Happy 2012!!

4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Happy 11.11.11!

Happy

!!!

A Tea Party

Every year at Barbie Convention, I get together with my dollfriends just before convention officially starts. This year, we went to have High Tea. It was my first High Tea and I absolutely LOVED it!!!

This is the restaurant where we went...

...Hibiscus Cafe

All of us dollgirls left with a new friend, part of the Monster High crew...redone as Alice in Wonderland characters.

My new friend is The Mad Hatter. Isn't she gorgeous?!!

The food was yummy!

The restaurant was small, but quaint and very charming!

The decor was ecclectic and fun.

Maddie and I pose.

Maddie sitting on the teapot...of course!

Here I am drinking my tea...

...and eating a scone.

My friend Marcella brought a date.

And they were in their own world!

After a lovely tea, we leave. But not before I get one last sniff of the hibiscus flower.

Then is was off to the mall.

This is my car! Ha ha! I wish!!! It was being raffled off.

Hmmmm...do I need some more sunglasses?

No room to eat anything else.

But there is always time for a picture!!

And all too soon, it was back to thehotel. Let the convention begin!!!

Lunch & A Party

Here are some more pictures from our Florida adventure.

We met a new friend, Idaho, in the elevator. He thought he was a serious playboy type (thus the robe), but he was so much fun, we invited him along for our day.

Here we are posing in front of one of the bridges that goes up so that the cruise ships can get to their docks.

More bridge scenery

M: Hey that looks like...

P: Yep, Guy Fieri from Food Network

M: Guy's been here? Cool!!

M: Let's go check it out!

M: So many choices...what shouldI get?

P: I knew we'd end up getting a cheeseburger and fries...but these fries are really good.

M: The burger too! Hey Idaho...how's the chili?

Idaho: Man, it's hot!! I mean hot as in not cool, hot as in spicy and hot as in awesome!!

Later that afternoon, Michael tries to steal a kiss. But Pixxa is on task.

P: Come on Michael...it's time for the party!

Guests at the party...the Cupcake girls.

Here are the cupcakes from Sweeter Days.

Even more cupcakes from Sweeter Days.

Pixxa's Travel Doll Crew...Miss P, Ingrid, Marcella and Bridgette.

The boys hanging out.

Florida: Arrival

Sooooo...I guess that it's been a while since I posted, huh? Sorry but the last few months just got out of control, but I've thought of you often. At the end of last month, my husband, Michael and I took a trip to Florida...Ft. Lauderdale to be exact. We went with Stephanie (our human) as she attended the National Barbie Convention. So I thought I'd share pictures from our adventures.

Pixxa: Here we are fresh off the plane in Ft. Lauderdale. Michael, wave at our visitors.

Michael: Boy it's humid here. And we've got all of this stuff. Where's our ride anyway?

P: (whispering) Please excuse Michael...he's a bit of a grumpy traveler.

P: First stop...CUPCAKES!! I have been dying to try the cupcakes at Sweeter Days---come on, le't go in!!

M: Mmmmm...looks yummy and smells great!

P: Here we are with the owner, Steven. He was great helping us get our order!

M: I'm ready to eat!!
P: Later Michael. Just carry them to the car.

M: You want me to carry all of these? No way. oh Stephanieeeee...

P: Here we are on the grounds of the hotel. We stayed at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. It was VERY nice!

M: Let's go check out what's over there.

P: Oh Michael...our first look at the Atlantic Ocean.

A Visit Downtown

Pixxa: Here we are in front of one of the best theatres in Chicago, The Cadillac Palace Theatre

Vintage Travel Barbie: Are we going to a play?

P: No, we're going to do a quick tour of downtown.

P: Behind us is the State of Illinois Building. It's made of glass and steel.

P: And across the street is the City-County Building.

VTB: City-County Building?

P: Yes, this half of the building is the County Building...

P: And, this half of the building is City Hall.

VTB: This is where the Mayor works?

P: Yep.

P: From here you can see the doors to City Hall and the doors to the County Building.

VTB: Neat!

P: And here at the front of the State Building is Jean Dubuffet's sculpture Monument with Standing Beast

VTB: Interesting...

P: And across the street again is Daley Center which is the courthouse building. Let's go over there.

VTB: Okay

P: If you think back to The Blues Brothers movie, you might remember the building behind us.

VTB: Oh right...when they were trying to pay the money for the orphanage.

VTB: And here we are inside the Daley Center. Wow security is tight.

Note to readers - security really is tight. We were kicked out of the building just after this photo was snapped.

P: I think this is Chicago's most famous sculpture. It's our Picaso.

VTB: Chicago is a very artsy town, huh?

VTB: What's that over there?

P: It's the studio where the local news is broadcast. CBS, Channel 2.

VTB: Ahhh...CBS

P: This is what used to be our most iconic store, Marshall Field's. They have been taken over by Macy's.

VTB: Cute window display

P: That clock is famous. It was immortalized on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1945.

VTB: So that makes this a very old clock!

The girls laughed and keep walking.

P: There's the Chicago Theatre. It's part of the area called...wait, there it it...

VTB: ...The Chicago Theatre District.

P: Since tea is becoming the new coffee, we've got Argo Tea shops. And the tea is wonderful.

P: This is Garrett's Popcorn...the best cheese and caramel corn in the world.

VTB: Didn't Oprah have this as a favorite one year?

P: Of course she did!

P: And there's The Goodman Theatre.

VTB: There are lots of theatres in Chicago.

P: Not as many as in New York, but we do okay.

And with that, the girls ended their tour by stopping for a cocktail.