By A. Campbell
Hello! I’m Ralphie, an almost two-year-old Australian Shepherd Poodle mix named after the main character in the movie “A Christmas Story.” I live on West 67th Street with my Shih Tzu siblings, Lulu and Barkley, who are 14 and 13 years old, respectively. Lulu and Barkley are a bonded pair and they might call me the bossy one, but it’s probably safe to say diva-esque behavior runs through the household considering our family’s love of the performing arts, especially opera.
Living so near Lincoln Center, I’ve become a something of an opera buff and I love to attend the Met Opera Summer Festival and enjoy performances outside on the plaza. We even caught a showing of the movie “West Side Story” there! Mom’s favorite opera is “Turandot” while mine is “La fille du régiment.” In fact, there is a particular aria in “La fille du régiment” which requires a technical feat in which the performer must sing a string of high C’s. My parents once saw someone perform the piece at the Met in which he sang twice the amount of high C’s within the normal length of time in the aria. Bravo! Support your local performing arts, Puppers!
When I’m not in the midst of enjoying a world-class musical performance, I love to spend time at local eateries like Venchi or Jacob’s Pickles. On the weekend, Dad and I enjoy a hot cup of coffee outside Black Press Coffee and then pick up a freshly baked croissant or brioche at Epices Bakery. In the park, I enjoy meditating on the beauty of the natural world. Many times Mom has found me sitting quietly watching a bee or an ant, or concentrating on how the breeze shakes leaves on a tree. It’s my form of zen meditation. Some of my favorite spots in the park encourage this kind of quiet thoughtfulness: the Ramble, Bethesda Fountain, and the Turtle Pond, to name a few.
This summer, I’m looking forward to observing the beauty of our surroundings in the Berkshires. The whole family will spend a couple of weeks up there, enjoying the arts and music scenes. My mom and brother both studied at Tanglewood and my sister loves Shakespeare. Each day includes a stop for ice cream and I might even snag a bite of leftover pizza from Baba Louie’s!
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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.
That picture with the horse is too much!
What a wonderful family❤️❤️❤️
Enjoy your country getaway this summer.
Ralphie is adorable! and such a sensitive pup, attuned to nature and music alike! Wonderful that he enjoys soaring musical performances on the Plaza, as well as stops at Venchi and Epices (my personal favorite!), and this summer can look forward to a tranquil and exhilarating holiday with his loving family in the Berkshires. Delightful piece by Audrey, and oh those sweet photos! (a round of applause for darling Lulu and Barkley too!)