In case you forgot, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance is trying to raise money to build a dog park in downtown. This would be a huge asset for the thousands of humans and dogs that live in the area. It will also be a great way to start bringing people to the Flats East Bank area and get a peek at some of the great development going on there. The organization currently only has reach 24% of its goal, so there is a long way to go. Please help spread the word and make this happen!

To make a donation, click here.

Woody already loves the view.

Woody had to get some shots today, and Curt was craving ice cream so we went out for some! I did not eat any (okay, I had a couple bites of Woody's before giving it to him because the girl gave him a HUGE portion). I'm currently in an online fitness challenge group, so this was basically attempted sabotage.

I somehow missed that today was National Dog Day until about 8 p.m. this evening. But, my post for tonight coincides quite nicely.

Last week, I listened to one of the most fascinating Ted Talks ever. It was titled "Depressed Dogs, Cats with OCD - What Animal Madness Means for us Humans." Why was it so fascinating? Because Lauren Braitman touches on the very reasons why I started this dog blog in the first place. After taking Woody to a behavioral vet, I learned more about dog personalities and mental ticks than I ever thought possible. I firmly believe it made me a better dog parent and taught me that dogs are not a one-size-fits all.

I'm not going to do the talk justice by summarizing it, so I highly encourage you watch/listen. The Ted intro is below:

Behind those funny animal videos, sometimes, are oddly human-like problems. Laurel Braitman studies non-human animals who exhibit signs of mental health issues — from compulsive bears to self-destructive rats to monkeys with unlikely friends. Braitman asks what we as humans can learn from watching animals cope with depression, sadness and other all-too-human problems.

Wow, do I have a lot to talk about this week. A lot happened recently and Woody and I went on some pretty long walks this weekend. So, you'll be hearing a lot from me in the next couple days.

First thing to share is definitely one of the upcoming additions to downtown that I am most excited about: Barrio's new location near East 4th Street. If you aren't familiar with Barrio, they are a Tremont staple (also with a Lakewood location and a food truck) that serves amazing build-your-own tacos, plus their own monthly specialty tacos and delicious beverages out of mason jars. Every time I go to the Tremont location it is PACKED, so hopefully this will spread out some of the business while introducing it to out-of-towners and suburbanites that only come into the city for games and events. I'm not quite sure of the opening date, but it will be this fall and I will be a frequent visitor.

Another new hangout that I've been long awaiting is Butcher and the Brewer, a new brewpub/butcher shop/speakeasy on East 4th Street. This place has been teasing me for about a year and it FINALLY opened this weekend. Curt and I stopped in for a drink Saturday night and ended up sampling all their in-house brews (it's $2.75 for a 5-ounce sample). We fell in love with the ambiance the moment we walked in the door. Some highlights:

• The place is HUGE and the seating is more communal rather than sectioned off.
• The bar has ample seating, and part of it is a chalkboard so you can play hangman/tic tac toe, write messages or write down what beers you are drinking.
  
• The bartenders are SUPER knowledgeable and the service is great.
• There are 5 TVs and all are set to black and white.
• The bathrooms. The bathrooms are where it's at. I may be an odd bird for thinking this. Basically, the men's stalls are on the left and the women's are on the right and there is a communal trough for a sink. Being somewhat of a romantic, I sincerely hope that some memorable meet cutes happen at that trough. 
• The beer is great, and they also feature "celebrity" drafts from other local breweries as well as some "global" varieties.

These two places are just a handful of new hotspots opening before the year is through. Are there any new places in your neighborhood that are must-visit drinking and eating establishments? Let me know in the comments below!

If you wander around Cleveland enough or attend any of the city's many summer markets and/or festivals, you may remember coming across one of these:

Yes, that is a bicycle covered in plants and surrounded by flowers. It's part of the Bikes, Bees and Butterflies project, a public art/urban sustainability project that encourages biking and the creation of green spaces filled with plants that support insect pollinators. I first learned of these at the Gordon Square Arts Festival, and it wasn't long after that this one appeared in my neighborhood.

I'm truly loving the creativity and passion shown in Cleveland's public art scene, especially when it promotes more than just a catchy structure. And, I am slightly (no, horribly) terrified of bees after being stung in the air when I was 10, but I know that they serve a true purpose and love seeing people taking charge to provide them an outlet where they can thrive doing what nature intended.

To learn more about the project, visit them on Facebook.

P.S. Because this is a dog blog, I want to try to get Woody in each of my walking observations photos. As you can see though, this is not always going to work.

In case you missed the news earlier this week, Downtown Cleveland Alliance is raising funds to "create nearly 4,500 square feet of fenced space at the base of West Superior Avenue for your furry friends to enjoy - complete with waste receptacles and seating for humans." This location is near Settler's Landing, across the river from Jacob's Pavilion at Nautica.

The goal is to raise $10,000 from the Downtown dog-loving community, which DCA will match, dollar-for-dollar, to make this project a reality.

If you love your dog, and you love downtown, please support the cause! There are over 1,000 dogs living in downtown Cleveland, and with all of the new green space for humans to enjoy, it's time they have somewhere safe to play, too.

If you'd like to contribute, click here. The more you donate, the more "prizes" you will receive.

This week's edition of Walking Observations took me over the Hope Memorial Bridge, one that conveniently connects downtown and Ohio City via Lorain and Carnegie Avenues and is famously protected by the Guardians of Transportation. For those who are unfamiliar, the bridge opened in 1932 and has recently undergone slight transformations to become even more pedestrian and bike-friendly. This was actually just my second time walking the bridge, the first with Woody. I've also run over the bridge during the Christmas Story 5K and the Cleveland Marathon 10K. My favorite thing about this bridge is undoubtedly the view. It's so awesome to just be able to sit back and take in the city. Many times, you will see photographers trying to capture the best shot from their perspective. Using my iPhone, I snapped a few photos from Woody's (sort of).

If you haven't taken the time to go over the bridge, I suggest you add it to your "Cleveland Bucket" list. If you have walked over, let me know what you like most about the bridge and why both locals and visitors should make the trek!