Ahhh, winter in a "southern state"...what a strange phenomenon. Panic with a dusting of snow, the city shuts down when rain is falling, the ground is a constant mud pit. I always wanted to move south so I didn't have to get my SAD on come February, and let me tell you...I do NOT miss Iowa's annual -25 degree week. But, boy, do I miss seasoned winter drivers.
We recently had an ice storm in Kentucky that coated our streets with layers of sleet, followed by a few inches of snow. It wasn't pretty and I definitely didn't mind the office closing for two days...who would have thought I'd have a snow day so soon after school? We endured a day of rain that finally switched to sleet in the afternoon, that then coated the ground to where it looked like snow. As I said to Mason, coming home from work, it was CRISPY when you walked...not really slick. The Iowan in me even tested the roads, since no one would dare leave their house in this kind of weather...not a hesitation to be seen in my brakes. The office closed two days in a row, with an event in house. No restaurant or bar could be seen with their lights on...talk about an apocalypse.
Anyways, after this disrupting ice storm, we soon returned to 40-50 degree weather and melted any white that was on the ground into a muddy mess. Meaning, the dog park was absolutely destroyed. Apollo, my poor boy, had been stuck in the house for DAYS and just wanted to see his friends and squeak his ball at the sky. We ventured to the park and had about 12 seconds before the ball was too muddy for him to put in his mouth...
Luckily, we have this fabulous place on Baxter, PG&J Dog Park Bar. Let me tell you...this is probably my favorite place in all of Louisville. Imagine, after a long day of work, you return to this ball of energy that won't stop squeaking his tiny red ball in your face. You just want to sit and enjoy a beverage without the lovable little psycho jumping on your lap. In comes PG&J's, a bar with a dog park. Let the nut job run free with all his dog friends while you enjoy a lovely cocktail. You get to watch every type of dog play, inside and out, there are games for you, and always some sort of event to celebrate some fur-baby's life. There truly isn't anything better.
We recently took Apollo to Ethan's Found Ya Day Party. For those of you who are wondering, why the heck would we know who Ethan the dog is, let me explain. Ethan was a poor baby that was abandoned last year at the Kentucky Humane Society, freezing a starving to death. Luckily, he was found and saved, surviving, quite literally, a fatal situation. This sweet boy has given hope and inspiration to so many, as he continues to fight his health battles. We got to meet Ethan at his party and BOY was he a tank. Being a Presa Canrio, Mastiff, Argentine Dogo, this bad boy was made to be large and in charge. I couldn't image him being so small and frail just a year ago.
As well as a great party, Apollo just loves to run around with is friends all afternoon. Mason and I love that it exhausts him and puts him right to bed when we get home. This place is the cutest, with garage doors that are wide open with nice weather, a great MULCHED dog park, so no muddy paws, and a fabulous indoor setting. Oh, and the signature doggo cocktails are a perk, too. We have decided a weekly visit wouldn't be so bad.
Of course, I have to share some food, too. This same day, we were craving burgers and decided McDonalds might not cut it. We took a quick 2 minute drive to Grind Burger in Nulu. We had been one other time before and thought we should give it another go. I had their B&B Burger: brie, bacon, and habanero jam on top of a beautifully cooked burger, with a side of the best fries around (I swear, they triple fry these bad boys). This has to be one of our favorite burger restaurants we've tried in the city. There are so many custom options, great sides, and an awesome beer list. It was also featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Definitely give it a try when exploring Nulu!
Follow along for our next adventure, and happy Valentine's Day!