Giuseppe’s 2nd Birthday Adventure in Central Park
This past March, our fluffy bundle of joy turned two years old! It feels like it was just yesterday that he arrived at our house, a 4-lb 10-week old Morkie, jet black and tan colored, with not a clue where he was or who we were. Oh how things have changed!
Join us for part one of his birthday celebration, which we spent in New York City, walking through Central Park and enjoying dinner at a popular dog-friendly restaurant.
A Stroll in Central Park
One of Giuseppe’s favorite places in the whole entire world is Central Park. We’ve been taking him for visits ever since he was a puppy. And our trips to the park with him have given us a whole new appreciation for this historical landmark. His energy and exuberance encourages us to take advantage of every overpass, every body of water, every row of benches… So we made sure he had an ample number of hours to go on “sniffari.”
We also took a rare family photo of all three of us while relaxing near the Upper West Side. It’s too bad Giuseppe’s eyes are closed, but who could blame him with the sunlight blaring over us?
On a side note, I got to enjoy some gelato from Venchi on the Upper West Side. The flavor I chose was Stracciatella. Can you believe this was a kid’s size? Next time I go, I’d like to try one of their dipped cones, and hope that they’ll have a chocolate gelato flavor available!
Tyler Stading-Younger
While sitting on a park bench, we noticed that it happened to be dedicated to another canine named Tyler. The bench’s plaque read:
In loving memory of Tyler Stading-Younger, a perfect Golden Retriever who reminded us that quality of life is more important than quantity. (December 9, 2003 - June 18, 2012)
What a coincidence that we sit on this bench the day we are celebrating the life of our own pooch. We kept Tyler and the Stading-Younger family in our thoughts the rest of the day, and kept in mind the sentiment of a quality life.
The Lake
We also stopped by The Lake and had a small photoshoot with Giuseppe next to the water. We caught the attention of a few dozen park-goers in the process. These people sometimes act like they’ve never seen a dog in a sweater before.
I also snapped these sweet photos of Steven and Giuseppe with the Upper West Side skyline in the background. I feel so blessed to have these two amazing boys in my life.
Birthday Dinner at The Wilson
Dinner at The Wilson NYC has quickly become a tradition when it comes to Giuseppe’s milestone celebrations such as birthdays and Gotcha Day. I initially discovered them while researching dog-friendly restaurants. This place is not only dog friendly in the sense that your dog is allowed in the restaurant, but they even have an elaborate dog-centric menu!
Entrée options include steak, chicken breast and a burger, all served with steamed vegetables. As for desserts and appetizers, they have pupsicles, biscuits, mixed berries, sliced apples, and cucumbers.
Giuseppe has had the hamburger before, and insisted that he finally try the steak! In the meantime, Steven ordered a diet Coke while I enjoyed the Twigs and Sprigs cocktail, complete with a rosemary garnish.
As for our appetizer, we ordered a half dozen oysters: 3 East Coast variety, and 3 West Coast variety.
Steven got really excited when he noticed that the oyster accoutrements included a miniature bottle of his favorite condiment: Tabasco. We even took it home and cleaned it out, adding it to our steadily growing collection of miniatures.
For our entrees, I ordered the Lobster BLT and Steven had the Bolognese with home-made pasta. Both were delicious!
Giuseppe’s Birthday Steak
Giuseppe’s birthday steak was a beautiful cut, cooked medium rare. The Wilson gave him a quality dining experience that matched our own. Check out the video below to watch his face light up as he chows down! His enthusiasm caught the attention of a fellow pooch at another table (who you can hear in the background of the video.) His owners promptly ordered him something off the dog menu!
As always, The Wilson was a wonderful spot to celebrate our precious Giuseppe. It’s so wonderful to have found a restaurant that values the furriest member of our family. We highly recommend it for anyone visiting Midtown who wants to create a special experience for their dog. We are also curious to one day checkout the INNSiDE New York NoMad, the hotel that the Wilson is nestled into, which also boasts a dog-friendly atmosphere.
My happy little 2-year-old boy, belly fully of steak, waiting for valet to bring the car back around.
Thanks so much for joining us for part one of Giuseppe’s 2nd birthday celebration! Be sure to check back for part two, and Giuseppe’s luau-themed fête! Until next time!
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