Una Ragazza on Love: Four-legged Love

Dogs in Manhattan.

According to a canine version of the best cities in the United States to live in, the 1.5 million dogs registered in New York City live in the country’s top 10 because of friendly doggie day care, luxury doggie hotels, and lovely places for dog walks and to meet other four-legged friends, such as Central Park, Riverside Park, Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.

More than 450 stores in the city cater to pets, peddling pet jewelry, clothes, pet food, pet portraits, spas complete with doggie cam, dog walking and veterinary services; whenever they can, those frequented by pet-loving celebrities take the opportunity to generate a little publicity of their own.

A google imaging of the pet stores in the New York City area

Dog of Jill Zarin of "Real Housewives of New York" fame looking "fashion forward in a Canine Styles Handknit Sweater"

At the Muse Hotel in Times Square, the title of “director of pet relations” belongs to a six-year-old teacup pomeranian who prefers Prada, ahi tuna and spa visits. Ginger’s favorite haunt is the “Canine Court,” a 15,000 square-foot doggie playground complete with an open field and obstacle course and helps dog and owner plan shopping trips to Tiffanys and Bergdorf Goodman.

According to the Health Code of NYC, all dogs must be on leash no longer than six feet in length. However, since 2007, certain park areas have allowed dogs to be off-leash during early-opening and near-closing hours. Here, an activist group celebrates an anniversary of the ruling

I grew up having no interest in pets. A goldfish and a rabbit might have made brief stays in our home, and that was about it. Because of the number of people in the household and the small roof under which we all lived, there prevailed a general familial attitude: “As it is, humans have so many problems. Who has time and energy to take care of [insert species of pets]?”

It didn’t help that my mom seemed to have an immense fear of dogs. Every time we walked past a dog, she would tug my hand so that we’d walk faster away, or go in a different direction, from the animal. Subconsciously, this pre-programmed behavior led to my own baseless fear of dogs.

When I think of my most memorable canine experience, I remember a particular teenage encounter with a terrier in the void deck of my piano teacher’s HDB flat (ground floor of a government apartment building) in Ang Mo Kio. As I walked toward the elevator, the dog which was unleashed started barking incessantly and ran toward me.

Gripped with unexplained fear, I started running, only to slip on a puddle of water and fall head-on into a sharp corner of a rectangular pillar. The impact knocked me out cold. When I woke up, I was seized by a sharp pain on my forehead, probably similar to that experienced by Harry Potter whenever He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was close by. My mom was calling my name, pleading with me to stay conscious. Minutes later, when a dazed me looked into the mirror, a multicolored bruise the size of a baby’s fist was sitting firmly on my forehead, with a darkening red line down the middle threatening to split and expose the blood clot beneath. In the weeks that followed, I would endure a mix of pity and ridicule from friends and strangers who asked for the story.

Yes, those were embarrassing moments. For years, whenever a fierce dog came into sight, I would look around for puddles and pillars for fear that a sequel might take place.

But who knew that it would take Un Ragazzo just days to help me overcome my deep-seated canine fear?

Coming from a family of dog lovers, he agreed this winter to dog-sit for a friend for a week. The third wheel in our relationship was a friendly, medium-sized dog with black, shaggy hair. Her most adorable feature is a small patch of white hair next to each of her green eyes, which adds wisdom to this already intelligent girl.

The first time we met, Un Ragazzo made sure he entered his apartment first and, as she came scurrying to the door, gently told her that there was a visitor. A nice visitor. The talk seemed to work. After 30 seconds of protective barking, Maggie calmed down and came closer to check me out. She did not make a lunge at me, but simply stared for a long minute before deciding that I could stay.

The whole time, I was getting flashbacks of my horrendous terrier episode from more than a decade ago, and my forehead began to hurt a little. “Rooted to the ground” pretty much summed it up.

Un Ragazzo persisted. With immense patience, he taught me Dog Handling 101.

“Get down to her level. She reacts well to that.”

“Now, make her do a trick and then give her a treat. She always needs to do something to get a treat.”

“Don’t call her name if you’re trying to tell her to behave. She thinks you’re playing with her otherwise.”

This dog has a character of her own. She would stare intently whenever Un Ragazzo paid me a little attention, such as with a hug or a kiss. It was almost as though she was jealous. She wanted to come onto the couch and sit between us. Soon enough, she learned to like me and we were playing hide-and-seek and going out for walks in the neighborhood.

Maggie pays a visit

Maggie frolicking in cold white powder

By the end of the week, I’d fallen in love with a dog. My first canine love. It was a strange, fuzzy feeling for someone who has never viewed it possible to have anything more than a play-toy experience with a pet.

My new-found love and interest in dogs naturally brought out the geek in me to learn about the various types of dogs. To that, Un Ragazzo was pleased to oblige. When the world's most popular dog show rolled into town, he got premium tickets to the Madison Square Garden event.

The result: the best Valentine's Day present ever.

Official ticket to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 14, 2011

Finalists of the hound group at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

(Some pictures taken from the Internet)

Little Pixy Boots on Shop: Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day in Singapore! I almost feel ashamed that I almost never shopped anything for my mum this day, except bring her to a restaurant or make a homemade card for her. This year, I cooked a breakfast of mushroom-cheese omelette for her with a side of toast, salad sprouts and cherry tomatoes.

For some, red carnations means Mother's day

As you can clearly see, I have a hidden agenda to convert my meat-devoted mum to a healthy vegetarian diet. I apologise that I'm not a food blogger so I didn't take a picture of the omelette I made... but I think my parents appreciate that I can cook and don't do an indecent job of it :p

One thing I want to examine within myself today is whether one truly needs to shop for a gift in order to be "sincere" in congratulating or showing love to loved ones. I have always been feeling slightly guilty that ever since young, I've felt that the one (and sometimes only) thing I could do when it comes to friends' or family's birthdays, was to make home-made cards or presents. That's because over the years, my income has been unstable due to freelancing, and when I was younger, I was ingrained with a thrifty mentality because my pocket-money was quite small.

My friends and family have all expressed much gratitude over the years about the beautiful home-made cards I've made, even though a lot of them are made from recycled material. I told them it's because I can't afford to buy expensive presents, so the only way I can show love and well-wishes, is to give up my time to make cards and express how I feel.

And since this is Mother's Day, maybe I can show you what I made for my Mum's birthday last year (the ones made in my childhood are slightly too kiddish).

A hug for my mum

I was in Norway then so I think my mum was really touched to have received this card from me. Actually looking at this, I think I still draw in a rather kiddish manner, albeit a more skillful way. I don't make apologies for it - I just like this style.

When I was in England with my favourite friend, Hobbit, I adopted his mum to be my mum because she is so generous at heart and such a well-bred lady in true British upper-class manner. So I drew her a really simple card for her birthday:

The Mother Figure

Even though I'm not a little girl, and neither is she a mermaid (check out the legs), I thought that us walking hand in hand towards a sunset was nice.

There were other times when I feel so much appreciation for my team members at volunteer work or friends that I make a range of cards. I like to think they prefer cards to chocolates. Just a highlight:

Holiday in Norway

This card is called "Holiday in Norway", because I was having a holiday in Norway then. Duh. Very creative, pixy. Drew a bit of the grass and the sky around :)

But the card I was most proud of, but least appreciated (or so I heard), is this one:

"Dream"

I had spent a lot of effort on this card, cutting up bits and bobs from my old photographs, digging up leaves I collected from my travels, buying feathers and embellishments and making sure the paper is shaded to a nice aged maroon colour. I had to pass to the intended receiver via the family secretary. Guess what happened when I had the chance to ask him afterwards if he has seen it?

He gave me a puzzled look and said he has had a pile of cards and presents from well-wishers and he hasn't opened them all, so apparently his housekeeper must have cleared them up for him - which means he has probably not and never will, see this card.

Ah well.... the heartache of giving and not having the gift received.

I do wonder how people can in their ignorance, treat other's love and well-wishes lightly. Perhaps they are just not very appreciative.

Sometimes I wonder if the act of giving has become commercialised and "stereotyped" by the media and society around us. For example, is it a life-and-death matter for a female to receive a diamond ring for her engagement or wedding (I would like a carat, thank you)?

I for one, haven't received any diamond ring from my husband just yet. What I'm wearing now is a rather inexpensive ring, but I know very well without the diamonds that prevailing culture demands, that he loves me very very much. A cold stone of the hardest substance on earth, isn't going to represent the depth of his heart.

To me, every trial we go through, every kiss, every hug, and every ounce of respect and equality he gives me, is a diamond in itself. Because I know, that in so many societies and cultures in the world, women don't get the respect that they deserve, nor do they get equality, including Singapore.

the ring that is not made of the hardest substance in the world

So yes, I don't have a diamond on my finger, but I think I am the richest woman in the world.

I've come to realise that in the act of giving, whether it be a home-made card or a diamond ring, the most important factor is that the gratitude/love expressed was received.

So remember, you don't need an expensive present to show your appreciation for your mum. Give your mummy a nice big hug today (and tell her you love her)!

Hugs are immediately appreciated, methinks :)

Happy Mother's Day!

xoxo

pixy

P.S. I'm back in Singapore (just in time to participate in the exciting elections 2011!) and will be going home in a week...my Norwegian home with spring flowers! Oooooo... I do get a little frustrated sometimes when I've been in Norway 3 times for spring and missed the cherry blossoms in my garden there. I am praying that the flowers would wait for me to come back!