L.A. with Dog

We were in L.A. this weekend with our dog, Otto, and since we couldn't really leave him in the hotel all day we had to tailor our plans to bring him with us. Here's a couple recommendations for doing L.A. with your fur-baby.

Figtree's Cafe

After walking Otto up and down the Venice Beach boardwalk we headed to the Figtree's Cafe for a late breakfast. I would recommend this cafe whether you have a dog or not--good strong coffee, omelettes with fresh, locally grown veggies and herbs, chicken apple sausage, amazing fruit bowls. They have a large patio with a view of the boardwalk and beach which is great for people-watching. Our server brought Otto a big bowl of water and sat us near the edge away from the crowds.

Figtree's Cafe

Open 8 to 6 daily

429 Ocean Front Walk

Venice, CA

310-392-4937

Chateau Marmutt

Not to be confused with the fancy hotel in Hollywood (Chateau Marmont) the Chateau Marmutt is a dog-grooming and doggy day-care facility right in the midst of the hip 3rd street shopping area. Very friendly staff. We were able to drop Otto off for an oatmeal bath, teeth brushing and nail clip and had a few hours to do some shopping and strolling without the dog. He came back fluffy and soft and tired out which was great.

Toast Bakery Cafe

After Otto's day-o'-beauty we took him for a nice meal at Toast which has a sidewalk patio right in the midst of the hip 3rd street shopping area. Great place for people-watching and ducking out of the sun on a hot summer day. During peak hours there is always a wait, but we went around 3pm and were able to snag a table right away. The menu features, salads, sandwiches, burgers and breakfast fare and there are also great cupcakes and treats from the bakery. I had a turkey burger with grilled onion and avocado and amazing sweet potato fries. Loved the bottomless glasses of Lemonade and Passionfruit iced tea (they will even give you some to go!). Our server brought Otto a big bowl of water and we were able to keep him under our feet at one of the outside tables.

Toast Bakery Cafe

Open 7:30 to 11 daily

8221 W. 3rd St.

Los Angeles, CA

The Dog Lover's Companion

I bought a copy of the Dog Lover's Companion to Los Angeles for our trip. It definitely has a comprehensive list of parks that allow dogs. Was a little bit dissapointed in the dog-friendly restaurant listings, but definitely a handy reference and a good place to start.