Cafe Brasil
Address: 10832 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034  (Map It)
Phone: 310-837-9506
Hours: 11am – 10pm
Price: $$

Cafe Brasil is a hidden gem with delicious food and a unique outdoor eating area perfect for lunch or dinner with your four-legged friend! There are two locations in West Los Angeles, but I tend to frequent the one on the corner of Venice and Westwood Blvd. At first glance the place looks like a mish-mash of tables and overgrown plants, but the quirky atmosphere is part of the charm of this cafe!

Late night view

Vinnie at the door

The food is great, and most dishes are served with rice, beans, plantains, and a soup or salad. My favorite is the breaded chicken, or milanesa, while M prefers the salmon dinner. And I always get the freshly made lemonade, delish!

Yummy brazilian food!

About half of the seating is outdoors, which is perfect when Vinnie comes along. The staff is friendly towards dogs as long as you sit on the outer edges of the restaurant. And I always bring snacks for Vinnie so he can enjoy some tasty treats while M and I enjoy dinner!

Waiting for scraps.....

Do you and your pup have a favorite outdoor restaurant?

Petco Park
Address: 100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
(Map It)
Phone: 619-795-5000
Hours: The park is open daily, except on game days when it is closed to non-ticket holders 2 1/2 hours before games.

As we were walking the streets of downtown San Diego on our latest trip there, we came across the park at the Padres baseball stadium, Petco Park. Living up to their namesake, the area immediately outside of the stadium has been built into a park friendly to dogs and humans alike!

The park is surrounded by condos and hotels, providing an escape from the urban scene.

A green oasis in downtown San Diego

That morning we strolled into the Padres team store with Vinnie in tow. We also took some time to walk through the grass and even catch a family and their kids playing on the little league field.

Catching a little league game

What makes this park really unique is its access to the stadium. You and your pooch can get pretty close to the outfield and get an exceptional view of the stadium.

The park is closed a few hours before baseball games. But on non-game days, it’s a great place to walk your dog and enjoy the scenery! Vinnie and I were true Padres fans, if only for a day!

Padre Fans (for the day!)

What are some of your favorite parks? We’d love to hear about your dog’s favorite spots!

Three Dog Bakery

Address: 14545 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA  91403 (Map it)
Phone: 818-304-0440
Price range: $
*Check out the Three Dog Bakery website for other Southern California locations and locations across the US.

Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks has several pet friendly shops, but the Three Dog Bakery is one of Vinnie’s favorite. Somehow, Vinnie always knows there is food inside as we approach the store. He starts pulling on the leash, getting us to hurry up. There is a small patch of grass in front and a big bowl of water, kind of like a rest stop, but for dogs. After Vinnie takes care of business, we go in for the good stuff.

Licking his lips!

Vinnie’s usual fare is dry dog food, with some extras sprinkled in throughout the day such as table scraps, apples, or general dog treats. But every now and then Vinnie gets a real gourmet treat from the Three Dog Bakery. While the treats are a bit pricier than your regular boxed treats, I usually get about two or so of the baked goods, spending only a couple bucks. Since Vinnie only gets these a few times a year, it’s definitely affordable.

Three Dog Bakery sells an assortment of dog-related treats and products. They have pre-packaged treats that you can buy and save for later, as well as a serve yourself station with different dry snacks that you can mix together.

Snacks and toys

They also have toys, bowls, clothes, and welcome mats, among other unique items.

Checking out the merchandise

The best, though, are the baked goods behind the glass counters, or at least that’s what Vinnie tells me. They have tons of different treats, from peanut butter cups, to pupcakes, to cookies. They also have cute cakes perfect for your dog’s next birthday party.

Baked goods

Decisions, decisions...

On this last visit, we bought Vinnie a handful of baked goods, including a pupcake  (a mini cupcake with frosting) and a peanut butter cup. The treats will stay good for a couple days once you get them home, so we space them out across a couple of days. Of course Vinnie would be happy to eat them all at once!

Waiting to devour the pupcake!

Does your dog love the treats from Three Dog Bakery as much as Vinnie? We’d love to hear about it!

Hilton- San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
Address: 401 K Street, San Diego, CA 92101 (Map It)
Phone: 619-231-4040
Price Range:  $$$ (plus $75 extra for pets, entire stay)
Pet weight limit: 75 lbs.

Even Vinnie needs a break from the routine. Never mind that he spends most of his days sleeping, eating, and lounging at coffee shops in West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. It’s hard work being a bulldog! To help Vinnie relieve some stress, M and I decided to get away for the weekend to sunny San Diego. We wanted to relax, but still be close to the action, so the Gaslamp Quarter was our destination!

Downtown San Diego is made up of several blocks of hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops, known as the Gaslamp Quarter. I love that everything is nearby any time of day, whether at 1pm in the afternoon or 1am in the morning. While it can get pretty rowdy on Friday and Saturday nights, the downtown area can also be a place to just relax and hang out, or catch a baseball game at Petco Park.

For this trip we stayed at the Hilton hotel in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. The hotel is in a great location and very welcoming to dogs.

Our hotel - the Hilton

Although I made the reservations online, I also called to ask about their pet policy. Each hotel has different weight restrictions and pricing, which are often not listed on the hotel’s website, so it’s always best to call. The Hilton had a 75 lb weight limit and charged $75 extra for pets.

In our hotel room we were welcomed with a hand written note and a goodie bag with dog food and coupons. The staff member who checked us in was also able to get us a room with a small balcony overlooking the grassy area.

Lovely park in front of the Hilton

I loved that there was a park right in front of the entrance, which served as an impromptu dog park for nearby pets. One morning a nice group of about five dogs gathered in the park, so Vinnie made plenty of friends that day.

Dog meet up!

The restaurant on the first floor of the hotel did not allow dogs inside, but they were happy to have four legged customers in their patio area. Right outside the Hilton you will find plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating, so there is always somewhere to go with your furry friend.

We spent much of our time exploring the nearby shops, eating, and relaxing in the hotel. Vinnie especially enjoyed the king sized bed with the fluffy covers.

Vinnie, getting his beauty sleep

Vinnie was treated like a king at the Hilton! What have been your experiences staying at hotels with your dog?

Bark in the Park
Event Date: August 21, 2010 at 5:10pm
Dodger Stadium
Address: 1000 Elysian Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Map It)
Phone: 323-224-1500
Parking: $15 (regular parking)
Price: $25/person and $25/dog
Bark in the Park Website

Highlights

Seating: Right Field Pavilion

$25 Ticket: includes UNLIMITED Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, Coke products, and water.

For your dog: Goodie bag, unlimited fresh water, and potty grass area.

Environment: Clean, but crowded.

__________________________________________________________________________

Dodger Dogs. No, not the kind you eat. The kind that take walks, chase balls, and sit at your feet. Yes, hundreds of dogs at Dodger Stadium! It was the first ever Bark in the Park at Dodger Stadium, where our four legged friends could join us in the stands. The event started with look-a-like contests and Tillman the skateboarding bulldog putting on a show.

Tillman skateboarding

There was also a red carpet, where the dogs were the stars….and boy did they know it! Everyone was excited to be there, and several dogs dressed up for the event in Dodger gear.

Manny the Boston Terrier

An hour before the game started, the dogs and their owners were allowed onto the field for a parade around the park. This was, by far, the best part of the night! The stadium is amazing from the field, giving you a tiny glimpse of what the players get to see.

Dodger Stadium field

Vinnie and Katsu strutted their stuff on the field, along with the other dogs, as fans in the stands looked on. We made our way around, with security telling us to stay off the grass. I was waiting for a dog to make a potty stop on the grass, but luckily everyone followed orders. I’m not sure who enjoyed the parade more, the dogs or the owners!

We finally got to our seats in left field, also known as the all you can eat section! Here we finally got a real Dodger dog, along with nachos, popcorn, and peanuts. Vinnie spent much of his time begging for food and looking cute, hoping for a piece of hot dog to find its way to his mouth.

Vinnie waiting and hoping....

Katsu, on the other hand, was super tired from a long day out and about. He found his way to his parents lap and enjoyed a long nap!

Katsu after a mid-game nap

With so many cute looking dogs making a scene in the stands, it was hard to keep track of the game. But we definitely saw the four consecutive home runs made by the Dodgers that night! I think the pooches brought a little bit of luck to the Los Angeles Dodgers that night, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-5.

A long night for both humans and dogs, but definitely worth it! Check out your local team for future dog games. Currently only a few stadiums are doing the dog events, but with so much success, more are surely to join the pack!

Go Dodgers!

For the lucky dogs who were able to attend Bark in the Park, how was your experience?

Or have you been to a similar event in your city? Drop us a line in the comments section!