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Editors Picks: Gone to the Dogs Pant Up: Don't hate this dog because he's beautiful ... your dog can be pretty too, at Shampoo Chez. Best Place to Fluff Fido Shampoo Chez 523 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell 408.379.WASH If your dog is typical, when she hears the bathtub faucet going, and sees her shampoo land on the counter and about five towels come out of the closet, she develops a sudden and extreme need for personal time outside in her doghouse. But with Shampoo Chez, hey, she thinks you're going for a ride in the car! And you are, to a downtown Campbell strip mall that houses a tidy and affordable ($12 per dog for 30 minutes) bathhouse for dogs. This means pup hygiene can occur with no mess on the home front, no turning the bathmat into a new kind of shag carpet. And when the inevitable wet dog sh-sh-shake happens, you just turn your head and let the spray hit your plastic apron. Chez supplies the aprons, the tubs, the towels, the warm water and the spray nozzles. You bring the shampoo. Toss in a complimentary dog biscuit for the ride home, and bath time doesn't seem like such a torture--for you or your canine friend. Best Place to Get Pissed Bosco's Bones and Brew 11922 Main St., Sunol 925.862.0868 Technically, Bosco's isn't in the valley, but it's close--especially for dog lovers who use Sunol-Ohlone Regional Park, located just up Highway 680. After a hike with your pooch, you can head into Sunol to Bosco's, about as dog-worshipping a place as you'll find. Named for the world-famous Labrador retriever who was elected mayor of Sunol--yes, mayor--in 1981 and served for 11 years, the bar contains a life-sized replica of the local statespooch. But this is much more than a monument, folks. Order up a Bosco beer, and you'll see the bartender walk over, lift the life-sized black furry leg of this pooch and dispense ... a fine glass of Berkeley-made Golden Pacific beer. (Animal lovers take note: This is not a taxidermied real dog. It is a fake dog, made to look like a real dog, compliments of artist/craftsman Mike Arbios.) "Bosco beer outsells everything else," comments owner Mike Cerny, who runs the place with his wife, Joan. During his real-life reign, Bosco was interviewed by Tom Brokaw and featured on international news. He also provided endless fodder for the local press: "Mayor Missing; Police Suspect Foul Play." Then, two days later, "Mayor Found, Had Affair With Some Bitch." "He was a low-budget mayor," adds Cerny approvingly. "He didn't need meter maids. He'd mark your tires himself." About 250 people attended Bosco's funeral in 1994, including CNN, and now it's bottoms up to Bosco. Tireless contributors to this year's editor's picks included Corinne Asturias, Michael Gant, Allie Gottlieb, Todd Inoue, Gary Singh, Sarah Quelland, Loren Stein and Gordon Young Send a letter to the editor about this story to letters@metronews.com. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]