Happy Holly-ween (Part Two)!

Over the weekend, Holly and I decided to try our luck once more with our Fabulous Fifties Girl costumes, this time at Petco's "Most Boo-tiful Dog" Halloween party.

This contest was a much smaller scale than last weekend's, and thus allowed for extra fun perks such as pup-contestants getting the opportunity to pose on a small stage and have their photo taken (each pet parent was e-mailed a copy of their photo after!), and every entrant getting a prize of treats and a participation certificate.

Just because the pool was smaller did not mean the competition was not stiff. Holly and I signed in early so we were second to go, and had the opportunity to see the creativity that went into many of the costumes. We ended up coming in third (yay!), happily giving deserved credit to the second place winner (who dressed as "Sharknado" with her owner), and the grand prize champion (who was a gorgeous mermaid complete with foot long sequined tail and blonde wig!). Our third prize earned us a ribbon, doggie treats, and a tee from the contest's sponsor, Nature's Variety.

Holly thinks her ribbon and tee shirt are "boo-tiful" enough to eat!

After our win, we ventured across the street to Teavana so Holly's Godmother, who had joined us, could pick up a celebratory tea. As we waited outside (as is customary when we visit food establishments), an employee came over to say the store is in fact dog friendly, and we were more than welcome inside! Holly loved all the attention from the staff and patrons as well as the delicious tea smells, and I loved discovering a new spot I could hang with my pup now that the days are getting cooler.

Do you and your pup have any Halloween plans? What has been your favorite puppy & me costume?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Tricks for Treats: Puppy Cake Pupcake Mix

For Holly's birthday, our friends Matt and Alfred sent us Puppy Cake Pupcake Mix and a super cute non stick pan that makes bone shaped pupcakes. With the holidays coming up, Holly and I decided that it was the perfect time to give baking the pupcakes a try!

The mix is very simple to use. All you need is an egg, water, and a little bit of vegetable oil. The package says you can either microwave them or use the oven, but because of the raw egg (and metal pan), we decided to go the oven route.

The pupcakes bake in about 20 minutes, and can be frosted with the included frosting packet (just add a little bit of water and the frosting is ready). The baked pupcakes will last up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer, but given how much Holly loved the taste of them, I can't imagine they would ever last that long in our house!

The finished product-they turned out really cute and were so simple to make!

Holly taste testing- she loved them!

We tried the peanut butter flavor this time around (a tried and true treat flavor for Holly), but I am excited to try out some of their other flavors, especially banana, since Holly LOVES sharing bananas with me! The company also makes "puptato chip" treats as well as pre made cakes for special occassions.

Do you have a go to recipe for homemade dog treats?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Happy Holly-ween (Part One)!

I will admit, I am one of those people that usually has their Halloween costume picked out months in advance. But this year, knowing I wanted to have an extra special matching costume with Holly (since it would be our first Halloween together), I was stumped.

We considered a lot of options that I may use again in later Halloweens, like "Here Comes Holly Boo Boo (and Mama June)" or "Fur-gina George and The Plastics." That was until I stopped into Petco one day to pick up some necessary supplies and saw a 1950s style pink poodle skirt in Holly's size.

There is a significance to the poodle skirt. When I was growing up, I had a horse named Aida who I was extremely close with. Our first Halloween together, the barn where I kept her had a horse and human costume contest. Since I already had a poodle skirt and my mom had a pattern to make one fairly easily, we decided that Aida and I would go as 1950s girls. Since she was a black horse my mom made her a pink skirt, and I paired my black skirt with a pink sweater. Everybody was shocked when Aida, a green broke Arabian mare, trotted merrily through the obstacle course in full 1950s gear (jaunty chiffon hair sash and all)!

Then and now: Aida and I in our poodle girl costumes, and Holly showing off the modern version.

 So I knew the second I saw the poodle skirt that Holly and I had to be Fabulous 50s Grrls. I had a few issues with the standard skirt and scarf combo, though. Holly wears a harness when I walk her or take her anywhere with me, and the harness would be exposed by the costume as it was sold. My solution? Since I would be wearing my skirt with a fur-collared cardi, I sewed the skirt to a Smoochie Pooch Coral Leopard Dog Sweater and added a Smoochie Pooch Pink Faux Fur Dog Scarf to the neck. The combo elevated the costume from Pink Lady to Marilyn Monroe, made even more appropriate by the fact that Holly and the blonde bombshell share a birthday!

Holly showing off her costume. She clearly felt fabulous!

To glam up my 1950s look, I paired my skirt with a Banana Republic Faux Fur trimmed cardigan (similar style here), and my own glasses, which are gold flecked cat eyed frames by Miu Miu. For once my terrible vision actually came in handy; the glasses really pulled the whole theme together!

We took our looks to the Halloween Howl, aka the "Healthy Hound Festival" at Carl Schurz Park, an annual Halloween celebration that features booths with activities and samples from local businesses and brands. Holly and I took advantage of every booth that offered photography, of course!

Care.com was one of many vendors who offered complimentary pet photos at the Festival.

 The Festival culminated in a puppy costume contest, which was divided into several categories (kids & dogs, group costume, small dog, New York themed, and big dog). Holly and I competed in the small dog competition, which was the largest group of the day.

Our fab ensembles, just before competition.

Even though we didn't win, Holly and I got a lot of love and laughs for going all out with our costumes.

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Paw-sitively Fabulous: Holly's First Birthday Party

Since Holly's adoption day is coming up (November 4th!), I decided it was a good time to talk about the other major milestone from this year: her first birthday party.

When I adopted Holly, they estimated that her birthday was June 1st. I knew immediately I wanted to make it a huge event--and when I saw the date fell on a Saturday, I started planning.

Something as important as a pup's first birthday called for much more than a standard Facebook event, where people tend to RSVP early on and then forget the event is taking place, or simply not show up. Since I knew I would need to find a venue with enough outdoor space to accommodate the whole party, an exact head count was key. My friend's older sister had recently used Pingg, a website that has free online invitations that come in super cute e-envelopes, to create the evites for her bridal shower. I used the site to create both a Save The Date that went out in early May as well as the official invite.

Once RSVPs started to come in, I had a clearer idea of how many human and puppy guests we should be planning for. I wasn't the only one excited to celebrate Holly's big birthday--the final headcount was close to 20 people and 2 pups! After researching dog friendly venues in Manhattan, I settled on The West 79th Street Boat Basin, which has a large covered patio area that is pooch friendly and shaded from the sticky Summer sun.

With venue and guest list in place, it was time to get to work on the stuff that really mattered: outfits and sweets! I managed to score a Lilly Pulitzer "meadow" skirt on sale at the Madison Avenue store, which I paired with a Threads For Thought scoop neck tee for the party and later with my Ralph Lauren button down for our photo shoot. Holly wore her Sam & Tasha sundress, with the blue floral pattern facing out.

Holly was having so much fun she didn't even want to pose for a picture! The ribbon says "Birthday Girl."

We had special treats for puppies and people. For the four-legged guests, I turned to You Lucky Dog in Hoboken, New Jersey, which sells super cute dog-friendly cakes and "pupcakes" that can be personalized for any occasion. For Holly's party we ordered pupcakes with pink frosting and white "H" decorations. They were a big hit, but Holly didn't like that she had to share.

Wolfing down the pupcake before any of her human friends steal it!

For people treats, I used my favorite trendy Manhattan cupcake bakery, Georgetown Cupcake (of TLC's "DC Cupcake" fame). Georgetown allows you to make orders online for delivery (perfect for me since their downtown location is a bit out of my way), and if you are ordering over a certain amount, you can add a personalized "logo" for free! My very talented friend had made a pillow featuring Holly in the famous "Holly Golightly" pose for me for Christmas, and after sending over the image in an e-mail, Georgetown was able to use that image to create custom fondant for the cupcakes for Holly's party. As always, they tasted as great as they looked. We even shared some with our waiters, who were super accommodating with everything from finding us a table on a very busy afternoon to letting us sit and hang out long after our food was gone.

The custom cupcake motif was so cute! We got 2 dozen of Georgetown's delicious flavors--the biggest hit was peanut butter!

Holly posing with her cupcake twin! She was mad Mommy wouldn't let her eat this one too :)

Holly was spoiled rotten with so many sweet and thoughtful presents! I went a little overboard (it was her first birthday, after all), and got her several toys from the Haute Diggity Dog line of toys. In addition to the "Birthday Girl" cake, she got a "Muttsoni" purse. She also loved her Fab Dog MetroCard toy, and her PetProjekt Squeeki Shellz Conch (though she chewed it to smithereens).

I may have been as excited about the presents as Holly was.

The day ended with a tired puppy and an even more tired Mommy & Grandma, but I would call it a resounding success.

Sleepy birthday pup!

Now what to do for her SECOND birthday...

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Store Spotlight: Anthropologie

One of Holly's (and my) favorite weekend activities is shopping. Though Holly would probably prefer if every shopping trip was to our local Petco for more toys, I love that in New York City every store we visit is pooch friendly. Many stores keep treats stashed in the front, and Holly particularly enjoys any store where she is fussed over by the salespeople (I would like to go on record to say this is most stores...she can't help it that she's so popular!).

I was so excited last year when an Anthropologie opened in my neighborhood. My friends and I love to visit and experience the artsy-chic lifestyle they cater to, and even though most of my purchases have come from the sale section every piece feels special, unique, and well made. Holly was not as sold on Anthropologie the first few times we visited; even though the staff was friendly and gushed over her adorableness, she usually tried to sniff out any delicious dust bunnies under the displays while Mommy and her friends shop.

That is, until recently, when Anthropologie added a series of products for the global pooch to its well-curated shelves. In addition to cute pup-themed decor and gift items (which they always offered), they now stock collars, clothes and even treats so your four legged friends can participate in the Anthropologie lifesyle.

In our store, these new offerings are set up in a cute pup-themed area, which caught Holly's eye with the brightly painted milkbones and cute stuffed pooches on display. One of them took her by surprise when she rounded a corner, and she was a little nervous until she figured out he wasn't real!

Holly made friends with this stuffed pup after realizing he wasn't going after the painted treats (Mommy wouldn't let her have one)

There are several products from the puppy line that are on our wish list this season, including "Home Cooking For Your Dog," which our local store has hosted book signing events for that include adoptable pups (some of the proceeds from the book benefit animal rescue). Also high on the list are Bocce Bakery Treats, which include fun & funky flavors like Lobster Roll and Truffle Mac & Cheese, though Holly will most likely prefer the traditional PB&J.

In addition to the Bocce Bakery Treats and Home Cooking For Your Dog, we love the look of the Harry Barker Toile bowls!

 Of course Holly's wardrobe needs some Anthro love also...we have our eye on the charming Chambray shirt, largely because since I have one in the same shade, it would be another opportunity to match!

I would be remiss not to mention that Anthropologie still stocks adorable giftables and home decor items for the pup lover in your life. We are especially big fans of the Chloe Dog Tieback and the Chihuahua Stamp (pictured below), because they bear a resemblance to a pooch I know!

This cute little Chihuahua looks like she would be simply fabulous!

What do you think about Anthropologie's new puppy line? Will you be adding any of the pieces into your dog's life?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Your Pup-Sonal Trainer

When I first got Holly, she had been a stray on the streets less than a month before. She was underweight, and I fed her accordingly. Of course, I made the classic mommy mistake of continuing to overfeed her even after she reached a healthy weight. A visit to the vet revealed we had gone too far in the opposite direction and Holly was actually overweight--yikes! Since I know all of the health issues that can happen with extra weight in pups, I definitely wanted to correct the issue.

We made a few changes in her diet, eliminating wet food and puppy food and instead feeding adult dry food. I also cut her dry food intake in half. But just like with people, I knew diet alone wasn't going to take the weight off.

I had an exercise routine that I had established pre-Holly that mainly consisted of at home DVDs, but now I felt guilty for making her walk a quick jaunt around the block when I could be combining her workout with my own. So I chucked the DVDs and set my alarm 30 minutes earlier, turning that quick jaunt into a 30-40 minute power walk.

There is a definite difference between a leisurely stroll with your pup and one that actually burns calories. I make sure I am equipped to break into a jog at any time--sometimes we choose to walk blocks and jog avenues, or jog whenever crossing streets, or just to jog when Holly is a little TOO occupied with one thing to sniff. Holly loves running (especially directly in front of me when I am running!), and a quick jog is usually rewarded with her leaping along beside me, all smiles and happy barks.

I wear a pedometer so we can track our distance and measure our success. On weekdays we walk about 1-2 miles, and on the weekends we expand our journey to take advantage of Central Park and walk 3-4. Weekends also find us frequently trekking around the city running errands or just exploring, so typically we end up walking 6-8 miles every Saturday and Sunday (that seems to be the magic number to FINALLY make Holly sleepy).  If there's a chance, I'll come home and I'll do a 10 minute strength session while dutifully throwing Holly's ball for her--she especially loves days with crunches because she can run up and lick my face or bite my nose!

Since we started our exercise routine, Holly has lost 3lbs and is back to a healthy weight. Everyone from our neighbors to her trainer is commenting on how terrific she looks! This Winter a dear friend of mine (and super crazy marathon runner) is participating in a 10k in the Park, and I know Holly and I could power walk our way through without a problem. As long as there's not too many interesting things to sniff, that is! :)

Before: Holly was a little fuller and we worried it would cause health issues.

After: Hard work and cutting down on high calorie food slimmed Holly to a healthy weight!

I'm glad I was able to build a workout routine that benefits both my health and my pup's. Not only is walking with Holly a chance to unplug and enjoy the outdoors every day, but it has given me the chance to check out new restaurants, stores, and landmarks I may never have visited otherwise.

A typical Saturday. Clockwise from top left: Exploring Holly Golightly's Townhouse from the movie, disobeying the rules, and rolling in something fun in the park!

Have you built your dog into your exercise routine? What are some tricks you use to keep your pup at a healthy weight?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Doggie Day Trip: Apple Picking

When I first got Holly I made a deal with her that, since I work during the week, our evening and weekend rule would be if I could bring her along with me, I would. One of my most commonly asked questions when someone invites me somewhere is "can Holly come?" This has ruined surprisingly few friendships, partly because if someone is not much a dog person we probably won't have a lot to talk about, but largely because New York City is incredibly dog friendly, so there are very few places Holly CAN'T go.

Up until recently, we had mostly gone out to dinner (tips on dining with pups at restaurants will come in a later post), drinks, and shopping. Twice she came with me to get my eyebrows waxed, and I would like to take a moment to give a shout out to the incredibly patient and talented woman who managed to wax my eyebrows with a puppy in my lap who had just spotted another puppy she REALLY wanted to be friends with. Seriously, those ladies at the Benefit Brow Bar are the best. But I digress.

Since Holly had successfully ridden MetroNorth to visit my friend's home in Yonkers before, we decided to take it a step farther and try taking her on a quintessential East Coast day trip: apple picking.

After researching "dog friendly apple picking" in the area, we settled on Masker Orchards. My friend and I had been before and really loved it, and a quick call to the manager confirmed they were still dog friendly as long as dogs remained leashed in the orchards.

I highly recommend calling a place in advance to confirm they are dog friendly, especially if you are travelling out of your way or planning on bringing a larger dog. Also confirm in advance that every form of transportation you plan on using is pet friendly, and clarify their pet policies (MetroNorth lets me have Holly out of her bag in my lap, but I still use the Sleepypod to be extra safe). The last thing you want to do is be the person who insists your dog come along only to schlep all the way there and find out you can't bring your dog.

My friend and her husband retrieved us at the train station, and we drove out to Warwick, New York. It was unseasonably warm that day, which really stepped on Holly's fall fashion statement (Burgundy Hoodie from Yarn Dog with "Pigeon Patrol" on the back and a festive plaid lined hood), but made for some lovely weather for pre apple picking snacks.

After a feast of Apple Pie A La Mode (I let Holly sample a bit of pie crust) and Apple Cider Doughnuts (Holly sampled this of her own volition!), we were out in the orchards. There were quite a few dogs around that day, and even more fallen apples to sniff and munch on. Holly loved it!

We ended up staying for a few hours, and only picking 1 bag of apples. That was plenty, though--I had enough to make slow cooker apple butter, apple crisp, and still have some leftover for snacks!

Tons of apples, ready to make fall festive treats!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter (recipe here) 

Apple crisp (recipe here)

I'm looking forward to sharing more of my favorite day trips with Holly as the weather gets cooler and outdoor dining becomes less frequent. Who knows, maybe one of these weekends we will plot a pup-friendly long getaway!! :)

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Paw-sitively Fabulous: The Puppy Photo Shoot

When you are a person of a certain age, there is a sudden shift in the content of your Facebook News Feed. Photos from wild weekends and late night parties are replaced with posed professional shots of engagements, weddings, and babies.

It struck me that my life with Holly was something I wanted to commemorate with a photoshoot. Rescuing Holly was a defining moment in my New York life, so why not spring for some professional photos to celebrate and remember that forever? I decided to borrow from some of my friend's photoshoots and do a "One Year" session with Holly celebrating her first birthday.

There are plenty of photographers in Manhattan that will offer professional in-studio sessions for you and your pet, ranging anywhere from $300-$1000 depending on the number of photos, length of the session, and extras you want to receive. I decided I would prefer an on-location photo shoot with Holly, since we love spending weekends exploring the city and could highlight some of our favorite spots. There were fewer photographers who seemed to offer this specific service with pet photography in mind (likely because a studio is a more controlled environment and animals can be unpredictable), so after researching several photographers offering deals on Groupon, we decided to work with Amber at Amber Nicole Photos.

Amber was the perfect choice because as a fellow animal lover she was patient with Holly and was quick to snap the perfect shot (since pups can go from perfectly posed to OH MY GOD A SQUIRREL in about a millisecond, this was essential). Even though our original plan to start at Bethesda Fountain was disrupted by a parade closing that portion of the park down, we had a blast travelling all through Central Park and to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side, where we got some of my favorite images of the day.

My best advice for having photos done with your fur baby is to have fun with it, and don't be afraid to go all out! Holly and I wore our matching Ralph Lauren, and I accessorized with an Alex and Ani bangle with a letter "H" and a custom dog bone shaped necklace stamped with Holly's name from Etsy (similar styles here).

Having high quality photos of my pup has allowed me to creatively and tastefully incorporate her into my home and office decor (look for a later post on chic pup-centric decorating), and I know I will enjoy them for years to come.

Or at least until our next photoshoot. I'm thinking a Breakfast At Tiffany's theme?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Have Dog, Will Travel

When I first made the decision to get a dog, I knew one of the most important things would be to have a pup who would be small enough to accompany me in the cabin on my frequent flights to Colorado. At 17lbs, Holly is about as big as a dog can be in order to fly (many airlines have a 20lb weight limit for dogs to ride in cabin). We typically fly Southwest Airlines, which has no weight limit for in cabin animals and fairly large under seat space, which gives Holly's long legs the extra room they need! Plus, they have a flat fee of $75 each way for an animal to come on board, which is one of the lower rates I came across in my research.

My biggest issue before our first flight was finding a travel bag that would comfortably fit her. Since Holly is more of a medium sized dog (17 inches long from her neck to the top of her tail and about 16 inches from her shoulder to the floor), most bags were too small, or were not designed to hold a dog over 10lbs. After extensive research and comparison shopping, I turned to the Wag.com Pampered Dog Boutique, which offers up high end products for the most spoiled pooch.

It was in their travel section that I discovered the Sleepypod Air, a bag that seems uniquely designed for my concerns. This sleek, airline approved carrier has a unique design that compresses from a roomy 22×10.5×10.5" to an under-seat-friendly 16×10×8" during takeoff and landing with a simple push of the ends. After you are in the air, you can pop the ends back down to provide your pup with the extra legroom they need. I have found that the window and center seats on Southwest flights have so much under seat room that I do not have to compress the bag, but for stricter airlines or those with less room this feature would be a Godsend.

The Sleepypod Air is significantly more expensive than most travel bags, coming in around $150, but after a year that has included 6 roundtrip flights, several MetroNorth Railroad Trips, and countless cab rides, I can confidently say it was worth shelling out the extra for!

Before flying, I would speak to your vet about your pet's needs and address what toys may be safe for them to have as a distraction in the carrier. Here are some essential toys Holly and I make sure to have when we travel:

1. Nylabone DuraChew Hollow Stick in Wolf: Even though Holly is a small dog, she is a BIG chewer. This toy was okayed by our trainer to be left with her during the day (because it's so big!), so I don't have to worry about her having it semi-unsupervised on the flight. It also has a hollow core so I can stuff it with Kong Stuffing or Peanut Butter to keep her distracted. The toy does have stick like nubs, so if you have an especially aggressive chewer I would clear unsupervised play with your vet or trainer, or ask them if the Nylabone Galileo is a better option to satisfy in flight chewing urges.

2. Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Dye Free Rope Toy: Dye free rope toys are another toy we cleared with Holly's vet for unsupervised play. I look for toys to go in her Sleepypod that will meet her specific needs (chewing, mainly), without making noise that could cause a disruption (no squeakers on the plane!!).

3. Kong Wubba Friend Dog Toy: Holly is not a big fan of traditional Kongs, but she loves the plush cuddly version at home and in her Sleepypod. I love it for long plane rides because it provides the cuddly comfort of a plush toy without the annoyance (or choking hazard) of a squeaker!

They weren't kidding around with the name "Sleepypod!"

Do you travel with your pooch? What essentials have you found to make the trip easier (and more fun)?

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Furry Fashionista: Outfitting Your Posh Pup

I SWORE, when I got a little dog, that I would not be one of those people who put her in clothes. That resolution lasted exactly one hour after I got Holly, until I saw this ah-mazing leopard print Chanel-esque sweater by Smoochie Pooch at my local Petco and just about died of cuteness overload:

Holly looks especially fab in a leopard print because of her Golden coloring.

Holly has since outgrown the leopard print sweater, but never fear. It has been replaced by an even bigger wardrobe. Below are some of our absolute faves. 

1. Rambo Newmarket Dog Blanket: Holly and I travel back and forth between New York City and my parent's home in Colorado (look for a post on our essentials for traveling in style later). This jacket moves seamlessly from country to city, thanks to its Western flair and super sturdy velcro (we lost several fleece jackets to loss of velcro stickiness!). As an added bonus, they make it in horse sizes, so if I cave and buy Holly that pet pony, the two of them can match!

2. Sweaters by Fab Dog: The name says it all. Fab Dog makes fun, cheeky, and of course FABULOUS sweaters for pups that even come in bigger sizes for the pit bull looking to add some flair. I have my eye on the "Love You" sweater in pink as a 1 year adopt-a-versary gift for Miss Holly. 

3. Sam & Tasha reversible dress: No girl's wardrobe would be complete without a fun, flirty sundress fit for any occasion. The two in one factor just sweetens the deal, especially when space is at a premium in tiny New York closets! Holly rocked the black and white (pictured below) side for this year's Blessing Of The Animals, and the blue floral for her First Birthday (which I will dedicate a later post to!). 

Her ah-dorable collar bow is made by my wonderful friend and fellow Chihuahua Mommy, and is available for sale in colors to match any pup's wardrobe over on her Etsy Page!

4. Ralph Lauren Personalized Puppy Polo: An absolute MUST for every Posh Pet and the crown jewel of Holly's closet, this Ralph Lauren polo not only makes her chic in a snap, but also comes with complimentary personalization to really up the fab factor. The best part is that Ralph Lauren coordinates the colors of the puppy polos with their human polo and button down shirts, which means MATCHING MOMMY AND ME OUTFITS. If that doesn't say Pampered Pup, I don't know what does!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Our Story

Just like the heroine of Truman Capote's classic novella, Holly Golightly (the Chihuahua) came from humble beginnings into a life of fabulosity.

Holly was found wandering the streets of Texas with her two brothers and taken to a high kill shelter on October 16, 2012. She was rescued just a few days later by the Humane Society of New York, who brought them to their New York City shelter just days before Hurricane Sandy tore through the East Coast.

Despite the fact that she was starving and abandoned, she managed to Smize in her intake photo.

I arrived at the shelter on November 3rd, hoping that by taking the plunge on taking home a furry companion I could free up some space for the many animals that had been displaced during the storm. I filled out a very detailed questionnaire that asked about my lifestyle, plans for care, and what would describe my perfect pet. In this section, I wrote "happy go lucky."

After a rigorous interview, they reviewed my preferences so they could bring out the pups they felt were my best "match" (side note: why does this service not exist for boyfriends?). As soon as they read "happy go lucky," they said, they knew they had the pet for me. 

At only 5 months old and 11lbs, baby Holly was all ears and long scrawny legs, and far more resembled a baby deer than any puppy I had ever seen. As soon as they handed her to me, she started chewing on my Henri Bendel leopard cashmere scarf, and we established our first (okay, only) household rule: No Chewing Cashmere or Purses. She has obeyed this rule ever since, though I wish I had the foresight to add throw pillows and leather chairs to the list!

Holly on her first day home. She later chewed up this chair, pillow, and blanket! Adorably, of course.

The Humane Society does not let you take home animals the same day you see them, but I got a call the next day saying they had spoken with my references and I could come get Holly that afternoon! I panicked because I had exactly no supplies, and ended up bringing her home in a cab along with the 100 Wee Wee Pads, water filtering bowl, and 5 toys I had purchased on my way to pick her up. 

Holly walked into the new apartment and immediately jumped in every chair, then settled into the leather one with an attitude that seemed to say, "this will do. I am the Princess here."

And she has continued to be the Princess every day since. Holly Golightly (the person) would be terribly proud!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Chihuahua and the City

Welcome to Little Holly's Big World, a window into the fabulous life of Miss Holly Golightly (no relation), a Chihuahua mix who went from the mean streets of Texas to the eternally fabulous Upper East Side.

As Holly's mom, I want my pup to have the most posh and pampered lifestyle possible; whether we are jet setting or looking for a nice meal out on the town. This blog will serve as a guide to living life fabulously with your pooch--Holly and I will share our favorite fashions, toys, and places to go, as well as our most delightful adventures together.

So come along with us, darlings. This is one party you don't want to be fashionably late to.