2010 Year in Review - Places You Should Go in 2011

Mackenzie outside of the University of New Mexico this summer.

There were a lot of new and interesting places we visited in 2010 so I thought I should do a short Year in Review. Some of these places are in the Rio Grande Valley, but I will also include some in other parts of Texas and even New Mexico. Most places will be in chronological order.


Late January of 2010 began with a dog show in Sinton, TX (outside of Corpus Christi) where we discovered the great Butter Churn restaurant. Don't worry about not being able to find it, it is pretty much the only restaurant in Sinton, TX and incidentally it is very good.


Next up was another dog show at our favorite venue in Kerrville, TX. We visited the lovely River's Edge Tuscan Grille which is quite literally on the river's edge and made me a bit seasick until we moved to a table further inland. Great food, wonderful view. I like Kerrville more and more every time we go. (And not just because Mackenzie has finished both her RN and RA at that show!)

On one of our Thursday adventures Audrey and I got lost, and ended up at Bannworth Park in Mission, TX. It is a really neat park as long as you don't get attacked by the giant geese. Which we did. Or I did rather, Audrey ran away while the goose proceeded to attack me.


A new local dog-friendly destination we did frequent was Yumi Yogurt on University in Edinburg. Great self-serve yogurt, friendly service, and they allow us to bring tables + chairs outside onto their sidewalk.

There is another great new yogurt place in Edinburg/McAllen called Sweet Spot which is right across from Wal-Mart on McColl. There is a Sweet Spot and a Chinese restaurant WOK Express that both have outdoor seating and a nice grassy area to the side of their buildings. We will definitely visit both of these places more in the future.

Went to another dog show in San Antonio where we visited the famous Mi Tierra restaurant. Such an experience! Great food, incredible atmosphere, and seating for thousands and thousands of people! Definitely a must see for anyone who visits San Antonio.


Even though I didn't go to Lulu's Bakery and Cafe in San Antonio, TX I can say that it is worth the drive for the GIANT 3lb cinnamon roll. Matt and Dad went to a football game and I programmed three spots into their GPS: their hotel, the Alamodome, and Lulu's Bakery. Also noteworthy in San Antonio (and various places throughout Texas/US) is the chain Five Guys Burgers & Fries.


Next up was our first family roadtrip in about six years. We chose to drive up to New Mexico and stop in Roswell (for just a few hours), Albuquerque (two days), Santa Fe (two days), and Taos (one day). New Mexico is by far the most dog-friendly state I've ever visited. Nearly every restaurant has outdoor seating, several places (bookstores or small boutiques) let Mackenzie come in, not to mention the several dog stores we visited while in New Mexico.

One of our favorite dog stores we visited was Long Leash on Life in Albuquerque, NM. The owners both graduated from Cornell (!!!) and were very knowledgeable about dog food and their other wonderful products. We bought a bunch of stuff including my awesome "Dog-friendly Albuquerque" t-shirt.

Another neat store we went to in Santa Fe, NM was called Teca Tu. The prices were a bit lofty, but I did manage to get Mackenzie a Santa Fe style collar and some Rabbit (I think it was rabbit) jerky that she looooooved.


While in New Mexico we also rode the Sandia Peak Tramway which was equal parts awesome and terrifying. We were literally hanging 2 miles straight up in the air in a little box suspended from wires. Once we got to the top we ate at the High Finance Restaurant which made everything totally worth it. One of my favorite things we did in New Mexico by far.


Another of my favorite stops was the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe. The highlight of the Loretto Chapel is what they call the "Miraculous Staircase". It is a spiral staircase that was built using a single piece of wood. Not only is that miraculous enough, but the builder disappeared after he built it. "Two mysteries surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel: the identity of its builder and the physics of its construction."


We also visited the St. Francis Cathedral which is right next to the Loretto Chapel and is stunning inside and out. Mackenzie even hung out with St. Francis and his dog.



Around the time of Mackenzie's birthday in October I discovered a new dog boutique opening up in McAllen called Bloomingtails on Nolana. Its a great little store with a lot of neat things you won't find at regular dog stores. The owner is extremely nice and I got several things for Mackenzie's birthday in addition to stopping by a few times since then.

Next up was our Halloween dog show Austin trip which you can read more about all the places we went in my Austin Review!

Two of my favorite local spots that I didn't just discover this year (since we visit them every year), but nevertheless I think I'll mention them because we go ever year around the holidays are Valley Pecan and Klement's Grove. Very high on the Winter Texan hit list, but locals can also be found at both locations. Klement's Grove is definitely a must see for anyone who ever visits the Valley.

Our most recent dog adventure landed us at newly opened Dali Coffee House in McAllen. Great great great coffee (I had an iced Dali Nana) and a nice outdoor seating area with plenty of parking and grass nearby. The owner (and her husband) are both great dog-friendly people! We will definitely be back.



Hopefully 2011 will be even more exciting and we will discover more amazing places and people. Let me know if you want more information about any of the places I mentioned in this post.

More pictures of New Mexico can be seen on my Facebook album

Thursday!

We will be meeting at the newly opened Dali Coffee House at the corner of Dove and Ware Rd. @ 7:00PM!

Dali Coffee House: McAllen, TX

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up about a new dog-friendly location that just opened in McAllen. I've known the owner/creator for a few years and she finally made her dream a reality with the opening of Dali Coffee House. As a bonus, she is very much into dogs and dog rescue so the coffee house has outdoor seating, water bowls, and complimentary dog biscuits from Breadsmith in addition to expressing interest in having local rescues showcase their dogs up for adoption.

I will be planning an event at Dali Coffee House for Next week (Dec. 16th)! Stay tuned for more details.

And you can find Dali Coffee House on Facebook!

Thursday!

Whoa! Where have we been??

Let's get this Winter season going with one of our favorite outings:

Bill Schupp Park followed by MoonBeans Coffee this Thursday (Dec. 9th)!!!

We will meet at the park at 6:30PM, we walk for usually around an hour, and then we'll head over to nearby MoonBeans Coffee for the best drinks in the Valley!

Austin, TX Review

A review of some of the places Dad and I went to in Austin. Enjoy! :)

Shopping:

ANP Just for Pets: This was probably my favorite dog boutique that we went to in Austin. It is located a bit out of the way, but it was well worth it. The store has a huge selection of toys, leashes, beds, and other boutique-y items in addition to dog food and treats (which some boutiques seem to lack). We picked up a 50% off Halloween toy, some "Real Meat" Lamb jerky treats and their favorite EVO Wild Cravings Herring Formula biscuits. The woman who runs the store is also very friendly.

Austin Lofty Dog: OK, I take it back, this might be my favorite of the stores we went to. Again they had a nice selection of toys, leashes, beds, etc. but also some toys, food and treats (rawhides, chews) that you don't normally find in boutique-y stores. I wanted a t-shirt that said "Keep Austin Neutered" (Keep Austin Weird is the usual slogan, but I think that one is too cliche) but they didn't have it in my size. I also wanted their bumper sticker that says "Austin Lofty Dog - Where its OK to be a Bitch" but they were out of those too. :( We did pick up some more discounted Halloween toys, a Texas Longhorns leash for Tucker, and an awesome denim slip collar for Audrey.

Groovy Dog Bakery: My dogs aren't too keen on "bakery" dog treats, but I'm glad we stopped here because the owner was so nice to us. I bought a T-shirt that says Groovy Dog Bakery with a Boston Terrier on it (wearing spectacles JUST LIKE APRIL!) plus a bandanna for April, and the owner even gave us a bunch of free treats to try.

Dogadillo: By far the biggest disappointment of our chosen stores. First of all it is located outside of Austin so the drive was rather long, plus the owner never got off the phone the ENTIRE time we were there. They had a nice selection of toys and assorted boutique-y things, but honestly we didn't buy a single item because no one ever spoke to us.

Eating:

Round Rock Donuts: As the name suggests, Round Rock Donuts is located about 15 minutes outside of Austin in Round Rock, TX but believe me, it is so worth the drive. Best glazed donuts you will EVER consume. The atmosphere is a bit rushed and we definitely didn't know what we were doing (as far as where/what to order) but we managed. Let me say again, best donuts EVER.



Trailer Park + Eatery - Torchy's Tacos: This is a neat little spot that really looks like a Trailer Park but with fooooood Trailers. Nothing fancy, you order from a tiny window and sit on wooden patio furniture under an umbrella, but OMG are the tacos amazing. I got a Trailer Park Taco and a Brushfire Taco. Seriously A.Mazing.

Magnolia Cafe: Surprisingly the best chips + salsa I've ever had, considering Magnolia Cafe is not known for being a Mexican restaurant. Plus some fabulous Hibiscus iced tea. I had the Voodoo Chicken sandwich and give it two thumbs up! We also had the Peanut Butter pie, definitely another two thumbs up!



Juan in a Million: Get the Don Juan. Best breakfast taco I've ever had. Huge + amazingly tasty. My only regret is that I should have gotten Coffee because Dad said even the coffee was fantastic.

The Salt Lick: Some fine classic BBQ. The bread was probably the best thing there. And the turkey was also really good. And the brisket. Even the pickles were great. Just go.

Bill Miller BBQ: When we were done on Sunday after the dog show, I needed to stop and change out of my show clothes before our 5hr+ drive home so we stopped at Bill Miller BBQ. My Dad, who actually used to work at a Bill Miller while he finished his Masters at UT, wanted some BBQ sandwiches. I got the Turkey poor boy and it was incredibly good. The sweet tea was also very good. Really tasty for a "fast food"-type stop.

We also went to The House Of Torment, Whole Foods, World Market, Whole Earth Provision, and also a few other stores down in the South Congress shopping area (Tesoros Trading Company was my favorite!). Overall it was a great trip. The dog show itself didn't quite turn out the way we planned (Reserve Winners Bitch both days) but that's OK, we still had a wonderful time in Austin.

November Events!

This is a fundraiser/concert at Simon Sez to raise money and awareness for the dog who was attacked by a man with a machete. I visited with the dog when he was first brought in to the Vet, and I have also spent time with him post-surgery and he is doing great! He is a wonderful dog who deserves a loving home.

PVAC's Fall Festival/Chip + Clip is always a popular event!

Why I LOVE October!

There are some very obvious reasons why I (and many other people) love the month of October:

1. HALLOWEEN is coming which brings up several sub-categories like: Candy, Dressing Up, Horror/Scary movies, Ghost hunting/Haunted house shows on TV/movies, oh and candy.
2. The weather is starting to get a bit cooler (probably more true in other parts of the country, but even the Valley experiences a slight drop in temps).
3. My BIRTHDAY, Mom's birthday and Mackenzie's birthday!
4. We are thismuch closer to the rest of the "holiday" season!

(In case you were wondering: My 27th birthday is tomorrow October 19th and Mackenzie's 7th birthday is October 21st!) Pictured is Mackenzie's birthday display!

Upcoming October Events:

Saturday October 23rd 3:00-5:00PM: PetSmart's annual Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest and Photo Event!

Saturday/Sunday October 30th/31st Travis County Kennel Club Dog Show: Austin, TX

Saturday October 30th 9:00AM - 12:00PM: South Texas 4-H Dog Show - Sponsored by Alamo F&F 4-H Club: Top Dog at Work & Play
Edinburg Municipal Park - North Pavilion, Raul Longoria Entrance
Free Admission

Wear your Halloween costume, Door prizes, Free popcorn, Games
Learn how dogs help in the workplace and enrich our lives:
Careers in Veterinary science and animal care
Obedience Training
Crime Stoppers
Fire Safety
Service Dogs
4-H Animal Science Programs
Palm Valley mobile adoption unit will be on site.
Bring blankets and towels for donations to animal shelter.
*Please leave your dogs at home. Only dogs that have been pre-registered by a 4-H member may enter the pavilion. *
For more info call: (956) 383-1026

Roosevelt's - Our Original Adventure Spot!

Join us for a blast from the past as we visit RGV DAWG's original dog-friendly destination:

Roosevelt's!

We started visiting Roosevelt's more than a year and a half ago and we try to go back as often as possible. They offer great food, a tremendous selection of adult beverages, and nice outdoor seating.

We will be meeting there this Thursday 10/14 at 7:00PM - get ready for an adventure!

Snoods for Breakfast!

As any Spaniel owner will know from experience, Audrey gets her ears incredibly dirty when she eats her breakfast. About 2-3 times a week I give the girls a can of food mixed in with their regular kibble. On "can" days the amount of food that gets stuck, dries out, and mats in her ears is magnified.

So since she's got a show coming up we decided that formal wear (snood!) will be required for all breakfasts from now on. For those who don't know a SNOOD is one of the greatest dog inventions of all time. They slip over the dog's head and keep the ears from hanging in food and water bowls. The "snood" Audrey is wearing in this picture is actually not a real "snood" but a pant leg that I cut off to make the pants into shorts, but you get the idea. :)

Cloud Star!

Just got a surprise package from the Cloud Star company!

Each month they select a random email address to send a package to and we were the ones chosen! I sent an email describing my dogs:
to our expanding product line, we never forget why we are in this indMy Dogs-
Mackenzie: 7yo female Miniature Dachshund, loves TREATS, barking, dog shows, humping and string-y rope toys, several Rally Obedience titles, Canine Good Citizen, Delta Society Therapy Dog, my heart and soul, becoming a cranky bitch in her old(er) age, but still gets away with anything she wants.

Audrey: 2yo female Field Spaniel, my first conformation show dog, Canine Good Citizen, makes the goofiest faces ever, wiggles her butt like a supermodel, sweeeeeeeeter than pie.

April: ~5yo female Boston Terrier, rescued from our local high kill shelter the day before she was to be euthanized, blind in one eye so she lovingly has TONS of nicknames, licks the air when she's hungry, is *always* hungry, can jump more than 6ft straight up.

Tucker: 4mo male West Highland White Terrier, breed should be renamed West Highland White TERROR, even the Vet calls him a WILD MAN, loves his toys, but loves his sisters more, amazing personality even at such a young age, sure going to give the girls a run for their money in the show and performance rings.

t
And yay, we were chosen!

We got a big box with two free bags of treats (Chewy Trick Trainers Cheddar Cheese and Salmon) and a magnet for my car with their slogan "WAG MORE BARK LESS" (I already have that same sticker on my car, but magnets are always better).

What a great surprise!

You can learn more about Cloud Star's fantastic line of treats and other products (and their commitment to giving 10% of net profits to support and assist non-profit organizations that benefit animals, women, children, and the environment) at their website:

http://www.cloudstar.com

Spectacles

Meet April! She doesn't get as much blog time because she is so well-behaved and doesn't get into as many shenanigans as the others. She was rescued from Palm Valley Animal Shelter more than 3.5 years ago. Mainly she likes eating, jumping, licking, amputating and de-squeaking her toys (and everyone elses) and reading with her special spectacles on.

National Coffee Day - Bill Schupp Park + MoonBeans Coffee

Today is National Coffee Day! Join us to celebrate at MoonBeans coffee!

We will be meeting at Bill Schupp Park at 7:00PM to give the dogs a chance to get some energy out, then we will have a drink at nearby MoonBeans Coffee.

Happy Birthday Audrey!

Today is Audrey's 2nd Birthday! Right now she is celebrating by sleeping behind my computer chair. Later she will open her presents and get her big bone. And then probably sleep some more. :)

Walking with Bulldogs

We hung out with a couple members of the Rio Grande Valley Bulldog club on tonight's adventure. Great people, awesome dogs. The bulldogs even tried to keep up while we walked!

Looking forward to collaborating with the RGV Bulldog Club on even more events in the future.

Bill Schupp Park + MoonBeans Coffee

Join us for a stroll around Bill Schupp Park followed by a beverage at nearby MoonBeans coffee!

Park: 7:00PM
MoonBeans: around 8:00PM

RGV DAWG Logo Round Two

Here is the 2nd draft of our logo sketch. And in case it wasn't super obvious - that's my girl Audrey!

Halloween Weekend!

My Dad, my Field Spaniel Audrey, another Field Spaniel named Tracy and her owner Gayle and I (and possibly Tucker?) will be spending Halloween weekend in Austin, TX competing at the Travis County Kennel Club dog show (in addition to visiting haunted houses, eating at fabulous restaurants, and shopping at great Austin stores)!
I am ridiculously excited because not only do I LOVE going to dog shows, but I also LOVE Austin! I will probably be updating a lot in anticipation of this trip. :)

Social Media Conference 2010

I will be attending UTPA's Social Media Conference on Wednesday on behalf of RGV Dog Adventures Group!

Conference Goals:	Provide a clear sense of direction regarding social media Identify different social media outlets and help the nonprofit sector learn which better suits their outreach goals (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Youtube, etc.) Empower nonprofits to use Social Media to increase audience outreach, reaching more audience/volunteers/donors
Who Should Attend?	Participants include leaders, staff and volunteers from government, municipalities, higher education, K-12 education, 501c3 nonprofit organizations, community groups, economic development corporations, health care entities, faith-based organizations, and chamber of commerce.

I am super excited!

Living Room Agility

I set up a tunnel in the living room so Tucker could get used to it and instead it turned into a super fun play cave for him and Mackenzie. Together they get in and wrestle and roll around. Or he'll get a toy and just run through through the tunnel by himself for fun. Totally an agility dog in the making. I plan to set up some weave poles in the backyard within the next few days too.

Doggie Swim Day on Saturday!

Don't forget about tomorrow's event (sadly I will not be attending so you should all go and have fun on my behalf). :)

Mr. Tucker

Tucker went in for his last set of shots today. He weighed in at a whopping 7lbs 14oz at 17 wks. The Vet said he is a "Jack Russell trapped in a Westie body" because he is so wild and crazy. He rides super in the car, and aside from being overly friendly to the Vet and techs, very well-behaved at the Vet's office. He is just suuuuuch a good puppy. And as you can tell, he is getting more handsome every day! Expect to see him out and about much more often now that he's done with his shots!

Friday's Adventure.

Another great evening at Edinburg's Scenic Wetlands!

RGV DAWG Logos

One of the newest members to the group has agreed to help design a logo for us. Here are a few of his designs based on what I wanted.

Neat right? We are going to explore that first circular one some more and see how it turns out. Keep checking the blog to see our progress!

Walk at the Wetlands

Join us this Friday for a relaxing stroll at one of our favorite destinations:
The World Birding Center's Edinburg Scenic Wetlands @ 6:30PM

The dogs (and owners) always have a great time!

Westie Owners Meetup group?

I met some nice young people and their new Westie puppies the other day at work. Having hardly ever seen a Westie in person, the day we picked Tucker up from the airport I saw TWO Westies at work. Then yesterday, when Dad and Matt were going to bring Tucker to choose some toys, again I meet TWO (granted one of them I had already met). So I gave them both my email/phone number and we're going to try and have some little playdates in the future, in addition to our regular Dog Adventures. All the puppies are around the same age AND from the same area as Tucker (DFW). It'll be interesting to see what they all look like as they mature.



Depending on the weather the rest of the week (apparently there is a huge storm coming this way?) I might try to schedule an evening walk at the Edinburg World Birding Center, so stay tuned!

New Blog - Old Blog Posts

Hi Friends! Welcome to our new RGV DAWG Blog (yay, it all rhymes!) I know y'all are hyped and ready to read some new blogs, but instead I thought we would start with some old blog posts written on our original website (rgvdawg.ning.com) by our dear friend Kathy Dodd.

Kathy Dodd was one of the original members of our group and was an inspiration to all of us. Sadly she lost her short battle with Cancer this past Valentine's day. She shared her life with a wonderful little blind rescue dog named Oscar whom we all adored too. I thought I should share some blog posts she wrote about him.

Blind but not Defeated by Kathy Dodd:

I decided to start a blog about Oscar so that people can start learning about this amazing little dog. I am calling it, "Blind but not Defeated" after a devotional that was written about him by my pastor. Oscar was born with undeveloped eye tissues and is completely blind. The landlord of our church (after who Oscar is named) got him from some people giving puppies away out of a box. Nobody took Oscar, and Oscar (the landlord) was afraid the people would harm him if they had to take him back home. So Oscar took the pup home but couldn't keep him. He entrusted me with the puppy, who I later named Oscar in honor of our landlord who saved him.

Gracey and Jess accepted Oscar immediately. I was amazed at how quickly he learned his way around the house and the back yard. He follows Gracey and Jess around as he listens to their tags, and has been completely confident, loving, and very playful since his first day here. He hops and jumps like a pogo stick, and often gets so excited that he just takes off running, hopping, jumping, and skipping with abandonment and no fear. He still bumps into things now and then, but is never slowed down or upset. In fact, sometimes he'll turn around a emit a serious bark to whatever he just bumped into as if to scold it for being in his way when he had someplace to go.

I have had Oscar for three months now, and have done quite a lot of travelling during this time. I feel it very important for dogs to be well socialized, so took Oscar to Petsmart between my trips. To my dismay, he had developed what seems to be a fear of other dogs, and often barks uncontrollably when he senses they are near. I feel responsible for this, knowing that if I had not travelled so much I could have been consistent with his socialization - which is so much more important since he is blind. Also, he escaped from the yard while I was gone, and ended up at the animal shelter! He found a small place where the wood had separated, and squeezed through (I have since nailed so much wood around that area, that I don't think a mouse - or a horse - could get through). My friend who cares for my pets when I travel found out that Animal Control had picked him up. The blessing is that it all happened so fast that she actually got to the shelter to retrieve him even before the truck arrived which had him. But still, the time he had to ride around in that truck must have been awful for him.

I have been taking Oscar to Petsmart nearly every day to work on his socialization, and am seeing a slow but sure change in his reactions to other dogs. He has always loved people, and has become a favorite visitor to the store. I was actually afraid they might have to ask us to stay away awhile, because Oscar was so disruptive at first with his barking at other dogs. But everyone was so gracious and patient, and welcomed us warmly every time we went. We have become such regulars now that all of the employees know Oscar, and they love on him as if he is their own. A couple of the employees often comment about how he makes their day because he is so joyful.

I decided to enroll Oscar in training classes at Petsmart to work on socialization, and to learn how to handle some of the training that might be unique to him. We had our first class last Wednesday, and I must say I think he was the star of the class! He did bark a lot, but actually calmed down more than some of the other young dogs. A couple of times he really focused on where all the other dogs were, and he was wagging his little tail really fast. I have worked with him so much with clicker training since my travels ended, and he has come along amazingly well. I think this has helped a lot in what could be a very stressful time for him during class.

There is something about Oscar that I think is going to touch many people. He loves everyone he meets, and faces the world with joy, courage, and tenacity despite not being able to see. My pastor writes daily devotionals, and even wrote one about Oscar. I have copied it below.


May 17, 2009
BLIND BUT NOT DEFEATED

John 9:1-3 "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

Recently the talk of the church has been Oscar. Oscar happens to be a little puppy a few weeks old. At first sight, he looks like any normal puppy. He loves to wag his tail. He loves to play. He loves to wrestle with his older dog companions. He's an active, happy puppy. For all practical purposes, Oscar is just your normal puppy. But he is slightly different. Oscar was born blind, with no eyeballs. As one person was talking about Oscar they said, "Poor puppy." But there is nothing poor about Oscar because for Oscar, being blind is normal. He doesn't know any other life. He doesn't feel sorry for himself. He moves around like any other hyperactive little dog.

As I went to visit Oscar for the first time, I noticed something about him. While in his short life, he has never had eyes to see, but I noticed he was using his nose. He was sniffing and smelling and feeling everything before him. I noticed he was using his ears. Every once in a while he would stop for a brief second and listen for his owner's voice and my voice, and would turn in the direction of the sound. I noticed that his front feet seemed to be extended farther out in front of him so as to use them to
feel the floor and obstacles in front of him. For Oscar, being blind is as normal as having eyes to see. All he knows is being blind. But as I saw the puppy I could not help but wonder why he was allowed to be born blind. I could only think of one passage about a man who was born blind. When the disciples asked "...who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." As I
watched Oscar playing, I could not help but notice the words of God displayed in a puppy's life. He has no eyes, but he still has the other four senses. I can't wait to continue to see the works of God the Creator in the life of this puppy as he grows up to be an adult dog.

Thoughts from Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:
McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church