Last weekend Mark and I found ourselves in Philadelphia. It was quite intentional; we drove there, through several hours of rain... 8 hours from when we started, there we were in the city that is now a part of my life. That is where my son, Jesse, lives, works and attends university.

I've written about taking your pets on vacation, but of course sometimes we leave our pets behind with trusted friends, relatives, vets, or boarders, and strike off for some time on our own. The only thing is, I found myself thinking about our three dogs and a parrot quite a bit. Reminders were everywhere and I sensed that Philadelphia is a fairly pet friendly city.

On Saturday morning, Mark and I walked down "Antiques Row" and found this beautiful feline gazing at her kingdom. Doesn't this photo just sing "Spring!"?

In the Arts District area where we were staying, there were two up-scale pet supply stores filled with all sorts of pink and glittery accessories our Chihuahua Jackie would have loved in her area of our closet (next to the dirty laundry hamper...she has an odd fetish).

At Rittenhouse Square park we saw a pug, a St. Bernard, and a few other dogs of indeterminent breeding, along with a table set up by a local rescue organization (a Mingle with the Mutts type event). It was a nice park and a lovely day to take a dog for a walk. I hope at least one dog there found a home that day. Kudos to the women manning the table on behalf of adoptable dogs.

I saw several reminders of my Pekingese, Tyler... one reminder was this beautiful lion sculpture at Rittenhouse Square. This is Tyler's "inner lion".... you know, the one he shows when another dog gets too close to his food dish. It takes so long to finish when your teeth don't come together right? Poor baby...

Society Hill has beautiful townhouses, but there I was again thinking of Tyler when I saw this stately lion. One year when I was recovering from a nasty dog bite (a long story which we'll feature in another article) Tyler stood by me, just like this. Watching over me until I could stand up on my own.

On Sunday we went for brunch and there encountered a Race for the Cure team, including this precious participant, Curtis. Curtis is one of the few dogs I've seen that has the same beautiful brindle coat of our dog, Farley. Curtis was well-behaved as morning diners and walkers passed him by. He did show some interest in a pretty small white shih tzu that passed. (I'll be writing more about dogs and a Race for the Cure soon.)

After stuffing myself with french toast filled with cream cheese and topped with mango and plaintains , we walked, walked, walked down a boulevard and up up up the "Rocky" steps to the Philadelphia Art Museum. Guess what? Frida Kahlo did a self-portrait with parrots. That makes sense to me!

Sunday night, I saw my first Broadway show, Gypsy! Wow! Afterward, Jesse suggested burgers at Good Dog Bar and Restaurant, 224 S 15th St.

This was a neat place, three floors, with walls covered with black and white portaits of dogs. Wouldn't you know it, a sweet Pekingese was right by our booth! The portraits were really well done and the food was good too.

It was a great weekend away and even though our pets were not with us, reminders of them were everywhere. Our chihuahua Jackie (who just turned 5 yesterday)--in the upscale pet accessories shops. Our Pekingese Tyler--in the lion statues. Our Beagle/Whippet mix Farley (who turned 6 last week) in the coat of a dog in the Race for the Cure.... But what about our parrot Gracie? Well, her parrot friends were immortalized in the paintings of Frida Khalo. Another woman who, it seems, found comfort in animals.

Happy trails!
Janice Phelps Williams
5/16/08