HAPPY Weekend!!

Chilly weather and a fluffy dog to keep you warm - have a great weekend everyone!

via Simply Good Stuff

Xo,

Christin

DOG FRIENDLY CERTIFIED: Road Tripping to Ilocos

NOTE: This trip was taken in 2008. All the same, the resort accommodates dogs of all shapes and sizes with a fee of 250/pet per night.

One of the things that I enjoy doing with Irish is going on trips (especially to cities and provinces she's never been). Of course it’s never a difficult decision to make because she’s so well behaved! And what, with those puppy dog eyes? How can I refuse?! So whenever I think of going somewhere within the country, I ALWAYS wonder and/or research if pets are allowed. It’s no easy feat and you know what I’m talking about if you are a pet parent-resident of the Philippines. A lot of the time, you have to look beyond the surface, and I mean pick up the phone and call the resort/restaurant of whichever you’re looking at to be sure. There have been a few instances when I’ve done happy dances after hearing those magic words, “Yes we do.” This was one of those times.

We embarked on a very long road trip to Ilocos Norte and headed straight for Kapuluan Vista Resort. 

all snuggled up on the way to Ilocos

There’s a rustic vibe to it that I just love. Plus the fact that we had the whole resort to ourselves was pretty amazing. We booked two rooms - one deluxe w/ loft and one deluxe w/o loft. In the deluxe w/ loft, the air-con had difficulty cooling the loft area which sucked. Either the room was too big or the air-con was too weak. But the deluxe w/o loft which my sister and her then-fiancée stayed at was lovely.

my sister and Irish right outside our room

filling our bellies before getting on with an adventure-filled day

of course, Irish needed to "investigate" the area :)

The food wasn’t great. I felt that it needed some spicing up. But who knows, it’s been, what, like 4 years since this experience. So I have high hopes that they made improvements as I really am planning to go back sometime in the future with Irish and her brood - excited!

The main beach popularly known as the Blue Lagoon is a mere 10-minute stroll from the resort. The trek to Kabigan Falls is only a short tricycle ride as well. AND… You guessed it! You can have your pet tag along with ya, which is a real treat. I would recommend that you bring your dog's towel for the trek as you will be passing by several streams before you reach the waterfalls. and if you're like me who lets her baby hike on her own four little paws if she wants to, then you absolutely need that towel. 

midway through our expedition to Kabigan Falls

a nice picture on the stream

gotta have a picture by the waterfalls

oh my little fur ball ! 

if you look hard enough, you'll spot Irish right beside me. tee-hee!

the lovely family

chilling with my dearie

"come on Irish, one more picture", said I

Overall, we had a fantabulous time. So if you're looking to road trip with your pet/s, Ilocos comes highly recommended. There are soooo many places to see. I am dead serious! And if I have successfully convinced you to go and you don't want the hassle of planning the trip by yourself, do coordinate with a friend of mine who owns a travel agency called Discover North specifically aimed at providing package tours to the North. I vouch for their credibility because the proprietor is from Ilocos and has always been passionate about showing the beauty that his province has to offer. So I'd say, he's quite the expert. 

do visit:

Kapuluan Vista Resort

Discover North

SPOTLIGHT: Dog walking and Olivia Palermo - what's the connection?

Dog walking is one of the important activities as a dog parent. A lot of the time, dogs see this as an opportunity to relieve themselves (also known as to tinkle, to pee pee, to take a dump, to poo poo, and many others). By following a regular schedule (at least 3 times a day: morning, afternoon, evening), they will begin to associate that this is the time to do their nasty business outside of your home,

which, I must say, is good for us right?! 

True, it may seem like a chore. But that's only in the beginning. Ok fine.. Every morning, it feels like a drag for me and that's only because I have such a hard time getting out of bed at that time of day. Although I do like the feeling of being up early, it's just the pulling-yourself-out-of-bed part I hate. It suuuuucks!! Anyone else have the same problem? 

So anyway, most of the time, it's a joy to walk Irish. To see her face light up as we proceed on our "journey" is more than enough for me to keep doing it. Plus, it turns out to be some sort of a spiritual walk for me - a time to give my mind a rest and let my senses take over. Don't even get me started on the health benefits! Really, there are ample reasons to start if you haven't. That's probably why dogs like it. Wise creatures, indeed!

walking may be fun, but it's also tiring

just stopped to smell the flowers

taking a break, I see

Now, this is where the ever so stylish Olivia Palermo comes in. I can only wish to look as chic when I walk my baby..

via Little Bits of Lovely

via The Olivia Palermo Lookbook

via Lulalulera's World

via Olivia Compulsive Disorder

But no, there's no topping her. I've seen countless photos of Olivia walking her equally stylish canine, Mr. Butler (how cute is he?!?!). Merely knowing that she walks her own dog leads me to assume that she is a dog parent and not just a dog owner. It's always a pretty sight to see people walk their own dogs (and not just have their helpers do the task for them ALL THE TIME). Whose dogs are they again?

Equally bad is seeing people walk their own dogs who don't pick up their own dogs' waste especially in a populated, recreational vicinity. I remember one time when I was dining al fresco at Italianni's Eastwood. I was looking down the balcony with Irish and happened to see this girl walking by with her dog. The dog stopped in the middle of the hustle and bustle and relieved himself. I'm sure you can guess by now that this girl just kept walking as if nothing happened. I was on the verge of screaming my head off, "Pick up your dog's poop! You ****in' bitch!" Seriously! These type of people give the whole pet community a bad reputation. How completely insensitive! Ok... (deep breath).

Let's just end in a positive note and let me show you a few more photos of the stylish duo.

via Star Style

via Olivia Palermo Daily

via The Olivia Palermo Lookbook

Cheers to walking our dogs in style, yeah? :D


Love,

Christin

It's NEVER just a dog

Well put. Precisely my thoughts as well. I was just never able to put it in words.

via dalesdesigns.net

DOG FRIENDLY CERTIFIED: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

CBTL Eastwood (photo courtesy of my good friend Odyssa)

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf a.k.a CBTL is my #1 go-to place for dates with Irish. Of course, the surrounding area becomes a huge plus when it's pet friendly. But for now, I'd like to talk about this particular cafe.

Ever since I found out that Coffee Bean lets their customers dine and chill with their dogs INSIDE their establishment, I was sold! When it's hot and humid outside, who wouldn't want some air conditioning right? Of course, there is an assumption that your dog is well-behaved. To determine if your dog is able to conduct himself/herself 'properly' in public, your answer must be a resounding NO to each question. Let us begin…

1) Does your dog have a habit of peeing/ pooping anywhere he/she pleases?

2) Does your dog tend to bark at anything/ anyone?

3) Is your dog aggressive and is easily triggered?

I sure hope your dog passed the above evaluation test. And if you did, hooray! Come one, come all to CBTL! :) …. Hmmm… sometimes I wonder if the owners are dog lovers themselves OR merely thought the idea of a dog-friendly establishment would make a great marketing strategy. Well whichever it is, good job for letting me and Irish (and some of her doggie friends) hang out at your place fuss-free. Hope more establishments follow suit.

CBTL Eastwood with former workmates (photo courtesy of good friend CJ)

CBTL Boni High Street with new friends (photo courtesy of our good friend's sister, Terrie)

And because I've come to CBTL countless times, I got to try a lot of what they have to offer. So just so you know, their breakfast meals are pretty good most of the time (i think it depends on which branch you're at). Salads aren't bad. And their teas are superb. Speaking of which, I think I'm gonna grab myself some Matcha Green Tea :)

For location info:

http://www.coffeebean.com.ph/location

Gotta love dogs!

via http://dog-is-just-god-backward.tumblr.com/post/24136806886

Tail Wagging Recipe: Chicken Casserole w/ Veggies

Good day everyone!

From time to time, I cook for my furry child. You know how sometimes dogs get tired of eating the same dry (dog) food again and again.... right? So to remedy this tiny issue, I came up with the 'ingenious' idea to cook for her. I bought the cookbook, 'Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way"and it has become a staple in my kitchen since (to all dog moms out there, get a copy!). Boy isn't Irish lucky to have me? :)

This is the Cluck! Cluck! Casserole recipe. Cute title huh? By the way, I made a few modifications to tailor to Irish's liking. Here's how I did it. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 ground chicken
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium potatoes
2-3 baby carrots
1 cup homemade chicken stock or canned, low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

PROCEDURE:

1. Boil the potatoes and carrots until softened (Irish isn't fond of eating veggies so I gotta make 'em soft and thin so it's well incorporated in the dish). Otherwise skip this step.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a small casserole dish with canola oil.

3. Cook the chicken in the oil in a saute pan over medium heat until lightly browned.

3. Drain the potatoes and carrots.

4. Slice 'em up!

5. Layer the potatoes in the casserole dish, then the potatoes. 

6. Pour the broth over the mixture.

7. Spread the chicken on top of the potatoes and carrots.

8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

9. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Voila! It is done. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Mmmmmmmmm... 

And now meet the uber duber cute critic.

She didn't look up from the dish one bit. I guess that's a two paws up!

P.S.  Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Xo,

Christin