Sept / Oct 2011

[battymum]

While I dont mind shopping - I really dont like shopping with anyone else, so with DH dragging me down - I dont think I will be too overloaded.

Although DD16 is insisting we shop for her school formal dress in NYC - "no one else will be able to say they bought their dress in New York" - ugh, she is such a cliche!

I have allocated a day for shopping in Soho for this, and the boys will have a mans day, (another job I have given DH to organise something for them on this day )

 

[Busy Busy]

She's a cliche - but she's a cliche in a dress from New York City!!!

My DH and DS want to go and hit golf balls at Chelsea Piers, they might go on a tour of the Intrepid too. I will probably take my DD to Build-a-Bear or American Girl (although not sure if my DH trusts me alone in NYC with a credit card!!)

 

[australiankaren]

Strange but I hated new York........too loud, too dirty , I think i wasnt prepared for it after washington & boston...2 lovely cities.....

although I did buy Tiffany cufflinks for the DH.....awesome store, a must on every shoppers list..even just to look.

But I will go back i think, just to give it another chance to take my money and impress me

Tip re: baggage: take a soft sided sports bag, pop it in the bottom of your suitcase.....great for soft animals, etc or when your weight is over in one bag and you need to transfer at check in [yep, lived the dream of transfering undies etc into another bag in front of strangers at LAX].......good back up bag.
Just remember to take a bag lock for it as well.

 

[Busy Busy]

Karen - you actually WEAR undies???

 

[hellosue]

disney outlet store

Hi Karen, which Mall is the Disney Outlet store in?

oh and only 21 days to go....

I need pay back tooo - 2009 A$1 got me a miserable .54 .63 cents..

 

[Busy Busy]

....0.54 cents isn't it in the Geneva Convention that the dollar should never be so low because it's cruel and unusual punishment?!

A few of you have been to American Girl Place in NYC and I was pretty sure that we wouldn't bother with it, but now I have been hanging out on their website and reading about it on Trip Advisor and oh dear, I can feel it tugging on my sleeve - I need to take my daughter there!!

We will be in NYC with friends and we have sons the same age (13) and daughters the same age (7), they also have a DD10. I think that one morning we should send the DH's and DS's off to belt golfballs at Chelsea Piers while the 5 of us Australian girls head to American Girl.

For those of you who have been there - is 10 (almost 11) too old for AG, and also did you eat there? There are reservations available for lunch, but I was wondering if for the $125 total (+ tax and tip) that we would spend, are we better off eating elsewhere or is it a "must-do" part of the experience?

 

[kylieh]

....0.54 cents isn't it in the Geneva Convention that the dollar should never be so low because it's cruel and unusual punishment?!

A few of you have been to American Girl Place in NYC and I was pretty sure that we wouldn't bother with it, but now I have been hanging out on their website and reading about it on Trip Advisor and oh dear, I can feel it tugging on my sleeve - I need to take my daughter there!!

We will be in NYC with friends and we have sons the same age (13) and daughters the same age (7), they also have a DD10. I think that one morning we should send the DH's and DS's off to belt golfballs at Chelsea Piers while the 5 of us Australian girls head to American Girl.

For those of you who have been there - is 10 (almost 11) too old for AG, and also did you eat there? There are reservations available for lunch, but I was wondering if for the $125 total (+ tax and tip) that we would spend, are we better off eating elsewhere or is it a "must-do" part of the experience?

My DD "nearly" 9 - 4 weeks to go - would love to go back to the one in LA including for lunch. She's a young nearly 9 year old. We had a lovely time. Most of the girls thee were probably 7 - 10. But food wise it was one of the better meals we had. Post 2 of my trip report has pics of the food in the LA American Girl: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2450279

You don't need to eat there but it was nice and cute. I probably would of like it at 11 all those years ago, but some more "mature" 11 year olds would be past it.

 

[Franrose]

Does DD still love her doll Kylie H (and others who have purchased there)?

 

[kylieh]

Does DD still love her doll Kylie H (and others who have purchased there)?

She does - DD has 2 AG dolls, a Just Like Me from our 2008 trip and Lanie who was girl of the year 2010. For both she has a heap of outfits, mainly that her nan makes and DD designs and is learning to sew her own. DD is getting (and doesn't know yet) this year's girl of the year for her birthday. DD is currently debating who gets to go with her to DW. - I told her she could take one only + her bear. Probably only made worse when she gets her present the week before we go!

There is also a heap of books for tween girls about growing up including safe use of the computer, making pocket money, help with maths, dealing with bullys, and taking care of yourself physically. My favourite two so far are the computer/internet which is about giving out personal info, looking for homework topics, etc, and the other is "The Care of You" which can supplement all the mummy-daughter talks. More about washing your hair, pimples, and using deodrant, rather than boys! IYKWIM There is even a book on how to set up a book club! They are all really age appropriate, designed for 8-12 year old girls.

 

[Franrose]

Awesome, thanks. My girls have been pretty spoiled this year (well, will be by the end of it!) and I'm actually not keen on them having too much "stuff", so my plan for Christmas this year was to get them an AG doll in NY (which obviously they'll know about), and while I'm there I'll buy up outfits so they'll get a few doll outfits for Christmas rather than loads of other things. This plan will only be any good if they still appreciate the dolls at Christmas time lol!

 

[australiankaren]

Karen - you actually WEAR undies???

ahhhhh...you people know me too well

 

[shushh]

When we went to New York, we had so much to see and do that I did'n't plan on spending much time (or money) at American Girl Place. I had so much fun with my daughter picking out a doll and browsing through the outfits!!! (Then 5). We bought a look like me doll with matching PJs. She still sleeps with it. It wasn't cheap but worth it even if just for the experience. We didn't eat there either as we visited in the middle of the afternoon.

 

[australiankaren]

Hi Karen, which Mall is the Disney Outlet store in?

oh and only 21 days to go....

I need pay back tooo - 2009 A$1 got me a miserable .54 .63 cents..

Orlando premium outlet : 4951 international drive......make sure you go on their site, register and print off the coupon book/ coupons...saves even more $$$$$

hrs mon-sat 10am-11pm, sun 10am-9pm..

I'm not a librarian for nothing...information is power

 

[Jade+3]

Why did I look at the American Girl website??? I was trying to talk myself out of it, then shushh posted the photo. Does anyone mind sharing how much these dolls cost?

 

[Franrose]

Pretty much $100/doll Jade.

 

[Jade+3]

Thanks Franrose. I am sure DD will love it. She is definitely my most expensive child.

 

[Busy Busy]

I really didn't think that we would bother with American Girl, but now that I have read what you all think about it - and having read the reviews on Trip Advisor - I have to fit it in.

My DH and DS won't come with us, but the funny thing is that if they did come I'm sure that my DH would spend more than I plan to!! Little girls are so hard to say no to, and ours is being particularly perfect at the moment - especially compared to DS13 - we actually used the line "if we have to - we will cancel your flights - we don't care how much money we lose". Can you believe it - he is driving us crazy! Grrr....teenagers!

Look, look, look, look......1 month to go!!!!!!

 

[austraveler]

I want a daughter to give me an excuse to go to the American Girl Doll shop! Only eight sleeps to go......

 

[AussieMumma]

Have you girls seen that WDW have extended their dates for the free dining packages..... http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#fallfreedining

My dates are in there but we can't get out of our current booking plus we bought our tickets from undercover tourist.

 

[Busy Busy]

So glad to have a holiday to look forward to.........I spent 1 1/2 hours at the bank this afternoon sorting out a nightmare.

Some psycho went into a branch trying to impersonate me so that they could up my credit card limit - WHAT???????

So there I was, mobile battery dead, hadn't had lunch, completely freaking out. Everything is OK and whoever it was didn't get very far, but I'm telling you, that beeeeoch had better have been good looking if she thought she was going to pretend to be me!

Ugh - I have to laugh - otherwise I'll bite through the computer cable - I'm so mad....

Peace out - except to that crazy mental case.