The last few weekends I haven't been the best dog mom in that most of the activities I've been doing were not dog friendly. So this weekend I wanted to make it up to Woody. Saturday we took him to Edgewater Beach to watch the sunset and get a little bit of ice cream. I try to take him for ice cream once a summer as a treat - just a little bit of plain vanilla is all he needs. Edgewater serves Honey Hut, one of Cleveland's local ice cream staples.

Sunday we checked out the Hingetown Sunday Market. I go to a lot of markets in Cleveland - Cleveland Flea and Night Market are a few of my other favorites - but I personally feel that this one is the best for a solid mix of vintage finds and handmade artisan goods. It is also really laid back and features some of the best food trucks and beverages for a nice Sunday Funday. This chill vibe is great for dogs because you aren't fighting the big crowds of other events so you don't have to worry about your pup getting trampled. The market takes place on the third Sunday of every month through October, so definitely check one out before 2015 is over. Woody not only got to eat the bacon off my breakfast sandwich from Off the Griddle, but also got a souvenir from Ohio City Dog Haven.

What are some of your favorite outdoor activities that you have to do with your dog before summer is over? Comment below!

Woody is All In for Game 4. Are you?

In case you hadn't heard, WE ARE OFFICIALLY GETTING A DOG PARK IN DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND! I received an email about this earlier this week, though it doesn't look like anything has been made public yet. Thank you to everyone who donated and made it possible for Cleveland's downtown pups to have a safe place to play.

Get all the official details on the DCA website and bring your dog down to play before winter comes!

...I hope it can be this. Pets and people come in all shapes and sizes. The difference is that pets do not judge the way people do.

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.

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.

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!

"A tired Jack Russell is a happy Jack Russell" - some man I encountered on one of my dog walks.

This quote could not be more true, which is why I try to take Woody on a long walk almost daily. One of the neatest things about living in downtown Cleveland is that there is always something new to discover. There are fixtures in downtown that have actually been here for years that aren't always noticeable or understood until you open your eyes and pay attention to your surroundings. With all of the hype surrounding Gay Games 9, the RNC and Lebron's return, Cleveland is seeing the most positive worldwide attention it's received in decades. So, I thought this might be a great time to start sharing my firsthand observations from the walks that Woody and I take. Each week, I will highlight something we've discovered, whether it's something I noticed or something that attracted Woody's attention. From unique architecture (like The Arcade, which reminds me of the interior of the fine dining room in Titanic) to new bar and restaurant openings, I will share a little piece of the city with you. Hopefully you will enjoy learning through the eyes of a girl and her dog, and just maybe it'll make you want to walk around and explore on your own. Welcome to Cleveland! We hope you enjoy your stay.

In case you haven't heard, Lebron James is returning to the Cavs, a moment I never thought I'd see. Woody celebrated in true Cleveland fashion.

The last couple weeks have been pretty busy for me. Lots of stringent work deadlines, I got braces (more on that later), and I've been trying to do some spring cleaning, though I will admit that this time has turned into the time where I crawl in my bed and watch episodes of old 90s TV shows on Netflix. It only took me a year, but I finally finished Cheers!

As far as Woody's concerned, he's still cooped up due to the snow. He will be going to Camp Bow Wow this weekend to burn of some steam because he is starting to get pretty stir-crazy. While he hasn't been having the accidents all over the place like he did last winter, this pent up energy really has shown when people have visited the apartment in the last couple months. Normally he gets a little anxious but this anxiety is starting to cross over into the aggression territory. While I have a much better handle on how to read his energy than I did this time last year, I don't want to take any chances. So, he will be going to Camp Bow Wow every time I have guests in the home until it's warm enough to go on our walks.

One thing I did want to share was this cute blog post titled 15 Important Truths Dog Owners Must Never Forget. I've seen lists like this before, but this one really brought it home for me for some reason. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.