Posted by: twodogtales | November 10, 2010

Get your charity on this weekend

Do you always end up doing all your charitable giving in December, when you’ve just spent a bundle on holiday gifts and your wallet is feeling the pain? Well here’s your chance to make a difference in the lives of pets a little earlier this year:

Barkfest & Dog Jog

Franklin Park in Purcellville, Va., is the site of the 2010 Barkfest & Dog Jog on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission to the event is free and dogs are welcome. Onsite registration for the three mile jog/walk is $25, and begins at 9 a.m., the walk is at 10. There will be pets available for adoption, vendors and demonstrations. The event benefits the Middleburg Humane Foundation.

Call 540 338 5882 for more information. Franklin Park is at 17501 Franklin Park Dr., Purcellville, VA 20132

Bark & Wine SPCA Benefit

Since you’ll already be in the far west ‘burbs, you might as well keep going and hit the Bark & Wine SPCA Benefit at Philip Carter Winery in Hume, Va. From 2 to 5 p.m. the dog-friendly winery will have a patio pet parade, gift bags, door prizes, light hors d’oeuvres and a Best Dressed Couple (dog and owner) contest.

$20 at the door and 10% of all wine purchases go to the Fauquier SPCA. To see pictures of the winery, read my post from my visit last month.

Contact the winery at (540) 364-1203 or info@pcwinery.com.

Champagne High Tea with Tiffany & Co.

If you don’t feel like venturing outside of the city, the lovely Jefferson Hotel at 16th & M St. NW is hosting an event to benefit the Washington Animal Rescue League on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Surrounded by a collection of brilliant Tiffany jewels, attendees will be served tea and champagne, along with delectable finger sandwiches, scones and real clotted cream. You can’t bring your dog, but getting away from slobbery dog-kisses and poop-pickup duty for high tea at The Jefferson is an exquisite afternoon. I can’t imagine having tea anywhere else!

Champagne High Tea with Tiffany & Co. is $300 per person ($245 of that is tax deductible). For questions or reservations contact Renee Smith at renee@warl.org or (202) 375-7746. Valet parking. The Jefferson is at 1200 16th Street NW, Washington DC.

Catsino Night & Silent Auction

The historic and no-longer-in-use old lobby terminal Reagan National Airport is the site of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s annual Catsino Night & Silent Auction on Sat., Nov. 13 from 7 to 11 p.m. 

There is live music, an awesome selection of items in the silent auction, great food from Lebanese Taverna, a martini bar, and blackjack, craps, poker and other gambling games–without the pain of losing real money!

Attire is festive or 40’s-themed. Tickets are $100 per person or $180 per couple, and can be ordered online. For more information or make a reservation by phone, contact 703-931-9241, ext. 216 or sharte@awla.org

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Posted by: twodogtales | November 3, 2010

Fashion, runs & fun this weekend

Fashion for Paws Runway Show Photography Exhibit

Over the last four years Fashion for Paws (F4P) has raised more than a million dollars for the animals and programs of the Washington Humane Society (WHS). On Thursday Nov. 4 F4P is holding a Runway Show Photography Exhibit at L2 Lounge in Georgetown from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

More than a dozen F4P Runway Show photographers will display a few dozen of their best pictures from the Runway Show in this special exhibit. There will be a photo booth for guests and F4P Runway Show Super Model Calendars will be on sale, along with a silent auction. 

To attend, please RSVP and make a $20 tax deductible donation at: www.washhumane.org/F4PfotoweekDC.

Home 4 the Holidays Super Pet Adoption Event

GoodDogz.org is sponsoring the seventh annual Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption event on Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Reston Town Center in Virginia from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More than 40 dog rescue organizations will be there with adoptable dogs.

What better gift than to welcome a pet in need of a home into your family? More than 20 retailers will be selling pet supplies and gifts, and there will be a pre-holiday visit from Santa Paws.

Puttin’ on the Dog Carribean Nights

The SPCA of Anne Arundel County is holding its annual charity gala on Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Marriott Annapolis Waterfront in Maryland. Puttin’ on the Dog Carribean Night  will have cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, dinner, a live and silent auction, and dancing to the music of Mama Jama. Tickets are $150. Call 410-268-4388, extension 120 for more information or to buy tickets.

Dash 5K and Doggie Run

The Dash 5K and Doggie Run on Sunday, Nov. 7 in Rock Creek Park from 8:00 a.m. to noon will benefit the Washington Animal Rescue League. Well-behaved dogs may participate with their owners in the one-mile Doggie Run/Walk. Water bowls and treats for the dogs will be provided at the start/finish area. Late online registration is $25 until Nov. 5. All participants must pick up their packets prior to the race start between 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.

There will be adoptable dogs, vendors, and the League will be debuting their newest program, Rescue Runners. With Rescue Runners, League staffers and shelter dogs go for a 1-mile jog each morning to help the dogs stay active and more relaxed during their days at the League.

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Posted by: twodogtales | November 2, 2010

Goldens turn out to help GRREAT

The “GRREAT Beginnings Lead to Happy Endings” 7th annual 3K walk drew dozens of dogs and their owners to Fairfax on a sunny Saturday morning to support Golden Retriever Rescue Education and Training.

Walkers gathered in the Weber's Pet Supermarket parking lot

It’s rare to bring together dozens of dogs, all leashed and strangers to each other, and not have a few growls occur. But when 95 percent of those dogs are laid-back and friendly Golden Retrievers, all you get is a sea of wagging tails and friendly greetings.

"Olden Goldies" wait for the walk to begin

The walk began and ended behind Weber’s Pet Supermarket. It was an easy stroll through a residential neighborhood and wooded trails. GRREAT set up a refreshment table with water and dog treats at the midway point.

Some dogs wore festive attire

Halloween costumes included a devil

After the walk, participants gathered for cider, cookies and other treats. There was a raffle drawing, a photo booth and Golden Retriever-themed merchandise for sale.

Three mellow Goldens relaxed after the walk

It was a great (no pun intended, of course) way to get some exercise, enjoy the crisp October weather, and support a wonderful cause.

Being blind didn't stop these two from knowing who had treats

Here are more pictures from the event:

 

 

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 31, 2010

Snow White is Howl-o-ween’s fairest

More than 50 bags of dog food were donated to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue Thursday night at the Howl-o-ween party hosted by Dogma Bakery and Fur-Get-Me-Not in Shirlington Village.

Dozens of costumed dogs and their owners converged on Dogma to make a donation and pick up their map of businesses participating in the event. The diners at the restaurants with outdoor tables got to enjoy the parade of angels, bumblebees, banana splits, fairies and more.

Illusions Salon, Verbena, Le Village Marche, AMC Loews Movies, The Curious Grape, Bungalow Billiards and INSIGHT Imaging Center all had a variety of baked dog goodies as the dogs made their rounds.

Prizes were given for the Best Owner & Dog, Scariest and Cutest costumes. I’m proud to say Sundae as Snow White won for Cutest, and we took home a $25 gift certificate from Fur-Get-Me-Not!

The Lucky Dog Animal Rescue raffle prizes included gift certificates from Dogma and Bungalow Billiards. See more pictures of great dog costumes below, and check out the Shirlington Village blog for more pictures from the event.

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 26, 2010

Howl-o-ween treats this week

Dogma Bakery Halloween Parties

Dogma Bakery is holding Halloween parties with costume contests at both its Arlington stores Thursday, Oct. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  The party at the Village at Shirlington store is co-sponsored by Fur-Get-Me-Not and benefits Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.  The Harrison St. location benefits Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. In order to participate a donation is requested of 5 pounds of dog food for Lucky Dog or a collar or leash for Lost Dog.

Doggie Howl-o-ween Happy Hour
 
The Hotel Monaco in Old Town Alexandria, the host of the popular bi-weekly doggie happy hours, is having a special doggie Howl-o-ween happy hour on Thursday, Oct. 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. Pets and their owners are encouraged to come in costume, and there will be a runway, judges and prizes. Get there early, there are only 75 spots available. A $10 donation is requested, and all proceeds will go to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.   

 

GRREAT 3K Walk

Golden Retriever Rescue Education and Training is holding its 7th annual “GRREAT Beginnings Lead to Happy Endings” 3K Walk on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. at Weber’s Pet Supermarket in Fairfax, Va.

Cost is $20 per human walker, and each participant will get a t-shirt. Refreshments and dog treats are provided along the walk route, and door prizes will be given away at the end of the event. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., and the walk starts in the rear parking lot. 11021 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA  22030. 

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 25, 2010

Road trip: sippin’ Shenandoah

So with Fall in full swing and the leaves dropping as quickly as the temperatures, this weekend two friends and I packed up our two dogs each–that’s three women and six dogs–and headed out to Luray, Va., for a long weekend in the Shenandoah Valley.  

Before we left I checked out the virginiawine.org website, which conveniently lets you search for wineries by wine types, region and winery features. After selecting “Shenandoah Valley” and “Pet friendly,” the site came up with 12 options. Cave Ridge Vineyard and Crooked Run Cellars were both  within 30 miles of Luray,  in Mt. Jackson. 

Cave Ridge Vineyards

We decided to try Cave Ridge, because they had a special “Taste of Shenandoah” event on Saturday. For $20, you got 10 pairings of Cave Ridge wines with samples of foods from local farms, and a full glass of wine. The tasting facility is set on a hill overlooking the vineyard and the scenic Shenandoah foothills, and has a large patio and deck. Dogs are welcome on the patio and anywhere on the grounds.

The food and wine pairings were outstanding, with combinations like squaw bread toast topped with goat cheese and apple hot sauce coupled with a stainless-steel Viognier and lamb curry meatballs from J&L Green Farm made with Firefly Cosmic Curry Hot Sauce with a Chambourcin. Needless to say, the picnic lunch we brought along didn’t get touched. Well, okay, the dogs got to enjoy some of the cheese and crackers our stomachs didn’t have room for anymore.

To top it all off,  local musician Randy Black played tunes by James Taylor, John Denver, Paul Simon and other songs-you-know-by-heart on the patio all afternoon.

After wining and dining, we walked the dogs through the vineyards, and they got to visit with some curious cattle along one of the fence lines.  The only thing missing was a hammock to take a long afternoon snooze!

A Shenandoah River sunset

On Sunday, we headed back towards D.C., taking the cross-country scenic route through Sperryville, Flint Hill and ending up in Hume, Va., at Philip Carter Winery. I highly recommend taking back roads rather than highways, it’s so refreshing that the rolling hills, spectacular fall foliage and quaint farmhouses and country churches exist less than an hour from the Beltway. 

Philip Carter Winery

The winery sits at the end of a winding gravel road bordered by cow pastures and farms in a picturesque valley. A large portrait of the winery’s dogs is prominently placed next to the tasting counter, although they weren’t there to meet our six pups on Sunday.

For $5, we tasted seven different wines. The most unique was a 2006 Meritage, which is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Then we got some mileage out of Saturday’s uneaten picnic lunch, setting up on one of the picnic tables close to the patio.

The only thing that would’ve been nice is some shade, either with umbrellas or by planting some trees. We had a pleasant fall day with the temperature in the mid-70s, but I imagine in the middle of summer visitors have to stay indoors to get out of the heat and sun.

PC Winery picnic area

We again ended the afternoon with a walk around the vineyard perimeter, letting the dogs run off leash in the far corner of the field where they couldn’t bother livestock or other vineyard visitors. It provided some nice photo opportunities as well!

Happy Labs Abby and Molly

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 21, 2010

Howl-O-Wine & Pawtinis this week

Howl-O-Wine at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in  Dickerson, Md., hosts a Howl-O-Wine party on Saturday, Oct. 23 from noon to 5 p.m. The event benefits Wags For Hope, a nonprofit that provides animal visitation to nursing homes, assisting living facilities and more around Maryland. There will be costume contests, raffles and prizes, and for a $10 donation, you get to taste three wines. The vineyard is at 18125 Comus Road, Dickerson, MD 20842.

Fashion for Paws Pawtini Halloween Happy Hour
 
How often do you get to take your dog to a really fancy hotel? In my case, never. Well, this Wednesday is your big chance. The W Washington, D.C. Hotel is hosting the Fashion for Paws Pawtini Halloween Happy Hour on Wed., Oct. 27 from  6 to 9 p.m. Local celebrities will judge the best-dressed Halloween pet costume contest, and the winner will be featured  on the Fashion for Paws (F4P) Facebook fan page and the Washington Humane Society (WHS) blog. A portion of the bar proceeds will go to the WHS. The hotel is at 515 15th St, NW, Washington, DC 20004.

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 17, 2010

Two wags for Chrysalis Winery

Well, okay, five wags! Two friends and I packed up our five big dogs and a picnic lunch for the hour long drive out to Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Va., Sunday afternoon. With the temperature in the mid-70’s, bright sunny skies and the trees starting to turn bright gold and orange, we couldn’t have asked for a better day trip to Virginia’s beautiful countryside. 

Chrysalis has plenty of dog-friendly picnic tables

After researching potential destinations earlier in the week and getting a very disturbing and rude email from one of the owners of Swedenburg Winery, I decided to try Chrysalis. I was somewhat apprehensive, their website is very clear that children are only welcome in a section of the property called The Family Area, and only thing the site says about dogs is that “all pets must be kept on a leash at all times.”

But Chrysalis proved very dog-friendly. The hostess inside the main building was thrilled that we’d brought our pups, and came out to visit once we’d gotten settled. There are lots of picnic tables scattered around the property overlooking the picturesque vineyards and a pond. We opted to tie the dogs to our table while we tasted wines at a close-by tent — the tables are sturdy, with metal frames and ample space in between them — but you can also bring your dog to the tent with you.  

tasting tent

The four tasting tents feature georgous views

Chrysalis is more structured than many wineries, tastings are held at 12-minute intervals, and you are sent to one of four numbered tents so everyone in your group begins the tasting at the same time. That’s actually better than random starts where if most of the group is further along, you can feel pressure to drink quickly and catch up.

There are two tasting options, the $5 “estate tasting” includes three whites and three reds, and the $10 “reserve tasting” adds five more reds to the initial six. This isn’t a wine blog, and I am far from an aficionado, so I’ll just say my favorites were the 2009 Chardonnay and the 2005 Norton Estate Bottled.

The gang enjoying the sunshine

While we enjoyed our post-tasting picnic lunch, the dogs wrestled each other, begged for food, rolled in the grass, and barked greetings every time a new dog came into view. They met Labs, Poodles, Beagles and more than a few mutts. Before we left, we managed to get the whole crew to sit still for a few seconds to take a group picture in front of the vines. Chrysalis gets a “paws-up!”

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 14, 2010

Why men and women like dogs

Authors Jon Katz and Rita Mae Brown had the audience at the Bailey’s Crossroads Borders in stitches last night with their anecdotes and jokes about the dogs, cats and assorted livestock that have changed their lives. Both spoke of the spiritual bonds they have formed with animals, and what that has meant in their lives. Katz, a jovial man with a self-deprecating sense of humor joked that “Women like dogs because they make an emotional connection. Men like them because they don’t talk.”

Katz inscribed my book to me and my "devil dog," Sundae

He shared stories about the making of the HBO movie of his book “A Dog Year,” which stars Jeff Bridges as Katz and aired last month. He told how one day Bridges and the crew took all the clothes out of his closet and left with them, telling him Bridges wanted to dress “authentically.” Katz later saw an intern taking sandpaper to brand-new LL Bean outfits, identical to Katz’s own, but not appropriately “scruffy.”

The DVD of “A Dog Year” will be available in December.

Brown is an energetic, raspy-voiced sprite with spiky salt-and-pepper hair, a very deep tan and a Joan Rivers-esque sense of humor. Her new book, “A Nose for Justice” is about a Wall Street refuge who retreats to Nevada with her wirehair Dachshund and becomes entangled in a murder mystery. She said “Animals will tell you who you can trust, if your pet doesn’t like someone–PAY ATTENTION!”

Katz offered that his wife’s Rottweiler-Shepherd mix Frieda didn’t like him one bit–until he implemented his “Beef Jerky Training Program,” basically, simple and excessive bribery. He has four books coming out next year, including one on grieving the loss of a pet as well as a collection of short stories.

Katz and Brown drew a standing-room only crowd

Katz, who has written about his past struggles with depression, said that “I think we get the dogs we need at each stage of our lives to help us reach the next stage. Dogs are guides who come into our lives for a reason, and leave for a reason.”

Amen.

 

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Posted by: twodogtales | October 13, 2010

Fall fun Oct. 16

K-9 Krawl

Sponsored by the Fairfax County Police Department, the 4th annual K-9 Krawl is in parking lot C at the Fairfax County Government Center on Saturday, Oct. 16. Check in starts at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:00 a.m.

The purpose of this free event is to increase awareness of the link between domestic violence and animal cruelty. 

There will be goodie bags, raffles, domestic violence educational information, McGruff the Crime Dog, and the Fairfax County Police Dept. K-9 Unit. 

McLean Pet Expo

Saturday, Oct. 16, the McLean Pet Expo at Lewinsville Park features the Howl’oween Pooch Parade and Costume Contest. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be attractions including the Greatest American Dog “The Amazing Leroy,” frisbee dogs, LA Express DJ and for the two-legged kids, a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, carousel, and a moon bounce sponsored by A Dog’s Day Out.

The costume contest, sponsored by Dogtopia, will be judged by a panel of celebrity dogs and their trainers, with prizes awarded for categories including Funniest, Most Adorable, Most Creative, Best Couple and Scariest. There will also be booths with animal rescue organizations, and nutrition, supply, veterinary services, care and training vendors. 

Admission is free. Lewinsville Park is at 1659 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Va.

MCSPCA 21st Annual Dog Walk and Pet Fair

Topper Shutt, chief meterologist of television station WUSA channel 9, hosts the Montgomery County SPCA 21st Annual Dog Walk and Pet Fair on Saturday, Oct. 16 at Avenel Local Park in Potomac, Md.

The one mile walk through scenic Potomac begins at 10:30 a.m., with registration from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. The registration fee is $35 per adult, $15 for kids 6 to 16, kids under 6 and dogs are free; $5 more for onsite registration. Walkers receive a t-shirt and bandana. All proceeds go to the MCSPCA’s spay/neuter, adoption, foster, abandoned and abused animal programs.  

The pet fair will have contests, fun activities, obedience training demonstrations and pet portraits. Avenel Park is at 10051 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, Md.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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