My dog has been having an identity crisis recently. I blame Grandma’s cat for her split personality. It all started last week when I had Grandma’s cat Ollie for a couple of days while she went away for the weekend. Ollie is a fat, laidback cat, compared to my lean, high-energy Darby. A spot-on comparison <... >
My Irish Setter puppy celebrated her first birthday this past summer. To commemorate the event, I took her on a weekend trip to Fire Island. Irish Setters are known to love the water but this was Darby’s first trip to the beach and I was a little worried that she might not take to the <... >
We all have at least one of them, a friend with an enviable sense of style, who could wear a grocery bag as a dress and still get compliments thrown her way. My friend Paula is the epitome of chic – recently she was invited to a cocktail party at the last minute, so she <... >
When I was looking for the right daycare for my dog Darby, I scribbled down a checklist of requirements – some I definitely wanted fulfilled, while others I was willing to compromise on. After weeks of research, phone calls and visits, I finally found Pets At Play (www.nycPetsAtPlay.com), a doggie daycare that far exceeded everything <... >
My Irish Setter Darby loves sticking her head out the window when we go for car-rides. With ears flying, she looks like she has her own wings. When I look at her through my side view mirror, I see her happy drooling face and it breaks my heart to disappoint her when we hit the <... >
My mom is a strong believer in using ginger in most of her cooking. She thinks it helps with digestion. It’s a sentiment that the Thai people share as well. However, for them, the use of the ginger root goes beyond just mere cooking. They also use a relative of ginger – a root named <... >
My parents have seven lovely, intelligent, champion dogs. Not tiny apartment dogs. These dogs would never fit into a typical NY city apartment. They are seven robust, fluffy rough coat collies in the three general color categories – merle, tri and sable. Every meal at my parents’ home includes the special ingredient of at least <... >
When I moved into my first apartment a few years after college, without any roommates crowding my style or precious bathroom counter space, it seemed life was simply peaches. In my delirium of independence, I took the peaches motif a little too far – it also became lime, oranges and watermelon. I painted every available <... >
When my good friend Ellie got married last year, I was happy to be part of her wedding, a perfect happily-ever-after fairy tale. She was marrying a good man – tall and handsome, with a great sense of humor, an ideal match for her quirky and intelligent personality. The reception was at an old Victorian <... >
They give us unquestioning devotion and we are the center of their universe. For most of us, our pets are the heart of our existence too – our companions, confidants and co-conspirators in life. My dog knows all my secrets – when I lied to my best friend, when I cheated on my diet, what <... >
