100,000 views, thank you…

cici and I want to thank each and every one of you for sharing our blog adventures. we are celebrating this monumental occasion, her third birthday and six views over 100,000 at the beautiful and pet friendly Rancho Caymus in Rutherford. This is a great location in between Napa and St. Helena and all of the pet friendly wineries. Each suite is like a spacious casita, with its own patio, and pets can play all day. The staff is gracious and hospitality superb. You can walk to several wineries for tastings.

Breakfast is fruit, fresh granola, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, croissants and other breads, muffins and pastries, a nice diverse mix.

join the party !

this is a great place for a girlfriends getaway, too, nature abounds all around here, you can take a bicycle tour throughout the region, enjoy a hiking or kayaking adventure, a day of rejuvenation and relaxation at one of Napa’s world-class spas, a sporty day of golf, or learn to create culinary masterpieces with the chefs of Napa. Or just kick back and go shopping. The local art galleries are abundant with exquisite pieces you will cherish for a lifetime.

Rancho Caymus can be your portal to the “Valley of the Vines.”

and guess what, way back when, I was just reading that this used to be the ta da Hecht barn, that’s righty.

the Hecht barn was dismantled and brought here from Yorkshire, Ohio, by the former owners, Karen and Michael Hecht. Their grandfather built the barn in 1899. Hecht of a story, huh… any relation? who knows… will have to ask my cousin’s grand nephew, the genealogy whiz to find out and let you know…

napa dog friendly…

Both of these Napa inns have real dogitude … the Napa Inn has its own yard and the Beazley House has live-in dogs… the wineries we visited were ok but not as friendly as Navarro’s in Anderson Valley…but there are others that we did not visit…

napa inn

nice weather, sunny, warm, birds singing, a block or so from a safeway and also went to the napa visitor center and got info, they were very nice there

we stayed in Angelina’s Garden Room, a luxury suite, with a king bed, tv, fireplace (gas), jacuzzi tub and shower plus very brightly decorated, with its own little courtyard for cici to play in, two chocolates for me, no pet amenities … wireless internet, very nice…

The afternoon snacks included three kinds of cheeses, goat, champagne cheddar and brie, plus cookies, crackers, port and sherry and breakfast was amazing, fruit and yogurt, cereals, plus a french toast dish with blueberries and a cheesy hash brown egg dish, both delish, and coffee, tea and juices (orange and grapefruit) and muffins.

To reserve a room with a pet, you must call and let them know ahead of time that you are bringing a pet since there are only two pet rooms/cottages…

Beazley House

We stayed in the Blossom View, this is the nicest inn, very friendly people and a wonderful suite… There are two on site dogs, tummy and sissy. The gorgeous room looks like a log cabin very comfy and cozy, in room jacuzzi, tv, fireplace, coffeemaker, large king bed, looks out into grassy courtyard to the main house, one of the first b and b’s in the area, Jim and Carol Beazley, are the owners. The pet amenities were traveling dog and a dog bowl.

http://www.beazleyhouse.com/rooms/blossom_view

my nosy news hound investigative reporter ran up the back stairs and checked out the tid bits left on the floor of the kitchen, she would have gone upstairs to the guest rooms except colin the innkeeper caught her and stopped her. what are they hiding up there? only the nose knows…

breakfast was a very yummy muffin, fruits with yogurt, a hot egg quiche, sausages, and there was also cereal-granolas and juices, hot tea, coffee, and cheeses

Best of all, there are chocolate chip cookies available 24/7 as is sherry in the lobby/living room…

Napa pet friendly wineries

cici was allowed in all of the wine tasting rooms in napa, dogs are not allowed on tours

Darioush, a persian owned winery, gave us complimentary wine and bottled water

Clos duVal, The original owner was french, the only winery people that gave cici a cookie

Pine ridge winery, corporate, kind of stuffy, but the people were friendly…

Other wineries in the Napa area are:

Hess Collection Winery

Cuvaison winery

Signorello Vineyards

William Hill Estate

St. Helena:

Beringer Vineyards

Casa Nuestra Winery

Catacula Lake Winery

Rustridge

V. Sattui Winery

Hall WInes

Merryvale Vineyards

St. Clement Vineyards and Winery

Sullivan Vineyards

Rutherford:

Mumm Napa Winery

Rubicon Estate

St. Supery Winery

the whales are coming, the whales are coming…

mendo whale festival…

March 7 & 8, 2009
On Saturday only, Mendocino County wineries bring their unique vintages for tasting to historic Mendocino Village shops, galleries and inns. A free trolley offers rides to the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse for family activities, participating merchants and nearby events, like the chowder tasting, whale watching walks.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, three miles north of Mendocino, offers activities for the whole family, including games for kids, whale watching, and information on the shipwreck Frolic, 1909 Point Cabrillo Lighthouse and annual gray whale migration. Each year, an estimated 20,000 gray whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico and back from December through April.

On both festival days, you can walk along the cliffs of Mendocino Headlands State Park to see the whales or take a whale watching charter boat from Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg.

http://www.mendowhale.com

an inn for all seasons and reasons… Howard Creek Ranch Inn…

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Howard.Creek.Ranch.Inn.707-964-6725

Seldom in this world today does one find a location which ingrains itself upon one’s very soul. Where one can remove oneself from the chaotic modern world and return to a simpler time of peace and tranquility.

The innkeepers, Sally and Sunny Grigg, have, over their 30+ years of stewardship, transformed the (c.1871) ranch through masterful craftsmanship and heartfelt restoration into a realm of quixotic romanticism seldom found. Through the warm-heartedness of the innkeepers and staff, the made-from-the-heart breakfast presented gracefully elegant, one is enveloped with a sense of kith and kin.

Plato called beauty a privilege of nature; Carneades, a solitary kingdom; Aristotle, that it was better than all the letters of recommendation in the world; Homer, that it was a glorious gift of nature, and Ovid, that it was a favor bestowed by the gods. Beauty is Howard Creek Ranch Inn….Nita and Peter von Sintzenich

Whether you seek a romantic getaway, a peaceful healing nature or spiritual retreat, or a pet friendly farm to bring Fido and Fluffy with you on vacation, come to  howard creek ranch in westport, ca about 15 – 20 miles north of fort bragg…

it is about an hour and a half south of the Avenue of the Giants and same distance north of the Anderson Valley wineries along highway 128.

I was not feeling well, an upset tummy and a bit dizzy and after a few days back at the ranch, have gotten my equilibrium back… it was dicey for awhile there.  I have never had motion sickness but I felt like I could not drive one more mile.

Cici and I stayed in the lovely Willow room suite… two rooms with a king sized bed  in one and a queen size bed in the other, front and back doors, modern shower, small kitchenette… lovely quilts and tree motifs on the redwood walls….

The blue balcony room is a nice alcove type space for a lone traveler or couple but is not pet friendly and has a microwave and sink in the adjacent living room.

Another pet friendly room is a boat house made from a former boat. A couple from San Francisco stayed there for their honeymoon 11 years ago and come back to visit from time to time. The SeaView is also a very romantic location with ocean views and is pet friendly as is the Meadow room.  Hello young lovers… wherever you are, with stars in your eyes… The Beach House is the perfect place to while away your time together.

Beautiful fragrant award-winning gardens make your heart sing and soul soar. There are numerous trails and acres of Nature conservancy to explore and sheep, llamas, a horse, and other creatures are plentiful. We saw a lovely deer and doe on our way to the beach, could not find a way to drive to the beach, but you can walk… the beach is 300 yards from the Carriage House and is accessible along a short path.

Sally makes the most flavorful hearty home cooked breakfast on the coast… scrambled eggs, sausage, country potatoes, fresh fruit, muffins, mint tea straight from the garden, and if she does not have something you want, she will improvise. I needed ginger tea and she made me some from the spice ginger she had on her shelf and it worked.  Just a spoonful of ginger makes the tummy ache go away. Mint is wonderful but doesn’t make my tummy ok.

Another morning we had french toast, salsa quiche, turkey bacon, fresh fruit.

For other meals, bring your own sandwiches or stuff to barbecue or there are restaurants within a few miles down the road.

Cici met a new boy friend named the Divine Mr. M(arshall) who is a 7 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel obsessed with sticks. They ran on the beach together, mostly Cici trying to take the sticks away from M, but he prevailed, burying one big stick to hide it away from her. Bark softly and bury a big stick is his motto. Cici also played with a girl dog named Callie who loves to fetch balls. Finally, she got some good exercise, burning off all of those treats people fed her in Sutherlin, Oregon.

top 12 fun dog friendly things to do in Mendocino…

If your dog loves to travel, as much as Cici does, then you simply must visit Mendocino county, a few hours north of San Francisco.  Horizon Air has also added flights from Las Vegas to Santa Rosa, California. You and your dog can take a nice scenic hour and a half drive north and visit wineries along the way. Most of the wineries are dog friendly and have grass and bushes to explore and sniff. Some even offer doggie treats.

Perhaps your dog would like to expand horizons, catch up on culture and enjoy some activities not available in other places.  If so, here are the top 12 suggestions of Cici the wonder dog  (as mentioned in previous posts).  Here is an update of some of the new activities, happenings and dog friendly events coming up.

l. Tiptoe through the Botanical gardens

www.gardenbythesea.org

 

Between the tulips and other flowers, (over 150 varieties), Fido will enjoy a nice stroll with you to the beach. Well-mannered dogs

 

on leashes are always welcome and enjoy free admission.

2. Beach romp (Noyo Harbor or a private beach)… most beaches are dog friendly and dogs have to be on leash.

Dogs love to splash and do the doggie paddle in the ocean. And Mendocino County’s coastline has an abundance of places for them to swim.

 

Big River Beach, N. Big River Road, Mendocino
Portuguese Beach, Mendocino Headlands, Mendocino
Van Damme State Beach, Highway 1, Mendocino
Caspar Beach, 14441 Point Cabrillo Dr., Caspar
MacKerricher State Park, Highway 1, Fort Bragg

And for an extended stay, you can also camp out with Fido.

California State Parks Camping Reservations: 1-800-444-PARK (7275)

With nearly 100 miles of coastline and dozens of state and private campgrounds, finding a place to camp on the Mendocino Coast is not difficult. The most popular state parks are MacKerricher (Fort Bragg) and Russian Gulch (Mendocino) and Van Damme (Little River).

3. Take a hike.

Jughandle State Reserve features a 2½-mile self-guided nature trail called the Ecological Staircase. Starting by the ocean, this trail goes inland up a series of five ancient terraces formed by waves, glacier, and tectonic activity. Each terrace was uplifted from the sea about 100,000 years after the previous was raised. The lowest terrace is prairie, followed by a pine forest, then a redwood forest, and finally a pygmy forest with knee-high trees that are decades old. The trail features an amazing variety of trees, since the ecologies of the different terraces vary widely.

Three miles south of Fort Bragg. Turn west off Highway One into the well-marked parking area. 707-937-5804

 

Distance and Time: 5 miles round trip; about 3 hours.

Alternate: a short, easy trail goes west from the parking lot down to Jughandle Beach.

4. Get a free ice cream cone for your mutt at Cowlick’s ice cream

 

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. And Fido may also enjoy a sweet vanilla kiddie cone on a sunny day.

 

5. Stroll the shops in Mendocino and buy some doggie perfume.

After all the rolling, licking and splashing in the water and mud and sand, you may want to get some doggie perfume for Fido. Mendocino has many enjoyable gift shops and places where Furshionistas prefer to shop.

And there are numerous pet supply shops such as Paws for Cats & Dogs, 338 N. Main St., Fort Bragg, 707-964-3322, Fort Bragg Feed & Pet, 880 Stewart St., Fort Bragg, 707-964-3333, and Evergreen Barn Pet Grocery, 477 Evergreen St., Mendocino, 707-937-3300.

6. Stay at a dog friendly inn such as the Pacific Mist Inn, Pine Beach Inn, Atrium Bed and Breakfast, Surf Motel and Gardens, Little River Inn, Stanford Inn, or Abigail’s Bed and Breakfast…

The pet friendliest lodging can be found at these inns. Little River Inn supplies a doggie gift basket including bowls, treats, and doggie socks.

More information about specials and the Huckleberry and Hounds event in September can be found at

http://www.mendocinofun.com

 

Here’s a preview of the 2nd Annual Huckleberries and Hounds Festival Set for Sept. 26-28

 

A dine-with-your-dog BBQ, dog art-making, and pup psychic readings, along with huckleberry food treats, will highlight Fort Bragg’s 2nd Annual Huckleberries and Hounds Festival Sept. 26-28. 

Restaurants and shops will offer huckleberry margaritas, desserts, jam, pancakes, ice cream, and elaborate dinners with huckleberry sauces.

 

7. Dine together at the Stanford Inn

 

The Stanford Inn is an original pet friendly zenlike inn.  You can even dine with well-behaved Fido during the day.

Just to clarify:

http://www.stanfordinn.com/innlight/pets.html

By the way, well behaved dogs are welcome in our lobby but not our dining room. If you would like breakfast or dinner to be served in the lobby, we are happy to accommodate you…

 

8. Play catch or frisbee at the Fort Bragg dog park.

Fort Bragg has McDoggie park, a dedicated dog park, where nonaggressive and friendly doggies play. McDoggies is at Willow and Lincoln Streets. Take Maple Street east from Highway One (Main Street) until it ends at the dog park on Lincoln St.

9. Go kayaking with your dog

You can paddle up Big River in a canoe from Catch a Canoe & Bicycles, Too, located at Highway 1 & Comptche-Ukiah Rd, Mendocino, 707-937-0273.

10. Tiny dogs can take the Skunk train with their owners, if they can fit inside your purse; chew chew… chew chew…

11. Fido may accompany you while sport fishing and whale watching with All Aboard Adventures, North Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, 707-964-1881 or Anchor Charter Boats, PO Box 103, Fort Bragg, 707-964-4550.

12.  There are many places for you and Fido to have a puppy picnic in the area.

And if you seek a hot meal, there are a variety of choices of restaurants where Fido can sit beside you outside.

Café One, 753 N Main Street, Fort Bragg
Home Style Café, 790 S. Main Street, Fort Bragg
Laurel Deli, 401 N Main Street, Fort Bragg
Mendocino Cookie Company, Main St., Fort Bragg
Nemo’s Fish Market, 2410 N Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg
Piaci Pub & Pizzeria, 120 W. Redwood Avenue, Fort Bragg
Lu’s Kitchen, 45013 Ukiah Street Mendocino
Mendo Burgers, 10483 Lansing Street, Mendocino
Mendocino Café, 10451 Lansing Street, Mendocino
Mendocino Hotel, 45080 Main Street, Mendocino
Moody’s Organic Coffee Bar, 10450 Lansing Street, Mendocino
Moosse Cafe, 390 Kasten, Mendocino

from the Pit Bull Lovers Gazette… another cute dog that looks like my happy gurl…

Support this blog by visiting aromatherapy for pets & get your pet first aid kit, AnimalScents Shampoo, and/or AnimalScents Pet Ointment. Also, remember to enter the raffle.  Thanks.

top 15 places to travel with your dog…

Exploring places to visit with your dog in the wild west… California, Nevada and Oregon…?  check out the places Cici and I have visited this summer and last summer…  from Carson City, Nevada to Florence, Oregon…

please join our sisterhood of the traveling bikini dog panties… (remember, Dottie)…

Cici and I have decided that these are the top 15 places to travel with your dog

Mendocino, California

Carmel, California

Grants Pass, Oregon

Florence, Oregon

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hollywood, California

Grand Canyon

Rocky Mountains

Chicago

New York

Florida

Sequoia National Park (the trees, the trees)

Sierras (Tahoe)

Yosemite

Europe

check out our reviews of many of these places…

http://celiasue.com/free-guide-to-pet-friendly-cities/

http://www.hotdogholidays.com/

http://www.tailsbythelake.com/tawatr.html

TAIL WAGGIN’ TRAVELS
Tail Waggin Travels is a cool Pet Adventure Travel Show. Deni the Golden Mix and Rob travel across the United States finding great places to stay, eat and have fun with your pet.

and these are just fun places to take your dog anywhere….

beach

park

lake

camping

wineries

bank (for treats)

chocolate shops and factories (samples for the human, none for the K9)

Don’t forget to stop and smell and sniff the roses (botanical gardens)

and eat ice cream you scream we all scream for ice cream (cowlick’s, dairy queen, bj’s)

http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/LrnCoolTravelPlaces

Now that you have all your travel tips, from road tripping to flying with your dog, where do you go? Well, we’re glad you asked. With a couple of clicks of the mouse on the Web, you can find all kinds of destinations that are pet-friendly. Depending on what your preference is, from the big city to the great outdoors, there is something for everyone.

For those with stars in their eyes, you can take Spot to visit his favorite movie star in Hollywood. You and your dog will enjoy a self-guided walk through the Star’s Homes. Not much of an infatuation with the stars … how about a shopping trip? In Hollywood, California, some shops in Beverly Hills will allow well-behaved, leashed dogs to visit their clothing shops. If that’s not quite what you had in mind, but you want to provide some culture and refinement: how about a trip to Napa Valley? Napa Valley of course, famous for the vineyards, is also pet-friendly. Vineyards such as Beringer Vineyard, Sullivan Vineyards and many others, welcome dogs on the grounds and some even in the tasting room, but be sure to do your research before leaving home. In addition to the fabulous vineyards, Old Faithful Geyser and the Petrified Forest are great places to enjoy with Spot.

For the city travelers …. be sure to travel to Chicago and visit Shakespeare Garden at Northwestern University for a nice walk, or attend a baseball game for Dog Day at the Park. On a Sunday afternoon take a Canine Cruise with Mercury Skyline Cruiseline. Catering specifically to you and your dogs, this cruise highlights downtown Chicago landmarks.

Still looking for more … off to New York City you go to visit the Statue of Liberty. Then take a stroll down the many avenues and dine at an outdoor restaurant such as Barking Dog Luncheonette or Grey Dog Café. Have you both eaten too much? No problem, give Pet Taxi or Pet Chauffeur a call to take you to your next destination or to your pet-friendly hotel for the day.

Okay, so none of that is really what you are looking for, so here are some basic cool places to go with your dog. We’re sure he’ll love it! It’s cheap, usually generally accessible and you always have it available. Yes, it’s the great OUTDOORS! Typically the backyard, local park or maybe even a state park, are places you would take your dog to visit. Have you ever thought about how your dog might like to see the Wild West? Yellowstone? The Grand Canyon? Rocky Mountains? By doing some simple research you can easily find state or national parks that have paths specifically designed for you and your dog. You will want to make sure to plan ahead, as there are still some areas where your dog is not allowed.

Some additional tips to keep in mind, while traveling with your dog can be a wonderful experience, always remember to be a responsible dog owner. Always keep clean up baggies with you and clean up after your dog. Your dog should always be on a leash for his safety and your well being. So get out there and enjoy the city life or great outdoors with man’s best friend!

into the Sunset…

Driving into Grants Pass, Oregon off of Highway 5, there are two exits, one, where the big chain stores and hotels are located and the city center area, where the quaint shops and smaller mom and pop motels line the streets.  Take your pick, from older to sweet inns, with price ranges from $50-100 and up. Pet friendly motels and hotels abound here. This is a dog friendly place. You can take fido to the various parks, swimming, kayaking, and into the banks and auto dealerships.

Cici now thinks that banks are places to go for attention and treats since whenever we go into the bank she gets both… there is another bank on our walking path and she keeps stopping there waiting to go inside and get her treats… we finally walked in there and they did give her a treat… and last night, after the bank closed, she wanted to go inside again to get more treats…

http://www.visitgrantspass.org/index.aspx?page=8

where to stay :

Sunset Inn
Address: 1400 NW 6th Street
City: Grants Pass
State: Oregon
ZIP: 97526
Phone: 541.479.3305

http://www.sunset-inn.net/

If you are looking for a quality pet friendly motel in Grants Pass, consider the Sunset Inn, owned and operated by Jan Zimmerman and her dog Sammy, a five year old Shiz Tsu. He loves people and is very friendly. Jan has always had dogs and likes the Benjie kind of dogs, shaggy and smiley.

She bought the motel from her brother, after retiring from the telecommunications industry a few years ago. Most of the 30 rooms are individually decorated and there are four pet rooms and four rooms for smokers. There are three rooms for families, that accommodate 6-8 people, the only motel in Grants Pass that offers this size room.

Jan loves to garden and fresh flowers decorate the lobby daily. The pool is heated by the sun and the inn offers eco friendly soaps and shampoos and a solar panel heats their hot water heater. The location is in close proximity and walking distance to many area restaurants, from Chinese to Greek and fast food places. Also nearby are quaint gift shops and boutiques.

The location is half hour from Medford, 1-1/2 hours from the beach and two hours from Crater Lake. Cave Junction is 40 minutes away as are the wineries in nearby Jacksonville, a small artsy village, similar to Cambria in California, where Jan lived for many years.

Jan enjoys meeting new people and values the retirees and business travelers who visit the inn. She offers special rates for groups, as well as a delicious continental breakfast, with yummy real bagels and cream cheese, muffins, hot chocolate as well as juice, tea and coffee. Plus, during the summer, she is offering a $5 gas card promotion. The other cool thing is that many motels charge an extra pet fee, for $5-50 a night that is non-returnable. Here at the Sunset Inn, there is a $10 pet fee that is returnable upon checkout. Another nice feature that makes your stay enjoyable and value-filled.

The rooms do not smell like a motel and there is free wireless Internet and Serta mattresses. Nice homey and comfortable touches.

Chocolate friendly

Cary’s of Oregon,
Grants Pass OR 97527
Phone:541-474-0030
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 10-2

Rogue Valley Fudge offers handmade fudge made with real cream and butter. Rogue Valley Fudge is located in the heart of downtown Grants Pass on 6th St. The address is 229 SE 6th St.
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. times vary on Sundays.
Telephone: (541) 955-5225

Valley of the Rogue River camping

Valley of the Rogue State Park is a pleasant green oasis. In southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley. Valley of the Rogue Park has both a day-use picnic area and an overnight campground along three miles of shoreline on the Rogue River. Exit 45 B and follow the signs. This park also offers free internet wireless access.
Telephone: (800) 551-6949

if there is free wireless internet, I could not find it… a lot of bugs found me though… it was hot hot hot during the day and cool at night and morning time… humid… and not a lot of river doings, we found one small boat launch area by the rest area but that was tiny and not a whole lotta beach…  one night there was supposed to be a presentation and the presenter did not show up, it was a great area the next morning for cici to run and sniff around without bothering anyone though…

Grants Pass City Parks
(541) 471-6435- Call for reservations or for more information

Josephine County Parks
(541) 474-5285- Call for reservations or for more information

Oregon State Parks
(800) 452-5687- Call for reservations or for more information

Day trips include the Oregon Caves, Crater Lake, Wildlife Safari, House of Mystery or the nearby beautiful Redwood Forests. If you feel lucky, the Seven Feathers Casino is less than an hour away.  There are more than 10 golf courses, a diverse range of sporting activities and winter skiing is less than an hour away. It is a town surrounded by trees.  The local economy is good with job opportunities in support of the retirement community, lots of churches and is home office to Fire Mountain Gems, which sells beads worldwide.