Dogs, Cats, and Wine.

I've mentioned about 783 times in past posts that I LOVE The Curious Grape, a wine store in Arlington, VA. There are so many reasons to love them. First, they're super nice and know wine so well that you could walk out with anything and look like a vineal rock star. Second, they have a tasting bar that's always open (and this is in addition to larger half-hour seminars they have regularly). Third, they're having a sale on Mondays through September where if you buy a chocolate bar and a bottle of wine, you get 15% off your purchase. But you have to buy both. Fine, twist my arm.

The thing that I love the most about them is that they're dog people. And I don't mean tolerant of dogs. They loooooooove dogs. They keep a container of treat at both the check-out and the tasting bar (which are probably seven feet apart). They've been known to pour some wine for a tasting, then run over and give Alice treats when she comes in. It's enough that they let her in. The fact that they treat her so nicely can get me feeling like the store's a little dusty.

All of Northern Virginia's pretty dog friendly (and recently got named one of the top-ten most dog-friendly cities/areas in the U.S.), but our area's a little nutty about it. For at least the past two years, they've closed off the main street to host a little pet party that benefits a local rescue group. This year's event is being held next week. And to celebrate, The Curious Grape is having special tastings and discounts on dog and cat-related beers and wines starting tomorrow. 10% of the beer proceeds and $1 from each dog/cat-related wine will be donated to local rescue groups (I believe I read that it's going to the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, a group that's run by the owners of a restaurant called the Lost Dog Cafe. As a note, The Human Male and I WILL be trying out this place in the future and will report back-- the menu sounds insanely good and one of the locations has pictures of their adopted pets all over the walls).

Okay, so you like my dog, make me buy good chocolate to go with my wine, and now you're donating money to rescues? When you're done twisting my arm, pinch me.