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The dog days of summer - destination #5: New York City, New York
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Wally in Riverside Park photo by Tony Salva
Destination #4: New York City, NY
For our dog-friendly tour of New York City, I defer to Yan Yan’s corgi cousin Wally.
Wally, being a sociable and popular pooch, is a big fan of dog parks. He likes to check out the scene at Central Park, where there's an unspoken rule that you can have your dog off-leash before 9am. Wally and his dad Tony go in the morning to play fetch right by the Onassis Reservoir. There are many small fields where you can let your dog off leash to play… like Dog Hill (Central Park West and 79th Street), a popular hangout area for dogs of all shapes and sizes. Also check out the Shakespeare Garden, where leashed pups can prance along the paths.
Another famous space that’s great for its four-legged friendliness is Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. They just finished up a beautiful renovation of the grounds, outfitting it well for dogs both large and small. During the dog days of summer, Wally heads to Leroy St. Dog Run (right on the Hudson River) for its bone and paw-shaped pools… perfect for hot dogs in the city.
After a good romp with his canine pals, Wally loves chillin with his pops and his mommy Mandy at a sidewalk cafe. As a general rule, restaurants usually allow dogs if they have outdoor tables, as long as pups are well-behaved and under their owners’ control at all times. Some places require that dogs be tethered outside the partitions, but there’s enough selection in New York that it can be avoided. One of Wally’s favourites is Fred’s (named for the owners’ black lab), which provides grub nostalgic of home-cooking. Another dog-friendly restaurant is Fetch, which rocks a dog-themed vibe and even has an Adopt-A-Dog wall. Check out Gavroche for a taste of Paris (a notoriously dog-friendly cosmopolitan); it’s lovely garden is perfect for corgis into café culture. If panoramas are your scene, Kaijou offers Japanese food and a view of Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty. The 79th St. Boat Basin Cafe, an outdoor restaurant right on a boat dock on the Hudson River, also gets Wally's woof of approval. Right in the middle of Riverside Park, this joint makes it easy for a guy to watch the world go by.
Where would Big Apple Wally tell Big Peach Yan Yan to go if she were to visit? Both of them are fans of W Hotels, so the W at Union Square gets the winning woof. Like all W’s, they’ll greet her with a welcome package and point her in the direction of the dog park right across the way. Other chic choices include the Cooper Square Hotel in the Bowery, Le Parker Meridien New York, and the Sofitel Hotel.
Since Wally knows that Yan Yan's a fashion hound, he'll nudge her to shop with her BFF. Our first stop is sure to be 5th Avenue, where Barneys, Saks, and Bergdorf Goodman understand the need for your best friend to help you pick outfits. Yan Yan has a nose for luscious Italian leather, though luckily not the taste for it (Conveniently, her favourite jerky is chicken, eliminating the beef jerky complication). Since diamonds are a girl’s second best friend, Tiffany will always oblige your first best friend, provided she’s a pooch with manners. But what if Yan Yan wants to splurge a little on herself? Furry Paws 4 on the Upper West Side has gourmet dog treats and designer duds that’ll make even doggie divas happy. If a spa experience is in order, Canine Ranch will pamper poochie with baths or birthday cakes. And for the flashiest of pups, Canine Styles in the West Village can outfit Yan Yan with alligator necklaces ie collars and printed blankies even Jonathan Adler would be proud of.
With its endless energy and cosmopolitan atmosphere, New York is paradise for the most discerning urban hounds... from lively corgis like Wally to picky pekes like Yan Yan.
Be sure to check out my piece How To Travel with Your Dog for practical poochie tips!
