The New Name!
After a lot of back and forth and we decided to rename the blog “Pippa & Walter’s Toodle Chronicles” and I love it!
Even though it will primarily be Pippa in these posts (Walter prefers to nap in his advanced elder years) it was important to include them both, and include a tribute to Rupert. He was known for his Toodles around the neighborhood and was the reason we started this!
So I hope you follow along and enjoy our little adventures!
xoxo
It's been a while!
Hi Everyone!
I think it’s time to revisit the blog! “Out & About with Mr.Roops” will be getting a new name, once we figure out what it will be, but the premise will be the same, visiting pet friendly places and spaces and supporting and promoting pet friendly businesses.
I have to say, I haven’t looked at this blog page on my website in over 6 years and rereading these posts made me cry. Losing Rupert in December 2023 was devastating, he was a magical prince and loved love and adventures. I could never start this from scratch so his jaunts are staying right here here and hopefully they’ll make you smile (especially the harbour ferry one!). Some of the businesses we visited aren’t open anymore but it’s still fun to read about them.
Rupert would be very happy to know that his little sister Pippa will be taking over the reins. Walter (who is 16 now!) isn’t keen on going into places, he wasn’t back then and he’s even less so now, so he’ll be making his appearances during outdoor excursions in between his old man naps.
We adopted Pippa last January from the wonderful people at Alberta Homeward Hound. She was a young stray who had recently had puppies. She was scared of the world but had a brave spirit. We spent that first year going very slow and teaching her how to trust and how to be the young sassy dog we knew she was. Watching her come out of her shell and blossom into a hilarious scruffy lady has been one of the greatest joys of our lives and watching the quirky relationship between her and her old man brother has been so beautiful. We know that Rupert is watching over her and is her guardian angel (we also know he’s the one who told her how much fun it is to chew on Walter’s back leg!)
Now that Pippa is comfortable in the car and curious about the world, we can open it up for her and all the fun and joys it can offer!
So stay tuned and follow along and if you know of any special pet friendly places you think we should visit please let us know!
Cheers
Sarah, John, Walter & Pip
Walter & Rupert visit Esquimalt Gorge Park
Esquimalt Gorge Park (on Tillicum Road just south of the Gorge Waterway. You can also enter on foot from Sioux Place, off Craigflower Road) is a great place for a stroll with the pups. It has nice wide paths along the Gorge waterway, information signs about the park, an off leash area and the lovely Japanese Gardens.
We stopped by bright and early one morning last week (8am...which is very early for me! lol) It was very quiet which is always lovely (this is a very popular places during the warm summer months!) Our first stop was the off leash area (visit here for more details) Walter and Rupert love a good frolic so they ran and wrestled.
After they tuckered themselves out, we continued (on leash) down the path at the far end of the off leash area. It lead to the playground and nature building.
We then continued along the waterway to the bridge, It was so lovely and such a pretty area. There were lots of benches to enjoy the view and informational signs telling the history of the park.
Our final stop was the Japanese Gardens. The history of the gardens can be read here. It doesn't seem very big from the outside, but once you enter it's incredibly peaceful. We loved it and I highly recommend a visit!
Gorge Point is one of those parks that we really need to visit more often. We'll definitely be back!
Walter & Rupert visit Macaulay Point Park
We visit Macaulay Point Park in Esquimalt quite a lot (it can be accessed from Fleming Beach, as well as from Clifton Terrace off Munro Street). It has a lovely off leash area, beautiful scenery and lots of little places to explore.
We keep the pups on leash as we pass by the rock climbers and Fleming Beach. Once we get to the breakwater the leashes come off and they can run like the wind (or saunter and sniff...whatever they prefer!) Rupert can get a bit weak in his back end, so the wide paths and easy trail are perfect for him when he wants to take it easy!
This was once a coastal defence fortification built in the late 1800's so there are lots of cool buildings, old gun emplacements and a guard tower (with a cool tunnel leading to it!). Last summer they installed a series of informative signs around the park, telling you what each building was used for. It's very interesting and Walter & Rupert have lots of fun exploring!
I take a lot of photos here! I'm a sucker for textures and lighting and this place has it all! Below is a small selection of some of my favourite photos with Walter and Rupert here over the last couple of years. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them!
For more info about dogs visiting Esquimalt parks visit: www.esquimalt.ca
and click here for pdf map that has the off-leash areas highlighted.
Rupert explores Fernwood Square
Fernwood is our stompin' ground and we love it. It's a beautiful neighbourhood full of fabulous houses, artists and tons of character. Fernwood Square is the heart of it all, located at Gladstone and Fernwood Ave. and anchored by the Belfry Theatre. There you'll find a great selection of delightful shops and amazing restaurants to visit.
We walk through the square on a daily basis so we thought it would be fun to have a leisurely stroll, pop into some dog friendly shops and have a bite to eat in the sunshine. Rupert loves adventures with his nanna, and her birthday is on Monday so he thought it would be a lovely treat.
Our first stop was Luna Collective (2000 Fernwood Rd). A beautiful little shop at the corner of the square. It's filled with vintage pretties and wonderful things created by local artists and designers.
We asked Eryn why she thinks being a pet friendly business is important, and she told us:
"I think being a pet friendly business is an important part of connecting with your community. I am so happy to have my shop in the vibrant Fernwood Square, and part of what makes the square so amazing is the people and animals that I see and meet every day. I wan't pet owners to feel at ease knowing that they can pop into the shop while they are out and about with their furry friends, and that they will receive a warm welcome in the shop. I love connecting with my customers, and meeting their animals just makes it even better!"
She also told us about a pup named Rosie:
"I have met a lot of really lovely pets in the shop, but the most memorable would be Rosie. I hired Megan to work at the shop in November, and her lovely childhood dog was visiting from Alberta. Rose loves being in the shop and getting to interact with the customers. She has been back to visit Fernwood a few times, and always accompanies Megan to work."
Rupert and his nanna had a lovely time checking everything out and Rupert got a lot of pets on the head! We thoroughly enjoyed out visit to Luna Collective, and if you haven't popped in yet, you definitely should! Visit their website: www.lunacollective.ca and follow them on instagram: @luna_collective
We were getting a bit hungry so our next stop was the Fernwood Inn (1302 Gladstone). They have a great patio and great food! The perfect place for a mid-adventure snack!
We chatted with the general manager, Mike, and he told us that pets are welcome on the patio! They just need to be on a short leash, be well behaved and happy to chill out under the table. It's a busy place with a lot of good food so that totally makes sense. Rupert was given a big bowl of cold water, an ear rub, and sat patiently for some yam fries.
I have to say that I went there specifically for the chicken strips. They are so delicious (we also got the poutine!). We had a great time and enjoyed the sunshine!
Visit fernwoodinn.com for more info. Follow them in instagram @thefernwoodinn and facebook: Thefernwoodinn
After our bellies were full we crossed the street to Studio 1313 (1313 Gladstone Ave.)
Now if you followed along with my Victoria shop dog series last year, you know that we featured the lovely Daisy (studio 1313's greeter/snuggler extraordinaire) Well, Rupert loves to flirt with cute shop dogs so he stopped by so he could say hi. She was a little aloof to his charms but he was smitten! When I make my next hair appointment, Rupert might insist on coming along...
Visit www.studio1313.ca for more info!
And follow them here:
facebook: Studio1313hair
instagram: @studio1313hair
The next place we visited as the Fernwood Pizza Company. They are new on the street and delicious!
They also have a nice dog friendly patio on the side of the building. We were still too full from our lunch to have another lunch (although I have done that before!) but I stopped in and got a slice to go to take home to my fella (he loved it and kept going on about the yummy crust!). I love that you can buy pizza by the slice there (and ice cream and beer!). Rupert was hoping that the pizza was for him but he'd have to wait until he got home to get a nibble.
Visit their website: www.fernwoodpizzacompany.com
and follow them on facebook: Fernwood Pizza Company
and on instagram: @fernwoodpizzacompany
Our next stop was 7 Rays New Age Store. We had never visited this store before but were so happy we finally did!
My mom was swooning over the wonderful scents and beautiful things! She got herself some birthday treats (scented oils and incense for her office) and we had a lovely chat with Atousa. She was incredibly knowledgeable, and obviously an animal lover. Rupert was a little shy at first but warmed up to her very quickly!
Atousa told us about some of the animals that have visited the shop. There have been dogs, a parrot and even a ferret!
I asked her why being a pet friendly business is important to her and she said:
"I’ve always been a pet and animal lover since i remember. Healing vibes and good energy is what we share with everyone at our space and when customers visit us with their pets, they bring joy and laughter and that adds to all that healing vibes. "
Visit www.7rays.ca for more info.Follow them on Facebook: 7 Rays New Age and instagram: @7rays.newage
The final stop of our adventure was Graham Grooming, because you can't have a dog friendly afternoon without mentioning the dog groomer in the square.
They were busy with pup clients when we stopped by but were nice enough to let me take a few photos while I was there. Rupert needs a nail trim so we'll have to pop back another time.
For more information on their hours and services visit www.grahamgrooming.com
and follow them on facebook: Graham Grooming
We ended our journey with the 5 min walk home. It's so nice to explore our local neighborhoods and so important to visit the shops that we might just pass by during the hustle and bustle of our days. It's also lovely to know how many places are pet friendly!
Thank you so much to everyone who let mom, Rupert and I stop by and take some photos! We had a delightful time! xoxo