NEW YORK CITY GUIDE WITH IKIGAI

Ikigai, the NYC Vizsla, is one of the many furry friends we have made since launching Tommy & Bella. We wanted to find out more about his adventurous spirit and bustling life in the big apple, so below Ikigai shares a little bit about himself and his New York City summer guide, perfect for travelling pooches.

Hi there, my name is Ikigai, but you can also call me ‘Guy’. If you were wondering about my name, Ikigai is Japanese for ‘your reason for being’ or ‘your reason to get up in the morning’. My humans thought it was sweet and fitting, as I literally do this for them.

I was born in Oklahoma but raised in New York City as a true NYC pooch with a keen sense of adventure. Sometimes people ask me what it’s like to live in such a busy and big city; it’s actually great, there are so many parks, so much to see and do and as we go for walks every day, I get to meet and make new friends all the time. We also often get out of the city to go hiking and I get to explore different surroundings; it’s like one giant adventure.

My humans and I are the best of friends, we share the same love for walks, photography, the great outdoors and of course exploring the city. Here are some of my favourite things to do in New York City during the warmer months.

Central Park is easily my favourite spot because I get to run off the leash, explore and play with my other friends that frequent the park - it’s like a playdate every day. The best part of the day is when I find a friend who runs as fast as me that I can play chase with and we run in circles until everyone is thoroughly tired out - including me.

Some of my favourite spots to visit in Central Park include the lake, the Bethesda Fountain, one of the most well-known fountains in the world, and The Mall which runs through the middle of the park and is filled with pedestrians and street performers.

There are many of these cafes spread across the city, but I love the Central Park one. It has a nice little patio along the Conservatory Water with plenty seating and umbrellas for those hot days. It’s also in the same building where they rent out little motorised sailboats to put on the lake - I love to watch them zoom across the water.

This is a great dog friendly cafe and coffee shop that has tasty treats for me and my human. It’s also a fun spot to hangout and meet other furry friends.

When we're leaving our neighbourhood, we often explore using public transport. I have been on subways, buses, ferries, trains, and in taxi cabs. Some of these require that I be in a carrier, so I often get into this stylish giant canvas bag - when my humans bring it out I know it’s adventure time!

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Sometimes we forget to pause and appreciate what an incredible city we live in. Thankfully buildings like The Metropolitan Museum of Art are an impressive and imposing reminder to do just that! It’s also the perfect place to people watch and have your own Gossip Girl moment, on the steps of the Met.

Sadly, I am not allowed inside the American Museum of Natural History, but my humans say it’s incredible. However, we do love strolling past and sitting on the steps to people watch after a fun-filled day in Central Park. Then it’s a leisurely stroll home and time for a good nap.