Monday, December 29, 2014

A Year in Review

It's almost 2015, LHBW fans! This year has been a whirlwind adventure for Little Holly & me, and we can't wait to see what 2015 will bring! We're betting it will be paw-sitively fabulous!

We have so much to be thankful for this year, from new Insta-friends who became real friends, the amazing community of small businesses we have had the honor of working with, and most of all, for all of you. When I was looking through our most liked media in the video below, I was so thrilled to see that this year's most liked picture was of Holly posing in front of the Humane Society of New York table at BarkBox's BarkDay. I know I've said it before, but truly the most important message I can spread with this blog is the importance of animal rescue. I'm so glad so many of you agree!!


Until Next YEAR, Darlings!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Paw-sitively Fabulous: Last minute Holiday outfits!

I can't believe it's already the week of Christmas! This holiday season has flown by, but there's still time to squeeze in a couple more ugly (and not so ugly) holiday sweaters before the New Year!

Here are some of our top mommy-and-pup picks that are festive yet neutral enough to carry you well past Christmas Day!

1. All Things Fabulous Squirrel Jumper & Fab Dog Squirrel Turtleneck:

Image courtesy of  Revolve Clothing.
Image courtesy of Fab Dog.
Show your pup's #1 furry foe who's boss in these cheeky prints, sure to make you giggle on even the gloomiest of Winter days.

2. BooHoo Snowman sweater & Fab Dog Snowman Turtleneck:

Image courtesy of BooHoo.
Image courtesy of Fab Dog. 
Still have a few ugly sweater parties to knock off your list? This stylish duo in seasonal Frosty blue is fun and festive without screaming Christmas!

3. Old Navy Fair Isle Yoke Sweater & Nutmeg's Nordic Dog Sweater:

Image courtesy of Old Navy.
Image courtesy of Baxter Boo.
Fair Isle knits are a more subtle way to dip your toe into the holiday sweater game. Festive without being the true "ugly sweater," this pair is sure to keep your matching game on point all Winter long!

We hope you all have a happy holiday season filled with family and puppy love!!

Image courtesy of Brindle's NY.
Until Next Time, Darlings!

Monday, December 15, 2014

Store Spotlight: Brindle's New York (& A Giveaway!)

I'm so excited to share this extra special Store Spotlight today. I discovered Brindles New York on Instagram and Holly and I were lucky enough to be chosen as brand ambassadors for this fabulous newcomer the pup e-commerce scene. After meeting up with the founders and their own pup-sonal ambassador (and the store's namesake), Mr. Brindles himself, I was struck with how much the Brindles philosophy aligns with my own.
It was love at first sniff for Holly and Mr. Brindles!
The Brindles folks feel that since our pooches are our furry family members, the products they use, from food and treats to chew toys and clothes, should have the same benchmarks for quality as those we give our human family. As pup parents themselves, they advocate for American made products with a level of care behind them that would appease even the most discerning pet owner. Brindles also believes in supporting small businesses, encouraging entrepreneurship and giving brands a stage to showcase their products and consumers a chance to discover them. Read on to learn more about the incredible story behind Brindles NY, as well as for some special treats available only to Little Holly's Big World fans!

Little Holly's Big World: What was your inspiration to start Brindles?

Brindles NY: The inspiration to start Brindles basically came from being a frustrated pet parent.  I was consistently disappointed with the vast number of pet products in the marketplace and the lack of information behind them.  

At home, I love to cook and can easily spend weeks researching the best ingredients.  Take olive oil for example. For myself, I want to be sure it is 100% pure and not mixed with an inferior oil.  I want to know where the olives are grown, and how they are pressed. 

After a series of well known pet food/treat recalls in the news, I finally asked myself why wouldn't I apply that same approach of looking for olive oil to find products for my best companion.  It turned out to be harder than I thought.  There was so many products that didn't meet our standards as we shopped online or in the “big box” stores.  

Fast forward to this spring, on a spur of the moment trip upstate to Beacon, NY with Mr. Brindles.  It was there that I met Patricia McGrath of Laughing Paw Farm.  Patricia had a table setup for the annual “Beacon Barks” festival on that day and Mr. Brindles found his way to her table of treats.  I listened to Patricia’s story of the dogs that inspired her to bake, and I saw the farm fresh Ameraucana eggs from her very own flock of hens that she uses in her treats. I knew I found someone who shared my own philosophy of doing things the right way with no shortcuts.  And, not only did I find amazing treats for Mr. Brindles but I also had the most amazing eggs for breakfast the next day!   


It was from this moment on that I knew there had to be others out there like Patricia. I wanted to find them and give them a place to showcase their products.  These individuals and small business owners are the inspiration behind Brindles.

Shopping local is great--just ask Mr. Brindles! Image courtesy of BrindlesNYC on Instagram.
LHBW: What makes Brindles different from other pet boutiques?

BNY: Brindles is different than other pet boutiques because we only feature 100% American-made products.  

However, just because you are an American made brand doesn’t guarantee you a spot on our shelves.  We are reading each and every label, researching the manufacturing process, and speaking to the purveyors of each product we carry.  We are ensuring that every brand and business in our shop is one we can be proud of and one that customers can feel confident purchasing.  Most of the small businesses we work with are pet parents themselves. They have passion and a pride of craftsmanship that gets lost among the larger manufacturers and big box stores.

West Paw Design re-knit sweaters available at Brindles NY. Image courtesy of BrindlesNYC on Instagram.
In addition, there are so many great artisans right here in NY making quality pet products and we at Brindles love to share all of them with you. 

LHBW: Why is working with small, American owned businesses important to the Brindles philosophy?

BNY: At Brindles, we believe in building a virtuous circle.  It is important to foster our local communities by supporting small American businesses that continue to grow, hire skilled workers, and give back to the community.

Here’s what I mean:

When you shop at Brindles and buy a new Toppl treat dispensing toy made by West Paw Design, you foster a growing American brand and support West Paw as they hire more skilled toy makers and sewers.  Those sewers, in turn, go out into their local Hometown, USA and buy produce from a local farmer at the market.  That farmer?  Well, he adopted a lovable rescue dog, Lassie, to help patrol his farm.  And so the farmer buys Lassie a comfy new Jax and Bones bed from Brindles.  Jax and Bones and West Paw Design both donate a portion of proceeds to charity from the purchases that Brindles made and we at Brindles also give back by donating to various pet rescue causes.

Brindles New York is a big advocate for shopping small. Image courtesy of BrindlesNYC on Instagram.
And so the circle continues….more American workers, quality made goods, a stronger economy, more pets rescued and a better community for everyone.

LHBW: Tell us the story of Rascal, or Mr. Brindles himself!

BNY: Mr. Brindles (aka Rascal) is a three year-old, cleverly stubborn, brindled French Bulldog and the Chief Tester of all products in the shop.  He likes hanging out in the dog park and chasing squirrels in Central Park. His favorite things are treats, treats, and more treats.  

Mr. Brindles sunning in Central Park. Image courtesy of BrindlesNYC on Instagram.
Like many breeds, French Bulldogs are prone to allergies and Mr. Brindles is no exception. We have to be careful with what he eats.  He is on a special limited ingredient diet that always keeps us researching the best quality ingredients. 

The Brindles store name was inspired from the color of his fur.  

I met Mr. Brindles when he was just a pup and I was courting his mama.  During our introduction phase, he would love to curl inside my legs or sit on top of them (he still does!).   One evening while snuggled on top of my legs, he quickly and suddenly ran off into another room.  A few minutes later, I scratched my leg (I am actually allergic to dog fur!!) and when I reached down my hand felt wet.   Yup, Rascal marked me as his and we have been inseparable ever since.  

LHBW:  In your opinion, what is it that makes pup ownership in New York special?

BNY: Well, most of us in New York don’t have backyards.   So we are all taking our pups outside in our PJs every morning…rain or shine.  We have a multitude of dog parks to choose from and a bevy of meetup groups to socialize.  Dog friendly restaurants and shops make it easy to take your best friend almost everywhere in this city.  The scents and visual scenery are just as stimulating to dogs as they are to people.   
Jumping for joy in NYC's own backyard!
However, its the community of great pet parents that truly make NY a special place. 

LHBW: What is the most important thing you want people to take away from the Brindles shopping experience? 

BNY: Confidence.

Confidence not only that their purchase helps support animal rescue efforts and small businesses, but that they can rely on Brindles to curate the best and safest pet products available in the marketplace from people who care about pets and not profits.

We believe that it's stores like Brindles New York that make the dog community special. To recognize an issue as a pet parent, and take the steps to go out and solve it all while supporting small businesses and rescue organizations, is absolutely amazing. If this piece made you want to run out and shop small with Brindles New York, then you're in luck! Little Holly's Big World readers can enjoy a 10% discount with code HOLLY, so you can knock out your holiday shopping in plenty of time.
Brindles NY Holiday Bundle. Image Courtesy of Brindles New York.
And as an added treat, Brindles has kindly offered one of their famous Holiday bundles to giveaway--just in time for Santa to leave it for your favorite four legged friend!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to the winner!! Happy Holly-days!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Monday, December 8, 2014

Paw-sitively Fabulous: We're Gonna Be Royals

This weekend marked the arrival of Prince William and Kate Middleton in Manhattan, right in the LHBW neighborhood of the Upper East Side. After a call from one of my besties and my mother encouraging us to see if we could catch a glimpse of Britain's most popular royals, Holly and I donned our Barbour coats and Burberry scarves and braved the dipping temperatures to join fellow New Yorkers outside the Carlyle Hotel to await the arrival of Kate & Wills.

Though we didn't actually see the royals (the crowd was too dense), we did catch a glimpse of their motorcade and experience the excitement from the crowd. Though temps were low (27!), spirits were high, and people were singing a mixture of songs they felt the visiting rulers would enjoy, which seemed to really just be an endless loop of Christmas classics people don't know the words too mixed with a few selections from The Sound of Music (are the Duke and Duchess fans???).

A view of the beginning of the Duke and Duchess's motorcade outside the Carlyle Hotel.
In the end, we came hold with cold toes but warm hearts--it was such a classic New York moment, and we're glad we took part! Especially Holly, who was interviewed by a British news station for being the only pup waiting!

Speaking of royal treatment, we are obsessing over BaubleBar's new paw-sitively Princess worthy collar selection. As a long time fan of BaubleBar's fashionable pieces and Manhattan same day delivery options, I will certainly be tempted to add one of these sparkling Baubles to Holly's Holly-day wardrobe. Below are some of my top picks from the collection, as well as the Human pieces I would pair them with for a sparkling matching ensemble worthy of tea with the Princess herself!




Until Next Time, Darlings!

Monday, December 1, 2014

Holly's Holly-Day Gift Guide (Part Two): Gifts For the Animal Lover

Happy post Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope your stomachs are full and your wallets are empty from all the eating and shopping this weekend (I know Holly and I did some major Black Friday damage)!

A lot of my readers comment that though they love dogs, they aren't in the right place in their lives to own one. So I decided to make this week's gift guide one for those folks in your life that love animals, but aren't lucky enough to hang with them every day (PS--these gifts would still also make pawsome presents for those with pets, too).



Happy Holly-days!

Until Next Time, Darlings!