American Girl

I've given in.

And now I'm going to be making arrangements to bring my daughter to spend a day at American Girl Place in New York City. Chances are, if you know a girl between the ages of 6 and 16 (+), you know about American Girl, the dolls that are based on historical characters with accompanying books and films, and matching clothes for your child. And lots and lots of accessories for the dolls. They're not inexpensive, but it is a quality product.

The dolls are really popular in my daughter's school. She loves hers and has been asking to visit American Girl Place since last fall. (I gave her the doll Jess last year and Josefina and Samantha were generous hand-me-downs from the teen-age daughter of my friend.)

Actually, I have warm feelings towards American Girl because the company was created in 1986 by Pleasant T. Rowland, with whom I share an alma mater, Wells College. She's been very generous to the school over the years. (I'm guessing American Girl, which was acquired by Mattel in 1998, has been very generous to her.)

There are lots of activities at American Girl Place, a cafe, and some very interesting "Mom and Me" type events. This class looks like fun: Mom-Daughter Cooking Class: Decorating Desserts with Flair. Learn to decorate cakes with fancy flower petals made from marshmallows, create edible doll-sized daisies, and much more.

Has anyone here visited American Girl Place (or taken a cooking class with your kid)? Please feel free to share stories or your advice for my AGP visit.