When I was eight years old, my brain was wired on two things: the clothing brand Justice and American Girl.
Although obsession only took hold of me for three years, some feelings still lingered. When I was trying to decide what to do for my 21st birthday, I originally wanted a Jersey Shore-themed party; however, I quickly realized that my house is not spacious enough for that, so I hunted for another option. Then, a lightbulb went off, and I remembered where my dreams came true as a 10-year-old: The American Girl Store in Orlando. Not only was this a wonderful place, but there was one just around the corner! Well, a forty-minute drive, but what isn’t in Orlando?
I called the store and said, somewhat abashedly, that I wanted to have my 21st birthday in their store in Orlando. The representative on the phone was ecstatic and assured me that women of all ages go there to celebrate their birthdays. We then proceeded to have a twenty-minute conversation nerding out over American Girl, which I must say appeased my inner child immensely.
With a hundred-dollar deposit, I reserved my private deluxe party with pizza and doll hairstyling for Feb. 14 (my birthday) at 3:30 p.m. I was on cloud nine. They even gave a website where I could send personalized invitations with their logo.
With invitations sent out and RSVPs sent back, I waited in anticipation and counted down the days to my birthday. To prepare for the momentous day, I had gone back home and secured my first-ever American Girl doll I ever received, which was a look-alike of me.
Finally, the day had arrived. I got all dolled up, no pun intended, and made my way to the eighth wonder of the world. When we arrived, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was finally where I was always meant to be. My roommate and best friend took a million pictures of me outside the store (with two cameras, of course, to ensure we got all the right angles). Then, we walked inside. Wow, was all I could think. It was how I remembered it and yet, so different.
We arrived a few minutes early to let them know we were here for our reservation. In the meantime, we waited in the lobby and looked at the array of dolls, clothes, and accessories.
Our room was ready, and how magnificent it was: pink flowers were scattered across the room, and crystal light fixtures hung from the ceiling. A long table filled the room, with a pink throne at the head of the table. Obviously, it was for the birthday girl, which I took full advantage of.
People started arriving, and so did our waiter. He was super fun and attentive. He had asked what we were all there for, to which I replied, “My 21st birthday!” He then asked what we wanted to drink. I had joked and told him, “Can you believe the American Girl store doesn’t serve alcohol?” To which he replied, “Who lied to you?” Me, apparently, as I was under the impression they did not serve alcohol. He listed off a multitude of alcoholic beverages, and I landed on a peach bellini. It was pink, glittery, and absolutely delicious.
Drinks were brought out with the warm and sweet cinnamon rolls. More people began to arrive, and it was nice to catch up with my friends. They also seemed in awe of all that the American Girl store and cafe had to offer.
As we conversed, more and more food was brought out, including pizza and salad. Our waiter made sure we were taken care of. After a few minutes, the lights in our room were turned off, and a cake lit with candles was brought in. Soon, a chorus of “Happy Birthday” was sung, and the song couldn’t be more fitting. As the cake was being cut, our waiter wanted to make sure we had the full American Girl experience. He gave us each a doll (except me, of course, since I already had my own) and had us play Four Corners. The dolls counted as an extra life in case our corner was called. I won the game, but unfortunately lost the second game we played, Simon Says.
Once we finished up our cake and ice cream, I made sure to take pictures with all the guests at the party. I took one last look around the store and, with a heavy heart, said goodbye. Although I knew I would be back, especially since my Nana had sent me a 50-dollar gift card.