We’re sure you don’t need us to remind you, but there’s not much time left to get those Valentine’s! Remember that we’re offering Valentine’s gift certificates to The Doctor’s House – last minute gifts don’t get easier, or more sure to please. Our friend Mark Glynn has also complied some fun dates around St. John’s tomorrow – and many are free. Definitely worth checking out!
Tuesdays with Murphy: Bon Voyage Berry!
The Berry works so hard, so it’s hard to be selfish – she deserves a trip to Ontario to visit her family. But who will we snuggle with on lazy Sunday afternoons? Or any day for that matter? We’ll be quite sad without her these next few weeks, we’re sure, but we wish her a fabulous vacation filled with lots of love and relaxation. And we’ll be waiting with open paws when she gets back!
Fun Meals
Sometimes Laurelyn and I have to go into St. John’s to run errands and tend to some affairs. It’s often hectic and rushed, but always worth it when we get to spend time with her son, Adrian. Here were are at Sun Sushi, which ….. has grown on me.
Something else growing on me? Dinner at The Doctor’s House! Tomorrow at 7pm, we’ll be open again for reservations. You can learn more and see our menu here.
Budding Saturday: Sin John’s
Back to our regularly scheduled pictures from Bud Vincent! Bud is good friend and fantastic photographer, and we’re lucky to get to share his beautiful pictures on the blog from time to time. He recently sent me a batch of photos from ‘Sin John’s’ – that’s how the locals pronounce our province’s capital city! Love these – hope you do, too. Happy Saturday. 
Tuesdays with Murphy: Where Would You Rather Be?
St. John’s or the Wonderful World of Whiteway – what would you say? Here I am at my lavatory in olde St. John’s, small and enclosed with no privacy – hardly dignified. And here I am in the open country, running, hunting, retrieving and having a ball, with the biggest ‘loo a four-legged could ask for. 
It’s usually great when The Berry or Jerry say, “do you want to go for a ride?”- it usually means we’re going to a new trail to explore. But when I see them packing a bag and talking about Costco, banks, meetings and the like, woe is me. I know I am on a trip to boredom.
Of course in town I live in perpetual hope, like a gambler at the Lotto machine, that we’ll go to Bowering or Pippy Park, around the pond, up Signal Hill or along the East Coast Trail. But that rarely happens, as they are always in such a hurry – so I patiently wait for the scent of the open road back home. Please hurry!
Tuesdays with Murphy: Bowering Park
Well, if you read Jerry’s Man Hands post last week then you know Jerry was busy with renovation work, and believe me – the dust was flying. And all the while I rested listening to Christmas music in front of the fire place downstairs – living the dog’s life. Those humans – have they got a lot to learn.
So I finally convinced Jerry to take a break and take The Berry for a walk in Bowering Park – very altruistic of me. It was supposed to be all about them, so I pretended I didn’t enjoy bounding through the trails, splashing in the Waterford River, and exploring where my previous humans used to take me. But I really couldn’t contain myself when I saw the ducks. I really wanted to catch some – must be genetic.
Ah! Bowering Park – it really is the jewel of St. John’s.
Tuesdays with Murphy: Statue Proposal
Why anyone would chose to leave the Wonderful World of Whiteway I don’t know, but Jerry and The Berry sometimes make trips to St. John’s to take care of ‘business’ (doing their business seems to mean something different to them than it does to me!). They’re often talking about their downtown hideaway, which I guess guests can rent, just like they do the cottages. And supposedly downtown there’s some bronze dog statues in beautiful Harbourside Park (all hearsay to me).
Anyway, if these dogs are immortalized in St. John’s, then maybe it’s time Whiteway makes a similar landmark. I think I cut a fine figure – here’s my pose. Any sculptors out there looking for a new job?
Hidden City
A recent article in USA Today Travel calls Newfoundland a “rugged, remote, and yes, strange land,” and that’s so true. Even when you’re at the height of our biggest city – this picture was taken at famous Signal Hill – you can feel like you’re all alone, an explorer in a new world. And then maybe the fog will lift, and you’ll see that you’re actually in a pretty place filled with friendly people – these two pictures were taken on the same day!
And just as a friendly reminder, along with our outside-the-overpass cottages, we also have a Downtown Hideaway for rent, conveniently located near all the hotspots of historic St. John’s, if you’re planning on spending a few days in that old, beautiful city. We’re very proud to be able to offer our guests the best of all that Newfoundland can offer – city and country!
But Who Can Resist?
In St. John’s the other day, I couldn’t resist a stop into McDonalds for my favourite breakfast, an egg mcmuffin with some juice and coffee. It’s a rare treat these days, as there are only 3 McDonalds in Whiteway (or, was that, none?). They might want to rethink the above sign though – very misleading!
Fast food indulgences notwithstanding, I feel great, despite the copious amounts of red wine and good food – lots of physical work and little mental strain make for a health body. The doctors are amazed; they tell me I have the blood pressure of a teenager, the strength of a lion, and the mental capacity of a two year old.
So, when I am in St. John’s (as little as possible) it doesn’t hurt to splurge. At least, that’s what I tell the Berry!
Landing in Newfoundland: Soon a Little Easier!
I was in town this week because I am a board member for the St. John’s Airport Authority and we had a meeting. Our CEO Keith Collins gave a talk about “Looking forward. Moving upward,” all about our new Category 3 Instrument Landing System. This state of the art system will bring our landing success from around 94 to 99%., meaning that 100,000 people won’t be stranded next year (with daughters that live off-island, I can commiserate on that one!).
According to Keith, all of the flights that had to be cancelled so far this year due to weather would have gotten in if we had this upcoming system in place. And since we are the foggiest city in Canada, it is only appropriate that we will be the third airport in Canada to have it.
The airport of course has a significant economic impact the on the region (and our cabin rentals) – 80% of all visitors to Newfoundland fly in through it. So no wonder one of the sponsors for the luncheon was Destination St. John’s.
And by the way, did you know that St. John’s is ranked #7 in all the world for airports our size and #47 in the world, regardless of the size. Amazing, as we strive to be #1. I’ve always loved the St. John’s Airport – not just because being there means either I’m coming home or a loved one is, but because I think it really is a showcase of Newfoundland ingenuity and architecture. And with this new system coming, it will really be something to be proud of!