This is going to be my only post for the week, as I will be busy at a conference the next two days and spending the evenings catching up on work. But what I discovered this evening needed to be shared immediately. Remember a few weeks ago when I shared my excitement about Barrio opening in downtown? Well, today I noticed that they are doing Food Truck Fridays, as if the anticipation wasn't already mounting.

If you look close you can see Woody's tail. I tried to get more of his reflection but he wasn't having it. Apparently he does not care about tacos.

This is quite possibly one of my favorite billboards ever. Not only is it getting Cleveland completely PUMPED for the upcoming Cavs season but it's an ad for STARTER! When's the last time you saw one of those?

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.

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.