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!