G: Happy New Year, Harp!

H- It's FEBRUARY Guinness. I think you've been hanging out with the groundhog for too long.

G- It's officially the Chinese New Year. Do you know what animal makes it special this year?

H- Rabbit? Squirrel? Cat?

G- Good grief Harp, you don't pay any attention to what is on the news, do you?

H- News? I was thinking of carryout menus-- I was hoping for some sweet and sour squirrel.

G- It's the Year of the Dog which means it's our year to dig up items for readers to try.

H- You dig up whatever you want. I'll keep hunting that darn groundhog. I'm ready for Spring.

G- Here are some Year of the Dog inspired treasures worth finding. And ask for the $2.99 people treat that I call Guinness Pub Cake at the French Meadow Café in the Sunflower Market. It's nutty, sweet and hard to resist...just like me!

*Match Quotes "Bone Dog Pin" -$9-

Marigold Contemporary Clothing, 6323 N Guilford Avenue

*Vintage Inspired Childrens Apron with Dalmation-$54

Girly Chic Boutique. 841 E Westfield Boulevard

*Three Amigos 2002 Napa Valley Red Table Wine-$11

Label features canine caricatures of the three winemakers who produce this bright, dry, grilled food friendly wine with aromas and flavors of cherries, soft vanilla and black pepper.

Cork & Cracker. 2126 Broad Ripple Avenue

Valentines Day 1973. The third grade class at McKinley Elementary anxiously awaits the "okay" from Miss Rogers to extract the white Valentine Day bag taped to the eraser tray.
The bags we decorated the day before in art class now hang alphabetically so everyone can easily deposit their greeting.
Room mothers deposit a bottle of Faygo red pop with a straw and a red-hot dotted cupcake at each desk.
We rush to rescue our bags and eagerly check the contents.
I find a big, teddy bear valentine with the words BE MINE on it. I flip it over. Eric Ott. I gasp. I blush. I take a big sip of red pop. Eric is the 3rd grade heart throb. I dig through more cards and find ANOTHER teddy bear valentine with BE MINE on it. I turn it over and see ERIC.
Two cards? Perhaps he wants me to become part of his playground harem along with Laura and Sally and Kelly, the cute girls he asks to be on his kickball team at recess.
I glance over at Eric's desk. He's casually sipping his red pop while those aforementioned girls are trying to get his attention. He looks my way. I blush. I smile. I want to say THANK YOU for making my day-but I don't.
I look down into my bag and continue to appreciate the other wonderful greetings from my friends.
33 years later I've traded my red pop for pink POP.

Think of it as "adult Faygo" as this sparkling elixir offers similar flavors of wild strawberry and red raspberry but POP has bubbles and is soft pink not vibrant red. And it comes with a straw so you are supposed to sip it as you did that Faygo from long ago.
POP actually IS champagne as it was born and bred and bottled in the Champagne region of France. Pommery makes some of the most delectable bubblies in the world and this perky POP is an affordable intro for those who want to learn more about the wonderful wine world of Champagne.
But that's another column!
And guess what-- I find that a bottle of POP leaves the same warm, giggly fun feeling inside that I experienced from Eric's teddy bear valentine many years ago.
Some days being an adult is not such a bad thing.

Pommery POP Champagne- This marvelous mini bottle comes filled with AOC rose Champagne. Softly sweet flavors of wild strawberry, raspberry creme and minerals bring a smile with every sip. The bottle comes with a straw for sipping or sharing.