To all of my friends all over the world… here’s to a New Year filled with sticks, adventures, health, and happiness!  Get out there and make it a GREAT one!!!

Love,

Bogart

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Many of you had been wondering after my last romp through the Christmas Village if I indeed got any of that yummy strudel.  THE ANSWER IS YES

 But I’m not very good at waiting for it, you see.  Patience is not a virtue in my book.  When in doubt, GO ALL IN I say…

 All schnoz in, that is.

 Push your nose all the way down towards the yummy goodness of the apfel strudel.  YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO

 NOM NOM NOM

 Oh thank you again, dear Helmut.  I am a huge fan of your work.

 Mmm… Mmm… Goodness

 There really was no stopping me after mama foolishly waved the box in my direction.  And then she couldn’t stop laughing so I continued digging for the gold-en goodness at the bottom of the box.  No need to warm it up on my account, just GET IN MY BELLY

Love and happy strudel-y thoughts,

Bogart

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The Christmas Village has moved from City Hall over to Love Park – and we almost missed it!

There’s a big Xmas tree, the giant macaroni-and-cheese noodle, and lots of German specialties.  The tree kind of freaked me out.

To get into the proper spirit I tried to yodel – which I could tell was appreciated by all as they turned their heads toward me and clutched their children closer to themselves.

YOU’RE WELCOME PHILADELPHIA

It’s a very cool setup, with lots of small gingerbread-house-type stalls selling all sorts of lovely and yummy things.

You should go full-on traditional I think.  The folks selling earrings and scarves (and burritos), yeah well, that just didn’t seem as in the spirit as it could have been.  And it was freezing cold today for the first time this year – I wasn’t allowed into the come-inside-and-get-warm-with-some-hot-alcoholic-beverages tent – so really, go with the fun traditional stuff.

Hey, what’s that?

Austrian strudel – MMMMMMMMMMM

Yeah, that’s right.  Dogs don’t generally eat apfel strudel.  But I’m not just any dog, and since my dad was from Austria I AM ALLOWED TO EAT APFEL STRUDEL.  It was tasty indeed, not as good as mama has had actually in Austria, but still yummo.  Don’t let one bite go to waste!

Love,

Bogart

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OK, mama, I will pose with the pretty-lit-up tree.  I won’t look directly at you, but I will give an obligatory look-the-dog-is-standing-next-to-something-mildly-interesting look.

BUT WAIT.  The obviously intelligent makers of this tree saw fit to place a large bowl featuring PINE CONES in the center.  Just far enough away that I can see and admire them, but cannot chomp them.

Although I am actively considering it.  Really actively considering it.  Perhaps once the holidays are over, I can make my move…

Love,

Bogart

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Love,

Bogart

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Love,

Bogart

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Happy Birthday Klaus – we still cannot believe that you are gone.  A toast to the most amazing husband-o, an incredibly talented and creative soul, and the best damn Aire-daddy in the whole world.

Love,

Lulu and Bogart

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Doing my part.  We visited our local eternal flame – conveniently located right in my park – to pay our respects today.  Happy Memorial Day to all…

Love,

Bogart

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Yes, sometimes she makes me crazy, and we don’t go on nearly enough walkies for my taste, but SHE’S MINE, and I love her.  And we make a DAMN FINE TEAM.

Love to all the mama’s out there – whether your kiddos have four legs or two…

Love,

Bogart

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Well, what is this?  My nose-button is heart-shaped!

Oh that smells good.  When did you get that, mama?  Did you go to the Just Dogs Gourmet bakery WITHOUT ME?  The only way I can possibly forgive you is if you GIVE IT TO ME NOW

Ok, haha, yes that’s hilarious, my heart-shaped eye patch.  You’re a comedian.

Gimme cookie.  Sure, I’ll be your Valentine – you KNOW that I’ll always be your Valentine mama – since you don’t have a human one.  Did I mention that it might be time to give me that cookie?

I like this holiday.  All I have to do is show you love and you give me cookies?  SIGN ME UP

Love,

Bogart

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I’m too sexy for this wall… too sexy for this wall, that’s me I’m so tall.

Must be true – I can reach it – sending you all lots of love and happy-sexy-times for Valentine’s Day (someone have some extra for me – and mama would like for someone to have some extra for her too).

Love,

Bogart

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I know that I haven’t posted in awhile, and I apologize.  I’ve gotten all of your emails and messages… and thank you for your concern!  I’ve been busy, mama was a little “out of it”, and the cherry on the sundae, our old camera died.  Mama tried to continue by posting a few grainy cell phone photos on my Facebook page, but lo, it is not the same.  But thank goodness for grandmas because mine bought us a new one for Xmas!

So exactly what was I up to?  Posing for potentially-embarrassing holiday photos…

Making sure that mama knows how much I love her…

Getting presents while pretending to still be interested in this holiday-photo-thing…

I got a super spiffy new coat from my pal Max (you should check out his book, Life to the Max, I have it and it is very inspirational!) which I am wearing with pride.  It’s very cozy, fits me really well, I really like it.

Lots of long walkies, a warm coat, and STICKS.  As you can see, I’m doing pretty darned well.

Time to head off now, get back on the blogging track, pick up those 2010 sticks and RUN!

Love,

Bogart

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Just across the street, in front of City Hall, is the source of a lot of recent controversy here in Philly.  The Christmas Village.  An outdoor group of vendors – food, wine, presents of all kinds – it’s really lovely.  But apparently lots of people in their hyper-PC-ness wanted to call it the Holiday Village, and the sign was taken down.  Well now it’s back up again, and after walking through it I can say really folks, it is set up as a Christmas-type area (Santa is there), so don’t get your panties all in a bunch.  Anyone and everyone can walk around, see lovely handmade things, and enjoy a glass of mulled wine.

Even dogs.

Although this guy looked a little shifty to me.

I couldn’t go inside the food and drink areas so I cannot attest to their yumminess, but lots of happy, satisfied humans coming out so that’s a good sign.

Yeah, mama’s camera doesn’t do justice to things shot in low light or at night.  Most of the pictures come out like this one.  But just squint your eyes and you’ll see the loveliness…

And, somehow, mama managed to make the newspaper with her heroic quote about the whole thing – “Oh, who cares?”.  Yep, that’s my mama…

Love,

Bogart

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My very favorite pair of opposable thumbs – oh, and everything else too.

I’ve got you pretty well-trained at this point, so no reason to trade you in for a newer model.  You’ve taken good care of me, the kitties, and dad so now I’ve got to think of something special to do for you.  Oh, and you still look pretty good for an old lady.

Love,

Bogart

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But we did see this:

And this:

It’s almost like part of the Pumpkin Village People (although it would be harder to do the arm movements for P-U-M-P-K-I-N than it is for Y-M-C-A).

Time to enjoy a Halloween snackie.  Mama somehow visited Just Dogs Gourmet this week without me (grrrr) but hey, I still get a black cat cookie out of it so I will forgive her.  This time.

As covered in previous cookie-eating posts, ALWAYS BITE THE HEAD OFF FIRST

You can try for the tail first, but it never works.  Concentrate on the kitty command module.

See?  All is right in the world.

Hope you all are enjoying your Halloween – black cat cookies all around!

Love,

Bogart

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Your intrepid reporter Bogart Handsome Devil here, reporting from Outfest.  Today I have seen assless chaps (oh so many assless chaps), feather boas, and lots of (according to mama) extremely attractive men.  Most of whom thought I was adorable.  GO OUTFEST!

We walked around as much as we could, it got pretty crowded for a dog, and did I mention that there were lots of assless chaps?  Remember folks, I am at assless-chap-level.  The more you know…

After we wandered away from Outfest, I found this neato cat.  Not a real one, to my chagrin, but one that apparently helps out when your shoes are dirty.  Awfully – unusually – helpful for a cat, I believe.  I don’t think that any of my cats would do such a thing.  Ever.

Mmm… fall is here, and the good people of Philadelphia have been putting lots of great-smelling things outside of their buildings.

And some really scary things, but lets not focus on that, shall we?

Yummo and scary.

I know which one I choose.

And of course, mama chooses this one (she’s so weird).

But we can both agree on this cool cat.  Looking good!

Love,

Bogart

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Respect.

Love,

Bogart

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First we had to fortify a bit – so a pit stop at Panera Bread for an indulgent croissant…

That’s right everyone, she’s MY MAMA and we are enjoying a croissant together on our special day.  EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!

Then it was off to a place I haven’t been in way too long – Mt. Tabor!  The volcano that ISN’T breaking down European air travel.

We brought some snacks, some water, and a blankie but first we had to earn our little picnic by walking around and around all the way up to the top.  I visit the local salad bar on the way.

Ah, it’s so darned pretty out here today.  Green, lush, warm and lovely.

Yes thank you, I will take a little time to relax and watch the world around me.  This is perched at the top of a very long flight of concrete stairs on top of the volcano.  So after you work your butt off, YOU SHOULD RELAX.

But there are PINE CONES up here at the top – so no relaxing just yet!

See?  Pine cone residue.  FUN FUN FUN

They fall from the sky, from the great trees here in the Northwest.

And what other great things can you find on the top of a volcano on a lovely spring day?  AIREDALES!  This is Ollie, and we’ve never met before.

I am VERY envious of his major disco pants (dad’s name for the super-furry paws) as I have never been able to grow lush, substantial ones myself.

He’s a handsome devil, and we had a really great time running around together – catch you again sometime Ollie!

Now… What is this?  Bonus points if you can guess before you scroll down.

I had no idea either, so we went in for closer inspection.

It’s a giant ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLE.  Um, of course.  It is placed on the acupuncture point name Open Water and on the meridan Lung.

I thought it might need a little lubrication after being stuck in one spot for so long.  So I did my part for public art (yet again).

The giant acupuncture needle generates a lot of attention – it’s got to be 25-30 feet tall – lots of people and doggies were stopping to check it out.  From what I saw, no one knew what it was so if you didn’t guess you are in good company.

Snacks aren’t always enough.  We needed lunch.  And I needed a bucket of water.

It’s been a really long time since we’ve been here to the Hawthorne Fish House.  This was one of dad’s favorite Portland places, he was a big fan of their cod fish and chips.  Mama likes the gardenburger, and we all go nuts for the fries.  Luckily there was a spot at an outdoor table, so we settled in for a big treat.

Just like we always used to do, mama “fed” dad some of her fries because he would always finish his first.  So we did a little tribute to you, dad.  You’ll be happy to know that I got to eat all of “dad’s” fries.  And from what I hear the gardenburger was delicious.

Not content to walk in one park when we had a car for a whole day, lets visit another:

This is really one of the best days ever – park after park after park…

We need to have Mother-Son day much more often, I’m thinking like every weekend.  A boy could get used to this.

It was so lovely there were even turtles out catching some sun!

Oh Laurelhurst Park, you never disappoint me.

So here’s some love for ALL of the mother’s out there – human, canine, feline, whatever – give your mama a big extra special Aire Kiss this weekend!!!

Love,

Bogart

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http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324

Happy Veterans Day!

Love,

Bogart

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There is apparently some new sort of tax that has been imposed on me – wherein I have to give mama a kiss before I get any of the extra-good food from her plate.  But mama, YOU ALWAYS BUY TWO BAGELS and I KNOW you’re not eating them yourself!

Ok, whatever.  JUST GIVE ME SOME BAGEL!

Totally worth it.  Not that I don’t kiss her all day long… it’s just that every once in awhile I guess she needs a special smooch or two.  And really, who am I to deny her some of the Boglemeister?

Mmm… pumpernickel…

Love,

Bogart

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