American Girl Place, New York

Last summer, our travel-loving kids spent two days with us in Paris before going on to Sweden for a family wedding. This summer's two-day adventure before heading to New England on holiday, the result of a plea from both our six and nine year-old daughters: American Girl Place in New York.

American Girl Place is like mecca for young women who have discovered dolls called Samantha, American Girl Doll Today, and newborns called Bitty Baby.

Upon our arrival into New York on Monday, we got to American Girl Place fifteen minutes before closing. It was just enough time to get the lay of the land for the following day's adventure at the 43,000 square foot Mattel landmark. It was also enough to make the girls drool while mom and dad started calculating the cost of the next day's four hour adventure.

One girl we met was also visiting American Girl Place, for the first time since the New York store opened in November. Two years prior, at the age of twenty-one, she was asked by her parents if she had ever not received something growing up that she had always dreamed of. Her answer to her parents: An American Girl doll.

So, for her 21st birthday, guess what she received from her parents? A Samantha doll. While the doll had been left at home, she was with her mom and brother taking in every Samantha outfit, every collection, every inch of American Girl Place.

When we arrived back to the corner of 5th Avenue and 49th on Tuesday morning, the girls' hope was to go to The American Girl Cafe for one of the early brunch seatings. Given the $20 per person price tag and the need for reservations, we decided to spend this time and money instead finding the perfect outfit for the girls and their doll, after indulging in the $30 per person American Girl theater.

At home, our nine year-old has been known to print out 14 page wish lists from AmericanGirl.com and then proceed to prioritize the items she really wants, those she really, really wants and those she wants more than any others with a letter C, B or A. That list already in her head, it didn't take long to fill a basket full of outfits for her doll upon arrival. With a limited budget, she could afford only one outfit for herself. She chose: The Beachside pants, shirt, belt and hair bow along with the same outfit that matches her American Girl doll, perfectly.

The highlight of the day for mom and dad and their Auntie who came down from D.C. to experience the delight of her nieces (as she is responsible for giving our oldest her American Girl doll two years ago): The live theatre production called American Girl Revue.

For any girl over the age of six, regardless of their interest in or devotion to American Girl dolls, this play rivals anything our kids might experience on Broadway.

Important lessons are learned and the girls are empowered as each young performer acts out a character from the American Girls Collection.

The performance is focused on significant times in America's past such as slavery, the war, and times of liberation for women. Each story draws from both the dolls created by Pleasant T. Rowland (now Mattel), as well as the books they have published about the slave girl, the war-time girl and the girl who is being torn by the rules of her grandmother vs. the inspiration to be her own person as influenced by her aunt.

The three piece piano, bass, clarinet live band adds to the theatrical experience.

The voices of the budding artists are as professional as they come for young teenagers.

From the slave girl, to the Swedish immigrant, to Samantha's 1904 portrayal of a young girl who learns to follow her heart and her head, the audience was presented with story after story of heartache, loss and fear that in every case was overcome with bravery, forgiveness and ingenuity.

In our family, with two daughters who have diabetes, these stories were a bold reminder that no matter what age, no matter what the circumstance, everyone must deal with some challenges in life. As the Depression-time aunt said, "It's not what you have or have not, it's what you do with what you've got."

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and ingenuous living with kids!

P.S. Congratulations to Mattel for influencing our girls with a doll who better represents the values and dreams that American parents hope to instill in their girls. It's no wonder a 12 percent gain in profits were reported this second quarter. I should buy stock to put toward both girls' college education. With our investment alone in American Girl products, the stock should soar!

Mr. Eckert, let us know when you decide to create an affiliate program and we'll add American Girl Dolls to the Rugged Elegance marketplace.