a try (shhh, don't tell). The waitress was very nice and was joking around with us which always makes it fun. There were no other dogs around but because we were so tucked away I can see how you would not think this place was so dog friendly. Whiskey was surprisingly relaxed and laied down most of the time (besides a little begging here and there). I think the difference was we where not out on a sidewalk (like most other dog friendly places) so it was a lot more quiet and had less commotion.

Funny story about the fountain..... well we had previously been walking around downtown and when we ate we forgot to offer our mutt some water (what bad owners we are)! So as we walked away from Grimaldi's Whiskey pulled us over to the fountain and we had no idea what he wanted (even though he is a water dog). He actually jumped his front paws up to the ledge and tried to drink out of the fountain! Unfortunately for him the water was a little too shallow even for his long tongue but it sure was a funny sight (sorry we didn't get a picture).

We have noticed a lot of people walking their dogs around downtown Scottsdale so I am sure there are more restaurants around there that allow us to tow our mutts with us. I will keep on the search. BUT if you are looking for GREAT pizza with your furry friend definitely try Grimaldi's!

I'm so mean....

In the spirit of Halloween I did break down and do it.... I DID BUY A COSTUME FOR MY DOG! I know it is so mean and ridiculous, BUT he looks SO CUTE!

If you cannot tell, Whiskey is a pirate... "AHHRRGG, Da Whiskey!" And a darn cute one in my opinion.
(I know this post is not about a place this time, but I just had to show off his costume)

A Great Park!

So because of our busy busy lives, we have been neglecting Whiskey lately (sound familiar) and had not gotten a real good chance to get him out to exercise (besides a few romps with the horses here and there).... so Rene and I decided to take the mutt to the park the other night. And not just ANY park, the CAP Basin Sports Complex park (Hayden Rd/Bell Rd, near loop 101)! Though it has no off-leash dog park section it is the next best thing in my opinion. Fist off, it is HUGE (71 acres) and has lots of nice, green, squishy grass (which is hard to come by in AZ) that Whiskey loves to roll around in (and my bare feet don't mind it either). There are many fields to choose from and there are even lights so you can visit way past dusk (open until 10:30pm) which makes it nice for busy professionals like myself. There is always lots of activity going on (so no need to be scared to be at the park after dark). There are people there for soccer games, people playing basketball, joggers, neighbors walking around the track, and even other mutt toting enthusiasts like myself.

Whiskey had a great time playing fetch with us and running around the hillside. We even took a nice jog around the track. And even though there is no designated "off-leash" section we were still able to find a little private area where we could let him run around (shhh, don't tell). I know that it probably sounds like any other normal park that anyone would have but it really makes a difference to have all those people around and have plenty of room to run. Plus the whole place is tucked away and set back from the major roads so no immediate worries about your dog running into the street (but still, don't be naive... it can always happen), just make sure your dog knows "COME"!

Please excuse my picture quality, my little point and shoot does not do so well in the dark. But you get the gist of it all. The park is also "dog-friendly" because it offers dogie doo pick up bags conveniently all around the track so you will be prepared. The best dog-friendliest part of the park is the drinking fountain. It is definitely made for mutts too!

There is a special button on the side of the human fountain that turn the water on for your furry friend on the ground. I LOVE THIS FEATURE. No more having to pack extra water to tote around for the mutt! And believe me, he LOVES his water.


So overall this is a great place to take your mutt to get some exercise (and for yourself too). If you have been looking for a good park lately come out anytime of day, and if you come in the evenings, you just might see Whiskey and I running around!

No Whiskey in tow

The other night Rene and I were at the Promenade (Scottsdale Rd/Bell Rd) and decided to grab some grub. There are so many eateries to chose from, but we decided to try something new and ended up at Tacone... it had a nice open outdoor patio in front that looked ever so pet-friendly but sadly we did not have our furry friend with us. The food was great, very modern flare with all sorts of wraps, salads, and paninis. Oh, and some awesome sweet potato fries which are one of our faves! It is a great quick place to grab a bite while you have your mutt in tow.

While we were strolling back to the car we noticed the forgotten Daphne's Greek Cafe. We had gone there before and noticed the lovely West side patio with its nice table and chairs, umbrellas and refreshing misters. A while back Gabe, Indy, Whiskey and I had lunch there, so we already know it is fido-friendly! A great one to add to the list!

Fun times at Saguaro Lake

The other weekend Rene's parents were in town so we decided to do a little outdoor recreation. Our pick of the day was Saguaro Lake off Bush Hwy. As we pulled up to the marina the ranger at the station asked for our permit... permit? Don't we pick up one here? NO! The website forgot to mention that you must pick up a day permit at a location IN TOWN to even be able to access the park. Note to self and to all: NO PERMITS SOLD ON LOCATION! We must pile ourselves and (the ever so excited to even see water) Whiskey into the car to trek back into town where we were fortunabley able to pick up a day permit at the first gas station down the hill.

An hour or so later (yes, we took our time) we finally make it to the lake. Whiskey could hardly contain himself (that water mutt) and was whining the whole walk down to the water. Though very busy, we were able to find our own little corner on a small beach near the boat ramp. The lake was beautiful with the rocky cliff surrounding us and the water was warm but refreshing. Whiskey dove right in chomping at the waves. All afternoon we played fetch into the water and he could not get enough. There were quite a few other dogs enjoying the day in the sun. Around the corner were 2 labs playing in the water with kids and we saw a few dogs on the boats passing by.

It was a good day! So much fun to see Whiskey enjoying himself splashing in the water... we finally had to drag him out to go home. And it sure was a great way to tire the little mutt out (he slept the rest of the day)! It's safe to say that Saguaro Lake was a success and is now on the list of hot spots for dogs to have fun in the sun. We will definitely be coming back.

PS - The beach we were at was nice but I read that Butcher Jone's picnic site and swimming beach is less crowded and a great place to spend the day... we'll check it out next time and let you know.

no sauce, but much better!

The other night Rene and I had a craving some good Italian pizza and salad. First place that came to mind was Sauce. Of course we wanted to bring Whiskey along but I had a feeling I should call ahead... GOOD THING! I asked if dogs were allowed on their patio and the man on the phone said "Ah, no they are not... because of that law..." and then he hung up. LAW? What law? If there is such a law I would definitely like to know about it! Anyone? I understand about animals not being inside for health and safety reasons, but always figured it was the choice of the owner if our fellow canines were allowed on the patio.

So, I move on to our next choice: 3 Tomatoes & A Mozzarella (Miller/Pinnacle Peak Rd), and it was such the better choice! Since the previous experience I decided to also call ahead to check on their pet policy. The wonderful owner answered the phone and when I asked if well behaved dogs were allowed on the patio she happily said "of course! We always welcome dogs!" So nice, a breath of fresh air to feel so welcomed.

When we showed up 10 minutes later the host told us we could go around to the patio where we happened to be the only ones out there (very nice and quiet). After we sat down the owner came out and welcomed us with a big smile and pet Whiskey on the head. Two minutes later she brought him a nice bowl of cold water (what service!). We enjoyed our night with great food, a glass of wine, a quiet view and sunset to die for... all while our mutt was by our side.

I am sure this place will become one of our favorites!

Dise... as in "paraDISE"

Yesterday, I made my way over to the Cobblestone Autospa in Scottsdale to get my long overdue wash and oil change (hey, 3,000 miles comes up fast when you work out of your car). Though I did not have my furry companion in tow, while I was there I had this thought: what would you do if you went to use the car wash and you had your dog with you? Well, I asked the cashier that very question and also if dogs where allowed in the store (especially when it is this HOT). The friendly (yet slightly dazed) employee said it was no problem, and gave me a look like it was a dumb question. GREAT! We can add another venue to our list! Not that everyone will rush out to the car wash with their dogs... it's not the ideal destination. The excitement is just not there.

As I turn the corner to walk out onto the well misted viewing patio, to my surprise I almost step on a little French Bulldog! It tries to jump up and starts licking my legs. SO CUTE, with his little smushed nose! ... Ahem... I see this as a research opportunity and strike up a conversation with his young, urban looking owner. I ask him the classic dog questions like how old is he (the dog, not him), what's his name (again, the dog)... blah, blah, blah. The owner mentions that he never gets a chance to take his dog out of the house and that he needs to get more exposure. Oh, really? The sly person I am, I mentioned that I am always looking for places to take my dog, especially restaurants. He gave me a surprised look and said "really?". Okay, I'm not that crazy, right? There are others like me out there! Anyways, I go on further to say I am more specifically looking for outdoor patios at restaurants that allow dogs. He goes on to tell me that he knows Dos Gringos has a dog-friendly patio (see, was it that hard). This is great, you never really know who you will run into and strike up a conversation with! Dos Gringos is officially on my list of places for Whiskey and I to try... and hopefully not get kicked out.

As my car was up, sparkling clean, and workers yelled "READY!", I jumped out of my chair and pet the bulldog on the head, "it was nice to meet you Dise, see you around."

(actual picture not Dise, but sure looks like him)

First mission... Restaurants

Whiskey and I are on the lookout for places where we can go together. Most importantly, restaurants that allow (well behaved) dogs on their patio/outdoor dinning. As you must know, Starbucks is the first place that comes to mind when thinking of venues that are universally dog-friendly. You can sit there drinking your vanilla latte, reading a good book with your mutt at your side and no one thinks twice. But must we succumb to only coffee drinking with our furry friends? There has to be more out there...