Road Trip - Branson, MO

With my Mom being in Branson, MO last week, my Dad and I drove down to meet her to enjoy a weekend away. We stayed at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing Hotel. It met my high standards of luxury. The hotel is part of a shopping complex, Branson Landing - which is also pet friendly. Most of the stores allowed pets inside, so I got to shop with Mom. And they were ready for me too - complete with treats and water bowls!

The waterfront also features the Branson Landing Fountains which provides a spectacular water, light and fire display set to music. People line up early to get good seats - but the spectacle is too much for dogs like me who get scared easily. I wanted to dig a hole and hide until it was over.

We also ventured to Table Rock Lake and had a great day walking through the park.

Here are a few photos from my Branson adventure:

Pausing to watch the Branson Belle Showboat go by

Cooling my paws in the lake

A trip to Branson wouldn't be complete without stopping at Lambert's Cafe for lunch. Known as "The Only Home of Throwed Rolls," I heard the food was great - but dogs aren't allowed inside. They do offer pet kennels outside for those who don't want their pets to have to wait in the car.

Here's a photo of me chowing down on a roll - or what looked like one until I bit into it - but it was just a toy. It's not nice to fool Jon Jon - give me the good stuff!

The Market at the Cheshire

My favorite hotel in St. Louis is The Cheshire. Over the last two years, I've spent a lot of time lounging around the pool and hanging around the lobby of this English tudor-style hotel. Pets are also welcome inside the guest rooms!

With the opening of two restaurants (The Restaurant at the Cheshire and Basso) and a market within the last year, now I have even more reasons to love The Cheshire.

We stopped by The Market at the Cheshire on the Saturday of The Great Forest Park Balloon Race to get some breakfast. It is a great place for breakfast or lunch and the store is also great for picking up all of the essentials for a superb picnic. Beer, wine, cheeses, made-to-order sandwiches and rotisserie chicken - they have it all! On Saturdays during the summer, The Market also holds a farmer's market in its parking lot.

Jon Jon's Review

The Market at the Cheshire

7036 Clayton Rd.

St. Louis, MO 63117

Food Type: Casual made-to-order breakfast and lunch.

Pet friendly patio: Yes

Pet water bowls: Upon request

Treats: Not on this visit

Rating: Four paws

The large patio and friendly staff make The Market at the Cheshire very welcoming to pets. Create your own picnic from the store's wide lunch selection, enjoy it on the patio with your favorite furry friend or take it to nearby Forest Park which is only a few blocks away.

Great Forest Park Balloon Race 2013

Fall is my favorite time of year in St. Louis - there are so many things to do!

One of St. Louis' favorite fall traditions is the annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race. Like the last few years, we had dinner at The Highlands Golf Course restaurant in Forest Park before heading over to the balloon glow.

As usual, the staff were very friendly and welcoming to me. I always enjoy their patio and the staff always takes care of my needs by bringing me a bowl of water.

Here are a few pics from the night of the Balloon Glow:

at The Highlands

Me and my Mom 

Balloons lighting up the night

My favorite one - the popcorn balloon!

Event Review

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race/Balloon Glow

Sept. 19 -20, 2014

The balloon glow is attended by an estimated 80,000 people. The crowds are large and there is a lot noise. Bands, horns, and the sights and sounds of hot air balloons being filled can make this an uncomfortable event for many pets. If you decide to bring your pet, get there early and beat the huge masses of people. I was a little nervous and uneasy the first time I went to this event, but the more socialized I've become, I've been able to be a little more comfortable at this event.

Restaurant Review

Forest Park Highlands Golf & Tennis Center

Patio / Outdoor Seating Available: Yes

Pets Welcome: Yes, outside.

Water / Treats: Water bowl

The staff are always friendly and accommodating and this is the most convenient restaurant to the Balloon Glow.

Rating: Four Paws

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Shiver me timbers! This sea dog celebrated "National Talk Like A Pirate Day" on Sept. 19.

Now what's the catch of the day?

zpizza

Over the weekend, my dad and I visited one of my favorite pizza places - zpizza in Clayton. At the corner of Wydown and Westwood, it's only a few blocks from my home.

Many a night my paws have made the short walk from my home to zpizza. The staff always treats me well, bringing me a bowl of water - I don't even have to ask!

I love the fresh salads and traditional thin crust pizzas. My mom and dad usually reward me with a little taste from time to time.

Here's a picture of me waiting to get a slice of my own!

Now if I could only get a ride on one of their motorized delivery bicycles!

Jon Jon's Review

zpizza

7600 Wydown Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63105

314-727-3555

Food type: pizza

Pet friendly patio: yes

Dog water bowls: yes

Dog treats: not sure

Favorite menu item(s): pizza by the slice; "Pick 2" & "Pick 3" food combos include salads and pizza slices.

Rating: 4 paws & a tail wag! The staff is always very friendly & accommodating.

Dog Pool Party

It was another hot weekend in St. Louis! Luckily, many area pools allowed us to swim before they closed for the season. Here's a photo of me getting ready to cool my paws at the Maplewood pool:

I just started swimming a few years ago and now I love it. Watch me swimming to fetch my ball in this video clip:

Katie's Pizza

I visited one of my favorite pizza places over the weekend! Katie's Pizza in Clayton has plenty of outdoor seating, friendly staff, and the gourmet pizza and salad are some of the best in St. Louis.

The outdoor seating is very relaxed and the staff is very welcoming of pets.


Here's a quick overview:

Katie's Pizzeria
6611 Clayton Rd., St. Louis MO 63117
314-727-8585
Read reviews & get more info

Dog Swim

It's time for the people to get out of the pool and let us canines in!

Many area pools are allowing dogs to swim before they close for the season. Here are some of the pools hosting dog swim events:

Friday, Sept. 6
Maplewood

Saturday, Sept. 7
University City
Manchester
Maplewood
Sunset Hills
Arnold

Sunday, Sept. 8
University City
Manchester

Click here for the details!

Summer of Jon Jon - Part III: Saugatuck & Douglas, MI

The heat and humidity returned to St. Louis the last few weeks of August, which made it a perfect time to escape to cooler temperatures.

We traveled to Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan to enjoy the cooler weather of the Lake Michigan waterfront. There were a few pet friendly places to rent and a lot of the restaurants allowed me on their patios. Monroe's Cafe and Grill even had a special menu for dogs! Most of the shops even allowed me to go inside their stores while my mom shopped.

My favorite part of vacation was sneaking in to one of the beaches in Douglas (I wasn't the only dog) to romp in the surf and swim in the lake waters. Playing fetch with my ball in the water was the highlight of this vacation.

At the end of the day, Michigan's sunsets even made me pause and take notice.

What a great way to end the Summer of Jon Jon!

Summer of Jon Jon - Part II: Festival of the Little Hills

I don't make it out to "the county" very often, but this summer I went to the Festival of the Little Hills in St. Charles, MO on August 16.

The festival had plenty of music, arts and crafts and food!

The folks at Hendricks BBQ were nice enough to let me sit on their patio while my family ate some of the best BBQ in the area. The staff were friendly and made me feel welcome by visiting with me and bringing me a bowl of water - we didn't even have to ask.

I even got to meet Chris P. Bacon!

Although dogs were allowed in the street craft area and on some restaurant patios, I wasn't allowed in the concert area.

This is one event where I should have stayed home.

Summer of Jon Jon - Part I: Lake of the Ozarks

Getting away from the city and going to the lake is how many people relax. Dogs aren't any different. We also love spending time at the lake.

Over Fourth of July weekend we went to the Lake of the Ozarks and stayed at Tan-Tar-A Estates. Our condo allowed pets, so I didn't have to stay at a kennel.

I got to go on long walks, enjoyed the views of the lake, and even got an "old time" photo taken with my family.

A few of the restaurants that had decks and patios allowed me in. Two of my favorite places were Dogs Days and The Fish and Company.

Dogs Days at Lake of the Ozarks

the Summer of Jon Jon continues...

Dressed for Success at Paddle with your Pooch

My crew and I were poised for a win at this year's Paddle with your Pooch on July 21. This marked the 10th year for the event and my second try at bringing home the coveted "Golden Fire Hydrant." Held in the Post-Dispatch Lake in Forest Park proceeds from the race went to Forest Park Forever to help maintain the park - one of my favorite places in St. Louis.

They say you must dress for success, so this year I donned my sailor's uniform to show I meant business.

photo courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The race was divided into three heats of 25 boats. In the beginning, our chances looked good of winning our heat as we jumped out to an early lead. We lost our momentum at the turn around point and we could never retake the lead. But a second place finish is nothing to sniff at.

Although we may not have won the race, I did win a prize for "Best Costume" and got some good treats. It's not if you win that's important - it's looking good doing it!

Learn more about Paddle with Your Pooch.
View the St. Louis Post-Dispatch photo gallery.
Watch the Fox2 Now video.