{Saturday Sights} Afternoon Tea at American Girl

Afternoon Tea at American Girl is one of those memory making moments that parents are always hoping we’re giving our kids. After a particularly rough day last week, the mailman delivered an unexpected gift card, and I said to Ayva, “Bump it. We’re going to American Girl.” I discovered via the American Girl website that we’d need to make a reservation for the Afternoon Tea. I placed the call and reserved our spot for the next day, and Ayva and I started picking out our outfits.

Dressed in a lovely, and really quite appropriate sundress, Ayva kept me on schedule the next day so we could head to Palo Alto for our tea date. Ayva had never been to American Girl before (I purchased her doll last year at the Chicago store while at a conference), and her face completely lit up when we walked in the front door. A grand staircase led us to the American Girl Bistro where we were promptly seated (Ayva’s doll was, too!), served our choice of tea, and given a box of conversation starter questions. When I explained to Ayva what they were and told that it was for us to just talk, the look on her face let me know that she had been desperately in need of some real quality time.

Our food came out about 15 minutes after we sat down. Everything was doll-sized from the  BLTs and turkey sliders to the cucumber sandwiches. There was also fruit and sweets to end the meal with. It was everything that I hoped it would be, and Ayva loved every bit of it.  The afternoon tea cost $13.50 each (not counting tax or gratuity), and included tea, mini sandwiches, fruit, dessert, a take home craft, another craft that Ayva was given to start inside the store, and a mini teacup and saucer for the doll. Ayva’s excitement throughout the entire afternoon, however, had to be the best part!