Guest Post: Walking in Mount Pleasant, Stalking John Cusack

Freddie and I are delighted to introduce our very first guest post! Kelly is my smart and sexy sister-in-law (spousal sidekick of my sibling, Stan — actually Jim, but I was on an alliterative roll). Kelly and Jim are human parents to the inimitable Piper Jones, a 15(!!)-year-old former shelter pup, who was dealt a crap hand early on, followed by a royal flush when she went to live with Kelly and Jim. Piper still has a spring in her step and doesn't stand for any nonsense from younger Labradoodle cousins!

Let's join Kelly and Piper J. on their star search, er, outing, starting at Charleson Dog Park then shifting to Mount Pleasant (Vancouver), their new neighbourhood:

Here are Piper and her mom at Charleson Park. 

[This photo is actually from an earlier outing, but WWF's hard-nosed editor insisted on at least one shot of puppy's people. Doesn't Piper look calm and well-behaved? Last time Freddie and I went to playtime at Charleson Park, he took an unauthorized dip in the duck pond and chugged muddy water 'til he barfed. Below is an unauthorized photo of my brother. Looks a little like John Cusack ... but more like a Stan.]

Some flowers still in final bloom in the community garden at Mount Pleasant Park.  Apparently there is a 24-month wait-list to get a plot here! [unless you're John Cusack]

Here's Piper at the community garden in Jonathan Rogers Park.  This park is in an interesting neighbourhood surrounded by light industrial, commercial, a few small, locally owned restaurants and cafés, and some residential, too.  The park is well used by residents.  It has a beautiful view north to the downtown skyline. [Sounds like the kind of neighbourhood a hip, politically minded actor might choose ...]

The Dog House doggy daycare across from Jonathan Rogers.  When we moved to the neighbourhood and downsized, we donated some dog-related items to the daycare.  Piper has never stayed there.  We attempted doggy daycare years ago when we lived in Port Moody, but she's pretty much entirely anti-social. [I hear John Cusack's dog doesn't like daycare either.]

                                   Full fall foliage on Ontario Street at 14th Avenue 

Walking south on Manitoba Street approaching 12th Avenue.  It was months and months of walking Piper before I finally ventured south across 12th Ave.  It seems like such a big divide, but it was all in my head! [It's good to widen the search!]

Piper in Mount Pleasant Park

["I can smell him! He's over there!"]

[Oh, so close!]

John Cusack tag on Manitoba, between Broadway and 10th.  This tag has shown up all around Mount Pleasant neighbourhood and sometimes appears as "John Cusack Shakur."  Seems to have taken over "Mohinder."

Well, whaddaya know. I had no idea ... a) what a "tag" was, in the graffiti sense (though of course I've seen them) and b) that "pattern tagging" existed. Go figure. You can read about this Mount Pleasant graffiti blitz in The Vancouver Province, and this article has a fun selection of photos. According to my sources, someone was once arrested for stalking John Cusack, but I can confirm that my sister-in-law had nothing to do with it.

Thanks so much, Kelly, for sharing the grooviness and quirkiness of your awesome neighbourhood and for introducing Freddie readers to the venerable Miss Piper J. Long may she sniff!