Saturday, November 27, 2010

My Kind of Town

Above: Scott and Rufus at the Peninsula Hotel, Chicago

So today we traveled to Chicago for the Lakeshore Kennel Club show. Rufus looked mighty fine and took Best of Winners. We got to see some other beautiful Tibetan Terriers from Cedar Creek and Barnstorm and Ri Lee's Reese. Now all Rufus needs is his final MAJOR and he will have his championship.

Posthaste, we headed to the fabled Magnificent Mile to celebrate. But first to the Peninsula Hotel on Superior Street where, our friend, the doorman Scott always has a good stash of biscuits. And, then, on to Michigan Avenue for a little window shopping. And down to Oak Street where I met the sweetest 11-year-old poodle named Shadow. As dad was crouched on the sidewalk posing Rufus in front of the Prada window, a kindly, slightly addled looking, moderately well-dressed black woman threw popcorn in our direction as she wished us happy holidays. My dad looked up at her and then back down to the popcorn at our feet and then back up at her and then quickly back down to the popcorn at our feet. "Thank you" he said "but they can't eat popcorn" and then he mumbled something about it getting caught in our throats. This kindly, slightly addled looking, moderately well-dressed black woman just smiled at us like an angel. We noticed a pigeon descend as we walked away. Did she, perhaps, think we were pigeons?

Then dad sat us down on a bench in the park on East Lakeshore Drive and told us about his Grandma Franny's famous Popcorn Cake. It was kinda like a great big popcorn ball but formed in the shape of a cake. This, somehow, led to a story about a friend of his, Stephanie, who used to volunteer at an after-school program at the fancy Episcopal church on Michigan Avenue where a hot meal and a carton of milk was provided. Stephanie, dad recalled, told him the kids once asked her for extra little cartons of milk so they could throw them at white people on their way home.

Then it was on to Neiman Marcus where Tom and Julie and Jack catered to our every whim and dad was measured for a special holiday suit spun from pure gold. Dad told us that Grammy Jill once had a pair of gold lame capris she liked to kick around in. Tom and Julie and Jack were ever so nice. Tom even shuffled off somewhere and soon shuffled back with biscuits and a kind of doggy pig-in-a-blanket. Delicious! We were told by another Neiman Marcus staffer that the store had recently changed it's policy and dogs were only allowed in the store if held by their owners. We quickly exited.

Above: Alyssa, Penny, and Rufus at Jonathan Adler, Chicago

Alyssa and Penny at the Chicago Jonathan Adler outpost just couldn't get enough of Rufus and took him back behind the counter with them. Crowds soon formed around the windows. I overheard one woman say it was better than any holiday window display she had seen on the Mag Mile. This year Jonathan Adler created a cute poodle ornament for the holidays and one of a dachshund too. I'd like to hang one of those on my tree this year. Wouldn't you?

Righteous Bitch

Well, you know me, I hate to brag. But I think I've hit the big time. I was featured on both the Huffington Post and MyAnimalActivist.com today. The Huffington Post featured those FUNNY lost and found signs I posted on my blog yesterday (see below) and also included a link to my website. I got quite a bit of traffic from that. Who knows. Maybe soon I'll have a multi-book deal with a movie option. I definitely need an agent and a publicist. My dad is just too small potatoes. If that wasn't enough (and it never is), the folks from MyAnimalActivist.com selected my boy, Rufus, Deep Acres Fields of Gold, as their favorite dog at the Minneapolis Kennel Club show and went on to gush about this "really beautiful Tibetan Terrier." Thank you MyAnimalActivist.com!

Above: MyAnimalActivist.com snapped this shot of Rufus at the Minneapolis Kennel Club show and named him their favorite dog at the show.

Now, the folks from My Animal Activist had a HUGE presence at the Minneapolis Kennel Club show. They had an AMAZING display and spent a lot of time educating people about responsible breeding practices. You know things like health screening before breeding, not buying pups from pet shops, and other REALLY IMPORTANT stuff like that. They also had THE BEST merchandise. I think my favorite was their "BALLS ARE OVERRATED" gear.

Above: Amy and Posh

Amy Sparks, who founded MyAnimalActivist.com is a photographer, video editor, and self-proclaimed crazy dog lady. She's come up with some really creative ways to communicate and promote responsible pet choices and the basic idea that all creatures of this planet deserve respect. Amy shares her home with a Havanese named Posh, 12 Happy Hens, an animal loving daughter, a crazy-Animal-from-the-muppets-like son , and a darling creative husband who tolerates and supports her dog crazy-ness and countless “ideas.”

Amy shared a quote from Abraham Lincoln that I want to share with you.

I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.
-Abraham Lincoln

That Abe Lincoln sure was a smart guy. Amy sure is a smart gal. Makes me proud to be a righteous bitch