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We’re Back!!! Finally!!!

Happy Boston TerrierLook at the face! How could we stay away!?

I know its been years and so much as happened but Basil’s Travels hasn’t stopped. For those of you who have been following us on Instagram, you have seen this little gentleman turn grey and never stop smiling. From here we are going to continue this crazy journey and share our life and experiences in this dog-friendly world. Look out for tips and tricks for traveling with your dog, hipster dog locations we recommend, and like 1-million (or like 12, who knows?) dog Halloween costumes.

We love you guys, old and new.

Welcome to the *new and improved* Basil’s Travels!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Top 10 Best Dog Friendly Cities in the USA!

Hey internet friends! Its been a while! How are you? How has your summer been going? Been anywhere fun? Basil and I have been super busy working on relaunching this blog (good stuff coming soon) and going on all sorts of wacky adventures.

Todays post we are going to dive into the brain of a Boston terrier. Don’t worry you won’t have the sudden urge to pee on everything and hump every warm body, unless thats your life and then, by all means, do you boo! No, we are going to count down the 10 best dog friendly cities in the United States of America – A Boston terriers opinion!

#10 San Antonio, Texas

Southern hospitality + good food + pet friendly hotels = Happy puppy!

Basil takes The Alamo
Basil takes The Alamo

#9 Bend, Oregon

Outdoor loves dream! Beer for you, 1 billion trees to pee on for your dog!

#8 Charlotte, North Carolina

An up and coming city growing faster than that 8 week old great dane puppy at the pet store.

Dog Friendly Charlotte
Dog Friendly Charlotte

#7 Austin, Texas

Great music, BBQ, and hipsters as far as the eye can see… So, pretty much heaven!

Banger's Sausage House - Austin, Texas
Banger’s Sausage House – Austin, Texas

#6 Leavenworth, Washington

Modern mountain town meets Bavarian village. Grab a brat and a beer and then hit the river!

Dog Friendly Destinations - Leavenworth, WA
Dog Friendly Leavenworth, Washington

#5 Portland, Oregon

I don’t have anything clever to say here. Seriously, just go!

Dog Friendly Portland, Oregon
Dog Friendly Portland, Oregon

#4 Friday Harbor, Washington (San Juan Island)

Feels like its a world away but only a few hours from Seattle or Vancouver. Do some shopping downtown, every shop has dog treats, and relax on the beach.

4 hipsters and 2 dogs on South Beach, Friday Harbor, Washington
4 hipsters and 2 dogs on South Beach, Friday Harbor, Washington

#3 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

The birthplace of this country and home to some amazing pet friendly hotels!

Dog Friendly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dog Friendly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

#2 Asheville, North Carolina

I can’t say enough good things about this “sleepy” mountain town. Beautiful, fun, and not what you are expecting. If you get the chance to go please do. Do it for us! DO IT!

Dog Friendly Asheville, North Carolina
Dog Friendly Asheville, North Carolina

#1 Seattle, Washington

What can I say? I am totally biased! We love this amazing city and you (and your dog) will too!

The Best Dog Friendly City Ever! Seattle, Washington
The Best Dog Friendly City Ever! Seattle, Washington

 

So, now that we have told you where we like to visit how about you tell us where some of your favorite places are. Where should we travel next?

Like I said up top we are working on a relaunch of Basil’s Travels so keep an eye out for some new amazing content soon. Also, make sure you are following us on Instagram, http://www.instagram.com/basilstravels for daily cuteness and the dog friendly information.

Until next time! Xoxo

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

DIY Mother’s Day gift for the crazy dog mom!

Art is what you can get away with. -Andy Warhol
Hello internet friends! Mother’s day is right around the corner and if you are still in need of a fabulous gift for the mama/grandmother/nana/stay at home dog mom in your life check out this DIY pet paw canvas art.

 Today on Make it Monday!(Wednesday…whatever)  we got a little creative, Basil and I did some custom paw print art work. It was super easy and we had a lot of fun. I seriously love the 2 pieces we made and can’t wait to hang them in our new home!

What you need

  • Blank Canvas (Any size. I used square)
  • Non-toxic water based acrylic paint (I used Crayola washable kids paint)
  • A plastic shower curtain liner or painting drop cloth
  • Wet wipes

 I found all these things at Target at a great price. I was surprised to find the canvas but I guess Target is getting pretty artsy. That worked in my favor! I decided to use the shower curtain liner as the floor covering and I couldn’t be happier. I purchased the cheapest one they had, $2.49, and it worked like a charm. The magnets those things have weighted down the sheet so when I throw it out on the lawn it stayed put, even with a bit of a breeze.   Next all I did was set out the canvas onto the shower liner, poured out a small amount of my desired color onto the liner next to the canvas, and let Basil walk through it. Then I had Basil walk directly onto the blank canvas. He wasn’t super into that part but he put up with it! You can also apply paint to 1 paw and press that paw onto the canvas. We did both.

After its all said and done the clean up was a breeze. I used the wet wipes to clean the paint off Basils paws and to clean the paint off the shower liner. I thought about just throwing the liner away but we really didn’t make that much of a mess. If you have a larger dog with bigger paws I would recommend a large wet wash cloth and maybe just saying good bye to the liner.

Once back in the house (We did this all in the front yard. I’m sure my neighbors and the UPS guy were all very curious as to what was happen!) Basil got a short little puppy bath with our favorite Burt’s Bees Apple & Oatmeal dog shampoo and is now happily napping.

Here is what our final creations look like. Once they’re dry I’ll add Basil’s name to the corner. He did do the majority of the work after all!

 What do you think of our art? Do you love it? I think it’s so post modern.

Let me know if you try this project and how it came out. I would love to see it!

A big thanks goes to Treats a la Bark for the original idea. I saw their take on this fun little art piece on Pinterest and had to give it a try.

Also, 57 days to the Blogpaws 2016 pet blogging conference!!! Who is excited!?

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

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Freshpet Made me Do it! Contest time!

Hello internet friends! Happy Thursday! I think someone told Basil it’s almost the freakin’ weekend because he has been seriously crazy today. It started with breakfast and I’m sure it will continue until bedtime. Silly boy!

Also, fun news today our favorite pet food brand Freshpet just launched a new contest. Does your pet love Freshpet food or treats? Do they dance, sing, or act crazy to get their paws on it? Post a video on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the #FreshpetMadeMe for a chance to win a role in an upcoming Freshpet viral video. The grand prize winner also gets flight and hotels accommodations at the shoot location as well as a custom Freshpet fridge filled to the brim with all the Freshpet goodness!

Check out their website for more information and make sure to watch the video below. Can you spot a well know Boston terrier and his adorable kitten brother?

Basil and I have so many ideas and can’t wait to see all of yours. Make sure to summit your entry on social media or at freshpetcontests.com/freshpetmademe before April 1st.

If you haven’t tried Freshpet yet click over to their website for a $2 off coupon.

Let me know when you enter so I can check it out! Big thanks to Freshpet for including us in this contest video and good luck to everyone that enters!

What are your plans for the weekend? Check out any new pet friendly locations? Let me know!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

Happy Holidays and a merry Christmas!! Blogmas day 25!

Blogmas Day 16! Wordless Wednesday!

We recently got home from our annual trip to Texas. It was a ton of fun and so nice to see family.

For today’s wordless Wednesday I thought I would share a candid shot my husband took of Basil, my 4 year old niece Magnolia, and myself.

I hope you too are able to spend a little bit of time with your family this holiday season.

Basil family candid. Canyon Lake, TexasOnly 9 days until Christmas! What is your pet getting this year?

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

BP_Wordless_wed_Hop_Logo_2014

The Alamo! Blogmas Day 9!

Sausage for everyone! Blogmas Day 6!

Last night was our first night in Austin, Texas and we started off with a bang or with a Banger!

  Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden located on the famed Rainey Street of Austin, Texas is a hipster Mecca. 104 beers on tap, most being local, and sausage for every taste. 
Walking by it may just look like an extremely busy residential neighborhood but go into almost any of these “houses” and you’ll find good food, good drink all in a dog friendly atmosphere. 

Banger’s was recommended to us by the Travel Channel show Booze Travel. The host Jack Maxwell explored the Austin food scene and sold us on Banger’s

I enjoyed a classic Bratwurst while Basil had his very own “woof-wurst.”  

All proceeds of Woof-wurst go to Austin Pets Alive.

All the sausages were a hit. Can you tell?! 

After we enjoyed dinner we headed deeper into the beer garden. Outside you’ll find a large fully fenced off-leash dog run, more tables, and 2 fire pits.   

People where friendly, the service was fast, and food was great. We highly recommend giving Banger’s a try if your in the Austin area. 

Find information on Banger’s here

Where else should be go while in Texas? Let me know! 

Travel well, nap well, live well!

-Abbey & Basil 

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