Our second day in Chicago started at the American Girl Place. This was the main reason we picked Chicago. Alexandra took her Jess doll, which was the Girl of the Year from 2005. She's homeschooled, too! And, my mom had Molly which is from when she was a little girl. (Hey! And, a rare photo of me!)
We started with a nice brunch - it was a large meal, complete with dessert. Each doll gets her own seat that connects to the table and her own cup and saucer. There is also a little box on the table (black with white spots and pink ribbon) that has conversation topics to discuss. We really enjoyed answering the questions - like "If you could be friends with 3 famous people, who would they be?" I remember Alexandra picked Abraham Lincoln, Harriett Tubman, and another historical figure (I'll have to ask her if she remembers.) This photo shows us with our dessert - white mousse and a heart-shaped sugar cookie.
Next came lots of shopping. There are 3 floors of shops! So, it took quite awhile to make some decisions. (Also, I fixed Alexandra's hair to match Jess's - both had pull-through ponytails.)
Alexandra ended up with a sleeping bag for Jess, a night-time party pack (pizza, games, etc), and some PJ's and a robe (some of the things she's looking at above). Jess & Molly had PJ parties every night.
Next, Jess got her hair styled in the doll saloon. We learned a few things about how to keep her hair looking nice, too! And, we'd been warned that this could be a lengthy process, but Jess only had to wait about 15 minutes.
Our last stop at the American Girl Place was the theater to see the American Girl Revue. This was a WONDERFUL musical. It briefly told the stories of the various historical dolls. Now, we want to read all of the books!
We had been able to walk to the American Girl Place as it was only a few blocks from our hotel. That afternoon, we went to the Museum of Science & Industry. We'd actually been there a few years before, so maybe that's why we didn't have as much fun. Also, we rushed for time and there were some very moldy carpets. We took the subway and a bus to get here. It was fun, and a little scary, to ride the subway. And, it took almost an hour between walking, the sub, etc. So, we took a taxi back.
We saw 3 bride & groom couples this day (Sunday). I thought it was pretty neat to see them and all of their wedding parties. We stopped and watched this group for awhile.
At the end of the day, my mom treated us to a horse and carriage ride. The weather was so beautiful! And the sights and sounds... just a wonderful time!