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!

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.

After what seemed like a never-ending winter, we finally had a full weekend that felt like spring in Ohio. How convenient that it came just in time for Mother's Day. By the way, I hope all the mothers to human and fur babies know how much they are loved!

A month ago, I was in San Francisco (which, by the way has more dogs than children under age 18 within the city limits!) and out of the blue experienced some severe pain in my foot. I'd been training for the Rite Aid Cleveland 10K so I was a little nervous that maybe I overdid it. I was right. When we got home from our trip, I went to the doctor and found out I have cuboid syndrome, which is essentially a misalignment of the cuboid bone, and was put in a walking boot for three weeks.

Fast forward to Friday, and I finally got back to a boot-free life. First order of business was to purchase new running shoes (I went with Brooks Ravenna 5 & LOVE them!) that would help me keep any future injuries away. Second order of business was to test out the new gear, and let me just say, they are amazing.

Meanwhile, the boyfriend and I decided to start experimenting with our own little indoor garden. So far, I have one tomato plant that I got from the Market Cafe and Wine Bar for $15. I'll likely get one more this week, and we are looking to pick up a few herbs this week, among other things.

Oh, and I can't forget...we went to the Cleveland Flea this weekend. If you are in the area, I highly suggest this monthly event, which brings together local artists, designers, food trucks and more. From clothing to vintage furniture and unique art that lets you show off your city pride, there are so many treasures to be found. I will definitely be going back next month. Since it's outdoors it is dog-friendly, so I will likely take Woody with me next time.

What are your favorite activities (with or without your dog) now that the weather is warm?