Pupper West Side: Calla is Exploring the City One Neighborhood at a Time

By A. Campbell

Good morning! I’m Calla, a nine-year-old toy Australian Shepherd living with my dad on West 75th Street. Dad and I have been together since I was a puppy and we love to explore greater New York City. An ideal Sunday starts with a quick walk followed by cold brew coffee for Dad and a treat for me, before we pack up and head out to explore a new neighborhood.

Roaming around new neighborhoods became a hobby for us during the pandemic when there wasn’t much else to do but be outside. Since then, we’ve toured all sorts of neighborhoods including Red Hook, Dumbo, Chinatown, and Long Island City. Aside from the Upper West Side – which is hands down the best neighborhood – I really enjoy Long Island City. I love being close to the water, listening to the sound of the waves, and roaming around the waterfront park.

Dad is a sommelier and beverage manager at a downtown restaurant, so I’ve also developed a sophisticated nose and palate for fine wines. We tend to prefer French wines — for instance a white burgundy — and the longer aged, the better. Our ideal bottle is a full-bodied red that needs to be decanted for at least 45 minutes.

Speaking of delicious food and drink, one of my favorite local haunts is Crave Fishbar. Crave’s oyster happy hour is fantastic and the staff are always incredibly sweet and accommodating to me — bringing a bowl of water out and ensuring I’m comfortable. Afterward, we’ll be passing by West Side Wine when I suddenly decide to plant myself firmly on the pavement and throw all 12 lbs of my weight against the leash to indicate to Dad that I simply must go inside to say hello to the lovely staff there. After another block or two, we’ll cross Columbus Avenue to browse the shelves at the Strand Bookstore. The Strand is also great for picking up little gifts for special people in our lives, like Nanny — Dad’s grandmother and my great-grandmother. Hi, Nanny!! We miss you and look forward to seeing you soon.

Life on the Upper West Side — and especially on my block of West 75th Street — couldn’t be better. Dad and I also love to take long walks through Riverside Park around Grant’s Tomb, or to cross Central Park and explore the beautiful manicured flower beds around the Conservatory Garden. And while we may choose to spend our Sundays roaming around other boroughs, the kind, dog-friendly community we have here means we’ll always call the Upper West Side home.

Read all of our Pupper West Side interviews here!

If you think your pup deserves a shot at neighborhood fame, we encourage you to reach out to Audrey at pupperwestsideuws@gmail.com to be considered for a future profile on West Side Rag and follow your fellow Pupper West Sider’s adventures on Instagram at @pupper_west_side_uws

If readers are interested in becoming pet owners, we encourage you to consider adopting or volunteering to be a foster parent with one of the many shelters and nonprofits based in and around New York City. These include but aren’t limited to Muddy Paws Rescue; Animal Lighthouse Rescue; Animal Care Centers of NYC; NYC ASPCA; Humane Society of New York; Bideawee; Social Tees; Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue and Animal Haven.